Tailwinds, Headwinds, And Whirlwinds

Good morning. In southern Iowa June 28 reminds us of a storm day. Back in the 1960s wind and hail storms seemed to hit on this date. We watch the wind direction and predict our weather. Over the past couple of weeks we have been monitoring the wind speed and direction in order to know when and where to spray soybeans.

Most things go smoother with a tailwind. It seems we have help. Travel and jobs take much less effort. Monday Adi helped Grandma with the smaller grandkids. They enjoyed picking cherries because they got to stand up high on the Ranger.

It's always fun to take a break. Thanks to Jan for coming by with waters and brownies.

Wednesday was my 64th birthday so Jan and I celebrated by going out for supper. We went to Liberty Street Kitchen in Pella and both had excellent meals.

BJ and John loaded up equipment and went to do a small tiling project for Becky and Brian.

I enjoyed this snap last Sunday showing a Father's Day arm wrestling contest between Mike and Cody. I'm not sure who won. Thanks for the picture Suzanne.

Last week we mentioned Cedar Creek. The North Cedar and the South Cedar come together just behind Twin Cedars High School. Appropriate name. It's one of the few watersheds in our part of the state that runs north. It empties into the Des Moines River just below Cedar Bluffs where we hiked last Sunday with Becky and Brian's family. Because of the area it covers it has been known to make the Des Moines River run backwards after a big rain.

Becky sent me this picture for Fathers Day. The year was 1985. History remembers the 1980s as tough. History was correct. Kind of like ten years of a strong headwind. Anyhow, the motor had blown in our family pickup. Becky was 2. BJ, Mark, and Mike were 5, 6, and 7. We were trying to do the repairs as reasonably as possible by doing the work ourselves. Thanks for the picture and the memory Becky.

Yesterday we poured an apron in front of our new machine shed. Our landlord Gary had the bollards (rectangle posts) made that protect the doorways. You fill them with cement. Thanks Gary and Paul.

Our country is in a whirlwind right now. We don't know which direction we are going. This picture that has been all over the internet troubles me. It's not as much the question of why are they destroying property as the question of why are we allowing them to do it. When you give up law you lose order in this broken world.

Destroying history got me thinking. So I decided to leave some history for my grandkids. All my old belt buckles have a story or two. And I decided they weren't doing anyone any good in a desk drawer.

I also wrote them some facts and advice in the concrete. Some of it they will find soon. Others of it they will just happen upon someday. It's not about remembering Grandpa. It's about remembering what got him through the headwinds of life.

Our country is under a dark cloud right now. Whirlwinds divide stuff. Some are scared of our virus. Some aren't. Whirlwinds also stir up things. And sometimes the bad stuff comes to the top. Like racism. Like lack of respect for property. Like hatred for authority. Finally, whirlwinds give folks a false sense of direction and power. And our country has folks in Congress trying to use this for their own agendas. Yes, June 28 is again a storm season. It's just not weather.

So, can we come up with some good today? Yes we can. By reading history. 1 Kings 19 has a story about Elijah. He had previously experienced a tailwind on Mt. Carmel when he defeated the prophets of Baal, ran all the way home, and it rained for the first time in three years. Now he had a serious headwind and he was running for his life because the King's wife said she wouldn't sleep till he was dead. He felt alone and asked God if he could die.

God told him to come out of the cave he was hiding in and stand before him on a mountain and He would pass by. First a horrible wind came and tore rocks loose. Then an earthquake. Then fire. But God was not in any of them. Finally Elijah heard the sound of a whisper and he knew it was God speaking. Getting good enough will not happen. Our good-enoughness only comes through a heart for Christ. In the middle of all our winds nowdays, listen for the whisper.