Luke 12:22-26 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

I’m trying, I really am. But if I am accomplishing it why am I up at 4 AM when there is absolutely no reason for me to be?

Let’s see …. Dad’s taking chemo fighting recurring cancer, which when they first operated on him to remove the doctors said this kind did not respond to chemo ... I have a grandson who has been fighting challenge after challenge … It is almost June 10 and I’ve had around 500 acres under water the past few days … we are obviously going to have to replant beans and the seed supply is so tight there may not be any … I have at least 150 acres of corn that may need replanted at this late date … we are maybe 2 weeks from wheat harvest and every field has either standing or running water in it … I contracted too much wheat if we have a lousy yield … I had an exceptional year last year and bought a couple things that looking back from this perspective I could have gotten by without ... historically a weather pattern like this is followed by a drought … our church has gone from nearly 180 to just over 80 and lots of hurtful words have been said … I thought maybe writing them out would help but I’m not sure it does. And there are more private concerns I would not list.

You know, thinking about it the last one is probably to hardest for me. Seeing what has happened at church really bothers me. The farming stuff … we’ll make it. Things will be tough for a while. But we will make it. If not we’ll just find another way of supporting ourselves. But the division at church REALLY bothers me.

I don’t understand how we got to this point. I understand why some held such strong positions. But I don’t understand how some could just up and leave just because they had a difference of opinion. And it is opinion. Nobody has opened their Bible and said to me “Here is what is being done wrong”. Well, let me clarify that. I don’t recall anyone doing that and being willing to discuss it. They just want to tll me what is wrong and not consider that fact they might be wrong. There is a lot of “I feel” and “I believe” and “I just don’t understand”. And yes, there has been some “This is wrong”, but very little really trying to understand the other person.

It is times like this we need faith. Hebrews 11:1 says Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. That sure describes where I am now. I know it will all work out. I have seen Romans 8:28 proved time and again in my life And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. But there are times it really takes faith, that being certain of what we do not see, to get through it.

I like to include a photo of some kind with these blogs that illustrates the thought. Here is one that may need some explanation.


I heard a preacher one time say someone complaining the conservative old farmers in his church didn't have faith. He told him to take all the money he had or could borrow and bury it and then tell him they didn't have faith. To me seeds are the ultimate expression of faith and hope. You take something that does not look alive and put it in the ground. Usually you put a fair amount of money with it, in machinery, fuel, herbicides, fertilizer. Sometimes you do that and the river takes it away. I'm still working on the faith and hope stuff.

Oh, and I mentioned one of my worries was my grandson? He stood and walked on his own last week! Not far, but a start. God is good.