Superabundance

My farm girl keeping the jungle under control

I have been neglecting this blog for a few weeks. Every other area of life is getting busy, which is no excuse. It’s just a fact. In terms of life-giving relationships and meaningful activity, I am a wealthy man.

This time of year on a farm always amazes me. The plants that crept out of the ground six weeks ago are growing like there’s no tomorrow. Grasses, thistles, even oak trees seem to be leaping toward the sky. The jungle remembers that it wants to take over the world. Rains have been abundant as well this spring, which is wonderful. The sandy soil on this place means we are a week away from a drought at any time, so it’s a joy to have plenty of moisture. The mosquito population demonstrates that we have standing water here and there. Last night the horses begged to come into the barn. They are so tired of camping out these days. We have taken on a different strategy for a food plot this year. Instead of planting a carefully fenced garden, we’ve planted about ten times the garden vegetables we’ll need down in the food plot, along with a mix of buckwheat, field corn, sunflowers, and soybeans. Really what we’re doing is planting venison in the garden, if you want to look at it like that.

Lisa and I have been listening to some thought-provoking podcasts lately. We just finished a recording of Jordan Peterson in Dublin. Whenever I listen to him I have the impression that he’s spent decades thinking these things through, and every sentence he speaks reflects years of data analysis and experience. After that we pulled up one of N.T. Wright’s talks from a decade ago in which, among other things, he talks about what the Bible really has to say about heaven, Jesus returning, and such. Again, powerful stuff that reflects a lifetime of study and wisdom.

I’ve been pushing to finish the next book in the series that started with Death on Disappointment Mountain. So the sequel, Fair Game, should be available in the next week or two. Just finishing some last minute questions and proofing the initial print copy. At the same time, I’ve been feeling an urgency in terms of nonfiction to write about the biblical book of Revelation. There is so much poor teaching out there about that book, and I have a different perspective than most. So I’ve been working on that first draft. I’m about ten thousand words in so far.

The real urgency in our lives these days is getting our new house installed. We’re teetering on the brink of moving our trailer house around the corner so the excavator can come in and start digging. Then the basement will go in, with all the issues around water, septic, electric, and such needing attention. And the house will be moved seventeen miles to perch atop that new foundation. Then there will just be a few details to manage like new flooring, moving all our stuff in, and the like.

Along with all of this we do our level best to stay connected to the most important people in our lives. Phone calls and visits are all too rare, but better than losing touch. Yesterday we got to help one of our kids install a new door, and that was great fun.

I don’t get bored. It’s a good, full life.