Family

Last Sunday our week started off with the blessing of watching Karl and Kristin's, Tatum, receive baptism. Karl and his kids sang, Great Is Thy Faithfulness. Keith, an elder and friend, held Tatum as he walked down the isles, showing and presenting our newest member to the congregation. It was truly a family moment to watch another grandchild be presented to the Lord.

A Sunday morning visit with just facts about our week and family seem self-focused. So I'm going to throw in some ideas and goals I've had over the years involving family.

Find a reason to attend church. Covid made it convenient for a lot of alternatives. If it feels like you're not missing out by not attending, find a church where it feels like you are. It's not about you. It's about being an example to those who are watching you.

Harris, Hazel, and Jackson accompanied Grandpa to the Farming Power Show this past week. Teachers deserve a huge thank you for being ok with a school day absence.

Natalie, Adi, and Allison and others went with Mark and Stacy. Many of the older grandkids are now old enough to drive and go with their friends. Thanks for the picture Stacy.

Give the next generations as much responsibility as they can handle. Identify each one's strengths and let them lead.

The venue for the Power Show, Veterans Memorial Auditorium, was built in 1954. It was built for family attending events like concerts, sports, and tournaments in Des Moines. 

After a morning at the Farming Show our crew went to Perkins for lunch.

While farming with family, don't make smaller slices. Don't necessarily make a bigger pie. Find more and different flavors of pies. Meaning diversify.

A delegation of PCHS Future Farmers of America went to the Capital this past week. Thanks Barb for the picture. And for being such an awesome host. Amelia and John are president and vice-president of their school chapter.

 

Allow as much independence as possible to establish the next generation's family unit. Even if that includes helping them move on if they choose.

Thanks Mike, Pablo, Dean, and Alex for helping move some corn that was close to becoming in trouble. It's been a weird year for storing grain.

 

In farming as well as family, have goals. Weekly, marketing, community, servantly, and generosity.

Karl and I attended a Becks corn rootworm meeting in Colfax. Both western and northern rootworm eat the corn plant roots which hurt yield and standability. We are planning on having a planter clinic in our shop across the road on Valentines Day, February 14, from 8 till 10 am. We will be serving a delicious breakfast.

 

In your business, create a culture that's progressive, cutting edge, and stewardly, without falling into the political correctness rut.

We visited last week about bookwork and making a plan for next year. Karl, BJ, and I met with partners in business, our bankers. 2023 was a good year. If you borrow money and rent or are paying for land, you will need to be creative for 2024 because of the dropping commodity prices.

At the beginning of every year our church hands out a word of the year for everyone. Below is a picture in my home office of words for the last 9 years. My word for 2024 is Inspiration.

Some personal thoughts: Will I be remembered as someone who inspired others? Am I doing my best as a Husband and Dad? Am I having an impact on friends and community? Am I an asset in my vocation? Do you all ever ask yourself questions?

I've always felt blessed making a living and raising a family in Iowa. However I feel we are starting to struggle just like the rest of the country with culture. This "graphsaboutreligion.com" below showed up during caucus week. The survey asked about church attendance among Iowans and it's neighbors since Covid. It shows 70% of Iowans who consider themselves religious attend church once a year or less.  

On winter evenings, my down time is often spent in our home office reading. Just westerns or Jan's Amish books, putting my mind in neutral in order to sleep.

 

It takes about 40 gallon of maple sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup through the process of boiling and evaporating water content. 2024 is going to continue to turn up the heat. As an example to family and others, will you be the water or the syrup? Blessings.