Friday, February 27, 2015

Friday

It snowed in Alabama this week.  Parts of the state got 13 inches of snow, which is almost unheard of for this part of the world.  We got a little bit on our little hill.  I love night-time snows; I think they are especially beautiful.



 Snow falling makes our tin man Frank happy; see that smile?!


It is all gone from our hill now and Spring is on the way.  Mr. Marvelous is hoping the ground is dry enough to get out and till the ground and make some more raised beds this weekend.  In the heat of August, I will probably put this one up as the background on the computer, and remember the cold, cold toes of February.

Have a warm weekend!





Wednesday, February 25, 2015

A Day.

Does your husband ever come home and ask, "So, Honey, what did you do all day?".  Mine does too.  Here is my answer for today. 

What shall we do today?  The house work, shopping and laundry all got done yesterday, so what shall we do today?

Let's start with a really good Bible Study in John's Epistles.



How about making some peanut butter chocolate chip cookies next?










If your last sheet of cookies looks like this, 








You have permission to do this instead.  Just do not forget to mark it with the fork.






Small?






Or would you prefer a large?









After that, since we are in the kitchen anyway, why not start some turkey soup in the crockpot?



Since the freezer has been acting up lately (and at almost 28 years old it is allowed to act up), let's go ahead and get both freezers cleaned up and organized just in case.

Looks like I need to make some squash casseroles.

With the threat of some bad weather coming and an unpredictable water department, it would probably be wise to go ahead and fill up some water jugs for the animals.


Speaking of animals, the chick brooder could use some attention.


















There now, that looks better, doesn't it?

I think after all of that it is time to go sit for a little while!  Maybe I can find something fun to do while I sit.


Just for the record, you must understand one thing.  I am not a knitter.

But I can make a plain (and quite comfortably warm) scarf.


Or a full-body wrap, depending on your size.

Once all that is done it is time to get ready.  Mr. Marvelous will be home soon!  He might want some cocoa and cookies when he gets here.

    That's what Jack thinks anyway.

That was what I did today, along with a few other odds and ends.

How was your day?

Monday, February 23, 2015

Memories

And Comfort



I keep two bulletins in my Bible.  I don't know that they will ever come out.  One is from a Prayer Service that my Sister's Pastor had for her daughter Meaghan the day before Meaghan died.

Sunday morning after the congregational singing, we sat down and situated ourselves as the choir began their anthem.  That particular paper slipped out into my hand and for just a moment the worship around me faded as I read something on the back:

Deliver Your servant, Meaghan, O Sovereign Lord Christ,
from all evil, and set her free from every bond; that she may 
rest with all Your saints in the eternal habitations; where with
the Father and the Holy Spirit You live and reign, one God, 
forever and ever.  Amen.

I have read these words many times since my sister gave me this, but this time was different.  Instead of overwhelming emotion being grief, there was a peace.  Grief and tears were there, of course, but even more, great peace.

I snapped back into the present just in time to hear the choir singing this:

I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Saviour,
O there are ten thousand charms.

Amen!

Little patches of God-light.




Friday, February 20, 2015

Friday

As I was reading in Luke this morning I found a name that got into my heart and stayed there. I like it so much that instead of my typical Friday post, I wanted to share it with you.  

The first chapter of Luke's Gospel is one of my favorites.  Luke packs a lot into this chapter; the story of Zechariah finding out that he and Elizabeth are going to be parents, Mary finding out that she is going to be the mother of Jesus, the time these two ladies spend together, the songs that they sing to each other and to God, the birth of John the Baptist, and Zechariah's song when God restores his voice.  All these songs make me love this chapter even more.

I have found the name for Jesus that remains my favorite toward the end of this chapter.  In verse seventy-eight as Zechariah is singing, Jesus is described as:

The Sunrise from on high.

In the very next verse Zechariah continues his song and describes God as:

The Giver of Light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Whatever your weekend brings you, I pray that you will let that soak in.  Receive the Truth of Who God Is.  Let go of whatever darkness may be encroaching and surrender to the glory of the Light that He gives.

May His peace ~ and Light ~ fill your hearts and homes.

From The Bible In Pictures For Little Eyes.



Thursday, February 19, 2015

Homestead Update

Hot Pepper Challenge

Mr. Marvelous enjoys growing hot peppers.  He is not a hot pepper afficianado, he simply enjoys growing them, giving them away and watching other peoples' faces turn bright red.  He also like the bragging rights.

Two years ago he successfully grew some Habenero peppers and some Scotch Bonnet peppers.  Our brother in law and his sons have an alarming tolerance for hot peppers.  These peppers brought tears  and sent them gasping for BREAD!  AND BUTTER!!  AND MILK!!!.  The heat of chili peppers is measured in Scoville Units (Wikipedia has a fascinating discussion about that here).  Jalapeno Peppers have a Scoville rating of a measly 1,000-4,000 units.  Serrano Peppers are between a mere 10,000 and 23,000 units.  Habanero, Scotch Bonnet, and Datil peppers range from a more respectable 100,000 to 350,000 units.  Are you getting the picture of how hot this stuff is?

Well it is not hot enough for Mr. Marvelous.  Oh no.  This year we are going off the charts.  He has ordered ~ and received ~ a new breed of pepper seed to plant for this year.  This year he is going to try and grow the Carolina Reaper pepper.  How much hotter is it, you ask?  The Carolina Reaper is rated at 2,200,000 units on the Scoville Scale.  Did you catch all those zeroes?  That is two million two hundred thousand.  It has been recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records as the World's Hottest Pepper.  I won't be handling these, in case you were wondering.  No Sir.  Not even with gloves on. If you are a hot pepper person you can find the seeds here.

We have learned over the years of growing hot peppers, that the hotter and drier the summer, the hotter the peppers.  So if we have a normal-for-Alabama-summer, and if you see Mr. Marvelous walking toward you in August with his hand behind his back and a grin on his face; if you hear him saying, "Come on, be a man!", RUN!  Run for your life!!

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0220/1512/products/PuckerButt_Pepper_Company_Smokin_Eds_Carolina_Reaper_1024x1024.jpg?v=1392819925

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Wednesday

One day I will find a new pedometer that works.  When that happens, I will get back to tracking my steps because I really, really, really want to walk all the way to New Zealand by way of Hawaii.  Until then Wednesdays will be about books and prayer.  Yes, that is a new idea I have.  I want to add some space on the blog for prayers.  I will put out a couple of things that I would ask you to pray over today, and you may add a couple of things that you would like for me to pray over today.  Sound like a good idea?  Good.  Here we go.

1.  Health needs
Please pray for my sister in law.  She will be having another biopsy today.  Pray for her, for her husband and daughters as they wait, and all the rest of her extended family.

Please continue to pray for Bill.  His situation is so complex that I am not going to try and explain it here; but this is the link to his Caring Page site.  Please pray for Bill, his wife, their little girls, and all his extended family.

2. Spiritual needs
Please pray for the families of this weeks' martyrs.  I am afraid that we try to shield ourselves sometimes from the reality of what the rest of the world is suffering.  These people are my brothers and sisters.  They are grieving and I imagine that there is fear in a lot of homes.  Pray that the eyes of Christians in less-persecuted areas would be opened to what is really happening.

"When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne.  They cried out with a loud voice, 'O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?'   Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been."  Revelation 6:9-11

3.  Thanksgiving
Let's thank God today for the community of believers that He gives each of us.  It may not be perfect, but it is a part of His perfect plan for His Kingdom.  Isn't it wonderful that we are able to worship, study, pray, and share with people who have become a part of our Spiritual family?

Thank you for working in prayer with me.  Please let us know how we may pray for you today.

God's peace to your homes.

http://gfccchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Prayer-Fasting2.jpg

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Jack South Goes Hiking

Jack has been getting cabin fever with the cold weather lately, so when the sun came out last week he talked me into going for a hike.  We found all kinds of interesting things.  We started around the homestead where we visited the baby bunnies











Jack thinks little animals are so cute!











Next he helped me check on the chickens and gather the eggs.


Jack is too cool to be afraid of a few hens.

That was fine, but then Jack wanted to go for a real hike and get off our property.  We set off down the road.

We found a peony plant sprouting and getting ready for summer blooming.


The neighbor's daffodils are thinking about blooming.


















A little further along our walk, Jack discovered that some of them are already in full bloom.  He was excited about that.



Then we noticed something unusual.  Jack wasn't sure whether to be happy, cool, or nervous (although he assures me now that cool for him isn't a decision, it just is.  Always).  Over by the neighbor's daffodils we discovered....

...a tin man.  With a heart!








Jack decided it couldn't hurt to be friendly.







They seemed to have a pleasant discussion about the coming of Spring.
After a little visit, we turned toward home.  Along the way we did see one of these.

Jack said he was not nervous and would have gone and spoken to her politely, but he didn't like to leave me alone for that long, and he didn't want to trespass on the neighbor's land....

We climbed the hill toward the house and at the top met this fellow,

who seemed curious but a little intimidated about Jack.  Jack didn't try to get in the picture with him; he didn't want to scare him.

We are glad we got out and celebrated the sunny day.  It looks like this week will be gloomy and cold all week long.  Jack is a little anxious for the welfare of his new tin friend!

Monday, February 16, 2015

Names

For info on how this project all got started you can find the link to the first post here.  Yes, it really has been going on for over three years.  One of those "Lifetime" projects.



I have finished the Gospel of Matthew and moved along to the Gospel of Mark.  It is interesting to note that in the Gospels, there is a clear distinction among the Trinity.  God is the Father in Heaven, He is the Son on Earth, and He is the Spirit Who comes to comfort and help.  That clear distinction will change in the Epistles and get even more challenging in John's Revelation.

I went through the New Testament a few years ago finding names, titles and descriptions of Jesus.  This time I am looking for names, titles and descriptions of God the Father and God the Spirit.  As I am doing this, I am finding several that I missed for Jesus.  For example:

Jesus was the followed.  This is seen throughout the Gospels.  Every time I see that someone followed Jesus, I am reminded that this is the most important thing I have to do each and every day.  Follow Jesus.  That requires that I know Him and know where He went and how He lived His life, and that is only accomplished through reading and studying His word.  He is followed.  Am I being a follower?

Thinking about following, Jesus was prayerful.  Have you ever gone through and examined how often Jesus went aside to pray?  It was a frequent habit of His.  Am I following His example by setting aside time daily for intentional (rather than that on-the-fly-Lord-help-me-right-now-please-and-thank-you-amen) prayer?

Jesus was betrayed.  This is another name that is seen repeatedly in the Gospels.  The question that I must then carefully consider is, have I betrayed Him in any way today?  Obviously I am not handing Him over to the Pharisees and the Romans for crucifixion ~ that has already been done.  On the other hand, my sin made that crucifixion necessary.  Did I sin today?  Did I ignore the leading of the Spirit today?  Did I fail to take a stand for Him today?  Did my actions today in any way mirror those of the one who betrayed Him?  Those are questions that require time, honesty and soul-searching.

Finally, the name of God that has affected me the most is The Living God (Matthew 26:63).  It is ironic that the person using this term was the High Priest who was working to deliver Jesus to death.  But think about this name: The Living God.  Yes, He is indeed.  He is living and intimately involved with every facet of His creation.  There is a name guaranteed to bring both comfort and hope in the most trying of situations you may have to face this week as you follow Jesus.

May the peace of this Truth fill you hearts and homes this week!

Friday, February 13, 2015

Friday

There are lots of signs appearing around our home.

                                 Some "old" babies,




                     A dozen "new" babies (surprise!),







 That's one tired out chick!


                       Even some flowers peeking up.

 
 


 
And then there is this sign on our front door.

 But you knew that already, didn't you?

What is Spring-ing up at your home?

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Garden Update

Mr. Marvelous has had two very busy weekends and a lot of help from Junior.  My men are working hard to get the Spring garden going this year.

Remember the raised beds idea?  Those two men have been chopping up trees and lugging them up the hill and turning them into beds.  The biceps are bulging (and the backs and knees are hurting, but we aren't talking about that).









This hill is so much steeper than it looks.

Once they get them to the top of the hill, Mr. Marvelous goes to work with The Master Garden Plan.



 First you till (with a little help from Jack).

 Then you measure the width of your bed.

 
 Three feet wide by Mama's request
(that way I can reach the things in the middle).

Then you put the logs down.


Next you add a layer of old leaves for mulch.


Next you dig out the walkway between the beds and shovel that dirt on top of the leaves.
 (I did say it was bicep-building and back-aggravating).

And eventually our backyard looks like this.



With space at the bottom of the steps to sit and have a fire.

The tires?  Well, we are a little quirky around here.....

Meantime this has been going on in the basement.
 

And on warm, sunny days this happens.



Jack helps, of course.

Won't be long til we have stuff in the ground.

Bunnies?

Oh, they are doing quite well.

 They like the sunshine too!