Things Aren't Aways As They Seem

You don't reap "what" you sow. You reap "more" than you sow. With crop margins razor thin these days farmers go to great detail at planting time to try for as many bushels as possible to compensate for the lower prices. Alex kept busy planting soybeans late in the week.

After spending the winter months preparing equipment, using dry weather in late March to prepare the ground and finish fertilizing, and getting our inch of rain on April 2, we started planting crops in earnest April 9. Our emptier seed shed late this past week reflects two things. Farmers in southern Iowa are more willing these days to take advantage of dry soil conditions in early April. And if ready, it doesn't take long these days to put a crop in.

                              

Early in the week Ethan brought Mike loads of clay to a job in Eddyville where Mike was preparing a spot for a building site. Thanks for the picture Mike.

Our crew was also hired to clean up some old CRP acres east of Bussey. They used a rotary mulcher, a tree puller, two grapples, and a couple of excavators to make quick work of the project.

Kasey sprayed herbicides on ground going to soybeans, The exact apply sprayer worked very well on fields we had earlier bordered. The lights on every nozzle are also handy while keeping an eye on things. Thanks for the picture Kasey.

With temps below freezing early yesterday morning we spent a little extra time in the office for coffee. Spending a little time together may seem counter productive. But being on the "same page" with each other, planning, stories, and relationships make a challenging job fun. I just deleted all the jobs these folks did this week because it felt like bragging. However I want you and them to know how thankful I am for the privilege of working together on our crop as well as helping others on theirs.

Today is Palm Sunday. Folks celebrated Jesus riding into Jerusalem. However things weren't as they seemed. Instead of coming to conquer and control, He came to seek and serve. Little did folks back then know that just five days later church leaders would ask the government to kill Him. Because He didn't fit their version of worship. Fortunately next week we celebrate that Christ did conquer death and is in control.

We started this morning by talking about reaping more than we sow. That works for crops. It works for families. It also works for sharing and generosity. Galatians 6:9 says, "We will not reap the harvest if not bringing in the full tithe". Human nature says this concept is subtraction instead of multiplication. I'd like to thank 7th grader and granddaughter, Natalie, for writing us all those notes of encouragement on our office window. Is it just me or can you all see the light making a little cross on this picture?

Just a reminder. We also reap more than we sow when we make poor choices. One poor choice turns into many problems. One generation's lack of example and training about what's important in life, turns the next generation into not even knowing. Life is not measured by accomplishments or how much we have when we leave earth (conquering and controlling). It's measured by relationships and service (seeking and serving). Have a good week.