Faithful Friends

Last weekend we gathered here at Hebron to enjoy this gorgeous autumn weather and give thanks for our Father's faithfulness and blessings.  We only come together for shabbat at Hebron once a month, as well as some special shabbats for the moedim.  For those who are able we stay overnight to complete various farm duties or chores the following day.

Granted, this routine and lifestyle may seem onerous to someone from the outside looking in, however, it's become an agent for building a cohesive community and forging faithful friendships.  The time, finances and energy we invest into this bit of land we call Hebron is not only for today but with a view to the days that are ahead.  The blank slate that we inherited is now a developing and functioning little farm which will soon become self sufficient.


Last weekend we completed a series of chores which develop and improve this property.  The guys picked up a few trailer loads of pavers to complete the front and side of the house, which will then be built in to create a barbeque area.  This year we will also level and gravel the back of the verandah and landscape a lawn area at the front.  I'm very much looking forward to seeing the house landscaping finally finished.  The house is approximately 20 years old so this will be quite a momentous occasion :)

Christina and I cleaned up the vege beds and this week I planted some seed.  It seems there's never enough time or energy to complete all the things I want to achieve in a week so a helping hand here and there for these little jobs is a wonderful blessing.  

In the afternoon while Neal completed some house maintenance and Trevor sprayed the Palmer Road paddock for Salvation Jane the rest of us planted trees and erected a fence to keep the sheep out in the middle paddock.  Next month we've got about another 100 trees to plant, helping to create wind shields, wood lots and extra stock fodder.  

I was very blessed last week to be given Riggs, a border collie/kelpie dog, who is fast becoming a faithful friend.  She has been very well trained and loves nothing better to spend time with everyone, especially if they're throwing a ball...again....and again.... and again....she's also a little OCD :)  

This week lambing has begun and we've had 8 born so far, including one set of twins born today.  Unfortunately one of our ewes has a lame front leg so I'll be keeping an eye on her in case we need to bring her in.  She's due to lamb very soon so I'm praying for a good outcome.

In the next couple of months we will be relocating the sheep yards, selling our cows and purchasing a new ram for our flock.  We will also be hiring a contractor to remove the jammed bore pump so we can get it operational again.  We have had a good amount of rainfall this month but with an El Nino period predicted for the end of the year we need to be prepared.  

We've been blessed with a good amount of rain this year so the dams are in good shape, the aquifer levels must be higher as the dam is filling nicely, and the subsoil is building up moisture levels.  

So Hebron is doing well with YHVH's blessing.  Every year we get to enjoy celebrating the moedim here, see community strengthened and have our characters refined and moulded.  Pride is the enemy of intimacy with the Father and each other but when we regularly spend time together we are given ample opportunity to respond genuinely to those situations where we are confronted with our flawed humanity.  These times are windows of blessing when we respond with humility and not give rise to justification.

It seems that Don Pedro is becoming the more attentive of the two alpacas and even though it seems that Gulliver is still the dominant of the two, Don Pedro may well usurp him.  Today as I was watching Don Pedro check out Riggs (who was much more interested in swimming for the ball) I did ponder on this alpaca relationship and how all our relationships are organic, responsive and conduits of YHVH's blessings.  

I pray that the Maker of the heavens and earth, YHVH the Almighty, bless us all and continue to guide us in how we steward Hebron and this little community.