All Grown Up....

Being a mama is so bittersweet at times. I am watching my boys (my babies!) turn into men before my very eyes. And such good men...what treasures are being wrought before my eyes as they submit to their Creator...wanting His best for their lives.

I watched this miracle over several days recently....the Father used baling hay to show me. My boys put the sidebar mower back together (the blade was found in pieces). We were going to attempt to bale hay for the first time by ourselves. We were all kind of excited....could we do this?

I met them at the door...it was time to mow. Jeremy reminded me that it was hot, that there really wasn't much I could do and that they could handle it..."Stay inside where it's cool mom...." words to protect, care for...love.

Jeremy mowed the field....Josiah helped. It was done and we waited for days, holding our breath....waiting to see if the unexpected rain would fall or miss us. Thankful when it passed by although we need the rain.

Time to put the hay in rows for baling....something I have done before. Again, I was met at the door....with words of love, protection, care...."we can handle this Mom....stay inside...you do enough..."

I managed to shoot some pictures...it was hot....really hot out....but I found older son making a demonstration pass for younger son who doesn't have as much experience with the tractor.



Then quickly they were together, riding this huge piece of equipment, Jeremy...always protecting, guiding and loving his younger brother....was riding shotgun...teaching, encouraging.....love in action.... I watched as long golden rows were laid out neatly in a field...thoughts of winter danced though my head and a quiet reassurance that the animals would be fed filled my heart....because of these two.....



Time to drive the baler...again, something I've done many times. I love the sound of the baler which is unusual for me...normally I hate repetitive noise...it's rhythmic thumping soothes me...fills me with good feelings which I haven't totally sorted out yet....

Again...I was met with the "we can handle it Mom". I started to argue but decided instead to let my babies be men before my eyes. Grateful, proud, amazed, I thanked my Father for such as these.

I watched this pair....so different in personality and temperament...working closely together, helping each other, accomplishing the work of a man. I watched as long rectangles fell from the back of the baler....each one a promise of food for the coming winter. My heart was filled with gratitude....there were dozens....I wondered who had guessed the right number we would end up with from this small field.

At this point the heat was beginning to build...close to 100 degrees. After the baling, I suggested waiting till the cool of the evening to load the hay....but they wanted to be done...

Now came the really grueling part. I was allowed to pull the hay wagon with my truck. I normally use the tractor but because of the heat these young men wanted to hook the wagon to my truck so that I and my navigator (Elijah) could stay cooler. It was 101 degrees out. Armed with lots of ice water...we began....

I think these pictures speak to the difficulty of this job...





I have never seen my boys work harder or more diligently to accomplish a task...and under such grueling circumstances....did I mention that it was 101 degrees outside? They worked non stop...these bales weigh about 80 lbs. each. I am amazed at the strength of my boys...years of farm work I guess. Josiah, being shorter than Jeremy had trouble lifting them once we were on our third "layer" of bales. For the last pass in the field, he had the arduous job of staying on the wagon and "organizing" the stacks of hay and keeping a space clear for Jeremy to be able to throw the next bale

The final count....54 bales of hay from one small field. A huge wagon filled with promise...and three young men knowing that it was a job well done.



One son unloaded onto the hay elevator while one took it from the elevator and stacked it neatly in the hay loft. Again, I offered to wait until the cool of the evening...again they just wanted to "be done".

And here they are....done....too tired initially even to climb the stairs to the shower.



How thankful I am to my Father for boys such as these...who have allowed their heavenly Father to take difficult personal circumstances and use them to mold them into men....godly men....caring, loving men.

How thankful I am that although they have not had the proper role model on how to care for, protect and cherish....they are, with Christ's strength (Phil. 4:13) able to care for, protect and cherish their mama.

I remember my Grandma and my Mama saying that if you want to know how a man will treat you...watch how he treats his mother....I don't think the future wives of these young men have to worry about a thing!

"Thank you Father, that you have blessed me with three such wonderful young men. Your hand on their lives is so evident, their desire to please You so clear and their love for You so strong....I am blessed that You have entrusted them to my care for these fleeting years...."