Blessed To Be A Blessing

Every week is another chapter in the story of each of our lives. Yesterday Ryan's friends from Orange City came down to southern Iowa to go shed hunting. A shed is a set of antlers that a deer loses every spring. It was good to get to know Trevor and Seth.

 

Phil Wickham's latest song is called Battle Belongs. It comes from a story in the Bible that happened 850BC. The chorus talks about fighting our troubles on our knees with our hands lifted up.

                           

                               

King Jehoshaphat was terrified. Four countries with vast armies were marching up to defeat Israel. He told his country to fast. He got on his knees and reached up to God for help. You can read about this story in 2 Chronicles 20. God heard him and caused the armies to fight against each other and destroy themselves. God then blessed the Israelites with so much plunder it took four days to bring it home.  

This past Tuesday BJ, Kurt, and Mike grilled burgers and brats for the planter clinic we had. (I have issues with the blog this morning.)

After Randy and Dean did a great job of explaining the JD planter and before Joel talked about the CIH planter, Jan and Shauna served our noon meal. Jarod also showed us how electric meters, hydraulic down pressure, and speed tubes operate together.                             

Knowing you read and appreciate our Sunday visits are a blessing and encouragement to me more than you realize. Below Joe is showing Chris and Will the almost finished bunkhouse across the road.

                                 

Early in the week BJ put in some tile for Layton, getting ready for Mike to build terraces. Thanks for the picture BJ.

Alex and Pablo worked at getting the dry fertilizer spread before our recent rains. Thanks for the picture Kasey.

 Late one evening Matt and Ryan helped measure a billboard for a new sign hopefully going up soon. We have great full time and part time help and they are a blessing.

  Saturday morning Ezra and I went to Walmart to pick up 100 bags of mulch. Jan does such a good job keeping our yard in good shape. I'm not used to shopping. Thanks for making me more comfortable while paying Deb.

 

Montezuma Care is doing a great job of taking care of Mom. It's a blessing to be allowed to visit face to face after a year through the window. Thank you caregivers. Ruth, who grew up in our church and is a twin to Roger has worked here for over 20 years.

I received this picture this past week of Pastor Isaac and his family who live in Malawi, Africa. We were able to be a blessing to them after they lost part of their home to a storm. Thank you Harrison for being my "go to" guy when I need help coordinating in your country. Also greetings to Moses and Maria. You folks are a blessing to Jan and I more than you realize.

We started this morning talking about God helping King Jehoshaphat during scary times. Those scary times today could be health. It could be the moral decline of our country. 2800 years ago God took a bad situation and made it good. He is just as capable to do the same today. I know. Not all our struggles get solved here on earth. In whatever situation we are to be a blessing to each other.  Some of you have been to our office in the shop and have seen the pictures of friends on the wall and notes on the bulletin board. Below is my home office. It's walls are also full. And every little gift I have received is sitting on my desk. I value relationships. I am blessed by friendships including you all. Thank you. And our goal, as well as our calling is to be a blessing to others.