Magnanimous

 Magnanimous. I had to look it up. It means generous, charitable in word and deed, unselfish, great-hearted. It implies having the ability to bear trouble calmly. It is the opposite of petty, resentful, vindictive, greedy. A magnanimous person does not worry about unimportant nit-picky details. They do not keep score. They care about and look after others without expecting anything in return. 

 The other evening while watching Cody play basketball I was catching up with a friend. We hadn't seen each other much since working together on the new PCHS campus 15 years ago. We were talking about what it takes to have harmony in the workplace. I think magnanimous sums up what it takes.

In the late 1990s a small group of magnanimous folks started meeting together at Country Kitchen in Pella. They had a vision for continuing Christian education in south central Iowa not just in the liberal arts and mandatory classes but having an expanded campus where the elective classes, leadership, athletic fields, and hands on training could also be part of learning. 

Last Thursday evening another part of that vision came to be when the constituents voted to start Vo Ag and FFA as an elective class at PCHS.

 

 At that same basketball game the other night I watched four grandsons hanging out together in the student section. They were including those around them in their conversations. They were comfortable together and enjoying life. I had the urge but didn't dare to take their picture so I'm using this pic of their younger cousins, Sydnie and Jayden who came to the shop with their Dad's this past week. It's cool when cousins get to hang out together.

Speaking of cousins, these are Jan's cousins who attended Aunt Jean's funeral in the Bethany Reformed Church in Des Moines.

 Early this week Mike and Suzanne started a new bedroom in their basement for Cody. So all week siblings would help with carrying down building material, building walls, hanging dry wall, and taping and mudding.

 We have a number of landlords who are magnanimous. They want a win/win relationship. They are also good friends. Friday afternoon we inplanted two groups of cattle. The first at BJ and Cassia's. The second at Kurt and Emily's. Both sons custom finish cattle for Jerry and Elaine. Jerry and his helper Don were part of the crew with Don running the catch gate. On a different landlord note. Jean, our family is thinking about you and Marv and praying for Marv's healing and recovery down in Tucson, AZ.

 Harmony in the workplace happens when folks live unoffended, don't keep score about who does what job, and care about each other's success. I am so blessed to work with a crew that does just that. We are getting ready and can't wait for another crop year. Below Ryan spent the day washing equipment, getting the first round of dirt off so Pablo can finish it off.

Grandson Ethan sent a letter to Successful Farming magazine while in grade school. They must have kept it all this time because this past week the magazine film crew came to Mark and Stacy's home to interview him.

Yesterday was a good day to shuffle equipment in and out of machine sheds while we work to clean up, repair, and service stuff for next season.

I spent some time burning tree piles this past week. By the time I remembered to take a picture the piles were down to smoke and stumps which I will have Mark bury soon.

 It's inspection time for our construction equipment next week. Generally we gather all the different family member's dozers, track hoes, and trenchers, drop the belly pans, clean and service, and set a time for Chuck from Ziegler to come, pressure check the hydraulics, and evaluate the wear items. 

I admit, I'm bad at remembering everyone's birthdays and anniversary's. However I am remembering that BJ is turning 38 years old today. This is an old picture. I went to the family wall in the cabin to find a more recent one and it was older yet. At any rate their families plate has been full with moving after their home burnt, replacing clothes, books, furniture, etc. They are rebuilding a new home in the same spot where they lost their original one. BJ has also been fighting back troubles. They are very thankful for magnanimous friends and family members.

 This is prime season for bookwork and bank visits. It's the time of year when you look back and evaluate. It's when you take a picture of where you are at and compare whether you are gaining or losing. And it's when you look forward and make a plan for the coming year. Your banker is a key player in your business and needs to be informed. I always give my kids two pieces of advice that I was given 30 years ago about bank visits. Don't be underdressed. Don't be late. A long time ago back in the 1980s Howard and Joann were one of my landlords and Howard told me that. Howard believed in me back then when I didn't even believe in myself. That's being magnanimous.

I have heard Bev on our local Christian radio talk about a word for the year. I think I could use the word magnanimous as a goal. 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, "God is able to give you everything you need and more so that there will not only be enough for your own needs but plenty left over to give joyfully to others". In our relationship with each other we call it magnanimous. In our relationship with our Creator and Lord, He calls it GRACE. Have a good week.