Our Next Chapter

Kish asked his son to to go look for their donkeys. They had gotten out again. Saul took a hired hand and searched for three days without success. Finally the hired hand suggested they go see the prophet Samuel since he was known as "The Seer", and had insight on many things. I Samuel 9.

Is 2025 going to be a good year or a bad one? Who decides? It could be a great year. Do our attitudes make a difference? I heard a pastor say in a funeral message this past week to find God in the mystery of the circumstances we face.

Ezra, Elijah, Elliot, and Jackson washed the last combine on Old Year's Eve. BJ and John continue to pattern tile for neighbors. Mike starts a terrace in the morning and finishes it that same day. Otherwise frost gets deep in bare dirt. Ezra and I took a load of 1st cutting alfalfa to the Amish auction in Drakesville yesterday for BJ.

Do you have any goals for our new year? I'm not talking New Year's resolutions or business objectives, both of which are good by the way. I'm suggesting thinking about patience, contentment, joy, gratitude, generosity, and relationships.

I had a landlord once that never looked back. Success or failure, he was always looking forward to his next adventure. It served him well. The Isaiah verse below is good advice. Thanks for the picture Ryan.

Live life fervently in 2025, both for yourself and others. Can you be happy in seeing others succeed? Per the picture below, if you're the one doing the kicking, think twice. If you're the one being kicked, count to ten before responding.

A fun story and a new chapter. BJ and Cassia's oldest son, Gideon and his wife Emily, have purchased the Sully Locker and Market, and are moving to the Sully Community.  Congratulations kiddos. And thank you to the previous owners, Rick and Cheryl, for believing in and giving this young couple a chance.

One more Grandpa Bill story. After coming to America at 16 years old and working for his uncle in south Chicago, Bill married Christine DeVries and soon moved to Iowa to farm. His youngest brother John came later leaving 7 brothers in Illinois. Bill and Tena had 10 children. I'm guessing the picture below was taken around 1960.

As I mentioned last week, shortly after World War II started, Bill's brother-in-law John, who was married to his older sister Cornelia, was apprehended for preaching the gospel and helping Jews. He was sent to a concentration camp. Every day Bill and Tena would send their 8 year old son down their long lane west of Rose Hill to the mail box to look for a letter saying John had been set free. A letter finally came, and said John had been executed by the Nazis in 1942.

That 8 year old son that went to the mail box every day was my father. He told Jan and I this story many years ago. And he distinctly remembered his parents' grief. My father, Harry, passed away in 2020. And my mother, Bynie, is doing well in Oskaloosa Care Center.

Remember our earlier story about Saul looking for his father's donkeys? Well the prophet Samuel was told by God to anoint Saul king of Israel when he came to ask about the lost animals. He also told Saul the lost donkeys were home safe and sound. In this story what started to be the main thing wasn't really the main thing.

We will set out to do things in 2025. However in our endeavors, God may have a different purpose for us. May the new year bring you new blessings. We visit about farming and family on these Sunday mornings. However as I think you already know, my goal is for you to think about your walk with the Lord, and your relationships with others. For the first time in many years I will not be writing our blog story next Sunday. See you in a couple of weeks. 

Remember And Celebrate

A weekend ago Jan received a call from our oldest grandson. Gideon called to tell Grandma that the meat she ordered for our family Christmas might get a little pricey. Jan told Gideon that 2024 was a year to remember, and let's go ahead and celebrate.

In 2024 our family had an April wedding, a new great-granddaughter in June, a July fair queen, a 70th year old birthday party, a substitute Vo Ag teacher, a new wood fired pizza business, a new grain facility, and a business that continues to help others succeed through custom work, seed, dirt work, tiling, trucking, repairs, and friendships. 

We are not exempt from earthly struggles and concerns. Our family experienced a hysterectomy, holes in ear drums, a 3 day hospital stay for a swollen throat, a broken engagement, a diagnosis of junior epilepsy, a chronic sore hip, a 2 year process involving teeth, 2 January snow storms, and help that struggles with health issues.

This past Monday evening Mike led our extended family in devotions. He used a dozing analogy and his thoughts were titled, You can't bury water. Jan and I are blessed to have all six children and their spouses with leadership abilities, and serving in church, school, and community roles.

In 2024 I had the privilege of working with grandkids more than any year so far. They love the Lord. They care about others. And they aren't scared of work and responsibility.

Our helpers outside the family are talented, honest, hard working, and a joy to be around. They see jobs without being told and often make their own plan. Their abilities and willingness allow our family more time for personal businesses and time at home. They also help us help others.

Earlier in 2024, because of apathy and unaccountability to the fight between good and evil, I predicted we might struggle in politics with honest elections. I was wrong. And for that I'm thankful. Do we have a perfect candidate taking over in January? No. Most politicians in Washington DC despise him. In our last election folks in our country voted overwhelmingly to take power back from the government. Is this the collapse of liberalism and wokeness? No. However there is a renewed sense of optimism.

In the early 1900s European folks legally immigrated to America. Many Norwegians settled in the Dakotas. Many Hollanders came to southern Illinois, western Michigan, and southern and northwestern Iowa. The Noordam was a ship that regularly sailed the 8 day Transatlantic voyage from Rotterdam to New York. It held 286 folks in first class, 292 in second class, and 1800 in steerage. A steerage ticket cost around $30 and was in the lower section of the ship.

William was born in 1895 in Holland. He was the second of 12 children, 9 boys and 3 girls. All 3 of his sisters died in Holland, one at 6 weeks old, one at 40 years old following a surgery, and his older sister, a 60 year old widow, whose husband was executed in a Nazi concentration camp. When William was 16 years old, he was to go to court for kicking a dog. Instead he bought a steerage ticket and came to America. I'm glad he did. He was my grandfather.

Maybe more about Grandpa Bill and his family next week. While cleaning out my home office desk this past week, I came across some old letters, and two sets of Men's Society notes my grandfather, William, had written. One was titled "Political Action". The other, "Christianity or Communism". They talk about our civic responsibilities as Christians. Wow. I was shocked our relatives even thought about politics 100 years ago, let alone discuss it in a church society. I shouldn't have been surprised, remembering he had a brother-in -law executed by the Nazis.

So what's my point this morning? In 2024 I was concerned about the condition of our country and culture. 100 years ago my grandfather was concerned as well. There is "Nothing new under the sun", as Solomon says in the Bible. God had a plan for my life and knew what 2024 would look like 130 years ago. Because of my blessings this past year, I need to remember, to celebrate, and to say thank you by honoring God and blessing others. How about you? Your life is just as planned. Tell God thanks for your blessings. And lean on Him for your struggles.

King David wrote: "I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth". Psalms 121:1

Christmas Relationships

Merry Christmas from our family to you'all this morning. Other than some grandkids in college we live on various places around the Oskaloosa community in southern Iowa. You'all are neighbors, folks we work with, folks we go to church with, classmates of Jan or I, friends from Arizona, Michigan, Indiana, and other states. And friends we hold dear in Africa, Israel, Cayman, and a few other countries. A few of you I don't know. However I consider it a privilege you join us in this weekly visit, and I truly hope to meet more of you someday. Thanks for setting up the picture Becky.

                             

This past Wednesday evening our crew celebrated Jan's birthday at Georges in Pella. Close to 40 of us enjoyed 16 pizzas.

We often have scheduled guests in our office in the farm shop first thing in the morning this time of year. Friday morning Brian and Mark brought breakfast pizza compliments of Bank Iowa. Thanks for the visit, and thanks for working with our family guys.

We're also working with Brad, Kiley, Andy, and others from Musco Lighting. Brad and Andy came on a very cold, windy, morning to climb our new grain leg just east of our home farm. They were measuring, and are designing a combination Bethlehem star, cross combination.

Since it's still in the design and development stages, it won't be lit and displayed yet this Christmas week. Early this fall when the facility was being built, we had a goal that it might be used for more than just a place to move and store grain for ourselves. Among other ideas was one that we could use the height to help celebrate the seasons of our Savior's life. The leg is visible for several miles, including the 4 lane highway just a mile north of our farm.

Kudos to grandsons Ethan, John, and friends who put a new clutch and exhaust system in one of our trucks that Jim drives.

We continue to haul contracted grain to the processor. This is the time of year when one finishes paying off this past year's crop notes, locks in crop inputs for next crop year, and hopefully shares with charities and others less fortunate and in need.

This time of year it's sometimes just a matter of hours between mud and frozen fields due to temps ranging from single digits to mid 40s. We use those few hours to continue to chisel mostly flat bottom ground going back to corn. 

The tiling and dozing crews continue to work continuously, going from job to job, until the frost in the ground reaches 4 to 6 inches.

This is a bit of an unusual picture of the shepherds in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. However I'm using it because I want you to think deeper than just a nativity scene sitting on yards. Think about the relationships these common farming folks experienced on what in their minds was going to be just another ordinary night of watching and caring for their livestock. Read Luke 2 starting at vs 8. They are sitting in the back 40 when they encounter and are in the presence of, "An angel of the Lord". Terrifying and awesome at the same time. Then they take a risk and decide, "Lets go see", and find young parents they don't know in a barn. Next they see and are given understanding that this is their young Messiah, "Lying in the manger, just as the angels had said".

The shepherds encountered two final relationships on that Christmas night. Verse 17 says, "After seeing, accepting, and worshipping Him, the shepherds returned to their flocks, telling everyone. And all who heard were astonished". Verse 20 closes this part of the story with ,"The shepherds glorified and praised God for all they had seen and heard".

God didn't use kings, or church leaders, or even those that were educated to accomplish His purpose of Salvation. He used a very ordinary, poor, young, couple, and some blue collar farm hands. Our response? Listen. Let's go see. Accept and worship. That gets us to Heaven but it's definitely not the end of the story. We are to go tell others of all we have seen and heard. That takes relationships. Have a great Christmas week!

Herod The Great

Herod the Great accomplished many things during his 40 years as a Roman Jewish king. He became known as a colossal builder. Including a palace, fortresses, and other public buildings. He even rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. He was a close friend to many of the leaders in Rome. These connections helped him gain power. He and his family would later become part of the Christmas story.

History will remember the world basically being shut down during the spring of 2020 due to a pandemic. Because of the slowdown in the economy, materials and help were immediately available. We hired a crew of young ex-Amish folks to build a shed across the road. We are still friends with many of those fellows today.

Rudy and Toby from that same crew later attended and graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. Today they are both police officers in small southern Iowa towns. We had a last minute conflict and regretted missing Toby's graduation party yesterday. However isn't it amazing what folks remember as crisis in history is just another day in God's plan for all our lives? Thanks for the picture Rudy and family.

Early last week Dean, I, and an assortment of grandkids including John, Ezra, Elijah, and Elliot chiseled a farm on the north edge of Ottumwa. Layton, Alex, Karl, and Kurt, worked on applying NH3 for next years corn crop in other areas.

Then later in the week, winter came with snow, ice, and single digit temps, stopping field work. However Mike continues to run dozer, and BJ and John continue to tile.

On one of the cold days Kurt built himself a snow pusher. Karl and Malaki have been selling fat hogs. Jim and others continue to haul grain. Karl and I continue to work with farmers on seed appointments.

2000 years ago Herod the Great's accomplishments led to self-confidence. Self confidence led to self-centeredness. Self-centeredness led to pride and wanting power. Power hungry folks feel uncomfortable unless they are in control. So when the wisemen stopped to ask him where the new King of the Jews was born, Herod felt threatened. He killed baby boys in Bethlehem. His son, also King Herod in the New Testament, had John the Baptist killed. And was part of Jesus' crucifixion. His grandson, King Agrippa, was also part of Biblical history during the apostle Paul's life. All of their families were a mess with many killing each other.

God bypassed the proud and powerful, and used small towns and common ordinary people to accomplish His purpose that first Christmas. He does the same today. So how are we to fight the temptation of pride? We pray for help. We give God the credit for our accomplishments. And we consider others more important than ourselves. I know, easier said than done. Blessings.

A Boiling Pot

This past Monday morning at our Becks Christmas get-together in Indianapolis we were introduced to Daman. We listened to his life story. Great athlete from Fort Arthur, TX. Lost his identity after sports. Gave up everything to become an addict. Did high profile crimes. Arrested. Trial and sentenced to 65 yrs. He identified trials and troubles as a boiling pot.

 

We all deal with trials and troubles to some degree or another. Half the battle is showing up. The other half is getting started. Kudos to these fellows. They made a major combine repair look routine. Mark's combine is ready for next harvest.

Speaking of routine, On cold mornings Mike always heats his dozer blade with a flame thrower to keep the frozen dirt from sticking. Thanks for the picture BJ.

BJ and Mike are both busy working on the same project for Luke. The four inches of frost in the ground this past week doesn't affect dirtwork much. Thanks for the picture.

Karl continues to schedule and haul Becks seed in to our seed shed. We are also busy with appointments helping farmers think about next crop year. We discuss seed, biological treatments, fungicides, tillage, cover crop, and ways to budget cost during depressed grain markets.

The month of December is not only for planning the next crop year, but also for evaluating the past one. Extra bushels made up for less price this past fall. In any business one needs to know where they've been, where they're at, and where they're headed. This includes marketing. Elijah and Elliot helped Grandpa load contracted soybeans yesterday to be delivered to Burlington this coming week.

Thanks for this cool picture Kurt and Emily. Their son Jackson is checking his traps. It's cold. Furs aren't worth much, however it's character building. I remember our kids getting up and checking traps before school.

This old coal furnace brought me back in time. We moved often from rented farm to farm. Several of my childhood homes had coal furnaces like this in the basement. Thanks for the picture Nate.

Back to our first story. When Daman got to prison he met an older inmate named Mohammed. Mohammed told Daman three things. Prison is about race and gang families. The strongest men in prison walk alone. And prison is a pot of boiling water.

Mohammed told Daman that he would become one of three things in this boiling pot. He would turn soft like a carrot.

Or he would turn hard like an egg, with a shell. Including his heart, like the yolk.

Or, he would become a coffee bean. In the previous two options the water changes the carrot and the egg. The coffee bean changes the water. Daman became a coffee bean. He stopped looking at his troubles as punishment. And started looking at troubles as opportunities. He changed the prison atmosphere. He was paroled in seven years and three months. He is currently a motivational speaker.

2024 was Jan and my 50th crop. I won't bore you about the old days and our share of obstacles. I will say obstacles build character. Character gives a greater perspective. A perspective of realizing our dependance on God.

How do you handle adversity in this boiling pot called life? Will you become soft and ineffective? Or will you become hard and obstinate? Or will you be a part of helping change your own and other's surroundings by seeing opportunities rather than obstacles? Blessings.