Our older kids often used a saying when they were growing up and wanted to tell each other to calm down or “chill out” a bit. They’d say, “just calm your farm”. I have no idea where they came up with such a saying but it is a good reminder when someone needs to settle and calm down a bit. Especially when the world and many people around us can be anything but calm and settled.
As a child I grew up on a farm and I know that if you get frazzled, loud or erratic in your emotions and expressions that nothing good is going to happen. The seasons, weather, crops and definitely other people and the livestock do not respond to such behaviour.
In fact when we lose our calm and peace we start to fail. We fail to keep perspective; we fail to think clearly and find solutions; we fail to hear clearly from God and to therefore exercise the appropriate leadership and authority we have been given by God to bring things into proper line. Plus we fail to keep safe and secure those we have an impact on or are responsible for; both our family, livestock, property and the wider community.
There are always going to be some pressure cooker moments in life wherever we are regardless of our vocation or life situation. My Dad was a sheep farmer on a large property in the rolling green hills of New Zealand. It is a beautiful part of the world, and many might presume such a life would always be tranquil and peaceful, which it was to a large degree. However even in this beautiful setting I also have vivid childhood memories of my Dad losing his cool as he threw his hands in the air, grabbed his hat off his head and started yelling until red in the face at Flo the sheep dog who was half deaf and therefore totally non-plussed at my Dad’s obvious frustration at her and the silly flock of sheep he was trying to move. No doubt Dad could have done with ”calming his farm”.
“Calm your farm” is keeping our internal world and therefore our external life together. It’s finding that place of rest and peace within us so that regardless of what is happening we keep our composure and calm.
A close, healthy, growing relationship and connection with God is the best way I know of keeping “my farm calm”. Time spent daily resting in His presence; off loading any worries and stress and reading His Word and then doing what it says throughout the day are great ways to keep calm. Coupled with proper care of our bodies through regular exercise, good nutrition, realistic expectations of what we can do in a day and adequate rest and relaxation will safe guard us from the pressures life may try to throw at us. Plus everyone and everything in our world will definitely thank us for keeping “calm our farm.”
“Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him
And He shall bring it to pass.” (Psalm 37:3-5)
Prayer: Lord please help me to find peace and rest in you today. I give you all my concerns and needs and I choose to keep my inner peace and calm as I trust you with all the things I need and want to do today. In Jesus name Amen
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