The Dash

Twas the week before Christmas and sitting in the house, I was wondering about a birthday gift that would please my spouse.

 I went to the shop to see what I could find. My timing was late, I knew I was behind.

I found a grease gun that hadn't been opened yet. It didn't take me long to decide that wasn't a good bet.

 I hurried and scurried, running around in a dash. I finally called Kristin and offered her cash.

 To find me a present that would be just right, that I could give to my wife that would be her delight.

Yesterday is history. As young children we celebrate birthdays remembering what we did or didn't get for presents. 

Tomorrow is a mystery. As young adults we celebrate birthdays looking forward, wondering, and hoping for all our dreams and goals to come true.

Today is a gift. Yes. Today is Jan's birthday. Just seven days before Christmas. As older mature folks we celebrate birthdays being grateful for the opportunities we've had and the loved ones we have had them with.

And the more birthdays Jan and I have the more grown up our grandkids seem to get. We need to cherish and make the most of the time in-between those yearly chapters we celebrate.

There are also in-between chapters in farming. The crops are out.

The implements are unhooked. At -11 degrees outside there won't be any dirt moved for awhile.

We are meeting with landlords, family, and help, going over and settling the details of our just finished crop year. We are discussing what was done right as well as what could be improved on.

We are crunching numbers. We are looking backward, evaluating the year. And looking forward, making a plan. It's much easier going into a bank with a picture of where you are at and a plan for where you are going than having a banker tell you where your at and having him decide where you are going.

Next years seed is coming in and other crop inputs are being purchased for next spring. We are planning which crop and what hybrid goes on which farm. We are helping our seed customers do the same. We are also deciding on seed treatments, herbicides, fungicides, and top dress nitrogen for the coming crop season.

In just 13 short weeks we will again have the blessing of starting another chapter and putting in another crop. This new chapter will be my 43rd crop. My first crop was put in with a 4 row planter. The corn price was the same then as it is today. I was a senior in high school. We had come home from our senior class trip early, unexpectedly, and interestingly. I started planting my corn acres that Saturday afternoon in 1974.

We have visited this morning about in-between chapters. Pastor Boets and others talk about the dash that's in-between the year we were born and the year we die.

That dash is a gift. That dash comes from the One who made us. In this giving season let's use our dash to be a blessing to others. God doesn't expect us to be responsible for others dashes, but rather wants us to make the most of the in-between chapters He gives us.