Lessons from a Farmer Boy

It was only a few years ago that I realized how important (and enjoyable) reading a loud to my kids was. But in these last few years we have read some amazing books and been to some amazing places. We've traveled all over the world and through time with Jack and Annie in their Magic Tree House. We've spent some time deep down in the ocean with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. We've walked through a Secret Garden and spent some time where its always winter but never Christmas!  We have walked in the shoes of a young boy who had to think quick, be the man of the house, and protect his family with an old Matchlock Gun! We've cried when the characters we love lost their dogs, or their tigers! We couldn't understand why some moms in the stories left their families or the dads hopped on a train and never returned.We learned that we need to be super specific when making wishes in Half  Magic. We've rejoiced when the mean old grandpa turned out to be a loving care taker and when a fun Nanny came to town on an umbrella and a breeze.  We've been so many places and met so many people.

Lately we have been reading books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. We are currently reading Farmer Boy for our book club. I'm not sure Mrs. Wilder meant for it to be a recipe book, but I cant help but notice all the delicious food in this book! There are pumpkin pies and apple pies and shepherds pies. There is rye'in'gin bread and beans and warm milk. There is boiled potatoes and pork fat that melts in your mouth. There are apples 'n onions and oatmeal with sweet cream and maple syrup. So much delicious food described in this book, how can one not want to get up and cook!

This morning was cold in our old farm house and I have been sick and sleeping in the last few days. I wasn't sure what to make for breakfast. My son wanted "toast with a great deal of butter" thanks to Kate Dicamillo and a cute little pig named Mercy Watson (check these books out, they are some of our favorites!) I found myself wondering what Almonzo's mother would feed him on a cold morning. Probably something warm and probably something with apples. I sliced up some apples and mixed in some brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg and them baked them until they were tender. It was simple and a huge hit! Toast with butter and baked apples while we read aloud from Farmer Boy. It was delightful! 

I started to wonder why we don't feed our families the same way anymore. At the store there are rows and rows of different kids of frozen, precooked chicken nuggets. There are so many different types of frozen pizzas to choose from its almost impossible to decide. We can buy boxed up cookies, who has time to bake that themselves. There is a whole isle dedicated to different kinds of potato chips! There is soda and frozen lasagna dinners. All you need is a microwave and poof "dinner" is ready. We have pop tarts for breakfast and cereal in boxes. Need some fruit?- grab a baggie of fruit snacks. 

I think we have gotten really good at making excuses because we are "busy." But there is no way we are any more busy then Almonzos mother was. She cooked the meals. Made the families clothing from yarn she spun herself. She took care to train her girls in keeping house and made sure the boys had good manners, which they did.  She washed the clothing, read from the bible and was respectful towards her husband. 

So much has changed. Now we have washing machines and robot vacuums. We not only have grocery stores, but we don't even have to actually do the shopping. For a small fee someone will bring our purchased items to our car while we sit snug inside looking at our phones. We pick up food from a drive through because we don't have time to cook. We have to get the kids to gymnastics and sports and music lessons. They need a tutor to keep up in math and therapy to help them read better. We have birthday parties to plan and don't forget the daily trip to the gym and weekly trip to the salon. Moms must take care of themselves in this way we've been told. Make sure the baby weight comes off and don't let yourself get a wrinkle. Do all this while also bringing in an income so we can live in a house that's so big, yet we are hardly ever there. I can't help but feel we've all be sold a lie, and we all bought it. I for one have buyers remorse on that one! 

Can you imagine if Farmer Boy was written today? Almonzo would be eating a pop tart while whining about having to help out on the farm. He'd rather play video games then find pride in training his own oxen team! Mother would be over worked and stressed out, but be damned if she wasn't a size 2 and her nails perfect. Father would be on his phone all the time and yelling at the kids to keep out of his things. The kids would fight over everything and be thankful for nothing. And everyone would be eating a frozen meal in front of the TV. (OK. I'm exaggerating a bit. But you get the picture!) 

Sure, I will keep my washing machine and the grocery store (although I'll do my own shopping!) And I'll keep some frozen pizzas and chicken nuggets in the freezer. I defiantly wont give up electricity or my car! But I will forgo the huge house that needs a second income to pay for it. I'll educate my children at home and only enroll them in as many activities that don't put stress on our days or our fiances. I'll skip the gym and spa days, and find "me time" more fulfilling by opening my Bible and letting the Lord whisper truths into my heart.  I'll enjoy the days with my kids by walking outside (even in the cold) and caring for the animals on our farm.  I'll take a clue from Almonzos parents and realize that life lessons are just as important as school lessons. That hard manual labor will not only teach life skills but will also change an ungrateful heart. That pitching in and helping to provide for the family (weather it be house work or barn chores) will create a sense of ownership and pride as well as worth and grit! 

More home cooked delicious meals and less boxed up junk. More fresh air and less TV. More hard manual labor and less ungratefulness. More love for those around me and less comparing of myself to them. I am returning the lies Satan has sold us and I am striving for more old fashioned goodness found in the pages of these good books! 

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