Thursday, June 27, 2013

How many times do we hear people say they believe in God, and that's mostly when they are in real trouble.....

I as most of you know love to find and read, M R Dehaan books.  I am currently reading Adventures in Faith.  I was reading last night and came upon a quote that really made me think. 

"Abraham believed God.  Now Paul does not say that Abraham believed in God, but rather, he believed God.  There is a vast difference between believing in God, and believing God.  All men, except fools, believe in God; that is, they believe there is a God; but most of them do not believe a word He says."

I have really thought and thought about this statement and I am sure I will continue to contemplate it well into the future.  Think about this statement, and I mean really thing about it, what does it say about your life?  What does it say about the people you know?  the people you meet and the people you don't know or meet?  What does it say about God? 

What does it say about my life?  I have said before that I was born into a family of faith.  My Grandfather Jim was a lay Preacher for a good portion of his life, he was a missionary for a part of his life and he was a man of God to the end of his life.  He wasn't always a man of God, he as a young man was a non believer and an alcoholic.  He became a man that preached the sins of alcohol the rest of his life after he was saved.  I have no knowledge of his salvation or how it came to him.  I never asked him and he never spoke to me about it. I do know that about a week before my Grandmother Thelma and my Grandpa Martin died he had had a deep conversation with them trying to lead them to salvation, from all accounts he didn't persuade them to change their believes but I don't know that they didn't accept the Lord of their own accord in their last days only God would truly know that.  My Grandfather Jim raised all of his children up in the Lord.  To my knowledge all 8 of them are saved and but I don't know for sure, only God would know.  I was raised up in the Lord by my Father, and my Mother, but my Mother came to faith as an adult and was not raised up in it.  My dad was a lay Preacher for a good part of his life.  Sometimes I think that being raised up in the faith of the Lord can have an almost opposite effect than people would think.  Most will say that, or think that, preachers kids are born to salvation, well not always, think of the jokes about "preachers daughters".  All jokes have a grain of truth in them.  I remember some of my aunts experiencing quite a bit of rebellion in their lives before they settled in to faith in God.  Okay, I digress.  I wasn't by any means my families most rebellious child and I, with 3 of my siblings, sought salvation at a young age.  Which is not always the case, sometime kids raised up in faith are so complacent to faith that they don't seek their salvation for a long time, sometimes they are so caught in believing in  that they don't believe, once they are at the age of accountability. I personally believe the age of accountability is between 12 and 20.  I base that on a couple of chapters in the Bible, the chapters the tell of Jesus leaving his family when he was twelve and being found in the temple conversing with the Church elders and when asked why he had ran away, He said he must be about his fathers business.  The other reverence, I find, during the flight of the children of Israel from Egypt.   The people sinned against God and he condemned all who were over the age of 20 wonder in the desert until they all was died, only the people who had been under 20 except two got to go into the Holy land of Canaan.  Surely that would say that God did not hold them accountable if they were under 20.  These are my beliefs from studying the Word of God.  I know many have others thoughts on this.  Back on subject, believing in or actually believing God.

I know that as I said some people, even those raised up in faith, struggle with believing in or believing.  I never really thought of it as being a difference, and I think maybe many of you haven't either, but when you contemplate it and really think, and I mean really think about it, the difference is the difference between salvation and being lost.  I know lots and lots of people that are "spiritual", or believe in a "higher being", or believe but don't have time to do the "god thing".  I have always accepted that but in the last 3 years, I have begun to think that they are in trouble.  I was one of those Christians that was saved as a young person and then went into hibernation.  I was saved but my faith didn't grow.  I was a babe in Christ far longer than I should have been and was a carnal Christian, saved but not working for a reward not trying to win souls to Christ, not sharing my salvation as a testimony.  I am lucky that God never figured I was no longer worth his patience and he didn't just let me die and meet the Judgment Seat of Jesus.  I know now that God knew I would pick up my Bible and advance from milk to meat and become the Christian he knew I could be, a spiritual Christian, a Christian working toward my reward.  The Christian God knew me to be.  I have in the last 3 years become a Christian working toward knowing what God wants of me, talking to him in a more seeking and real way.  I always sought him but in the past I sought him only in need, I never sought him just to Praise him, just to be with him, or just to know him more.  I now do daily.  I am trying to teach my Littles that as well, much more than my older kids, as they were raised in my more carnal Christian years, now I speak to them to seek their salvation and seek God, and much more than I was raised.

I sorrow for my friends that don't believe God, oh they believe in him but that is as far as it goes.  I sorrow for my family members that only believe in God, I sorrow for the people I know that are believers in God and do not believe him.  Salvation is about believing the Word of God, to actually know that his Words about his son are absolutely the truth with proof and no doubt.  I still say the first five words in the Bible lead you to your salvation, that you believe the "In the beginning God created....."  If you can believe that you have no problem knowing that "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, and who so ever believe in him (Jesus) shall not perish but have everlasting life." I know you will say it says believe in,  it say to believe in Jesus, and to do so you have to believe that God did it.....

I don't want you to believe in God, I want you to believe God, a vastly different thing.  God is not about feeling, emotions or knowing, he is about the simple, the very simple, act of belief.  You either do or you don't, it's sort of like being pregnant you are or you aren't.  Do you believe?  I pray so....tomorrow.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Yesterday, Alone, not. But sitting in the peace for a few precious moments at last.....

I don't think that even one thing I planned yesterday actually happened, well I guess in reference to me that is.  Though I did actually get a few minutes to repaint the cupboard door fronts but that is all I managed to do as planned.  I had 4 grands most of the day, two cried when their parents left, two fought because they have not seen each other for a while and couldn't quite figure out who was in charge, but I settled it I am always in charge at my house if Poppie isn't home, and sometimes even when he is, so I won.  I did manage to get Mokie to pick me up 50lbs of four and 25lbs of sugar.  I did make my BBFC order twice, got 2 baskets and 4 cases of peaches coming so that is a blessing, and work for next week. 

Poppie did help me get the floors prepped to tile both bathrooms.  I have decided to do one completely and then do the other, can you imagine not having a bathroom for one of the many travelers through my house to mess up?  Bubbles is coming along on her potty training, she is doing very good and since she is only 18 months ahead of the curve.  I have tile to lay today, most of my plans for the day fell through but I still have to go get herbs from Flower Child and then make it to CAKLs.  I hope Mokie takes her littles to the reading program at the park, and I hope she takes Bubbles, she would have fun and Nannie is having I NEED A BREAK day. 

My ginger ale is coming along nicely,  I wasn't sure until this morning.  NO bubbles seemed to be starting in the jars.  I had decided I would pour it all together but when I opened the jars I heard bubbles so I tightened them back up to let them be.  I am making a second batch today, because if the kids like it it is a three day process and I want to be a head of the curve.  I gave them some of my first batch of lemon water kefir and they both loved it, and this time the actually did, sometime if they just sort of like something they will say they love it but drink it slowly, this one they drained.  Well that is my two Ladies, the other kids were not here to try it.  They both thought it tasted like 7-up or lemon lime soda.  I am so happy that it is a winner, and no bad stuff in it, and a diabetic could drink it so the sugar content is minimal.  I am going to begin writing down all my "loved" water kefir recipes experiments, because they will become standards.  I am going to order bottles to put them up in so they can just take "pop" from the frig.  The only problem I am having is getting reasonable priced bottles that don't look like I am giving them beer.  Okay, so it is a fermented drink so maybe that is funny but then again not so much.  I am really hoping to get their G-Ma to drink it she is a really bad diabetic, that doesn't want to not eat sweets,  maybe I can get her to switch off of pop and on to the kefir "pop".  I pray so.

I am really extra tired this week and cranky so I hope it, what ever it is, goes away soon.  I have lots to do and just no energy to really do it right.  I pray that God heals all that ails you, true sickness or just sickness of your soul.  I hope you take all of your ailments to the Lord he is the way to true health.  He is the healing for your soul, mind and body.  I pray you accept his Grace and step into your salvation this very day.  I hope for your complete rebirth... tomorrow.

Monday, June 24, 2013

All worked out, alone this morning, busy tomorrow, some painting and tiling to do.

We made pies last night and I will drop them off at the bake sale this morning.  Belle is taking the Ladies with her, and her two, to Vacation Bible School in Zootown for the next four days.  They should be home in the afternoon each day.  They should be able to get their chores done in the afternoon so they will not get behind.  Or I should say they should be able to catch up on some they are behind on.  Booboo will have her first piano lesson on Friday morning and they will go to the relay on Friday night.... long week, baking on Friday too.

Poppie has to go to Zootown this morning and get hay for the Professor, he is out and has left it to the last minute and needs it today but is busy and can't go himself.  Poppie should be home around noon and I may be able to help with the last of the shelving in the pantry but if not I have the finish painting in both bathrooms to do and then the tiling.  We will soon be able to get our bathrooms back together.  This will be the first year in a number of years we won't be able to have our annual 4th of July party, I will miss it but we had decided to have a just because party as soon as I have my house all back together.  It just seemed to be that we were not going to have it done enough to have 50ish people in the house with all our current chaos and the chaos of so many people, so we will have to not do it this year.  Maybe we can go camping on the weekend after the 4th???

Tomorrow is a busy day for Lady and I, we have plans to do something we don't normally get to do and some of the things we do but she will be off.  The Library building had a collapse this week and the whole building is going to be fixed and inspected before anyone can go in so that leaves the employees working from home or off for the time being.  I think it is a blessing, but I think it surely must be a hardship for those that won't be working.  Mixed blessings I think, well maybe not maybe they are off with pay?  I don't know.

I am just starting my "newest" Dehaan, Adventures in Faith.  It is as wonderful, as are all the others.  I have always known that Grace is the only way to salvation but I never thought of Grace being all from God.  I know that sounds ironic but faith is all about Grace.  God gives you all of Grace including the faith to obtain the Grace.  Something new to wrap my mind around, maybe I always understood it but maybe on a different level.  I still think one of the deepest verses on faith is the first 5 words in the Bible, in Genesis 1:1.  'In the beginning God created...... ' God spoke the Word and created all of the heavens and earth, if you believe that you have all the faith that you need.  Faith is about believing with out having to be proven anything, you just know it is the truth and you believe it.  The Bible does not tell us all that much about creation really and the reason is is because God is more about what is to come than what is already old history.  He had created and that was the past he wants us to see to our futures not try and prove he did what when and why...... tomorrow.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Great Farmer's Market, busy week to come you just can't do it all......

The Ladies had a great farmer's market yesterday.  They had more baked goods than the week before and were still sold out by 10:53.  I went to my first market this week and sold enough soap to take every one out for a nice burger lunch.  We rarely go out so it was a nice get away.  I got to have my hot burger and see the owner's wife.  She had been gravely ill this last fall and winter and nearly died.  The town had a benefit dinner and auction for them.  It was nice to see her back on her feet if still very fragile.  They are having a free lunch on Tuesday for the town I think as a thank you and welcome back.  It will be nice to see her on her way back to normality.

The Preacher and Pianist came over on Friday to look at my stash of moose antlers they had asked me if I knew where to buy one as their daughter wants one.  I had told them last Sunday that I had about 30. That really surprised them, that happens a lot when people find out I have this or that item.  I am admittedly a bit of a hoarder but I am also a bit of a business hoarder too, so to speak.  I don't really put my money into a business account I usually buy things to make more carvings or art with.  I call it my savings account.  It is a really sort of inventory, I would suppose, but not in the usual way.  Being an artist of multiple crafts I buy things that will be for future artistic endeavors.  I buy wool for upcycling, antlers for carving, doll head for doll making and the list goes one. Antlers and wool will be just as good 10 years from now as today when I get around to use them.  People also know I craft and sculpt so they give me inventory as well.  So if you wants something no matter how odd or bazaar the chances are that I probably have it.  It always makes people shake their head that I have so many things or that they find that I would have it in the first place.  My thoughts are that these things are like having money in the bank it's just harder to spend it and not have it when I would really need it like I might money.  I know I am crazy but then admitting it is half the battle isn't it.  I still have it for a rainy day when I need it and I wouldn't have it if it were cash because I would have spent it on something someone couldn't live with out.  So maybe I am not that crazy.

This coming week is impossible full.  The girls are supposed to go to a picnic this evening for 4-H but they have to bake for a bake sale tomorrow.  Tomorrow they get to go to vacation Bible school with Belle's kid, but are supposed to be at a bake sale to make the last of the money they need for the relay for life on Friday.  They will be at vacation Bible school Monday thru Thursday but Booboo has her first piano lesson on Tuesday and they both go to the reading program in the park on Tuesday.  I have told them that they can't do it all so we will have to figure out how to make it all work.  I try not to over schedule them and some people think I allow them to go to the wrong things in there estimation but I think that what ever is more building of their morale character and service to God should have priority.  I am told I should let them do the athletic things first and then this or that because they will need this or that more than Church.  Really? I don't think so.  I think that Church, and church is not a  building or a religion, but the place we have in Jesus, is the most important thing that they can aspire to.  So I guess I am out of step and not ashamed of it.  God is where their minds and hearts should be so today we have decisions to make and how they will spend their week and I know God will win out.... tomorrow.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Baking day for the farmer's market today, Tiny passes and swirly rye sourdough bread, yay!!

Yesterday started with Booboo and I making sponge for the sourdough rye bread we were to make to fill orders for the farmer's market.  We have gone to using only milk kefir, water kefir or a combo of both to make the sponge in place of the water we would have normally used in it.  We have found we have remarkable rise and success with the new recipe.  Oh, and it helps use up the excess kefirs.  We got it going shortly after Bible time so it had a good long time to sponge in the rye flour and get good rise.  I went in and fed Tiny shortly after.  I was feeding her and for the first time I got her to eat really good. I even was able to squeeze the bottle a little and she ate even better.  I made a mistake of letting off the pressure from squeezing while the bottle was still in her mouth the last time before I quit feeding her.  She began screaming it was a cry of shear pain.  I couldn't console her and knew that something was terrible wrong.  I finally got her to quiet and on her last scream I noticed the problem and knew from raising many many a puppy that it was a death sentence to our little piglet.  She had a completely cleft hard palette in her mouth.  You could see up into her entire sinus cavity.  I have tried many at time to save puppies, mostly Pekingese, when I was breeding them in the 90's, and all came to a sad end at birth or at about a month old.  It is not survivable in puppies and I am sure less so in piglets.  Poppie and I decided that we would let the girls, and grands, love and cuddle her but we would go longer feed her so she would slowly drift off.  She was content the rest of the day in their arms and passed quietly in the night having fulfilled her special duty.  She was surely sent from God to help the children recover from the pain of Tillie's horrible death.  The Lord be praised for his mercies and Grace. 

The sourdough raised up good so we added the flours, oil, molasses and salt.  That's it that's all we put in it.  Oh, I lied to make it swirl I had to add cocoa powder to half the dough.  We let the two doughs rise again and then we started the most fun part, swirling it together.  We rolled the lighter dough out into a big rectangle and then rolled the dark dough right over it into it's on rectangle. We rolled it all up together into on big roll and then sliced it into six loaves, okay so 9 year olds don't divide 6 even loaves, so they vary in sizes a bit, okay a big bit.  I helped her roll them into nice loaves and we baked them.  We let them cool over night and this morning bright and early we sliced one.  Yay, success, it is wonderfully swirled into lovely light and dark sourdough rye bread.  Hurrah for simple pleasures, or things that make us simple people happy.  So we, Booboo, Yogie and I eat swirled rye sourdough toast and milk kefir banana, avocado smoothies for breakfast.  NO, chemicals no bad for us poison in our diets, almost self sufficient or as self sufficient as people on a one acre farm can be..... more than most I am guessing with our veggies, goats, pigs, chickens and rabbits...

I started a ginger beer plant yesterday.  I know purest will say it is not actually a ginger beer plant but it is as close as you can get and some debate it I the same.  I mixed water kefir, fresh grated ginger, sugar, molasses and water.  I have to feed it ginger and sugar daily for 8 days to turn it into ginger beer plant but I can't wait to see how it comes out.  I will have milk kefir, water kefir, sourdough, and ginger beer plant, all yeast bacteria mushrooms as my beginning cultures.  Oh, and I have a mother vinegar growing and maybe will retry kumbacha.  My friend Belle calls them 'counter cultures' but I think with respect to the meaning of the term, I will call mine the 'cultures of my counter'.

I pray for the Lord's glory to come into your life so he can have a relationship with you....tomorrow.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Pokie, Buster Brown and Tiny... the more the merrier?

Pokie came to live with us about a week ago, she had been ours for months but no one got around to moving her.  She had happily lived with her mom at Son's house, well not his house in his pig sty.  She is actually Red's sister but for some reason when we moved the others we didn't mover her, probably because she had been in a different pen.  Oh, did I say she is a piglet.  She was moved over all of a sudden the other day, Mokie came over to get Poppie.  She came in the door and said "Where do you want Pokie, Son has her in his pickup"  Poppie went out and they put her in the goat pen, Red, Chocolate and Pokie now run free range, well as much free range as we have, in the goat pen.  The goats are used to the two others but she was new so they were a little leery of her at first put now she is happily accepted.  The reason for the all of a sudden hurry is that her momma Ribs was ready to have her new babies, I.E. the ones born yesterday. 

The kids will have well and truly learned a lesson from the "Tragedy", I really hope that one and all remember their lose for a long time, it will help them never to leave a living being in the car again, animal or person.  They had a lovely ceremony for Tillie last night, they buried her next to their playhouse.  They are going to put a stone for her, flowers and prayers sent her on to the Lord.  They all see her sitting at the foot of the Lord, guarding him as she did with every baby that she ever saw.  She might be seen following him about so he is safe as well.  She will not soon be forgotten in their lives. 

Tiny the piglet is still alive,  I am not sure she can actually see, her eyes are sealed closed like a puppy is born not like a normal piglet.  Maybe she is early and still developing so we will let her be, she cries when she is hunger, so she wants to live.  She gets around on her front feet and they seem to be loosing up a bit.  I don't still believe she will make it but she is a consolation to my girls.  Yogie took care of her all night and Booboo is doing it this morning. She doesn't eat a lot and I truly think she will slowly pass on. 

Mokie was very sorry about Tillie when she got home from work.  She was very attached to her, as all were, she said I just didn't notice she was gone.  She felt so bad for Yogie that she brought over a puppy that her Nuk, had had about six weeks ago.  A min-pin and pom mix.  The funny little guy is Tillie's color and has long legs like her, other than that there is not resemblance.  Yogie wanted it but Poppie did not, I don't think he was happy that Mokie brought him over.  His heart did melt as it did seem to take the pain away a little for Yogie.   He gave in and "Buster" got to stay,  I have heard Poppie calling him Buster Brown, so Poppie is well and truly hooked.  Did I tell you that we have nine dogs, and Poppie won't build me a pen for them, because they might actually have to stay in the pen.  Poppie's heart would just not let them have to be imprisoned, by his estimation, so there for 8 and some time nine dogs live in my house.  He does keep the Great Pyrenees stay out side on her chain or in the yard "most" of the time. 

Life goes on an ever evolving circle in our lives.  The Lord blesses us and send us lessons, lesson's that cause no pain are not as easily learned so with pain we learn and remember.  Praise God for his love, his chastisements and his rewards in this life so that we may experience Heaven in the next.... tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Tragedy strikes at our house. Pigs, Piglets and more brushing reguired.

Tragedy has struck and one of the 8 children in the house is sobbing and won't be consoled.  Son's pig had piglets today.  It was pouring rain and G-Pa stopped by to drop off straw for the pig that was to have piglets tomorrow.  Well he comes in and said that she was delivering in the pouring rain.  Mokie was on her way to work, and Son was already at work, but when we called he couldn't come home right away.  We called Poppie and he was on his way home so agreed to help G-Pa.  G-Pa had just been over last night to pick up the 12 chicks that the Ladies had hatched out for him.  He took the rest of the eggs that hadn't hatched just encase there were stragglers.  Anyway back to the day at hand.  I had to leave to take Yogie to the dentist. (She needs to improve her brushing, so had a lecture at the dentist, well not really but I hate when she doesn't brush good it always makes me think they think I am a horrible mom.)  Poppie had Booboo to help him with all the kids. They did well and had a great day with the kids.  We got home a short while ago and Poppie wasn't sure how many piglets were born.  Son came to pick up his kids and said that there was one that was really little compared to the rest, there are 10 but not sure she is done having piglets.  I told him I would bottle feed it if he didn't want it, sort of a Fern like offer for Wilbur.  Son said he would take all the kids to see the piglets if they would mind.  Poppie and I unloaded the car and all 8 kids went to see the piglets.

The kids had been gone about 10 minutes when the door came open and in came a child, or several children, all talking at once and one whaling at the top of her voice.  Sobs and Crying was all I could hear.  I said "what has happen?".  One said "She is dead, she is dead."  I got scared and said "who is dead?"  More talking at once, more like they all talked at once, more sobbing.  Yogie ran into my arms tears streaming down her face and say "She's dead"  I said "who is dead?"  She said "Tillie."  I said "What?  How is Tillie dead?"  They all said "Cubbie did it."  I said, "How did Cubbie do it?  How could Cubbie kill Tillie?"  A chorus of children said "she left her in the old car!!"  I said "What car?"  They said the old one in the field.  I cuddled Yogie who was still crying and inconsolably.  I asked them to tell me what they knew.  Poppie had gone to see what happen and Son had found Tillie.  Cubbie (4) had accidently left her in the car when she had gotten her pole out to go fishing.  She either hadn't noticed or didn't think about it being a danger to Tillie.  Tillie loved little kids so had been following Mokie's kids around lately and hadn't been coming home for several weeks,  She just loved sleeping with the baby so we had let her.  No one missed her because each thought she was at the others house.  She had been in the car with the temperature being 91 yesterday and the day before nearly as hot.  Tillie had been left in the car Sunday evening.  I pray she didn't suffer long but I think it was a terrible way to die and grieve at her loss and the horrible way she had to die.  She was the kindest lovingest dog to children. She will be greatly missed by one and all.  I am sorry that with all the excitement going on we all didn't notice her missing.  I feel so sad, and am just as guilty, if not more, for not noticing her being gone.  I hope to use this as a lesson to the kids. 

Oh, there is a baby piglet in my house.  It might have been a comfort to Yogie but it is really little and as I am holding I notice it's front legs seem atrophied.  I think that it might actually die but it might be a comfort and that might have been it's purpose in life to begin with; God always gives us answers and there are never any coincidences. I think the little sad piglet may have had that as it's only reason to live as long as she will... he is actually a girl.  The Ladies and Poppie are digging a grave so I have a funeral to attend...... tomorrow.

Grands, dentists, shopping and the Zoo, again.

Today is our Grandparent's day with Bug's three kids, we get them every Wednesday so that is a blessing to be spending regular time with them.  We had them last week and the day was great, Mokie's three and Bug's three and ours made for a busy day.  The kids hadn't seen each other in several months so it was a joyous day of getting reacquainted.  I am so happy the Daughter allowed us to have them each week.  I am also glad that we can still have a relationship with her that isn't dependent on her relationship or lack there of with Bug.  She spent a great deal of time in our home while she was growing up so our relationship with her was not always based on their relationship anyway.  She is the mother of our grands and that is enough to base a new relationship on.  Today Poppie and Booboo will be holding down the fort so to speak, it is an ortho day so Yogie and I must track in to the Zoo.

We are hoping to stop in at Home Resources and check for more tile, maybe a sink and faucet and paint.  I am not sure we will get anything but we will check we wouldn't want to miss a great deal.  We have to buy some berries for pies for the Farmer's market.  We have several other things to buy as well. The girls might actually purchase some fruit from the Summer Fruit delivery that the date to have your order forms in is tomorrow if at all possible.  I hope that some of you participate it is a great deal considering that buying a clamshell of Blueberries at the store cost 3 to 4 dollars for 6 ounces.  These fruits come in 14 pound units so the cost of the most expensive at 52 is a killer deal when compared to clamshells.  I see that BBFC has peaches this week I hope we get them next week I want to get at least a couple cases.   Okay, I will get off of fruit and on to the day.  We have a few errands and then to the dentist and then hopefully home in time to see the kids before they have to leave.

I hope you have a wonderful day, I pray that your heart is softened to the Lord's invitation and today is the day of your salvation or at least the day you start to inquire upon the Lord.  His words are open for us to see and read daily, open you Bible and begin your communion with the Lord, there is no great joy on earth.... tomorrow.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Rocking me in your arms.......

I remember my Grandpa Jim saying one time that my Grandma Gladys and my mother both got a double helping of mothering, they never saw a baby that they didn't want to love on.  I grew up with some many babies that as a young teen I was sure I didn't want anything to do with them.  Little did I know that I was being trained up,

Proverbs 22:6

King James Version (KJV)
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

I was in high school and had helped raise children all of my life.  I learned from my Grandmother that I should be able to get a kid to do what I wanted with out ever hit them or doing more than learning how to use my voice to get them to do what I wanted.  I am pretty good at that, I must say.  When my older kids were little they were the only kids in the county that didn't jump when I spoke in my mothers voice, they were used to me and like kids anywhere had to decide how serious I was before they decided whether they needed to mind or not.  They weren't all the way trained up or maybe I had empowered them just a little to be the adults they would become. 

I know that there is rarely a baby that won't come into my arms snuggle down into my pillows, my husband called my chest area, kids pillows, because all of them seem to snuggled down in and find comfort.  He said skinny, non pillowed woman  (or men) just didn't have the snuggly pillows for a baby to cuddle in, okay, I digress.  Anyway babies love me, I think maybe it is a comfort that comes from the surety I hold them with and not actually the pillows.  I find that I have a mothers rock, you know it when you see it and not all mothers have it.  I know all of my kids, my grands and the various degrees of nieces and nephews I have all love it.  Others people kids and all my pseudo grands have come to me for it.  I know I have rarely meant a baby or toddler that didn't like me. 

We, as you know, have been going to another Church for the last year plus.  I was hesitant to go outside of what I was trained up in but in the end the call of the Lord for us to assembly was stronger than my fleshly learning.  We decided upon at Church we felt that we could assimilate into, that would accept us with our beliefs, a Church with similar if not the same beliefs.  We have done well and have become in our eyes, and I think God's, if not the actually members of the Church, that is one of the difference in our believes, members.  Months ago Poppie kept moving away from me at Church, he said I rocked into him.  I thought he was being strange I certainly didn't rock at Church, we are not a rocking sort of Church.  I think his remark started a little question in my mind and of late I have noticed that I do rock in Church.  It is not about standing because I don't rock when we stand to pray or the other things we need to stand for but I have found that I do rock during the singing.  It is not actually to the music.  It is the back and forth soothing rock I rock a baby to.  It has nothing to do with the sounds of the people singing or the piano playing.  I have thought and contemplated on this for awhile and I have an answer, I think from the Lord.  I think that I rock, and I never did this before at any other time in my life of worship, because I know I am in the Lords arms and he is telling me I am safe in my new decision.  He has given me the comfort of knowing that I am in his arms.  That like the baby that lays in the rocking arms of a mother I am safe in his arms.   The Lord has more than a double helping of fathering.  He loves us in a special personal way that sings to the heart of the child he is rocking in his arms.  I love that the Lord has time to rock me in his arms and I know that I am safe there.  Please won't you join me in his loving embrace.... tomorrow.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Fishing is not always easy, a great get away day......

We were off on our Father's day fishing trip with excitement and joy.  We stopped to get worms to begin our trip to the fishing hole, but we found that Mokie had bought them all out.  We got water and went to the convenience store to pick up worms.  They still had some so we were off on our fishing adventure.  We knew that the water was going to still be high but we were in hopes of finding one still spot to try out the girls new poles.  We passed all of our regular haunts along the way knowing that the water was just moving to fast.  We had chose not to go to the river because Poppie just doesn't like to fish the river if he doesn't have to and it was Father's day after all.  We stop at the camp spot where we had celebrated Booboo's 4th birthday and where Goofy had cut her foot and had had to have surgery oh so many years ago.  The water path had changed so much that some one had had to dump a load of gravel on the meadow to support camping there, a gully had been cut across the meadow grass.  We went down to the water and it, like all the water was high,  I walked around an old path and there were new streams running here and there.  I made it to the giant rock where the Ladies as toddlers had "fished" with their lures, with no hooks to catch up on the rocks.  We couldn't actually get on the rock the new stream was moving around it too fast.  We decided to move up the stream to a place where friends of ours camp but we had never actually camped there. 

We got out at the new site and the water seemed to be a little more calm.   Poppie set the Ladies new poles up and they began to cast, well after Poppie got Booboo's pole out of the weeds.  It had caught on the weeds as they passed by, all untangled they were ready to start.  Yogie played it safe and just cast out into the smaller stream in front of her.  Booboo went out a little onto a rock and cast into a middle area of the stream she was doing okay, and maybe got more courage then she needed, so she cast into the larger stream.  The new yellow sink made a beeline for the underbelly of a big rock and there it stuck.  Try as they might she, nor Poppie, could untuck the hook and it's sinker from the underwater crevasse that had well and truly caught it.  Poppie tried to reassure her that it was his fault that the water was to high and it would have happened to anyone casting in that part of the stream.  She was overcome with despair and could not be comforted.  Her new sinker was gone and she was done fishing.  Poppie told her he would try and get it for her when the water receded as he could see where it was so we would come again and he would get it. 

Booboo and I took a walk into the woods and before long her tears were gone but she did wear a little cloak of gloom the rest of the trip.  We soon left to come home and decided to make little stops to just look at the stream and look forward to the next trip to actually be a fishing trip.  Poppie said we would in the mean time buy some new tackle for each of them so they would have lots of new options for the next fishing trip, maybe that sinker will have future friends to spend time in the crevasse with.  Poppie told them fishing was about leaning to loose the bait and be ready to try again.  I told them if fishing was only about the catching it would be called catching.  Fishing is about the fun had by all more than the fish any way.  We had lots of fun so it was a greatly successful fishing trip.

May you day be filled with love and especially the Lords love.  May your life be lived to the fullest and may the Lord have a hand in your daily success and failures if you need a failure in your life... tomorrow.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Poppie's day, potluck, fishing and a day to play....... OH, and a thief...

Poppie is a workaholic, as most of you know.  He almost daily drives out to Lozeau, which is 10 miles one way to feed the Professors animals before he starts his day of things to do here.  Professors is usually home but is sort of becoming an absent minded, or maybe overworked with he has to do list, professor so Poppie usually feeds his animal every day.  It is sometimes wearing on Poppie the twoish hours it takes to go do it but he likes to do it, but once in a while he doesn't have to go out and do it so he gets a break.  He is currently off doing that right now because he had to get up this morning at 6 to do something else, normally that's when he goes to feed the rabbits.  But today he had a very important mission he had to make grilled on the barbeque chicken for the Church Potluck.  He had offered to make the chicken and since it would take to long to do it after Church he was to do it at home.  He thought that if he made it yesterday it would be heated up chicken and not fresh grilled chicken, needless to say he was up at 6 this morning to start his charcoal.  He has recently discovery lump charcoal and loves it far and above brick charcoal.  He lite the bricks at 6 and put the chicken on the grill at 7 and babied it until 9:10 when he took it off the grill to be at Church at 9:30.  His chicken was a big hit, Preacher said it was the best chicken he ever had several times.  Poppie tried to explain how he cooks it.  I cut the back bone out and he cooks it flayed open in one piece.  It makes it juicer and it is easier to cook one piece than a bunch of little small pieces that want to dry out.  Poppie did a wonderful job the chicken really was good.  We had a very nice potluck with the whole Church family.

We are going fishing later today, well right after Poppie and the Ladies get back from feeding rabbits.  We were going to go yesterday but conked a little longer than we expected. We had a booyaha day of conking filled to large boxes clean to the top.  We were in the creek bed and surround for about 2 hours.  When we got back to the car Poppie tried to start it but it wanted to cough and spit.  He tried it again it started but coughed and spit.  He got out of the car and right behind the car were tracks where someone had backed right up to the car, siphoned the gas out and then sped away in a small car, like maybe a Subaru.  I got on the cell phone to call for help, we were only about 3 miles from the house but it was hot and would have been a long walk especially to have to walk to town to get more gas.  I called and Mokie didn't answer.  I called and Drama's clan didn't answer.  I called and Brother happily answered the phone,  he was happy to come out and save us.  He wouldn't even take any money for the gas or saving us.  He said Poppie picked up The Little all the time.  We were sure thankful that he came to save us and he was so loving and kind to do it because.  Aside to all his help, The Little will officially be adopted in court on Tuesday, praise the Lord for it has been a long hard road these many years that Sister and Brother have been working to adopt their second adopted child.  The Lord is great and knows which child to bless us each with, the other children that came and went in their lives were only passing through their lives but The Little is well and truly their child to love and hold.  I know I digressed but it wasn't a digression it was a moment of joy and off subjectness, but for good cause.....

We are going fishing today, we almost took Preacher and family with us but they needed their Sunday naps so will join us a different time.  The Ladies are so excited to use their new poles and cast into the depths to see what they can lure on to their lines.  I think Poppie is excited to use his new folding lounge chair that he got for father's day from Church.  He wants to just enjoy his daughter enjoying themselves.  I got him a new fancy drill sets, a hammer drill and a regular drill, but he needed it earlier in the week so he already got it and has used it on my pantry.  I want to grout my pantry and all the tile will be done but father's day in only once a years so I will wait until tomorrow to do it and send you all photos of the process and the completion, well maybe the photos will have to wait until Tuesday but I have them ready and will take some of the completion. 

I hope that all the Fathers out there have a lovely day.  Remember to love you father and give him a hug, if only in your dreams if he has passed on to glory.  I want you all to remember that our Father in heaven wants our love and hugs too.  He want's our obedience just as any father wants that of his child.  We can all be the adopted children of God the Father and share with Christ in his inheritance of God's Grace.  Christ gave it all so we could be his adopted brethren, today on father's day it could be your day to join in a new family.  God's family, he wants to be your Father. Today can truly be fathers day if you accept his invitation of salvation, let today day be your day of adoption and salvation....tomorrow.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

First farmer market, BBFC and Conking.....

Booboo and I spent the greater part of the day baking yesterday.  We ended up baking 6 loafs of sourdough bread, 3 sets of dinner buns, 5 foccacias and 6 pies.  They sold out which was a great day for them.  There were only 3 sellers at the farmers market and Flower Child let them all have a free admissions day.  They were happy to see all the people and get reacquainted with one and all.

Bountiful Baskets was earlier this week.  It was nice to have the earlier time but it caught a lot of people off guard.  We are asking one and all to make sure and check the time for pick up on their confirmation paperwork, it always says it on it but most people don't look.  We seem to all get complacent with our norms and changes seem to surprise us.  It was a nice day at BBFC all in all and it was nice to get to our days earlier.

I ran in to an old friend at the Farmers Market that might come buy several of my goats.  It will be nice to see them go to a good home and have them on a bigger property.  My Lucy Lou and her two little ones have a bit of the wanderer in them so they just don't like the fenced in pens. 

We are off to go conking, it is such a nice day we are escaping, and then later the girls are going to get to go fishing with their new poles.  The Lord Bless your day and your life, may he hold you in his arms and love... tomorrow.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Blogging why do so many do it? Why I do it and is it a passing vade?

I have recently joined several groups.  One is an upcycling group, that I love, I actually got a lot of my Tattler jar lids through them.  The BBFC group is a group I joined but I am not sure you can join it.  I love being the VSC for the local distribution of the produce.  I just can't wait each week to get to see what will be in my basket and the add ons are truly something I could not get locally so that is always a blessing.  Helps me keep my lazy jars filled and use the Tattlers that I now have so many of.  A few days ago I purchased seals from 4ever Recap to see for myself if the seals fit the Tattlers.  They came yesterday and I can't wait to use them.  They are the same color as the seals on the Tattlers and feel about the same, they fit my Tattlers a little snug but I don't think in the long run that is a negative. The Tattler seals are rubber and the 4ever Recap seals are silicone, I am told they should out last the rubber.  I get to use them Saturday after BBFC, to can the corn I purchased so my groups are sort of a cycle of life in our house at this point.

 I most recently joined a group of Homesteadbloggers.  I applied and they nicely invited me in to their group.  I still can't figure out how to put their button, or any other button not listed in the blogger format, on my blog and have not had much luck getting anyone to help me in a way I can understand.  Sometime I am truly internet illiterate.  The group moderator tried to email me instructions, but try as I might, I still don't really get it.  I love my group of CAKLs ladies and it makes my busy Tuesday bright and shiny.  Yes, a person's life can be bright and shiny just like a new penny.  I want to join the Thursday reading group as well, they said they would even put up with my never reading novels that aren't classic's or children's books, and I can even talk about my M R Dehaan's so that will be great if I ever get to go.  Yesterday I was to get to go but I found myself in the middle of adhesive tiling when it was time to go, on the bright side the tile is all in in the pantry and awaiting grout, yay me.  Sad that I missed the reading group though.  I can only do what I can do and sometimes I just forget to do......

I caught an interesting conversation on my Homesteadbloggers group yesterday on Facebook, okay Facebook is another of my groups as is the Summer fruit drop that I am collecting orders for, which will be getting done soon so I hope I get some more orders or at least enough to order.  I digress.  Anyway I was listening in on a conversation on Homesteadbloggers.  It was about recipes on Facebook,  the first person was upset about the recipes that float about on Facebook.  She was mad that people took recipes from blogs and put them on Facebook.  She said that the people on blogs had worked hard to make up the recipes and that they were working hard at branding their blogs to make money and that taking a recipe and publishing it on Facebook was stealing.  I never thought of it that way.  Okay my Homesteadbloggers group are hard core bloggers, I am not exactly sure how to be a hardcore blogger.  I don't actually know if I would like to make money blogging.  I have done the add's but in the end I took them off they weren't really what I was blogging for and they were so random that I am not sure some of the things that popped up were with in my ethical realm.  I know I can rejoin and solicit different companies to do adds on my blog but then that will take me away from my purpose.  I have discovered that unlike most bloggers, I don't blog to make money.  I would maybe like to write an ebook but I don't think the daily press to make money blogging is me or why I blog.  I do like to see why others blog that do do it for the money, they have lots of lovely stories, tricks about most anything and lots of recipes to share, that I will never put on Facebook but I am not sure the drive to make money doesn't take away from the simple pure reason they began to blog in the first place.  Does it change the blogger into a seller and if so what are they selling?  Themselves?  Their families or just their thoughts?  I know there are good ways and bad ways to do it and make money blogging as for me, at this time, I am not blogging to make money.  Yes, all my recipes are free and if you find any of any value to you, yes, you can share them on Facebook.  I do all the time. 

I want to reiterate that the reason I blog is not for money, not for fame and not for even you.  You are actually the incidental in my blogging, not that I don't like you or appreciate you because I do, I just had never really thought of you when I first began to blog.  I blog because it is a bit of a release to my sometime hectic life.  I blog to you the anonymous for the most part, there is some form of freedom in talking to the unknown person.  I blog for my kids and grandkids for the most part, though my kids don't currently read my blogs, I think they will someday, maybe when I am gone and they find it to be a way to try and understand or remember me.  I am probably going to have my blogs bound into books for them, as written some time.  I may even have some of the pages put into a couple of different type of edited books for some of my friends too, or maybe do and ebook but that was not really the purpose of my blogging it just might be incidental as well.  I blog because I want to share the Lord Jesus and God with other people that may have never considered looking in a Bible.  The ones who may just scoff at someone's life being changed or saved by this God they hear about.  I blog to show them God's working in my life.  I am not all that big on a lots of scripture put into every blog, but I do like to put scripture in if it helps me in what I have to say in a blog.  I just want some one any one to hear my blogging and say, I want to know more about this Jesus, this God she speaks of.  If anyone, even just one person picks up a Bible and sees his or her way to salvation in the Lord my blog will have had true meaning, true rewarding purpose.  I pray that even one is saved from my meandering and talking wouldn't that be worth more than any silver or gold? That is why I blog... Glory to God that would be ....... tomorrow.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Barns, out houses, sewers and nails, rice and raisins.

The farmhouse we moved to had a great old barn but it was sold to my Auntie with the farmhouse when we moved into the basement.  The basement had 50 acres of property.  I don't know how much property went with the farmhouse.  My mom learned to milk the cow in the barn that went with the farmhouse.  The basement was an open format house in ways.  The front room, dinning room and the kitchen kind of formed an L.  The bedroom formed another L.  It was not really intended to be a long term living space but eventually the basement of at three story house.  I can remember the long ladders that daddy would stand on as he framed in the upper stories.  He was so busy building the basement and house, and working that he didn't have time to build a new barn for the sheep and other animals.  My mom decided that she would build a barn, I think my dad may have laughed at her assertion that that was her goal and she took it as a challenge.  She took us kids to the teepee burner at the mill, where dad worked and we got mill ends.  We would stand at the shoot and pick the 2 to 3 foot boards out of the shoot as they were going up to the top of the teepee burner.  It didn't take long and we would have a whole pickup full of them.  We took them home and thru them in a big pile.  We didn't really understand how mom was going to make a barn out of such short pieces of wood.  Daddy was using long boards to make the house.  I think half of the fun of helping mom was the puzzle it presented to us.  Once the pile was a mountain of mill ends mom started nailing them into a big rectangle.  I don't recall what the foundation was,  I think maybe it was a cement footing that dad may have had poured at the same time the basement was poured with the idea that he would get to it after he built the house but I don't know that for sure.  Anyway, mom started nailing the mill end together end to end and then one on top of one another like bricks.  It still looked like a puzzle to me.  People all over the neighborhood would come by to see what my mom was making, some would laugh and some would be supportive but most just thought she was a little crazy.  I think that the building of the barn began a compulsion in my mom, I can't remember ever living in a house again that mom didn't build something, tear down a wall or do some kind of reconstruction.  My mom became the contractor in the family and my dad just built what she wanted, but I digress.  Mom built that barn in a really short time, it was 20 by 40 and before long all the sheep were happily living in there new digs. 

We had an out house that dad had built but he decided to build a sewer for the basement and house to be.  I remember it being a big square in the ground, he had had big hole dug in the back yard when the basement was dug.  A giant machine had actually dug it because it was to big for him to dig.  The big square he built had four walls and a roof but no floor and it was just in front of the old out house.  I remember him leaving a square hole in the top of it, he later put a pipe into the hole.  He had just finished the last board and was going to start working on more walls on the house when he couldn't find his box of nails.  He looked in the hole and sure enough his box of nails were in the square sewer box and he couldn't reach them through the little hole so he had to take some boards off so he could jump down and get the nail.  He got them and then put the boards back on the square box.  Funny thing when he got it all build he put pipes on it and then cover it all up with a dirt.  The pipes were hooked to the house.  I don't think I really knew what it was as a child it was just a funny thing dad spent a lot of time on just to bury. 

The building took a lot of time in both mom and dads lives, especially with dads work and all us kids to take care of so mom was into making simple things for us to eat during the building we ate a lot of rice and raisins.  Dad doesn't like rice much and sweet rice and raisins didn't rate all that high on his rating system but us kids liked it a lot so we won out, that and the fact that it was easy and quick to make. 

Rice and Raisins

4 cups cookd rice......Mom cooked the rice in the regular manner, but since mom was still learning to cook and was an exact scientist in her measuring it varied from runny to dry.  You can make it nice and fluffy, sometime mom got it just right and ours was fluffy to.
1/2 cup raisins stirred into the rice once it was fluffy, if you put the raisins in to soon the blow up like grapes... we liked them better like warm raisins.
1tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup of butter, stir both in with the raisins.

Dish into bowls, sugar to taste, pour milk over and eat.   Makes me happy to eat rice and raisins, but for the most part I am with my dad and don't eat much rice, I do like brown or wild rice but mom had no idea what those were back then.  She was probably not alone in that, white rice was what American woman served in the early 60's, the hippy generation had not come along and taught us to eat granola, or twigs and nuts like Poppie calls it.  We were happy with our while rice and white bread, did anyone eat anything but Wonder bread back then?? Sadly just this year we witnessed the demise of Wonder Bread.... but there is hope it may be back, not that I will buy a loaf, I haven't eaten Wonder bread in probably 25 years.......

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

4-H records, Piglets get their tags, more records and today we have the 6 grands.

The girls and I spent the morning yesterday getting their 4-H records in order to turn in.  We worked on them several hours when we discovered we didn't have all the paperwork, so I had to pick up a set of record papers at the extension office when I went to CAKLs.  I was there getting the paperwork when I saw the Extension Agent who has to put tags in the piglets ears, I got to make an appoint for him to come out to the house.  He came just after we got home from CAKLs, he got their ears all tag. Poppie had to hold them and they were almost to big for him to hold.  He Agent said he felt the piglets were on track to make weight by the fair.  They are the littlest two of the piglets to start to make it at the fair this year, or maybe they are just the youngest.  They are growing fast on their goats milk, oh, and the grain and slops they get daily.  They have to be a minim of 210 to make weight.  There are some piglets in the group of 41 that were older and will be well over the maxim of 280 at the fair.  The Ladies were happy to know theirs were do well. We have now spent the last two hours finishing up their paperwork so they can get it turned in tot he extension office this morning.  I am thinking the work to fair is just beginning.

Our BBFC site time has now been changed to 10:15 pickup time I am thinking this is another blessing.  It makes for an earlier time to get there 9:15 for volunteer time,  but it also makes for an earlier time to get done and on to our Saturday.  Yay.  The Ladies have their first Farmers Market on Saturday morning as well.  I will have to drop them off and then go across the street to do the Bountiful Baskets, and when all done and cleaned up I will have to go over and pick them up.  I will only be doing the Farmers Market every other Saturday.  The Ladies have a little more money to earn for the relay for life so they are going to set up a separate table to sell some jelly for the relay for Life money they still need to make.

Today the grands, or at least 6 of them will be here for several hours.  I think three will be here from 11ish on and the others come at noon.  It is pouring rain so they will be in the house I am thinking.  I am not so sure I am looking forward to hours of six kids running around my house.  Poppie will have to help entertain them.  I am hoping the weather breaks some so they can play outside some of the time.  I am excited to see the three I haven't seen for several months.

I still have to paint the cupboards in the bathrooms and the bathroom painting will be done.  I had to think long and hard about painting the bathroom cupboards.  They are oak, well at least the doors are all oak the cupboards themselves are oak plywood, but I do love the wood look, but in the end I think they will be more maintainable with the industrial quality paint I have.  Oh, well, easier is easier. 

I hope the Grace of God is in your life, if not I hope you seek God's Grace.  He so loves us all and wants us to be his for eternity, he only asks that you believe to receive his gift of everlasting Grace, is today your day of belief.  Is today the day you give yourself to the Lord, I pray so... tomorrow.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Booboo and I painted, and painted, and then we all conked.

Booboo and I got up bright and early and got right at the painting.  She did some of the rolling and some of the edge painting.  She had mishaps but then don't we all.  We got the little bathroom done right away and the bigger bathroom took most of the rest of the afternoon.  There are three giant mirrors in the big bathroom and they were harder to paint around.  There were drips aplenty and the child was cover from head to toe with paint.  I used the ladders and got all the way to the top of the tall wall, so Poppie will not have to help.  I can actually do some of the unfinished parts of the living room myself, I have found, but the last bits will have to be done by Poppie.  I am hoping to get the carpet out of the big bathroom and get the tiling done in there and the last bits of the pantry done too.  I am finding I have new energy of late,  I actually broke down and bought an over the counter sleeping aid and have sleep through the night for over a week, and went to sleep early so that has been a blessing. 

We went Conking in the late afternoon, just as we were leaving the house the Professor called and his radiator was boiling over at the Post Office so we had to detour to the Post Office to help him so he could make it home.  We stopped at the store picked up some ice cream treats and water to drink then we were off on our Conking adventure.  We had decided to try a new place just up from one the Mokie and I had hunted the last couple of year.  We had tried there on Sunday with limited success.  We got out of the car and walked down the bank into the valley.  We saw some right off and were happy to find a new well to tap.  We quickly found a bunch but we also found a lot of brush, rose bushes and thorn bushes as well.  Poppie and Yogie did much more harvesting than Booboo and I, we finally kind of walked across the rock slides on the edge to keep up and then we gave up and climbed the rock slide to the road and gave them moral support.  They kept harvesting steadily and then just as we were about to call it quits Yogie yelled, "Jackpot"  she had found what was a bonanza in her books. She found five big ones on one tree.  They harvested them but had run out of backpack space, and Poppies arms space, so they hiked up the bank and we came home vowing to return on Wednesday, with more backpacks.  We have to go to Church tonight.  All and all a wondrous day, work on the house done, and a fun evening of Conking, or Konking.

I am late blogging today as I read the rest of my M R DeHaan book,  I have just finished the Studies in Galatians. It was a wonderful read,  It was a study mostly about the law and Grace.  It had many enlightening chapters.  I was so uplifted to read it.  It was a most reassuring study in faith.  I do so love all of his writings.  I hope that God's Grace is yours and the law is no longer your master.  God's Grace is the only way to salvation and with out it you are lost.  Please let today be you day of salvation, today is you opportunity to accept God's Grace in you life.  God's gift awaits you.... tomorrow.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Painting the bathrooms, and maybe tiling later.... Poppie, Mokie and Daughter have more stuff to move.

Booboo and I are going to paint the two bathrooms this morning.  I got the paint when I got the kitchen paint so that is all done. Yogie doesn't want to help so Booboo and I are happily going to do it ourselves.  Yogie is going to do all the outdoor chores and the dishwasher, if she has lots of down time she will have to do some laundry chores too. 

We had a overnight guest but she had to leave already, her mom signed her up for summer school.  She is learning how to babysit.  My girls are already well and truly versed in babysitting with having niece/nephew/cousins to practice on. 

Poppie when out to feed animals early, and will the rest of the summer, as he has no kids to take to school, so he can get it out of the way first thing in the mornings.  He will help me out later by cutting tile so I can finish up the pantry tiling. 

He, Mokie and Daughter will be moving more of the stuff out of Bugs old garage.  Most of it is Daughter's so she is going to help take it to storage.  She is just back from rehab, of sorts.  She did well there and now she and the kids are back living here in town.  I will be getting to babysit the kids on Wednesday while she works, that will be so nice to have the kids and spend time with them.

Well off to paint.  I did get to read my new M R Dehaan book on Galatians this morning.  It is always so funny how each one I read is always my new favorite one.  I am hoping when I read them the second time each again I will get the pure joy of find each again my favorite.  I do love them so, they give me such insight into the Lord's word. I so love that the Lord speaks to me in so many ways.  The Word, the Bible, and through different books that have been written by people who have devoted their lives to him and write of their fellowship and learning from the Lord.  I hope the Lord speaks to you.  You do know that he already knows if you will accept his gift of Grace in you life, so maybe today is the day that you become his as he as already seen you do....tomorrow.

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Chruch fellowship was great, Loving my new book.... konking or tiling I know not which yet.

Church was very nice, I just love that it is a small Church where all the people get to have conversations that are real.  I got to talk to all the ladies, each for a few minutes.  One needs a couple of hems adjusted, one is looking for a labradoddle or a goldendoddle, one is recovering from a surgical procedure, one had a bad hair day and wore a hat, one noticed my new hand me down outfit and one just share all of our joy.  I really do have great sisters in Christ.  The Preacher spoke about remembering that what we put in our minds and souls is what makes  us who we are.  Remember to filter what you put into your memories because they will always be there, we have to ability to unsee, unhear or unfeel that things we see, hear and feel.  I think in this day and age that is getting ever more important with all the bad things that TV, radio and people can bring into our lives and the lives of are all important children.  What you don't see, don't hear and do experience you can not be influenced by it's evil in your life. 

I got 4 new books by M R Dehaan, funny how when I find them it makes it like awaiting a writer to write a new volume,  his books are nearly a hundred years old, some of them, and they are just as important and relevant today as the day they were written.  God's message has not changed in 2000 years, so the message is as new today as it was a hundred years ago,  praise be that I get to read them. I have found 14 of his 25 books.   I watched Dr Charles Stanley this morning and he had an important message as well, I am blessed to have the TV on one hand and am aware of the evil it can bring into my home.  I guess the easiest way would be to do away with it, but I don't think I can truly prepare my children for a life in this current world with out Training them up in how to use the good it can be and how to turn from the evil it can represent.  I know that is not other peoples choice but it is the one I have made and know it is a fine line to walk. 

I got some of the tiling done yesterday and put in the new to us cupboard from Lady, I put it in and decided to move it over a little so know we have to build a small connecting cupboard to finish it up being just right.  I may get to tile the rest this afternoon or maybe Poppie will take us all konking.  I will just have to wait to see what he decides, either way we will spend the afternoon together and have  a special day.

I know that I am Loved by the Lord Jesus, he gives me assurances of his love in my life daily.  He gave me the special gift of his sacrifice on the cross for my sins.  He also gave me the Holy Spirit to be with me daily.  I can pray to him and know that I am loved beyond reason by a God so amazing that I truly have no comprehension of him at all.  I just know that God so loved me that...... tomorrow.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Yesterday was a gifting day and I praise the Lord for such good friends that I have.....

Yesterday was a day of blessing to be sure.  It started with Lady giving us a cupboard that she no longer needs. It will finish the corner of my pantry wonderfully, and it was an extra blessing that it fits right where I didn't tile yet,  the Lord is truly in control and works in mysterious ways.  For those of you that think the Lord doesn't have time to care about my stupid cupboard I sorrow for you, the Lord knows all our needs and blesses us at his will not when other people think it is a good enough reason to bless some one. I digress but for good reason.  It fits almost perfectly where we needed it.  She also blessed me with some decorations that I will use in my bathroom when I paint it.  And some wondrous cookbooks, such a blessing she is in my life.

I took water Kefir to Lady Hero and she blessed me with Milk Kefir to share with one of my CAKLs ladies.  She also gave me a lovely little Italian Prune tree and Poppie a barbeque.  Poppie was totally siked about the barbeque.  He had thought it was surely their new one when he got there and was astonished that they would give him such a nice barbeque. Lady Hero and Shark were truly a blessing for their kindness to us. 

I went on to Belles and had a good visit, I took her water Kefir and a few jars of canned goods.  She blessed us with kids puzzles, games, pig sticks, a horse riding helmet and me some clothes that she no longer needed.  She, and her Groom, blessed me with a nice visit and shared conversations....  She and her family are always such a blessing from the Lord to us.

Yesterday was surely a blessing of blessing from the Lord.  He knows our needs and he provides in the most blessed of ways.  We am truly loved by the Lord, and the Lords knows we love him so.  I love all my friends and bless them for their kindnesses to us, but most of all for their just being in my life.  The Lord is so good...... tomorrow.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Pantry tiling a lot of missteps but success in the end.....

I checked my kitchen tile and it looks wonderful, I just had to wait 48 hours to seal it, so I tried to limit the cooking I would have to do so I wouldn't get spatters on the grout.  Poppie was a dear and grilled ribs outside.  Such a sweetie.  I had Mokie pick me up a bag of thin set, it comes in 50lb bags.  Mokie put it in the wheeliebareo when she dropped it off. My industrious Yogie tried to push the wheeliebareo to the house.  Poppie told her it was the one with the bad front tire so it she couldn't use it.  I thought I would have to go out to the driveway to get the thin set.  I really wasn't paying attention because a few minutes later Yogie comes on to the porch pulling the wagon with the thin set in it.  I asked her how she got it in the wagon, she said she rolled it out of the wheeliebareo in to the wagon.  She too is a sweetie.

 I cared the thin set into the pantry. I read the instructions.  The only thing I could find on it said add 6 quarts of water.  Did that mean to the whole bag?  Did it mean I had to divide the bag,  apparently not as I could not find anything saying how much to add to the 6 quarts so it must mean the whole bag?  50lbs and only 6 quarts of water?  I asked Poppie and he didn't know either.  I got a bucket, thanks to Priscilla she had gifted me 5 this week to make tea manure, and put the 6 quarts of water in it and dumped the thin set in it, all 50lbs.  Big mistake, I couldn't stir it and I knew it was time sensitive to drying.  I begged Poppie for help he came and stirred it for me, it was very hard to do.  I had asked earlier if he had a paint stirrer for his drill but the drill is dead and we are awaiting a new one to arrive in the mail.  Thank goodness he was home and he got it stirred for me. I started putting it on the floor with the trowel, it spread okay but it was thicker than I thought it would be and Poppie had had to add one additional quart of water to it to get it mixed.  I finally got the hang of it and managed to spread a row of them,  I used the slotted trowel and made the little lines in before I set the tile.  They sat down real well, so I did the next row and remembered I had set the 2nd row out of the way to make room to thin set the first row.  I had to take up the second row and put down the right row of tile, then on to the real third tow.  I finally truly got the hang of it and with Poppies help I managed to set all the rows between the two cupboards.  We had a little thin set left but not enough to do the rest of the room.  We closed up the bucket and will finish this afternoon, after we pick up more thin set at the hardware store.  We both had sweat pouring off of us, there is no real air out let in the pantry, it and the little bathroom are the only rooms in the house with out an outside window.  Poppie said he is putting in the swamp cooler in today before we finish tiling and then maybe we can get some overflow cool air from the bedroom.  We haven't but up the wall to cover the door way that used to go to the bedroom and won't until we are done building so we can have overflow for some cool air.  All in all the tiling is come along nicely.

I have to go out and drop water Kefir at Lady Hero's and Belle house.  I could go to the Friends of the Library meeting and then to a party for one the friends.  I have tiling to do and I have the littles until 3ish.  Busy day.  Booboo will be home from her friends this morning.  Bubbles, who is 18 months old in two days, has of her own accord started potty training, and doing quite well but needs encouragement every little bit and I don't think it should be Yogie's job to have to always be the one to remind her so lots to do.  My sourdough has been sponging for several days so will try to finish that up this afternoon as well.  My Water Kefir is in 1st brew phase, I had always grown it in growing phase so keeping and eye on that.  It appears to be growing slower and that is interesting.  I love watching all the phases of the Kefir.  It is so different from the milk Kefir, milk Kefir is so much more cut and dried to keep.  I did read that with some people there is a limit for the amount of water Kefir they should take in one day or maybe it's the first day.  It may be something you have to work up to an amount that fits your system.  I have been giving it to the kids and Poppie in pint jars, I never thought about it being more than a cup, because I was using them as a cup to drink out of, until Lady pointed out to me that that is two cups of kefir..... lol.  Okay so no side effect to the kids or Tony even at two cups a day. 

Off to start my busy day, I hope the Lord lives in your heart, talks to your soul and holds you tightly in his arms....... tomorrow.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

The tiling adventures continue...... Kitchen actually done but then it is still full of "pantry" stuff that has no home yet.

I dry laid all the tile in my pantry yesterday.  I did come up with a pattern to use all the different colors I had.  I think it is a nice pattern and so stacked it in rows so I can start thin setting it today.  I finished the evening off by getting to grout my kitchen tile.  I let it set a little while and washed it all down.  I really looks nice, all my mistakes are graciously covered by the grout, and it really looks better than  I thought it would with the mistakes I made but alas it looks great.  Today I try thin set for the first time.  I have set tile with adhesive but never the thin set.  I have watched numerous DIY shows so hope to get it even remotely right.

 I will have Yogie with me, and of course the three littles.  I did not even get one day with my girls before they wanted to fly the coup.  Booboo when out to Foster's daughters house.  I think I will call her, Energy, because she definitely has a lot of it.  Booboo gets to stay last night and tonight before her dad will pick her up tomorrow after he is finished feeding rabbits.  Yogie got to stay the night with Mokie and family so Poppie and I had a night alone.  Again we had no idea what to do with ourselves, we watched TV and then went to bed, oh, I forgot, he did "make" dinner.  He bought take out so that was fun.

Poppie and the kids cleaned out the pool yesterday and refilled it.  It needed cleaning, it had been warm enough for it and then the rain came and it got algae filled so it really had to be cleaned so they could start anew.  Poppie wasn't at all happy about the dirt in it and put the law down that they will not be getting in and out of it bring dirt in and out.  Boy is the worst about it so he did get a lecture from Poppie. 

Here come the littles so it is time to go I never want to get behind their shenanigans.  I am not a glutton for punishment, getting behind the littles is a lot like getting behind the pain while taking pain meds, you just never catch up and the pain overwhelms you.

I pray for your salvation, already receive or to come.  The Lord is so good and loves us before we even know him..... tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Water Kefir, a great success at our house......

I got my first ever water Kefir a little over a week ago.  I was so excited to get it having just learned that our Booboo was having such success with the Milk Kefir, as most of you know also called Tibetan Milk Mushrooms.  She is still having great success and has not had any pain since she started having daily Kefir smoothies.  It was really funny she spent the night at her G-Pa's and took it with her, I said "what if Grandma won't make it into a smoothie?" She said, "If she won't I will drink it plain."  That is a kid dedicated to not being in pain, plain kefir is more than funky it is like drinking very sour buttermilk.  She is well and truly in love with the Kefir and the relief of pain it provides her.  Mokie, who has Chrons will not even try it.  So sad.

I got my water Kefir, I bought about 10 tablespoons of it.  I mixed it up the way the instructions said to mix up the grains so they would be in growing mix.  It took, 1/3 of a cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of molasses and spring water to fill the jar up.  I split mine into two quarts with 2 1/2 teaspoons each and 5 tablespoons in the 1/2 gallon jar.  I didn't have spring water so I boiled my tap water, I have a well so it is not chlorinated. Kefir hates chlorinated water, it kills it.  I mixed it up, put a small bit of cheese cloth on the top and secured it with a jar ring.  I don't have any coffee filters but will get some for future use.  The Kefir had to breath as it grows. I let it set, but you know me I couldn't just let it set.  I looked at it a couple hours later and it amazed me there were little bubble around the top, and it was moving.  It was really growing and active, you could actually see it working.  I let it set the 2 to 3 days and was ready to try it for the first time. 

I strained out the Kefir grains and put them in a new jars.  I had Kefir water,  it doesn't say in the direction that I can use the growing mix water to make Kefir "pop" but I couldn't wait so I put 1/4 cup a mangoes in one jar and 1/4 cup of huckleberries in each of the other jars. I put a metal lid and ring on the jars, a tight seal. The seal is to allow for the "pop" to have carbonation, natural carbonation.  I let it set overnight and we were ready to try it.  We opened it and it fizzed like pop.  The kids one and all loved it.  I thought may be it need a little sugar so I dropped a teaspoon into one of the jars and I was amazed at the results.  The sugar hit the Kefir water and the liquid foamed up like the foam on a root beer float.  You could literally see the Kefir water consuming the sugar.  The kids all think it's a keeper.

I started my second batch and this time I fotgot to boil the water and when I realized it I was afraid I killed my Kefir grains.  I went quick to the internet to see if I was losing my grains.  I soon found that my well water was probably great for it because I have hard water.  Kefir doesn't like chlorinated water, it doesn't like honey either because honey is a natural antibiotic and it attaches the probiotics that the Kefir creates.  It likes to eat minerals which hard water is chocked full of so my well water was a great accident.  You can use plain tap water if it is boiled.  It likes to have pasteurized egg shells in it for calcium, in the grown brew.  Kefir is full of probiotic and good for you bacteria's needs food to keep it growing.  It actually eats the white, sugar, and white sugar is one of the best ways to grow it, I know it sounds bad but.  I had read on a blog that a young lady wrote that she uses only evaporated cane sugar because it is better, the reality is that evaporated cane sugar is a byproduct of the sugar making process and is not better for you it just cost more...  I digress.   Water Kefir eats up white sugar and transforms it into the probiotic and bacteria that is good for you.  Much like Milk Kefir changes milk into a lactose tolerant drink, with probiotics and good for you bacteria.  Water Kefir has many good qualities and helps your health with beneficial probiotics, but it is slightly different from the Milk Kefir probiotic, both help a myriad of conditions and diseases.

My first brew solution started.  I mixed white sugar and water and put in my water Kefir grains, each jar has more than doubled the amount of Water Kefir grains as they each started with.  The mix started to bubble with in minutes of me mixing it up.  I am so excited to try it with the actual first brew mix, it probably won't be all that different than the growing mix.  I tried the Kefir water it's self and it is a very palatable drink without the fruit added.  I took it to CAKLs and all the lovely ladies were game and tried it.  Most liked it and felt they could drink it especially if it was so good for them.  I am taking starter kits for them next week.  Isn't that wonderful that so many will be adding such goodness to their diets.  Yay!!

I am off to start my day.  I was working on tile yesterday when my Mother in Law stopped by for a two hour visit.  I had not seen her, or her husband, in several years and they drove 130 milestone way on a whim and only stayed 2 hours, didn't even stay until the girls got home from school.  They had to get back to their house,  I have know them for 34 years and don't understand them any better today than I did 34 years ago.  I often wonder "why?" but I know I will never know the answer so I don't dwell on it.  So today I am back to tiling.  I hope the Lord blesses your day, I hope he calls out to you today in a way that makes you hear his call again or for the first time.  Nothing is more wondrous than living in the Lord, no love is greater and more satisfying and his love makes all other loves better.... tomorrow.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Why is it that some of the youth of this age live more and more in a complete state of dulision?

Daily I see so many of the young adults that are becoming wonderful functioning contributing members of our society.  They come from families that are encompass broad range, from dysfunctional to loving and supportive, but in spite of all of the ups and downs of their up bringing they succeed and become adults looking forward to a fulfilling life. They are the product of kids growing into adults with all the pitfalls and family squabbles that brings. I think this has happened backward in time to the beginning of time.  It is what young adults are supposed to do, they rise above and become the future of our nation, our world and our society.  But what of the ones that are falling through the cracks of society?  What of the ones who live their lives blaming all of their problems on someone else.  More and more we see the children of the baby boom generation, you know, the one who are the product of the world of helicopter mommas, a society that thinks all should get a ribbon just for showing up or are never taught the defeat is a part of reality.  The ones that bring their momma's to the job interviews so she can fix it all up nice for them so they can get a job.  These kids are failing in huge numbers.  These kids live in such a delusion that it is more and more hard to not say "what?"

I was never guilty of giving my children hollow praise, just to praise them. I loved them enough to teach them that failure is a big part of growing, rarely do children succeed at anything right out of the box. I gave them praise for their successes and the over coming for their failures and taught them failing lead to succeeding. Potty training is a success that a child earns for themselves, you did not earn it for them, they worked hard to know to go.  Yes, you worked hard to teach them but it was their success, they had to remember to run there and go.  Your child struggles to tie his shoes, but his joy is wondrous when he does it, but his success is his, not yours.   On, it goes, you can only teach you can not accomplish their success.  You can only teach you can not lighten or endure their failures, they have to learn what failure is and how to make it work for them.  Taking away their failures makes them never know how to learn from them. 

I, like most of my generation made mistakes daily, some bigger than others.  I did give my daughter a second chance at being a mom and young adult, I wouldn't in ways change what I did because I did get the greatest gift from God, my daughters, my two littles, but did I not let my older daughter learn from her mistakes, not that the girls were the mistake, but the mistakes that caused the failures that brought the girls to live with me and Poppie.  She went on to make more mistakes, and more children have had to pay for her mistakes.  I will never know that right answer to a past problem, but I do know that in the end lives were effected in unchangeable ways because my daughter got a pass, for a situation I had tried to fix it for her.  I should have let her fix it for herself. I will never know what would have come from my having allowed her, her failure..... well maybe I do as she replicated the situation and was allowed the failure in the end.

Yesterday, I stumbled on a conversation where a daughter, a young adult, that had parents like me they helped their granddaughter in spite of their daughter's failure to be a mother to her child.  They are now to their granddaughter, momma an daddy, as Poppie and I are to our lovely daughters.  Their daughter has not learned anything from their help, and let me tell you stepping in and becoming new parents at an age when all of your own children are adults is not an easy decision to make. I have been there.  It takes soul searching, a total change of your life, and love.  I would do it all over in a heartbeat but pray I never have to.  I digress.  Anyway my friends did the same as I for the good of the child.  Now their daughter has gone on and had another baby, secretly without telling them anything until her child was 5 months old and she is pregnant again, seems like I have heard this tale before,  what will the future for those children bring, I pray that it brings good.  But anyway, she is now lambasting her parents for all sorts of vile things.  The least of which is that they didn't send her baby a gift? in a very public forum.  What is she thinking?  I am thinking she is not, and blaming her past mistake on the wrong people.  When does the adult stand up and say, I am the owner of my mistakes?  Why is it that her parents, who didn't nothing more than literally save their granddaughters life, become the bad guys?  I pray that this young adult gets her head on right and finally actually take care of a child in her trust, especially now that their are to be two.  Those children's lives will depend on it. 

I don't think these cases are that isolated.  I think more and more young adults expect a pass in growing up.  They are being raised in a world that says they are the most important person in their lives and all should cater to their wants, whims, and it is some ones else's fault they failed and that they don't have to ever own it. More and more children in this society and age are being raised by grandparents daily.  Climbing down and off my soapbox now. 

I pray that the Lord brings some sense, finally in to this young adults life, I pray for the safety of her children.  I know that there is hope, my daughter finally got her life all together and is now a wonderful mother to two lovely little ones.  God does answer prays and change lives, I pray he give this young woman some sense before her children pay for her mistakes.  Funny how she is more worried about raking her folks of the coals for "their" mistakes when her mistakes are what is really the problem, but alas that is more and more today's norm..... tomorrow.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Graduation, Birthday wishes and Zootown..... a whirl wind to be sure.

We had a nice day yesterday, nice Church family communing.  I like that you can get a renewing of love and faith to start your week off right.  We had a full house, almost as full as we get with out new people, all but two of our regulars were there.  It was nice to see every one and share the love of God, and share in worshipping him.  The Lord be praised.

We had a graduation to go to afterword.  Poppie had overdone it so badly on Saturday that we didn't get to go to the graduation but we got to go to the party for her afterwards.  I think that she was glad to have us there to enjoy her accomplishment.  It was a nice family event, not all of the extended family was there but a good portion.  It was nice that all the ones there wanted to be there, no squabbles, just the joy of getting to be there together. Our graduate finished her evening locked down with the rest of the seniors in the gym for one last night of being together.  The lock down is a traditions that goes back many a year designed to keep the kids safe.  Sadly most of them don't understand that in many ways this will be there last time together ever.  Congrats to one and all of the graduating seniors.

I am off to have belated birthday breakfast with Lady this morning.  Her birthday was last week but today was the easiest day to get together to share it;  after, we have breakfast and chatting until she has to go to work, I am off to Zootown with Mokie and the little girls.  Poppie has a line to fix on a pickup, if the rain lets up.  We in Montana really need the rain but I am so greedy that I wish it could be like in Camelot and only rain after sun down.  Okay back to reality, it is going to rain most of the day but 80 degree weather is forecast for the end off the week, yay. 

I hope the Lord blesses your day, he already has mine.  I hope he calls you in a way that your heart responds to his invitation of salvation.  Today is the day of salvation, maybe for you, open a Bible to read how is the first step to acceptance of his gift.... tomorrow.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Why is Sunday now the new Saturday? Do we really live in a post-Christian America?.......Why?

I was watching a preacher on the TV and he said that he had heard someone say that Sunday was the new Saturday.  His statement spoke to me, I didn't actually listen to all of the rest of his sermon, his question made me think.  I think that maybe it was supposed to but maybe not so much I wasn't supposed to stop listening to him but.... What does that mean?  What does that mean to you?  Less than a hundred years ago a store could not legally be opened on Sunday because it would interfere with Church services.  Now every thing is open on Sunday and who cares about those people going to Church is the current attitude.  Church used to be the important event that took place on Sunday, now Sunday is more than just a day to rest and worshiping the Lord; it is a day to rest and do your own thing.  We are too busy gratifying ourselves to take any time to worship the Lord.  It is a day to get the stuff we couldn't fit into our Saturday done.  Is it really just a day to enjoy sports,  movies,  running,  camping, sleeping late and any number of things that we want to do with "our" time?  What about the time we are supposed to give to our Lord, what about communing with fellow Christians and giving them support.  What about taking a minute to give of yourself to someone else who needs some support from their brother or sister in Christ.  Why do we not take time to give time to others that might be floundering but for our encouragement and brotherly love in their lives?   Why is it so hard to take time away from our social networks and really stay connected with people, people who might really need our physical presence in their lives?  What of the 80 year old lady who sits alone in her home, day in and day out and only gets to see people on Sunday, because all of her young people have "lives to live".  Your spending time with her on a pew might be the only human contact she has in her life.  Worshipping with her could be of real importance to her.  The Lord has a job for you on this earth or you would have already been called home.  Have you ever thought of that, why am I still here?  Really if our only job in this earthly life is to be saved, and it is only about our own salvation, we would have been called home soon after our salvation, but most of us are not so what does that mean?  Are we here for God's purpose, do we have a job to do?  God designed us with a purpose in this life and it is not all about self.  Yes, salvation is number one, but what then?  What is our purpose?  God knows, he made us with a purpose in mind for us, we just have to find our purpose. 

How do we find our purpose in this life?  How do we determine what God made us to do in this life? What makes your passion come out?  What makes you angry?  Really what does make you anger?  Quite often what stirs your emotions is a clue to what God wants you do in this life.  Does seeing a starving child make you want to help him? Does that make you angry? Maybe that is where you calling lies.  Some of us find our calling as a young person and some wander for years until we find our earthly purpose, what God designed us to do in this life.  Some never find their salvation or their purpose on earth, sadly.  Do you like what you are doing? Do you like your life and job? if not you probably haven't found the passion God gave you.  Maybe your passion is sitting next to an 80 year old lady at Church and spending time with her, but you will never know because sleeping late was more important on Sunday.  Maybe spending time with children? maybe giving service to others? have you ever thought that your happiness maybe doesn't live in what you can acquire, what you can get for you and what you can do for yourself but maybe in what you can give of yourself to others?  Maybe assembling with others to praise God is what Sundays are all about?  Maybe spending time praising that Lord would give you solace you have not yet found.  Maybe Sundays are........

Do we really live in a post-Christian America?  Do less and less people feel the need to seek God on Sunday,   maybe it is true, maybe that loss of worship is more and more apparent in our society.  Maybe the destruction of our moral fiber as American has an easy fix, maybe it is as simple as worshipping our Lord on Sunday, wouldn't it be wondrous if we could try something so simple to fix our crumbling society?

I heard a joke from one of the preachers this morning in one of their sermons, I think the same one that said that Sunday was the new Saturday.  He said some one had emailed him a joke comparing sporting events to Church attendance.

I don't got to Sporting events anymore because they are always asking me for money, the seats are too hard, I have to sit next to people I don't like, I could be doing something else, I don't want to influence my kids opinions about what team they should be on, I was made to go to too many sporting events as a kids when I didn't want to so I am not doing that to my kids....... Sound familiar, yes, I have heard all of these as reasons not to go to Church but they do sound much funnier when we think of them as reasons not to go to sporting events rather than reasons not to worship our Lord on Sunday........ tomorrow.