Six and a Quarter Percent

Phil dug holes before breakfast this morning, so by the time I got outside, we were ready to plant.

Then neighbor Butch delivered hay, and Phil got sucked in to a conversation (regretfully shooing Butch away after almost an hour!). By lunchtime we had finished seven more trees.

After lunch, Phil had errands to run. Our van's tire has continued to leak air, often offering less than 15 minutes of drive time before needing the air compressor. Not an efficient way to travel. So Phil got that tire patched (along with the already-in-use plug). He drove far and far south to get the replacement starter for the chipper, then drove far to the north to get a block and tackle (or something like that) to hang the pigs after slaughter.

Back home, he found that the starter was not, apparently, the piece of the chipper that is malfunctioning, as the new starter did not start the machine. So, whenever we get our truck in working order, Phil will bring the chipper in to the shop. But for now: no chipping.

We planted three more trees in the remaining daylight. Twenty-five done, or about 6.25% of the total.

This afternoon, I spread chips around the bases of the trees and tried to water them. By putting the hose on one hydrant, and then switching the hose to the other hydrant, I was able to water all but four of the trees (they got the bucket treatment). I marveled that half a year ago, there was no running water on the land. So although moving the hose was not very efficient, I'm thankful to have running water at all!

As I was going about my tasks today, I thought about what we hope to get done this year: plant the orchard. Get bees. Grow a large garden to feed ourselves and our animals. Get specific cows and pigs. Create pasture. Fence this side of the creek.

And somehow my part in all of this has to fit in between homeschooling the boys, reading to the As, playing with Joe, feeding everyone, managing laundry without a washer and dishes without a sink, and working half time. I half-prayed for something, for aid, for employment for Phil, for our needs to be met. I'm reading a book about Cameron Townsend, founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators. He said, "If we will do the possible, God will do the impossible."

I trust in Townsend's God, too. He will do—He is doing—the impossible.

Speaking of the impossible, I think I am supposed to pray that we (well, Phil, specifically) would get our cows later this month. At this point, that does seem impossible. We don't have the money in hand quite yet; we don't have a functioning truck; we don't have a livestock trailer.

But I pray in hope. God is able.