The Farmer

My man is technically a farmer in good ole Huron county. 

He’s also a bus driver for the Catholic high-school and he is a hired dairy man who likes to dabble in landscaping. And just like that, you have probably made assumptions about him. Because that’s just our nature. When you mix our nature with stereotypes about different occupations and the personalities of those doing them, you make assumptions. While you might guess he is definitely not a tech wizard, you might be surprised he likes working on his own equipment and that he loves sports, and it doesn’t matter which sport.

Just like the rest of us, he has layers that people see and don’t see, some they expect and some they don’t. But without fail, he lives the mantra, "What you see is what you get." He is the real deal in every sense. For me, it sometimes feels appealing to keep a few of my own layers hidden or invent new ones that aren’t really me if I think they will make you like me more. Most times I care very much. I want you to like me, so much so, that I am willing, most times, to be someone I am not.  And heaven forbid you turn out to be someone like Mr. Darcy who stated, "My good opinion once lost is lost forever".  Ohhh, the effort I could expend on you!

So while I own this, I also know I just don’t have the energy to bend over backwards for people’s opinions, anymore. It’s exhausting, and frankly it doesn’t work anyway. Opinions are like shadows, always changing depending on the angle of the sun and where the person stands. So while I haven’t yet, licked this people pleasing thing, I am learning to turn my face from those hopscotching shadows and towards the constant Son. When I do this, I find His light reflects from me to others, and I love better.

I’m called to love people whether or not they are all that lovely to me. Really, I’m called to especially love those who aren’t so loving in return. Remembering this helps me focus on what I’m created to do: Focus on people’s hearts, not their opinions. My faith can then rest in the good opinion of my Father, the One who has my heart. Besides, He's much easier to please anyway!

Blessings