A Cool Drink of Water (Ephraim Beason)

Ephraim means “I will be doubly fruitful or doubly blessed.” In the Bible Ephraim was the name of Joseph’s son in the book of Genesis. Ephraim’s grandfather Jacob spoke a blessing over Ephraim and his brother Manasseh. This blessing is still spoken over others. “May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.” (Gen 48:50).

Ephraim Beason was named by his parents on the day of his birth on June 20, 1858 in Osceola, St. Clair County, Missouri. His parents were Joseph and Samantha Beason.

Ephraim Beason questioned the meaning of his name many times in his life. He didn’t feel doubly blessed or fruitful. Being born in 1858 in Missouri, he was only three years old when the Civil War began in 1861. Missouri was a hotbed for the war and there was much upheaval and unrest. Ephraim’s oldest brother, Nathan joined the Confederate Army under General Sterling Price in June of 1861, when Eaph was three years old.

June 20, 1861 was a difficult day for the Joseph Beason family. Living in the state of Missouri they were caught in the middle of a state on both sides of the Civil War. Missouri did not secede from the Union but was considered the 12^th state of the Confederacy. On August 10, 1861 the Battle of Wilson’s Creek resulted in a Union defeat leaving the southwestern part of Missouri in Confederate hands. Joseph and Samantha’s oldest son, Nathan decided to join the Confederate Army in June of 1861. Eaph was only three years old and was so sad to see his dear brother go to war. He didn’t understand what was happening but could sense that his parents were deeply concerned. Nathan used to take Eaph with him on all kinds of adventures and Eaph certainly missed these times. Excitement filled the home when Nathan would show up at the old home usually at night. They were always unexpected and unannounced but the celebration in the family was joyous. Many times the Union soldiers would circle the house on horseback and throw open all the doors and search their home. This was so frightening for a three year old. They rushed in with pistols and searched upstairs and down. They threatened his father with death as they were leaving.

Ephriam remembered the early September morning in 1863 when his family loaded their wagon with a few things from their home and fled north not knowing where they were going. The Union soldiers told Joseph that they would kill him because he was considered a Confederate sympathizer as he had a son in the Confederate Army if he did not vacate his farm on September 9^th due to ORD number 11. He was also told he would be killed if he had a gun. They searched his home and farm for a gun but did not find one. Samantha had taken a tip from Genesis 31:34 “Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.” They had disassembled Joseph’s gun and put in the bottom of the trunk of clothing and Samantha sat on it and held little Melissa who was frightened and sobbing throughout the ordeal.

The family was filled with grief with abandoning their farm and upon hearing the news of their son Nathan’s death. The farm tools and machinery and furniture had to be left behind for the scavengers. They traveled 85 miles north of their home. The Beason family kept moving north renting farms along the way.

Eventually they moved to Waubonsie Creek, Iowa in 1877. Ephraim and his father chopped wood for W.D. Stephens. W.D. Stephens had a beautiful daughter named Adenia. WD made a big mistake and sent this daughter out to give Ephraim a cool drink of water. Eaph was 20 years old and Adenia was 17. It was love at first sight. Eaph’s sister Melissa had also fallen in love with Jim Mackey. A cool drink of water while chopping wood on a hot summer day has been the fall of many a good man. Secretly they decided to elope and have a double wedding. They got together on the evening of September 10, 1878 and started for Missouri with a team and buggy. They had heard that the marriage laws were more lenient in Missouri. The Justice of the Peace in Hamburg, MO was abruptly awakened from his deep sleep at 12:30am and a double wedding took place in his home at 12:45am with his wife as the witness. At daybreak the young couples found they were close to cousin Silas Beason’s house and stopped there for their wedding breakfast.

Ephraim worked many different jobs to earn a living for his new bride. He worked in a brickyard, tended crops, cut and hauled wood, and many other odd jobs. Adenia did housekeeping and tended to Ephraim’s brother Joe’s children as their mother had passed. Adenia became very ill and was in a coma for three or four days. She woke up just a few days before giving birth to her daughter Rosa May Katherine in June of 1879. When she woke up she did not remember Eaph or marrying him. It took a few days for her memory to return.

Their second child Joseph William (Willie) was born on June 10, 1881 and Rosa May Katherine succumbed to typhoid fever that same year in October. The next spring the Missouri overflowed taking away their house and all of their belongings. They nearly lost their lives.

Another tragedy struck the family in the spring of 1888 when Willie was accidentally struck by a large log that was being unloaded from a wagon load of boards. The doctor was called and the preacher and church members came to pray for Willie but he died that night about midnight. Eaph and Adenia were grief stricken and inconsolable.

At this time of great loss Ephraim’s eyes were opened to his great sin. He was a big rough and tumble man and a good fight was something he enjoyed. He carried the scars of a fight all of his life when a couple of guys jumped him and hit him with brass knuckles. Eaph knew if he wanted to be with his children again in heaven, he needed to get right with God. He converted and joined the church and started preaching the next year in 1889. He found the Lord was his cool drink of water in his grief and in the midst of his struggles. Jesus said in John 4:14, “But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst, but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

Eaph loved to tell the story of the love of Jesus and how Jesus is the only hope for a life full of scars and tragedies. He and Adenia moved to WaKeeney, Ks and had ten more children. My great-grandmother Olive Livinia Beason was one of them. In WaKeeney Ephraim owned a blacksmith shop and also preached in many school houses in the area. He traveled by horse or horse and buggy. He didn’t have a circuit that he traveled but he preached whenever he was given the opportunity. He took my great-grandmother Olive with him to many of these services and she was a great singer.

“Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth”. John Wesley

He was a stern and serious man but he could belt out the songs of His Savior. In the evening after working in the blacksmith shop, he would sit on the front porch and read the newspaper with his wife Adenia, with a cool drink of water. His grandchildren shared that they were a little afraid of this big grandfather. But sometimes he would laugh so hard and long that it seemed to rock the whole house. He could sing well and loud. He sang songs like, “There’s Power in the Blood” and “When We All Get to Heaven”.

Adenia was a very happy person and was always praising the Lord. She carried her Bible with her most places and would share scriptures and have a word of prayer for those in need.

Ephraim and Adenia found that their Lord and Savior was more than enough to carry them through life’s challenges. They found that He is just what He said He is. He is the “living water” and you will never thirst again because His well shall never run dry.

Jeremiah 17:13 Yahweh, you are the hope of Israel! All who forsake you will be covered with shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dirt. To forsake you, Yahweh, is to forsake the fountain of living waters.

Cousin Camp 2026

What a busy few days we had in August with four cousins. This grandma was beyond thrilled that four grands decided to come and hang out. I used to get all 12 grandchildren to come but time passes and some are adults and are working for a living, one was on a mission trip, and one was studying abroad in London. Their worlds have certainly broadened farther than grandmas little circle. I was delighted that my four youngest grands could come. Even the two that are Junior’s in High School and have summer jobs chose to come. That was a real honor.

Grandma had made too many plans for the few days that we had and then Jake said, “You know grandma, I think it would be fun to go to Castle Rock.” So of course that was added to our schedule. Castle Rock is quite a rock formation found in our relatively flat area of Kansas. It is a great place to climb on rocks, look for fossils, and have a picnic! So that is what we did.

“My cousins are shareholders of my soul.” —Saswat Padhy

Grandpa had a woodworking project for the kids. They made wooden pencil holders for their desks and got to try their hand at grandpa’s wood lathe for a bit.

Grandma always tries to interest them in some sewing and craft projects. We took on some big projects this year and barely got them finished in time. It’s good that grandma has a stash of fabric. Jake wanted to make a flag pillow case, Luke made a flag pillow and Addie made a puppy appliqued pillow. They all did a precise job with their sewing. I remember when I used to have them sitting on my lap while we sewed together. There is no need of that anymore. We have a very talented crew.

Sophie missed some of the projects as she was able to come for an afternoon only. She also drove her car out to grandma and grandpas house. We had a good time while she was here playing some of their favorite board games and trekking to our annual ice cream soda fountain in town. There we try to see just how much delicious ice cream we can eat.

Grandma and Grandpa had a good time and we hope the cousins did too. Every morning we started the day with breakfast and devotions. It reminded this grandma of the cousin camps she attended with her cousins on the ranch in Oklahoma. My dear Granny would take us all to Vacation Bible School and then we would roam the ranch having all kinds of adventures!

“A cousin is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.” —Marion C. Garretty

July 4th, 2026

Drag races! We woke up on the morning of July 4^th, the 250^th anniversary of the United States of America with no plans for the day. I told my Farmer husband that I was taking him to the drag races. We are in our 70’s and we hadn’t been to drag races since we were in our 20’s. You know what they say about that second childhood. The races were an hour and a half away but our son and some grandkids were there so I hoped we could do a quick lunch with them.

The Farmer was a little concerned about the heat but I assured him that it would be fine and we just needed to do something a little bit crazy. So off we went to the races. We were able to have a quick lunch with our son, daughter in law and their three kids who were home for the holidays. Even our granddaughter’s fiancé joined us for lunch. They weren’t engaged yet but soon would be.

Then we drove to the race track for the races. It was very LOUD and the Farmer did not need his hearing aids in so we put them in my purse. There were some really cool looking cars and some that were quite strange. Some of them went 200 mph! Yikes! Those were the loudest.

If you’ve got everything under control, you are not moving fast enough. – Mario Andretti

The Farmer was right about one thing, it was HOT! Our black umbrella helped to shade us some. After a couple of hours our adventure was wearing a little thin. We got back in our air conditioned pickup and headed back to the ranch. We did stop on the way home and had some ice cream.

All in all we had fun and we did enjoy just doing something completely off of our radar for the day. It was a great way to celebrate the 250^th Anniversary of our nation.

The next day we drove an hour the other direction to see another son and family and went to church with them. Grandparent’s have vehicle and grandchildren and will travel.

The Summer of Graduations -2025

Three of our grandchildren graduated this summer. Two from high school and one from college. Graduate means to receive an academic degree or diploma.

“The two most important days of your life are when you were born and the day you find out why.” – Mark Twain

May was certainly filled with Senior Art Shows for our college graduate and her graduation, high school celebrations from the small town, small high school class to the Texas graduation of several thousand. The Farmer didn’t get to attend Willow’s graduation in Texas as he had just had knee replacement surgery. Thankfully, our daughter Esther and granddaughter met me in Wichita and we traveled to the graduation. It was a wonderful trip and it was great to celebrate Willow. Asa’s graduation from high school was especially sweet as his high school was burned in an arson fire a couple of years ago. His small town is full of overcomers. Anna is our college graduate and she is now teaching high school art in her home town and has already been recognized for her achievements. Asa is off to Kansas State University and Willow will soon be going to Boston University.

Western Kansas is green even in September and the crops growing around our yard look exceptional. We have had just enough rains to keep things growing and green. Usually by this time of the year the buffalo grass is brown so we are enjoying this extension of green and praying for an abundant harvest. Picking corn has just begun in this area. Asa and Albert, his dad, came to our farm and used the Farmer’s lift in his shop to work on a pickup. It was fun to have them around for a few days this summer while Jenny our daughter-in-love was on a mission in Guatemala. The lift helps so much to work on things.

The Farmer’s sister, Dorothy passed this summer and went to meet her Savior. She was exactly fourteen years older than the Farmer as he was born on her fourteenth birthday. She said she never forgave him for messing up her birthday J but I think she did and loved having a little baby brother to dress up in tiny dresses. Her services were in St. Louis only two weeks before our family reunion. We were able to spend some much needed time with family and reminiscing. She will certainly be missed and it leaves the Farmer’s family of seven kids to just three left now.

We were not able to go on a SOWER mission this year due to the Farmer’s knee and surgery. Our hope is to be able to go next year. Some of our favorite couples to work with at these projects have experienced great loss. Two couples have suddenly lost their spouses and are trying to navigate how the future looks for their lives. We know that God has a plan and purpose for their future.

“The darker the night, the brighter the stars, the deeper the grief, the closer is God.”- Fyodor Dostoesky

Just like your summer of 2025 ours has been full and rewarding. We’ve experienced grieving, joys and celebrations. Spending time with family and is becoming even more important as we see grandchildren grow and spread their wings. Cherishing friendships is vital to our existence and our true happiness.

“ Cherish your friends and family as if your life depends on it. Because it does.”- Ann Richards

Have Crafts Will Travel

“The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do well, and doing well whatever you do without thought of fame.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Grammie did you bring any crafts?” This is what I used to hear each time I visited a grandchild. I love to treat my grandchildren to a new craft or an idea to create something. We are all created in the image of God and since He is the creator we also are creative. I didn’t use to think that I was creative but I do have some creative genes in my system.

When my own children were young we were involved in 4-H and I do not know how this came about but I became the craft leader for the Saline Valley 4H club. I think it was because I couldn’t really fill any of the other leadership positions. As a young mother, I had tried my hand at a few things. I quilted a pillow top, made some ceramics, made some macramé flower pot hangers, and a few other things. Now that I was in leadership though I had to up my skills to lead a whole 4H group to success for the County Fair.

This experience led me to be the Grammie that always had crafts in her sack. I didn’t dare show up without an idea and a project. I also would have cousin camp every summer where the grands would make some great projects including tie dye, wood projects with grandpa and science experiments.

Now my grandchildren are in high school or college and Grammie’s stash of crafts are sitting idle. I have found a new avenue for my hidden talent (it’s really hidden!) and that is now I am teaching Kid Zone at church and I have a whole new group of children excited about my crafts. I think I will adopt some of them as grandchildren. Yes, I think that is my new plan.

“Crafting is the art of turning ordinary objects into extraordinary things.” Unknown

HAVE CRAFTS, WILL TRAVEL!

Grandparent’s Day

The Farmer and I took a couple of days off from hauling corn to drive 4.5 hours for lunch at school on a Friday. Our two youngest grandchildren were having a grandparent’s for lunch day at their elementary school. We were so thankful to be able to be there. The excitement of the children was contagious and the grandparents were just as excited. Some grandparents brought lunches and others stopped to get meals from fast food places. Many of us though just ate the choices the school lunchroom workers produced. It was a nice meal of cheeseburgers and all the fixings.

Grandpa ate with Luke in the fifth grade and I had the privilege to eat with Addie in the third grade. They ate at different times, of course. We had a nice visit with some of their friends and their grandparents. We were so thankful that we were able to go and enjoy this precious time. Grandpa also got to ride with Jake who is 15 and learning to drive.

“Some of our greatest blessings call us grandma and grandpa.”

After lunch we jumped in the car to drive across the state again, to attend the Friday evening football game of our senior grandson in the western part of the state. This is kind of on our way home. Unfortunately, they lost the game but Asa played a good game.

“Grandparents are there to help the child get into mischief they haven’t thought of yet.”

The following weekend we drove back to the eastern part of the state as the all three of Esther’s boys were running in the Twilight Cross Country meet. Luke in the fifth grade ran in the warmer part of the day. Jake who is 15 ran later in the evening and Judah’s group took the last run. All three did a great job and sister, Addie was happy as she was invited to a birthday party with a friend and got to miss most of it.

“Love is the greatest gift that one generation can leave to another.”

-Richard Garnett

I have to add to this quote that leading your grandchild to have a relationship with Jesus is the greatest gift!

Wow, grand parenting can be exhausting. We remind ourselves though that it’s not very long and they are off to college and adult-ing. We have three in college now and one with a job. We have two that are seniors this year. We are very blessed to have twelve wonderful grands.

Glory to God in the Highest!

Some of the words used to tell of our 2023 are: graduations, cousins, prayer journeys, reunions, loss, kids, grandkids and praises.

Texas and Iowa were the places we served in church camps with our SOWER ministry. New friends, old friends and ministries that are making a difference in the Kingdom of God were found in both of these places. We take our camper and go to work in these camps for a month in March and in September. Painting, remodeling, office work, kitchen duties and other responsibilities are some of the projects we are involved in. It is such a treat to be able to be a blessing to these facilities.

Conrad lost his last brother, Jim, this March. Three brothers have now advanced to their heavenly home. The youngest brother is now left alone to try to keep three sisters in line. That thought has now terrified the little brother. His oldest sister, Dorothy has informed him that he will not succeed in trying to keep her in line.

Two grandsons graduated from high school in May and one grandson graduated from KSU last weekend and has accepted a new job. He has now joined the adult lifestyle of work and more work. We are very proud of all of Jordan’s accomplishments. Anna is a Junior at KU and Joshua and Roman are Freshmen at UNW and KSU. We are very proud of all of our grands.

Hosting a reunion of cousins here at the home place for the Jamison’s made for a fun June. All but four of my cousins were able to come. Then in August we were able to have Cousin Camp also here at the farm. This is a special time for this grandma and I cherish every moment. Grandpa and I also traveled to some of our children’s homes and spent time with grandchildren for various reasons.

Our little teardrop camper headed out on a journey in early July to travel the border of Kansas. We decided to answer the call to pray the border of our state and to stop and pray in every border county. We traveled 1550 miles, we met beautiful Kansans, camped in special places and prayed and anointed the borders with oil. We spent a little time at the geographic enter of the continental US. We couldn’t have picked a more beautiful time to travel our state. The Lord blessed this trip tremendously.

Pam completed the book of her childhood memories for her grandchildren. The Lord put it on my heart to write my story for my future generations. This is not really a story of my life but more of the story of what my Savior has done in my life. I also completed a king size quilt for Haley. This was my fourth king size quilt to be finished.

Conrad has been busy making 75 wood boxes for Operation Christmas Child boxes, being creative with the wood lathe, and driving semi in harvest season for some neighbors.
May you all be blessed with the greatest gifts of God and may this Christmas season find you all well.
Merry Christmas from the farmer and I.

When Things Go Wrong

Have courage when things go wrong! A pandemic in these days is something gone wrong. Probably not one of us thought that we would be where we are today earlier in 2020. We had no clue as to the changes that would happen in our lives or the pause button that would be pressed. The giant PAUSE button. But as this quote says, “The real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful, to make the most of what we have; to be happy with the simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.” All of that statement is still very true. Maybe this pause in our lives has helped us to get back to some of the simple pleasures of life.

Here are some of my simple pleasures that have helped me to focus on the good and the many blessings that the Lord has given me in these days instead of focusing on the chaos and the difficulties in this world. And instead of focusing on the realities of missing friends, gatherings, church, and grandchildren.

Hand prints of some of the grandchildren from seven or eight years ago. Thanks to their momma for capturing their sweet hands in this clay so those hands could bless me today. As I cleaned out the flower beds to prepare for spring, I uncovered this cherished gift. This is a reminder of great memories of the grandkids coming to our farm and playing in the dirt and with kittens and building a fort in our tree row. I love hearing their shouts of fun as they run through the sprinkler or slide on our makeshift water slide. (Tarp and water hose and a slight slope.) Hills are hard to come by in this part of the flatland. One of the simple treasures.

Spring is beginning to bud out here on the farm. Oh how we love the songs of the birds. The meadowlark song is beautiful as he sings to his mate. Then we hear the sound of the Bob-white quail as he says over and over “Bob white! Bob white!” The trees are beginning to spring out their leaves and make shelter for our bird friends. A female pheasant hen is inside the yard fence and I worry that perhaps she is caught but she slides right under the woven fence like she does it daily. The bunnies play their bunny games and chase one another around the tree trunk. Yes, there is new life everywhere and that is one of the simple pleasures.

I imagine Laura Ingalls Wilder used an outhouse like this behind her school. The left one is for the women and the one on the right in the open is for the men. I am so grateful for the simple pleasure of a flushing toilet and running water.

A nice drive around an old fishing lake close to our farm has us driving over this bridge. All of the shelter houses and bathrooms around the lake were built in the 1930s by the WPA program. We are so thankful for those workers and those programs that still leave us much to enjoy today. This lake was bustling with activity and many boats and campers were enjoying this day. Social distancing and a nice quiet lake go together well. Many dads were showing their boys how to fish and it appeared there was some great family times happening. Oh the simple pleasures.

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in our hearts.”
Winnie the Pooh

One simple pleasure is doing something for someone else. I was able this week to prepare a meal for a friend who is really going through a difficult time. Those struggles that are so hard are even more magnified in a pandemic with social distancing when what they really need is all hands on deck to hug and carry them through this. It is such a pleasure to come alongside others that are dealing with tragedies. It is also a pleasure to make a batch of cookies and put many in the freezer for when the grandkids can come again and share with a neighbor who has adopted three little ones. She is teaching online and homeschooling five children. There are so many unsung heroes in this time. When we get down in these days nothing lifts us up quicker than doing for someone else.

So as Laura Ingalls Wilder says, “The real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful, to make the most of what we have; to be happy with the simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.” Our God is still the same, yesterday, today and forever. Our faith is still in Him and our trust is focused on Him. It is still best to be honest and truthful and ahhh those simple pleasures. Lets look for them. They are all around us.

If you sense you are losing all hope as David shares in Psalms 143:4, read that full psalm and let me know. I would love to listen and visit with you.

Psalms 143:4 I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear. I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done.

verse 6 I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirst for rain.

verse 8 Let me hear of your unfailing love every morning, for I am trusting in you.

verse 10 May your gracious spirit lead me forward on firm footing. Because of your faithfulness bring me out of this distress.