As January Comes To a Close...

So January is here and I’ve decided to start doing something new here on the blog, and that’s an end-of-the-month recap! When I was a kid, my homeschool mom always talked fondly about her favorite blogs. Most of the time they were other homeschool moms, and they would share things from their curriculums, homeschooling tips, big family meal planning, and recipe ideas.

She not only found their content helpful and useful, but she also built up a relationship with these ladies through their blogs (very much a Titus 2:3-5 scenario). I remember particularly her talking about one that she loved which was about bread baking, but the lady also had a farm and would raise Great Pyrenees puppies (I found that one particularly attractive as you know I raise Golden Retrievers.)

I love the whole idea of the old-fashioned blog, funny as it is to call it that now (I’m beginning to feel vintage). But I want to incorporate a monthly recap. I want to go over what we did, the things that we tried, the adventures we had, the projects we worked on, and any lessons that we learned. I’m doing this so that you can have a glimpse into what our life looks like here on the farm, but also for myself. Almost as a Journal style of writing that will hopefully hold me accountable!

Highlights

This January has been a cold one without any doubt. At the beginning of this month, we had a polar vortex. We are not strangers to polar vortexes here in southern Indiana, but they do not happen often. A nice highlight with this particular vortex, we had snow, a lot of snow! Well, at least a lot for southern Indiana.

Most of our winters here are nothing but mud and brown-gray dreariness. It rains a lot, and the weather usually fluctuates anywhere from 32° to 56° on any given day. Not a whole lot of consistency. Unless you consider the constant state of mud consistency.

It was also fun for me to get to experience the snow with my kids. They loved it! They would go outside and tromp around for a while and then come in to enjoy a warm cup of hot chocolate. It was also very good for me to fully embrace just a whole week of hibernation. My husband was home a lot during this month with the weather being what it was, which was nice because another big highlight for us was that he began his seminary classes! We’re excited about this new endeavor!

Lessons Learned

I wrote a blog post here a few weeks ago about embracing the season of rest. Well, this January I have made it a point to do just that. In that post, (which I will tag here), I talk about looking at God‘s creation, and seeing how he designed everything for a season of rest. Everything from the honeybees all tucked away in their hives, eating the honey that they work so hard to create over the summer, to the chickens who stop laying their eggs in the absence of the long summer days

I looked at all this and as the example of the natural order God has set in place for us in the cycle of the seasons, also should embrace a time of rest. In the summer months, we work hard harvesting, our produce planting our gardens, caring for animals, and so much more. In winter, we should take the opportunity to enjoy the slow season and view it as a gift from above.

“To everything, there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Looking Ahead

While January is a good time for me to slow down, I won’t lie and say that I am not ready for spring. This January has drug on a little longer than I would like! But here we are, at the end. February always fills me with so much excitement, because I know by the end of the month (February) it will be springtime! March is right around the corner, and before we know it, it will be time to plant potatoes!

I spent a lot of time this month looking ahead to the future. Making plans and goals. What do we want to get done this year? New business opportunities, projects that I want to pursue, as well as garden plans and so much more. Perfect time to curl up with a warm cup of coffee and a pen and paper and get all this brain work done when there’s 6” of snow on the ground outside!

Conclusion

I’ve been thankful for this January. I’m thankful for God‘s goodness to us and every season of life. I’m thankful for His faithfulness to show us His love and His plans and to know He’s in control, no matter what circumstances we are in.

I pray that in 2025 we live humbly before Him, we seek His word and His truth, and that we honor Him with every act and deed we do. A New Year’s resolution of mine is that I pray, more fervently, and more frequently. I lay everything before Him, and I make no decisions on my own, but first always seek His will.

I hope The Lord fills your hearts with love for Him this year, and that he blesses you in all your efforts! And remember, no matter what God has in store for this year, He is always, always good.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”

Psalm 127:1-2