Can you remember a time when you took a risk, worked at it with all your potential, and really felt good about the results? Everything worthwhile takes effort. And there is a risk involved with most things we try. Mike is putting on the finishing touches of the TW20 we refurbished.
This week was construction equipment week in our shop. Our Ziegler Cat mechanic comes and checks everything out, makes a list of what he thinks needs fixed for us to have a trouble free year, and then lets us decide how much to do.
Oil leaks are a killer because in the busy season we forget about leaks. And you know what happens when heavy moving parts run out of lubrication. It gets very expensive to replace heavy moving parts. In order to replace a $10 oil seal on a rear shaft, the blade, the tracks, the side rollers, and the equalizer bar had to be removed. Its a risk if it's not fixed. It takes effort to get to the problem. The reward is a trouble free working season.
BJ's trackhoe needs a center pivot seal so we put it on blocks so we could work on it standing up.
Growing and marketing crops are full of risks including weather and markets. It takes 110% effort. There are many rewards to farming that don't involve dollars and cents.
Do any of you remember the tastee-freez in Oskaloosa? I remember when it was the only place in town to get a soft serve ice cream cone. I don't remember many other options other than a malt.
Jan is always experimenting with recipes and usually comes up with some pretty good stuff. Super Bowl evening she put together a combination of raw vegetables with dressing.
Lake View Camp needs a couple of wet bottom fields tiled for future use. BJ, Irv, and I went this week to look at the project. We decided we could help them out if we could complete the project yet this winter. Stay tuned.
After looking over the tile possibilities we were invited in to the lodge for coffee. What great fellowship we had with John, Carol, Bob, and Dort. Joe and Diana, directors of the camp took a risk by stepping forward with their dream. There has been huge effort by many parties in helping make this camp happen. And the rewards are many including blessing the young folks that attend this camp and meet God.
The Osky Chr. Sch. 5th -8th graders put on a Lion King production at Penn Central Mall in Oskaloosa. The kids did a marvelous job.
It was a risk. Would the kids buy in? Would folks come? Would it work out at the Mall? Think of the effort. Setting up, including building props. Coming up with costumes. Kids learning their lines. It was rewarded. Folks filled the Mall both nights. Angie, the band director and Lisa did a great job of directing. Other parents help out as well in many ways.
Luke was the bad lion and his helpers, dressed in black, were hyenas.
Kyle was the good lion and his cub was Trent. Trent and Kyle are cousins.
Nicole was a puma and Garrison was a warthog. Both did an excellent job. Jan and I went both nights to watch. We had 5 grandkids in the play with smaller roles.
Back in the late 1990s some folks had a dream about a new facility. Was it a risk? You better believe it. Bathed in continual prayer a plan started to form in 2000. In 2002 twelve men bought land on the edge of town in case things would move forward. Late one rainy afternoon after a groundbreaking ceremony in 2005 I went to the property to pray for direction. My Aunt Dorothy, a widow, came and I invited her into my pickup to join me. I will never forget that time with her and God. Did the project take effort? 13 years worth of effort, hundreds of folks helping, thousands supporting with finances and prayer, and millions of dollars, all privately contributed. The rewards continue today. Folks who said it wasn't possible have grandkids getting a Christian education. Folks who said this will happen over my dead body come to events and functions and praise the institution. God is faithful.
There are organizations today considering some changes. Are there risks? Yes. Do changes take effort? Yes. Will there be questions? Of course. The question always comes back to, what is our purpose? Will there be rewards? If motives are right, absolutely.
Sometimes organizations have an opportunity to move. The question becomes, are there benefits? Can we fulfill our mission? Is this an open door? Would location help our purpose? Do we want to maintain or expand? Is stepping out scary? Of course. What about finances? Suppose God has a plan to help and is just waiting?
Once in a while it makes sense for organizations to combine and work together. Having worked a lot together with family I have a little experience here. A single organization, business, or family member has it's own DNA. A combined unit has a completely different DNA. The risk for working together is keeping score. What about me? What if I lose what I've got? I have experienced you can't work as a combination of singles. I have the privilege of working with family that cares more about the end result than what's in it for them. It takes caring about each other's needs. It takes total TRUST in each other. If this can happen, borders are expanded beyond what you have the capability to get done.
Last evening a group of men took a risk. They rented the cabin. It took effort. They created a valentine atmosphere. They actually cooked. Have you ever tasted bacon wrapped onion rings? Wow. They had their wives chauffeured to the cabin and were rewarded with a great evening. Good job guys. And I was thinking about getting a card.
It's so easy to choose safety, security, comfortableness. Don't rock the boat. We need to ask, is that accomplishing 100% of what God has planned for us or will taking a risk and giving the effort result in the reward of doing a better job of honoring God and blessing people. How big is your God? How personal is your God? Do you talk often? Change can be challenging, even discouraging. I can tell you this. Whatever your organization or business or family, Satan hopes you stay comfortable, sit on your hands, and think about your own needs. Go into your sunset years with no regrets, looking forward to the reward of seeing folks in Heaven that you were part of helping.
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