StillwatersIowa

 I remember as a kid helping my father. What I didn't realize at the time was both my earthly father and my Heavenly Father were getting me ready for the rest of my life. Below Malaki and Sydnie helped their father, Karl, yesterday. As we get older and look back we see we were part of a bigger picture. While visiting Iowa this past week my sister Beth from Colorado drove to Indiana to visit her daughter Elizabeth. Thanks for the picture Beth. In June of 2008 Coach Kacmarynski wanted to help his son learn responsibility and asked if he and David could come out and help clean out corn bins. Today David is married, a senior at Dordt University, and playing football there. Coach and Mike (below) have been helping kids get ready for what's ahead ever since, as they coach football together at Pella Christian High School. Twelve years ago 6 year old grandson, Cody, helped his father, uncles, and grandfather build a football field at PCHS. His father Mike who has a dozing business dona...

 We live in a divided world today. Covid, racial issues, and elections have reminded us of what we already know. We all think differently. What's the solution? Do we challenge other folk's reality? Or do we show consideration, mindfulness, and empathy? No matter which side of the fence we are on the other side seems extreme. I think we can hold and have convictions while still putting ourselves in someone else's shoes so to speak and respecting what they stand for. Kurt and Emily's Lane is trying out Grandpa's boots. For years equipment companies used these long intrusive crop dividers on the grain heads that have a huge presence. They are heavy. They push down everything in their path when a combine changes directions. And they get in the way and stick their nose in places they don't belong. One of my self inflicted breakdowns was accidently hitting a post and ripping off not just the grain divider but the whole right side of the grain head.  A visit from outsi...

 Every day each and every one of us is a part of history. History is a timeline of activities and facts. When we add practicality, relationships, and heart, to history we have a story. A story can have characters, events, struggles, and triumphs. My goal with these Sunday morning stories is to give you a picture of our week. Of the blessing of family. The day to day of a farming operation. The struggles and triumphs of friends. The goodness of God. And a window into my heart. Last evening Cassia and family brought pizza to the field on the northeast edge of Oskaloosa. Our path in life has peaks and valleys, ups and downs,  just like this county line road between Mahaska and Poweshiek counties. Our lives (our story) have been influenced by those who lived before us. By their values. By their hard work. By their determination to make our country a better place for for those who followed. This abandoned farmstead is south of Montezuma. Now we have the responsibility in our place ...

 Just like ripples spread after a pebble is dropped into the water the action of an individual can have far reaching effects. Both good and/or bad. Drop a word of encouragement or an act of kindness and the ripple spreads. On the other hand drop an unkind word and the ripple also starts. Have you ever tried to stop a ripple? Sydnie, Malaki, and Jayden are feeding a hungry kitten. It was another beautiful week for harvest. About midweek we switched one combine over to soybeans and went completely to soybean harvest late Thursday. If you look closely you can see a full moon coming up. The first of two full moons this month. Some call that a blue moon. You've heard folks say, "Once in a blue moon". A full moon comes around every 29 1/2 days. So our next full moon this month will be on October 31. That's right. Halloween.  The girls continue to take turns bringing supper to the field. Kristin brought us round steak in gravy with fall green beans from the garden, a salad, ...