This week we were able to lead our sheep in and out of the barn so nicely it was amazing. Reg goes out three times a day to train them and I often go with him. Yesterday I was able to lead them alone into the fenced garden area where they grazed down all the weeds.
Galinda came over to me as I sat in my chair in the field. She wanted to be petted and petted. It was precious. The other sheep grazed nearby and it was so peaceful. I was very grateful for my strange new life of farming and homesteading, preparing to help others by creating productive and peaceful places.
This week Reg and I were both sniffly and sickish but functional. We took an hour drive in the country and bought six more chickens. We were still able to help a ward member clean her apartment and move to a better apartment.
We were able to host a Self Reliance Class (12 students!) for How to Grow or Start your own business. We were able to make soup for a community dinner and help with a family history workshop and set up an ofrenda in our church lobby for people to put pictures of deceased ancestors that they have taken to the temple or plan to take to the temple so they can remember and bless their ancestors.
We also went to a fall festival with our kids, Ben, Courtnie and little Wells!
So now that Irish tale I was inspired by this week:
There was a ship sailing from Ireland to America and the captain looked behind his ship and was very upset to find a giant whale following the ship. He looked around and saw a chair and threw it at the whale. It swallowed the chair but didn't go away.
So the captain looked around and found a goat and threw it at the whale. The whale swallowed the goat but didn't go away. Then the captain took up a small barrel and threw it at the whale. The whale swallowed the barrel but didn't go away.
Then the captain noticed the cabin boy. He took the poor boy and threw him overboard and the whale swallowed the boy and went away. The ship continued to sail to America and when it came into the dock the captain was amazed to find the great whale dead upon the shore with lots of people standing around it staring at it.
"Cut it open! Cut it open!" he cried. So the people did and there they saw the cabin boy sitting in a chair and milking a goat into a barrel. The captain was so shocked by the sight that he fell down and almost died.
And as the Irish storyteller always says at the end of her stories, "And that's my story and if there's a lie in it, so be it."
BUT, what I loved was her observations afterwards. That cabin boy had a dark time in his life and he looked around inside that whale and gathered his resources. He made himself comfortable in the chair and nourished himself with the goat milk and he made it through his dark time.
So my friends, when you are in a deep dark time, look to your resources. Make your self comfortable find a place to curl up and rest, sit in a field and stare at nature, clean your personal space, and make yourself comfortable. THEN nourish yourself. Nourish yourself physically with healthy food, healing tea or whatever. Nourish yourself spiritually and emotionally by turning to Christ, breathing deep, meditating, etc.
She added one more thought...that wretched, selfish captain who did whatever it took to save himself even hurting others. She said that some would wish revenge and thinking it would have been just if he HAD died from the shock. But revenge is not healthy. Your best revenge is to LIVE WELL in your trials like the cabin boy did and you will be blessed.
Christ is always with you in your darkest hours. He lived them all personally so He could know exactly how to bring you peace and nurturing in your adventures. I know this from experience.
Love you ALL! Have a great week.
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