Throughout much of my teaching career in Montana, I personally witnessed the labors and hard work of farmers and ranchers on the eastern plains. Their faithful perseverance will always be a testament of their faith in a God who will see us through.
The labors of a family wait for another harvest. Fields of spring wheat are maturing rapidly under the blistering hot, August sun. The heads of grain are filling out and turning harvest gold.
A year’s worth of income rests in these fields. Three generations view God’s bounty with praise and thanksgiving.
An aging grandfather has witnessed the good times and bad. While he has slowed down a bit, he still looks forward to operating the combine at harvest time. He becomes as excited as a young boy while watching the header cut the ripened grain.
His son, now a mature and tested father, has followed in his footsteps. He returned to the farm ten years ago when his father suffered a heart attack. He manages the day-to-day operations as skillfully as his father ever did.
A teenage boy, both grandson and son, has observed his father’s long hours and hard work. He values his grandfather’s wisdom and experience. He plans to attend the state’s land grant university during the upcoming fall semester, but first he needs to help out with harvest.
One evening, with harvest set to begin soon, these three generations of men view a field closest to their homes. The grain is heavy, filled with high protein content, and will fetch an honest price at market.
Dark clouds loom to the northwest as a storm appears heading away from their farm. The three men turn in for the night, feeling confident and safe.
The next morning, the sun comes up right on schedule, but this season’s harvest has been cruelly cancelled.
Overnight the storm changed its route. Heavy rain, strong winds, and large hail shredded every bit of grain far and wide. Not even a cow would be able to find any nourishment.
The grandson has never seen such devastation, and he is emotionally numb and filled with shock.
His father knows the coming year will be filled with hardship and uncertainty. With God’s guidance, somehow he will carefully balance the books.
The grandfather prays to God, asking the Lord to provide for the family as He always has—in the best of times, and now the darkest. He opens his Bible and reads the following verse from Isaiah 40:10:
“Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”
Big Sky Buckeye 
What an absolutely beautiful post about the labors of love and legacy. They had a foundation of faith, Richard. Thank you for sharing and recognizing these laborers. Happy Labor Day!
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Karla, I appreciate your words. I experienced this lifestyle up close during much of my teaching career. I became quite familiar with the life of dryland farmers and cattle ranchers.
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You’re so welcome. What precious memories!
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An inspiring post. Thank you for how you share stories of love and light in remarkable and relatable ways. Bless you!
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Suzette, I appreciate your words. Many of my teaching years were in Eastern Montana’s life of small grain farms and cattle ranches.
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Wonderful memories to be sure. Blessings on you.
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Nature can be cruel! But, with our reliance on God, we can remain positive, even through the toughest of times. Your story surely is testimony to that!
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Jan, I appreciate your thoughts. We have both seen the labors of farming and ranching families. Their perseverance is amazing!
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Yes, indeed! Bob had a wonderful young man who was such a faithful and diligent helper – named Armando. Couldn’t have survived without him.
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Jan, thanks for sharing more about Bob’s journey and his faithful helper, Armando.
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wonderful job capturing the tough life of a farmer, and the perseverance and patience needed to keep moving on…
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Thank you Jim for these kind words. I like your words of “perseverance” and “patience” as they accurately describe the lifestyle of so many farming and ranching families. Much of my Montana teaching days were spent in their communities.
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one of my sisters got a teaching job in a farming community, and ended up marrying a local farmer. so I got to see firsthand what that life is like. my sister loved teaching there, and became a vital and respected member of the community..
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Wonderful! Thanks for sharing Jim. Your sister has indeed been blessed.
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Thanks for sharing! Faith does see us through. Those who persevered in their faith before us are an inspiration. They set an example of how to trust God.
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Dawn, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. Perseverance is a necessary component of our faith.
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God bless those farmers!
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Amen! For much of my teaching career in Montana, I taught children from these families.
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Awww
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