Hot Vacation

It was a sweltering week at Kentucky Lake!  But it was that way pretty much everywhere.  It was the 25th annual Wyss Family Vacation, and everyone except one nephew and his family made it for at least part of the week.  It is really amazing that we have been able to orchestrate this event for 25 consecutive years.  A special thanks goes to my parents for making it all possible, and to the rest of the family for their commitment.  Daughter #2 put together a power point with pictures from each year.  We had special T-shirts to commemorate the occasion, and as usual there was lots of food, fun, and fellowship. 
I took my kayak this year and enjoyed exploring the lake early in the morning before it got too hot.  I saw lots of turtles, herons, an otter, deer, and a couple families of ducks.  One morning I fished from the kayak and caught 2 striped bass.  It's not easy fishing from a kayak, but it was fun. 
I slept late a lot, and napped a lot.  Because of the heat I spent a lot of time in the air conditioned cabin reading Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy.

We enjoyed a blessed weekend in Gridley attending our niece's baptism (along with 4 other youth).

We were blessed with an inch of rain yesterday, which was sorely needed to help the crops survive the continuing heat.

O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
Psalm 71:17

Outliers

Earlier this spring, I read The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell.  It was a very good book that helps to understand how epidemics/fashions/ trends/ popular new products start, spread, and grow exponentially.  He explains and gives examples of how little things can make big differences.

I recently finished another of his books, Outliers (The Story of Success).  He explores why highly successful people got that way.  Yes, they need intelligence and ambition.  The right family and cultural background is important.  The opportunity for lots of practice is important.  But summing up the most important reasons that highly successful people are successful is being in the right place at the right time!
But we should have known, Solomon told us that thousands of years ago.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
Ecclesiastes 9:11

Reunion

Last week was straw baling week.  I say week, because it seemed to take all week.  Tuesday afternoon, cousin Dale brought his baler over and we filled all the available racks.  On Wednesday afternoon we unloaded the racks into the haymow.  Thursday, we started baling again, but the baler broke down before we accomplished very much.  It was not going to be a quick fix, so we lined up another baler.  Jason came with his baler in the evening, but it started sprinkling on the second load and we had to quit.  Friday afternoon, Jason came back and we were able to finish the 2500 small square bales we wanted.  Cousin Lee came Friday afternoon also and baled 98 large round bales for us.  We should be set for straw for the year.  Daughter #2 posted some pictures of the process.

Saturday, the Illinois Metzgers hosted the Metzger reunion.  We were grateful that so many traveled so far to attend.  There were cousins from Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, and Kansas.  It was a day of wonderful fellowship, good food, lots of reminiscing, and some Metzger appropriate entertainment.

Grandpa and Grandma were married in 1907.  They had 14 children, whom with their spouses, all became born again Christians.  They raised their family on a diversified dairy farm in the NW corner of Iowa/SW corner of Minnesota.  There were 84 of us grandchildren (my first cousins).  They passed on a strong family and spiritual heritage that is now affecting the fifth generation.  In the 104 years since their marriage, there are 797 direct descendants and 1152 total descendants.  Five of the 14 children are still living plus 7 inlaws; 9 were in attendance.
It was a Blessed weekend.

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
Psalms 16:6

For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.
Psalms 61:5

4th

I watched fireworks from the top of our 108 foot grain leg.  Clear night, beautiful weather, beautiful view, but a little too far away.  I harvested wheat until the trucks were full (the elevator closed at 5), then went home to eat and finish chores.  By the time I was finished, it was too late to clean up and make it to town.  So the next best thing was the leg.

I am thankful for our freedom from tyranny and the democratic republic that we live under.  But with freedom and liberty comes great responsibility, and I fear that too many in this great nation have shirked their responsibility, and become dependent on government and its entitlements.  Too many look to government to solve all problems.  That creates bondage to man, the opposite of independence.  Being dependent on God gives us true independence, and submission to Christ brings true liberty and freedom.  And God has answers to our problems.
"Ideas have consequences"
The ideas of the founding fathers have been tested by time and fire, and have been a great example for all the world to see.  Imperfect, yes, but none the less the best application of government "of the people" in history.
My allegiance is to God, but I am grateful for our nation, freedoms, and blessings, and should be willing to support it any way I can.

And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
Psalm 119:45

Waiting

The wheat has turned amber.  And so we wait for it to dry down for harvest.  We've had an abundance of rain which slows the dry down process.  I spent several days this week cleaning, inspecting, and servicing the combine.  We harvested a neighbor's field for him today, although it was still too wet.  He needed to haul manure, so he told us to take it out.  We tried some in our field and at first it looked like it was ready, but the further I got into the field the wetter it seemed to be, so I quit.  We won't know for sure what the moisture content was until in the morning when we haul the load to the elevator.  Unless it rains, we will probably be combining on the 4th.

Wednesday night after church, daughter #2 had a trip reunion slumber party at our house.  At one time there were 9 girls here.  I went to bed and didn't have any trouble falling asleep.  I was informed in the morning that there was a lot of hooting, hollering, and running around going on until the wee hours of the night.  Thankfully, I slept through it all.  And it was really quiet when I got up in the morning.

The boys are in Canada for a long weekend to camp, paddle, and fish.  Hopefully they found the walleye honey hole that they are looking to find.  You just can't beat shore lunch walleye.  It almost makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
Proverbs 3:24