StillWatersIowa: Measuring

In life we are always measuring. We assign numbers to objects, events, our jobs, ourselves, and in this case, who has the most strawberries in their bucket.

Fortunately Grandma awards all participants with candy called, Color By The Foot. Fortunately I don't have to eat Zach's berries. His look pretty green.

John decides to measure gravity while his Dad works on the chopper.

Karl and Kristin's first batch of hogs are ready for market. They load out tomorrow night at 11 pm.

We helped Cargill, New Sharon treat some beans this past week. I can't decide whether we look like Veggie Tales or Bob the Builder.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned in our visit that our family didn't have any additions on the way. Well I was wrong. Congratulations to Kurt and Emily who are expecting a baby in late December.

This spring a lot of work has piled up because of all the wet weather. I am learning not to get stressed out by continually measuring that pile.

Last evening less than a half an hour after the baler pulled out of this field the planter pulled in and planted it to beans.

Sometimes we meet ourselves coming and going. I am heading in to get a load of spray while Kurt is heading out to spread dry nitrogen over standing corn. We have lost anywhere from 20%-50% of our N this spring due to wet soils.

Years ago I was probably around my kid's age and was working late trying to cover too wide a swath. A landlady told me something I still remember. She said life by the yard is hard but life by the inch is a cinch. Thanks Rosie. That's good advice.

Last week we talked about storms. Sometimes storms make life feel like a mountain that's too big to move. We need to remember to enjoy the little things each day and take life by the inch instead of the yard.

Another thing is sometimes we feel small and inadequate in a big world and feel we don't measure up. In reality we are small and inadequate but we have a big God that made us just the way we are and is willing and able to help us.