Seth’s first day, Chase is on the hunt, Still dreaming

Seth had to go to work yesterday afternoon after his time in the study program he is doing for the GED. It turned out that he was given four tests to complete and he was able to do only one on his own before his supervisor sent him home to complete the rest. He is positive about the job. He will be working the grill and at a minimum he will learn how to cook.


Right now peanut butter and jelly is his staple when someone else is not cooking something for him. To this point he has been pretty sheltered. He is very familiar with the use of lawn equipment, but he has never learned to fry an egg or fix a grilled cheese sandwich. He is not even versed on fixing food in the microwave oven. I get the impression that he is looking forward to expanding his horizons. There is only so much a person can do with peanut butter and jelly.

Chase is on the hunt for a job and he has been pretty aggressive – for Chase. He told me he called several hotels and several fast food places and turned in applications at every place that was accepting them. He has talked to some of the teens in our church who are working, seeking advice and recommendations for work. He called a What-a-Burger yesterday and asked if his application had been reviewed and the person he talked to said they review two applications every Wednesday. His, he was told, would be put on the top since he had called. He was pretty excited. I hope they are willing to keep their word to him.

Shopping has begun in earnest for the farm. Thankfully, nothing is being bought, but the prices that are being thrown around are making me feel worse than I do already. When prices of $300,000 for land and $18,000 (which I am assured is a great price) for used equipment are being thrown around while I am struggling to build a savings account and pay off all our debts, I am not feeling the excitement personally. But far be it from me to throw a wet blanket on the fire.

I do believe we will be there soon. I have no idea how we will be enabled to do it, but I see the need. I see the burning desire in my family and I am beginning to sense that God has aimed us all in this direction. I have felt the desire to go back to the farm for a long time, but now that everyone around me is on fire with the idea, I find myself less excited about the whole matter.

Somewhere the disconnect between dreams and reality must be faced. I hope the dream will grow in the crucible of reality but when we are choosing between buying gas for the car and groceries for the home, the realization of the dream seems far away. When plans made over days take years to bring to fruition it takes a steady hand to steer the course to the destination.

I am not sure I am that steady. Thank God, Christ is our pilot.