It’s interesting driving around this time of year. Especially when I drive north or south. That’s when the scenery changes the most.
The bluebonnets are out in full force from Dallas south. To the north they’re just starting to bloom. Redbuds are doing well in southern Oklahoma but not so much in northern Arkansas nor Missouri.
North of Springfield, Missouri shows very little growth of any leaves. Texas has hardly any bare branches.
This is why spring is always my favorite season. Even the dogwood trees are playing hide and seek.
I just found out one of my pastor friends is leaving. Pastor Owen posted that he’s leaving for a similar position at a church west of us so he’ll be closer to family. He’ll be missed.
Owen made the missions department at Stonebriar into the Missional Living Team. It grounded the idea that all outreach of the church is a missions mindset, not just the foreign country missionary places but the local needs of the surrounding community as well. I like that.
I received a text from my brother Mike on Friday. The paperwork has been signed and the money is in the trust. The buildings and 21 acres of the family farm are now under another family’s control.
Our family built that barn and house. The lumber for those buildings was harvested from that acreage. It’s where I developed my hard work ethic that still drives me today. It’s hard to see it go but necessary.
I was last up there in October, 2015. It was a gorgeous Indian Summer day with deep blue skies and pure white clouds. I strolled the pastures behind the barn and house and took pictures. I was pretty sure that would be my last time on the Webster farmstead. It was.
I could tell I’m a true Texan when the place seemed so small now. As a teenager it seemed to take forever to walk to the back forty to hunt. I marveled that my parents raised so many cattle and children on that place.
Ironically the inheritance from the sale will likely be the seed money that will make it so I can eventually buy the farm in the future, but not now.
Honestly, I don’t want to go back, not to the farm nor the long winters. My future holds so much promise to be truly used by God to build His kingdom. That’s been my life’s ambition since I walked the back roads with Jesus as a boy.
I just wiped tears from my eyes. My Jesus walks will always be extremely special for this old farm boy. I can picture them clearly.
It was an ideal setting for this introvert to grow up in. God knew that from before time began. I’m grateful for that heritage.
Yes, the winds of change are blowing alright.
I’m excited by the direction they’re blowing me into.
I’ll see you later. Wade
