StillwatersIowa

A teenage couple was traveling ahead of Christmas to Joseph's home town. The government was requiring a census for taxing purposes. Joseph took his fiance along on the 80 mile journey south to Bethlehem. She was pregnant. The baby wasn't his. Mary told him it was a God thing. His intentions were to privately divorce her. However an angel appeared to him in a dream. They had to travel slowly. He had to decide whether to walk through Samaria which was dangerous or take an extra couple of days and go around.  In all your past Christmas's have you ever wondered why a teenage boy would take along his pregnant girlfriend? We all know the obvious answer. The baby was prophesied to be born in Bethlehem. How did Joseph have enough room in his mind to process all this unusualness? And then enough room in his heart to accept what he didn't understand and not only keep Mary, but take care of her? Because of slower traveling they were late arriving in Bethlehem. All the motels and i...

We don't hear much about real heroes these days. My definition of a hero is someone who selflessly helps others without a thought of recognition. This week before Christmas, stories are just ordinary family and friends doing life. On an icy Thursday evening the Pella Christian High FFA kids came out to our shop for their Christmas party. Kudos to kids who have projects and are thinking about starting businesses while still in high school. And kudos to their leaders and parents who are encouraging them. Speaking of high school kids, Mason, Clayton, Jackson, and Nash work at the truck wash south of Oskaloosa from after school to 11:30 pm. They are all positive, can relate with adults, and are willing to work. When I asked them how many kids in their class have jobs they said only about a dozen out of a class of 150 students. This is probably controversial however I think kids miss out on part of the growing up process when they don't have to work for someone other than parents, w...

What do you hope for Christmas? Harris said he hoped he could go to the farm toy store in Newton. So on Friday Grandma and I took him to Dalton Toys. He picked out his own present. And Jan took it home and wrapped it so he could open it next Friday at our family Christmas. Then he, I, and Jan all went to Culvers for a mid afternoon supper. Sydnie told her Dad she hoped she could sing with him at church. So Karl and her did an awesome job last Sunday. Jackson, Jayden, and Lane are always hoping they can help their Dad. Yesterday Kurt took them all deer hunting. Thanks for the picture BJ. Friday was Christmas dinner at Oskaloosa Christian Grade School. Parents were invited and families sat in alphabetical order. I was asked to be a substitute parent and enjoyed dinner with Elijah, Anton, and Allison. Jan and I are blessed to have 7 grandchildren at Osky Chr. Grade, and 6 at Pella Chr Grade. Karl and Kristin's Brynn, and Kurt and Emily's Lane are still too young to go to school. L...

The sunrise promised it was going to be a good day. I was 33 years old. The same age our younger two sons, Kurt and Karl, are today. A gentleman pulled on the farm yard and introduced himself. He said he had done a little homework and thought we would be a good possibility to sell Dekalb seed. I immediately declined. And told Shannon I wasn't a salesman. He said he understood, but would come back in a week. Our four older children ranged in age from 11 to 6. Kurt and Karl were babies. When I mentioned the visit to Jan, she said we should think about Shannon's offer. She suggested the seed income would help pay for our rising Christian education costs. One week later we accepted Shannon's offer to sell Dekalb seed. 33 years later Kurt's son Jackson is hunting with his Dad yesterday. Thanks for the picture Kurt. God blessed that decision. And in 1990, our first sales year, we were awarded the dealer of the year award. Monsanto bought Dekalb. And we were soon selling a new...