I remember when I was a young girl and spent the whole summer on my aunt Birdie’s farm. I suppose it was my uncle Iver’s farm too, but he was always busy with farm work and I spent time with Aunt Berdie and my two cousins Myrtle and Earnest. I have always been grateful for that summer and for the other times I have stayed at that farm. Even though farming is quite different now with their mechanical instruments, staying at a farm should be a part of every child’s life.

Berdie woke me up early and when I went downstairs for breakfast, I found out that Uncle Iver and his three grown sons were already out in the fields working, the cows were milked and fed and I was still asleep! I was sure I would get up even earlier after this. I didn’t miss any of the work on the farm though. The first things Myrtle and I were asked to do were to feed the chickens and gather the eggs. that sounded easy enough. but after I chased some of the hens of their nests I learned it wasn’t easy at all! They scolded me loudly and flew at my face before I took that measly egg from her, and I still had several mad hens to deal with. But before I went home I liked those hens.

My next job was churning the cream into butter. That was fun at first but it takes a lot of churning! Even though Myrtle and I took turns, it took a long time before the cream became butter, but I was surprised and happy to see the butter in the bottom of the churn. I had really made butter! Then we had to pitch hay down for the horses to eat. I learned to love those two horses even though I was afraid of them at first.

It was time for lunch and was I ever hungry. I was again surprised because lunch wasn’t lunch at all! It was dinner, three courses, salad, meat and potatoes, and deserts. It tasted good too after all the things I had done that morning. The men talked a lot and it was fun to listen to them. We had many dishes to wash after that.

Baking was next on the menu for Myrtle and I. We baked pies for tomorrow’s dinner and cookies and cake for lunches and Aunt Berdie made several loaves of bread. The smell in that kitchen was wonderful!

At about four in the afternoon, it was time for Myrtle and me to ride the horses out to where the men were working and bring them “coffee,” but it wasn’t only coffee. There were cookies and cake to go with it. But was that ever fun! I had never ridden a horse so it was a new experience for me. We brought “coffee” out every day.

It was time for our evening meal. I wasn’t expecting a whole dinner but it was and I ate just like the men. It tasted so good. After dinner, Myrtle and I did the dishes alone. The rest of them finished up the evening chores. after all, that was done we sat around a campfire and looked at the stars. God seemed so close. I believe North Dakota just has more stars than the rest of the states. All of us got sleepy and though it was still early, we all went to bed. I was as sleepy as everyone else and I went to sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

That was my first day on the farm. It reads like we worked all the time, but we sang as we worked and we laughed too. Aunt Berdie was full of stories, really funny stories. I believe farmer families are satisfied with what they do and enjoy their chosen work. Many folks in our cities have no idea and go about their occupations with a frown on their faces. Let’s learn a lesson from farm folks.

I was thinking about my dad today, wondering if he was ever sorry about the choice he made when he was a young man. Jesus tells us to take up the cross and follow him. I believe that is true but it takes us into some rough places sometimes. He never promised our lives would be easy though He did promise that He would never leave us or forsake us, and that should be enough for each of us, shouldn’t it?

The time was in 1925. the year before I was born. Dad had just graduated from the seminary in St Paul, Minnesota and had a certificate saying he was a real Reverend! He was also given two sheets of paper which told him he could be a pastor in one of them. One was a big church in Tacoma, Washington and the other 3 small mission churches in Northern Minnesota. He was sure the big church in Tacoma was the one he should take So, he and his pregnant wife made plans and began packing.

They were happily driving their old Model T until they got somewhere in the middle of North Dakota when their car broke down. A mechanic Told them it would be better to buy a different one, which they did. But Dad wasn’t so sure he had made the right choice.

“I think I made the wrong choice. I was listening to myself, thinking I could have a big church. I know now I wasn’t listening to Jesus who wanted me to go to that small mission parish,” he said to his wife. They turned around and went to Holt, Minnesota.

It wasn’t easy. He had three small churches and two “Preaching Places” to which he had to walk, either in mud or snow, depending on the weather. The roads were bad, most were just plain mud but a few of them were gravel. Still, he had a wonderful time there. He directed several choirs, had many friends and his churches grew. Many cried when he told them Jesus was sending him somewhere else.

It is important to list to God when we are facing anything. In fact, we should ask him each morning to lead us each day. He is always there and will never leave us nor forsake us. I need to follow this as much as you do. It could save us a lot of trouble!