When is Your Time?

I have always hated making decisions. Really big life changing decisions frightened me for the longest time, and making the little day to day decisions, like what I`m going to eat for lunch, are tedious and annoying to me. Being indecisive is something I've lived with my whole life. So, naturally, I looked to those around me to help make these decisions. For the big decisions in my life, one of those special people is my father. He was actually the person who taught me the most about my choices and how important they are. My father has a unique outlook on life. He believes that in every situation in life we have a choice on how to approach and handle it. I remember the day my father taught this exact lesson to my brothers and I.

  It was a Saturday, and just like every Saturday, my brothers and I were enjoying a nice day at home. Just like every Saturday, my brother Tobias and I, being very similar people, were butting heads on who would be using the only computer in the house next. Like normal my oldest brother Sam tried to break up the impending argument that was about to break out and got drug into the argument himself. So naturally, we went to the only parental advisor in the house, my father. It just so happened, that on this particular Saturday, my mother had taken the day off to hang out with her friends; fully knowing this, I was ready to put on the best “daddy`s little girls” act to get what I wanted. As we all ran up to my dad speaking at once, he told us to stop. He looked at the three of us and asked us a very confusing question. “If I were to spit on you, would you be mad?” My brothers and I exchanged confusing looks. I`m thinking, “Dad, you’re the one who taught me spitting on people is socially unacceptable. Of course I would be mad!”  

My brothers and I came to the conclusion and told our dad, “Yes, if you spit on us, we would be mad at you.” Our father looked at us and said, “No, you would be wet. Only you decide whether you get mad or not.” At the time I did not fully understand this lesson; however, I was recently reminded how much our decisions affect our lives and thought back to what my dad had taught my siblings and me. He was right; we have a decision in everything in our lives, and they have a big impact on where we end up. This was made clear to me just the other week.

After the six of us were elected to office, we were beyond excited to be serving the members of Minnesota FFA. We knew that the year was going to be jam packed full of adventures and opportunities we had never been given before. On of these opportunities was going to be traveling to South Africa for two weeks. I was very excited for the opportunity and wanted to go back to the country that had stolen a part of my heart two years earlier. I longed to go back, but this trip would be a big chunk of money (on top of the even bigger chunk of money I was paying for college), and the trip was going to be the first two weeks in January (which happened to be the first two weeks of spring semester). This was going to be a hard decision. So, I turned to my dad for guidance. After a long talk, he made it clear that in the end this was my decision not his, but he did leave me with this advice, “Spencer, I know that there will be many opportunities for you throughout this year. Maybe this one is just not for you. There is a time and a place for everything, so what is your time? Maybe there is something bigger right around the corner.”

In the end, I decided not to go on the trip to South Africa with my teammates. But little did I know that my father was right; there was an amazing opportunity right around the corner. A few weeks after my teammates had been accepted as one of the 75 state officers traveling to South Africa, I learned of an opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. for National Ag Day. This was an opportunity I was not going to let pass me by. My teammate Eleora and I applied, and were both very excited when we got accepted. We booked our

flights and waited for March 20th to come. The chaos of my life took my mind away from my trip, and it slipped to the back of my mind. The Monday before we were to leave I got an email from the National Ag Day coordinator; it read: “we're excited to see you in D.C. in a week!’ and included a few tasks we had to complete before arriving. I got excited and started a packing list. Knowing I would have the time to speak with some Congressmen and women, I caught up on Minnesota agriculture so I could have good conversations when in D.C. Later that week on Thursday, I received another email from Jordan who works for National FFA; this email got me very excited to travel to D.C. It was inviting me to attend the National Ag Day Celebration and Proclamation Signing at the United States Department of Agriculture on Tuesday with the Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, and special guest speaker Vice President Mike Pence. I was going to see our Vice President speak, I was so excited for the opportunity! I went home that night and celebrated with my family. 

       The next morning, I was standing in the kitchen talking with my dad before I had to leave to go to a conference. I was just about to leave when my phone buzzed, and I decided to check it before I left (and boy, am I glad I did!!!). It was an email from a staff member from National FFA, It went something like this…

“Spencer,

I hope this email finds you well, and you are excited to join us in Washington D.C. for National Ag Day. I was just wondering if you would like to introduce the Secretary of Agriculture at the celebration on Tuesday?”

Needless to say, my jaw hit the floor! Standing in my kitchen, I quickly replied to the email saying I would LOVE the opportunity! Then my dad looked at me and said, “Spencer, remember when you didn't take the opportunity to travel to South Africa, and I said it was because it wasn't your time. Well, now is your time.”  

BEYOND excited, I jumped on the plane to head to D.C. for the opportunity of a lifetime. On Tuesday I introduced the Secretary of Agriculture, met the Vice President, and received a special shout out in his speech. I was on cloud nine for days!! I got this incredible opportunity because I waited for my time.

As FFA members we are given countless opportunities in and out of the blue jacket. I know many FFA members who take all of them (don't worry, I was the same way). Even though we have many opportunities available to us, often times we do not get every single one. Whether it be serving in a specific office we were going for, or competing at a higher level in a CED or LDE, getting the lead role in a play or musical, getting a scholarship to school or a camp/conference, or getting that perfect dream job, it is not because we are not good enough for it, it is simply not our time. What is the next thing right around the corner we can't see yet? How do we handle ourselves when we don't achieve a goal? Are we bitter and full of resentment, or do we move forward to the next opportunity knowing it is not our time? When is your time?

Check out the clip of me introducing the Secretary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJVX-Pdwx1c&feature=youtu.be

For the final time, Stationed by the Emblem of Washington,

Spencer Flood 

You Reap What You Sow

This week I had the amazing opportunity to hop on a plane with Spencer and spend time in Washington DC, celebrating National Ag Day. Now obviously, this is my favorite holiday because who doesn’t love agriculture?! I was more than excited to spend a whole day advocating on behalf of something I was so passionate about, and I maintained this enthusiasm all night throughout the conference. We talked to experts in agriculture and practiced exactly what we would say when we walked through the office doors of our legislators. My favorite part of this preparation was listening to everyone’s unique agriculture stories which ultimately brought them to the chairs they sat in that day. Fast forward through an early morning full of pouring rain, drying skirts underneath hand dryers, and legislative meetings to where we were sitting in the United States Department of Agriculture’s cafeteria.

After listening to the wise words of Sonny Perdue, the United States Secretary of Agriculture, we were asked to reflect on our day and what had happened in our visits. After processing our experiences, we were then asked to talk to someone sitting next to us. After talking for a while, my partner and I started talking about how crazy it was for people to not understand agriculture, and how we have to work so hard to advocate for it, even when we really don’t see the results.

For us as FFA members, it’s hard for us to NOT understand agriculture. If you eat it, it’s related to agriculture. If you wear clothes, it’s related to agriculture. If you live in house, it’s related to agriculture. Yes, these may all be different facets, but it’s all connected nonetheless. We put so much emphasis on being consistent with our agricultural stories but sometimes it’s hard when others don’t understand them. Ultimately however, they can all be related to one quote:

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”

When things take time, it’s hard to see the big picture and we get frustrated looking at the small details. As advocates for the things we are passionate about, we don’t necessarily see the results right away. Even when we go through life, we don’t see the results; however, we may see them years later!

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of watching the Deer River FFA chapter’s Conduct of Chapter Meetings team as they prepared for State Convention this spring. I watched as they point of ordered each other, rocked their opening ceremonies, and debated their chapter’s fruit sales. After an impressive demonstration, they sat and discussed what they could work on to be even better than they were now. To some people it

may seem like little things, but to them, those little things made all the difference for an even better result. Their team wasn’t focused on what they looked like now; they were focused on what they could DO now to make themselves better.

In life and agriculture, we must remember this as we encounter others. Even though it may be hard, we need to look for the bigger picture of the impact we have and not just the results we see right away. There’s no doubt we will encounter those who don’t have the same opinions as us or those who don’t quite comprehend the importance of agriculture, but we still must plant those seeds for them. No matter how small it may be, the seeds we plant now can grow into other incredible things that others can utilize. Whether it’s the steps we take to prepare a CDE team, the number of times we tell our family we love them, or even the seconds we listen to someone about their day, those small seeds we plant, end up growing into an incredible outcome.

Stationed by the flag for the final time,

Eleora DeMuth

The Man. The Myth. The Legend.

This week didn’t go quite as I had planned. Yesterday I had the unfortunate luck of finding out that the power steering in my car was badly damaged and needed to be repaired. When I brought my car into Park Service station this morning, however, I was greeted by friendly faces and the reminder that my car would definitely be in good hands. I talked with Ned, the station’s owner, and Paul, one of the mechanics, to make a plan for the repair of my vehicle. The strong relationship I have with the guys at Park Service is just one of the ways that my grandfather’s legacy lives on.

 

My grandfather, Nick Mayers, lived his entire life working at service stations. His father managed an old Texaco station where my grandfather began working when he was only ten years old. He worked at a variety of stations throughout college and took over owning Park Service station when his dad passed away in 1967. At thirty years old he began operating his own small business and building his reputation throughout the community. He got to know just about everyone in the area, and everyone knew him. My grandfather would often hire young men to work as they attended college, and many of the men he trained have talked about the work ethic they learned from him well into their careers. He was a mentor to many and a respected leader in the community.  But his time at the station wasn’t without its challenges.

    In 1982 my grandfather had a severe cardiac arrest while working at the station. He spent five weeks in a coma and after finally waking up, remembered nothing. After long months of relearning everything from how to button his shirt, walk up stairs, eat with a fork, and drive. My grandma and his therapists spent weeks teaching him the names of common things like cars and trees and even the names of his siblings and children. The doctors said the fact that he was still alive was a miracle, and he worked hard to get back to any normal way of life. His recovery was a miracle in itself and within 9 months he was back to work at the station. While it was hard to adapt sometimes, he continued to work the best he could in the community to run his business. As he had worked so hard to support community members before, they all came together to support him and his family. Despite all of the hardships, he successfully operated the station for the next 17 years before retiring. Nick Mayers was a legend. He spent 51 years of his life working at stations on Como Avenue and left a legacy that will continue to survive throughout my lifetime.

    While my grandpa might not be around anymore, his spirit of comradery, mentorship, and community lives on at Park Service. But he didn’t leave a legacy because of one thing he did, he left a legacy because of all of the things he did. My grandpa built his legacy every day. Every time he showed a customer he valued their time and business by building a personal connection, or mentored a young mechanic, or persevered through the hours of occupational therapy so he could get back to doing what he loved, that’s when my grandpa built his legacy. In the same way, we build our own reputations and legacies with every choice we make. Every time we serve someone in need, encourage others around us, connect with new people, or support our communities or families, we create our own legacies. Each and every day we build the person that we are becoming and begin to leave an impression with our actions. The power of our legacies and actions live on beyond the span of our own lives. We have the chance each day to leave a legacy we are proud of. What legacy will you leave for your grandchildren?  

Stationed beneath the rising sun, 

Katie Benson

Cooties to Caring

"Ewww boys/girls have cooties!"

This statement has been familiar to each and every one of us for at least a small period of our lives. I'll never forget the time in middle school when boys and girls finally decided to like each other. This led us to form friendships that have stood the test of time and support each other regardless of our differences.

Fast forward about 10 years after the ‘cooties’ phase, and you will see 73 state FFA officers from around the country have the opportunity to travel to South Africa! Throughout this trip, we saw and experienced food, views, people, and so much more that we were not familiar with! The sights were some of the most beautiful I had ever seen and the food took me a step outside of my comfort zone. However, if we jump back to the moment we were stepping on the plane to fly to South Africa, joy was far from the feeling I was experiencing.  

Anxiety, loneliness, and resentment are what I just couldn’t seem to shake on the long flight across the Atlantic Ocean. As we landed, I felt shaky and wanted to go home. This country was hot (nothing like Minne-snow-ta), had food I wasn’t familiar with, and scary animals like baboons. The realization hit me that I was feeling homesick, and I did for the next few days of the trip. However, I couldn’t figure out why this was; I was never homesick, even when I moved into college, went to camps, etc. Why was this happening now, when I was surrounded with old and new friends?

While on the trip, we had small groups with adult leaders we debriefed with each night. Countless times in our small groups, we talked about what similarities there were between our countries, but I always seemed to be focusing more on the differences. It was just like back in elementary school when we thought boys weren’t like us and we weren’t willing to see that we were actually similar in some ways. It’s not always wrong to see the differences; after all, that’s human nature. However, an average person can easily identify how two people or places are different. But, it takes a true leader to fit the puzzle pieces together to find similarities. When I started to realize this, I knew something had to change, or the rest of the trip would be miserable.

As I continued to travel, I thought of South Africa as my home and put forth my greatest effort to point out the similarities between the two countries. Kind people, beautiful views, great friends, and delicious hamburgers were just a few of those commonalities that eventually helped me feel like I was truly welcome in the beautiful country of South Africa.

This can also relate to our lives as we meet new people. Often times, we look at others and immediately see the differences they have from ourselves, whether that be hair, skin color, personality, family background, or interests/passions/hobbies. We judge people in the first seven seconds we meet them, but think about how meaningful that could be if in those seven seconds we recognized a similarity.

As we leave for our trips on spring break and in the future, let’s remember that the country, or state, we are visiting isn’t all that different from our own. As we travel throughout our lives, if we recognize the things we have in common with others and the places we go, we can be united and see the beauty in all people and places.

Think of a time and place when you were homesick. What similarities could you have recognized between home and the destination?

How will you make an effort this week to recognize the similarities you have with someone else?

Stationed by the door,

Maddie Weninger

Arachnids, Academics & Answers

I am deathly afraid of spiders. You know those giant barn spiders with those beady little eyes that bear right down into your soul? Those are the WORST. And they show up overnight and decide to create their intricate webs over my open feed bags I need to get into to feed my show calves. (My stomach is tying in knots and goosebumps are forming on my arms just thinking about them.)

Tears were inevitable for the first half of the school day in kindergarten for me. The first day I didn’t cry, my teacher sent a note home with me to my parents - that was in February (and school started in September). I was so afraid of what I was missing at home. My mom would have to be sitting on the back step exactly where I left her when I got off the bus, and she would tell me that is where she sat all day and “...absolutely nothing had happened on the farm.” While I eventually started to like school - love it actually - the thought of moving to another building to start the 4th, 6th, and 9th grades was terrifying. The idea of starting high school was hideous; the intimidating height of upperclassmen and imminent stress of the never-ending class load wasn’t exactly something I was looking forward to.

Here's a glimpse at what my weeks look like.

My biggest fear, though, is the unknown of the future. I make lists - for everything. I try to plan out everything as much as possible. Details are crucial and I need to know as much as possible in advance; preparedness is something I thrive on. Setting goals and moving in that constant direction is a path I rarely stray from. But I’ve learned tomorrow is not guaranteed.

Fear can be so powerful. It can paralyze us from daily life and steal away incredible opportunities placed in front of us. But when we push past what scares us, we are able to learn, grow, and pursue our passions, goals and dreams. Sometimes other people push us out of our comfort zones, sometimes we don’t have a choice and are placed in a new environment where we have to face our fear, and sometimes we have to make the conscious decision to challenge ourselves to go beyond the fear.  

It’s easy to stick to what we know and what’s comfortable - but until we face our fears, we will never know what lies on the other side. Maybe you love to play basketball, and you’ve been working on a new move on the court, but you are too scared to try it out in a game. Once you feel prepared, take the leap of faith - face your fear one step at a time. One of my favorite quotes is:

“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.”

What do you fear the most? What is holding you back? Is it the uncertainty of the outcome? Or maybe the rejection or hurt that might accompany the risk? Why? How will you face your fear?

Everyday, we make the decision to stick to our normal routine or live the day as if it might be our last. Facing those barn spiders is scary to me, but if I don’t, I know I will never be able to accomplish my goals in the show barn. Having teachers, parents, and friends support and push me through moving to a new school or trying something new has led to some pretty amazing opportunities. If I hadn’t started high school, I wouldn’t have been involved in FFA; and then I never would have had the incredible opportunities to travel the world, meet so many incredible people, or discover and pursue my passion. And being prepared only gets you so far - my teammates have taught me the importance (and the fun) of “winging it” once in a while. And yes, the future is scary, but that is just part of life’s adventure and it's all about the attitude we have to embrace it.

Stationed by the ear of corn, 

Kylee

Something Good in Everyday

So a life update on Spencer. If you read my last blog (which I hope you did), I talked about my goal for this year and how I wanted to make everyday worth it, so at the end of the year I wanted a visual representation of how 2018 went. Well, I have been very good at filling out my year in pixels and plan on continuing with this little project of mine. (It's not too late to join!, you can start at anytime in the year.) I am very proud of the chart I made, I have mine layed out to be the following:

Top 10 Days: Teal 

Great Days : Purple

Good Days: Blue

Bad Days: Green

Terrible Days: Orange

Worst 10 Days: Red

I find a little joy at the end of each day when I fill it out, and get to see the little teal, purple, and blue boxes grow. Filling in  my boxes day by day, they remind me of all the good, happy, joyful things that happened on those days. However, this week was different. Up until this week, all of my days had been good, great, and even two top ten days! I finally had a bad day, and it was a tough pill to swallow. For a few days, I couldn't admit to myself that it was a bad day and couldn't bring myself to fill in the little box with green. I had felt like I had let myself down; like I had failed my goal of making everyday “worth it.”

Then I was reminded of some truth by a quote I saw. “Everyday may not be a good day, but there is something good in everyday.” We all lose sight of our goals at some point, and by not filling in my bad day in, I had lost sight of the purpose of this yearly summary. My goal was not trying to have every day be a good or great day, but it was to make sure I was reminded that I have the choice everyday to make it a good day. It is the bad days that give us something to compare the good days to.

My bad day might have been filled with stress, anxiety, sleep deprivation, preparation for a big exam, and words I cannot take back. But that day was also filled with working out with my teammate Kylee at the gym, talking about our days, the things to come in the week, and building our friendship and trust. It was dinner with friends while laughing about good times had that weekend. It was peace when I sat down for the first time to enjoy a breath of fresh air and laughing with my teammate after our weekly team meeting.

During this busy season of our lives, it is easy to find all the things that go wrong in one day, but it is important to remember the good things that happened that day. Trust me when I say they can be hard to find, but I promise they are there; you only have to look. Next time you find yourself thinking or telling a friend about all the things that didn't go right that day, stop and think of all the good that happened too. Find someone who will hold you accountable to this; someone who will listen to your bad days, but also tell you to switch your mind set and think of all the good things.  

I now have filled in that little box green, and it will serve to me as a reminder that it is okay to have bad days, that everyday might not be a good day, but there truly is something good in everyday.

Stationed by the Emblem of Washington, 

Spencer Flood 

Home Away From Home

     

Sometimes I wonder who ever came up with the idea of moving. It’s a weird concept honestly. Picking up entire groups of people or families and taking them from one spot in the world to another, leaving everything familiar behind. I actually have come to know this concept pretty well. In the time since I was a child, I’ve seen the snow capped mountains of Colorado fade into the flat corn filled fields of Nebraska and the narrow hiking trails of Montana merge with the heavily wooded forests of northern Minnesota. However, with all this sporadic moving, it makes it seem as if there is truly no such thing as home.

     On January 21st 2018, the news was official. The DeMuth family was picking up and moving AGAIN to an even weirder destination: Wisconsin. However, this time is a little different because I am not going with. With the news came worried texts from family, apologetic conversations with friends, stressful packing, and one or two utter breakdowns. During these breakdowns, I continually asked myself the hard questions:

How could this happen again?

What am I going to do without my parents?

Where am I going to stay?

Will I even have a home?

     All of these questions pressed in my mind as I started packing my life into cardboard boxes yet again. Sensing a need for a break, I sat back on my heater and paged through scribbled words in my journal picturing the adventures. I filled the pages and read up on my winter visit to the Battle Lake

FFA chapter. I remembered everything so clearly, from getting lost on a forgotten dirt road to arriving at a stranger’s doorstep. However, Sage did not remain a stranger for long. She opened her home to me, sharing dog kisses and her foreign language skills, along with plenty of laughs. The next morning, we drove to breakfast with the entire Battle Lake officer team. I sat and listened to the outrageous stories and watched as smiles appeared on every face, including my own.

     It wasn’t until later that I realized this is what home really is. In the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, home is described as ‘a place of residence;’ however, I believe the definition is a little deeper. To me, home is more of a feeling. Home is what I felt during breakfast that day. Home is when we are in a situation where we feel like we belong, like we’re valued and are needed there, because the people there make us feel that way. Home does not have to be one specific place. Home can be in

your house, your barn, your locker room, your best friend’s car, or even your ag room. What matters is how the people around you make you feel at home.

     As FFA members, we know this idea of home all too well, as well as what it feels like to not be at home. When you think about it, that’s why we try and create home for others, because we know the feeling. Next time you see a freshman, someone starting their first day at school, a shy competitor entering the show ring, or even someone having a rough day, try to create home for them. We can ask them about their interests and pair them into an FFA event that matches those, listen to their favorite crazy story from the show ring, or we can invite them for coffee with our friends after school. We may not be able to create a physical home for someone, but we can create the feeling.

Stationed by the flag,

Eleora DeMuth