Grateful. In His Time. Hope.

Good morning friends. When I think back on our past week three thoughts come to mind. This has been a year for being grateful for so many things. Close the top of my grateful list is the family below God has put me in. We had Thanksgiving lunch in our shop across the road since the cabin was hosting another Thanksgiving family.

Our families annual clay shooting was dampened some by cold weather and a shortage of shotgun shells. However a few kids braved the cold. Below Gideon is showing Marina, a foreign exchange student from Brazil, how to shoot. Marina is spending the school year with Mark and Stacy.

One never knows the outcome of a crop year. One of my answered prayers was that the bills would get paid and that there was enough to share with others. Below our church has a tradition of bringing our Thanksgiving offering to the front of church.

Another thing I'm grateful for are the many opportunities to meet folks. For a number of years now I've attended and supported a small church called Monroe Community Church started by our former landlord Jerry who has done an outstanding job of helping folks. This past Sunday evening after a Thanksgiving meal Tracey, manager from Two Rivers Coop, talked about how God is working in his life. And his involvement in Alpha groups at Hope Lutheran Church.

I'm grateful for the weather we are having to continue our farming projects after harvest. We are having a truly extended Indian summer. Below Mike is chiseling for Kurt on a bottom near Howell Station just below Red Rock Dam.

We have been pushing hard to get next years fertilizer on at the fall contracted price. We have three farms left. The current NH3 and dry fertilizer prices have doubled again after doubling last year as well. The price raise this fall is $100/acre increase for corn on corn.

BJ has been getting used to his recent tile plow and has been working across the road here around the new pond. Hopefully he will have some additional time this fall to get his projects completed.

Owen and Esther have been part of our extended family for years. Owen's father was our landlord when I was a kid. My brother Doug still rents the farm we grew up on. Esther passed away this past week after a lengthy illness. Esther was a talented gal. She often reminded me of the Esther in the Bible. In the late 1980s she was elected president of the National Pork Board. Our thoughts and prayers are with Owen and their children, Mike, Brad, and Julie and families.

Andy and Amara farm near Barnes City. Andy also helps us when he has time. I received a call late last Sunday night from Andy that Amara's grandfather Jerry died suddenly and unexpectedly. Jerry was still very active in his early 80s helping Andy with dirtwork. He spent much of his life around the community of Deep River. Our sympathies to Jerry's family including Gary and Lana, Amara's parents, and part of this blog family.

I attended a funeral in Grimes Friday. Bob and Darla's 28 year old son Lucas passed away after a short bout of pneumonia. It was one of the most powerful and God glorifying funerals I've attended. Below Bob and Darla's three sons reflect back on their handicap brother Lucas and his impact on they and their families lives. I work with both Bob and Darla at The Family Leader and consider them close friends.

I can relate with Lucas's three brothers as I have a handicap brother in Heaven as well. Friday's funeral brought back many thoughts. Lucas and my brother Dan are now fully complete with the Lord. Brothers Hans, Josh, and Logan talked about how Lucas would show happiness. Brother Dan would put his face on something or someone he loved like Anton in the picture below. I thank God for brother Dan. He built character in our family. I am who I am today having a handicap brother. His favorite phrase was "you bet" when agreeing with something.

One year ago this morning I brought breakfast to my father and found he had passed away during the night. At Lucas's funeral his mother Darla talked about God's timing. My father didn't have to suffer other than the normal getting older stuff. He didn't want to go to assisted living and he didn't have to. God had his days numbered the day he was born in 1934. All the losses we remember this week are "in His time".

I'm convinced folks are looking extra hard for hope this year. While working at night with farm equipment I was surprised driving down the road by how many Christmas lights and lit Christmas trees shown through home windows even in October and certainly before Thanksgiving. People want normal and need hope to look forward to.

I'm equally convinced our nation's leaders are constantly blocking hope, wanting a dependent populace, that sees no vision forward. They continue to try and control by spreading fear. First it was just flatten the curve. Then masks and isolation. Then shutdown. Then travel shutdowns. Then a shot would fix things. Then a second, a third, and now maybe a fourth. New variants. Inflation. Shortages. Back orders. No help to be found. Wanting a country without God. Yes, life without God is hopeless.

Is there hope? Absolutely. When we as a country decide to move on. And I'm not talking about 2024 elections. Folks, we're less than a year into our current leadership. We can't wait. We need to be grateful. We need to remember in God's time. And He is our hope.

At the funeral Friday the pastor quoted, "Let not your hearts be troubled" when Jesus was talking to His disciples who were wondering about their future. He didn't tell them just not to have troubled hearts. He said, "LET" not your hearts be troubled". That means being intentional about our hope. Please don't allow yourself to be fearful. God has had our days predetermined since the day we were born. We can't add one day to our lives so we might as well live life like we mean it.

Am I looking forward to the future? "You bet". Have a good week and thanks for stopping by.