StillWatersIowa: Living Our Legacy

With everything being so weird this year it seems there has been a more vivid and current appreciation of the little blessings we have in the here and now. Like when we experience normal. Like a visit with someone who makes us comfortable. Like being ok with helping water flowers. Like homegrown vegetables. And yes, like in-season sweetcorn. Right Lane?

How will our kids and grandkids remember this year? How will they remember us as they watch and listen to us during these times? A legacy is a family heritage that has been handed down. That can include things and stuff. It can include traditions. It should include values. What about attitude? Do we hand down positiveness or negativeness? Faith or fear? Confidence or uncertainty?

In 1980 Ray, a landlord who's gone now, built me a cabinet. It has things in it I value. The ball glove I was given in the 6th grade. Some limited edition toys I used to collect at farm shows. Some 4-H, soapbox derby, and tractor pulling trophies. And some small gifts I have been given over the course of my life. On Mondays the small grandkids can play with most things in the cabinet if they ask permission. I've been giving away toys if the middle age grandkids show an interest.

We need to make the most of every day we're given because this year is showing us in a number of ways the future as we know it is not always certain. And most of you know I'm talking more about our country than our health. I think "leaving" a legacy is over-rated. I am working harder to "live" a legacy. To create memories. To enjoy and make the most of the "now". In the early1960s I grew up on an 801 select-o-speed Ford. In the early 1980s we farmed with a TW 30 Ford. Karl has a TG210 Ford he bought from Marvin and Jean that was built in the early 2000s. 8 year old Jacob who came with his father, Matt, to help yesterday is in the picture.

John and I had to help Mike out of a "situation". He slid into a ditch as he was dozing for Karl. We used what Grandpa Ferguson taught us. We hooked a heavy log chain to the back of a dozer track. Spun the tractor down as an anchor. And then backed Mike's dozer up the log chain. As my father-in-law used to tell us. It will either break the chain, run out of power, or back out of the hole. 😊

Osky Christian School kicked off their year with a back to school board/staff social at our cabin. I spent the evening giving the kids Ranger rides. The Osky Community School teachers also met here this week.

This past Friday evening it was very enjoyable and "normal" to attend a football scrimmage between Pella Christian High and Newton. Mike and Suzanne's, Cody, and BJ and Cassia's, John, both played.

It's always rewarding to get a thank you these days. Our 4-H fair auction was different this year, so to support the community and kids we just bought on the kid's ribbons. Well to say thanks, Olivia and her father had the turkey we bought processed in Rutledge, Mo. and then delivered it to our home. We will use the 23 pound bird for Thanksgiving. Thank you Olivia and Tom.

It is a blessing in our community to have kids going to school 5 days a week in person. Thank you Governor Kim and thank you to our schools. 18 grandkids in three different schools are attending. Below Jackson is ready for his first day in first grade at Pella Christian Grade.

Jan is also going to school a day a week. She is in her 22nd year at Pella Christian High in the kitchen helping feed the kids. The kids there look forward to their noon meals and get plenty to eat.

Because of no rain, going on 5 weeks now, our corn crop is maturing and dying faster than it should be. We figure the crop will be down about 25% from it's potential. We hope to start harvest in two weeks. There will be really good yields and really poor yields this year based on soil type. The soybeans are still an unknown however with no rain in sight they may be disappointing as well. However it's hard to complain when our friends and neighbors to the north of us are still trying to cope after a strong storm put their crop flat on the ground and are now smelling it rot.

This is a little personal. As I think about the here and now. The "living" verses "leaving" a legacy. I don't expect I will but I wonder how would I react if I lost my stuff. My things. The vocation I love. Don't worry about me. I'm just thinking out loud. Would I hang on loosely? Would I still say, "God is good"? What would my kids, grandkids, and neighbors see in me? Would my heart show where my real treasure is?

I have a friend in Malawi, Africa. He is white. He grew up in Rhodesia. His name is Hennie. Some of you have met him when he spoke at one of our appreciation suppers a few years back. He and his family were very successful and productive farmers in Zimbabwe. In 1994 Zimbabwe was one of the most productive countries in southeastern Africa. I asked Hennie this week what changed that country. He said the government wrecked the economy, took away freedoms, and started to redistribute land and wealth. One day people came to Hennie's farm and told him he had to leave. He tried unsuccessfully to fight back. After hearing about and knowing folks killed, he loaded up his wife, two kids, and whatever would fit in a car and left everything behind. Today Zimbabwe is so poor and unproductive it doesn't even have it's own currency.

When I asked Hennie how he survived losing everything, he sent me this video by Casting Crowns. Today, although not in his own country, Hennie positively effects every person he comes in contact with.

I didn't see the video transfer to Facebook. Might have to listen and see it on our blogsite. "stillwatersiowa.blogspot.com"