Drawing Water

At one time, the sight of a windmill was a common sight on many farms.  Used to power a pump, it was an integral part of helping to draw water out of the ground for both the people and animals that called the place home.  Rising above the house and other outbuildings, the metal framed structure stood like a lone sentinel guarding the property.

Windmills are still found in many places but aren’t as common today. They are still located on old farmsteads and also at Amish farms in place of electric power. Miniature reproductions can also be seen as part of landscape displays.

Just like the water that comes from the ground, there are emotions, attitudes and thoughts within us – beneath our surface. What comes out, when we find ourselves facing different situations, is a reaction to what’s inside.

How you and I respond to others is a reflection to what – and Who – is in us. Let me encourage you to trust the Savior – drawing deeply and finding satisfaction from the well that will never run dry.

Have a great day!

(Please follow us on Facebook at “The Rural Journal” and online at www.theruraljournal.com. This was first published at www.theroadreport.wordpress.com.)

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A Late Winter Sunrise

How often do we take our surroundings for granted? Many of us seem to be in a hurry. In our haste, you and I may not make time for others. Likely, we will pass through our days without taking opportunities to stop and enjoy the scenes that are unfolding around us.

The sunrise and sky in this picture may capture your attention.  Yet, if the scene was overcast or the sun was higher in the sky, would we notice the beautiful colors that are announcing the arrival of another new day?  We may see them – or our eyes may wonder to the ground below.  You and I may catch glimpses of the stubble from last year’s corn crop – waiting to be plowed into the soil.

Our perception can change how we see things. One person may choose to set their eyes only on the cold, late winter day that this picture was taken in. Another individual may envision the beauty of the surrounding hillside and the incredible sky that’s being illuminated by the morning’s early light.

The reality is that we often choose to view much of our lives in the same manner. Likewise, we also decide if we will trust our Creator. While there’s many things that you and I may not be able to change, we are able to adjust our vision of what we see. That, my friend, can make all of the difference in how we go through our life.

Each day offers beautiful scenes. It’s up to us to decide how we will choose to view what we see.

Have a great day! 😊

(Please follow us on Facebook at “The Rural Journal” and online at www.theruraljournal.com. This was first published at www.theroadreport.wordpress.com.)

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How Great Thou Art!

How often do we stop to think about the greatness of God?  The reality is that we often live in such a busy, fast-paced world that we don’t give much thought to the blessings and gifts of our Creator.

Consider the lyrics of this old hymn and allow them to minister to you.  May we know and enjoy the beauty of our world in a new light.

HOW GREAT THOU ART

Carl Boberg, 1885

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

(Please follow us on Facebook at “The Rural Journal” and online at www.theruraljournal.com. This was first published at www.theroadreport.wordpress.com.)

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Old Barns and Backroads

Old barns and backroads have a way of going together.  They both seem to mark the passage of time – having stories to tell of the years that have gone by.

At one point, they were symbols that marked progress as our nation and its communities expanded.  Yet, at some point, they became bygone relics that now serve out their roles humbly, linking often forgotten places.

I’ve always loved both.  Backroads have taken me to some of my favorite places – to visit family and friends.  Out buildings may hold interesting items – often old farm machinery and other items from another time.

They also represent another lesson.  In a world that is in a hurry to go places, sometimes the best things in life are found when we slow down and simply enjoy where God has placed us with the people who surround us.

Those old barns and backroads may not take you and me to places that are found on a map.  Yet, they will allow us to travel to places that are special and have a significance that is rarely found in today’s world.

Have a great day! 😊

(Please follow us on Facebook at “The Rural Journal” and online at www.theruraljournal.com. This was first published at www.theroadreport.wordpress.com.)

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Old Dirt Roads

I spend a lot of time on small rural roads. Some are paved, while others are gravel. After many years of bouncing around in a truck cab on those types of roads, one’s body begins to feel the impact of every rut, pothole and bump that’s been encountered.

Recently, as I was making a delivery on a gravel road, the lyrics of a country song by the group, Sawyer Brown, came to mind. It’s been many years since I heard that song, so I had to look it up to remember some of the words.

That song, “The Dirt Road”, talks about life along the dusty trails – like the ones that I’m accustomed to. 

If you know anything about a dirt road, it’s definitely not “Easy Street”.  There are plenty of bumps and bruises along the way.

Yet, there’s a sense of enjoyment, and even fulfillment and purpose, that comes from traveling along those backroads. It’s along those rural byways, that many life lessons have been learned. Just like in the song’s lyrics, my parents always taught my sister and I to work hard. We weren’t to expect preferential treatment or handouts. Rather, we were shown the importance of hard work and helping others out. 

What Dad and Mom taught us has served us well in life. It was a way of helping us to learn what’s truly valuable in life – loving God, treating others with respect and that life was about relationships – not things. We also learned the value of doing our work well – regardless of what the job was.

Those lessons sometimes seem to be missing today. It often seems as if we live in a throw-away world, where some people are never content and always looking for something to entertain them. In an age of increasing negativity and conflict, perhaps those old lessons in kindness and grace could mend more than a few broken fences.

That day on that gravel road, took me back to another time.  Although my back might argue otherwise, I for one am grateful for those old dirt roads.

Have a great day! 😊

(Please follow us on Facebook at “The Rural Journal” and online at www.theruraljournal.com. This was first published at www.theroadreport.wordpress.com.)

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