04/23/2026
Lessons from an Old Tractor and “I Do”
A short story by Debra Runge Meder
After a long winter of being stored in the barn the old tractor is up and running again ready to do what she does best—work with a partner that adores her and treats her with unwavering love and respect.
Her partner thinks she’s not too shabby for a 79 year old 1947 Farmall H. In fact he knows in his heart that when it comes to getting the job done she is the perfect partner for him.
I’ve learned a lot about saying “I Do” from watching this old tractor and my husband work together at The Front Porch Promise Farm. Here is what they have shown me.
When someone loves something, like my husband loves this old tractor, they take good care of it. They invest time and energy maintaining it knowing that if they ignore what is needed to keep it going, it will break down and stop working. It takes deliberate, consistent effort to keep an old tractor like this one running smoothly. Notice I said smoothly-not perfectly.
The truth is the wear and tear on this old girl has caused her to backfire occasionally, she’s needed replacement parts at times, and she has definitely lost her shine, but because she is carefully maintained she never fails to work with her partner mowing the 4 acres of The Front Porch Promise Farm. In fact, if she came equipped with human emotions I suspect you would find that she would be oozing with happiness while pulling her weight chugging along in the field under all kinds of unforgiving weather conditions.
That’s what marriage is like. It’s not all fluff and shine and warm fuzzy feelings. It’s hard work wrapped up in the reality that not everything in life is perfect all of the time. It’s finding a way to keep moving forward when the engine spits and sputters. It’s sticking with it, keeping your motors oiled, greasing your gears, filling your fuel tanks and watching your gages for signs of trouble so you can head off potential problems. It’s getting your hands dirty with the routine sacrifice of investing in an intentional, deliberate, and consistent maintenance program.
It’s holding the steering wheel securely against the force of hitting ruts, rocks, and hidden ground hog holes. It’s adjusting the speed, slowing down to break when necessary and calculating the turning radius beforehand so you can clear the obstacles in front of you.
It’s looking back while moving forward to make sure your lines and furrows are straight. At the end of the day it’s cleaning off the dust, mud and stubble that has accumulated from working in the fields. It’s making sure the air filter is clear of anything that would suck the life out of it and cause the engine to stall. It’s making sure the antifreeze and radiator are prepared to handle the ravages of an unexpected brutal cold wave or devastating heat spell. It’s listening intently to the sound of the engine always being attune for subtle pings and clinks that may be sending trouble warning ahead signals.
The bottom line is this.
Marriage is not happy ever after. It’s work. It’s hard. But it is wonderful. It is a rare precious gift and when you have been given the blessing of sharing your life with a dependable, loyal, trustworthy partner just like this old tractor count your blessings with a happy grateful heart because you truly have been given the best this life has to offer.
So, to all those who have said “I do” at the farm, and to all those who will be saying “I do” this year, our wish for you is that your marriage will be just like the video of this old 1947 Farmall H and my husband Rick. May it be forged with unwavering love, respect and tender loving care and may you become a formidable team that never quits mowing through life together.
The end.
To all our wedding clients, if you would like to have a wedding day picture taken with this old girl as a reminder of the day you said “I do”, let us know during your pre-wedding planning session. We will be happy to get the old girl out of the barn for your special day!
And when people ask why you had your wedding picture taken with an old tractor that has lost its shine, you can tell them it ‘s really quite simple. It serves as a reminder of what marriage is really all about. It’s working together to mow the grass of life even when the shine wears off. ❤️
