Thankful for the Farmer’s Life Lessons

Well, hello. 

It's been awhile since I've posted a blog - over a year in fact. Life has been full with a toddler, great job, friends, family and a slew of other activities and opportunities. This time of year I am always called to post or say something as we approach Thanksgiving and the anniversary of my dad's calling to heaven. My sister, Sarah, and I keep his spirit alive by writing about him and agriculture for our hometown newspaper. Below is our article published earlier this month. We hope you enjoy and remember some of Tim's life lessons as you give thanks for your friends and family around you and all this life has to offer.

Happy Thanksgiving. 

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November is upon us and it’s always tradition to reflect and give thanks during this month. However, for some of us it’s a difficult month. Our families are trying to finish harvest before the cold weather turns colder and the unpredictable weather sends snow too early. For us, the month is difficult because we lost our farmer, our dad, during this month. It was the day after Thanksgiving nine years ago on a crisp, fall night when the stars were shining high in the sky across our countryside.

Every year during this month we reflect on his passing in some way or another. This year we have decided to share some life lessons from our farmer with you - nine of of them in fact. Trust us, we could probably share 99 life lessons but will spare you the western movie lines and quotes on the way things used to be or should be. For now, we will stick with the spoken and unspoken life lessons from the farmer for you to reflect on this month. We hope you give thanks for the people in your life, here on earth or up above, and the life lessons they taught you. 

There’s No Burnin’ Daylight: Dad was a believer in this phrase and lived it. He got up before the sun and didn’t rest his head until it had set behind the horizon. Neither of us were early risers so we heard this phrase every morning when he woke us up for school. It’s pretty self-explanatory though. You were given a life and time is so short, so use it - don’t burn the daylight you were given. 

Work Hard, Play Hard: This is a common life lesson but one that some have forgotten. If you work hard enough, you can play and enjoy life to the fullest. Dad never really told us this but again, he preached through example. 

Everything is Overrated: If you heard this once from Tim Thomas, you heard it hundreds of times. This might have been his favorite phrase to use because he lived in a house full of girls who thought too much and talked a lot. It’s human nature to over analyze and to gravitate to the bright and shiny object or idea. However, living a simple life might be the highest rated attraction people seek to achieve these days. 

Be An Example: Dad wasn’t always a big talker but his actions spoke louder than words. On our way to church on a snowy Sunday, he pulled a stranger from a ditch without even a thought. When he was finished, he got back in the truck and off we went to church - no discussion really. Being a good samaritan and living a life of example doesn’t take a whole lot of words or rhetoric. 

Pull the Reins Back: When Katie was little, she was riding one of our family’s horses as dad walked alongside. The horse got spooked and took off, sprinting to a hill and the road. Dad chased behind her saying over and over, “Pull the reins back! Pull the reins back!” While at the time it was for the safety of her physical well-being, the quote is also a reminder to “slow down” for our mental well-being. This is something we constantly have to remind ourselves to do, and when we do we are thankful. When you pull the reins back, you get to be more present and notice what’s behind you, in front of you and beside you before it all passes by too quickly. 

Get Some Fresh Air: If we were sitting in the living room while dad popped in to check on what was going on, you better believe he would encourage us to go outside. He would prop his arm against the door frame and lean on it like a cowboy leans on a fence and say, “Why don’t you go run some laps around the house. Get some fresh air.” Not being inclined to run around the house (especially Katie), we would just say “I’m tired.” In our older age we have realized that some fresh air does a body good - you feel better, you sleep better and you breathe better. And by gosh, you get to enjoy God’s portraits in the great outdoors. 

Be Kind: Just be nice. It’s not hard. 

Nap on Sundays: In our busy lives and rushed world, it’s easy to get tired and complacent. We’ve forgotten to just a take a moment to breath and reflect. Dad never said he was going to sit in the quiet, read the Sunday paper and take a nap - he just did. God made a day of rest for a reason - utilize it. 

Eat Oreos: Some people twisted, we dipped. Sitting with dad with a big ole glass of milk, reaching for that black and white cookie in the jar and making the perfect dip for the perfect soggy (but yet crunchy) oreo - that was a tradition to be thankful for. Sarah and dad really had a thing for the oreos. Thanks to mom for buying them and letting us eat them late at night. When we moved out, mom stopped buying oreos and put rice in the oreo jar. She soon learned that was a big mistake and heard a thing or two about it. The jar now sits empty and it’s been awhile since we’ve enjoyed this tradition around the kitchen table. Maybe this year we will eat some late night oreos after our Thanksgiving leftovers as we give thanks for our farmer and reflect on the next life lessons to share with you.