Spring Break

The concept of "spring break" is often associated with warmer destinations during late March. However it's also a time for making preparations back home. Preparations for spring and things growing. It's a week when kids are home from school, hopefully growing as well with experiences and responsibilities.

Mike, Kasey, and Alex worked on cleaning, rebuilding, and fixing terraces on a rented farm, with a dozer and backhoe.

We have been getting seed in for months. Spring break is when it starts to get delivered to our customers. For years we delivered with pickups, then tied down on open trailers. Now even the smaller orders go out in Karl and Kristin's enclosed trailer and semi.

Staging deliveries can sometimes be a family event, especially during spring break.

With the fallout from the Middle East war, shortages, volatile markets, and weird weather across the country, there seems to be a feeling looming of harder times coming. With supply chains under pressure, making preparations is not fear, it's wisdom. It's not panic, it's obedience. Jesus's brother James wrote; "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him". 

We have become more and more a global economy these days. We click a couple of buttons on our screens and the next day the imported goods we need is at our doorstep. The inverse is also true. Folks across the ocean import much of their food. Feeding the world has been what farmers in this country do best. During spring break Elijah is soil testing a chunk of ground he will be farming for the first time. Elijah is a 11th grader.

On the farm, fall is harvest, when our crops are either marketed or stored. Winter is planning, preparing, and purchasing. Spring break becomes crunch time. Do we have enough fertilizer applied or purchased during a nitrogen shortage? What seed hybrid goes on which field? Are the weather patterns asking us to protect soil moisture? Weather permitting we are a week away from spraying pre-plant, and two weeks away from planting. Four brothers who help feed the world are sitting in our farm office making a plan.

                             

Elliot is using part of his spring break to help Grandma paint the upper east wall of our cabin. Cousins Lane and Jayden are watching and giving advice.

Once or twice a year I visit the State Capital just to stay in touch with what's happening in Iowa's civic arena. After a legislative Bible study, I had breakfast with Danny and Jon in the hall just outside the legislative cafeteria. A lot happens in these halls between committees, caucus, and session. Spring break is crunch time here because everyone is ready to go home.

I doubt if spring break was a deal when this barn and pickup were new and active. This old farmstead has seen a ton of change. Back then machines were replacing "horse-power". And folks thought life was speeding out of control. Today we have a digital world replacing paper. Our screens are distracting, however it's what we do as our world seems to continue to speed out of control. Three random things I'd like to share this morning that haven't changed; Caring still becomes ineffective when it gets confused with controlling. A soft heart still gives generously. And God is still in charge. Blessings.