Helpmaid

We are finally moving, officially on Saturday. Meanwhile there has been a lot of things coming up, and one of them is about the purpose of the farm. We are leaning towards naming the farm after the archangel Raphael, to ask for his protection and healing medecine. We are envisioning the land that God is giving us to be a place where souls can be strenghtened in God, where families can be lead to Jesus Christ, where the Holy Spirit is directing.

The old barn will house a cow, steer, sheep and chickens in the winter. the newer barn used to be raising 3.000 organic chicken, we want to stay away from such big farm production, yet we do not know what to do with the building.

For a while in our lifes as married people, I tried working in different things, sometimes out of the home, but mostly in the home. Now that this project of the farm  is coming up, I am again asking, what is the purpose of the marriage, and how can we be working together instead of separate and in a sanctifying way? For me the response has come suddenly, unexpected, and has caught me by surprise: Instead of trying to do what i think is best, I need to look up to my husband's strenghts and build him up, be his helpmaid.

Inside of the old barn.

So, he has been working with special needs children in the public school system, and he has a talent for it, he can relate to them in  special way, non threatening at all, that makes the relationship grow and become a healing balm. Yet in the schools children are bound to four walls most of the time, do not have enough time outdoors doing meaningful work, they are continually entertained and have a void of purpose. In the farm, my husband could give them physical work, they could see they are needed, and the farm work could help strengthen their souls, in rhythmic discipline. We are looking into giving this opportunity for once a week during the school year, and also for week-long stays at the farm during summer months.

Prayers and songs before meals will help establish a rhythm and a reminder throughout the day of our dependance on God.

Almost all my farmer friends say that is too difficult to live off of the farm, and that a second income is needed, and just a 10% of the big farms are making money. Yet, as a newcomer of stewarding the land I am full of hope, I trust that God is giving this opportunity to many families like us, to work and pray together, to raise families in His name, to be a witness to the world, and to help as many as we can to come closer to the Faith. Our priest sent us a link yesterday about the TLM and the movement around it, we are privileged that God put us in a place where the devotion for God and His Son is stronger than the currents of the world. may I be a helpmaid for His Plans.

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2012/03/new-voris-video-addresses-where-the-action-is-in-catholic-communities/#comments