Lessons Learned

Dad's make great teachers.  They teach their kids all sorts of things, and I'm sure nearly every child can recall, with fondness, a certain lesson or skill they learned from their dad.  Some kids may cherish memories such as their dad teaching them to throw a ball, or ride a bike, or start a campfire, etc.  However when I think of the things my dad taught me, the previous examples are not what comes to mind.  Dad wasn't big into sports, so we didn't play catch much, and he spent all day outside farming, so camping outside wasn't really a relaxing hobby to take up.  No, I'm proud to say that instead, my dad taught me how to drive a tractor.
Since about the age of 10, I've spent large portions of my summers in the seat of a tractor hauling hay bales and raking hay, and I've loved every minute of it!

I remember the first summer he stuck me on a tractor to haul hay bales.  He rode with me for the first few rounds, and I had the tractor in the lowest gear possible.  It took me forever just to get from the machine shed to the pasture.  I remember Dad saying that I could speed up if I wanted, but when I'm learning something new, I like to start off slow (it gives me more time to fix any mistakes I might make.) :)  There are occasions when patience is not one of my dad's greatest assets, but God bless him, he let me pick the pace and rode right beside me as I puttered, ever so slowly, through the pasture.

Me and my dad on our tractors.  We're a Massey Ferguson family! :)

This weekend I got to make some more memories with my dad on the tractor.  Taylor and I went back home for the second annual FFA Alumni tractor drive that my dad and sister organized.  Here's how it works - anyone interested can bring their tractor and get registered.  Then all the people participating line up and drive their tractors through a predetermined route.  To some people this may not sound like a lot of fun, but it was great!  I got to spend several hours cruising down beautiful back country roads and even through town in a big line of tractors.  It's kind of fun to see people's faces as they stand outside their houses watching a parade of tractors drive by for no apparent reason (although I might feel differently if I could see the faces of the people who get stuck behind our tractor line!) :) 

It's also a secret pleasure of mine to watch my husband drive a red tractor.  All of his family's equipment is John Deere.  The past two years we've stuck him on "Trusty Rusty" - Dad's rustiest tractor.  There's hardly any paint left on it, so hopefully Taylor can live with himself!  :)  I had to laugh when he won the model Massey Ferguson tractor as a door prize.  I told him we'd have to display it proudly in our home!

Western Kansas Fact #5:  It is practically a sin to say anything bad about rain.  It is a certifiable desert out here, so anytime rain comes, it is welcome.  It doesn't matter if it messes up your plans or creates a muddy mess, rain is a good thing.  The wind blew some shingles off my roof and when it rained this spring, we hadn't had it fixed yet and I was afraid my roof might leak.  Even then, I did NOT hope that the rain would stop.  Instead I just prayed and prayed that that my roof would not leak.  Thankfully my prayer was answered!

My favorite scripture this week has been The Lord said to [Gideon], "Peace be with you; do not fear." Judges 6:23
I liked this one because the lesson talked about facing difficult situations and worrying that we don't have the talents or skills necessary to get through it.  But no matter what God gives us to do, He will also give us the tools and strength to accomplish it.  Weaknesses are nothing to be ashamed of because He works through them.  They are a way to show His glory because through them He makes the impossible, possible.

Have a great weekend everyone!
Lyndee