Tag Archive for: Life

Stories and Foundations

Old houses and outbuildings dot the rural landscape of eastern Ohio where I live.  Some of the structures have been rebuilt or at least maintained for present-day use.  Others have been left in various states of disrepair.

Driving by these buildings, I sometimes wonder about their past.  Thoughts of the pride of the family that built one of these places may come to mind.  

I can see a couple who are proud to own their own home.  Maybe in that moment of imagination, I can envision a family gathered around a meal table, or parents tucking their small children in after bedtime prayers had been said.  Perhaps one can picture adult children coming back home to visit with their own families.

An old barn brings thoughts of a farmer doing his evening chores.  One can almost hear the conversations that are happening between a father and his son or daughter.  Topics could range from an afternoon spent fishing in a local stream to what’s inside the latest Sears catalog.  Or the man may be talking to his wife or a neighbor about last Sunday’s sermon or the most recent livestock market prices at the local sale barn.

I can understand some of the reasons why these old buildings are left to slowly crumble into oblivion.  They can be a financial burden to maintain, and perhaps have outlived their usefulness.  

Yet, there’s a portion of me that is also saddened.  They were part of a family’s life.  Not just that, but houses, barns and other buildings also tell a story about a community.

That these old structures are still standing, even in rough condition, is a testament to their sturdiness.  Often constructed from locally-sourced lumber, and built with the help of family and neighbors, they speak to a time when people truly cared about one another – and had a sense of deep community pride and service.

These old buildings are from a different time.  In a world that is filled with faux replicas and cheap imitations – take it from someone who delivers building materials, structures from another era help remind us of the value of people and community.  Built to hold up against the storms of life, they help us recognize our own need for a solid foundation – one that can withstand any weather we may face.  

In life, I’ve found that the perfect foundation can only be found in the Heavenly Father.  Every other belief, person and item is temporary.  If we place our hope in them, our footing will eventually erode and wash away.  Yet, God has promised to never leave or abandon us – and He has continually proved to be true to His Word.  

Next time you see an old building, consider the stories that it could tell if only it were able to talk.  Then look at its foundation and see what’s holding it up – and don’t forget that buildings and people both need to be built on solid rock.

Have a great day! 😊

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Milk Cans and Memory Lane

A trip down memory lane could describe this picture. This farm once was a stop on one of my grandfather’s can milk routes more than fifty years ago. When I showed my father this picture, it brought back many memories from his childhood. The farmer that used to live here would bring his cans of milk to the end of the lane to be picked up.

Over the past half century, the elements, time and changes have all joined together as this farm slowly fades away. The muddy lane and overcast atmosphere of a midwinter day matches the condition of the old barn that’s slowly falling down and succumbing to nature – fading into another story of a past era.

It’s important to remember the past. Memories and pictures help link us to our heritage and our loved ones who have gone before us.

Have a great day! 😀

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Changing Seasons

The long hours of fall harvest for many farmers is over for another year.  Yet, in many Amish fields around here, one can still find corn shocks standing – even after the beginning of a new year.  In fact, the shocks may seem to look out of place with the snow on the ground.  However, they are often left to dry out further before being ground into livestock feed.

Looking at this picture, my mind goes to thoughts of both fall and winter. As I think about this, I’m reminded that there’s a season for everything. In fact, the events and experiences of our lives are often broken up into short segments of time.

These periods overlap as we make transitions throughout life. The combinations of these various seasons may resemble a patchwork quilt.

All of the different experiences and events from our lives helps to define who we are and impacts how we react to different situations. In many instances, these various seasons don’t just affect us, but also others with whom we come into contact.

Nature often has a way of pointing out life lessons.  These corn shocks in a winter field offer another opportunity to reflect on the seasons of life.

Have a great day!  🙂

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…”  –  Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

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The Unhitched Disk

Driving by a field where corn had recently been picked, I found this disk. It was waiting for a team of horses to pull it back and forth across the field.

Sitting there, that disk was a reminder of a couple of truths.

First, there’s a season for everything. Just as there are times to plant and harvest crops, each of us experience seasons – such as when we go to school, work and have families. Inside of these years, are smaller seasons when we’re blessed with different opportunities – things that we may only get a brief chance to experience.

The other truth that emerges from this picture is that most things in life – at least those things that really matter, don’t always come easily. We may have to sow and nurture our opportunities and dreams to see them come to fruition. In the end though, the final outcome isn’t based on just us. While we have a responsibility to work with all of our hearts, God has the final say – knowing what we need to draw us closer to Him.

Even in those quiet moments like we see here, there are still things happening behind the scenes. Sometimes we just have to work at quieting our lives so that we can hear the voice of our Creator more clearly.

Have a great day! 🙂

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After the Harvest


I found this corn picker and gravity wagon standing in a recently picked field. Older farm equipment like these pieces are common on many small farms near where I live. This set belongs to an Amish farmer, hence the steel spoke wheels.

These pieces are a throwback to an earlier time. They stand in contrast to the large, modern combines and grain carts that are found on many larger farms today.

This corn picker and wagon brings back a couple of memories for me.

When I was growing up, some English (non-Amish) neighbors had tractor-pulled equipment like this. I loved watching as they would pick corn each fall.

I also recall when Dad would draw pictures for me when I was a young child. On several occasions as he was taking message notes at a Sunday evening church service, he would also draw farm scenes for me – to keep my adolescent self quiet. Those pictures often involved barns, tractors and equipment like these pieces.

In many ways, farming has changed over the years. But for many of us, the sight of equipment – whether vintage or modern, brings back wonderful childhood memories.

Have a great day! 🙂

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What Way to Go?

I had driven almost a mile back the lane to make a delivery when I came to this sign.  At this “fork in the road”, the private drive split to go to neighboring farms.

If I went to the left, then I could visit a little variety store and basket maker.  Turning right, sweetcorn and pigs laid ahead.  Oh, the choices!  Perhaps, at this point, some may ask if you met both farmers in the middle, could you get a picnic basket to go?!

Just like this little junction, you and I face countless choices every day.  Most of the time, our decisions seem to be inconsequential – like what we’re going to wear for the day or have for breakfast.

Then, there are those times when we must decide on something that can have long-term consequences.  Thoughts of marriage, careers and homeownership all come to mind here.

Often our choices have no vital outcome that affects our lives.  Yet, as a truck driver, I’m also aware of how many decisions can be life-altering – for me and others.

Yet, the biggest choice that you and I can make is whether or not we will follow Christ.  That one simple decision is the most life-altering that anyone will ever make.

Everyday you and I are going to be tasked with making hundreds of choices.  Let’s give careful thought to each one – and in case you were wondering, I chose to visit the farm with the hogs and corn patch!

Have a great day! 😊

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A Farm Boy from Chili

It may look like another old schoolhouse at first glance.  But the small wooden structure has some history to it.

This building was one of the schools where George Washington Crile taught.

Crile, a teenager when he taught here, was raised on a farm about four or five miles west of this location near Chili, Ohio.  The rural community in the Appalachian foothills of eastern Ohio was home to him, and a cousin, William Edgar “Ed” Lower who was also a teenage teacher.

In their early adulthood, these two men went on to receive medical training.  They later helped in leading Allied physicians on the battlefields of Europe during World War I.  Returning home after the war, the two cousins would join with a couple other doctors to form what would eventually become one of America’s premier hospitals, the Cleveland Clinic.

Think about it – a farm boy, from a small Appalachian community that was no bigger than a tiny dot on a map. Someone who would go on to be one of the central figures in forming what would become one of the nation’s most-respected hospitals.

George Crile’s story sounds like something out of novel or movie.  Yet, his life is one of service.

As I have thought about this schoolhouse, I’m reminded of several truths.

The first reality is that every person matters and has been placed on earth for a reason.  We don’t all have the same skills or interests, but each of us is gifted in such a way as to compliment and impact the lives of others.

That school building is also a reminder that education is a lifelong process.  It does not always involve traditional brick and mortar buildings.  But we’re still learning new things every day – which is for our benefit, as well as to share.

I’m also reminded that there’s really no chance meeting or random encounter.  Each individual whom we meet has come into our lives for a reason – and we into theirs, as well.  You and I were created to serve others – in fact, it’s one of the greatest forms of love that we can show to them and our Creator.

This old wooden school and the story of Dr. Crile also reminds me that God loves each one of us. We were created because He wants us to be a part of His story! Consider that God can use anyone or anything to love others, and He would choose you and me to be a part of that plan! We have the opportunity to be the Savior’s hands and feet as we serve others.

Dusty country roads, ordinary farm boys and old worn schoolhouses may not attract many people’s attention.  Yet, the same God who used a young shepherd to kill a giant and allowed a man who murdered early Believers to become one of the most-beloved First Century missionaries, is still writing His story today – using simple things to be extraordinary blessings to others!  George Crile, an old building once known as the Oak Valley School and the century old, Cleveland Clinic, are reminders of how God is still working in lives to this very day!

Friend, I may not know your story, or what you have been through.  Yet, let me assure you that you are loved by God, and have a wonderful purpose for being here!

Have a great day! 😊

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Oat Sheaves

Oat sheaves are a common sight on many Amish farms in east-central Ohio during the middle of summer. Commonly used as a source of horse feed, the cut oats are bundled and stacked in the fields to dry. After a few days, they will be hauled off to a barn where they will be run through a thrashing machine. From there, the oats will be separated from the chaff – which may be baled into straw for livestock bedding.

While oats are grown in many countries, perhaps it’s fitting that they’re still grown here. For just over an hour away by highway in Ravenna, Ohio, the Quaker Oats Company once milled oats. Known by its logo consisting of a man in simple, plain clothing, Quaker took a crop that was largely used as livestock feed and promoted it as a healthy, wholesome breakfast cereal.

In a world that seems to be constantly changing, something as traditional as oats and real horsepower helps to remind us of our roots. In fact, a simple crop can teach us lessons for life.

For one thing, we usually harvest what we sow. If we plant good seed, barring no drought or other natural disaster happens, we will often get a healthy crop. Planting, caring for and harvesting a crop takes patience and work on our part. Ripe crops don’t just happen!

We can also relate to this field. Just as the Creator provided the right conditions for the oats to grow, He also provides what you and I need to be the people whom we’re meant to be.

Like every oat seed, each person has great potential locked inside. Let’s be careful to allow God to cultivate our lives and relationships in ways that benefit everyone we meet.

Have a great day! 😀

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A Friday Evening Errand

It’s not what I expected.  Yet, at a theme park I found a replica of a mid-Twentieth Century restaurant with vintage cars to complete the picture.  The scene reminded me of how young people used to cruise streets of their local towns on Friday and Saturday nights.

Thinking later about that view, it reminded me of a story that I had heard a pastor share.

An older couple went to town one Friday evening to run some errands. Driving along, they saw several young couples sitting close in vehicles that they passed.

Finally, the wife from her place across the pickup cab asked, “Do you remember when we used to sit like that?”

From behind the steering wheel, her husband with a quick glance her direction said, “I have never moved.”

Perhaps, you can relate to this story.

You may feel distance between a spouse, relative or friend.  What caused that distance?  A particular situation may come to mind, or it may have just been a gradual separation.  May I ask if you have done anything to reconcile that rift?

I’ve had friendships that have gradually grown apart.  It’s not a fun feeling to see a former friend as a mere acquaintance.  Experience also has shown that it can be difficult reviving some of those relationships – especially in the hectic world that we find ourselves in.

Going a little deeper, have you ever felt that God seemed far away?

Yet, like the old gentleman in the story, our Creator never moves.  It’s always you and me that puts distance between ourselves and the Heavenly Father.

I don’t know where you’re at in life.  Perhaps, there are some relationships that need mending.  Maybe you need to make time to get alone with God?

Friend, let’s look for ways to rebuild friendships and draw close to the Heavenly Father.

Have a great day!

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” – James 4:8a (NIV)

(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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America – A Blessed and Beautiful Nation

While waiting to enter the sanctuary one Sunday morning, a young boy saw a plaque with names on it.  Pulling his mother over to it, he proceeded to ask her what it was about.

Quietly, the boy’s mom explained that the names on it were for those from the community who had passed away in the service.

Without missing a beat, the young man asked, “Mom, did they die in the morning or evening service?”

We are often inundated with calls to separate faith from government.  Yet, the Bible lays a foundation for the behavior to be modeled by citizens.  Respecting our leaders, serving one’s nation and loving others – even those with whom we may not agree, are ways in which we can honor our Father.

Along these lines, many American believers have answered the call of their nation in times of war and peace.  Still others have found different ways to show their allegiance to the nation that they call home through other various acts of service.

In every age, and among each generation, there has been strife and conflict.  We shouldn’t expect any more or less, since we’re all human.  Yet, America is a sum – a total, of the people who call it “Home”.  From the diversity of its population to the brilliant landscapes, we remember with a grateful heart all that God has blessed us with.  It’s along these lines that many old church hymnals included a few patriotic anthems amongst their pages, as Christians chose to be thankful for God’s blessings on their land and petitioned their Creator to protect and draw them back to Him.

I hope that the following words will serve as a reminder of the blessings that God has bestowed on this nation.

“AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL”

Katharine Lee Bates, 1893

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness,
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

(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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