Testing Stones

A hundred and fifty years ago Indians would tell stories of testing stones scattered around their hunting grounds. When an Indian's son could lift one of these stones, he was considered a brave. When he could carry it, he was considered a warrior.

God sometimes uses character building events in our lives as testing stones. I used to think I was strong enough to carry those stones by myself. I couldn't. After I figured out how helpless I was on my own, I asked God for help. He has been helping me ever since. Our cabin and it's location is part of remembering the testing stones God used in my life. Someday I hope my grandchildren hear the stories of how those big stones helped me grow.

 Many years ago I was introduced to this gal at a church softball game where I was pitching. It was the summer after my Junior year of high school. After the game we went for ice cream on my motorcycle. I was impressed with how much she knew about farming. Of course that's about all I knew about. I knew little about girls and less about social life. She talked about John Deere tractors and insisted they were the best. Her favorite was a 4020. I grew up on all red tractors. My favorite was an 856. Today we have a 1971 4020 JD and a 1971 856 IH just for old time's sake.

A year and a half later Jan and I were married. We lived in this house that used to set along the Glendale Road on a farm owned by Doug and Robyn's grandparents. We had to buy water by the 1000 gallon loads and have them dumped in a cistern. What we didn't know at the time was that that cistern was full of snakes. One day I heard Jan hollering for me. She had come home from Fareway where she worked and found this snake. I killed it with a spade.

Kutos to Pablo for finishing up getting all our larger tractors cleaned up. In an earlier life he used to clean jet airplanes and he does an amazing job. Pablo works at Cargill/Eddyville and the plant manager told me this week Pablo is one of his top employees.

It's hard to see in this pic however there is tons of dirt just outside our washroom from all equipment cleaned up and vehicles from muddy rock roads.

Matt and Alex are fixing an electric tarp on a semi trailer. Electric tarps are great until they refuse to work once you've reached your destination.

Andy continues to haul a little corn for ourselves and others.

We are finishing up getting the dozers and track hoes serviced, repaired, and ready. An advantage I appreciate about Cat equipment is Zeiglar is open until midnight. Also, if you order parts by 10 pm they deliver to their parts drop in Oskaloosa by 5 am the following morning. Mike started dozing again yesterday.

We are also putting in tile. Yesterday we benefited from a large crew. BJ runs the plow. Matt was the tile stringer. 

Alex and Kurt dug in the set-ins. Ryan ran over some ditches with the closer. Grandson John ran after fittings. Ezra and Elliott came a little while and ran errands with my Ranger.

Kurt grilled burgers and brats for the crew yesterday on the home-made smoker he just built this week out of an old fuel barrel. It burns wood pellets that are slowly augered in from a outside hopper.

We had to attend class this week to keep our Commercial Sprayer Applicator license current. There are 6 of us on our crew who are licensed to spray crops for hire.

We were invited to attended a BASF meeting in Altoona where topics ranged from details for getting high yields in corn and soybeans to the new potential upcoming tax changes. After our evening meal we had a humorous, motivational, and talented speaker. Frank talked about his insecurities as a younger man and how he overcame them. In the pic below he is juggling 3 active and buzzing tasers. He also juggled some very sharp knives and some fire while on a unicycle. He shared how he has to focus on the handles and compared that to life.

Friday evening was the bazaar at our local Christian Grade School. Joel did a great job auctioning. Holly was the clerk. Kurtis and Adam held items and took bids. I thought I heard the evening raised over $40,000.

We received word from Malawi, Africa that torrential rains caused severe flooding. Our friends Moses and Maria and their family were chased from their homes by flood waters and were working to save their few belongings.

They also lost their crop of maize (white corn) which looked to be about waist to shoulder high. We received an email from them this week that they were safe and thankful to their God.

Some of you will remember my cousin David's son Adam. He and his wife Jennifer live in Overland Park, Kansas. Adam is a chiropractor. Jenn has been fighting Lyme desease for the last 4 years and has been struggling with walking, seizures, and taking care of their 4 kids. They have had a rough time. For Valentines Day Adam gave Jenn a desert rose. That's a stone formed by constant blowing sand. What symbolism. They have constantly looked to God for their strength through this. Adam, You and Jenn amaze me.

 Jan and I have a sun room on the south end of our home. Of course Jan loves plants. Pets are not allowed in our home, however plants are and they thrive. I watched her put these dead looking bulbs by the window. In a couple of weeks the tops started turning green. Now they are maturing and forming buds that will undoubtedly bloom soon.

Jan and I have went through some tough times together. We have also experienced many tender times since that first visit after the church softball game. We have experienced God planning and giving us a family that we helped raise. We watched them grow, mature, and bloom. Today, thanks to God, they are all not only assets in society but Christ's kingdom as well.

Now we are experiencing and watching our children raise their children. What a blessing. Today we will get together at Sully and experience Hazel being baptized by her father. I was at Brian and Becky's house this week and Hazel was outside, enjoying the warm winter, and watching her dad replace a hydrant so her brothers don't have to carry water to Boo, their calf.

Are there still testing stones in our lives? Yes. And I'm sure there are in your lives as well. Just remember, the sands of trials that seem to blow far too often are forming who God wants us to be. Stones create dependence on God and develop character for remembering others. Have a good week.