Salt And Pepper

Hezekiah (King of Israel) was 35 yrs old when his pastor (the prophet Isaiah) told him to get his affairs in order because he would not recover from his illness. Hezekiah wept and prayed to the Lord. The Lord saw his tears and heard his prayers. He sent Isaiah back to the King to tell him He would answer his prayer and give him 15 more years. II Kings 20.

During those 15 years Hezekiah became very successful. So much so that guests from Babylon came to visit. Hezekiah's pastor returned and asked what his guest saw. Hezekiah replied he showed them every treasure he owned (Pride). Isaiah said the time would come when everything in his home (palace) would be carried off to Babylon including descendants born to him. I have always been amazed about Hezekiah's response to Isaiah. II Kings 20:19 "This message you have given me is good. At least their will be peace and security during my lifetime".

Jan and I were in our early 50s. Our extended family was outgrowing the old farm house during get-togethers. We were using Marv and Carol's cabin some. In 2009 we built a cabin next to our pond for our own family use.  We also prayed God would help us share it with others. It sits just north of a significant hill. The hill where I go talk to God when I'm extra thankful, or extra hurting. Where Jan and I have watched the sunrise on a New Year's Day. Where I have watched fireworks on the 4th of July from multiple communities at the same time. This summer we are repainting and repurposing the cabin to be our home.

God has and continues to bless our family get-togethers. He has also surely answered our prayers about sharing it. Stillwaters Cabin events have included birthdays and anniversaries; family holidays; baptisms in the pond; funerals; school prom photo ops; corporate retreats; board meetings; class trip and reunions; graduation parties; church services; quilting and scrapbooking groups; and helicopter rides.

Yes, we have had visits from hundreds of friends and community; multiple governor candidates; a presidential candidate with his family; an army general; company CEOs; and civic leaders. We have also hosted homeless because of a flood or fire. The cabin has had multiple celebration of life services for folks who took their own life. And my father's funeral visitation was here during covid.

Mordecai's family had been among those exiled to Babylon 300 yrs after Hezekiah's reign in Israel. Esther 2:6. Mordecai adopted his young cousin Esther when her parents died. Esther, a Jew, became queen of Persia. Haman (a powerful government official) hated Mordecai because he refused to bow down to him; and made a plot to kill all Jews including Mordecai on March 7 of the following year. Esther 3:13. Mordecai wept, fasted 3 days, and asked his cousin (Queen Esther) to intervene (For such a time as this). Esther 4:14

As per King Xerxes orders, and God's intervention, wicked Haman was told to honor Mordecai. Esther 6:11. Haman ended up being hung on the very gallows he had built to kill Mordecai. The king issued a decree on June 25 and the Jews were saved. Esther 8:9. Mordecai was promoted to Prime Minister. His fame spread throughout the land. And he became a powerful person. Very few people in the Bible handled success and prominence well. Mordecai was an exception. Esther 10:3 "Mordecai was held in high esteem among the Jews, because he continued to work for the good of his people and speak up for their welfare".

Salt is a common mineral that brings out the flavor and good in others; while pepper is a spice that has it's own flavor and qualities. There is nothing wrong with pepper. I like it. I even take the lid off in restaurants when using it. Shaking pepper with the lid on is an effort in futility. Hezekiah was pepper. Mordecai was salt. It take both to bring out the most in a meal. Live distinctly and be the pepper. Live intentionally and be the salt. Bring out the best in yourself. And then, with God's help, bring out the best in others. Thanks for the picture.

A Place In Time

When I was ten years old my Dad would put the stock racks up on our farm truck, load some new straw, a 4-H box, a wheel barrow, three club calves, and we would head for the fair. After unloading, scooping out the straw, covering the stock racks with an old canvas tarp, we would park along the west fence, and that would be my home for the fair week. Later in the summer, Dad would put 2x12s across the top of the stock racks, we would park in Greenveiw, and watch Wednesday night races from across the street of corners 3 and 4.

Today most livestock comes to the fair in 5th-wheel trailers. The camping area is full of campers for the week's stay, and Jan and I give all 4-H and FFA kids free tickets on fair week to those same Wednesday night races. Kurt brings our grill and cooks with the Sheriffs Dept.

Today several of our grandkids are involved. Some with livestock. Some helping the fairboard set up the track for a Saturday night Redneck Rally. Some racing. And these young men helping Grandpa bring the Hybrid to the classic machinery section. We all have a purpose and place in time.

We had two extracurricular activities this past week. One was Becks Seed Summer Camp in Minneapolis. One evening we enjoyed supper at U.S. Bank Stadium. In one of the activities Karl kicked a field goal.

Last week we mentioned Church Camporee in Alberta, Canada. Well, the attendees luggage made it, thanks to Kurt and Karl's rig, and Dean and Matt at the wheel. Thanks for the picture.

Although we don't hear much, we do see pictures on social media. This is Jackson braiding a rope. There was a picture of Malaki playing football. Harris attended as well. This morning will be an awesome worship service. Wish I was there. Thanks for the picture.

Last evening Jan and I decided to use a year old gift certificate and go out to eat. It was fun to see this crew with their parents also eating out. We are so blessed. Thanks for the picture.

We are ending an era. After 17 years of sharing our Stillwaters Cabin to friends and community here on our farm yard 60 to 80 times/year, we are moving out tables and chairs, doing a little remodeling, and Jan and I will be moving across the yard there soon. Jan has two goals in this process. She wants to simplify life. And she wants to go through "stuff" while she still has the health and ability to drive the unnecessary things to the Thrift Store and Love Inc. I also have two goals in moving. I want to continue to live with my wife of 51 years. And I want to "hang on loosely" to temporary things on earth.

We are now going to share our 10 year old home with married grandkids. Hoping to give them an opportunity to save up resources so they can own their own place someday soon. We all have "a place in time". I don't want to be remembered for winning cattle shows as a kid. I don't want to be remembered for owning acres and machinery in the prime of my life. I hope to finish strong while I'm still able. To honor God. And to share with and care about others. Have a good week.

"Now all glory to God, who is able to work within us, to accomplish way more than we might think or ask". Ephesians 3:20 paraphased

The Power To Do So

Last Monday around mid-morning the younger grandkids wanted to go on a Ranger ride. I asked if they preferred a long ride or a short one. Of course, they said a long ride. So we loaded up. I heard Lane tell his cousins he was going to take the BB gun along in case we ran into "robbers".

We drove south to a farm where Karl was spraying fungicide. We have family members using Luke and his Hagie. We have others using the helicopter. We're also using our regular sprayers where the center section drags the tassels. Because of the hot dry forecast, we're also adding a biological called Terramar. It improves the corn plant's response to stressful conditions.

I occasionally remind our crew to enjoy their week, and our grandkids to do their best. What do these have in common?  With being intentional and the right attitude, we have the power to do both. To change things up a little this morning, rather than focusing on our main summer jobs like haying, trucking, and spraying, we're going to visit about some of the smaller details that go into a summer week.

When I grew oats in the old days for seed, we would transfer the grain after it had gone through a sweat. We helped Ezra and his family grow a little wheat this summer. So yesterday, while transferring from one wagon to another I used a fan to blow more chaff out of the grain sample.

While mowing around field edges with our skidloader mower, we sometimes take a Ranger along to scout the rest of the farm. Also the 6 ft. mower is hydraulicly driven, and has 4 blades sharpened on both sides. So if we're in brush, the hydraulics run the blades clockwise. Then if we're mowing in a neater grass situation, we switch the hydraulic flow, run the blades counter clockwise, and use the second sharp blade edge. 

Early this coming Tuesday morning, three grandsons are heading to Cadet International Camporee in western Canada. There will be around 900 boys plus counselors attend from all over the USA and Canada. Kurt has donated his semi and Karl his van trailer to haul the kids' luggage from this area of the state. Our helper Dean and his son Matt will be driving this rig to Alberta. I hope Jackson, Malaki, and Harris feel they have a piece of home at camp as these grade schoolers spend a week 1500 miles from home.

There is a new machinery category at our local Southern Iowa Fair this coming week. It's called "You build it, you bring it". We were asked to bring the Hybrid so it got a bath yesterday.

Our 2nd crop soybeans on wheat stubble are emerged and growing. They were planted 10 days ago. Our every day lives are about relationships. With God. With others. Proverbs 3:27 says; "Don't withhold good from those who deserve it, when it's in your power to help them".

Solomon has more advice. Proverbs 18:21says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Wow. It's so important to recognize as spouses, as parents, as grandparents, and as friends, that we show God's love, and bless others, by planting words of positivity and encouragement, rather than words of negativity and criticism.

Appreciation Verses Expectation

Happy Birthday America. 250 years ago, under God's direction, our forefathers drafted a Declaration of Independence. Then they fought for 6 years, sacrificing their time, their property, and their lives for a cause they believed in. Thanks for the picture Suzanne.

What we forget is that only about a third of those in the 13 colonies were patriots for the cause of independence. Another third were loyalist and wanted to stay with Britain. The final third was undecided. I read an article written by my friend Del that said George Washington showed appreciation to his soldiers and to the communities where they fought. While with the British, everything was expected, including the redcoats as well as the communities they often ransacked. The undecided third of the colonist were won over by how people were handled.

Are things in life expected? Absolutely! However expectations can quietly turn blessings into burdens, while appreciation brings out the best in people. Jan's Grandfather was Carl, then Elijah, then Rev John, then Ben, then this fellow John, who was a Revolutionary soldier. Our history (His-story) isn't that old folks. Our son Karl has been to this gentleman's grave twice in Boone County, Indiana. Thanks for the picture Karl.

Because of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, I was able to start farming 52 years ago and purchase this IH 856. 51 years ago last March, I was blessed to marry this gal. Before that she spent summers running the baler for her father. She still can. Although I don't always get it right, I appreciate and love her very much.

Speaking of the old days, Jan's father had wire tie bales (we still do), and insisted on tight, heavy bales. So back then he built a homemade scale to make sure the baler driver knew the bales were tight enough.

You don't come across many neatly stacked loads of small bales these days. For those that don't remember, stacking small bales was an art. These young men and their fathers and uncles did a great job of stacking 4 loads on a very hot Thursday afternoon. I hope they all know how much they are appreciated and loved.

Jan has a beautiful garden. And since our shelves and freezers are full, we have enjoyed delivering and sharing produce with others. Last Wednesday evening I was thanked for an act of kindness I've been doing for a number of years. Although not expected, the gratitude given was truly appreciated. And energizes me to continue to try and be at my best.

Does our United States have another 8 generations of life in it? If so, how will we be remembered? Yes, I expect things of folks. But will they remember those acts and deeds were appreciated? Thanks for the picture Jan.

A couple of weeks back I turned our Bethlehem star on a couple of nights. Really no reason other than I was thankful for my 70th birthday. Because we accept Christ's gift, we expect and look forward to eternal life in Heaven when our life on earth ends, as it will. However just as we earthly fathers appreciate gratitude, our Heavenly Father appreciates our thank-you to Him for everything we have been, are now, and will be.

After harvesting wheat, we had scheduled baling straw Friday, kind of a holiday. Thursday afternoon John tested moisture and the straw was 11 to 15% so we rocked and rolled with good help. Thursday evening I planted a second crop of soybeans and then got an inch of rain on them. Had we not taken advantage of weather Thursday, we would still have windrows of wheat straw on the ground. We started this morning with Suzanne's picture of a soybean field. We'll end with the same. Always appreciate and take advantage of opportunities. In your jobs, in relationships, in life.

The Long View

This past week we wrapped up spreading treated dry urea on custom acres. When driving through shoulder high corn one can't be constantly looking back wondering about mistakes. One can't even look down to see if your spreader wheels are still between the rows. One has to look forward as far ahead as possible. And have faith in the long view that your machine is going where your eyes are looking, where your arms are steering, and that your allowances for hill sides and corners are correct.

In the short view, farmers often get up before daylight with the determination and work ethic to get the jobs on the list accomplished, including the unknowns. Their goal however is the long view, looking forward to harvest, which hopefully pays the bills, provides for family, and benefits our communities and our world.

John and his father, BJ, took some time this week to finish pattern tiling one of their farms. The soybean planter is still hooked up, waiting for this project to be completed.

Karl and his daughter Brynn took some time this week to put up field signs on field edges along highways that we had just trimmed up with the batwing and skidloader mowers. Thanks for the picture Karl.

Thursday morning Lucas brought Ben over for a visit. Ben farms in Scotland. He and his wife raise hogs there. He came to America to learn about raising soybeans for a protein feed source. Thanks for the picture Lucas.

Adi and Natalie had an incredible day yesterday with their Pella Christian School clay target  shooting team at the state finals. The short view is I don't make it to enough of my grandkids sporting events. The long view will hopefully show that because of my health and abilities, I can still be an asset on the day to day activities on the farm, helping to allow my kids to be a part of their kids lives, and also to help them be an asset in their schools and churches, where they often volunteer their time. Thanks for the picture BJ.

March/2026 was an incredible warm and dry month. It was a month of opportunities. The first week we remembered and honored my mother who went to Heaven March 3. The second week we switched some soybean acres to corn last minute. A hog finishing company had 500,000 gallon of extra hog manure in 6 pits that needed lowered to make it till fall application. So we hauled and applied spring honey which worked well because of the unusually dry conditions. The third week we leveled off many acres going to corn. And the final week of March we planted corn. Some of that early corn started silking and tasseling yesterday.

The short view here on earth is that it is a blessing to spend time with family. We were invited to join BJ and Cassia's family last week on Father's Day for lunch. The big boots are mine. The little ones are great-granddaughter, Oakley's.

These Sunday morning stories are a 17 year path of events that reflect faith, family, friends, and farming. I occasionally and deservedly get questioned about my motives. I have 3 objectives. To be interesting and from the heart, to be as short as possible, and to point to the faithfulness of my Heavenly Father. I intentionally try to avoid fancy words. My intent is that the young, the simple, and the childlike can understand my thoughts. 

Homesick For Heaven, by Phil Wickham, was released Memorial Day/2025. After a cancer diagnosis last July 2, I thought Heaven might have been sooner rather than later. I'm still here and feeling well. However, unless Jesus comes soon, we will all die. We all need to be ready for the long view. I'd like to wrap up with the song's chorus: "I want to walk with Moses on streets of gold. And dance with David before your throne. To thank you face to face for the grace You've given. (Here's the family long view) I wanna see my children run into your arms, and worship the Savior who wears my scars. There's an ache in my heart. I'm homesick for Heaven".

Work And Worship

Today is Sunday. Today is Father's Day. Today is the longest day of the year. Today it's raining. Life is not about how we feel, but how we choose to act. Thinking back on our past month the two things that I've enjoyed are work and worship. The hard red winter wheat is about 2 weeks away from harvest.

Last weekend we drove to Sheldon, Iowa, met grandkids, Cody and Tori, who live in South Dakota, and attended a 2 day Christian outdoor concert called Risefest, attended by 30,000 folks. The atmosphere, music, and  message were true worship other than long lines. 53 folks gave their lives to Christ for the first time and were baptized Saturday evening. 

While looking for my 8th grade Bible, this report card showed up. I didn't care for school much. The Bs, Cs, and Ds don't bother me today. What does bother me though is that every report card, every year, by every teacher, said, "He is capable of doing better".

Speaking of 8th graders doing their best, Natalie and her older sister Adi just finished shooting at state with their Pella Christian School shooting team. Both girls did well. Natalie won State in her age group. Thanks for the picture.

Along with haying, June could be considered a "weed and feed" month. We're just about wrapped up with 2nd pass spraying. We have also been adding some nitrogen fertilizer to a few fields for ourselves and others.

Another June job is mowing road ditches, waterways, and terraces. It's not only to keep things neat, but also to keep the trashy trees from growing which are abundant in southern Iowa.

What a blessing it is to not only work with grandkids but to worship with them. Not just praying before meals. Not just sitting in church with them. Not just telling them stories of God's goodness in the pickup on the way to the field. But to be in an atmosphere where you feel God's presence, and see they do as well. To listen to little ones sing praise songs, and know every word.

I snapped this picture off the screen last Saturday evening. The raised hands around the stage aren't approving of the artist. Young and old alike are worshipping God. The pathway to meaningful work is sacrifice believe it or not. Surrendering our purposes and abilities to God. And surrendering the urge to be the center of every story, allowing others to succeed in both work and worship. "So when I fight, I'll fight on my knees, with my hands lifted high. Oh God, the battle belongs to you".