Keys to the Kingdom

 

I stepped out onto my porch and saw him walking toward me, leaving his big honkin’ tractor-trailer rig idling in the lane. He greeted me, joined me on the porch and drawled, “Car-o-line, how’re we gonna do this?“ I answered, “You’re the expert, you do whatever you need to do to set that 600 lb. fireplace insert right here on the porch.“ (You could’ve   pushed me over with a feather when I saw a Fed Ex 18-wheeler instead of a normal-sized box truck like I was expecting.) He was grateful to know he had permission to  maneuver through my yard/pasture area, because he needed it to get into proper position to drop his load. I’d been waiting six months for this backordered item and it finally arrived when it was 85+ degrees. Seven trees, a fire pit, and a flag pole later, he proved he’d been skillfully doing this for 28 years. I was astonished from the moment those big wheels rolled across my entrance until they rolled out 40 minutes later. If you ever order an elephant or hippopotamus, you should ask for Eric to deliver it ‘cause he‘s the best!

 

As the All-Knowing Expert, God has my permission to sit in the driver’s seat of my life. He knows where I’m supposed to go and how to get me there at the right time. He knows what He’s doing and He doesn’t need my help with the steering wheel, accelerator, or brakes. On the way to church one morning, I set the cruise and a few miles later I noticed my foot was on the accelerator. I thought, “This is the way a lot of believers live. At our wit’s end, we finally ask God to help us. Then we get impatient and rack our brains trying to figure out how we can do it without Him.”

 

A really good bad example is found in the first book of the Old Testament. God told Abraham and Sarah they would have a child. After several years of waiting, Sarah got impatient and decided to help God out. “She said to Abraham, ‘The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.’ And Abraham agreed with Sarah’s proposal” (Genesis 16:2 NLT). In today’s culture, I think we might call that a FAIL. This was not God’s plan in any way, shape, or form.

 

“Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go, He’s the one who will keep you on track” (Proverbs 3:6 MSG). There are two voices that speak to believers and it’s absolutely essential to know the difference. Jesus said that His sheep know His voice and the voice of another they will not follow. Satan is cunning and he’ll lie to us in an attempt to steer us off the straight path onto a wild goose chase that’ll crash and burn.

 

God‘s driver‘s manual states that we are to, “Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path” (Proverbs 4:26 NLT). There was nothing straight about the layout of my property. However, it was obvious the truck driver had given careful thought as to how he would proceed before he visited with me. There are plenty of detours on life’s highway that are as crooked as a dog‘s hind leg. God repeatedly warns us not to leave the straight path. I appreciate the promise in Psalm 37:34 TLB: “I won’t be impatient for the Lord to act! I will keep traveling steadily along His pathway and in due season He will honor me with every blessing.”

 

The Key: Give Him the driver’s seat and let God be God in your life.

The growth of government regulations has advanced at a vigorous pace over the last several decades, and is accelerating.  From 1970 to 2017, the number of words in the Code of Federal Regulations nearly tripled from 35 million to over 103 million, according to a 2019 article published on Forbes.com, authored by Adam A. Millsap.  His study showed that a 10% increase in regulation increases consumer prices by 1%.  This excess hurts all of us, but the burden falls disproportionately on the poor and rural Americans.  Estimates are that the national poverty rate is 2.5% higher because of government regulations.  Consider the following:

 

• The annual cost of regulations is estimated at $2 trillion a year, which is higher than the Gross Domestic Product of all but nine countries in the world.
• In the last 22 years, federal agencies have published more than 88,000 final rules, of which 15,458 have been identified by federal agencies as having a negative impact on small business.
• In the last 60 years, the United States population increased by 98% while the federal regulatory code increased by 850%
• It is estimated that by 2025, the average additional cost of an automobile due to government regulations will be $7,200.

 

One specific example, my bank employer is a public company with over $1.5 billion in assets managed.  We are required to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act passed in 2002 in response to the Enron scandal which requires the generation of a voluminous number of internal reports.  The law is extremely complex and the penalties for non-compliance are substantial; so much so, we choose to undergo an independent audit just to make sure we are in compliance with this one law.  The internal cost to comply is hard to discern, but we do know that we spend $220,000 annually on the external audit alone.

 

The result of this additional cost of regulation requires a business to grow revenue or watch profits go away.  In banking, the number of charters has gone down 73% since 1970, and the shrinkage has occurred disproportionately in rural counties.  Why is Western Insurance gone?  The primary culprit is the cost of increased regulation that required consolidation in the insurance industry.

 

Some amount of regulation is necessary for public safety, but we have created a huge bureaucracy whose incentive is to advocate for more laws to enforce in order to perpetuate their own existence.  Politicians love the chance to make their mark on what they perceive as the public good.  For a deep dive on this subject, visit the Reason TV channel on YouTube and search for “Great Moments in Unintended Consequences.”  You will be shaking your head while you roll your eyes.

 

For the sake of the poor, small businesses, and rural America, we have to hold our politicians accountable to defeating this hidden enemy of rural communities by decreasing unnecessary and harmful regulations.

I don’t watch much television, but when I do, I have a few favorites: “20/20 on Own; America’s Got Talent; and The Voice.  Dave isn’t a fan.  He finds the murder shows depressing, even though I remind him that the killer is always caught and given life in prison without parole.    Dave says it doesn’t take DNA evidence or tire track impressions to know who did it because it’s always the spouse.

As for the talent shows, Hubby thinks it’s unfair when anyone who has a professional background competes.  He favors John Wayne shoot-em-up Westerns, sports, John Wayne shoot-em-up Westerns, Fox News and John Wayne shoot-em-up Westerns.

Not me.

  For starters, John Wayne is not much of an actor.  Hold your critical horses. Great acting, in my opinion, implies one can play multiple characters.  Like Tom Hanks or Meryl Streep. John Wayne is always…well, John Wayne.  Too, the plots of his movies are predictable. The guys in the white hats on the white horses always win.  As for the news, it’s pessimistic and gives me bad dreams.                                                                                                                                       Simply put, I like happy endings.  Cinderella.  A reconciled marriage.  Winning the World Series. “Remission.”  Ukraine successes.  Forgiveness.  The Greatest Showman.   A debt paid.   Afghanistans rescued.  A Weight Watcher’s goal met…and kept (so I’ve heard). Happy reunions. Everyone ending up in Heaven. Well, almost everyone.  Not terrorists who behead or burn people alive.  Not Nero or Hitler or Mengele or Stalin.  Not Osama bin Laden.

And yes, I know I am to forgive or I cannot be forgiven.  I forgive evil people; I just don’t want to share Heaven with them.

  If you’re like me, you’re bothered when the good guy loses.  The Bible isn’t short on such stories.

Take Moses, for example.  He has a little hissy fit—Who wouldn’t after 40 years of dealing with a bunch of knuckleheads? —strikes a rock and is punished.  Maybe his behavior deserves a time out or a day without his staff, but Moses was greeted with what I consider to be a harsh penalty. Granted, he surely ended up in Heaven, and in reality, that’s all that really matters, but to be denied entrance into the Promised Land?

  Wait! I guess that’s what Heaven is, so he wasn’t denied after all.  And best yet, we’re going to get to meet him when we get there.  Happy days!

Two times in the past month, five St. Mary’s graduates (from the class of ’64) and I have met to relive our experiences growing up in Fort Scott.  Details are added by those with exceptional memories, and sometimes we agree to disagree or ask forgiveness for our parts in petty, selfish actions.  An hour lunch turns into four as most of the time is spent laughing and empathizing.  We are catching up on each others’ lives and cherishing these conversations.

One day, there will be a reunion like no other.  Matthew 8:11 reminds us of what that will be like: I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

Can you imagine?  “Paul, please pass the mashed potatoes.”  “Esther, how terrified were you when confronting the king?”  “Jesus, thank you for making all of this possible.” 

There will be no disagreements or tears shed or need to ask forgiveness or murder mysteries, and I can’t imagine the details that will be added to stories of which we know only a part.

 As for “happy endings,” I can’t think of any better.

 

 

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

 

Several years ago, when our son was in college and still living at home, he had a beautiful fawn Boxer. I grew up with dogs living outside, but we made an exception for Gus to live indoors because he was such a smart, lovable, and loyal companion. Aaron took responsibility for house training him and all was well — until the evening all three of us left Gus home alone. I guess he got terribly bored, emotionally strung out, or so lonesome he could cry. Anyway, after being gone, I was the first to enter the living room. Gus was just quietly sitting there, but he had eaten the couch and strewn the stuffing all over the floor. I don’t know exactly why he ate such a strange supper. Fortunately, that couch needed to be replaced anyway, so I thought the furniture casualty was extremely funny!

 

Let’s drop the “ing” from “stuffing” and just focus on “stuff.“ God is greater than stuff (hard times). A partial list of stuff that we might encounter could be: career disappointments, various losses (death, divorce, job) sickness, financial setbacks, family heartaches, etc. But be of good cheer because believers are not up a creek without a paddle. We have this wonderful promise, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1 NLT).

 

The devil will tell you that your situation is hopeless. But there’s not an iota of truth in that lie. Jesus was speaking to the crowd about the devil and said, “He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 NLT).

 

Christ followers are to practice trusting God every day through thick and thin. Otherwise, we’ll live in worry, fear, anxiety, and doubt and that‘s a miserable way to survive. If we fail to trust God and His promises, we’re actually being prideful in thinking we can handle our stuff by ourselves. Having a deep-seated confidence in God proves that we believe He has the solution when we don’t. God says, “I will…make Trouble Valley a Door of Hope” (Hosea 2:15 GNT). God takes care of His children in a precarious world. We can move forward if we’ll trust Him to direct and help us.

 

When stuff (hard times and challenges) happens, don’t allow the devil to fill your mind with his garbage of anxiety. Make a stout decision to trust God to pull you through the knothole. You can be more than a survivor, you  can be an overcomer through Christ. He  has experienced every temptation we have and He will help us press through to victory.   He said He would never leave us alone and we can take that to the bank.

 

“To depend” means you can believe in, rely on, bank on, count on, lean on, and pin your  hopes on someone who‘s proven to be trustworthy. Written by Randy Phillips and recorded by Janet Paschal, “You Can Depend on Jesus” really brings this truth down where we live: “It’s fairly easy what you need to do, Invest your trust in One who’s tried and true; The Ageless Stone will stand alone when all the sifting sands of life have come and gone. You can depend on Jesus, you can depend on Him. As He was yesterday, tomorrow He’ll be the same. You can depend, you can depend on Him.”

 

The Key: When life’s cushion falls apart at the seams and stuffing is everywhere, you can depend on God to help clean up the mess.

 

Changes in how we produce food has to be the number one reason rural America and Bourbon County (BB) are shrinking; however, agriculture continues to be a major economic influence in small communities and the number one industry in BB.  Consider the following 2017 statistics about BB agriculture from the State of Kansas:

 

Total acres in BB:         406,701      Acres farmed:         335,935, or 82.6%

 

Total farm employment:        821, or about one in ten workers

 

Agricultural product sales:     $79 million

 

Cattle population:         71,079, or about 5 cows per BB resident

 

In the State of Kansas, agricultural produced $8.8 billion in product in 2017, which was 4.6% of the $192.3 billion total Gross Domestic Product (“GDP”) for the State.  Nationally, agricultural was 7.7% of the GDP in 1930; by 2002, that percentage had fallen to 0.7%.  It is not that agriculture has produced less; rather, our economy has become much more diversified, and most of that has occurred in urban areas. Kansas remains 6.6 times more dependent upon agriculture than the average state.

 

What about agricultural employment?  In 1900, 41% of the labor force in the United States of American (“USA”) were agricultural workers; by 2002, that number had fallen to 1.9% of the labor force.  It is easy to see that this 20^th Century megatrend has impacted rural America to a far greater extent than their urban counterparts.

 

It is not hard to discern how this happened.  At the beginning of the 20^th Century, the industry relied upon horses and mules for the heavy lifting around the farm; these animals, which required care and feeding as well, were replaced by about 5 million tractors and other vehicles and implements.  This mechanization, along with improved methodologies, has driven farm consolidation; while the number of farms in the USA has dropped 63%, the average farm size has increased by 67%.  Additionally, in 1930, about one-third of farmers earned off-farm income; 70 years later, that number was 93%.

 

The impact on rural American has not only been devastating in terms of population, but culture.  In 1900, about 60% of rural Americans were farmers; the number is about 20% now, and 10% in BB.  Once culturally dominate in rural communities, they are now relegated to the sidelines.  Anecdotally, when I grew up in a farm community in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s, farmers occupied the key roles in government around the county, including commissioners and school board members; that is seldom the case now.

 

This is another national megatrend that was out of the control of rural American communities, and characterizes the nature of our demise.  No one is to blame, it is all a part of living in a small community with wide open spaces.

 

Next week, I will take a deep dive into the dramatic increase in government regulations which has further strained rural American businesses, driving many of them to close down or to sell to larger companies.  It is another key factor in why BB is shrinking.

Recently, hundreds of people arrived in Fort Scott to create an ESPN, “Red Bull Special” about motocross riding.  Ten of the world’s top riders came from as far as Belgium and Australia to compete in what they called “the most competitive event ever.” Hollywood producers, camera people, event coordinators and hill design specialists worked on my son’s and daughter-in-law’s ranch to turn a few acres into what I called a “crazy land.”

For days ahead, the riders checked out the 120+ possible jumps, knowing that they would be judged for their three-minute, death-defying tricks.  I had no idea what to expect, but over 1,000 race-lovers did, so weeks ahead of time, they purchased tickets to sit in the grandstands to cheer on these daredevils.

Because the event was held on Adam and Jenn’s land, I was allowed to watch the practices.  I held my breath as the riders zoomed to the top of one hill, only to take off and land 150-feet away on the down slope of another hill.  Sometimes they somersaulted their motorcycles in mid-air or did handstands on their bikes while holding on to the handlebars, looming forty feet over our heads.

The day before the race, Tyler, the biker who first had the dream to create this happening, walked into Adam and Jenn’s kitchen to talk with some of the soldiers who had come to watch.  I told him that I was terrified with what I saw and asked if he ever had broken any bones.  He listed them: both feet; both femurs; most ribs; a collarbone; wrists (multiple times); and both arms, one a compound fracture twelve weeks earlier.  He added that there had been several ACL tears and concussions.

On the day previous, Tyler had mastered a vault with such difficulty that all the other practicing racers stopped and applauded.  I asked him about it.  “For four days,” he said, “I have stayed awake at night, dreaming of how to tackle that jump.  I’d never mastered a hill with that degree of difficulty, but I had to do it.  I just got into my ‘hollow head’ and made it happen.”

“Your what?” I asked.  Tyler explained that when he is overcome with fear, he allows nothing else to enter his head besides conquering that terror.  I asked the soldiers if they knew about a “hollow head.”  They nodded. One answered, “When you’re in Iraq with rifles drawn, and you’re entering a home, unaware of what’s on the other side of the door, you have to be 100% focused if you plan to come out alive.” The bikers and the soldiers were kindred spirits, even though their motives were drastically different.

What makes some people determined that Fear will not win, and others let it defy who they are?  Why can’t we all allow “hollow head” to direct our focus in whatever we need to conquer?  If these riders and soldiers allow that mindset to help them do deathly, fearful things, shouldn’t we too be able to replace our anxious thoughts with a determination to master those silent enemies?

According to Proverbs 12:25, “Anxiety weighs down the heart of a man, but a good word cheers it up.” By speaking only encouragement to our souls, could we dare tackle something about which we have been uneasy or alleviate something that keeps us stagnant?

I love how Jesus put it as recorded in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.”  Jesus offers us his peace.  Today, let’s boldly look at whatever we fear, hollow our heads and give Jesus a chance.  All we have to do is ask.

Small Towns and Megatrends

 

From 1776 to 1941, America’s growth was driven by the expansion of virtually every small town in America.  Americans wanted freedom, elbow room, and time to enjoy relationships; however, that has all changed since World War II.  This column is the first in a series that expands on last week’s effort which asks the rhetorical question, “Why is Bourbon County Shrinking?”  I will share my research and attempt to identify the primary drivers, beginning with the forces that birthed urbanization.

 

Rapid industrialization of America was forced on us by Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany.  We became embroiled in a war, not of our own choosing, and we were not ready.  Something had to be done quickly.  Early naval battles after December 7, 1941 revealed that our weaponry was hopelessly outdated and unreliable.  We had to mobilize and innovate, as our very survival was at stake.  We were very close to an invasion of our West Coast and we had no time for political correctness.  We had to build factories, manufacture steel, and produce cutting edge machinery, weaponry, and ammunition.

 

To further incentivize new plants and the expansion of existing plants, lucrative tax incentives and accelerated depreciation were used.  This effectively had the impact of shifting the tax burden of the war effort disproportionately to small town America.  We continued to pay the freight without the benefit of new factories and new jobs. No patriotic American complained, as everyone understood the urgency of the task.

 

No one could have foreseen that this urbanization would begin to change the culture of America.  As cities grew, swelling with the influx of workers to support the war effort, well-planned suburbs began to spring up and cities and the surrounding communities grew together.  Suburban living was born and exploded after the war, facilitating the “Baby Boom” generation. This demographic grew rapidly from 1946 to 1964; you might have guessed that major cities benefitted far more than small towns during that time period, as returning soldiers filled the factory jobs now vacated by stay at home moms.

 

America prospered after the war, and the luxury of disposable income was experienced by a high number of citizens.  This megatrend was met by the entertainment industry competing for these dollars.  The “Boomers” fell in love with movies, the theater, ball games, golf, and numerous entertainment choices available in large cities.  As the value systems of Americans began to change, more and more young people left the “boring, dead end” life of small communities for high paying jobs and the entertainment choices of metropolitan areas.  The entertainment culture was born, and was adopted in mass by the children of the Boomers, who had no connection to small town living.

 

In retrospect, these megatrends look like forgone conclusions.  What could have small town Americans done to mitigate these trends?  Not much.  As Yogi Berra is quoted as saying, “If people don’t want to come out to the ballpark, nobody’s going to stop them!”  Right now, the ballpark of small town America is emptying out.

 

Next week: Where Have All the Farmers Gone?

“One thing no one ever talks about when it comes to being an adult is how much time we debate keeping a cardboard box because it’s, you know…a really good box.”

I don’t know who said that, but that person must have been eavesdropping yesterday morning when Dave and I “straightened up” our garage, an activity I always dread because it has the potential to drastically change my mood.  Especially when Dave points to my stash of cardboard boxes, resting harmlessly—yet potentially useful—on a high shelf that requires a ladder to reach.  I know what you’re thinking: “Gee, Dave, it’s not like she has them stuffed in your car or anything.”                                                                                                                                      I appreciate your support.                                                                                                                  For the most part, I’m Dave’s gopher on these sorts of tasks.  I go for his tools or help him lift something heavy or remind him to drink water or hold the dolly or measuring tape or whatever it takes to serve my man.  I say very little because this is his domain, except of course when he attacks my boxes. My words never change: “Dave, one never knows when one might need a microwave box or a thimble box or anything in between.”                                                                         Dave’s response makes no sense.  “So, shouldn’t those boxes have a shelf life of three or four years and then be thrown out?”  Really!  If you are a forward thinker like I am, you can predict what will happen.  The day after I leave my boxes for the trash man, some emergency will arise and I will need what I just tossed.  I’m not sure what that emergency might be, but it surely could happen.  One needs to be prepared.                                                                              I am a preparer. Probably to a fault. If leaving for a trip, I pack days ahead of time.  That way, I can change my mind numerous times and still manage to get where I’m going without something I need.  I make food items as far ahead as I can, meaning I will make only two trips to the grocery store the day that meal is scheduled.  If my Zoom Bible study leader gives a homework assignment due in a week, I am ready to go days before we meet. I will have forgotten half of what I’ve learned, but, by golly, I can raise my hand when asked if we read the assignment.  I’m never late. If I’m late, I’m probably dead.                                                                          Still, I sort of admire people who fly by the seat of their pants.  They have less angst than I, as they don’t get uptight about last-minute preparations. “What if” is not in their vocabulary, whereas it is my mantra.  Because of that, you would think that I would be ultra-prepared to meet my Maker.  Luke 21:36 should be a scripture I never would forget: Be alert at all times. Pray so that you have the power to escape everything that is about to happen and to stand in front of the Son of Man.                                                                                                                                          I need to be confident that when it’s time to go Home, I will have done everything necessary to be assured of spending eternity with Jesus. I will end well.  Feeding the poor.  Praying.  Writing an encouraging note.  Praying.  Running an errand for an invalid.  Praying.  Maybe even taking all my boxes to the trash can, just to please my husband.                         Naah, not that last one.                                                                                                                 Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”  Next time Dave suggests I part with my stockpile of boxes, I plan to tell him that.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

Nose to the Grindstone
Most of us have heard the following expressions: “He‘s not afraid of hard work.” “Put some elbow grease on it.” “You‘re burnin‘ daylight.” “If you don‘t work, you don‘t eat.“ “Make hay while the sun shines.” “If you choose a career you love, you’ll never work a
day in your life.“

Work is a big part of life and, if we want to amount to anything, we
have to work in some fashion. It may not be punching a time clock on the production line, or working in the office 9 to 5, driving a big rig, or pushing cattle, but we all have some type of work to accomplish. Honestly, there’s no paycheck for a lot of the work we do — just the satisfaction of a job well done. Anybody can start a chore, but you have to put your nose to the grindstone to finish it with excellence.

In the Bible, we refer to Nehemiah as the weeping prophet, for when he was told that the remnant of Jews were in great trouble and shame, the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and the gates burned, he sat down and wept and mourned for days. He knew his people were defenseless against their enemies with no wall for protection. King Artaxerxes sent Nehemiah to Jerusalem as Governor of Judah and also Chief Construction Officer.
Nehemiah maintained a close relationship with God, and God gave him wisdom on how to accomplish the huge task of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem.

After Nehemiah inspected the wall, he called the men together and basically told them, “Don’t be afraid, trust God and work like crazy.“ Before the construction began, the scripture tells us, “the people had a mind to work” (Nehemiah 4:6 ESV). A stouthearted
decision must be made before we start something or there’s a strong possibility we won’t stick with it when the going gets tough.

Nehemiah and the people prayed and partnered with God, therefore, He set a guard as a protection against their enemies day and night. Nehemiah writes, “I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people,
‘Do not be afraid of them [enemies]. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.’ When our enemies heard that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such
a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out“ (Nehemiah 4:13-18,21 ESV). This formidable half-warrior/half-worker team was committed to build with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other.

There are times when a believer’s job is to pray, trust, and wait. But the building of Jerusalem’s wall was not one of those times to kick back and see what God would do.

This was a time for God to see His people use their elbow grease. If they were determined to work, then He would take care of them. This construction was no walk in the park, but it was possible with God’s favor on His valiant crew. He protected them as they labored, and everyone had a part to play in this huge project which was completed in just 52 days.

The Key: Put your nose to the grindstone and God will protect it from getting skinned.