Getting Back Up

Courage, character, and strength usually don't come from winning. These important qualities are more likely to come from struggles, hardships, trials, and troubles. After slipping, falling, having a loss, or failing, the secret is to get back up, learn and grow from the experience, and try again.

Rodeo folks often get bucked off their rides. However I've noticed they have positive character traits. They get back up. They help each other. And they take in and enjoy the event.

This past Wednesday evening our grandson Gideon went with Kasey to the Centerville Fair to enter the bull riding event during the rodeo. The bulls are put in a series of chutes and the riders climb on the bull in the chute. When the rider nods his head the side gate is pulled open and out comes the bucking bull and it's rider.

Gideon's brother John and I were up on the standing planks outside the chute and after encouraging Gideon my intent was to get a picture of him riding. Well, all I got was an empty bucking bull. Gideon had been thrown off. He ran to the edge of the ring, climbed the fence, and climbed over. He says he is looking forward to getting back on a bull and trying again.

Kasey caught this picture of Jackson power washing. The water pressure is about more than Jackson can handle.

There has been a lot of fungicide spraying aerially on corn this past week. This helicopter sprays 2 gallon to the acre and can get up with a 200 gallon load. It land and reloads right on top of it's tender truck.

Alex formed and we all helped pour a 12 foot extension to our wash bay apron where we wash our equipment.

Now we have more room to wash wider equipment and this eliminates a mud hole where the grandkids liked to ride their bikes.

This past week was the Southern Iowa Fair. Amelia and her brother Ethan did well showing their chickens. Congratulations to all the kids and their 4H projects.

Yesterday was the 4H livestock auction and we generally like to go and support the community and kids by bidding or buying some of their livestock projects. Since we were unavailable to go this year we sent our help. Thank you Kasey, Andy, Alex, Pablo, and Paula for doing an outstanding job of bidding on and buying some of the 4H livestock.

As many of you heard our community had some unexpected bad weather on Thursday afternoon. An E3 tornado started in Jasper County and came southeast through Marion and Mahaska counties as well. On the edges of this tornado was wind, hail, and heavy rain.

 

Many in the area had damage. This is Karl and Kristin's place. Straight line winds took down four big trees.

The direction of the tornado can be followed by the totally flat crops that were in it's path. Prior to tasseling a corn plant will gooseneck at the bottom of it's stalk and stand back up. However after pollination corn does not try very hard to get back up.

Most if not all of you have heard how Vermeers was seriously damaged by this tornado. My point for this picture is to tell you how impressed I was with their CEO telling the press that they would recover. They would rebuild. And they would not only get back up and survive but thrive. Good job Jason!

After a loss folks get together and help each other get back up by helping clean up, helping financially, or by just stopping by and visiting and listening.

God also promises He will not leave us or forget us. And often as in the case of Thursday afternoon He shows His promise in the sky in the form of a rainbow.

So when you get put down, knocked down, or blown down, you have a couple of choices. You can consider yourself a victim, cease to be productive, feel you have a legitimate excuse, and throw in the towel. Or you can become stronger because of the experience, get back up, adjust your sails, and continue to be the person you were created for and meant to be. Thanks for the picture Barb.

Troubles and hardships take a lot of courage and work to overcome. However they also remind us we are not in control and we don't know the future. So when you get back up, take the time to enjoy the rodeo as you go through life, and take the time to have fun and enjoy those around you.