farmgirlwithcurls.com

Hi there,

Please head over to my new blog website, farmgirlwithcurls.com to join my piglets and I in our adventures one oink at a time!

Lauren

Make It Count

I woke this morning to the innocent purring of my cat on my chest in the same bedroom I called my own on my birthday for the past 25 years I have been here in Somerville, Ohio. While many of peers have taken strides to leave their childhood bedroom and not adhere to their parents roof, I have been fortunate to to cherish the foundation this bedroom has built in my life and future. As I lay under my canopy and glance at the collection of photographs from my teen years I can't help but laugh at the memories made here. I remember dancing around my room on my sweet 16 feeling so grown up. While they say age is just a number I know it marks a new chapter in my life. I have been attempting to remain a child as long as possible because I know the world as I know it now will never be the same years from now. One day I will not wake to the sound of my dad's truck and trailer engine revving up our country road to go feed the pigs at our neighbor barn yard, nor will I hear his return as the wheels hit the gravel drive way. One day I will not walk out on the porch and be at work, nor will I hear the sound of piglets squealing in the night to get their drink of fresh milk. One day I won't hear the sound of my little brothers rap music as he comes cruising in the bard yard with his jacked up chevy and beautiful girlfriend by his side. I am his biggest fan.  

As the years go by and thousands of piglets are born, weaned and gone to market. I think about the number of lives born each day and the very few people who have the opportunity to feed them. While some may never dream of stepping foot in a pile of pip poop or having a sow spit her corn and soybean meal breakfast in their face, I just laugh and am grateful to do so. I walk in the barn yelling, "Morning girls, it's breakfast time!" I lay kisses on the new born piglets, so grateful God gave them life and for their life to be in my hands. While I don't know what my future holds in farming, I know as I am alive and well I will wake to make each day count. I have all I need this morning with the air I breathe and a healthy body with food to nourish it. A loving family, boyfriend, best friend and animals that cling to my care are a added blessing from the Lord. 

As I look in the mirror each day the reflection doesn't seem to change much, but I know years from now I will think differently. I love waking each day with things I can count on and clinging to faith with the things I can't. While I can't count on how long my life will be, I will make each day count. All I need is an animal to lick my face, a family to hug me, my boyfriend to kiss me and a Bible to fall on. I can't count the number of prayers I have said to God, but I close each one with blowing Him a kiss and reaching out my arms to hug Him. He gives me the inspiration to share these thoughts and days of my life with all of you in hopes it will spark a light in you heart to make it count too.

Piglets nursing!

I love seeing my piglets nurse from their mother (sorry for the sideways video) <3

Happy Birthday Piglets!

Baby calf and mother cow enjoying the sun!

Why Won't God Tell Me What To Do?

It was nearly 25 years ago I was born the daughter of a farmer. My mom jokingly tells me the doctor proclaimed, "It's Miss America!" as I entered the world. While the Miss America crown wasn't in my future, another one was. I remember when a crown was placed upon my head of curls and a rose red suede sash was draped over me. Holding the bouquet of suede roses I could see my parents' smiles gleaming with happiness as I was named the Ohio Pork Industry Queen. One might laugh at the thought of a pig queen, but to me it was more than reigning over my piglets. It was the opportunity to tell my story in a new light. There have been many times I have taken my piglets for granted. As I grew older I became envious of peers who didn't have to wake early on the weekends, with no obligations and disconnect from their parents. Their ability to move to away to a distant land with no hesitation made me question my future as a farmer. I have seen my dad struggle with my mom by his side. A day away from the farm was both a luxury and a curse. He always believed when he would leave something would go wrong and that wrong often being the lose of a pig, for no other reason than he wasn't there.

You see, they call him the pig whisper. My dad had a vision when he was my age. A vision to be a pig farmer. I firmly believe it was God telling him what to do and my dad simply following direction. God made my dad a farmer, a care taker to the animals for the nourishment of human bodies, and he followed God's instructions. Since I was a little girl I followed my dad's instructions. He taught me how to feed the pigs, clean their pens, throw baby powder on the piglets, tend to the farrowing sows and watch over the piglets as they grow because their lives depend on me. Sometimes it's as though God allows me to fulfill my dad's vision, but I find myself wondering if I am meant to do more than tend to piglets? I often think if I accept what I have right now, then things won't change and I won't move ahead in life, which simply isn't true. While I know the piglets depend on my care, I know I am meant for more and more may be just the words I am typing. I am a story teller and the story I tell is my own. As my birthday approaches, I am attempting more than ever to listen to God's instruction for my life. John 17:4 tells us, I glorified you on earth by completing down to the last detail what you assigned me to do. Piglets and tiaras may have been in my past, but they have made a future for me to write.

An inspirational woman in Christ, Terri Savelle Foy said, "God will not advance His instructions for your life beyond your last act of disobedience." I have always prayed for God to make me a leader for Him and agriculture all the days of my life and His instruction will not be made clear until I begin to listen. While His instructions are not clear to me just yet, I feel a lack of peace that is a sign I must being to obey. There is a tugging at my heart I am meant to write, speak and lead. Obedience brings reward and I have been rewarded the opportunity to travel to the distant land of Japan with the National FFA Organization this may with the International Collegiate Agricultural Leadership Program. As I lead for agriculture I am no longer envious of peers with no obligations, because it's the obligation of my piglets and serving God who make it possible.

Just Another Day in Pigadise

 

Farm Cats Eat Cake

Our cat Pepé Le Pew decided to take a cake break.