There is trouble coming

8/6/12 Monday

          Another hot day. It is 11:15 and I am already having to come in from the heat. Ran the disk with the tractor to knock down some weeds. Went down the ridge of windblown sand that has built up on the south edge of the property to knock down some of the tumbleweeds, for I know they bother the farmer next door. That had to be done carefully as the ridge is over six foot tall in places and a definite danger because if I got to close to the edge the tractor would roll over on me.

          I am trying to create some kind of platform to lay the wheat we harvest on. Am using some of the ten foot chain link fence panels that are part of the kennel we bought back before Gretchen and Ben got shot. That hurt still remains in my heart, how someone could so coldly shoot and kill the pets we love. The sad part is there are some who take pleasure in knowing it caused us pain. We live in a world that has always had those who enjoy the fact they have the power to hurt others, and run to do so. In their minds it makes them someone important or powerful but they have no clue how God feels about it. Jesus said “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Mathew 5:5) It is the humble, the poor in spirit, all the ones that those who think they are all that look down on, who will receive the greatest blessings from God.

          Anyway, I digress. Much of the wheat I already harvested had started to mold so is no good now. I still have 3 acres left to harvest but realize that I am not capable of doing it by myself or without equipment. Nate, Cherie’s nephew, said he had some scythes in his garage but they are 1500 miles away from us. I could harvest, or at least cut down and bundle, the three acres if I had a scythe, but would still have to develop a way of threshing and removing the chaff from it. I know, or think I know, a way to do that but it doesn’t matter if I cannot cut it in the first place.

          But when I started to set up the rack for the wheat I saw that I need to level off an area so must put the back blade on the tractor. While I have it on I will work to move much of the windblown sand that had buried so much on this farm. As I disked I dug up some hoses that had long since disappeared under the ever moving earth. There is so much to do here but at the same time so many other needs we know of that others have. There are watermelons to harvest but the back of the truck is full of moldy wheat I must decide what to do with. Will the wheat kernels germinate to grow more next season?

          Last week we reinstalled a toilet for Geneva, one of the seniors we assist. That turned out to be a harder job than expected and took me nearly 4 hours to complete. Had to hammer away a lot of concrete and basically fix the poor job someone had done 7 years ago. She has a young lady who will be coming to live with her. We prayed together about that yesterday as this young woman has had a rough life and needs the support.

          Maisey, our new puppy, is fitting in well. She seems not at all inclined to go near the road so that is a relief. However we must be diligent in watching her as she is just a puppy and inclined to explore. The other dogs help keep her in line but I have to be careful because Rascal likes to chase the farmer next door when he drives out in his truck. Maisey watches and learns from the others so that is a habit I do not want passed on to her.

          I am going to run to the post office, grab a burrito at our favorite roadside stand, and perhaps visit the jail to see who is there and support the one whom I have been ministering for quite a while now. That might have to wait for they serve lunch at noon.

          There is always much on my mind as I survey the world around and see the hardships that are coming. The Christian world is in for some shocks for sure. Most of it has become complacent and comfortable, often avoiding any kind of activity that will cause controversy or require self-sacrifice. Understand that this is a general statement and there are many who do not fall into this trap so don’t get upset with me for saying it. Time to run.