It's Enough

 Good morning friends and welcome to the beginning of a new year. Experiencing 2021 begin is like working during the night and then expectantly watching the sunrise. A sunrise re-energizes one after hours of darkness. It is enough knowing we are being given another new opportunity to focus on the purpose planned for us.

Yesterday we hauled corn on a quick-ship bid capturing a little of the current higher prices. Most of our crop has already been sold. I wondered to myself what our difference would have been had we waited to sell. Then I remembered back in the spring when things were locked down, when the markets were low and scared, and there seemed little hope. I prayed back then that we would have a crop and a price that would provide. And guess what. It was enough.

We have had a fun week. Mike and Sylvia's friends from northern Florida came up for a week to experience our winters and snow. Westley joined us for coffee one morning. He, his wife Marleni, and their three daughters also came over to go sledding. Westley pastors a small church along side of his fulltime job. Thanks for the visit friends.

We got together as siblings and families last Wednesday evening for supper. That would be Jan and I, Doug and Ginger, Bill and Julie, and it's a treat to have Donna and Roger living in Iowa now. Beth flew in from Colorado and is staying for a few days as well.

Ezra, Elijah, Malaki, Jackson and I worked together New Years Eve and washed the new shop floor across the road for the first time. Thanks to William and crew for getting the bunkhouse sheet rocked. Thanks to Larry and Matt for getting the power washer up and going. It's been a blessing having semis inside and warm this winter.

Ezra and Elijah helped stock up our firewood supply. Jan and I enjoy our wood stove on cold days. Jan even uses it to bake potatoes for our Saturday evening supper.

Buddy and Eileen bring us catfish occasionally. They are the owners of Charlie's Catfish bait you see in Walmart and other sporting aisles. So New Years Eve we got together as a family and a few friends and Mike breaded and deep fat-fried catfish for lunch in the shop. Jan made jalapeno cornbread and spaghetti corn. Thanks Buddy and Eileen for the fish, for being landlords, and for the friendship.

After chili soup at Donna and Rogers for New Years Eve supper we went to see a Christmas light show  synchronized with music on 91.5FM on a farm in rural Barnes City. It's a great show on Snyder Ave southwest of town and starts at 8pm. I think it's on until January 5th. Thanks Jeremiah. We enjoyed it a lot.

 

 Just a few observations for our new year. I think the exploitation of this virus will continue to be a bigger threat than the virus itself. I agree with the elderly gal that Joyce commented about last week when she asked, "When did we become so afraid of dying that we are too afraid to live?" Our society's fear will end when "we the people decide" to move on with living. God will take us at our appointed time. Not before. Not after.

 God has used an imperfect person to be president of our country for the last four years. And I pray He will continue to use an imperfect person, whoever that may be, for the next four years for His purposes. I have steered clear of our November election for a couple of months now however I feel our leaders need to go into our new year as a nation with honesty and integrity. Below is a set of data points on a graft showing the timeline and vote count for president in Michigan on election day and the night afterward. This is not an opinion. Just a set of facts. At 6am on the morning following the election the data points jumped straight up several hundred thousand votes. This has never happened in the history of our country. And on the night after the election it happened in five states.

A thought on fiscal responsibility. Our politicians have tripped over themselves trying to send help to us and other countries for a variety of questionable reasons. Some valid. Some not. One billion minutes ago Jesus was walking on earth. Our country is spending one billion dollars every 80 minutes. Government has three ways of finding the money it has spent but doesn't have. Print more money. Borrow it. And raise taxes.  

Printing more money devalues our dollar and leads to inflation which I strongly feel is coming. When our government borrows billions it is in competition with business owners and raises interest rates which I feel will happen. And we have all heard folks already talking about raising taxes which hinders business incentives.

So, looking forward we as a country are at a crossroads. Hatred, corruption, and division could destroy us as we try and solve our own problems. Or we can acknowledge God. Believe only He is enough. And ask Him as a nation to heal our land. Remember, courage is contagious.

So what will 2021 be like? If we can pay our bills. If we can provide for our families. If we can continue to operate and invest in our businesses. If we can share with others. It will be enough. 

Jan and I took Jackson and Malaki to Long Creek Outfitters, a western store in Leon, Iowa for new cowboy boots.

 

 My hope and prayer is that you are looking forward to our new year. Yes, there may be bumps in the road like health issues, fractured relationships, maybe even loss. Remember to thank God when times are good. And lean on Him for strength when times are tough. You are all welcome for coffee and conversation anytime. Blessings. Thanks for the visit.

P.S. Our family is the praise team at church this morning. So if you're watching church from home, you are welcome to join us at 1st CRC Oskaloosa at 9:30.