Am I Enough

We live in a culture today where folks ask themselves if they're enough. Everyone needs to be needed, appreciated, and loved. We often don't take the time these days to engage and listen.

I was going through old photos. I came across little notes that my Mom had saved and put in my box. These little slips were from an ethics class in high school where we had to write strengths and weaknesses of our fellow classmates. These little pieces of paper were what folks had written about me. Can you imagine a 63 year old rereading every slip? Wondering what my classmates thought of me and if I was enough 46 years ago.

Today I am blessed beyond measure. Yet I sometimes ask myself if I'm enough as a husband, father, and grandfather. And more importantly if I'm helping my family be assured that they are enough, just as God has created them.

Harvest is over. Our year is quickly coming to an end. We are still busy hauling our crop to market. We have started cleaning machinery. We are getting ready for next year. I ask myself if this year was enough. Will we show a gain or a loss this past year? Will all the obligations get met? Thanks for helping clean Pablo.

Another memory from the "box" was a picture of my brother Doug and myself in front of a truck-tractor I had built when one tractor wasn't enough anymore and a second tractor was needed. The date on the paper said our daughter Becky would have been just six days old.

 We are busy meeting with folks, helping them with plans and seed orders for next year. We are also getting next year's seed corn and soybeans in our shed. Our goal is to help folks match the correct products on the right farms. I often ask myself if we are doing enough for the seed companies we sell for, as well as helping folks we sell to get the best products for the best price. We are helping them make their next year enough. Below Malaki is helping his dad Karl unload seed.

A couple of weeks ago BJ and Cassia's oldest son Gideon signed a shooting scholarship to attend William Penn University next year. Watching him sign are his parents, his high school shooting coaches, and his college coach.

Kurt and Emily had a tame bucket bottle calf named Betty. Kasey had the only picture I could come up with of Betty.

Well Betty finally went to the locker. She had been around for awhile. She weighed 1490 pounds live as a heifer. Thanks for the picture Kurt.

Mike continues to run dozer and is very good at it. I'm always pleased at his finished projects. Below he is moving from one of our rented farms to my brother Bill and Julie's.

BJ is pattern tiling our bottom. Lots of times his sons' Gideon and John help him after school. And it ends up getting dark early these days. Yesterday was the shortest day of the year as far as daylight hours.

This past Wednesday, on Jan's birthday, we took a half a day and went to Amish country near Drakesville. It was fun to run into John and Joyce and part of their holiday family at Highway 2 discount. Becky and Brian were also that direction picking up a beautiful table Ken had built for them.

We went shopping for an insert wood stove for our cabin. The Amish folks were telling us how well and efficient it was at heating. They found it humorous that we mostly just wanted it for a simple fire. They asked, "Do you mean you just want it for pretty?" Yep.

The real fireplace in our cabin can get kind of ornery at times if the wind is wrong or if it's too warm outside. So with the help of Matt and John we installed the very heavy stove. Now it will be much easier for folks to have just a "pretty" fire when they borrow the cabin .

We had our family Christmas last evening. Jan smoked a beef loin and did another amazing job with our meal. It was our first Christmas get-together with a couple of girl friends attending. I am thankful and humbled at what an awesome family God has allowed me to be part of.

Asking ourselves if we're enough is only half the story and self centered if we stop with that question. Helping others feel they are enough is the second half of our purpose. It's called relationship. Maybe sometimes leadership, discipleship, companionship, or partnership. Maybe taking the time to help someone with a hardship. Always friendship. Below is Amelia, Rachel, Ethan, Gideon, Kennedy, Cody, and John.

When Satan came to the Garden of Eden, tempted Adam and Eve, and sin entered the world, we all became "not enough". God then had to make a plan. He sent His perfect Son from Heaven to earth to be "enough" for us if we accept His gift. It's the gift we are celebrating this coming week. The gift of Christ-mas. Please don't leave this world hoping your enough. Thanks for stopping by. Let's visit again next week. Merry Christmas.