StillwatersIowa

One of the joys of rural life is observing God's creation and it's beauty first hand. This sunrise is getting ready to burn off the fog in the valleys below and is the promise of a bright fall day. Our crop is much better than we were expecting. Discretionary income after the bills are paid and the bank notes made current bring opportunities. It also brings responsibilities. As I think back I'm reminded that real satisfaction and self worth do not come from a sale or purchace. Satisfaction and self worth come from sharing, serving, anf giving. We received this log sign gift this week from a neighbor who was thanking us for letting him cut firewood in our timber. I am so blessed to have five wonderful daughter-in-laws and a great daughter who help shape our family. This is Cassia helping run grain cart while Grandma babysits. She and BJ are expecting number five in just a few weeks. Last week Tuesday brother Dan fell backwards down a flight of stairs and shattered his ankle...

Have you ever went back to a childhood memory and everything looked smaller than you remembered it? Forty years ago this highway was the main thoroughfare across the country. It's Old Highway 92 and it's looking toward Bellfountain Hill east of Tracy. Can you imagine trucks meeting each other going the 70 mph speed limit back then? During the past week our country has been looking back and remembering 9/11/2001 and the people that died that day. Isn't it something how we all remember where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news? Our small rural town did a really good job of not only honoring those who lost their lives that day, but also remembered the folks that worked at Ground Zero and helped with the recovery effort and moving forward after the attack. One of the things I remember is that for a few days everybody in this country thought it was a good thing to pray to a Sovereign God and ask for help. Last week Sunday our church dedicated our new Fellowshi...

It's early on a beautiful moonlit Sunday morning and I'm trying to decide what to share this week. Sunrises are a favorite of mine. It's a promise of another new day. This is a harvest picture taken earlier in the week. I love watching kids interact with kids and wondering what they are thinking. Here Zachery has a crsis of some kind. Elliot is coming up with a solution and Ezra is ignoring the situation. While waiting on a truck BJ is cleaning the windows on the combine I'm driving while Ezra watches. Thanks BJ. It's not always possible to stop for a meal. However on this day Jan brought us pizza and homemade apple pie. Oops. Not one of my favorite things. Mowing around fields after they are harvested is something I enjoy doing but once in a while an intake just jumps up and gets in the way. I quickly relpaced it so the boys wouldn't know I goofed again. Mike and Kurt aren't letting grass grow under their feet. They are starting a terrace before the combin...

What memories come to your mind when you think about Labor Day. Recent memories for me include kids camping, football, and start of harvest. My 25 year old memories are softball tournaments, machinery consignment auctions, and silo filling. It's the 50 year old memory I have of Labor Day that I want to share with you today. The pictures of this week's activities don't necessarily go along with my story. When I was a kid Labor Day was the annual family reunion on my dad's side. My dad's parents had 10 married children and a gazillion grand kids. Each year two married children were in charge of games, location, and reading the reunion minutes which consisted of who was in charge the previous year, where it was held, and who had babies. The in charge folks had to be early to set up those old brown Monroe tables for all the food. Everyone brought lawn chairs. Uncle Harold and Aunt Wimp always had the most colorful chairs. Remember those wide...