Providence in one’s work
A week ago, an elder friend of mine ran into me to let me know that his grandson was accepted for a summer internship with Joel Salatin out in Virginia at Polyface Farms. He shared contact information with me. I also recently learned that my Homesteading student is interested in doing exactly the same thing! How awesome is that? Thank you, Jesus!
Well, guess what? That young man and my student were out in our woods together today helping me advance the project of getting our electric fence set up for hogs in our wooded area.
It amazes me, on nearly a daily basis, certainly a weekly basis, how so many adventures that come my way seem to be related to the goodness of others. I truly believe underneath it all is the goodness of the Lord.
This isn’t trite. And I’m not saying that goodness is everywhere and all you gotta do is open your eyes to see it. Work is hard, sacrifices have to be made, and making space for good fruit in our lives is demanding and relies on the benevolence of others. None of us are self made.
What I am saying here is that it’s easy to get bogged down in our own plans, our own needs, our own schemes, and all too often forget that good adventures can be had by paying attention to the generosity of the Lord in your life and in others’ lives. The Lord says in Matthew 5:45, in his Sermon on the Mountain that God makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
God is just. And he is good. And he is generous! His mode with us, all of us, regardless of what we’ve done, or whether or not we deserve anything, is generous, generous love.
Through the goodness of these families, and their children who have learned this model of goodness, our wooded lot is fenced off, our animals have more land on which to exert their special gifts, and much fellowship and mutual learning have been shared.