Heroes Kneel

What does a hero look like? Is it someone with significance? How about status and success? Or lots of drive? Actually a hero is some who takes a risk for the greater good of others, expecting nothing in return.

I read a book earlier this year called Heroes Kneel. In it, Alex, the author, unpacks God's concept of a hero and what it takes to live like one.

Last Sunday evening we celebrated Amelia and Tysen getting engaged. Mark and Stacy are Amelia's folks. Randy and Jodi are Tysen's parents.

A little Dutch Bingo for readers my age. Ed and Judy are Jodi's parents. Bev and Dennis are Randy's. Then Tysen and Amelia. Jan and I are Mark's folks. And Sandy and Fred are Stacy's. 4 sets of grandparents. Thanks for the picture Bev.

Adi did a great job shooting at State Trap in Cedar Falls yesterday. In one of her sets she shot a perfect 25 out of 25. Adi's parents are BJ and Cassia. Claire's parents are Doug and Angie.

We are blessed to have a chiropractor that makes house calls. In the summer months Dr. Mark brings his table to our farm shop twice a month and adjusts whoever is available. Then Jan fixes lunch for the whole crew. 

In the old days my parents talked about how life was just getting faster and faster. Things haven't changed. We're busy. Our kids are busier. And now our older grandkids "burn the candle at both ends" as my folks used to say. Ethan is volunteering his time and their family's truck last Saturday evening. Thanks for the picture Ethan.

This past week we finished spreading treated urea (extra N) on some of our corn acres. We're finding out some seed varieties make good use of extra N, while others are fine without it. While spraying soybeans 2nd pass with Enlist and Liberty need "banker's hours" for killing weeds effectively, dry spreading N can happen anytime as long as the corn leaves are dry. So below, I'm doing 2nd shift late one evening.

Maybe you've seen a few neon green corn leaves before in knee high corn. It's called Sudden Growth Syndrome. And it happens when corn is growing fast. Sunlight and photosynthesis soon fix it.

Our last story is about a hero in the midst of grief. Below Mike and Suzanne's Cody is with his Dordt University fellow football players and roommates. About a week ago Liam, the big fellow to Cody's right, was seriously injured in a work related accident less than a month after walking across the graduation stage. It was soon evident the family had to make a tough choice since there was no earthly hope of living without a ventilator. So this past Wednesday morning there was what was called a "heroes walk", where Liam was taken from his hospital room to the surgery ward where Liam's family agreed to have their son's organs donated, saving several other recipients lives. Around 100 family and friends, including Cody, lined the hall from the hospital room to the surgery ward. Thanks for permission to share this story of a hero's family Cody. Thanks for the picture Mike.

Who is your hero? When picking this morning's title, I tried heroes earn, heroes care, heroes help, even heroes serve. But none of those adjectives described the bending of our strength before the living God, submitting that everything we do and accomplish comes from Him. Blessings. Let's visit again next week on Father's Day.