An Introduction to Tom's Blog

I want to say Hi and thank you to each who take time to read this. I hope it encourages you.

I do a lot of reflecting these days. It may be because I am considered a part of the “age group” most susceptible to catch the virus if exposed to it. It may be because I am thinking all the time about different things, or it may just be because there is so much to consider these days. 

One example I have seen a lot that I love to use to illustrate is this: I was 10 years old before we got a television. It was a black and white picture, and there was no remote in those days! Now I carry a TV on my belt, and I know how to use most of the technology.  

I lived on a farm and my parents thought it was a good idea to have a huge garden, which I was expected to help with. I must admit, they knew how to raise a garden. There were many who looked forward to dad’s cantaloupe. We called them muskmelons, but I don’t know why. His watermelons were so delicious and sweet. The only way to eat them was to wear part of the juice as it dripped from your chin to your t-shirt when we buried our head into a big slice so red and sweet that we didn’t care. Others would say they were better than what the “professional” growers offered.

We had sweet corn so big we had to use a chain saw to cut the ear off the corn stock, and green beans so big, we only needed to cut off one to cook for supper. Ok, maybe that is a slight exaggeration. Hope it brought a smile, but the point is, we had to grow a garden if you wanted to eat.

We hunted in season, and we ate what we got. We also raised our own beef and sheep. Mom could sew, and she taught my sister how to sew. I wore hand-me-downs a lot. I had a cousin two years older who was like a brother, so I got his clothes when he outgrew them.

We didn’t have a lot of money; in fact, there were times when we had very little, but I was taught to save my money. I received an allowance if I was faithful to do my chores, and I also started working for other farmers when I was old enough to drive a tractor. Translated that means, tall enough to reach the pedals.
 
I watched as my parents continued to trust God when it seemed the clouds in the sky had no water to send to us for our crops in the field.  I knew it would be a challenging day when the creek dried up, and we had to share and ration the water with our animals so our well wouldn’t dry up too.  

With all that, and more, we still thanked God at every meal for our food. We still had family prayer before we went to bed. We still drove 13 miles after the farm chores were finished, one way to town every time the church doors were open. Never one time do I remember my parents blaming God or anyone else because everything wasn’t going smoothly. We didn’t always have everything we wanted, but we had what we needed. We never went hungry because God blessed our hard work to raise our food. We may not have always had new clothes, but mom kept the ones we had clean and looking good.

I am sending this with the hope and prayer that it will encourage you today to trust God. I feel God helped me to see before my first wife died that He was bringing me through pain so I could assure others who are willing to trust Him. He will bring us through challenging times if we will let Him.

God loves you and He wants you to know it. If you believe in prayer, please pray God will help me say the right words to encourage others.

In His service,
Tom