What a Retirement Plan!!
When you contemplate a dream that you believe the Lord has firmly planted in your heart and you are reasonably certain it is of Him (a process worthy of several postings of discussion, no doubt) there comes a time to move prudently forward in finding His way in fulfilling it. There are two key elements to this process. The first one is the much needed but ever so difficult requirement of waiting on the Lord for His timing and provision, so as not to get ahead of Him in seeking to bring it to pass in the flesh. Though it can be agonizing at times, the waiting process is an essential foundation stone that must be laid first, without which one will inevitably get started on the wrong foot, the foot of the flesh. Many a God-sent vision is waylaid for lengthy seasons by the impatience of believers who seek to fulfill it in their flesh, like Abraham and his siring of Ishmael. This is not to imply, however, that waiting on the Lord is a passive process, by any means, as it is one of proactive faith and prayer where one is ready and willing to move as God opens the doors and makes the way. This leads to the second element of stepping by faith through the door He opens unto the water in obedience to the Lord’s leading. The just are to live by godly faith and not human sight, which makes both waiting on the Lord and stepping unto the water steps that require true sight, which only comes from a living faith in God’s Word.
Yet, there are so many other words that coerce and drive us, words from within ourselves – words of fear, doubt, anxiousness, unbelief, anger, pride, suspicion, cynicism, pragmatism, and words from without – from family & friends, tradition, education, society, not to mention the wicked one. Our worldview which determines our decisions and actions is formed far more by these words – both good and bad – than we realize, which is why we are commanded, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom.12:2). The renewing of our minds is a lifelong process, which means that we think and operate based upon a worldview that is a mixture between a growing renewed mind and the dying old one. It is not an automatic process, by any means, as it requires a consistent, active study of God’s Word with a heart ready to obey it (1 Tim 4:13; 2 Tim 2:15, 3:14-17; James 1:21-25). Without their minds being truly renewed, however, a believer can languish for years as a babe who operates by the carnal mind of their flesh, even though they believe they are spiritually mature.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
Hebrews 5:12-14
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Since, by the fallen nature of our flesh, it is very easy to deceive ourselves and be deceived by others, it is imperative that we learn, by the gracious work of God’s indwelling Spirit, to prove what is the good and perfect will of God through renewing our minds, so that we think and act by His Word as our final standard and not man’s. When it comes to discerning God’s will for our lives this deception can go in two directions where we either assume something to be God’s will without having proven it by the light of His testimony and law (Isa. 8:20) or we dismiss something that really is His will because we look at it through the eyes of faulty human reasoning. This is particularly true when it comes to do something that the world would consider irrational and foolish, such as Peter walking on water . . . or, in my case, a fifty–two year old pastor taking up restorative forestry, muleskinning, logging, and sawyering.
Imagine if Peter had gone to his immediate family, the religious rulers of Israel, and the Roman authorities to discuss the command he received from the Lord to walk on the water? It would have been dismissed out-of-hand as impossible madness, yet the testimony of the Scriptures bear witness to the reality that he did in fact walk on water. Yet, when it comes to callings and dreams that are less radical, in so far as they do not require a major miracle of the Lord, the same out-of-hand dismissal can occur where men presume in their own carnal thinking to know what is reasonable and, thus, doable.
As it so often happens, however, if by our limited and flawed reasoning we think that what the Lord is asking “looks fairly doable” to us, like stepping out of a boat into another, especially if it has been properly secured to our satisfaction, we are generally inclined to move ahead in doing it, since all the ducks appear to us to be in order. The Lord is often merciful to bless these puerile expressions of faith, particularly for babes in Christ who are just learning to walk. Nonetheless, we walk by faith, not by sight, and there comes the time for every believer to move on into the deeper waters of a mature life where one walks by the sight of true faith based upon the light of God’s Word (Psa. 119:105) and not by our own darkened sight based upon the light kindled from human reasoning. Though the seemingly substantial light that fallen man kindles can have the appearance of prudence and wisdom, it ultimately leads to God’s certain judgment (Isa. 50:11, Pro. 14:12). There is absolutely no substitute for God’s Law being the light by which we are to see – to walk by and develop dreams and plans for the future – and when we shove it aside in leaning upon man’s wisdom we miserably perish in willful ignorance. Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he (Proverbs 29:18).
When I first became aware of the vision for Missouri Woods, especially in using draft animals to log custom woods, I quickly dismissed it out-of hand as undoable for me or anyone else over 30, let alone 50. “Why, everyone knows that this type of work calls for young men in top shape,” or so I presumed. Certainly, an overweight man of fifty-two deceives himself if he thinks he can do such incredibly toilsome work. This reasoning was based upon the assumptions I held that I knew enough about muleskinning and logging to nix it immediately as anything suitable for me. Added to that was the unbelief I held that God would not enable and strengthen me or others of like age to do such a task, even though there was mounting evidence, both biblically compelling and thorough, that He has indeed called us – four out-of-shape men ranging from 47 to 52 – to commence its undertaking. The Lord then spoke to me through His Word.
Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished (Deuteronomy 34:7). “And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. “As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in (Joshua 14:10-11). I can hear the pragmatism now, “What? Impossible for us today! Has not our experience under our progressive, “scientific” society proven this not to be the norm? These extraordinary exploits took place back in the “bible days” when they lived primitive lives under horrific conditions, so this had to be some sort of supernatural grace beyond the common grace extended to all. Today, we are far more advanced and live under better conditions, which is why we must retire early if we have any hope in living to eighty.”
The long length of days and amazing mental and physical stamina the Lord gave Moses and Caleb was not a special dispensation meant for their culture and age, but rather it was simply the grace and strength necessary for them to finish the work the Lord called them to, the same He provides for all His saints in all ages. To believe otherwise, is to seek elsewhere for one’s daily needs, hope of longevity, and future. Yes, only the Lord knows the day we will be taken home, and yes, infirmities can change or even put an end to one’s work, but where in the Scriptures does it teach that God will not inspire or bless hard work once we reach a certain age? Where in the Scriptures are we taught that as a society we are to automatically retire everyone from work? We were made to labor unto the Lord all the days of our life, as His grace is sufficient in all things, even the things that come upon us as we age. Ask yourself before the Lord, is it His will and our goal in life to work like mad until we have laid up a big nest egg so we can quit working? What kind of life is that? It certainly isn’t biblical. Though a debt-based culture may offer a few crumbs of welfare to the infirm and elderly, it by nature culls them to leave more of the pie to its masters. This is why there is such a push by the “right to die” crowd to withhold life to those who are deemed not to have it (the unborn) or have it in such a diminished capacity that it is not worth the expense and time to maintain (Terry Schiavo). The elderly and infirm are next!
When I began to do extensive research into draft animal logging I ran across the stunning fact that the average age for draft animal loggers was late 50’s and early 60’s, with many doing it into their late 70’s. How could this possibly be? Pace, the pace of draft animal logging is much slower than that of modern, commercial logging, which is why it nixes most men from doing it, no matter how young and virile, since they are nearly all driven by debt and a credit induced, exorbitant lifestyle which requires enormous daily cash flows to maintain. Modern debt-based logging with commercial skidders and other expensive equipment requires working at a breakneck, exhaustive pace, which nixes me for sure. Besides, that lifestyle does not interest me in the least.
On the other hand, draft animal logging, which mandates one to be free to work at a slower pace to be biblically successful, requires a debt-free, more humble lifestyle, which suits me fine, as the Lord, by His abounding grace and mercy, has brought me to. More importantly, we are not interested in being just another cog in the world’s division of labor buy selling our logs after they are harvested. At a mule’s pace that would be unprofitable. No, the vision includes sawing them into boards, drying them by kiln, and selling them and, the Lord willing, even turning them into products like furniture, cabinets, etc. Vertical integration where one adds his labor to the Lord’s resources to produce the end product sure beats being a worker ant or middleman of some corporate empire, even if it does cause one’s back to ache and brow to sweat. The words of one of Merle Haggard’s most famous songs comes to mind, “Turn me loose, set me free, somewhere in the middle of Montana. And gimme all that I got comin’ to me. And keep your retirement and your so called social security. Big City turn me loose and set me free” Surely he must have meant somewhere in the middle of Missouri, but then again I also happen to like mules!
One thing that has become very clear to me because of the many painful lessons I have learned, our frenzied, debt-based culture is both impossible and mad, which is why it is dying, whether we are willing to admit it or not. The Lord’s people are not called to such a pagan death, but to abundant life both now and in eternity (John 10:10, 3John 2), unless, of course, they compromise in pragmatic blindness by embracing a dying culture in the name of seeking the wealth and peace of their unregenerate neighbors (Ezra 9:12), which seems apparent right now. Oh Lord, be merciful to awaken us all to the peril of our own ways! More so, awaken us to your high calling in serving our blessed King and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, here on earth! Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
The Lord’s people are called as ambassadors and vicegerents of King Jesus to take the Gospel to the nations and to disciple them, teaching them to obey all His commandments. As commandment obeying, covenant keeping servants of Christ – the light of the world and salt of the earth – we are, in addition to making disciples of the nations, to steward by His Word the very earth we disciples dwell upon, since it is also Christ’s inheritance. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession (Psalm 2:8). This glorious stewardship begins right under our feet on the land where He chooses to place us. As incredibly difficult as it will be, we must transition (repent) from being debt enslaved consumers and slaves of our corporate masters into free producers, by our own hands and sweat, of products made from the land and resources the Lord’s gives us. Bottom-line: we must transition from being corporate enslaved agrarians to biblical free agrarians.
With biblical agrarianism being deeply rooted in my mind and heart, is should not have surprised me, therefore, that the Lord would lead me and other like-minded agrarians in just that direction via a vision called Missouri Woods, one which we all realize will require tremendous grace and strength from the Lord to accomplish. We do not fool ourselves either, as we also realize that the work He has called us to will be very hard and will likely take many years, if not multiple generations, to get fully operative and fruitful. Even if every Christian man was a virile twenty-year old, the work of the Lord could never be rightly accomplished apart from his Spirit working obedience in the hearts of those called to it. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.
We Christians fool ourselves to think that we could do anything, even the smallest, apart from God’s provision, strength, and grace. This mentality runs contrary to the modern worldview, which has been deeply engrained in American Christendom, that mankind through his increasing wisdom, technology, and economic savvy can accomplish most anything he sets his mind to . . . the good old Yankee ingenuity and work ethic. Just line your ducks up and the way you go . . . crashing through the woods of society with the destructive skidders of mammon!
Though I tremble at the vision of Missouri Woods and its difficult outworking, what encourages me the most about it is that the Lord is giving me the desires of my heart, the ones He placed there according to His good pleasure. Talk about the best of all worlds. I have retired from the world’s retirement and am now undertaking an exciting adventure which allows me to spend time in the woods I have come to love so much, using His living technology (mules) while working with my hands to earn a living by producing a product from the resources of my King, all the while loosing weight and getting in shape in laboring and fellowshipping with like-minded brethren, all of which enables me all the more as a pastor to effectively preach and live out the Gospel of the Kingdom while discipling believers from the seat of a genuine, biblically agrarian experience. What a retirement plan!! . . . to work as unto the Lord all the remaining days of my life in fulfilling the desires of my heart, which He put there.
Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God. For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20).
– The Rural Missourian
Yet, there are so many other words that coerce and drive us, words from within ourselves – words of fear, doubt, anxiousness, unbelief, anger, pride, suspicion, cynicism, pragmatism, and words from without – from family & friends, tradition, education, society, not to mention the wicked one. Our worldview which determines our decisions and actions is formed far more by these words – both good and bad – than we realize, which is why we are commanded, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom.12:2). The renewing of our minds is a lifelong process, which means that we think and operate based upon a worldview that is a mixture between a growing renewed mind and the dying old one. It is not an automatic process, by any means, as it requires a consistent, active study of God’s Word with a heart ready to obey it (1 Tim 4:13; 2 Tim 2:15, 3:14-17; James 1:21-25). Without their minds being truly renewed, however, a believer can languish for years as a babe who operates by the carnal mind of their flesh, even though they believe they are spiritually mature.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
Hebrews 5:12-14
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Since, by the fallen nature of our flesh, it is very easy to deceive ourselves and be deceived by others, it is imperative that we learn, by the gracious work of God’s indwelling Spirit, to prove what is the good and perfect will of God through renewing our minds, so that we think and act by His Word as our final standard and not man’s. When it comes to discerning God’s will for our lives this deception can go in two directions where we either assume something to be God’s will without having proven it by the light of His testimony and law (Isa. 8:20) or we dismiss something that really is His will because we look at it through the eyes of faulty human reasoning. This is particularly true when it comes to do something that the world would consider irrational and foolish, such as Peter walking on water . . . or, in my case, a fifty–two year old pastor taking up restorative forestry, muleskinning, logging, and sawyering.
Imagine if Peter had gone to his immediate family, the religious rulers of Israel, and the Roman authorities to discuss the command he received from the Lord to walk on the water? It would have been dismissed out-of-hand as impossible madness, yet the testimony of the Scriptures bear witness to the reality that he did in fact walk on water. Yet, when it comes to callings and dreams that are less radical, in so far as they do not require a major miracle of the Lord, the same out-of-hand dismissal can occur where men presume in their own carnal thinking to know what is reasonable and, thus, doable.
As it so often happens, however, if by our limited and flawed reasoning we think that what the Lord is asking “looks fairly doable” to us, like stepping out of a boat into another, especially if it has been properly secured to our satisfaction, we are generally inclined to move ahead in doing it, since all the ducks appear to us to be in order. The Lord is often merciful to bless these puerile expressions of faith, particularly for babes in Christ who are just learning to walk. Nonetheless, we walk by faith, not by sight, and there comes the time for every believer to move on into the deeper waters of a mature life where one walks by the sight of true faith based upon the light of God’s Word (Psa. 119:105) and not by our own darkened sight based upon the light kindled from human reasoning. Though the seemingly substantial light that fallen man kindles can have the appearance of prudence and wisdom, it ultimately leads to God’s certain judgment (Isa. 50:11, Pro. 14:12). There is absolutely no substitute for God’s Law being the light by which we are to see – to walk by and develop dreams and plans for the future – and when we shove it aside in leaning upon man’s wisdom we miserably perish in willful ignorance. Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he (Proverbs 29:18).
When I first became aware of the vision for Missouri Woods, especially in using draft animals to log custom woods, I quickly dismissed it out-of hand as undoable for me or anyone else over 30, let alone 50. “Why, everyone knows that this type of work calls for young men in top shape,” or so I presumed. Certainly, an overweight man of fifty-two deceives himself if he thinks he can do such incredibly toilsome work. This reasoning was based upon the assumptions I held that I knew enough about muleskinning and logging to nix it immediately as anything suitable for me. Added to that was the unbelief I held that God would not enable and strengthen me or others of like age to do such a task, even though there was mounting evidence, both biblically compelling and thorough, that He has indeed called us – four out-of-shape men ranging from 47 to 52 – to commence its undertaking. The Lord then spoke to me through His Word.
Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished (Deuteronomy 34:7). “And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. “As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in (Joshua 14:10-11). I can hear the pragmatism now, “What? Impossible for us today! Has not our experience under our progressive, “scientific” society proven this not to be the norm? These extraordinary exploits took place back in the “bible days” when they lived primitive lives under horrific conditions, so this had to be some sort of supernatural grace beyond the common grace extended to all. Today, we are far more advanced and live under better conditions, which is why we must retire early if we have any hope in living to eighty.”
The long length of days and amazing mental and physical stamina the Lord gave Moses and Caleb was not a special dispensation meant for their culture and age, but rather it was simply the grace and strength necessary for them to finish the work the Lord called them to, the same He provides for all His saints in all ages. To believe otherwise, is to seek elsewhere for one’s daily needs, hope of longevity, and future. Yes, only the Lord knows the day we will be taken home, and yes, infirmities can change or even put an end to one’s work, but where in the Scriptures does it teach that God will not inspire or bless hard work once we reach a certain age? Where in the Scriptures are we taught that as a society we are to automatically retire everyone from work? We were made to labor unto the Lord all the days of our life, as His grace is sufficient in all things, even the things that come upon us as we age. Ask yourself before the Lord, is it His will and our goal in life to work like mad until we have laid up a big nest egg so we can quit working? What kind of life is that? It certainly isn’t biblical. Though a debt-based culture may offer a few crumbs of welfare to the infirm and elderly, it by nature culls them to leave more of the pie to its masters. This is why there is such a push by the “right to die” crowd to withhold life to those who are deemed not to have it (the unborn) or have it in such a diminished capacity that it is not worth the expense and time to maintain (Terry Schiavo). The elderly and infirm are next!
When I began to do extensive research into draft animal logging I ran across the stunning fact that the average age for draft animal loggers was late 50’s and early 60’s, with many doing it into their late 70’s. How could this possibly be? Pace, the pace of draft animal logging is much slower than that of modern, commercial logging, which is why it nixes most men from doing it, no matter how young and virile, since they are nearly all driven by debt and a credit induced, exorbitant lifestyle which requires enormous daily cash flows to maintain. Modern debt-based logging with commercial skidders and other expensive equipment requires working at a breakneck, exhaustive pace, which nixes me for sure. Besides, that lifestyle does not interest me in the least.
On the other hand, draft animal logging, which mandates one to be free to work at a slower pace to be biblically successful, requires a debt-free, more humble lifestyle, which suits me fine, as the Lord, by His abounding grace and mercy, has brought me to. More importantly, we are not interested in being just another cog in the world’s division of labor buy selling our logs after they are harvested. At a mule’s pace that would be unprofitable. No, the vision includes sawing them into boards, drying them by kiln, and selling them and, the Lord willing, even turning them into products like furniture, cabinets, etc. Vertical integration where one adds his labor to the Lord’s resources to produce the end product sure beats being a worker ant or middleman of some corporate empire, even if it does cause one’s back to ache and brow to sweat. The words of one of Merle Haggard’s most famous songs comes to mind, “Turn me loose, set me free, somewhere in the middle of Montana. And gimme all that I got comin’ to me. And keep your retirement and your so called social security. Big City turn me loose and set me free” Surely he must have meant somewhere in the middle of Missouri, but then again I also happen to like mules!
One thing that has become very clear to me because of the many painful lessons I have learned, our frenzied, debt-based culture is both impossible and mad, which is why it is dying, whether we are willing to admit it or not. The Lord’s people are not called to such a pagan death, but to abundant life both now and in eternity (John 10:10, 3John 2), unless, of course, they compromise in pragmatic blindness by embracing a dying culture in the name of seeking the wealth and peace of their unregenerate neighbors (Ezra 9:12), which seems apparent right now. Oh Lord, be merciful to awaken us all to the peril of our own ways! More so, awaken us to your high calling in serving our blessed King and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, here on earth! Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
The Lord’s people are called as ambassadors and vicegerents of King Jesus to take the Gospel to the nations and to disciple them, teaching them to obey all His commandments. As commandment obeying, covenant keeping servants of Christ – the light of the world and salt of the earth – we are, in addition to making disciples of the nations, to steward by His Word the very earth we disciples dwell upon, since it is also Christ’s inheritance. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession (Psalm 2:8). This glorious stewardship begins right under our feet on the land where He chooses to place us. As incredibly difficult as it will be, we must transition (repent) from being debt enslaved consumers and slaves of our corporate masters into free producers, by our own hands and sweat, of products made from the land and resources the Lord’s gives us. Bottom-line: we must transition from being corporate enslaved agrarians to biblical free agrarians.
With biblical agrarianism being deeply rooted in my mind and heart, is should not have surprised me, therefore, that the Lord would lead me and other like-minded agrarians in just that direction via a vision called Missouri Woods, one which we all realize will require tremendous grace and strength from the Lord to accomplish. We do not fool ourselves either, as we also realize that the work He has called us to will be very hard and will likely take many years, if not multiple generations, to get fully operative and fruitful. Even if every Christian man was a virile twenty-year old, the work of the Lord could never be rightly accomplished apart from his Spirit working obedience in the hearts of those called to it. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.
We Christians fool ourselves to think that we could do anything, even the smallest, apart from God’s provision, strength, and grace. This mentality runs contrary to the modern worldview, which has been deeply engrained in American Christendom, that mankind through his increasing wisdom, technology, and economic savvy can accomplish most anything he sets his mind to . . . the good old Yankee ingenuity and work ethic. Just line your ducks up and the way you go . . . crashing through the woods of society with the destructive skidders of mammon!
Though I tremble at the vision of Missouri Woods and its difficult outworking, what encourages me the most about it is that the Lord is giving me the desires of my heart, the ones He placed there according to His good pleasure. Talk about the best of all worlds. I have retired from the world’s retirement and am now undertaking an exciting adventure which allows me to spend time in the woods I have come to love so much, using His living technology (mules) while working with my hands to earn a living by producing a product from the resources of my King, all the while loosing weight and getting in shape in laboring and fellowshipping with like-minded brethren, all of which enables me all the more as a pastor to effectively preach and live out the Gospel of the Kingdom while discipling believers from the seat of a genuine, biblically agrarian experience. What a retirement plan!! . . . to work as unto the Lord all the remaining days of my life in fulfilling the desires of my heart, which He put there.
Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God. For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20).
– The Rural Missourian
posted by Missouri Rev | 6:57 PM
6 Comments:
That sounds really exciting! I'd like to hear more of the details as you unravel your plans for Missouri Woods.
I am grateful that God impressed upon me while I was in college the desire to enjoy a life of simplicity, while working in the carpentry trade after the tradition of my father and grandfather.
Watching the wind blow the grass on the other side of the window during an accounting class drove home the desire that I needed to live in a rural area and to raise my children as I had grown up, among livestock, saw dust, gardens, and fishing poles.
I continue to work with my dad in the carpentry trade, but have also expanded the business by opening a woodworking shop that I operate from my home. Whether I am working on the job or in the shop, when the sun rises I am filled with a great expectation of the day ahead, for I thoroughly love what the work that I do.
I shall attempt to assist you by uplifting those 52 year old arms of yours in prayer! Sola Deo Gloria!
Bob
This is encouraging to me as I am trying to move to my dad's home place to become more agrarian and debt free. My wife and I have both felt the disapproval of family and friend when they hear that we are selling our place without having any certain place to go. I tried to get all the ducks lined up before putting our place up for sale but eventually the Lord impressed upon my heart that all I needed to know at the moment was that I needed to get out of debt. There are numerous possibilities to which He might lead us which would fulfill the desires of my heart as He and I have talked about on many occasions. Thanks for the post about stepping out in faith and looking to the Lord for direction-not the world.
As always, awesome post! Following through with God's will while fulfilling the desires on one's heart- now that's something to live for!
Tom,
It was a delight to spend this past evening rejoicing with you in the good things of God, as evidenced in the vision of Missouri Woods. May God fulfill every ambition you have to be faithful to him, worshipping and enjoying him all the days of your life.
I love your blog. And your faith, that the Lord will make everything work out all right. I hope your efforts with mules work out well. I grew up in Arizona, and mules were the preferred animals for packing supplies thru the mountians.That old Apache fighter General Crook road mules on his efforts against the Apaches.the mules sure footedness, and common sense must have looked real good to him, while riding in the mountians, and deep canyon trails. they also take the heat better.My grandfather plowed with them.I love em!
Old Hound,
Thanks for dropping in. I grew up in Arizona too, in Tucson. I spent many years hunting in the old haunts where the Apache once roamed, like Cochise's Stronghold in the Chiricahua Mountains. Thank you for the encouragement. BTW, I'll be in the Springfield area later this month. Perhaps we could meet.
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