Just a Praise
December 15th, 2006 by Northern FarmerI wrote this the other evening, it’s about our misadventures last weekend. But being the blog was fairly busy I didn’t want to put it in quite yet. I hope to post this weekend continuing on some of the stuff that came up this week on the blog. As most know, I do have opinions on allot of the stuff covered. I’d also like to send folks over Steven’s way for a read of his very good post. I hope to spin off on that a bit too very shortly. We’re steadily catching up here and that’s when I can spend a little time on this blog.
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I just gotta sneak a post in here this evening quick. A little update on our continuing adventures here if you want to call them that. Ok, let’s see, I’ll start Saturday. That day I hurried up, got morning chores out of the way enough so the cattle wouldn’t start a full scale rebellion and took off for the city to get Pastor Josh and family moved out of their apartment and out top their newly purchased homestead in my home county I might add! A bunch of us church folks showed up with pickups and we got them moved in one round, went darn good! Well, in early afternoon I had to skedaddle back to the farm and truly race getting the rest of chores done before sundown.
Going out to the south feedlot to pump water, daughter Rachel and I were surprised, not pleasantly to find a hundred and thirty feet of five strand barbwire fence ripped out from the night before. A bit confusing, why so much?? I mean, about once a year we get our yearly drunk flying through the fence, but something didn’t add up here. So you can just about imagine, us trying to get our work done, not only for that day, but get ahead a bit for Sunday and then find this.
We turned the truck around and headed home, called the sheriff’s department and reported it and they said they’d send a deputy right out. Daylight was rapidly leaving around this time. In about forty five minutes the deputy arrived, a woman one. Boy, did this remind me of the movie Fargo! There we were out there in the field looking for evidence and trying to figure out what happened. The ground was froze like granite the night before so tracking was a bit difficult with the waning light. Finally I figured out some tracks in the neighbor’s plowed field and the crime came together. The person driving would knock one post down at a time, back up and go to the next post knocking it down. Then go to the next and the next. Wanton destruction!! Made a person a little sick knowing the amount of work and expense that it’ll take to repair it come spring.
But the title to this post is about praise, and a person might wonder how do you get praise out of this situation. Not exactly something a person looks forward to. I figure we should go into the spiritual to see what was going on behind the human realm. Now this vehicle and driver were having at it, destroying for no reason in the world. So there must have been a bunch of demons with him and all over that vehicle. Making all sorts of cackling racket in that realm. Now, there’s angels around too, and I figure there must be one watching over this farm being that we’re believers in Christ and farm His farm. Well, our farm angel probably called it in to Michael, you know, the warrior archangel up there in heaven. I don’t know what code they use, but the call, it gets there quick. Our angel reports that the ex-heavenly choirboy’s goons are making an attack on the farm, making all sorts of racket. Could he please dispatch one warrior angel? No problem and in a fraction of a millisecond one heavenly shock trooper arrives. Of course angels that work in Minnesota are usually name Sven or Olie. And they know they’d better do a good job or they could get transfered to cover Iowa, egad! The heavenly shock trooper instantly looks the situation over, cracks a smile and does his work.
Now, back into the human realm, Saturday afternoon, dusk is settling in, back to that scene reminiscent of the movie Fargo out in the field. Lady deputy, daughter Rachel and myself at the scene of the crime, and daughter Rachel and myself see something in the tall grass in amongst the ripped out barb wire. Hmmm, wonder what that is? Take a close look, and here’s the reason for the praise. It was a piece of metal, rectangular that said Minnesota, Land of Ten Thousand Lakes. Glory Be! The front license plate was in the barb wire! Enough to bring a smile to this old farmer’s face. Showed it to the deputy, she did a “YESâ€! Yesterday the person who did the dastardly deed had a visit from our deputy and fessed up, not a whole lot of choice in the matter.
I figure that angel that made sure that barb wire hooked that license plate in exactly the right place had a good laugh out of that one, filling out his report back up there. God’s got us covered!
December 15th, 2006 at 7:08 pm
Tom,
Looks like you have seen an example of “you may be sure that your sin will find you out”, Numbers 32:23b. Too bad our courts don’t use the Biblical punishment of restitution - then you would get your fence rebuilt for free. I wonder if the perpetrator of this deed was a little embarrassed?
Jim
December 15th, 2006 at 7:21 pm
Jim,
I forget exactly how it goes but I don’t think the final sentence is made till restitution is made. Tuesday evening I was making out the list of damages, labor, skid steer, lost grazing etc. Got it to the sherriff’s office Wednesday morning.
Well, in this county they must be pretty Biblical cause everytime we get hit we get restitution
The perpetrator is a regular in county court, DUI’s up the ying yang. You know, life sure does get expensive for them folks that can’t control their flesh! And the sad part is they sometimes never learn.
December 15th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
Neato bout the license plate!! And..being the passive forgiving person that I am I will CHOOSE to ignore the Iowa remark…:)
December 15th, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Patti,
It’s the Minnesotan in me, what ever that is.
What can I say!! I had to do it
December 16th, 2006 at 3:13 pm
Hi Tom,
Seems like a week during the summer, spent mending fences (literally and figuratively!) with you might open some eyes…and knowing your love of the Father and your wonderful outspoken way…perhaps that young man would leave changed eternally!
Blessings.
PS Loved the angel story and will read that to my boys tonight!
December 16th, 2006 at 5:24 pm
HI Tom!
Thanks for your kind words about and link to my blog! I just posted about my good friend John.
Your story about your guardian angel was uplifting!
Thanks again!
December 16th, 2006 at 7:25 pm
Right on, Am sure sorry for your loss though.
December 16th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
Cheri,
Thanks for the kind words, although spending a week with me could just send a person headin south to the state below us, I won’t say it’s name anymore for a bit
You know, I joke around with the angel bit, but I do know in reality there was allot of action taking place in that realm that dark night. When we found the plate that was the “first” thing I thought of, how God has us covered!
Hope your boys enjoy the story!
God Bless!
Steven,
These stories you’re writing are really good! And I mean it! You have a gift Steven!
I’m trying to catch up a bit at this moment, internet’s been down all day here, just came back on. Kinda peaceful without it though today, hmm.
God Bless!
Guy,
I’m sorry everytime I go past it to that cattle herd, just asking myself, “what’s the sense of it”. But that’s the way of the world and that’s about as small as it gets. In reality I’m more concerned about the person who did it. A person just lost in this world, the system can’t fix him, but God can and I have a feeling somehow, somewhere, God’s gonna come in to his life and change it.
God Bless!
December 17th, 2006 at 12:00 am
I think leaving that misguided driver in that state a bit north of us is punishment enough….actually I am not wildly attached to this here state and am looking forward to exploring that state just north o here. ..Now Oregon…ah sweet distant Oregon………
December 17th, 2006 at 6:38 am
Patti,
Them Iowa remarks are just a bad Minnesota habit, gotta work on that
Never been to Oregon, but I hear it’s good. I do wish I could be someplace where it’s green instead of brown,(in summer), and there was a bit more hills then we got immedeatly here. Getting to crowded here too.
But here is where we are so…… gotta make the most of it.
Have a good one!
God Bless!
December 17th, 2006 at 6:55 am
Hi Tom!
Thank-you once again for your kind words about my writings!
You got me started on this series about my ‘Best Friends’ with your comments a few posts ago about James.
Your continuing encouraging words inspire me to write about more of my friends. Check out my latest post on Paul.
Again, I thank-you my friend!
December 17th, 2006 at 10:08 am
your post made me smile … not about the destruction, but about God’s ways … there is always a reason for everything - maybe this person will be convicted about his sins through this destructive fencepost incident? maybe?
you’re attitude must have been pleasing to God … and a good witness to your children!
blessings!
December 17th, 2006 at 6:41 pm
Steven,
I checked your post out this morning and they are such a blessing. Your series will be printed off and saved here. I love the way you describe Paul, right on! I wish there was more I could do to encourage you because they are good!
God Bless!
Saija,
Thanks for commenting here! All Canadians are welcome here! Besides, that might mean you live fairly close as far as things go! I’m glad this post brought you a smile, because all in all there’s good to it! I pray that the person who did this will be touched by the Lord, cause nothings to difficult for God!
I don’t know how pleasing my attitude is to God, but I’m striving to follow Christ in all things no matter what! Gotta race to run!
God Bless!