And Yet

 Good morning friends. We are in a winter season. Winter can be dark, harsh, and bitter. This can be a season of stormy and dangerous days when we can't see where we are going. Our roads and paths often get slippery and we become afraid of losing our way.  And yet winter can have it's bright and brilliant moments of beauty. Winter is when I assess the past and plan for the future. This picture was taken after a foggy night on our way to Montezuma.

Our country has temporarily put covid on the backburner. Yet guidelines and rules are still in place. So Jan and I walked through the snow Sunday to visit my mother through a closed window in her assisted living room.

The darkness is getting darker and yet those that let their light shine are becoming more vivid. Alex is cleaning up his truck after a day of hauling grain.

With uncertainty in the future we are working hard at getting in seed for next years crop. Karl and Malaki went after a load of seed corn yesterday.

I forgot to take a picture when the guys were putting a new undercarriage under BJs track hoe. An undercarriage are the tracks and rollers. The used parts are in the bucket.

Jan and I went to Washington, Iowa Friday morning where I dropped Jan off downtown to go to a fabric store and then went to a steel warehouse where we loaded metal and pipe for projects for the machine shed across the road. Stay tuned.

We got together with Nutrien, gave them our crop acres, and had them put together a plan for our crop herbicide needs for this coming year. Thanks for bringing breakfast Jim and Brent.

This past Tuesday evening my brothers, sisters, and spouses went through some boxes that my parents had collected over the years. Below is my grandfather and his 8 brothers. He also had 3 sisters. One of those sisters is the grandmother of Paul, who now owns Liberty Street Kitchen in Pella. This is on my father's side of the family. My great grandfather is standing on the porch in the background.

Who would have guessed back then we would be living in such challenging times today? Things are happening fast. What I was concerned would happen in the coming years are happening in days. Conservative speech is being censored. There will be more. They will come for the unborn. They will come for our guns. They will come for our religious freedoms. They will come for our incomes. I'm thankful my Dad (below) was an example to me in handling tough times.

It seems like deception is ruling the day. Last week we visited about our countries crossroads. Turning right, and asking God for help. Or turning left, with continued hate and deception. We are past that crossroads. Folks, we need truth along with peace. And yet we must not lose hope. Hope creates attitude. Attitude creates possibilities. Possibilities create a cause. And a cause is a reason to be thankful for another day.

At my fathers funeral a month ago the message was on Psalms 73. Brian brought out about how David talked about almost losing his foothold while he watches the wicked winning. He sees pride and violence and his heart is grieved and his spirit embittered. And then towards the end of the chapter David says, "And yet I am always with You". He talks about God holding his hand, giving him counsel, and taking him to glory. Find your place to be with God at least once a day.

Heaven is not shaken friends. And as Joshua said at the beginning of his tenure leading the Israelites, "Choose today who you intend to serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord". Jan showed me the quote two pictures ago about leaving the gate open. In times like these, because of our Savior, lets live like someone left the gate open. 😊 Thanks for the picture.