It's About Time

When I was just a little older than Lane, recess and playing ball were big deals in grade school. After our lunch box lunches we would grab our gloves, rumble down the fire escape at the old Christian School building, and head for the ball field to pick teams. One noon Mrs. Slings, our teacher, asked me to stay in the classroom for a minute. As I stood in front of her desk she told me God had given me a bright mind and she believed I had potential if I would just apply myself and try harder.

You see, all of my efforts were focused on helping my Dad on the farm. And I thought school was just getting in the way of my education. I don't remember what Mrs. Slings taught me in school. I don't remember whether we won or lost ball games at noon hour. But I will never forget how my teacher made me feel when she took the "time" to say she believed in me. 

I'm not sure if this is Jayden, who is in kindergarten, or Lane, who is three, doing his chores. Thanks for the picture Emily.

Mark and Stacy's 8th grader, Elijah, has had chores since kindergarten, before and after school. His cows are so tame if he is late choring they find a way to get out of their lot and come to the house to look for him. Elijah also helps neighbors Keith and Julie with cattle and hog chores. Thanks for the picture Stacy.

Folks say our latest generation of kids and young adults have lost their desire to work, to take responsibility, or to care. And the older generation wonders what happened. It's not about the kids just watching things happen. It's about the older folks not having, or taking the "time" to raise the next generation to make things happen. It's about parents, grandparents, teachers, and mentors telling kids they have potential and are cared about in a culture that only cares about self.

Jan went to Grandparents Day at Pella Christian Grade School Friday where she had six classes to visit. Brian and Becky's Hazel will definitely make things happen someday.

Thursday morning in the shop office during coffee Mark told me it was Grandparents Day at Pella Christian High School. I love being a Grandpa on the farm, but just like the Mrs. Sling days, I still struggle to make it to events at school. So I decided on a rainy day to go to school chapel with my grandkids. Thanks John, Amelia, Ezra, Rachel, and friend Carson. And thanks Mark.

Friday evening was Jr/Sr Prom night. Below are Amelia and her date Tyson, Rachel and her date Carson, and John and his date Grace. Thanks for the picture.

Our purple Peterbilt named Barney went to the Prom for the second time. Just like their Grandpa and their Dads, many of our grandsons are growing up liking boots and trucks. Thanks for the picture BJ.

We took time to get the batwing mower hooked up late in the week. Probably for the whole summer trying to keep things looking neat.

We bought and put 1800 small fish in our pond across the road. Thanks for making a plan Mike. Thanks Blyzo fish farm in Leon, Iowa.

We worked hard in the field the first part of the week. Then we had a nice rain Wednesday evening. 

In farming, it's often about timing. As with most things the secret to getting ahead is getting started. The winter dormancy months are for making a plan and getting ready. Then there is the hustle and long hours of spring planting. Sometimes it takes a rain for us to slow down and not overlook the blessings we get to enjoy as a family in this vocation of agriculture.

The sweetcorn is officially 2/3s planted. We try to use different planting dates to spread out summer sweetcorn freezing and canning. This 1962 Ford 801 select-o-speed is a permanent fixture on our 2 row sweetcorn AC planter with plates.

We weren't created to stay comfortable, compliant, and compromising. We are to move past our fears and take risks. Planting is a risk. Starting a business is a risk. Caring is a risk. Being vulnerable is a risk. Faith in something is a risk. Our culture today is requiring us to make a decision. And it's not so much what we choose to do. But who we choose to be. Karl and I used a rainy day to take Ed and Seth their soybean seed.

There is a battle going on between good and evil. And we are all participants whether we believe it or not. This is a scene from the movie Nefarious. This movie is about how the devil views Christ and Christians. And how he gets man to want to be their own god and only serve themselves. The movie industries horror description and R rating are being used to keep folks from wanting to watch it. It also talks about how there is evil everywhere and few care anymore.

Friday evening was a celebration of life get-together at the cabin for a friend's father who passed away last week. It was a time to grieve, to remember, and to celebrate.

Everyone of us will eventually "run out of time". What will folks remember at our service? Will those who grieve have a hope? Not that we might have been good enough, but that we believed in and loved Someone that was. And just like Mrs. Slings, will they celebrate that we believed in others? And took the time to tell them? Thanks for taking the time to stop by this morning.