Rick loading straw bales while Tony looks on.

Neighbor Fred baling the straw.

It’s a full load!

Maybe future wheat-growers, Waylan and Dylan.

For the beauty of the earth.

July 25, 2013

Colossians 1:16

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and in him.

My father-in-law has been consumed with the wheat harvest this past week. The end of last week, the wheat was combined and delivered to the co-op. This week, the focus has been baling straw and delivering it to the dairy farmer who will use it for his cows.

At 88, it is amazing Tony is as involved with farming as he is. Like raising a child, it takes a village to get Tony’s wheat harvested. Grandson Andy ran the combine and helped deliver the wheat and load bales. Grandson Darran helped fixed the brakes on the old truck used to deliver the straw as well as loaded many of the bales. His buddy Nick loaded and delivered a trailer of straw. Neighbor Fred ran the baler and moved many bales. Rick ran the skid steer to load bales, raked straw, got the wagons ready and did whatever else his Dad asked him to do. Tony supervised the operation. He also delivered wheat and straw, raked the straw and kept the rest doing their part.

This is winter wheat, which means it was planted last fall and began to grow. During the winter, it goes dormant. The plants stop growing and dye off but do not completely die. When spring arrives, the plants shoot back to life and grow beautiful heads of golden wheat and shafts of gorgeous straw.

The whole growing process is quite amazing. A tiny, little seed is placed in the ground. It is watered, fertilized and a minuet plant pops out of the hard seed. Soon, it breaks through the soil and stretches towards the sun and warm air. More water and sun encourage the plant to multiply and become bigger, eventually maturing and reproducing seed so that it can replace itself and be used for feeding the world.

As I witness this process annually, it is impossible in my mind to imagine how this can happen without some ultimate designer orchestrating the process. Without a Creator, where did the first seed come from? How could we ever have the millions of variety of plants on this earth? How could there ever be enough food to feed this entire plant?

Two of the littlest Vielhuber boys, Waylan and Dylan, were here while Grandpa Rick loaded bales of Grandpa-Great’s truck and trailer. We took the yard cart down to the field and watched. Someday, these boys could be the fourth generation of Vielhubers to help with wheat harvest. As I watched four generations of my family be a part of God’s harvest today, I thanked God for our family, providing us with land on which to grow food, a bountiful harvest and God’s presence that makes this all possible.

Dear Lord: Thank you for the beauty of this earth. Thank you for designing it such that we can feed our families and others and physically sustain our bodies.  Thank you for providing a safe and abundant harvest. I pray that we all can see your presence in nature this day.   Amen.

Blessings –

Dianne

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