In A Such A Way

 Coach Tony whose team won a college national championship in basketball a couple of weeks ago was asked if this championship was his greatest joy. He shared a quote from his father who many years earlier had said, "it's great, however nothing compared to faith, kids, and grandkids". Below grandson Jackson is wearing his new vest that Grandma Jan made for him.

Coach Tony talked immediately after the game about the hills and valleys. He said we are to "bend the knee" to Who brought us on the hills, and know we are not alone in the valleys. He also bases his team's culture on a foundation of five pillars for success and direction in life. Coach said his father, an earlier successful college basketball coach had found these pillars studying scripture. They are humility, passion, unity, servant leadership, and a thankful spirit.

The Virginia men's team has an acronym they use as a reminder of how to conduct themselves: I.S.A.W. (In such a way). In such a way that I will not be disqualified for the prize or my purpose.

A lot of anhydrous ammonia went on in a short window of opportunity before planting this week. If you remember little was applied last fall. The semi lines at the NH3 terminals were very long.

A lot of ground was worked, a lot of corn, and a few soybeans were planted this week. Below BJ is working ground on a farm we call Howell Station just east of the Red Rock camp grounds below the dam.

Believe it or not there was an area to the north and west that it rained significantly last Wednesday so Thursday we had to move this outfit to dryer ground. I was the escort down Hwy 14 from Monroe to Pleasantville across the Mile Long Bridge over Red Rock Lake.

No personal story here. I just enjoyed seeing this mare with her new colt as I was driving near Monroe.

Scott, a new friend, had invited me to the Iowa Prayer Breakfast Thursday morning in the new room above Vets Auditorium. I'm guessing around 900 folks attended. It was good to see our churches Pastor Jon and Pastor Paul who were there with Ken, our Senator. Governor Kim did an excellent job of sharing her personal faith and speaker T.C. talked to us about being who we were prepackaged to be. T.C. played the leading role of Tony in the movie "War Room", a movie about prayer. He also played professional football. He and his wife, Levette, live in Southern California and homeschool their kids.

Mark checked progress on some corn planted on his farm after being in the ground 10 days. Soil temp is allowing it to develop.

I started spraying crops for others in 1975 with an open cab tractor, a 24 foot homemade boom belly mounted under my tractor, and a 200 gallon 3 pt. sprayer tank. It took about 30 minutes to fill, mixing wettable powders by hand. A batch sprayed 10 acres. I could cover around 100 acres on a good day.

Today our loads are picked up premixed in town with a semi and brought to the field. We can load 1200 gallon in a minute and a half. The fill hose attaches and releases itself. We can spray 1000 acres on a good day with a 120 foot boom.

Kasey and Karl do just about all our spraying now. It's a mentally tough job. Paperwork. The right product. The right field. Charging the boom. Close to the edges yet not hitting the boom on posts. Keeping the boom low for little drift. What's in the field next door. And usually the phone ringing asking if your coming soon because it's going to rain. I fondly remember the days of getting to the field "very early" in the dark, unfolding the boom, and waiting for sunrise so I could see. Today the sprayers look like a light plant going through the field. The guys are really good at what they do. Better than me. And that's ok. It's called progress.

I planted sweetcorn yesterday while hanging around the shop for seed customers.

Yesterday my goal was to have operations for the week shut down early on Easter weekend. The tillage and the planters did however the anhydrous and both sprayers had projects to finish up. Anticipating Easter Sunday. We look forward. Jesus' friends were looking backwards. Their friend and Savior had just been killed by their own church leaders. They had to get Him off the cross before their Sabbath. They placed him in a borrowed tomb and planned on finishing preparing the body after their Sunday was over. It was a dark Sabbath for them.

The Bible says that "very early" on the first day of the week (our Sunday) while it was still dark the women got up and went to the tomb. I wish I could take a picture of "very early" for you. I can't. I was up "very early" this morning with a Sunrise service to attend later. "Very early" is calm and quiet. Still a pretty full moon and stars. No birds up yet. Just crickets singing. There is a closeness to "very early". A closeness to God. I also feel it when I'm in the field. It's when I talk to and listen to God.

Anyway. Back to our Easter story. The women were wondering how in the world they were going to get a large stone rolled away. My picture doesn't have a stone. This is a cave on a farm Kurt rents SW of Lovila. The women in our story arrive and find an open and empty tomb. Mary finds Jesus alive. This story changes everything. We are loved. Our guilt and wrongs have been covered. We look forwards, not backwards to eternal life in heaven after this short time on earth if we believe and accept this gift.

Have you ever noticed how God uses just common folks to accomplish His purposes. At Christ's birth he uses a common young teenage girl. A common carpenter. Common shepherds (once again "very early"). His disciples and followers were common working folks. And women who had little clout in the Bible to first find the resurrection. In such a way. His way. I found a birds nest on the cave door yesterday very early.

So. Now what. Christ arose. We have eternal life. We're covered. Is our spiritual walk over? I don't think so. That would be a selfish life. Shortly after the resurrection Christ told his common friends and us to go out and make disciples. That means others. That means we are to use those pillars of life we started this visit with. Thanks Kasey for stopping on a very busy sprayer day to offer this guy help.

It also takes being intentional about serving. Like Christ did. Who do you know that is struggling healthwise? Or needs a friend? Or is having a vocation change? Or could use some encouragement? Live "in such a way" that we will not be disqualified for our purpose here on earth and our prize after this earth. Have a great Easter and thanks for your friendships.