Embracing Ma's Practical Pioneering Spirit During Lean Times

"The prairie looks so beautiful and gentle," she said.

"But I wonder what it will do next.

Seems like we have to fight it all the time."

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little Town on the Prairie

In this earthly life, we will all experience hard times. As the Good Book says, the rain falls on the just and the unjust. The question is, how do we handle our storms? As we read through the "Little House" series, I am inspired by the spirit of the pioneer women. What calamities and sorrow came their way! What is interesting is that, they didn't feel themselves as victums. They hadn't read magazine articles teaching them that they "deserve" happiness for themselves or that this earthly life is meant to be easy. Instead, they accepted what came their way and attempted to make the best of it.

"This earthly life is a battle," said Ma. "If it isn't one thing to contend with, it's another. It always has been so, and it always will be. The sooner you make up your mind to that, the better off you are, and the more thankful for your pleasures."

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little Town on the Prairie

After  a "Long Hard Winter" (where the Ingall's were living on rationed wheat berries during a blizzard filled season because the cargo of food couldn't make it through the snow), they were waiting in hopes for spring. It was a time to rebuilt on the homestead and begin anew. Their oat and corn crop was thriving, Pa had secured some money in town doing construction work and Mary would finally be sent to a school for the blind.  Life was going according to plan!

Then the blackbirds came… pecking at their oat crop, the very oat crop that would help to pay for taxes and coal that year. But Pa would shoot his way to a clear field with victory. The following day, the blackbirds found the corn. This was to be the other cash crop. The blackbirds had multiplied as abundantly as their beautiful corn! Pa goes to town to purchase more ammunition while Ma and the girls spend hours running through the fields to protect their future.

"They ran up and down, in the sun and heat, stumbling over the rough sods, screeching and shouting and waving their arms. Sweat ran down their faces and their backs, the sharp corn leaves cut their hands and cheeks. Their throats ached from yelling. And always the swirling wings rose and settled again. And always scores of blackbirds were clinging to the ears, and sharp beaks were tearing and pecking. 

At last Ma stopped. "It's no use, girls," she said.'"

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little Town on the Prairie

Charles and Caroline Ingalls

Oh, the dreadful words!.. "It is no use". But, Ma knew there was a time to fight with all her heart and that there was a time to let go. Sometimes, it is when we stop battling the circumstances and accept them for what they are, that we can see a bit of blessed light peaking from the darkness. Though their cash crops were lost, Ma found something else to focus on. They would eat like kings!

"After breakfast Pa came to the house,
bringing both hands full of birds he had shot. 

"I have never heard of anyone's eating blackbirds," he said,
"but they're as fat as butter."

"Dress them, Laura, and we'll have them fried for dinner," said Ma.

"There's no great loss without some small gain...

And the day was not even Sunday.

As long as the blackbirds lasted, and the garden was green,
they could eat like this every day."

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little Town on the Prairie

But how would they survive in the future? What would Ma do? She would take the practical route, the only one available to her. And many times dear reader, it is the only one available to us.

"Don't worry about it, girls," said Ma.
"We must cut our coat to fit the cloth."

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little Town on the Prairie

We all have our share of struggles. My desire is to glean from the practical, pioneering spirit of our fore-mothers when we endure ours. They took each situation in stride and were thankful for their daily bread. The future they knew, was in the hands of the Almighty. The blessings they knew, would be there today if we chose to find them.

"Laura thought, "Ma is right, there is always something to be thankful for."

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little Town on the Prairie

"...in everything give thanks;

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you..."

~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

You will find our *free printable* of this here if you are interested.

All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays,  The Scoop, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop,  Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, Awesome Life Friday Link Up and Create, Bake, Grow & Gather. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them). Illustrations by Helen Sewell and Garth Williams.