StillwatersIowa

2012 will soon be history. It had it's share of challenges, yet it was full of opportunities. As we look back did we make the most of those opportunities not just in business but also in our personal lives. I heard someone say once, never regret your past, however don't stay living there. I also found a quote I'd like to share this week.     I asked for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me strong. I asked for wisdom and God gave me problems to solve.   I asked for prosperity and God gave me abilities and strength to work.   I asked for courage and God gave me dangers to overcome.  I asked for patience and God placed me in situations where I was forced to wait. I asked for love and God gave me troubled people to help.  I asked for favors and God gave me opportunities.   I asked for everything so I could enjoy life.   Instead, He gave me life so I could enjoy everything. I rece...

This past week our country has been dealing with the aftermath of the school shooting. What  grief those families must be experiencing this Christmas season at the senseless death of their children. Many have asked, How could such a thing happen and where was God in all this? Although I'm not going to tackle a doctrinal answer to this question I agree with Mr. Huckabee and fine it ironic that as a culture we have been trying to get God out of our public schools and other public places for many years now. Last Tuesday evening all the grownups in our family went out for supper together to celebrate Jan's birthday. Thanks Taylor and Taylor for babysitting all those kids.   After our birthday outing we came to the cabin for cake. Happy Birthday Jan and thanks for everything. Fifty something doesn't seem all that old anymore. Last evening we had our family Christmas. As usual there was lots of wonderful food.   There were also lots of presents to unwr...

Twas the week before Christmas and all around our place; Everyone was getting ready for a deadline to face.   Jan has a birthday coming real soon; I no more know what to get her than the man in the moon. The nativity scene was missing from off of the square. Although it was gone no one knew where. Because of it's absence there arose such a clatter; that the council during special session decided to reinstate the matter.   Rachael had a piano recital at Smokey Row. She played a Christmas carol for the crowd wouldn't you know. We took a day off to watch a tile plow. It didn't take long to put in a mile. The way it worked made BJ smile. He went home and made a plan to see if it would be worthwhile. On Wednesday we went to Jerry to get our taxes estimated. Even with all the stuff we had depreciated; it didn't take long to become aggravated; with a government that says your deductions are now eliminated. The young folks were going hunting, they a...

In the movie, The Ultimate Gift, Red Stevens trys to make up for his mistakes during his life by coming up with a plan after his death that teaches his grandson, Jason, some important values. He gives Jason twelve assignments that help Jason find twelve gifts on his way to trying to receive his grandfathers inheritance. 1. The gift of work. Having work to do is a blessing. Having been taught how and having the ability to get that work accomplished is a bigger blessing.   2. The gift of friends. Life would be lonely if we didn't have friends. The only way a person can have friends is to be a friend. It's a gift you must give in order to get. 3. The gift of money. Money is the fuel that makes things happen. Yet the Bible says the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Although we have a responsibility to be good financial planners during and after our lifetimes we should not hang on tight enough that we put more value on it than our faith, our families, ...

As we roll into December we ought to look forward to the holiday season with it's sharing, caring, joy, and happiness. Instead we sometimes act like an Ebenezer VanderSrooge worrying about work and complaining about everything under the sun. I'm passing along some advice this week that I need to remember once in a while. Don't always sweat the nit-picky details. There are times as you travel through life that you don't have many options other than to just keep going forward. Make work fun. Don't make obligations and responsibilities the enemy. Stop living for tomorrow and start enjoying something about today. Practice appreciation, recognition, and patience. People will remember your words of affirmation and praise alot longer than they will remember their paychecks. Sometimes we get bogged down with so many day to day problems we forget to enjoy what were doing and fail to see the big picture. Often we work our pants off and can't remem...