Changed For The Better

Today is known by most as Halloween. It's known by others as Reformation Day. Reformed means changed for the better.

We had from 4 to 6 inches of rain this past week slowing down harvest. A few of my stories this morning are looking back and remembering how times and things have changed.

1970 was a wet fall. Bob came to his neighbor Jon who had a farm shop near Williamsburg and told him he needed a way to help him get corn from the combine to the truck without getting stuck. By the fall of 1971 Jon had built the first grain cart. It ended up holding just over 400 bushel. It had a 9 inch horizontal and 12 inch vertical auger connected with a gearbox from an old IH 2MH corn picker. He asked his neighbor what color he wanted it. Bob said it didn't matter so he planted it blue.

50 years later Jon and his daughter Suzie at Kinze Manufacturing are still building grain carts. The unload augers are twice the size of the first ones. And the capacity is three times larger.

Thank you to Cassia, Rachel, Adi, and Natalie for bringing supper to Pella last Tuesday evening.

Karl rescued me one morning when I blew a tire on the way to Eddyville. New truck tires are getting hard to find.

In 1971 I bought my first car for $1300. It was a blue Ford Torino. After my first crop from Walter's farm as a senior in high school I went to Harry LaFranz Chevrolet in Oskaloosa and purchased a new 1975 pickup for $5000. I've been driving trucks ever since. While our family was growing up we drove a full sized conversion van. For the last 15 years Jan has also driven a truck.

When Mark helped tear down an old barn for Virgil and Bert years ago there was a pile of lumber in the barn that Bert's father had saved. A number of years later we used that pile of lumber as part of the kitchen ceiling in our current home.

That pile of lumber had been saved from the little town of Red Rock. Red Rock is one of a handful of small early towns that is now under water when Red Rock Dam was completed in the late 1960s.

One morning late this past week it was raining and the forecast said it was to continue. Since Jan had been wanting to do some shopping in Cedar Falls I asked her if she would like me to take her.

As we all know life doesn't stand still. We've visited this morning about how hauling in harvest has changed. I've told you about my first car 50 years ago to now being a grandfather. Or a pile of saved lumber from a discarded store to being useful again in our kitchen. Thanks for the picture Jan.

As we navigate changes we have a choice. Will we allow what's happening to make us bitter. Or better. As a spouse. As a parent or grandparent. As a neighbor.

Amelia and cousin John attended the National FFA Convention this past week in Indiana. Below they are pictured with Mike who runs the farm and teaches at Dordt University. Thanks for the picture.

There are changes happening at Pella II CRC. Last week was the last service in their building in downtown Pella. Today is their first service in their new church east of town. Below Kurt, Emily, Jackson, Jayden, and Lane take a family photo after their last service in this building. Thanks for the picture Emily.

 Two thousand years ago Christ's followers started meeting as Christians. Persecution caused them to spread all over the world. 500 years ago the church was in a rut and was drifting away from scripture. Men like John Calvin started reading the Bible on their own and pushed for change. That change was called the Reformation. Calvin's followers were called Calvinist. This was the start of many evangelical church groups including the Christian Reformed denomination.

Stonewall Jackson was a general for the south during the Civil War. The Civil War started to protect states rights. Abraham Lincoln later included abolishing slavery. General Jackson was a devout Christian and Calvinist. He believed he was just as safe on the battlefield as he was sleeping in bed because of God's providence in his life. He believed God had his days predetermined before he was born. I totally agree with him and that's why I feel we shouldn't be so scared of dying that we are afraid to live in this our changing world.

Last evening Jan and I attended the 25th anniversary celebration of The Family Leader where I serve as a board member. During and after the meal we enjoyed music by the group Selah. This group started as a couple of missionary kids who's parents served in Africa. It was truly a glorious time of worship.

Over the past couple of years we have been living in unprecedented times while our country tries to change to a system without God. God has given us a front row seat for such a time as this. Most of us are a silent majority that still believe times are changed for the better when God is part of the equation. Don't be fearful friends. Don't lose hope. Courage is contagious. With God's blessing we together can stand up for what's right and do our part to honor God and love people. Blessings.