So...What Is Your Dream?

 Jan was busy in the kitchen being a "Martha" attending to her duties of having company when our guest asked, "Jan, what is your dream?" She stumbled over her answer and finally said she would have to think about it.

The year was 2015. We had only been in our new home a few months. Our guests sat around the table and ate pizza. Later we went into our home office and strategized about the future of our country and prayed together about the upcoming elections.

Dreams are different than goals. I set goals regularly. A weekly job list. Some self improvement. Timeliness on crops. A dream is an aspiration, an ambition, or an ideal. I would have stumbled over the question as well had I been asked.

Churches have mission and purpose statements. Some even occasionally strategize some. Should our churches have a dream, a long term vision? If so, what should it be? Do our dreams always get accomplished? Probably not. However someone told me once that God's plan for us is often bigger than even our dreams.

Last Sunday morning Pastor Jon commissioned and welcomed Pastor Tom. Tom and his wife Erin are going to be with us this summer. They served at Pella II CRC for 3 years. Part of accomplishing one's dream is to know where we're at and where we're headed. Pastor Tom gave a compass to everyone there Sunday and talked about finding our true north.

Speaking of north, after church and a bank staff/board picnic at Red Rock Jan and I headed north to Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Thanks for watering Jan's flowers while we were gone Cassia and Rachel.

We were invited to attend Foster's burial service in his home town on Monday. There is an organization called Foster's Outriders. Foster always said that just as a cowboy keeps the herd on track, his organization worked to keep our country on the right path.

Foster would often ask folks what their dream was. Charlie Kirk, one of the speakers, spoke at Foster's service in Arizona the previous Saturday. He told how Foster helped him become who he is today. Tucker Carlson talked at the Wyoming service on Sunday how Foster helped him with his dream.

Last Sunday evening Jan and I had supper at a restaurant recommended by our motel manager. Jay, our young waiter, was friendly and helpful. When he brought us the tab I asked him what his dream was. He said he wasn't sure. He returned a few minutes later telling us his dream and thanking us for the tip.

On Tuesday we made a number of stops on our way home. While Jan shopped at a nursery in Wisconsin I visited with the owner. He was watering plants early himself because of being unable to find help. He mentioned how folks are choosing not to work since our government is incentivizing them.

 We had planned a stop for supper in Anamosa where our children had given us a gift certificate to a destination restaurant. However when Jan looked it up on the internet it had posted it was closed because of lack of help. So after visiting my mother in Montezuma we stopped at the marina on Lake Ponderosa for supper.

After a seed field day on Thursday Karl and other attendees stopped at Pizza Ranch in Oskaloosa for lunch. There was a sign on the door saying they were closed and were operating on limited hours due to only having 5 employees willing to work.

I could tell you a number of equipment dealings where dealerships have only a limited amount product to sell because suppliers can't find enough help for production. However I won't wear you out with my point. Instead I'll share a story you may have already heard before. 

 Sheilkh Rashid was the leader of Dubai. He died on my brother Doug's birthday at 33 years old in 2015. In an earlier interview he was asked about the future of his country. He replied, "My grandfather rode a camel. My father rode a camel. I ride a Mercedes. My son rides a Land Rover. My grandson will ride a Land Rover. But my great-grandson will be riding a camel again". Why is that he was asked? "Hard times create strong men. Strong men create easy times. Easy times create weak men. Weak men create difficult times".

Today folks without a dream are being allowed to become weak men. Our country was built on a dream. A dream of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, not a guarantee of happiness. Historical reality is that the Persians, Trojans, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans rose and perished in a 240 year period. These countries weren't conquered until they had rotted from within. Our great country is 245 years old. Lets continue to pursue the dream we were founded on. Like Foster's Outriders lets all do our part in keeping America on the right path. Thanks for the picture of dry weather  BJ.

So, what is dry weather good for? Building ponds. Mike and Mark have equipment in Indianola working on two ponds. And Mike has started a pond across the road from our home and just west of our new machine shed. Yes, it may be impractical at my age to build something that I will enjoy for just a limited more number of years. However sometimes you need to dream for the benefits of future generations.  Thanks for the picture Mike.

Hopefully the crop duties will soon be lightening up and we will have some discretionary time for things like mowing more road ditches and waterways. Thanks for the picture Alex.

When I was about Jackson and Malaki's age, six or seven, my dream was to farm. At about Ezra and Elijah's age, junior high, I added the dream of a farm wife and kids. In high school at about Ethan, Cody, and John's age, my grandmother Tinnie worried me. She told me her dream was to have a grandson be a "Reverend" and she hoped I would see a P.C. (preach Christ) in the clouds as a sign. I teased her I did see the letters P.C. and I interpreted it as "plant corn". 😊 Cousin Phil went to seminary, fulfilled our grandmother's wish, and is currently a Pastor in Mason City.

God's plans have been bigger than my dreams. When it's my time to be taken to the cemetery in the back of a pickup I want my tombstone to read: "He loved his job. He loved his family. He loved his God." So...what is your dream? Think about it a minute. Thanks for stopping by.