Successful or Significant

Let's say you are sitting in a room full of peers. Would folks see you first of all as successful or significant? I know. Both need defined. If I'm trying to live a life of success I'm focusing on myself. However if my priority is significance it seems I have others best interest in mind.

Success is about making an impact here and now. Is that bad? Of course not. Significance on the other hand is creating a lasting legacy edifying family and others. At Becks Summer School in Indianapolis early last week the emphasis was "taking the next step", not first of all for personal gain, or for Becks bottom line, but for the good of the customers we serve.

Anything successful or significant takes a foundation. Something to build off of. Have you ever seen the root system on one stalk of a corn plant. It's impressive. For the last couple years the increase in corn yields is coming from kernel depth. On the soybean side folks are starting to experiment with killing the bean plant after full maturity for uniform seed size and easier harvesting.

While Jan and I were in Indiana the PCHS shooting team returned from Ohio and celebrated together with awards and root-beer floats at our cabin. Thanks for the picture Cassia.

As soon as we got back to Iowa late Tuesday afternoon I hurried to Faith Church in Pella to tell Becky and Brian's, Elliott and Zach, goodbye and wish them a good trip to the Cadet International Camporee in Ontario, Canada. This is a week long camping trip that happens every three years for junior high boys and their counselors. This group of boys is from our local community. Thanks for the picture Pastor Jon. Their bus was three hours late so I gave up on watching them load and head out.

This is fair week in our community. Kudos to Mark and Stacy's, Anton, who topped his class with his chicken.

Congratulations to Baylen who won Reserve Grand Champion Beef. Thanks for the picture Adam.

Our family enjoys supporting the kids and our community. This year we gave all the 4-H and FFA members free tickets to the races at the fair. Thanks for the picture Karl.

BJ mowed our 3rd cutting hay Monday and large square baled it Friday. It was again short, however about 20% better than 2nd cutting on June 22.

Karl, Kurt, Alex, Jim, and others have just about completed 3rd pass soybean spraying. This pass consists of fungicide, insecticide, and foliar feeding. Becks PFR shows the best time of day for a return on investment is from 7 to 10am, and after 5pm.

This coming Monday these combines are scheduled for their annual technology maintenance for the coming harvest season. Kudos to Jared and Chris from Centrol Precsion Ag who keep us going in the monitoring and data department.

Mike and BJ built another pond this past week. It was in a pasture BJ rents and was built to water cows. The fellows went down about 15 feet and the dirt was powder dry clear to the bottom.

Fair time usually means the sweet corn is ready. On Friday morning Jan with the help of Cassia's and Becky's families froze over 50 quart of corn. Then Jan and I picked another Ranger load and took an evening ride giving it away. If you would like to pick some contact one of our family members.

We've talked before about why Jesus came to earth. To pay for our wrongs if we accept that gift. Have you ever asked yourself why He left earth? My friend Del from The Truth Project has asked and answered that question before. Yes, his redeeming work was finished. And yes, when He left He promised to send the Holy Spirit. But there is a bigger reason. He wanted us, His followers, to be significant by spreading the good news, by honoring Him with our lives, and by engaging in others. That my friends is being successful.