Remember And Celebrate

A weekend ago Jan received a call from our oldest grandson. Gideon called to tell Grandma that the meat she ordered for our family Christmas might get a little pricey. Jan told Gideon that 2024 was a year to remember, and let's go ahead and celebrate.

In 2024 our family had an April wedding, a new great-granddaughter in June, a July fair queen, a 70th year old birthday party, a substitute Vo Ag teacher, a new wood fired pizza business, a new grain facility, and a business that continues to help others succeed through custom work, seed, dirt work, tiling, trucking, repairs, and friendships. 

We are not exempt from earthly struggles and concerns. Our family experienced a hysterectomy, holes in ear drums, a 3 day hospital stay for a swollen throat, a broken engagement, a diagnosis of junior epilepsy, a chronic sore hip, a 2 year process involving teeth, 2 January snow storms, and help that struggles with health issues.

This past Monday evening Mike led our extended family in devotions. He used a dozing analogy and his thoughts were titled, You can't bury water. Jan and I are blessed to have all six children and their spouses with leadership abilities, and serving in church, school, and community roles.

In 2024 I had the privilege of working with grandkids more than any year so far. They love the Lord. They care about others. And they aren't scared of work and responsibility.

Our helpers outside the family are talented, honest, hard working, and a joy to be around. They see jobs without being told and often make their own plan. Their abilities and willingness allow our family more time for personal businesses and time at home. They also help us help others.

Earlier in 2024, because of apathy and unaccountability to the fight between good and evil, I predicted we might struggle in politics with honest elections. I was wrong. And for that I'm thankful. Do we have a perfect candidate taking over in January? No. Most politicians in Washington DC despise him. In our last election folks in our country voted overwhelmingly to take power back from the government. Is this the collapse of liberalism and wokeness? No. However there is a renewed sense of optimism.

In the early 1900s European folks legally immigrated to America. Many Norwegians settled in the Dakotas. Many Hollanders came to southern Illinois, western Michigan, and southern and northwestern Iowa. The Noordam was a ship that regularly sailed the 8 day Transatlantic voyage from Rotterdam to New York. It held 286 folks in first class, 292 in second class, and 1800 in steerage. A steerage ticket cost around $30 and was in the lower section of the ship.

William was born in 1895 in Holland. He was the second of 12 children, 9 boys and 3 girls. All 3 of his sisters died in Holland, one at 6 weeks old, one at 40 years old following a surgery, and his older sister, a 60 year old widow, whose husband was executed in a Nazi concentration camp. When William was 16 years old, he was to go to court for kicking a dog. Instead he bought a steerage ticket and came to America. I'm glad he did. He was my grandfather.

Maybe more about Grandpa Bill and his family next week. While cleaning out my home office desk this past week, I came across some old letters, and two sets of Men's Society notes my grandfather, William, had written. One was titled "Political Action". The other, "Christianity or Communism". They talk about our civic responsibilities as Christians. Wow. I was shocked our relatives even thought about politics 100 years ago, let alone discuss it in a church society. I shouldn't have been surprised, remembering he had a brother-in -law executed by the Nazis.

So what's my point this morning? In 2024 I was concerned about the condition of our country and culture. 100 years ago my grandfather was concerned as well. There is "Nothing new under the sun", as Solomon says in the Bible. God had a plan for my life and knew what 2024 would look like 130 years ago. Because of my blessings this past year, I need to remember, to celebrate, and to say thank you by honoring God and blessing others. How about you? Your life is just as planned. Tell God thanks for your blessings. And lean on Him for your struggles.

King David wrote: "I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth". Psalms 121:1