StillwatersIowa

Oil is an important part of keeping a machine effective. It keeps the engines running. It keeps the gears turning. Even though the machines get the credit for getting the work done it would be impossible without the oil. Crop oil is used to kill the toughest of weeds. It has no killing power on it's own. It just makes the herbicide more effective.   When folks see a business or operation running smoothly, productively, and efficiently, they describe it as a "well oiled machine".   Oil stops friction and squealing and penetrates straight to the problem.   Oil is the reason multiple parts slide and work together smoothly instead of jumpy and making complaining noises.  Oil usually always does it's job behind the scenes and rarely gets credit for an accomplished task.  Folks that are the oil in life are examples of what Christian servanthood looks like.  They seldom get credit for a project because they are usually content using th...

A group of successful alumni students got together to visit their old college professor. The conversation soon turned into complaints about the stress in work and life. Offering his guests some coffeetime the old professor went to the kitchen and returned with a pot of coffee and some cups. The cups were an assortment of porcelain, plastic, glass, and crystal. Some were very plain looking. Some looked expensive. The old professor encouraged his guests to help themselves to the coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand the professor said, "If you noticed, all the nice looking, expensive cups have been used, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones." "While it is normal for you to only want the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress." "Be assured the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee and in some cases even hides what we drink." "Now what all of you really wanted was coffee, ...

Many times over the years I can remember going to church on Mother's Day and hearing sermons on how wonderful mothers were. And rightly so. I can also remember sermons over the years on Father's Day when the sermon talked to fathers about room for improvement. Probably rightly so. The opportunity to be a dad is such a blessing. However being blessed and being a blessing are two different things. The first is a gift. The second is giving and sharing that gift with the folks we're around. Sometimes we Dads get so wrapped up in the stuff we do and the problems we need to solve we forget to be that blessing. One of a father's main responsibilities is to teach their children the importance of attitude. A positive attitude is a choice. A positive attitude is contagious. So is a negative one. Fathers are examples whether they try to be or not. Being busy at it at the crack of dawn can be a good example. It can also be a bad example. It goes back to the hea...

  June is a month when things grow. Crops, weeds, grandkids. We can also grow relationships by taking the time to listen, share, and care. We do that in our families. Some do that in their communities and churches. Some do that through short term work trips. A few do that overseas for an extended period of time. Things that grow need to have a good foundation to build on. Crops need nutrients, water, and sunlight. Kids need love, direction, responsibility, and boundaries. Relationships take time, interest in others, sharing, and wisdom. Growing sometimes takes us out of our comfort zone. However it usually gets us places that end up being a blessing. Before we know it we are using that growth to tackle situations and make things happen. We build relationships and become a team. Growth doesn't always have to be work. Rosie used to tell me, "all work and no play makes Johnnie a very dull boy." When I was my grandkids's age John and Louise we...