Sharing The Journey

Our journey in life happens at the speed of relationships. Relationships with family. Relationships with friends. Relationships at church, school, and in community. Relationships with folks doing business together. Below BJ and Jan are catching up on that journey as mother and son.

Sharing our journey involves what we do and why we do things. But when it comes down to it, it's mostly about our interactions with who we do life with. Reputation is important. However I've discovered you can't totally control reputation because it's what others think you are. You can however control character. Character is who you really are, and that creates reputation.

We started adding about 40 pounds of nitrogen to the corn crop this week.

Memorial Day weekend is about sharing memories. We remember those who served our country to give us the freedoms we are still hanging on to today. We remember those who are no longer with us. I'm convinced what we remember is the relationships rather than the achievements of the loved ones we have lost.

BJ, Kurt, Karl, Sydnie, and Jayden helped put in our small test plot across the road before we clean up the planters and put them away.

Rudy and his crew poured concrete for Karl and Kristin this week. This machine has the ability not only to screed the concrete but to control grade at the same time. Sometimes grade needs to be level. Other times it needs to slope a little toward the door.

On Friday and Saturday BJ mowed a hundred acres of hay. If the weather stays dry it should make for a busy Memorial Day.

We developed a wet spot on our driveway. Thanks to Kurt, BJ, and Alex for helping repair a hole in a waterline that had been installed 15 years ago.

When our kids were little we used this skidloader every day raising hogs. It was the loader that pushed in the cornstalk bales into the barn as the boys would ride on the bales. It was the loader that squished Becky's heel as she rode with me feeding sows. Well, the motor went bad about 20 years ago and we parked it. This past week I asked Jim if he would help us get it going again. So Jim put in a used 18 horsepower Briggs motor he had given us. After replacing the rusty fuel tank and fixing a leaky hydraulic cylinder it should be back in business. Remembering the journey.

On Friday Alex and I helped Jim and his friends pour his driveway in Beacon.

We are just over a week away from primary elections. Barb is running in our district for the Iowa House. She and I served on the Christian Opportunity Center board together. Below Ray, her husband Greg, and I put up a sign on our Eddyville farm which is the far eastern portion of the district she hopes to represent. For those of you living west and north of us, Barb is a person of not just good reputation, but great character.

Jan and I took an afternoon together and went to Amish country to pick up some cupboards and a few plants. We enjoyed an excellent supper at Ray's, a bar and grill in Drakesville.

On Thursday evening Brian and Becky's, Ezra, graduated from 8th grade at Pella Christian Grade. His Dad was the speaker and did an excellent job about talking to the kids about their journey. And the relationships who are helping make them who they are.

I mentioned to you last week we did some tiling right through planted soybeans. Since BJ was going to use his tractor on his big square baler I went to do some leveling. Well I got stuck. Thanks to Matt who was mowing waterways to come and rescue me and pull me out. Notice the train. It come through several of our farms daily on it's way to Eddyville. Thanks Matt.

This was a visual on the screen of a song we were singing at an early morning prayer group at The Hub in Ottumwa. The brightness and vivid colors reminded me of our relationship with our Father in Heaven. Our journey here on earth serves no purpose without His grace and He guiding us.

 

I'm not always sure what you all like in our Sunday morning visits. I'm trying to hold down the words so it's not boring. Too few words and I tend to be just facts and no heart. We need folks to share our hearts with. I would like to close this holiday post with just a few extra pictures of the relationships of loved ones I'm blessed to share my journey with.

Karl and Kristin's Sydnie after picking strawberries. Thanks Kristin.

Kurt and Emily's, Jackson and Jayden, riding motorcycle on their new track just west of their home.

Mark and Stacy's, Ethan and his friend Emily, after doing well at a motocross race near Sully. Thanks Stacy.

Mark and Stacy's foreign exchange student, Marina, at her graduation. She went back home to Brazil. We are going to miss you Marina. Thanks Stacy.

Kurt and Emily's, Jayden and Lane, helping Grandpa clean up after fixing the water leak.

BJ and Cassia's, Gideon, after washing the pickup he is borrowing while he waits for transmission parts for his truck.

And finally, my brothers and sisters, at a potluck picnic last evening at Doug's house. Me, Doug, Donna, Bill, and Beth. We remember brother Dan we lost in 2013.

Blessings to you all. And enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend with relationships while on your journey we call life.