UNKNOWN BLESSINGS

Has anyone ever done something for you that seemed so small but was exactly what you needed at that moment and they never knew? I’m sure that you have done something for someone that meant much more to them than you will ever know.

This recently happened to me. As a family, we are going through a difficult season. We have had a lot of unexpected changes and have been adjusting to our new normal. In addition, we have been moving forward in our farming plans. Between the spring and summer, our four does gave birth to a total of eight babies, our sow delivered eight babies, we added turkeys, more chickens, and a horse to our farm. We also moved our pigs to a new enclosure that we build ourselves. We have done all of this while maintaining everything in the home and farm.

Each day has been very fragile. I am often left exhausted and burnt out wondering how I can continue doing everything in the days and months to come.

This particular week, I was at the point of defeat. I was ready to sell the farm and animals, move closer to the kid’s school into a house with a small yard with much less maintenance. I was even on Zillow looking at my options. I envisioned an easy low-stress life where waking up before dawn to shovel poop was not even an option. While I was online looking at homes for sale, my phone buzzed. I had a message from a very dear friend. The message read “Let me know what you think”. Below the message was a snapshot of a picture she had hand drawn. That picture was my new farm logo!

You see, 6 weeks before, I had a girls night out with 3 dear friends that I have known since as long ago as kindergarten. During that time, I had expressed the trouble I was having creating the logo for my farm. I knew exactly what I wanted but I just couldn’t put it all together. I had no idea she was even working on a logo for me!

This gesture brought tears to my eyes. (I won’t lie. It’s wasn’t like I got a tear or two, I was crying like a baby.) At that moment I realized I wasn’t going through this alone. I realized that people around me had faith in my dreams even when I didn’t. She had no idea, at that moment I was giving up. I had decided that it was all too much. The season was too difficult to push for such a large goal. That logo was exactly what I pictured in my head and she sent it to me when I needed it the most. That message and drawing gave me strength and encouragement to continue on. Without knowing it, she saved me from giving up.

Now, every time I feel overwhelmed and ready to give up, I look at that picture and remember that I may not feel like I can go on, but there are people cheering me on and they believe I can do it even when I don’t. You see, this is not the only time someone has done something for me that meant more than they will ever know. Like the time my friend showed up at school pickup with dinner for us to take home during a crisis time, or the time I was asked out to lunch by a friend when I really needed a friend or even that time an elder at our church v-lined it across the community area just to give me a hug. The list goes on. I can’t even express in words what that picture or those seemingly small gestures meant. Hopefully, I can be there for them when they need it most the way they have been there for me.

If you ever wonder if it is worth the effort to do a seemingly small thing for someone; remember that it may seem small to you, but to that person, it may be just what they needed at that moment. It may be the reminder that their efforts will pay off in a better job, or fulfill an amazing dream. That hug may be just what they needed to decide tomorrow is worth living. Or the offer to watch a stressed out momma’s kids for a couple hours so she can have a moment to herself and return home rested and ready to be the patient present mom she strives to be.

So when in doubt, do it. Your efforts are worth far more than you will ever know.