Fix Your Eyes

The first crop of hay is done and it’s hard to believe that the second crop of hay is almost here.

I’m always surprised by the passing of time. In my head it’s still the end of winter, then all of a sudden spring is gone and summer is here! Are we living on purpose or are we just passing the time?

If I’m not careful, I can get into the endless rut of doing the daily things, like milking cows and cleaning manure, without preparing for the things that are coming.

If we don’t look ahead to what is next, we’ll always be behind on the next season of activity. This is why our focus is so important! Where is your focus?

This spring I’ve been going through my woods and pastures trying to kill the noxious invasive weed called multiflora rose. I’ve been so fixated on this weed that when I close my eyes, I still see it there lurking in the darkness! I have fixed my eyes and now it is all I see! When we’re out for a drive, everyone else is noticing the beautiful scenery of our bluff country but all I’m noticing is my tangled enemy of thorns.

Sometimes I feel like Amelia Bedelia! There’s a series of children’s books about this fictional character who takes everything literally. In one story in particular, she is told to keep her eyes on the door to prevent someone from going through it. Rather than stopping the person, her focus was solely taken by keeping her eyeballs on the door.

Now that I have trained myself to see the noxious weeds, I have to be purposeful to see the surrounding beauty.

You get what you focus on! More importantly, this same truth applies to our relationships as well.

When you choose to see only the negative, hard, hurt, imperfection then you close yourself off to the path of growth in your life and the grace and forgiveness that we need to give and receive. Your perspective becomes a filter that distorts reality, magnifying pain and minimizing joy. In doing so, you miss the quiet strength in small victories, the light that peeks through cracks, and the resilience that lies in simply continuing on.

Focusing on negative or purposeless things is like letting multiflora rose take root in your life. At first, it might seem manageable – even harmless – but over time, it spreads relentlessly, choking out healthier thoughts and more meaningful perspectives, just as multiflora rose smothers native plants and depletes the soil. Its thorns – like bitterness, doubt, and resentment – make it harder to move freely in your own mind and relationships. The longer it’s left unchecked, the more it dominates, until what once was a balanced, thriving inner landscape becomes tangled and overrun. Clearing it out takes intention, patience, and consistent effort – but doing so creates space for what’s truly life-giving to grow.

My driving instructor once told me that without intentionality, I will always go in the direction that I’m looking. That truth goes far beyond the road – it speaks to the direction of our hearts and minds. When you choose to see only the negative, the hard, the hurt, and the imperfection, it’s like letting an invasive vine grow wild in your soul. It doesn’t just stay in one place; it spreads, chokes out the good, and leaves little room for healing or hope. But the good news is that we get to choose where we fix our gaze.

Time will pass without our notice. We can get to the end and realize we never chose the destination.

So fix your eyes on Jesus – the beginner and perfecter of our faith. When He becomes your focus, everything else begins to realign. The thorns may still be there, but they no longer have the final word. Being savior focused transforms our direction, clears space for peace and purpose. As Jesus took our place in death, we must receive his gift of salvation and forgiveness of sin. Choose your focus with intention – because where you look is where you’ll go.

Meet your farmer – Jonathan Gerdes. He and his wife run a farm-to-table raw milk dairy and farm airbnb in Caledonia, Minn. If he isn’t in the barn, you can find him dating his wife, playing with his kids, leading youth group, or flying in the sky. Visit gerdesfreshfarm.com for more info.

Raw Milk Custard

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. flour

1 t. salt

5 c. milk

6 egg yolks

1 t. vanilla

4 T. butter

Heat flour, sugar, and salt on the stove on low while whisking together milk and egg yolks in a large bowl.

Slowly pour the milk and egg yolk mixture into the sugar/flour mixture while whisking. Turn the heat up to medium-low once everything is whisked together.

Bring the custard to a boil, whisking the whole time. Allow the custard to boil for 1 minute. Then add the butter. Continue whisking for 1 more minute.

Remove the custard filling from heat and whisk in the vanilla.

Serve warm sprinkled with cinnamon or …

Pour the custard into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. The wrap should be touching the top of the custard. Refrigerate for 6 hours or until set.