Weather. When I moved to the country I had a limited understanding of the importance of weather. I knew some basic things about weather patterns (think high school science) and basic information about climates. But in Michigan it was pretty much four seasons. A few random tornado warnings and dumpings of lake effect snow. There were rainy days and sometimes long periods with no rain. Maybe it would get so bad that we weren’t supposed to water our grass. But that was the extent to which the weather effected my life.
Then I married my farmer and moved to the country. I can still remember the first time I heard someone pray for rain during a prayer meeting. I had to restrain myself from looking up with a look of complete shock and almost horror. Who actually prays for rain? We don’t live in the 1800s! And this man sounded like he meant it!?
Oh, I had no idea.
No rain, or too much rain for that matter, means no good crops.
A poor yielding crop means you can’t sell much corn.
If you don’t have enough corn you won’t have enough to feed your animals.
And that means you will have to buy feed for your animals.
The shortage of feed means costs for feed have skyrocketed.
And these farmers have put tens of thousands of dollars into their crops. They need the corn, beans and hay to grow.
And so I have found myself praying for rain, and meaning it. Praying for days of sunshine. Pray the wind will be calmed as it rips across the open fields. Praying that the hail will not fall, destroying crops and livestock. Praying that no tornado will touch down taking our barns. Praying the blizzard stays away so we have power for our animals.
No joke, if there is a tornado warning my husband will be running to his truck to go put up the curtains in our hog buildings.
And so we pray about the crazy Iowa weather. Pray for preservation not just for our family, but for our animals and crops.
City girl, you may be surprised to see just how important the weather is out in the country. But the truth is, the weather is an unpredictable factor with the power to change a farmers ability to make money. And you may be surprised when you find yourself sincerely praying about the weather as well.