The Single Step

I think of a journey home as something that will never end in this lifetime. Home is a place where you are safe and content. That cannot happen in a fallen world. That is where the journey comes in. It's a great action word, journey is. It evokes feelings of movement, adventure, discovery and for the optimist in me, it can even mean progress being made. I don't very much care for where I am in life right now, and so I journey home. I am seeking to be in a better place when the journey is ended, and a better person. If you'd like to come along, I wouldn't mind the company. Life without companionship is not as vibrant as it could be.

What is prompting this discontent with my life and my self? First, I realize that my relationship to God through Jesus is not what it should be. There are maintenance items I need to be doing, and have, through laziness, chosen not to do. How can you claim friendship with someone and not act like a friend? Second, I am a frustrated old man who feels quite inconsequential. That's pretty arrogant when you stop to think about it. Last, as I look out at my country and how it has changed over my lifetime, I am sure that whatever direction we take, we are in for a world of hurt. Both the political parties are controlled by very powerful people and organizations that do not have the common person's best interests at heart. I truly believe that the solutions we seek will be found on the individual level, not the community, federal or global. If we as individuals are not self reliant, hard working, honest and compassionate, then we can't expect our communities or other organizations to be better. They will in all likelihood be much worse due to group dynamics.

So how am I going to go about turning discontent into contentment? Therein lies the journey! For me, all things begin and end with God. I rededicate my life to the Triune God, and I will read the Bible more and pray more. I will seek to be more like my Lord, Jesus the Christ. This blog isn't about that part of my journey, but I want you to know from where I am coming. I am sure bits and bobs of my spiritual life will enter in here, but it isn't my intent to open it up to you. As far as feeling inconsequential, well I suspect that it is an attitude thing, and that will improve when my Christian walk straightens out and the last thing is underway. And what is that last thing? I am having trouble finding a word for it. Self sufficiency isn't right (nor is self reliance for that matter). As a Christian, I have to know that I am not sufficient in myself. I need God. But I guess that self sufficiency is the most understandable way of putting it. I want to grow and make and fulfill as many of my and my family's needs as possible. Certainly there are things I cannot and will not do for my family. I am not likely to perform an appendectomy on one of my kids. But I do think I can learn to grow and raise most of the food we eat on this one acre of New Jersey we presently call home. I think I can reduce the negative impact I have on this world and increase the positive by getting off grid for my energy needs. I think I can prepare my family to survive through a major weather or geological event and even thrive through it. I think I can learn all kinds of interesting, useful things on this journey.

Backyard Homestead