From the Home Place

July 1, 2026

Today’s weather is starting at 48 degrees at 4:30 a.m. The prediction is for a high of 84 degrees with a light breeze. There was a lot of rain south and east of us last night, but none of it stopped here for a visit. The July forecast looks really dry!

Two things we all remember about the life of Jesus: He enjoyed children and He loved sharing a meal with others.

Yesterday our home was blessed with the laughter and joy of children! Starting just after noon, two young ladies around the ages of 8 and 10 were here for a visit. Miss Deb and these young ladies played a game called “Dutch Blitz” and then they made a special craft under Miss Deb’s direction. They left around 4:30 p.m. having enjoyed playing with Coffee, games and working with their hands.

Shortly after 6 two much younger ladies arrived with their parents. These little ones are two-years and five-months of age and oh my, the fun we had. We ate supper, served along with a lot of fun conversation. And then Dad and I went to the shop and sorted through some of my books for him. He took books on theology, preaching, church life and personal growth. We had a great visit that even more solidified my suspicion that God has His hand on this young man to preach the Gospel!

The ladies then joined us and we made S’mores. One bite and the two-year-old had melted marshmallow on both of her adorable cheeks. She had a couple of more bites and then talked some old guy into getting her some more chocolate! It was so fun to see the sparkle of little eyes!

I failed to mention that yesterday Miss Deb volunteered at the local museum in the morning as I worked on yard work and plumbing, and then we had company and then we had more company. You see, we could have easily said that we were too tired and too busy to have had either family in our home. But then, we would have missed a great blessing!

Friends, I am of the opinion that “busy” is one our worst enemies when it comes to being a blessing and receiving a blessing. We have so many gadgets and tools today that are supposed to make our lives easier, but when it is all said and done, we are too tired to entertain, thus we miss the joy of having children in our homes. Yes, we both went to bed shortly after 10 last night, tired and ready for sleep – which came quickly and was very refreshing. As we get up and get around today, we will talk of how fun it was to have young lives in our home!

If your life goal is to quickly become old and grumpy, then be “too busy” to entertain. Be too busy to fix an easy meal to share with others. Be too busy to laugh and listen to the stories of young lives. Be too busy to visit about life, including spiritual matters. Be too busy to bless and be blessed. Yep, being too busy is a great way to get old and grumpy!

I mean after all, if you were to have company in your home for an evening, you might have to miss setting in front of a television set for hours before you drag yourself to bed, wondering what good another day had been.

Friends, as I have often said, “No contact, no impact.” If you want to have a positive impact upon the next generations, you have to spend time with them, if you’re not too busy. Keep things simple, enjoy the opportunity and when they leave to return to their home, you can still snitch a TV program if you must. Or you can clean up, relax for a moment, and go to bed rejoicing with the words, “That was fun!”

Tonight, we are gathering with a nephew and the six other folks with him, along with another dear couple! Next week, we are planning to have a great-niece in our home for a few days, as we take her to a community event and then to a circus! What a fun time that will be!

We all have the same twenty-four-hour day before us. We will either use those hours as an investment into someone else’s life or will we just be “too busy” to be a blessing? And by the way, you don’t need a special invitation to show up around this outfit, we enjoy company.

Taking time to bless and to be blessed with you, Neal