Connected

Trains accomplish their purpose because they are connected. The engines lead and power to the appointed goal directed and driven by the railroad engineer.

This train came by our soybean field headed for Eddyville as I was mowing road ditches and waterways near our landlords Buddy and Eileen.

The Pella Christian High School girls volleyball team was out this past week for an afternoon and evening of fun and connections. Kudos to the gals that coach these girls, not just in volleyball but life as well.

The Oskaloosa Christian Grade School had their board/staff social Thursday evening as they kick off their school year. Kudos to those who came. Thanks to those who prepared and planned.

We are blessed to have company this weekend. Ron and Zelda are over visiting with Ron's family. They made the effort to get together since the kids and grandkids live all over, including Canada. It's been so fun to make connections and get to know good folks.

This picture is about Jan, our kids, our help, and our friends, who share with us so we can share with others. The sharing includes vegetables and produce, Ranger side by sides, time, and commitment to community. Jan picked these vegetables from Karl and Kristin and took them to dear friends in Pella.

We are getting our last combine ready for harvest in just a couple of weeks. Dean, Layton, Kurt, and others overhauled the feeder house, replaced a final drive, put on some new belts, and replaced some bearings that had not failed yet but have been known to give out with time and hours.

Elijah and Ezra, and sometimes Jackson and Jayden help Grandpa with odd jobs. Below Elijah is tilling the sweetcorn patch.

The boys also tore off the 17 year old decking on our pond dock this past week. They thought a boat would help. I'm not sure it was the answer. 😊

Kudos to Jim who hauled corn for others this week and had a good week. Our semis are just about ready for fall.

On Friday several of us toured the Claas combine assembly plant in Omaha, Nebraska. 40% of Claas combine parts come from the USA while 60% come from overseas, mainly Germany. The Lexion 8600 in the picture has a 510 bushel grain tank and while unloading on the go would unload around 800 bushel in just over 2 minutes. It also brings the crop in to threshing with a feederhouse belt rather than chain.

BJ has been chopping corn for his cows to supplement dry pastures. He and Karl also helped Keith get his silage bunker full by hauling in this past week.

Yesterday BJ mowed our 4th cutting alfalfa. In spite of a dry summer it looks like we will have five hay cuttings this year. Remember Memorial Weekend when we talked about investing $200/acre on fertilizer after first cutting. It's paying off.

Being connected with God is how we were created and why we are here. The gospel is more than just getting to heaven. It's also about impacting our culture here on earth. A huge thank you to those of you who came to our city square last Sunday evening and asked God to send showers of rain. I was impacted by the humble conversations many of you had in prayer. We often forget about answered prayer. We had around an inch of rain this week in three different showers.

In Bible times after the country was destroyed by a flood, God made Noah a promise with a rainbow. He made the Israelites a promise after they tried to do life without Him and were taken into captivity. He has a promise for our country as well:

"If my people" If, means we have a choice in the matter. "My people who are called by my name" God isn't talking about the folks trying to run a country without Him. He's talking to Christians. "will humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways" God, as our Father, wants us, His children to ask for help. "Then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sins, and heal their land". II Chronicles 7:14

Church. We need to hear this on Sundays. We who know the truth and the solution, need to connect our culture with our Creator. And the church, not the government, not a party, not politicians, need to be the engines that lead and power this appointed goal to accomplish our purpose.