Meaningful Purpose

 A week ago last Friday morning, with 8-12 inches of snow coming, Jan and I headed out to take a few days off together. Thanks for the picture Devin.

We drove southeast and stopped for breakfast in the little rural community of Farmington, Illinois. As we finished eating the waitress came to our table and told us our meal had already been paid for. A couple we didn't know and had never met had randomly blessed us by covering our meal check. Now that's meaningful purpose, and a pretty cool thing to do.

When we arrived in Indianapolis, Indiana Jan suggested we fuel up for the trip home the following week. While filling our vehicle tank I smiled at and struck up a conversation with the station attendant. He was retirement age. And an immigrant from Greece. I thanked him for being willing to work. He said most folks are in a hurry and would often holler at him rather than give him a word of  encouragement as he tries to keep the traffic going through smoothly.

Early last Saturday morning after nine trucks in tandem bladed the runway and a truck de-iced our plane we took off for the Dominican Republic on a charter flight with a group of farmers on a Becks Seed customer trip.

Meanwhile back home the boys were doing there best to get the roads open for three semis that were coming to Karl's to load fat hogs. Thanks for the picture BJ.

Winter is a time for rebuilding like we did a couple of weeks ago on graincarts. It's a time for restoring like we're currently doing to Kurt's JD 4320. In agriculture, where there are long hours and higher stress levels due to things beyond our control, one also needs to use a week or two in winter for relaxing.

The Becks family also believes this and for that reason are helping over 6000 customers in the next six weeks enjoy a warmer week away.

Last Sunday morning from Punta Cana we watched our church on-line. They sang my favorite doxology. A churches meaningful purpose is to be in a relationship with and love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. A second, and just as important, is that we have a relationship with and love our neighbors as much as or more than ourselves.

In the evenings we would go to one of the all-inclusive restaurants where the waiters would suggest we use our phone app to read a QR code where their menu would show up. I'm feeling older because we would ask for and they would give us a regular menu that we could read.

A smile is contagious. Do you brighten up a room when you enter or when you leave. Folks will forget what you said. They will even forget what you did. However they will never forget how you made them feel. I totally enjoyed interacting with the staff that served us as cooks, waiters, waitresses, and room cleaners. My small amount of Spanish words even came back. They work 12 days and then get 3 off. Many live hours away and stay at housing the resort provides. Most have families.

Back home our crew continued to haul grain for ourselves and others. Karl also went to Colfax for a load of seed corn. Thanks for the sunset picture Alex.

BJ continues to haul large square alfalfa bales to the Amish hay auction in Drakesville. Thanks for the picture BJ.

The work continued on Kurt's tractor. Below Jackson is sanding the hood for his Dad. Thanks for the picture Mike.

I got to wondering. What if this 4320 had a mind? It might say, I'm 50 years old. My green cousins are four times stronger than I and can steer themselves. Why am I being dismantled? Will I still have a purpose? Maybe I'm going to be used for parts.

When in fact it's owner and crew has plans to make it something much better than it was. Friday Mike started giving it the primer coat of paint. 

 

What about us? We've had a couple of years we weren't expecting. Our country seems to be dismantling as far as culture, values, and freedoms are concerned. What is God's plan for our country? When do we stand up and speak out? When do we keep our head down (in prayer) and our mouth shut? Our comfort is we know the Creator of the universe and our Father is in charge and also has our best interest in mind.

I can take this to a personal level. Do I recognize the opportunities God gives me to be a better husband? A better father and grandfather? A better neighbor? Does He dismantle me occasionally to make me something better?

One evening Jan and I walked on the beach and watched the first full moon of the year come up.

I'm 15 years older than the tractor we are restoring. My kids are stronger than I am. My grandkids can do QR codes on their phones with their eyes closed.

No worries. We all have a meaningful purpose. And I hope to finish strong if God allows. My point this morning is often God has plans for us we don't always immediately recognize. And sometimes uses setback and loss to make us better.

When peace like a river attendeth my way, or, when sorrows like "sea billows roll". Whatever my lot (purpose) You have taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

Thanks for the friendships. Thanks for stopping by. Stay tuned.