The Ruminations Begin

Dateline: 18 June 2005

I am an Agrarian. Specifically, I am a Christian Agrarian. I believe that God intended for His people to live their lives and raise their families for His glory within the agrarian paradigm.

That is why I eschew the city and live out in the countryside. That is why my wife, The Lovely Marlene, and I homeschool our three boys (ages 11 to 17) . That is why we teach our children to acknowledge the Sovereign Lord of All Creation as the Sovereign Lord of All Creation. That is why we look to His grace every day and give thanks for the good times as well as the hard times (a.k.a., the teaching times). That is why we have a garden. That is why we keep hens for eggs (and entertainment!). That is why we make our own maple syrup. It is why we grind wheat “berries” into flour, from which Marlene makes the best homemade breads that you’ll ever taste. That is why we do these things and so many other such things.

This kind of lifestyle, this kind of work, can give a life richness. If pursued with humility and wisdom, in a spirit of love, this is the kind of life that will make a family strong and be a remarkable witness to the goodness of a merciful God.

To live this kind of life is to be a blessing to the community around you in the here-and-now, and to the generations that will follow you. This is the kind of life that, amidst the pervasive, shallow, false promises of the dying Industrial Culture we live in, is a beacon of light. It is a way of life that, very simply, offers hope, peace, and contentment like nothing else.

So, look at that!..... Here I am, a simple rural blogger, beginning the “Ruminations” by speaking like a philosopher. But, you know, I think that is entirely appropriate for a Deliberate Agrarian.

Fortunately for one like myself (who really is not a particularly deep thinker), the precious riches of this “philosophy” can be clearly seen and easily grasped... and they sparkle brightly.

I invite you, dear reader, to come here often in the days ahead. Lord willing, we will find treasures together. I will share with you the life, work, hope, struggles, lessons, thoughts, prayers, and blessings that come into the life and times of this Deliberate Agrarian.

It is my great desire that you will be inspired and blessed along the way.