Considering Work

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light," (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV). 

These verses are so comforting to me. They speak to me in so many ways and so many times in my life. I like them for Labor Day because they can be applied to days of work so well.

When I was working, even though I loved my job, I always looked forward to a day off. I think it was because we lived on an acreage and there was so much I wanted/needed to do there. I loved that I was always busy at work. I loved interviewing students and graduates or professors to tell their stories of how education changed their lives. Especially because it was so true in my own life.

Writing at the college was my dream job. I worked at a weekly newspaper for five years, writing feature stories and news reports. Then I wanted to get my college education at age 40. I attended Marshalltown Community College for two years and then went to Iowa State to get my bachelors degree in journalism and media relations. I was lucky enough to be hired by the same community college district that I had attended. My dream job.

I wish everyone who works could have their dream job. Work is hard but it can be rewarding. Labor can be exhausting, too. But the verses above always gave me hope; hope for rest. Retirement has given me that. Life holds many chapters for us. I hope you can enjoy your working days or look back at them with peace.

May your yoke be easy and your burden be light. God will give us rest.

Tiny Reminders

The hummingbirds have been very busy at our feeder lately. In fact, I need to fill the clear glass feeder again today. I could sit or stand and watch the tiny birds all day. They like to perch on the very top of the feeder or they even sit on the metal string hanger as they survey the landscape they have chosen to live in. 

One of the hummingbirds stakes its claim on the feeder and battles any other hummingbird that tries to draw a sip of the sweet syrupy juice. They fly off together doing 'battle' and pretty soon one of the birds returns to the feeder triumphant.

We know approximately where one nest is because the bird or birds frequently fly back to an evergreen tree over the fence from our back yard. It is well hidden and well protected from predators. I remember finding a hummingbird nest once and was in awe of the delicate hanging shelter.

"Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head,"" (Matthew 8:20 NIV).

Jesus was warning potential disciples that the way of following Him would not be easy. It isn't always easy for us either. Every decision we make involves examination of the issue to be sure the right choice is made. If we hurry or make a snap decision we may find ourselves in a sinful situation. Then we must confess our sin and ask for God's forgiveness.

Most of us, like the hummingbirds, have homes where we lay our heads at night.

Thank you, Jesus, for showing us how to follow You. Help us make good decisions, as evidence of our dedication to Your Way. Thank you for our homes and please be with those who have recently lost their homes to fires.
Amen.

School Days

The big yellow buses are rolling again, even in this heat. Children are lined up at their designated point, waiting for their ride to school. Everyone with a backpack loaded with new pencils and crayons. They went through the checklist provided by their teacher. There is an air of excitement; today is a new day in a new grade with a new teacher. 

In my school days the big yellow buses rumbled down the gravel roads, stirring up clouds of dust that hung in the air for miles. Somehow I ended up near the beginning of the bus route nearly every year. That meant riding the bus for a long time as the driver stopped to pick up a load of children along miles of gravel roads and some highway locations.

I remember having butterflies in my stomach on the first day of each year. I had to find a new room, meet a new teacher, start a new way of doing things in a new schedule. But all was better as my friends boarded the bus. It seems like there were teachers and administrators waiting at the school to welcome us off the bus and give us directions. It wasn't so bad after all.

I don't remember being released early because of the heat, though it might have happened. I just remember windows in classrooms being wide open and teachers bringing in fans from home. So long ago, so much has changed.

I say a special prayer for teachers today and thank them for accepting the challenge of helping the youngsters learn and grow. What a big job they have. 

Thank you, Lord, for teachers and the important job they have. Bless them today with strength and patience and blanket our schools with Your protection. Amen.

The Great Iowa State Fair

The great Iowa State Fair was our family vacation every year. Growing up on a farm meant there were chores to do morning and night so that kept us from being gone more than a day. The State Fair was the day of vacation.

As a kid I remember when parking was allowed almost everywhere on the fair grounds. I remember parking on the steep hills near Pioneer Hall. Another year we were as far north as you can get in the parking lot, between the evergreen trees that were there at the time. They provided shade. We took a picnic lunch and met back at the car at noon to eat, somewhere in the shade.

As I recall, we usually split up. Mama liked to watch the judging of foods in the Women's and Children's building or sit and watch the talent search acts. Daddy loved the horse shows, roaming the animal buildings and checking out the new machinery exhibits. We always made a visit through the Varied Industries building.

We never set foot in the Midway but a ride on the Old Mill was a possibility. The State Fair became a ritual every summer and after Daddy retired he would often make more than one visit, often taking one of his grandchildren along. Those were days that gave them precious memories.

"I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live," (Ecclesiastes 3:12 NIV), 

Mama's Garden

Every summer one of our chores was helping in the garden. My mother's garden was enormous. Dad would till it up for her in the early spring - as soon as the soil was ready. Then as mother directed, he would make rows for her with an antique single plowshare. Together they would sow the seeds, row by row, marking the ends with a stick. The seed packet was then slipped over the stick to show what was planted.

The garden was then ready for gentle rains. The rich black soil soaked in the sunshine and soon the seeds would germinate and the plants would begin to pop through the soil. One job that was important all summer long was hoeing. The weeds also grew and would take over the garden if not kept in control. It wasn't bad early in the year but the ground seemed to get harder as the summer went along.

I didn't mind picking raspberries or strawberries because there was sampling along the way. Mom knew it was dangerous to allow me to pod the peas because I loved eating the fresh green peas raw. Green beans were one of the most time-consuming to pick. There were always several long rows of these to pick, stem, and freeze and be there to last till next year. Everything in the garden got preserved in some manner and was ready to be pulled out in the cold days of February.

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior," (Habakkuk 3:17-18 NIV).

The garden is a joyful place. I can commune with God in the garden so easily. His presence is known in all that is growing. From radishes to potatoes or strawberries to grapes, every plant is touched by God.

Amazing Sights

We are home, following a wonderful trip to celebrate our 50th anniversary that is in October. We took our first cruise beginning in Vancouver, Canada. We boarded the Grand Princess, completed the safety essentials review and toured some of the ship while we waited for our luggage to be delivered to our room.

We cruised for a day and a half to Ketchikan, Alaska, our first port to visit. We walked around town known for its totem poles, even though there was steady rain. We walked Creek Street, formally the red district during gold panning days.

The next day we arrived in Juneau, Alaska, where we boarded a boat for an outing to whale watch. We spent four hours watching and saw at least 12 whales surface, blow, and shake their tales at us. Again, it was raining.

Next stop was Skagway where we boarded a train that took us along mountains, with views of glaciers, waterfalls, and trees. It was a beautiful sunny day. We walked through the town and admired the beautiful views.

The next day we cruised through Glacier Bay National Park. The views were amazing and we spent most of the day on our balcony watching the sights. The next day was scenic cruising of College Fjord through Prince William Sound. We saw 16 tidewater glaciers, some 300 feet high. The views were breathtaking. The largest glaciers were Hubbard and Yale Glaciers.

The next day we moved to our land tour beginning at Whittier. We traveled by train to the Denali Wilderness Lodge. We were fortunate enough to see the top of Denali mountain several times when the clouds broke away. It is rare to get a sighting of Denali because it is so often covered by clouds. We arrived in McKinley for the night then the following day we took a school bus for a Natural History Tour about the building of the road to Denali Park.

Finally we took a motor coach from McKinley to Anchorage where we spent the night in Hotel Captain Cook before an early flight back to Des Moines by way of Dallas. There will be photos to follow.

"In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level; the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it," (Isaiah 40:3-5 NIV).