StillwatersIowa

Application as a verb is the action of putting something into operation, into use, or into practice. Sydnie, Jayden, Malaki, and Jackson are pretending to be bank robbers. Interesting. I'm sure most of you in Iowa would agree it's been quite a winter. This is the 6th weekend in a row with a weather advisory for snow or rain. On this last Sunday in February spring seems months away. Application as a noun is the process of applying. Like a sprayer application or a fertilizer application or a manure application. As we have visited before we have attended several such related classes as the state requires. As some of you know we have weeds becoming resistant to our current herbicides and not being controlled meaning weedy bean fields at harvest. Biotechnology has made corn and bean crops resistant (meaning they won't die when sprayed) to more effective herbicides which in my opinion is a good thing. The down side is we need to be very careful when we make t...

When I was in grade school my Mother insisted I take piano lessons. For four years she paid the $1.25 for a 30 minute lesson. For a short time Mrs. Vander Wilt and later Mrs. Gerard would tell me to sit up straight on the piano bench, hold my fingers on the keys like I had an orange under my hands, and to please practice more.   My attempts at performing the simple melodies never made it from my fingers to my heart. My notes were choppy, single, and sporadic. My teachers wanted my piano playing to move smoothly, to be more fluid, to go somewhere like a road that you can see clear into the horizon. They wanted me to play horizontally. Playing the piano horizontally turns a simple melody into a song. Living horizontally, not as an individual but with relationships, moving forward towards a goal, not slouching, getting your purpose from your hands to your heart, turns a life into a story. His-story. The story that was planned for you. Another grad...

When asked what's important in life, I often answer with four words. One of those four words is friends. A true friend will without reservation stand up for you when others are speaking negative or tearing you down. True friends are authentic and honest. Their conversations don't try and make themselves seem stronger or more successful. True friends don't avoid you if things get uncomfortable or life gets tough. A friend helps you back up with encouragement and affirmation when you fail.  Friendships cross all kinds of barriers including age. Below cousins Cody, Gideon, and Ethan are listening to Great-Grandpa tell them stories of the old days and how God has been faithful to him and Elizabeth all their years.   One has to be intentional to be a friend. Last Wednesday evening the Young People leaders of our church divided up the high schoolers and went to visit some of our churches older folks in their homes. The kids ...

Words that coincide with family are household, parents, kids, relation, ancestry, dutch bingo. Basically a group of related people. Mark, Stacy and I along with 12 grandkids went to the Farm Power Show in Des Moines on Wednesday. We also had the older boys' friend, Justin, join us as well. After a morning of walking, looking, and visiting, we all went to Perkins for lunch. Several of us had the "Tremendous 12", a large breakfast. Family is a strong word and has other meanings as well. It means security. Respect for. Love. People to count on. Responsibility. Influence. Protection. Growth. Also serving. And surrender. The beauty of a farming occupation is that family gets to hang out and learn to help if you take the time to promote it. Jackson is helping his dad put thermostats in their semi while cousin Gideon watches making sure Kurt is doing it right. :)   It was really cold at the beginning of this week. Wednesday was -45 below zero windchill. For you ...