Saturday, April 24, 2021

Come what may, we live here

I don't know about you, but the news has been very depressing lately. We don't have television, of course; and even radio reception in our area is scant. But the internet is a window into every woe in the world, and sometimes it can get to be a very big downer to scan the headlines in the morning while drinking my tea.

So this morning, after reading something particularly heinous, I looked out the window at all the song birds attracted to the feeder, and realized something very, very important:

Come what may, we live here.

Seriously, our modest little home on modest little acreage has become – in just the four months we've lived here – a haven against all the turmoil and chaos in the wider world.

We have so many plans for this place. We're working on projects and improving the infrastructure to turn our acreage into another self-sufficient homestead. Whenever the rest of the world seems to be spinning out of control, we have to mentally withdraw and focus on what we can change, not on what we can't.

There is a certain peace that comes with letting go of things we can't control (which, of course, is what the Serenity Prayer is all about). When I see a particularly egregious headline, I look out the window and admire the Cassin's finches or lesser goldfinches or evening grosbeaks gathering at the bird feeder, and take a deep breath.

Come what may, we live here.

27 comments:

  1. "Look at the birds of the air: for they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?" Matt 6:26
    I too am comforted by the Holy Hands of Jesus having everything under control.

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    1. This verse was what I thought of when I saw the article.
      its

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  2. Such a beautiful picture. You have the right mindset. I have to do this too.

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  3. Absolutely! We have a really bad habit lately...watching YouTube portable saw mill videos...it’s addictive, and keeps the noise of current events away from our souls! We feel very fortunate that we live out here on a dead end ridge road..., and we spend much of our daylight hours outside in nature. Thy will be done, and yes, come what may!

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  4. You and I were in the same mental place today. I woke up SO depressed over our future but I found such peace outdoors. I thanked the Lord for the birds, the deer across the road, the hot sun and cool breeze. Then I did garden work and felt...normal.

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  5. Because I choose to live my life my way - lots of time outdoors, reading, jigsaw puzzles, donating what I can to local charities either time, money or items - instead of watching the news or listening to the pundits that say I 'must' be depressed with all that's going on in the world with COVID, shootings, riots, etc. - I'm content, happy, and will stay that way. I'm not ignorant of what's going on but all my choices make my world work for me.

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  6. I don’t mean this in a mean way, or to tell anyone what to do. I dunno myself anymore.

    But - we live in our bubbles of sanity and pleasantness. And out there... the evil just grows and grows and grows. How many more days can we go until it reaches us?

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  7. Glen,
    I too feel sad and angry over our country's current plight. I work from the old adage; prepare for the worst but hope for the best. I write our representatives, governor and senators telling them what I expect from them. I work within our small community accordingly, stressing the Boy Scout motto; Be Prepared. For what? Just any little ole thing as was the founder's response. This helps me rest a little easier at night but I mourn for future generations. Our Republic has outlasted most but I fear it in its death throes. I too live close to nature and am in a conservative southern state where but by the grace of God... Each day is a gift. Now, the gardening season is upon us and we will plant extra for our future needs and to share with others. Take care my friends.

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  8. I think it depends on our political orientation and media sources. I am feeling more hope than I have felt in a long time. I am thrilled that you are happy in your new home. There is definitely peace there...and with your remarkable daughters as well...

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    1. Rlewiskane, me too! I just feel complete peace and calm. I’m sure it’s because I hear that the best is yet to come, and I can’t help but be locked in to that!

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  9. "Our country's current plight": oh for heaven's sake. The country is doing much better without the future felon Trump in charge. Stop paying attention to the crazy idiot preachers (my friends listen to) complaining about "evil" in America. We ditched the horrible evil person we had as president and we're in for a new wave of compassion and kindness. For supposed Christians, you folks sure seem to hate compassion and kindness.

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    1. There are none so blind as those who will not see.

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    2. oh, wow! a "true believer!" not only drank the kool-aide, but swimming in the kool-aide vat.... unless this is sarcasm, buuuut, the hate seems to be filtering through.... so much for the "compassion" and, "kindness...

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    3. Anyone currently feeling "more hope than in a long time" or thinking that "we're in for a new wave of compassion and kindness" is not aware of what it is like to live in or near places like Minneapolis, Brooklyn Center, and so many other cities - and even an hour or two away from them. I know folks living in rural Nebraska that are getting out because of crime. The house is on the market now (10 acres an hour from Omaha). The farm has been in the family for 80 years or more...

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    4. Oh please. Stop with the "kool aide" nonsense (by the way, it was Flavor Ade that the people drank at Jonestown). Crime is at a low in the United States and has been for some time. Stop paying attention to stupid media like World Nut Daily and try living in the real world, not the tinfoil hat insane conspiracy Qanon world.

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    5. Not in the Twin Cities! That is sourced from a Local Minneapolis News source. I was raised in Rochester. Quite familiar with the state. Car jackings are 33% a head of the 5 year average and were way up last year.

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    6. Krab you are the only one on this site that talks, feels and spouts the propaganda. No one here is interested. Stop running on your treadmill and follow the rest of your lemmings off the cliff.

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  10. Patrice, I whole heartedly agree with you.
    There are many of us who have been led to our homesites at this time. I can certainly see the powerful Hand of God in my life.
    He opened avenues that to my mind's eye were shut for me to have a homestead.
    There is peace of soul here. I'm sure there are many here that have this same testimony.
    Thank you for your thoughts. They help support all of us that are travelling on this same path.

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  11. Once one realizes that if your sportsball team wins or loses, or, your fave celeb does or doesn't get an award, the sun will still come up, the birds will still sing, and the tides will still rise and fall, nature doesn't care a whit about your personal preferences. Nature will still be here, so pass on the worldly caca and sit back and enjoy what you have and be thankful you are here and not someplace worse.... yeah, and there are a LOT of worse places too.

    We were put here to make a choice: to follow God or deny Him. Choose wisely.

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  12. Putting our heads in the sand will be a disservice to our past and our future. Take long enough to enjoy your freedoms to appreciate them enough to fight back!

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  13. Post Alley CrackpotApril 25, 2021 at 5:15 PM

    Such chubby birds ...

    Am I the only one here thinking, "Mmmm, fresh emergency squab"? :-)

    Seriously though, you don't hear me going on about how I'd love to move back to BoJo's Flying Clownworld Medical Circus in the UK, do you?

    Move when you have to (as we did), but otherwise mend and make do.

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  14. Amen! You are blessed as are we to live in a peaceful rural location. We can only focus on the Lord and do what can as He leads. He will take care of all the turmoil in the world in His timing.

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    1. Amen! I seriously don't know how people who don't know the Lord live in anything other than abject despair. There is such sweet comfort from resting in Him and knowing He is in control of all things. He is good and we can trust Him.

      Keep looking to the Lord. Hope in Christ and His work on our behalf. Be people of the Word and people of faith. Allow your faith to motivate you to do what you can where and when you are able. Do the next thing. Do what needs to be done. Speak and live truth wherever and whenever possible - including speaking truth to yourself. We've read the end of the book and we look forward with hope to the return of our Lord. Even so, come Lord Jesus!

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  15. The problem is greed. I was raised to always go for it and make as much money as possible. Try to keep up with the Jones next door. Then in one night I realized that money and having the nicest car or house didn't really matter. Why because it all came tumbling down in one night. We got hit by a tornado. Leveled our house destroyed our cars and lost majority of our possessions. We were in the basement and escaped with our lives. And we were insured, but after that material things weren't as important to us any more. As long as we could provide for our family that was all we needed.

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