If you’ve looked at my bio or know anything about me, you likely know that my husband and I have a hobby farm. I think that means a lot of different things to most people. But basically, we’ve spent time raising chickens for eggs, turkeys and chickens for meat, honeybees for fresh honey, several gardens and wildflower plots, and now we’re the parents of three little pigs. (Don’t get too sappy on me; they’re just bacon seeds. LOL!)
I grew up in a farming family. Rides in grain trucks or the semi to go to the elevator, being in the tractor cab, and time in the farrowing barns were absolutely the highlights of my days. But there was a lot of poop! It was everywhere. All the time. Even when you couldn’t see it, you could smell it. So when Kenny (who was NOT raised in the country) said he wanted to raise our own pigs to eat, I was somewhat apprehensive. It came as no surprise that when I returned home from a conference last weekend, the three little piggies were in the barn.
Now you’re probably wondering what in the world I could possibly blog about. How much could I do with three pigs and a bunch of poop? Follow along. This is going to be great!
There’s a story told by Jesus in Luke 13. A man has a vineyard and he plants a fig tree in that vineyard. After three years, the tree still isn’t producing any fruit. The owner asks the caretaker to cut down the tree. (It makes sense. Why use that valuable space for something that isn’t producing?) BUT……….something amazing happens. The caretaker says (I’m paraphrasing), “Let me dig around it and throw on a few scoops of crap and see if that helps”.
Until I read Chasing Vines by Beth Moore a few years ago, I had never considered the significance of those words. Looking closer, one might even ask why there is a fig tree in a vineyard. But that’s a different study. (You can look at I Kings 4:25, Micah 4:3-4, or Zechariah 3:10).
Most of us know about or are somewhat familiar with crap in our lives. I’ve mentioned in prior writing that this comes in various forms; some is self-inflicted and some we have no control over. Either way, it’s there. Either way, it still stinks. But instead of just leaving it in a pile, we need to do something with it. For years, I kept my life experiences to myself (and a few close and trusted friends). Much of it was embarrassing. Some of it was humiliating. Some of it just sucks. One day, I finally
listened to God. He had been after me for a while. I just kept not acknowledging. He said, “USE THE CRAP”. Get a shovel and spread it out. Work it into the soil. Let it do some good. It WILL produce fruit.
Now I don’t know about you, but I have a strained relationship with my outside chores (actually, maybe it’s all chores). I thoroughly enjoy being outside. Digging in the dirt with my hands, or a shovel, or even the tractor is extremely gratifying; until it isn’t. You know? Those days over 85 degrees, no breeze, and the ground is set like a slab of well-cured concrete. But the work must be done. I’m fully aware of the abundant benefits I’ll reap at the end of the season. But at the moment? UGH! It’s tough! So there I have a choice. I continue to press through the heat, grab another swig of water, and put my gloves back on. (Or I suppose I could quit. Just leave the pile sitting there in the heat. But that means it still stinks. And that’s part of what I’m trying to deal with.)
Whether I’m on my porch or in my living room, or maybe sitting at a corner table in a restaurant with a friend, digging up the dirt and revealing the piles of crap hasn’t been easy. An even bigger challenge came when I felt God telling me to speak about it in a Bible study I was teaching. That meant revealing to women I didn’t even know (or trust). Are you serious God? Are you sure? Because Beth seems to be doing an okay job from what I can tell. I really don’t think you need me. But of course, He was serious. And here I am.
Poor financial decisions that nearly destroyed my family, an unfaithful spouse, addiction, abuse, betrayal by fellow “Christians”, loss of friends/family, or a health crisis. All of those things and a dozen others. They’re all piles of crap that had just been sitting around making everything stink. But not anymore. Without exception, every single time that I share, someone comes to me and says, “Thank you. I needed to hear that”. For whatever reason, we’ve allowed the enemy of our souls to convince us to keep living in shame or regret. We keep things hidden out of embarrassment or humiliation. But God has taken my crap and used it to produce fruit in my life that I never could’ve imagined all while bringing glory to Himself. If you need a shovel, come on over. I have a few extras. I think this season is going to be the best yet.
Luke 13:8 ~ And he answered him, “Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure”.
Only you, Michele, could make a pile of crap poetic. To God be the glory for using everything for our good when we are called by him, otherwise it will always remain a stench. Thank you for that insight.
Thank you, Annette. I appreciate the time you took to read.
I absolutely love your writings. This is good stuff lady. Thank you for sharing and you beat believe I’ve got so crap you can help me shovel! Love you lady. 💕
You know where to find me, friend. I’ll have a shovel sitting on the porch waiting for you. Love you so much, Joanna.