The Gowin Family » Friends

Gleaning the fields

Suzanne — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:57:54 +0000

While we were riding in the combine the other day, “helping” with the last of the harvesting, God was making some connections for me to his Word and to my studies. I was reminded of the research I have done lately for my thesis: “God’s Heart for the Fatherless.” It seems that so much of the Israelites’ life was tied to and formed around the harvest. Their social status was determined by whether or not they owned land, the widows and the fatherless being at the bottom of the class system because they had no property or land. Their understanding of God’s blessing was displayed by how well the harvest did that year, and many of their prayers revolved around that blessing. Every seventh year, the land was to have a Sabbath: no one was to plant or harvest on the land but the widows and orphans were allowed to pick what sprang up voluntarily. The tithes and free-will offerings were mostly given from their harvest, and God instructed the landowners to give to a storehouse every three years enough to provide for the widow and fatherless. Some of those tithes and offerings went to a community feast that God made sure included the widows and the fatherless so that they felt a part of the covenant community as well. And God gave explicit commands to His people on how to provide for the widows and the fatherless by leaving the gleanings behind for them to harvest themselves. The landowners were commanded not to go back to a wheat field or to the olives and grapes a second time to make sure they didn’t miss any. Some especially generous landowners, like Boaz, actually left extra behind on purpose to provide for the poor.

As you can see, Israel’s life was intimately tied to the harvest and the orphans and the widows depended on it. As I experienced the harvest the other day, I realized that some very generous, gracious people have left behind some of their gleanings, purposefully, to help provide for the fatherless children we are bringing home. Thank you, Father, for that connection and for that very tangible display of blessing in our lives. You are truly “Father to the Fatherless.”

Helping with Harvest

Michael — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 15:25:07 +0000

Our friends Tim and Connie own a farm just west of Lincoln. Tim and his brothers are the fourth generation of their family to farm on this land in central Illinois, their great-grandfather having emigrated here from Ireland in the 1850s. ”In those days, it was either leave or starve,” Tim told me. In fact, Tim’s brother still lives on the property that was originally owned by his great-grandfather.

They have been in the corn and soybean fields 12-14 hours a day for the past several weeks bringing in his crops and we had the opportunity to ride along in the combine yesterday. Tim was gracious (and trusting) enough to let each of us take a turn at driving the combine, too. Though it was a fun novelty for us, I imagine it becomes wearying to do it day in and day out for weeks on end. Still, Tim loves his work and considers himself grateful and blessed to be able to do it. We’re grateful to have had a chance to join him on this new learning experience for us.

Suzanne and the kids are packed into the cab of the combine while Tim reaps the soybeans.

A soybean plant before it is harvested.

The combine moves through the field, collecting the crop.

Soybeans after they've been collected by the combine.

One of Tim's dogs stands alertly by the semi-truck, waiting for the combine to return.

Suzanne takes a turn at the wheel.

The combine empties its load into the semi trailer. From here it will make a short trip up the highway to offload at the grain elevator.

Tim watches as he carefully maneuvers the combine to offload the harvest.

Shhh! It’s Liam’s Birthday

Michael — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 22:09:38 +0000

We have had a history of having themes for each of the kids’ birthdays. For Liam’s birthday this year, we did a “secret agent birthday bandit” theme. It was rumored that the Birthday Bandit had been lurking in the neighborhood, stealing presents from birthday parties. Sure enough, while we were outside playing with Liam and his guests, the Birthday Bandit found our house and stole the presents. Fortunately we found enough clues hidden around the house to recover the gifts and unmask the thief. Here are a few photos from the preparations and day of the party.

Erika Holst’s “Wicked Springfield”–get it signed on Thursday

Michael — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 01:20:06 +0000

Our friend, former neighbor, and Abraham Lincoln historian Erika Holst had her first book, Wicked Springfield, published last month. She’ll be signing copies at the local library on Thursday evening–I’ve put some details on my photography site. Hope to see you there!

Let the little children come to me

Michael — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:14:13 +0000

Our friend and mentor Dr. Bob Lowery shares a wonderful interaction he recently had with his granddaughter. Take a moment to be blessed.