Category: Life

What has happened and is continuing to happen didn’t happen just this year.  The pandemic, the protests, the “I want it now” mentality and the something for nothing character have been intentionally developed, without understanding the future potentialities.

Let’s take a look at a few things and their potential outcome and current events today.

• Plastics (large use started in the 1960’s) – Increase in landfill, waste and pollution
• U.S. Manufacturing decrease (started about 1980) – Decrease in the physical work creativity and the ethic found in the act of physical labor
• Processed foods (started in 1950’s) – Leading to lower nutrition and increase in cancers and other health issues and increases in deaths because of inadequate nutrition.
• Urban migrations (54% of world live in Urban areas (up 30% from 1950)) – Leading to less self-sufficiency and new generations losing the knowledge and experience of farm or small town lifestyles.
• Child upbringing – Diminishing education & preparedness for sustainable future life, Lessening of consequences for actions
• Decline of church enrollment – Attitudes, protests leading to riots, looting, physical harm when the moral character which Jesus provides for families in the church can provide
• Neighborhood – The sense of community is limited to just a couple families next door losing potential to strengthen community involvement with your neighbors which builds bonds and relationships
• Technology – The greatest achievement in the 21^st century is limiting our ability to interact on a in person level, perform physical activity, interact with the outdoors and negatively impacts child rearing and distracts those that use it from many experiences from the past

The ability to do and be. These depend on if you actually do or are those things.  So many I have encountered believe because they can (or can’t) think of doing something, believe they can (or can’t).  Yes you may be able to, but you have to actually perform the action to know you can.  Even if it is something you believe will have no value or provide nothing in return to you or anyone else, this should not matter.

Actually doing, is a learning experience.  It can be used for future reference, a conversation with someone else about that experience.  Helping someone to do what you know and they do not, or them helping you with something they did which you are wanting or trying to do.

Creating a better way or inventing or modifying a tool while you are doing to make it easier or even an invention or develop a business to provide a service for it…  the possibilities, creativeness strength building, friendships are unlimited.  And when were actually doing, and not only for ourselves, we remove the idle time many of us have to complain, and in contrast, be thankful for what we have, can do, can be and share it with others.   Thank you

There are only a few things I recall from the first grade. In Demotte Indiana, we lived on 3 acres and had horses, geese and a couple dogs. There are several things I recall from that time, but only 3 from my time in school. One was a large globe in the hallway we could spin as we walked by. The other two were recess memories. In our playground it was fenced in for us smaller kids and the slightly older kids were in the outside of the fence. It didn’t seem fair so I busted out one time through the kids that made sure we didn’t get out. Funny thing is, I have no memory I can recall, as to what I did once I was out. The other thing I recall was a bee landing on my head, so I didn’t move the whole recess until the bell rang, hoping it wouldn’t sting me. I wasn’t even sure it had stayed on my head or not.

These things mean nothing to me, but yet I remember them and I do not know why. I am sure there are things I would like to remember which I cannot. As a parent, especially today I continually think of how I can impress upon my children with remembrances. The experiences, small yet valuable togetherness, chores, work ethics and kind endeavors on the few days I get to see them.

It’s not always fun, but I try to make it interesting, when we’re planting our garden. For example a couple weeks ago, I was able determine which of my boys would eat a worm and at what price point. It was about a 10 minute internal struggle with my youngest, and a cost of $10 for me. Perhaps not a memory worth any notation on his future resume, but we can look back upon and laugh, especially when we mention the crunch it made when I said he shouldn’t swallow it whole.

It’s funny and not, how bees and worms can have an effect on us in such small ways, yet these small creatures have such a large impact on us all. Worms turn refuse into nutrient rich soil, bees pollinate our flowers, fruit and nut trees and provide us with honey.

As the youngest of 4, and the only family member born in Indiana, and raised on the 20 acre farm we moved to from the 2nd grade on, rural small farm life was my life. Now we had not only horses, but cows, chickens, goats, pigs and a large garden and homemade everything. Cutting wood to stack and prepare for winter to heat our house. Carrying from outside into a box inside for the night. I don’t miss that, but I kind of miss that at the same time.

I guess all this means that you do not know what memories you will have or what chore, or experience you will carrier with you into adulthood, which may make the difference. But the fact is, if they do not have a variety of good, tough, fun, and sometimes bad, yet growth building experiences, their future may be bleak or a greater struggle than need be.

We as adults now from urban or suburban upbringings and have not had rural experiences, living in today’s society rarely contemplate the literal efforts involved in making and doing it ourselves. I mean the simple things like making your own garden, digging a hole, mowing your own yard, creating something just from thinking about it, and going out to the garage and just making it.

Thanks for reading, and forgive me for going out there on a slightly different and less hard-hitting topic which may seem incongruent.

Oh ya, and one other thing.  China.  Just say no.