Category: Persistence

Choices, Community, Down On the Farm, Emotional Health, Faith, Farmers Markets, Food Justice, Grace, Gratitude, Hope, Neighbors, Non-Profits, Opal's Farm, Persistence, Prayer, Quotes, Relationships, Simplicity, Spirituality, Thanksgiving, Thoughts From the Porch, Unity Unlimited, Inc., Volunteers

Giving Thanks in All Things

gregoryjoel

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. We had a wonderful day with food, family, and Dallas Cowboys football, I normally have a little anxiety around family gatherings being the introvert that I am. My social battery tends to run low after a couple of hours, but this year it lasted from around two in the afternoon until after ten o’clock in the evening. I normally am worn out after being around people, even loved ones for so long. This year was different. I was tired, but happy to have spent our time together. Something special happened this year that been somewhat absent in the past.

One of my wife’s family traditions is to take time between Thanksgiving dinner and dessert to read a passage of scripture and go around the table and have each person tell what they are grateful for. I won’t go into details except to tell you that each of us found deeper appreciation for each other and the grace we’ve been given. This year the passage was from I Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live” (The Message Bible). Good advice to everyone no matter what their faith I’d say.

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

“Thank God No Matter What Happens”

No matter what happens. Most of us find it easy to be grateful when things are going well for us. It’s equally easy to take the good times for granted, but we’re going to focus on gratitude only here. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines gratitude as: “Gratitude noun – the state of being grateful.” When everything seems to be okay – the rent’s paid, there’s food on the table, we can afford a nice vacation or a new car – it’s easy to have a grateful state of mind, but what happens when tragedy strikes – the death of a loved one, unemployment, financial fear, the old car breaks down – and everything and everyone seems to be against us.

My youngest son, Jeremy, died in May of 2020. Let me be clear, I am not grateful for his death. It’s one of the most difficult things I’ve ever experienced. Parents who have lost a child know what I mean. The grief feels insurmountable and honestly, I don’t think it ever goes away. I still have moments when a song is played, I glance at one of his paintings, or my grandkids talk about how much they miss him when the sadness burst into my day and I feel as emotionally raw as the day I received the phone that he was gone. It’s a constant reminder of loss. It feels sacrilegious, or even hateful, to find gratitude in such a thing.

However, there’s immense gratitude for what happened after Jeremy died. God had placed all the people in my life that would help me walk through this tragedy. My friend and sponsor, Edgar, had lost his own son some twenty-two years earlier. He was the second person I called (the first was my wife) as I drove to my oldest granddaughter’s house to tell her the news. Over the following months he answered every phone call and walked me through the pain. He had been there before. He shared my pain and gave of himself to offer healing and hope during a dark time.

Moreover, two of our friend’s circle lost their sons as well, one to an opiate overdose like Jeremy. I could share with him the little experience I had. Helping others helps me. We were all there for one another – something I will be eternally grateful for.

Most recently, this last year has been one I don’t wish to repeat for a myriad of reasons. Funding cuts began in January. I had to lay off my staff. My paychecks were few and far between causing huge financial difficulty for both the farm and our personal finances.

In April, I blew my left knee out. Subsequent doctor appointments revealed that both knees were now bone on bone, a knee replacement was my last option, and pain became a daily issue. The farmers markets have been much slower, a reflection of a weakening economy, and sales have been down. In October, my Volunteer Coordinator quit suddenly with no explanation. After five years she had become a friend, and her loss was hurtful. I now had to give up Saturday morning markets to be there for volunteers already on the schedule. To make matters worse, my planned knee surgery fell through and it would be next November before I could again take time off for recovery. There were more than a few dark days for me. Why would anyone find gratitude in such a year?

I scaled back, took on only what I could handle, and we’ve had more volunteer groups than in past years. What wasn’t sold was donated to some great local organizations and we’ve still managed to keep moving forward. We still yielded produce totals like the year before with less land and labor. Funding has increased (we’re a non-profit farm) and new market opportunities have arisen to help us better meet our mission of improving food access for our neighbors. We saw new grants relieve the payroll anxiety thanks to Texas Health Community Hope and the North Texas Communities Foundation (more on that to come this week!) we are greeting the new year on a firm footing.

I’ve been able to let go of the hurt (it’s taken awhile) and disruption of (our Volunteer Coordinator) Stacey’s sudden departure and work with some amazing volunteers I’d been missing for the last few months. My knees still hurt but not like they were. Work is much more tolerable. A bit slower perhaps but that may be age over injury. Who’s to say?

I’m grateful for what this year has brought to me. I’m still out there every day doing the best I can and far better than expected. I’m able to keep moving and I’ve learned that my physical (and sometimes emotional) limits are not nearly as bad as I thought. I’m getting much better at thanking God “no matter what happens”.

It’s often simply a matter of perspective – whether one sees difficulty as a problem or as an opportunity. Living in a state of gratitude helps shift one’s perspective. Sometimes I only learn to be grateful looking back at how God had blessed and stood by me. One of my favorite quotes is from Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford commencement speech, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward “. Many times, I stumble through the dark times until I look back and see how I’ve been loved and cared for. I’m getting better staying in the moment…

There’s an abundance of studies and articles about the benefits of gratitude, but I choose a very simple definition: gratitude isn’t just a noun. The dictionary may not say it, but it’s a verb as well. It’s not just a state of mind, but an action word. Sometimes placing one foot in front of another is the simplest form of gratitude one can have. My prayer for us all is that we may truly come to “Thank God no matter what happens”.

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A Time For Reflection

gregoryjoel

Fall always seems to be a time of introspection for me. The weather gets cooler and although it’s really busy at the farm, I seem to naturally bend toward refection. I often wish I still had my staff to help out at the farm. I’ve been slowed this year by the aches and pains that accompany age and I feel way behind on so many things. However, there is an advantage to working solo. I can contemplate where I am at, the future, and grow in gratitude toward the God that has so richly blessed my life.

I just celebrated my eighth anniversary as the Farm Manager at Opal’s Farm. I’m so grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given to work for such a fantastic organization and serve our community in the most basic manner – growing healthy, organically grown food and creating access to that food to the communities that need it the most.

Fall is a great time for growing here in North Texas. Although we’ve had above-average temperatures for most of the last couple of months, we’re through the oppressive heat of Texas summers, and it’s the perfect weather for farming and gardening. It’s also a great time for reflection and begin planning for 2026.  As we look forward, I’m reminded of the importance of decision-making in line with our core values – resourceful, rooted, and resilient.

Resourceful – Opal’s defines resourceful as the intentional effort to restore resource to the land and the community. We use what is available in creative ways to leave a better community behind. Ms. Opal reminds me that “we’ve done so much with so little for so long that we can do anything with nothing”. We also rely on the community of farmers and volunteers that we’ve become a part of forcontinued learning and action.

Rooted – Staying true to your roots is an important aspect of community empowerment. Opal’s Farm believes in aligning its efforts with its surrounding community and tailoring those efforts to those it serves. To be aligned with our community requires the

open-mindedness and willingness to listen and act accordingly.

Resilience – To be resilient is to be tough, persevering, and brave. We are on journey that demands our attention, a commitment to action, and a dedication to create lasting impact. The political, economic, and environmental climate we find ourselves in demands adaptability.

While most businesses list honesty, integrity, service, and commitment to excellence as stated values, those go without saying for us and the local urban farming community you all are a part of. They’re part of our DNA. So, I needed the reminder that being resourceful, rooted, and resilient just as important as those values that are second-nature to Unity Unlimited, Inc.

The final thing that dictates everything we do is a deep sense of gratitude – grateful for the opportunity to do what we do and to be a part of the vibrant farming and local food community we’re a part of. As we enter the holiday season this month, we want to exercise extra thanksgiving for you all. May you all have a great Thanksgiving and success sin your farms and gardens!

Please remember as well that next Saturday, November 1st, is the 3rd Annual “High Strides Against Diabetes 5k and Walk” at Joppy Momma’s Farm in South Dallas. We are proud to co-host the run with Joppy Momma’s and celebrate Diabetes Awareness Month with the community. The Block Party will be great this year!

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Bumps in the Road

gregoryjoel

It’s been an interesting Spring at Opal’s Farm. I’ve been busier than a one-armed paper hanger as my uncle used to say.

For one thing, I received a letter from the Social Security Administration this week. It said I’ve reached the age where I am now considered retired. I have to laugh when I realize Ms. Opal “retired” the year after I graduated high school. If that’s what retirement looks like, then I’m grateful for it. It means I can focus on loving and serving others full-time just like her. At ninety-eight, she reminds me that she just keeps running forward so the good Lord can’t catch her to take her home. Besides, there’s so much more to do. Especially now…

The other thing that happened is a little less humorous. My left knee blew out on me last Wednesday as I was putting tools away for the day. That wouldn’t have been unusual as it tends to happen now that I’m old enough to suffer the consequences of an overactive youth. This time was different. It didn’t stop hurting the next day and the pain was in a different part of my knee and increasing rather than decreasing. I decided Friday afternoon I had better go to the ER and have it checked out.

Fortunately, nothing is broken, but since X-rays don’t show cartilage or ligament damage, I’ll be seeing the orthopedic surgeon this week. Moreover, the ER doc said I had a lot of arthritis, and the next step was a knee replacement. I feared that might be the case. I guess I’ll find out this week. It’s a pretty big bump in the road.

He also told me to take steroids and pain medicine, wear the immobilizer, use the crutches, and stay off my knee for a few days. I can take medication. I can use the immobilizer most of the time. I can even use the crutches sometimes. However, for a farmer four days of bed rest isn’t possible this time of year. My doctor and I have an agreement – I don’t tell him how to practice medicine and he doesn’t tell me how to farm.

I went market and “Taste the C.U.R.E” class yesterday. If people ask me what happened I simply tell the truth – I got older!

I guess there’s more news to come and a lot of decisions to be made. I’ll just hobble along and work on the farm until then. I’m going to be much slower so I’m extra grateful for the volunteers we have right now. Spring is the busiest time of year for farmers and Opal’s is no exception. The farm still needs daily care. I’ll be there as long as the good Lord lets me, but we need extra volunteer help right now. Please think of us if you have a little spare time and want to get you’re hands dirty. After all, dirt don’t hurt.

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Tiny Heads of Blue

gregoryjoel

I was driving home on I-30 from the farm last Tuesday. Tiny spots of blue caught my attention as I sat in the rush-hour traffic. They were the first Bluebonnets I’ve seen this year. The frustration from the slow-moving traffic vanished; replaced by a sudden desire to pull off to the side of the interstate and take a picture.

Bluebonnets are the state flower of Texas and rightly so. They announce that Spring is finally here and will soon blanket the side of roadways and highways in a carpet of blue. The other wildflowers – Indian Paintbrush, Winecup, Mexican Hat, Indian Blanket, Evening Primrose, etc. – will soon paint the roadsides of the highways and country roads in vibrant reds, oranges, yellows, and of course, blues. Bluebonnets always lay the foundation for nature’s paintbrush.

Families will soon be pulling off the road to take pictures of the family amidst the field of color. This is a annual Texas tradition. I often wonder if photographers consider this one of their busy seasons. The only sad part is that family photographs often leave matted-down holes in the blue-hued fields.

Photo by Janice Carriger on Pexels.com

 I really needed the Bluebonnets this year. The experts at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center predicted a mixed wildflower season this year because of the drought facing West Texas. Winter was relatively mild. Even a muted wildflower season reminds me why resilience is one of our core values at Opal’s Farm.

The craziness and in both Austin (our state legislature is in session) and Washington D.C. makes for an uncertain future for many non-profits like ours and small farmers everywhere. I’ve had to take a break from the news lately except for local news stations and that’s mostly for the weather reports. It doesn’t mean that I plan to bury my head in the sand. It simply means there is more time to see the Bluebonnets, to enjoy Spring, and get lots of food out to folks. Opal’s Farm, like the Bluebonnets, will keep growing food, loving people, and building community.

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Tired, but Hopeful…

gregoryjoel

Spring and summer leave little time for writing. There’s planting, harvesting, replanting, and constant irrigation going that must be moved manually each hour. The heat came so early to North Texas that everything is bone dry the next day. We’re also facing severe drought here so it’s a constant battle just to keep the crops watered properly. The long string of 100-degree plus weather makes for a long day and early bedtime. Although there’s been no shortage of topics to write about, I’m a bit frazzled and brain-baked by the time evenings roll around. Such is the life of a farmer…

Opal’s Farm held a Volunteer Appreciation Cookout for the 4th of July. It was well-attended, and everyone ate their fill of burgers, hot dogs, and grilled veggies from the farm. The farm is one of the best places in Fort Worth to watch the annual fireworks show and a crowd came in from the neighborhood to watch and share in the festivities. Unfortunately, the fireworks show only lasted a couple of minutes this year. The fireworks set off huge grass fires on the banks of the Trinity River and officials cancelled the rest of the show. Some kids threw fireworks off the train trestle by our gathering, and we had to rush to put out the grass fire they started. It was an eventful evening all the way around.

The cancellation of the big Fort Worth fireworks show seemed a fitting end to the 4th of July this year. Independence Day was either a birthday party celebrating America’s birth or a funeral for American democracy. I haven’t failed to keep up with the news. A funeral is more likely. Shall we go down the list: the January 6th hearings, an attempted coup, the recent slate of restrictive Supreme Court rulings, the 300 plus mass shootings so far this year, massive voter suppression and on and on…

I’m not big on labels, especially political ones. However, I read an article by Adam Russell Taylor of Sojourners Magazine that spoke of the “exhausted majority” (https://sojo.net/articles/pastoral-letter-exhausted-majority). He pointed out the polling showing the majority of Americans feel left out and tired by the continuous division that dominates our political and civil discourse. Most Americans have “flexible views that don’t fit consistently in the Left/Right binary”.

Somebody finally put a voice to my thoughts. I get it. I’m exhausted. I dread even talking to people some days, so I just turn off the news, crank up the music, and cover my head so I don’t get hit with all the verbal and political crap flying by from both extremes. Exhaustion often leads to cynicism. I don’t like cynical people, especially when the cynic is me, so what do I do?

  • Take a break. I need to remember it’s okay to rest. Rest is necessary. It seems even God thought one should rest. He took a break after His work creating the universe and asked the Jewish nation to take a day to do the same. The Gospels tells us that Jesus often withdrew to “a lonely place” to pray, reflect, and recharge his spirit. I’m pretty sure it’s okay to do the same…
  • Pray. A lot. I’m not talking about the “God bless America” prayers of politicians and the religious right. Keep it simple. The Lord’s Prayer is a great place to start – “Your kingdom come your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven”.
  • Vote – My true citizenship lies in God’s kingdom but my participation in the political process here asks that I vote for “the least of these”. Which candidate reflects the policies that will most benefit the poor, the marginalized, and the immigrant. (Yes, I said immigrant – God constantly reminded His people to care for the immigrant – the foreigner – among them). Speak for the voiceless. (Side Note – We will be registering people to vote at upcoming markets and events. This year reflects the need to vote more than ever.)
  • Act in love – Some years ago it was fashionable among Christians to wear little bracelets that said “What Would Jesus Do, or WWJD.  The fashion trend passed but the question remains. If I’ve prayed for God’s will to be done here as it is in heaven than maybe, just maybe, I need to live a kingdom life here instead of waiting around for some mystical eternity. Maybe it means I need to see the world as Jesus as sees it, to see its people as those created in the very image of God, and to agree with the Creator – “it is good” – not perfect mind you, but good.

It’s much easier to find common ground when the Creator is evident in each of us, especially when we know how much God loves us. It becomes impossible to hold His love to ourselves. It must be shared.

Today, I’m taking a rest, enjoying the air conditioning, and asking to God to simply help me love others better. I don’t feel exhausted. I feel hopeful. There’s a lot to do…