For those of you who don't understand Australian slang, "it's just not cricket" is something we say when things aren't going our way, when it's just not fair, too hard. I've no idea what cricket has to do with those sentiments but there you have it.
Today, in the first month of spring, it is 37 degrees celsuis. Or 98.6 for you Americans! However you say it it's plain ridiculous. We expect that kind of temperature in January, or February, cetainly not September.
Add to that the hot north wind that has come along with the sunshine and we have crops in trouble. Again. For the fourth year in a row. Sigh.
Kym has just come in and he's not a happy camper. To put it quite mildly. It's completely heartbreaking when you see all your hard work and investment just dying in front of your eyes, and there isn't a thing you can do.
On a positive note, not all our crops are dying. Some was put in quite early when we took a risk earlier in the year and started sowing before it rained. Those paddocks have had a chance to flower and begin ripening, so this weather will just ripen them faster. And, on my trip to Whyalla yesterday I saw many paddocks of dead and dying wheat, in much worse shape than ours. We will be ok, we will get a crop, and although it will be a much lower yield than we hoped for, there are some who won't even bother to harvest.
This doesn't mean the end of farming for us (well, I don't think so anyway), it just means another year of struggling, tightening our belts, making adjustments to our lifestyle and hoping and praying for a better year next year.
It's about this time that I ask myself "why?" Why are we doing this to ourselves? Why does it have to be so hard? And a lot of other "why's" that I don't want to admit to myself that I'm asking.
Lord, I pray for some milder weather. I know that you are doing what is best for us, please help me to understand and be grateful for the blessings you have given me.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
It's Just Not Cricket
Posted by HisPrincess at 2:18 PM
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3 valued opinions!:
My dear friend...
My heart is so hopeful each day as I pray for the crops, Kym and the drought situation there. I don't understand why God would ask me to pray, bless the crops for such a length of time and then withhold the final moisture needed to bless the crops to final harvest. It's absolutely heartbreaking ~ though I could never really understand all you are going through (and have gone through year after year) I know God is our God of hope, love and joy (beyond measure) and He says it is good for us to labor ~ and yet so much of life doesn't make sense. Look at the American economy right now ~ it's falling to pieces all around us. And still, my hope is in Him.
Spiritual drought (it's what I continue to sense when I pray). Discipline is never pleasant at the time, but in the end it produces a harvest of righteousness. God is calling to Kym and others. He desires for people to turn back to Him. This doesn't guarantee a blessing upon the physical harvest (or a turnaround in the American economy), but He is the God of reconciliation and eternal hope... And so, I continue to pray. It's what He is asking of us who do believe - PRAY! I won't give up! There are no promises to what tomorrow holds, we are called to live TODAY and so I rejoice and give thanks for you, your heart and how you share your life for I am truly blessed to call you friend. (Bear one another's burdens...) and I joyfully do!
I just read your post, and I was going to comment, but I think that Joanie has pretty much said all that I was going to say, and probably in a much better way.
Just know that I am continuing to pray for you, for Kym, for you children, for rain, for a good harvest.
God uses all things to His good purpose, and we just have to trust in Him. It's hard, I know it's hard sometimes to just have trust and faith.
But, God is there always for each and every one of us. I am looking at this time of economic failures in the U.S. and your time of lack of rainfall as a time when people will re-turn (not return, but re-turn) to God for His blessings upon them, whatever they may be. I'm thinking of this time as a "people harvest", when people are being harvested for God.
And Joanie is so correct--live only for today, do not be anxious about tomorrow. We don't know what tomorrow may bring or even if there will be a tomorrow. So, live today to its fullest, enjoy today for what God has given you, and give thanks for those things.
And yes, PRAY!! I'll continue to pray for you and your family.
Beth
I will be praying for rain for you too. I am thankful that God gave you the insight to plant some crops early in the season to help get you through. He is still with you and promises to provide.
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