Are We Committed

Whether our focus is on business, relationships, family, or our faith, it takes commitment to succeed. Commitment is what spurs us to act. Commitment often involves sacrifice. It demands being intentional. It requires focus. Excuses, yeah buts, and oh wells, jeopardize commitment. 

If our faith is real it will show in more places than just church. Commitment supersedes comfort. Do folks see us surrender our time, treasures, and talents for others? Are our lives a light in a dark world? Can folks feel comfortable calling us and asking for help in the middle of the night or are we just an acquaintance?

We need to be involved in other's lives and caring about those that don't know the Lord yet. We need to be assets in our communities. Only hanging around folks that see things our way and following man made traditions isn't what we were put on earth for.

Our helper Andy helped out in the community this past week when he brought a pig to school for Ag in the classroom week.

We got together Friday evening as a family for supper. The gals talked about our family vacation this summer. The cousins of all sizes enjoyed playing together. Around dark the kids tried out the electronic fireworks Jan and I found while visiting Arizona.

As you all know being a family takes commitment. We all live close enough to enjoy the good times together. We also lean on and support each other in the tough times. Below Kurt is teasing Karl's son Malaki while working together in the shop.

It's been 11 months since BJ and Cassia lost their home to a fire last spring. Thanks to all the contractors and volunteers who have been committed to getting their new home finished.

Yesterday a crew showed up to hang drywall. They did the whole upstairs and garage in a day.

This is a picture Glenda sent me this past week of Mike and nephew, Jackson as we were finishing up our work in Dora, Missouri last weekend. It makes me thankful for family relationships that cross over and roll into friends relationships.

Spring is slow coming this year due to the cooler weather. We are focused and committed to be ready to go when planting and spraying season get here so the shop has stayed busy. Karl and Malaki worked hard on the tankers that haul loads of spray to the sprayers in the field.

I enjoy pushing dirt however for some reason I seldom take the time. So after early suppers with Jan this past week I enjoyed cleaning and shaping waterways. 

It also got dry enough to field cultivate last year's newly built terraces. And yes Dale, the sea gulls from Red Rock are still showing up to eat the newly uncovered worms and grubs. Our local county landfill mountain is in the background.

Alex was able to get in two big days of custom smoke. Custom means applying for other folks and smoke is NH3 that is the nitrogen that is necessary to grow a corn crop.

This past week was a great week to get some seeding finished like those waterways I cleaned out. We also had a number of new pond dikes that the boys had built last fall that needed seeded.

So how do we go from being committed to something to making it happen? Well, in a conversation with my friend Mark last week we talked about values, vision, strategy, and goals. Values are timeless and is our foundation for what we believe. Vision is long term, maybe a decade, and is where we hope to be. Strategy is a 2-3 year plan on how we get to where we hope to be. Goals are up front, soon, and personal and is our Monday morning job list we hope to accomplish next week.

Today is Palm Sunday. We remember how totally committed Christ was as He rode into Jerusalem knowing church leaders would kill Him. Next Sunday we celebrate His resurrection and victory. That my friends is why we don't have to fear death. Christ paid for and covered our wrongs. All we have to do be committed to saying yes I accept, and then say thank you by serving others.