Gum Family Farms, 14357 Gum Avenue, Tallula, IL (2026)

08/30/2026

Scripture Sunday!

Shout to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100

We have this thing at our church where leave a signup sheet in the entryway for "extracurricular" activities. Bingo, musicals, movies, etc. Anyone is welcome to host their favorite thing. It's kind of fun. Our minister has been wanting to have a gospel singalong event, and I've been wanting to have a worship service on our farm. Last night, we were able to combine the two. Our family is fortunate to have some pretty cool friends, and some of our pretty cool friends hopped on board with this thing from the start and put a ton of work into making this a good thing. Last night was good for my soul. There was music and laughter and scripture and friendship. There were snacks and prayers and the good kind of tears. There were children running around making noise and laughing. Sometimes they even had so much fun that they crashed and cried. Many brought chairs, some laid out blankets, and some sat on straw bales. There were a couple of mics and a couple of speakers and a couple of my friends who could sing. My goodness, could they ever sing. A young lady volunteered to read the scripture last night. That was cool. We got to sing happy birthday to my Mom, and the kids sang Jesus Loves Me. That was cool, too. The part that I loved last night the most though, was that we worshiped God as one. There weren't Methodists and Catholics and Lutherans and Disciples and Presbyterians and Independents. Last night, we were all just God's children. The way it should always be. Last night there were friends and neighbors and families who came to worship God. Last night there were people whom I had never met before who came to worship God. No strings. No expectations. We just worshiped God. Sometimes we find ourselves hiding from our faith in front of others, and we really don't even know why. Last night I learned that sometimes, if we are willing to throw ourselves out there, really cool things can happen in His name. Trust in the Father, my friends, He is good. Last night was good for my soul. Jesus loves you. Have a great week!

Happy Birthday, Mother. ❤️

08/23/2026

Scripture Sunday!!

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.””
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Bear with me today as I try and tie this passage to what is on my mind today. So yesterday Miranda left town to visit a friend, far enough away that it was an all day endeavor. (Side note—this is just background info but is a bit ironic. That is how she is so awesome about being intentional about nursing her relationships and keeping up with all those in her life— you’ll see what I mean..) Braker went to see his papa and Grammy because I had intentions of doing a cleaning project in our basement. They took off early in the morning and I went to the farm to do chores before getting started. After chores I had to run to town to get a few supplies. I had to visit three stores before finding what I needed. At every store, I ran into at least one person I knew, and it was just one of those days when everyone was in the mood to visit, me included. Eventually I made it back to the farm to grab a couple more things on my way home. Inevitably, more company popped in while I was there. That turned into an hour conversation at least. Finally at 2:00 I was back home and ready to start on this project. I worked for a couple hours, and Steven showed up. We laughed and visited and enjoyed a beer together like we tend to do. Then our friends Brittany and Wyatt showed up. We had a beer and visited and laughed like we tend to do. It was around 6:30 and I went back to the basement and worked for a couple more hours. Needless to say I didn’t get the project done like I planned. I reflect on that today and remember those kinds of days being commonplace when I was young, and are some of my favorite memories. It’s seems less common now as the world tends to get busier. I tend to over focus on accomplishing my plans for the day, but yet yesterday I was completely satisfied. I was satisfied because I believe God sometimes plays a hand in reorganizing our priorities for us. It was more important for me to spend a bit of my time catching up and working on those relationships than it was to get my project done. You see the better our relationships are with those around us, the better job we can do at….. “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus Loves You, have a great week!!

P.S. - Don’t miss worship on the farm this Saturday at 7pm!! It’s going to be a blast!!

08/16/2026

Scripture Sunday!

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as your self is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
Mark 12:28-34

I find myself this morning thinking about my Grandma Irene, as her birthday is tomorrow. Grandma was my buddy, and the deeper I get into my years, the more I find myself admiring the way she lived hers. She lost her husband when she was 63, and that seems pretty young to me these days. Grandma was a trooper, though, and she charged on. We were fortunate enough to live as neighbors to her, and I can still hear that screen door slamming when I would walk into her house. Man, that lady could make a pie. This morning though, I find myself thinking about her faith. Grandma didn't talk much about it, and yet this morning I remember her living it. She didn't miss church and, although that doesn't make her right, it seems to me that she must have been listening to those messages for all of her years. You see, she didn't bake those pies for herself. Ever. She had the fruit trees in her yard, and she couldn't let that harvest "go to waste." So she shared with her neighbors, and I was lucky enough to be one. Grandma was good. The neighborhood was good. They loved one another and they looked out for and helped one another. I could write about it for days. However, my takeaway today is this......even as I still miss my buddy, there is comfort in knowing that she lived the words that we read in Mark this morning. She loved Him. And she loved the people. Grandma lived that love, and now she lives with Him. The neighborhood has changed a little. Some of the houses are gone, and the others have been handed on to the next generation or two. But it's not so bad. I find myself thinking that the ones before us taught us about goodness through their example instead of through words. Hopefully I can do the same for mine. Hopefully we can all do the same for ours. Jesus loves you. Have a great week!

Grandma's house is on the right. Circa 1980ish. : )

08/12/2026

Scripture Sunday! (Tuesday edition)

Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at me saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
John 3:5-8

Please excuse us for showing up late to the party, we had a thing over the weekend. So that's that.
I kind of stumbled across this passage of scripture on accident last weekend as I was visiting the 16th verse of chapter 3. It came as a nice surprise, and it was a nice refresher to read it again. This one is one of those passages that hops into my mind and stays there for a while. It makes me think. Probably because I'm a farmer by trade. And we farmers have a bit of a tendency to complain about things. Mostly the weather. We're a little bit difficult to please. We could probably use some rain. Hold up we're too wet. Gonna need some heat to get things growing. Holy cow we're burning up. You know how it goes.....My personal gripe is always the wind. I always complain about the wind. The funny thing is that I usually catch myself and remind myself that the Spirit is like the wind. It always seems in my silly mind that growling at the wind is like growling at God, so it mostly ends up with me looking towards the sky and saying "Sorry 'bout that." And then, the next time I'm trying to work in the wind, we go ahead and do it all over again. I'm a little weird like that. This passage though, these words in red, have always brought me comfort. These words in red have always helped me as kind of a reassurance of my faith. You see, that analogy with the wind is something that I can wrap my head around. I have no idea really how something that I can't see is actually there, but I also know for certain that it is. Because I can feel it. Some days it is stronger than others. Sometimes there are stretches of days when it seems more persistent than others. And then, likewise, there are days when I really need that breeze, and yet I just can't feel it blow. So it is with my walk. So it is with my faith. Today's scripture passage is a reminder that the Spirit, like the wind, is always present. If only we will welcome it into our souls. On the days when we are missing Him, it's not because he is not there. Sometimes we just need to push aside whatever is blocking the door to our hearts and welcome Him back inside. Life is much easier when the Spirit is in our souls. May we each be reminded this week to let the wind do what it will. You never know what it might stir up. Jesus loves you. Have a great week!

Cold weather doesn't sound so bad today. It was probably windy that day though.... : )

08/02/2026

Scripture Sunday!

“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭8‬:‭23‬-‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Needless to say… we love the beach, so today is some more beach thoughts! When we arrived at the beach a couple weeks ago we hurried and went to the beach that evening, unsure what kind of weather Bertha would bring us the next couple days. It was quite nice out there that evening, but the water was already starting to get a bit rough. We were walking in the water and it was a little less than waist deep. A wave came up on us, and was so strong it nearly knocked me off my feet completely. I have always loved playing in the waves in the ocean but that was quite humbling how strong they were this time. The next two days, they issued a double red flag on the beach, meaning it was illegal to enter the water. It was amazing to see just how violent the water was when the storm rolled through at its peak. I’ve read this passage in Matthew since I was a kid, and always appreciated it. However it brings me a whole new amazement after seeing that water a couple weeks ago. There was water as far as we could see, and waves twice as tall as us. Yet our father with one statement can make it like the storm never happened. It’s hard to fathom that kind of power. So then… Jesus’ words smack me in the face… “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Several times since our trip those words have come to mind. Like Jesus wasn’t even talking to his disciples that day but rather directly to me. Big or small, storms are a constant in this earthly life. Where I fail is remembering that all I have to do is ask for help. Ask my father to calm my storm. If he can calm the seas with one statement, how small of a task for him to calm my storms? If I can become better at remembering that and asking him for help like Braker asks me every day, then maybe more often times I would see just how calm and beautiful that water was on our last beach day.

Jesus Loves You, have a great week!!

07/26/2026

Scripture Sunday!

Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.
Psalm 15:1-5

We were able to spend last week down south with our toes in the sand. Even as ole Bertha covered us with some wind and some rain, it was nice to be away from home with our family. The boys and I work together every day, and it was good to leave the work in Illinois and just be a family. Just as they always do, the skies cleared, and we were treated with a couple of beautiful days on the beach. There's something about the sound of those waves that brings peace to my soul. I found it easy to give thanks to Him last week. When I woke up this morning, I remembered seeing a young person with a tattoo that read Psalm 15, and I realized that I hadn't yet opened my Bible to check it out. So again here we are together on a Sunday morning, and again here I am writing as a humbled man. That 15th Psalm is lovely. That 15th Psalm that the young person at the beach led me to is a really pretty read. But I'm not that person. Shoot, I'm out before we even get to the first comma. Wow. Maybe this morning though, we can use this Psalm not as a scorecard of our lives, but rather as a reminder of God's grace. I'm not sure that any of us can read this passage and place a check mark by it and say that we're good, but I am sure that all of us can put an ear mark on this passage as a reminder of how we should strive to live our lives. , right? And then, when we fail, may we be humble enough to know our shortcomings and bow our heads in thanksgiving. May we be led to recognize and remember our Father's constant grace and mercy when we turn to Him. May we be filled with peace as we remember that Jesus has us covered if only we will open our hearts and walk with Him. And then, maybe tomorrow, we can do just a little bit better. Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26). May God's love and forgiveness fill you with even more comfort and peace than those ocean waves did me. Jesus loves you. Have a great week!

07/19/2026

Scripture Sunday!

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.
Psalm 30:11-12

Today is the final day of our county fair, and we had a great week at the fairgrounds. Everyone has their favorite part of these county fairs, and mine is the livestock. Through some very generous gifts, the kids were able to show in a new and bright and fresh livestock arena this year. There was a very nice ribbon cutting ceremony in that arena on Tuesday morning that gave thanks to the donors and honored their commitment to the future of our youth. I thought to myself that I should bookmark this day in my mind as a reminder that each day is, like this arena, new and fresh and bright. I should be diligent in thanking my Creator. The bleachers and the barns were filled every morning with families and friends supporting and encouraging the young ones and their stock. There wasn't much scrolling going on. It was way cool. Last night was slated to be truck and tractor pulling in the grandstand, but the weather wasn't cooperating. While it got off to a good start, the rains came. There were a couple of breaks in the showers, just long enough for my friend Roger to almooooosssstttt get the track reset. And then it would rain again. We finally had to give it up, and we aren't much on giving it up. We'll try pulling again next year, and it will be fun. Meanwhile though, during those rain delays, the petting zoo and the Lil Farmers' play area were packed. With families. The kids were playing and the grownups were visiting. All of the people seemed to be enjoying hanging out for a minute. They were smiling. There wasn't much scrolling going on. It was pretty cool. Braker's Papa & Grammy were there last night, and our family eventually landed back at that new and bright and fresh livestock arena. There were a few kids down there playing in and around the barns. And there were a couple of my grandsons playing in the rain. Sopping wet. Like the kind of sopping wet where Braker had to take his boots off for a sec to wring out his socks sopping wet. Man, they had fun. While some of us were moping around for a minute because we wanted to see some tractor pulling, those boys were living it up in the moment. Playing in the rain. Dancing, so to speak. And I got to visit with some friends and with Grammy & Papa. We weren't scrolling. It was pretty cool. Miranda took a video of those yoyos playing in the rain and sent it to our family thread, and Miss Jennifer said it the best......."Oh boy!!! That looks so fun!!!! They are the luckiest boys❤️" That rain last night cancelled the pulls. It also watered our crops. Sometimes it just rains. So be it. Put on a smile and and dance in it. Jesus loves you. Have a great week!

07/12/2026

Scripture Sunday!

But now, this is what the Lord says----he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.
Isaiah 43:1-3

Something caught my eye out of the combine cab a couple of weeks ago when we were harvesting wheat. You would be amazed at some of the things we see out in the fields. After a while, we stop stopping every time we see something, usually with the intent of returning to investigate and clean up when the field is finished. Such was the case that day, and then we stumbled across it again when we were baling the straw. This time I picked it up, only to realize that it was a hat that was laying upside down. Before I had a chance to finish saying "well now who in the world would lose......", I flipped it over and saw that the hat belonged to ole SJ. It was a hat that he had made, and that kid wore that hat everywhere. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how that hat would have made its way out into that wheat field. Charlie Gum is a little younger than me, and his memory serves him a little better than mine does me......We had stopped to work on our planter for a few minutes while planting corn across the road from that wheat field. SJ was helping us that day, and I gave him a putty knife and a depth gauge and asked him to go check on the seeds where we had planted while we were stopped. I remember seeing him digging over towards that wheat field at some point, and apparently his hat failed to make its way back into the tractor that day. The poor ole hat doesn't look as pretty anymore. It's a little tattered and a little weathered. It's a little bit torn up and a little bit beat up. That hat made it, though. That hat survived being in the sun with no shade and it survived the cold nights with no cover. That hat laid in the cold mud after having goodness knows how many inches of rain dumped on it during the months of May and June. I'm certain that it got tossed around a little bit by some curious deer and raccoons, and at some point it survived a wind storm that carried it a few hundred feet across the road to rest in unfamiliar territory. There's a pretty good chance that it even got ran through the combine before its journey was finished. Do you see where we're going here?? That poor old hat must have been miserable. That poor old hat must have wondered if there would ever be any end to the heat and the cold and the rain and the darkness and the winds and the loneliness that it was going through. It had to have been wondering why. Even still, it hung in there. It wasn't as strong as it once was, but it was strong enough and it was steady. As it turns out, that old hat was still in the right place, it was still on the right farm. It was just a little bit lost. And then, when the time was right, it was rescued. It made it even after it must have wondered if it could. And now the reward for SJ's hat will be to hang in our office for a few years, where it can serve as a reminder that God will see us through the storms. My personal intent would be to return that hat to SJ when he is old enough to understand the story and then hopefully, someday, he will be able to share it with someone who needs to hear it. Never give up, my friends. God is nearby, and the dark days will pass. Jesus loves you. Have a great week!

07/05/2026

Scripture Sunday!

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7

I was in the local farm store earlier last week, and there happened to be a few wristbands laying on the counter at the checkout. As I grabbed one, I noticed a Bible verse printed on it. When the nice lady behind the counter said that I could have one, I put one on my wrist, told her how cool that is, and asked who had put them there. Turns out that the young man, an employee, was standing there. He advised that he had purchased them on Amazon. He wasn't loud or boastful or preachy. His gentleness was evident. When Jennifer asked me about it later in the day, I told her the story and we both commented on what a cool and subtle ministry that is by a very nice young person. Meanwhile, back at the farm, we had one of those silly busy weeks last week. Nothing bad, and nothing really out of the ordinary, and nothing that many other producers weren't also facing. The recent rains had our job list kind of stacked up, and the timing was becoming critical with much of the work that needed to be done. You know, the kind of week where you have so much to do that you really aren't sure where to start? And it was hot, so there was that. Please do not read these as "poor me's" or "poor us's", it was simply how the week was lining up. So we went to work, and we called in some reinforcements, and all the while, I kept looking down at my wrist and the Bible verse that was printed on that band. Philippians 4:6. That wristband seemed to keep me focused. It kept me calm. It kept me in conversation with the Father. It seemed to cover me in peace during a little bit busy week. As I sit here this morning and reflect for a minute, I am very grateful for that young man at the farm store and his quiet ministry. I am grateful that our Father used that young man to get His word to me last week. And I am grateful that His word turned what could have been a pretty tough week into just another work week. The list isn't wiped clean, and it probably never will be, but this morning we are back on the right side of it. As we now move into a new week, which more than likely will hold some challenges of its own, may we each be reminded through Paul's teaching that the Lord is near. May we each strive to let our gentleness be evident to all. And even in our darker days, may we carry the joy in our hearts that comes only in knowing Him. Jesus loves you. Have a great week!

Grandma Rosalie would have turned 109 today. Her great-great-grandaughter Rosalie is almost as sweet as she was. : )

06/28/2026

Scripture Sunday!

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Luke 6:37-38

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines judge, as a verb, "to form and estimate or evaluation of" or "especially: to form a negative opinion about". As much as I love this passage of scripture from Luke today, we must always be mindful to be aware of the context. At least in my opinion. With these words written in red, Jesus isn't telling us that we should pay no attention to the difference between right and wrong. In fact, He follows these words later in the sermon with warnings about true and false prophets, a teaching about true and false disciples, and finally a parable about the wise and foolish builders. Jesus is aware of the wolves among the sheep, and he encourages us to also recognize untruths. Today though, through Luke's writing, Jesus is telling us to avoid being judgemental. He's advising us to avoid being self-righteous and hypocritical. He's advising us to be nice. Sadly, on more days than I would care to admit, I should have this written on my bathroom mirror so that I am assured to read it before I leave the house. Too many times, someone will pull in the driveway at the farm and under my breath I will mutter "This oughta be good." It might be because of the logo on the vehicle, or it may be the way they are dressed. Heck, I've seen some haircuts that "don't belong on the farm". Thankfully, I was taught manners at a young age. You know, nearly 100 percent of the time, we are glad that whoever it was dropped by. And then usually, I have to laugh at myself and wonder if that person is judging me upon returning to his or her vehicle. I have to wonder if they understand why my hands are covered in grease or dirt, and I have to wonder if they understand why my clothes may or may not have manure on them. I have wonder how they avoided telling me that it probably wouldn't hurt me to shave my ragged face. I have to wonder if they can even understand half of the words that leave my mouth, because my mind is actually very similar to a pinball machine. You know, nearly 100 percent of the time, after finding myself being a little judgemental right out of the gate, I find myself hoping that, whoever it was who dropped by, is glad that they dropped by. My friends, it is soooo easy to see the outside. The clothes, the car, hair. But we can't see the inside until we give someone a chance to open their book. To tell their story and actually listen when they do. Goodness knows, we've all got our stories. "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." (Luke 6:37) "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." (Luke 6:31). Be nice. Jesus loves you. Have a great week!

We had fun at the circus last weekend. Not as much fun on the bridge on Monday. : )

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