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In our culture, being busy is too often considered a mark of accomplishment. You ask someone how they’re doing, and the response is, “Busy, busy, busy.” As we embrace the holiday season, that answer just keeps getting another “busy” added on to it as holiday parties, shopping, year-end activities and all the “normal” things for this time of year take place.
We think there’s never enough hours in the day and something has to slide.
Harsh reality: There’s always time. Everyone gets the same 24 hours. Our priorities may be different than the next person, so while you think eating healthy can be pushed to the back burner, the next person may insist that eating healthy has to be something they do on a daily basis. It’s all a matter of what we deem important enough to focus on and accomplish.
Often, we think, one more thing cannot be added to our plates. My sister just had her sixth baby. Baby Zoey came fast and has been in the NICU ever since birth. Answers are finally starting to trickle in, but it’s been an unknown, scary time. She’s not out of the woods and has a long way left to go, so any prayers or positive thoughts you’d like to send her way would be very much appreciated.
Life doesn’t stop just because we all now have a baby in the NICU. Farm life doesn’t stop. Activities and care for their other five children can’t stop. Cattle don’t stop getting fed, getting out, or needing attention. What we thought was busy before and nothing else could be added to the plate, became less important.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not doing nearly as much as the grandmas and my sister is. We had a couple of the kids for a couple days. They have been shuffled around from house to house as activities and schedules allow. We’re running our own farm and trying to keep all the balls in the air here. But priorities change.
When you’re involved in production agriculture, there is always something to be done. The work is never done. And yes, you can shove it to the back burner, but problems just get worse over time. Eventually, they’re going to need addressed. My sister’s husband is one of those people who would run 24 hours a day on the farm and still not get all the work done. He’s walking the tight rope of being in the hospital for his baby and wife and trying to keep things running at home.
Right now is the season of getting Zoey stronger and healthy while making sure the other kids know they are loved and taken care of by their village. We don’t know God’s plan or schedule or reasons, but for those who believe in Him, we know He is perfect. His plan is perfect, whether we see it or not.
The holiday season can be a time of joy for some and deep grief for others, and most of the time — a season of both emotions for all of us. It’s a time of reflection and remembrance. What I strive to remember, throughout the whole year, for me, people are what are important. Your priorities may be different. My husband loves the farm. He loves what he’s doing and he loves the limited people he allows in his life.
For me, the farm is his dream. His priority. I work and help him on the farm because of my love for him. If he decided one day that he was all done farming, my heart probably wouldn’t be broken. I would be heartbroken if he woke up and decided he didn’t love me one day. I do what I do for him.
People are important. As a farmer’s daughter, farmer’s wife, an as a farmer myself, I understand and can appreciate the stress and work needed all the time on the farm. I know that crops need harvested, planted, sprayed, fertilized at a specific time or the farm doesn’t make money. I know the cows need fed, cared for, and calved at a certain time. I know all the things that happen in between all those things and that the work never stops. I know these things. And I love my cows, but I will always love my people more. I may not do a great job of showing those people that, but I do.
As we wrap up yet another year, my prayer for you is to find peace and happiness. Life is so short. My goal is to be happy. That changes from season to season, but it’s always my ultimate goal. Love the people in your life. Do the work if that makes you happy, but love and show appreciate to your village doing it with you. Happy holiday season and happy New Year!
Kelsey Pagel is a Kansas farmer. She grew up on a cow/calf and row crop operation and married into another. Kelsey and her Forever (Matt) farm and ranch with his family where they are living their dream and loving most of the moments.
