Aired at the Farm, Refreshingly

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 “Feed your faith and starve your doubts.”Kenneth E. Hagin Sr.

A few weeks ago my sister-in-law, Grace, and I visited the Prigel Family Creamery http://www.prigelfamilycreamery.com/ in Glen Arm, Maryland to pick up some of their award-winning “Best of Baltimore” ice cream. The farm is located in horse country, near My Lady’s Manor, Maryland in Baltimore County, north of the city. It’s in the area of the state where the notable “steeple chases” take place every April. For those of you who are unfamiliar with that term, think fox and hound hunts. http://www.marylandsteeplechasing.com/main/mlm/datetime.htm

As we drove up to the farm, I was surprised by what I saw. A business that unabashedly shares their belief on a sign etched in stone right on the foundation of the building. You can’t miss it.

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“How refreshing is that?” I thought. So many businesses and individuals in this day and age would rather not display signs of the American values and principles that our country was founded upon – a sad state of affairs, I think, if I can be honest.

As everyone knows farming is one of the most difficult occupations there is. Hard work, unforeseeable challenges and the unrelenting task of finding ways to be a sustainable business is all part of the job. It also takes faith to be a farmer because they are constantly at the mercy of unpredictable weather!

Today during this week of gratefulness, I’d like to dedicate this blog on All Things Fulfilling to farmers and ranchers everywhere who keep us fed with fresh produce and other “fruits” of their labor and production – meat, eggs, grains, cheese, poultry, maple syrup and so much more. When we sit down to the Thanksgiving table on Thursday, let us remember where the food we eat comes from and those who produce it.

Here are a few more photos from my quick stop at Prigel’s, along the trail of my East Coast book tour, which I am so very grateful for.

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This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard. For information on her memoir, Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected, which has won three awards, please visit this site.http://amzn.to/1vDFUMt.

 


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Building from the Right Perspective

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“The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty.”  ~ Zig Ziglar 

Last week I posted a blog called Disappearing Acts. It was about how our world as we have known  it is changing, and we are on the rise of a new era. If you missed  the blog, here is the link.   http://bit.ly/15zJUPx. 

 Rick, Kyle on roofToday’s blog is about new generations in business. Over the past four or five years, there are many industries that have suffered the effects of a down economy. I’m proud of the men in my family who have been good stewards of a  custom home construction business since 1902! http://bit.ly/13T52C1 and http://bit.ly/12PsOPW. Throughout  the decades they have experienced prosperity and have overcome challenges, too. The most recent recession hit (the one our country still struggles to come to terms with) around the time the fifth generation  joined the company. My nephew Kyle,part of the new era, has been witness to what it means when adjustments have to take place to make it through rough economic times.

Indeed, the building trades have gone through trials and tribulations. But according to the news, there are positive signs of a come back. Things are looking up. http://leafne.ws/WKdaxg . Like all gifts, years of a good economy and a strong foundation to build on, need to be appreciated and valued. Hard times also serve great purpose in life. As John Powell once said “the only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” 

I have much faith the family businesses will continue to survive and thrive, if steered carefully and thoughtfully. Knowing that things must be done a little differently, for sustainability, is a valuable lesson for every industry that has been affected by this economy. 

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Tomorrow Irish eyes will be smiling in honor of St. Patty’s Day on  All Things Fulfilling.  This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.