Brrrrr!
This morning I bundled up to warm my car and scrape the windows before work. To me, anything below 55 degrees is painfully cold.
As I shivered and braced myself against the chill, I thought about the farmers on their way to work.
They must work seven days, or they don’t eat. If our farmers don’t work, none of us eat.
In the field of agriculture, there isn’t paid time off, company health insurance, severance packages, or climate-controlled environments. Yet these loyal farmers show up day after day, year after year.
Everyone has a freewill. Farmers freely give, sometimes at the expense of their own survival and health. To me, farmers represent troops of agricultural soldiers.
When we’re at a grocery store, we sometimes fuss because of long lines. We complain that the prices are too high.
I remind myself, “Hold on, Christina. You’re not the person out in the cold, rain, bug-and-humidity season. You aren’t the one who plants fields and tends animals. You don’t have to harvest the product, clean it, package it, deliver, or stock it.”
Squirm. I know what it’s like feeding teenagers. What’s it like feeding a herd of cows?!”
When I consider that the universe’s entire survival comes from our Creator, I’m humbled. In its natural state, we don’t pay for water, sunshine, grass, plants, animals…
I remember how I murmured this morning about the extra time it took to dress in layers and wait for my fully gassed, well-maintained car to warm up. What if it hadn’t started and I had to walk, or hope someone would drive me to work?
So much is given to us at the expense of someone else’s labor and gifts. I need to cycle and recycle that free flow. I’m invited to gratefully and freely give back to our world.
Among many things, today, I’m most thankful for a coat, mittens, and hat, Because of sheep farmers, I have socks and a sweater. I enjoyed a hot shower and warm office. I indulged in dark roast hazelnut coffee, thanks to the coffee bean farmers.
Trudging from an ice-laden FROG Blog,
Christina,
Lover of snail mail, Hobby Lobby yarn, and Wal-Mart gift cards
*For an audio version of this FROG Blog, you can go to ( A Slice Of Pie With Christina Mae | RSS.com)