Memorial Day 2007 was in a word, memorial. It wasn't the typical holiday where you plan to be a bum and do nothing more than pig out all day, but rather we had planned to work and our guests had too. Three of us tackled robbing bees and extracting honey. Others took over in the kitchen and somewhere along the line Norman kidnapped all the young ladies and went horseback riding. The day ended around 10 pm after the guys had done some major destruction to the yard with the tractor and a chain saw and everyone finally tuckered out. We all agreed it was one of the best days ever. There was lots of love, lots of laughter, the company was good and there was lots of good conversation. And yes, there was lots of good food too.
I remember such times from my childhood. Some of my best memories are days on my grandparents farm when the family gathered to butcher a hog. Even though I didn't understand why they wouldn't let me do anything involving a sharp knife I'd be given a job and would do my part. It gave us dignity and a sense of having done something worthwhile. And the talk and jokes with family members forged bonds that have lasted a lifetime.
The family that comes to my house is very different. They're not family of blood but family of kindred spirit brought together by the grace of God. Our work is different too, but I hope and pray that the good part, long after the honey is gone and the grill is rusted, remains a sweet place in our hearts and minds that will go with us forever.
5.29.2007
5.26.2007
I'm finding myself convicted by a woman who lived thousands of years ago. She was very rich. Tradition says she was beautiful. She was certainly very powerful as she had an army and more wealth at her disposal than most people would know how to count.
And it wasn't enough. Her heart yearned for answers and upon hearing that answers were to be had she risked it all and set out on a journey in search of what her heart longed for. She took much of her army leaving her country's defenses weak. She risked political ruin by leaving her position. She traveled with a large caravan at risk herself to spend months crossing a dangerous hot desert. She didn't even know if she'd be received as this was an uninvited visit. But she went.
And she was welcomed by one greater and more powerful than herself who didn't immediately answer her questions but told her what her questions were. She found the answers when she found his God.
I know this God. He's been my God and my Savior most of my life. And even living for Him to the best of my ability I suddenly find myself as deficit for answers as she, who had only heard distant rumors of Him. At this point I'm not even sure I know what the questions are. Perhaps I should start with "Am I willing to go extraordinary lengths as she was to find answers to the mysteries I find myself faced with?"
And it wasn't enough. Her heart yearned for answers and upon hearing that answers were to be had she risked it all and set out on a journey in search of what her heart longed for. She took much of her army leaving her country's defenses weak. She risked political ruin by leaving her position. She traveled with a large caravan at risk herself to spend months crossing a dangerous hot desert. She didn't even know if she'd be received as this was an uninvited visit. But she went.
And she was welcomed by one greater and more powerful than herself who didn't immediately answer her questions but told her what her questions were. She found the answers when she found his God.
I know this God. He's been my God and my Savior most of my life. And even living for Him to the best of my ability I suddenly find myself as deficit for answers as she, who had only heard distant rumors of Him. At this point I'm not even sure I know what the questions are. Perhaps I should start with "Am I willing to go extraordinary lengths as she was to find answers to the mysteries I find myself faced with?"
5.14.2007
This is Bit. I think the name is short for Little Bit. He is my neighbor Liz's dog up at the shop. Every morning when I pull up he comes out to meet me and we spend a few moments together. He has to be the sweetest dog ever.
The crazy thing is I've never petted him. He won't get close. He started coming up because I offered him treats and graduated to him licking my fingers almost daily now. But that's as far as it goes. I've longed to pet and play and wrestle him a long time. But it won't happen. Our relationship is strictly on his terms and he refuses to get any closer. I can tell he wants to, but something in that doggie psyche stops him.
It occured to me this morning that Bit treats me like I sometimes treat God. God loves us and deeply longs for more. But no, we have to call the shots. We warm up to a point of having to take the plunge to trust more of ourselves to Him and back off. We get as close as actually touching the hem of his garmet and we know He's good and kind and invites us closer, but we back off, afraid of the consequences of going further, locked behind whatever emotional wall we think we're protecting ourselves with.
This is Bit's problem and he will never know the sheer delight of interacting with a human who cares for him. He'll never romp or get his ears or belly rubbed. He's missing out. I stand convicted wondering how much I've missed out on with my God because I've done the same thing.
Lord, help me to never hold out on you but to trust and love you completely. Help me to long for you as much as you long for me to come to you freely and joyfully.
5.10.2007
All I know about Colony Collapse Disorder, aka CCD
Ahh yes - my favorite topic. - - - - NOT!
I'm asked about this almost daily by non beekeeping people. All the articles have got the public actually CARING about bees. This is a good thing. They've been mankinds underappreciated little caretakers and servants for centuries. We rob and eat their honey, make candles and cosmetics from their wax, and feast on food they pollinate whether directly or indirectly. It's time we cared. So here's the lowdown as I know it today, 5/10/2007.
#1 No known incidents in Alabama. :)
#2 and I quote:
"Good story for sure, (speaking of a mass hysteria cell phone article) except that the study in question had nothing to do with mobile phones and was actually investigating the influence of electromagnetic fields, especially those used by cordless phones that work on fixed-line networks, on the learning ability of bees. The small study, according to the researchers who carried it out too small for the results to be considered significant, found that the electromagnetic fields similar to those used by cordless phones may interrupt the innate ability of bees to find the way back to their hive. Those searching for answers for the recent disappearance of millions of bees in the United States - what researchers are calling colony collapse disorder - jumped on the possible explanation though there was one particular, cellphones and cordless phones emit different types of radiation and what you learn studying one type is not necessarily significant to the other, according to the researchers. We cannot explain the CCD-phenomenon itself and want to keep from speculation in this case, Jochen Kuhn, a professor in the physics department at the University of Koblenz-Landau in Germany who co-authored the bee study, wrote in an e-mail message. "Our studies cannot indicate that electromagnetic radiation is a cause of CCD. "If the Americans are looking for an explanation for colony collapse disorder, perhaps they should look at herbicides, pesticides and they should especially think about genetically modified drops, said Stefan Kimmel, a graduate student who co-authored the study last year with Kuhn and other professors It's not my fault if people misinterpret our data, said Kimmel. Ever since The Independent wrote their article, for which they never called or wrote to us, n one of us have been able to do any of our work because all our time has been spent in phone calls and e-mails trying to set things straight. This is a horror story for every researcher to have your study reduced to this. Now we are trying to force things back to normal." Herald Tribune
#3 University of Ohio claims it's related to stress (so what ARE the stress factors???)
#4 Other universities are looking at the above mentioned items: possible residual pesticides in comb, modified crop dna, contaminated pollen, etc. Nothing conclusive announced to date.
My personal gut feeling is that regardless of specific "causes" that the poor honeybee is groaning under the curse of sin just like the rest of creation. They've gone about their business pollinating the food we eat for thousands of years with little appreciation and lots of abuse. Remember those sweet romantic upside down baskets they used to keep bees in called skeps? You harvested that honey by immersing the skep and drowning the bees! I'm not the only Christian to consider that disappearing bees may be a contributing factor to the end time famine that has not happened yet. It's a frightful thought, and while I love bees, I have to cry "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!" about the whole issue. God's plan of ultimate redemtion WILL go through, but dark times are ahead till that happens. In the meantime the bees DO matter and as a steward of God's earth part of my job is to take care of them to the best of my ability. It's a mandate I hope everyone else takes seriously now.
Ok , now I'll get off my soap box.
Ahh yes - my favorite topic. - - - - NOT!
I'm asked about this almost daily by non beekeeping people. All the articles have got the public actually CARING about bees. This is a good thing. They've been mankinds underappreciated little caretakers and servants for centuries. We rob and eat their honey, make candles and cosmetics from their wax, and feast on food they pollinate whether directly or indirectly. It's time we cared. So here's the lowdown as I know it today, 5/10/2007.
#1 No known incidents in Alabama. :)
#2 and I quote:
"Good story for sure, (speaking of a mass hysteria cell phone article) except that the study in question had nothing to do with mobile phones and was actually investigating the influence of electromagnetic fields, especially those used by cordless phones that work on fixed-line networks, on the learning ability of bees. The small study, according to the researchers who carried it out too small for the results to be considered significant, found that the electromagnetic fields similar to those used by cordless phones may interrupt the innate ability of bees to find the way back to their hive. Those searching for answers for the recent disappearance of millions of bees in the United States - what researchers are calling colony collapse disorder - jumped on the possible explanation though there was one particular, cellphones and cordless phones emit different types of radiation and what you learn studying one type is not necessarily significant to the other, according to the researchers. We cannot explain the CCD-phenomenon itself and want to keep from speculation in this case, Jochen Kuhn, a professor in the physics department at the University of Koblenz-Landau in Germany who co-authored the bee study, wrote in an e-mail message. "Our studies cannot indicate that electromagnetic radiation is a cause of CCD. "If the Americans are looking for an explanation for colony collapse disorder, perhaps they should look at herbicides, pesticides and they should especially think about genetically modified drops, said Stefan Kimmel, a graduate student who co-authored the study last year with Kuhn and other professors It's not my fault if people misinterpret our data, said Kimmel. Ever since The Independent wrote their article, for which they never called or wrote to us, n one of us have been able to do any of our work because all our time has been spent in phone calls and e-mails trying to set things straight. This is a horror story for every researcher to have your study reduced to this. Now we are trying to force things back to normal." Herald Tribune
#3 University of Ohio claims it's related to stress (so what ARE the stress factors???)
#4 Other universities are looking at the above mentioned items: possible residual pesticides in comb, modified crop dna, contaminated pollen, etc. Nothing conclusive announced to date.
My personal gut feeling is that regardless of specific "causes" that the poor honeybee is groaning under the curse of sin just like the rest of creation. They've gone about their business pollinating the food we eat for thousands of years with little appreciation and lots of abuse. Remember those sweet romantic upside down baskets they used to keep bees in called skeps? You harvested that honey by immersing the skep and drowning the bees! I'm not the only Christian to consider that disappearing bees may be a contributing factor to the end time famine that has not happened yet. It's a frightful thought, and while I love bees, I have to cry "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!" about the whole issue. God's plan of ultimate redemtion WILL go through, but dark times are ahead till that happens. In the meantime the bees DO matter and as a steward of God's earth part of my job is to take care of them to the best of my ability. It's a mandate I hope everyone else takes seriously now.
Ok , now I'll get off my soap box.
5.07.2007
Wow - A week into May already! I'm happy to report that today is exquisite. Last night was cool and it's in the upper 60's right now. It looks like my bees are starting to venture out into the sunshine - a very good thing considering we're in the thick of honey flow. I added supers to two hives this morning and moved a crowded nuc into a deep. I'm hopeful to do the same for some of my other hives at the farm this afternoon.
Church was good. Pastor's message yesterday morning hit the bulls eye on laying aside weight and sin and running the race. I had never thought about Paul's greatest fear being the same as my own - that of doing something that would dishonor the Lord. I want God's grace and mercy to be magnified in my life - not his justice because I do something stupid or sinful. I find myself being pulled in directions I should not go a lot more often than I care to admit these days. I have no trouble admitting stuggle - I'm just not keen on saying what struggle(s). God knows. Best that this lady have many secrets I guess.
And my stupid back is out, or at least giving me fits. I felt like I was 12 again when Dr. C told me one leg was shorter than the other last week. Thankfully he can and did fix it - it's just the residual pain and tenderness that are so daggone aggrivating. So I move slowly and carefully. But I do move. I want to find a strength training routine. We've got the equipment - I just don't want to tear something else up using it. The machines at the ladies gym contributed to my present situation so there's no going back there. Oh well . . .
Ros out for now. Blessings to all.
Church was good. Pastor's message yesterday morning hit the bulls eye on laying aside weight and sin and running the race. I had never thought about Paul's greatest fear being the same as my own - that of doing something that would dishonor the Lord. I want God's grace and mercy to be magnified in my life - not his justice because I do something stupid or sinful. I find myself being pulled in directions I should not go a lot more often than I care to admit these days. I have no trouble admitting stuggle - I'm just not keen on saying what struggle(s). God knows. Best that this lady have many secrets I guess.
And my stupid back is out, or at least giving me fits. I felt like I was 12 again when Dr. C told me one leg was shorter than the other last week. Thankfully he can and did fix it - it's just the residual pain and tenderness that are so daggone aggrivating. So I move slowly and carefully. But I do move. I want to find a strength training routine. We've got the equipment - I just don't want to tear something else up using it. The machines at the ladies gym contributed to my present situation so there's no going back there. Oh well . . .
Ros out for now. Blessings to all.
5.02.2007
The rest of the story.
As a follow up to last week's rant I think it necessary to tie up some loose ends.
I spoke with my NP and she confirmed everything I wrote about being shut down. She's heartbroken over the turn of events but believes that when God shuts one door, he opens another and is taking care of business until such time He deems good to do so. Her primary concern is that her existing patients continue to receive the care and products she started them on and is advising everyone who calls to that end.
But there ARE some things that can be done. Here's her request list:
1. Pray about the local situation.
2. Write the two owners of her clinic who made the final decision to protest and express concerns. (I'll gladly furnish names and addresses to anyone who emails.)
3. Go to this link and contact your congressman. Wyeth Laboratories (the horse pee hormone specialists) along with Senator Kennedy and a few other misinformed idiots are trying to push through a bill that would restrict or eliminate plant based hormones. THIS BILL HAS TO BE STOPPED.
Also, for what it's worth, there is another local clinic now prescribing bio-id hrt. I'll gladly furnish that info too.
As a follow up to last week's rant I think it necessary to tie up some loose ends.
I spoke with my NP and she confirmed everything I wrote about being shut down. She's heartbroken over the turn of events but believes that when God shuts one door, he opens another and is taking care of business until such time He deems good to do so. Her primary concern is that her existing patients continue to receive the care and products she started them on and is advising everyone who calls to that end.
But there ARE some things that can be done. Here's her request list:
1. Pray about the local situation.
2. Write the two owners of her clinic who made the final decision to protest and express concerns. (I'll gladly furnish names and addresses to anyone who emails.)
3. Go to this link and contact your congressman. Wyeth Laboratories (the horse pee hormone specialists) along with Senator Kennedy and a few other misinformed idiots are trying to push through a bill that would restrict or eliminate plant based hormones. THIS BILL HAS TO BE STOPPED.
Also, for what it's worth, there is another local clinic now prescribing bio-id hrt. I'll gladly furnish that info too.
4.23.2007
I am livid. I am so angry I am seeing red and would stomp somebody's big toe flat had I license to do so.
Medical GREED has prevailed in Dothan, Alabama. The ob-gyn community has shut down the only practicioner in the area who promotes and prescribes bio-identical hormone replacement therapy for women. The word on the street is that they pressured the hospitals to shut out the physicians in her clinic if she didn't cease and desist treating women for hormonal conditions.
Mainstream medicine has always despised alternative medicine. Chiropractors have endured this for years. And the pharmacutical industry has such a grip on this country's economy they routinely and regularly try to discredit herbal and other alternative forms of treatment. In some cases they've even succeeded shutting them down entirely. (This happened with a product that helped cure my friend Mavis of cancer.) It should come as no surprise in our little corner of the state that doctors have successfully shut down a threat to their BMW payments.
I was appalled last year when an ob-gyn asked me if I'd decided how I wanted to be cut up before any test results had come back. There was no problem but it was obvious he'd have been happy to take something out anyway. My friend T.D. cancelled her hysterectomy a couple of days ago when she got wind that her clinic was involved. Her ob-gyn had flat out denied that Premarin could cause breast cancer and had angrily walked out on a patient who asked about bio-identical hormones. Apparently it is a very hot issue and "the establishment" doesn't like it.
Well, it's not going away. We are close enough to Tallahassee that if enough of us start making the pilgrimage to get REAL and SANE healthcare (none of this horse pee stuff) maybe someone will get the idea that women want CHOICES about how they go through menopause. The dr's at Women's Medical Center PC, Dothan OB-Gyn, Ob & Gyn-Dothan, etc. may have silenced and stopped bio-identical HTR for now, but it's not going away. Too many women have heard about it from Suzanne Somers, too many have read about it in health magazines, and many, many have heard about it from someone like myself who has been helped in a profound way.
I'm not going to shut up. And I'm not going to hide my anger about this shameful turn of events. Having an MD behind your name doesn't make you a god nor does it negate sound research or the experience of thousands of women who have been helped. GROW UP. Get a life that doesn't include the automatic removal of a woman's uterus once she finishes childbearing.
Medical GREED has prevailed in Dothan, Alabama. The ob-gyn community has shut down the only practicioner in the area who promotes and prescribes bio-identical hormone replacement therapy for women. The word on the street is that they pressured the hospitals to shut out the physicians in her clinic if she didn't cease and desist treating women for hormonal conditions.
Mainstream medicine has always despised alternative medicine. Chiropractors have endured this for years. And the pharmacutical industry has such a grip on this country's economy they routinely and regularly try to discredit herbal and other alternative forms of treatment. In some cases they've even succeeded shutting them down entirely. (This happened with a product that helped cure my friend Mavis of cancer.) It should come as no surprise in our little corner of the state that doctors have successfully shut down a threat to their BMW payments.
I was appalled last year when an ob-gyn asked me if I'd decided how I wanted to be cut up before any test results had come back. There was no problem but it was obvious he'd have been happy to take something out anyway. My friend T.D. cancelled her hysterectomy a couple of days ago when she got wind that her clinic was involved. Her ob-gyn had flat out denied that Premarin could cause breast cancer and had angrily walked out on a patient who asked about bio-identical hormones. Apparently it is a very hot issue and "the establishment" doesn't like it.
Well, it's not going away. We are close enough to Tallahassee that if enough of us start making the pilgrimage to get REAL and SANE healthcare (none of this horse pee stuff) maybe someone will get the idea that women want CHOICES about how they go through menopause. The dr's at Women's Medical Center PC, Dothan OB-Gyn, Ob & Gyn-Dothan, etc. may have silenced and stopped bio-identical HTR for now, but it's not going away. Too many women have heard about it from Suzanne Somers, too many have read about it in health magazines, and many, many have heard about it from someone like myself who has been helped in a profound way.
I'm not going to shut up. And I'm not going to hide my anger about this shameful turn of events. Having an MD behind your name doesn't make you a god nor does it negate sound research or the experience of thousands of women who have been helped. GROW UP. Get a life that doesn't include the automatic removal of a woman's uterus once she finishes childbearing.
4.12.2007
Science and Scripture
As a kid growing up in a denominational church wayyyyyy out in the country and attending public school my influences for a attaining a Christian world view were rather limited. We had Sunday School and church on Sunday morning, the Bible, and the occasional Sword of the Lord. No Christian Radio; not even a Christian bookstore within a hundred miles; no college tour groups; Bible camp was unheard of. The words "Youth Pastor" were unknown.
Not to get off on a rabbit trail here, but the Bible itself was enough. That is huge.
That being said, high school posed some interesting challenges. The first was being thrown in a big mix of people with varying backgrounds. I was a quiet, conservative, quirky Bible thumper who didn't fit in too well. (Still am, only definitely not so quiet anymore.) The other thing was public education itself; the whole humanistic worldview; forced evolution and sociology, etc. Fortunately we had a few older teachers who themselves embraced truth despite what the textbooks said. Mrs. D in biology was quick to point out that evolution was a THEORY that some people chose to believe. We didn't get any of this "proven fact that you're stupid not to believe" junk.
Chemistry was where I got my wings though. Our teacher was a Methodist pastor's wife, an organized, reserved and refined woman - good traits for a pastor's wife. Also good traits for a chemistry teacher. Early in the year we covered the basics of molecular structure. Why I was the only one in the class to question the inconsistency of the laws of physics I'll never know but the hand went up and the question was asked. "Since protons are positive and electrons are negative and like charges attract, what keeps the those things apart? Why doesn't that thing just (hand motion for crunching together)?" I think that was the only time I saw Mrs. H's shell crack. She took on a bemused little smile and a twinkle in her eye as she answered, "If that happened the universe as we know it would collapse. I guess whatever's holding it together keeps that from happening."
She knew. And I knew. And we each knew that the other knew. It was God. I did not know Colossians 1:16 and17 yet, but it didn't take a degree in rocket science to see the obvious. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
The other thing that happened that year was a casual observation about that evolution thing. If life on earth was evolving into something better, why were things getting worse? It didn't add up. I later learned that observation was based on entropy, the Second Law of Thermodynamics, what the Bible calls the "law of sin and death". Creation wasn't changing into something better, it was groaning in travail awaiting redemption.
All that was 30 years ago. I didn't need science to confirm scripture, but as a young person it was exciting that real science existed peacefully and in harmony with God's Word. A conscious choice to reject the world's science was the first of many steps of faith.
As I understand it now the creation/evolution debate taking place on a larger scale was getting into full swing. Dr Henry Morris and other believing scientists fought for the hearts and minds of young people. Debates took place on campuses. More people joined the battle. It hasn't let up and has only got more ugly. I meet people all the time who grew up as I did and had their faith shattered or corrupted by "science so falsely called" in university. I'm just so thankful that God showed me the truth early on and I had enough sense to believe it.
As a kid growing up in a denominational church wayyyyyy out in the country and attending public school my influences for a attaining a Christian world view were rather limited. We had Sunday School and church on Sunday morning, the Bible, and the occasional Sword of the Lord. No Christian Radio; not even a Christian bookstore within a hundred miles; no college tour groups; Bible camp was unheard of. The words "Youth Pastor" were unknown.
Not to get off on a rabbit trail here, but the Bible itself was enough. That is huge.
That being said, high school posed some interesting challenges. The first was being thrown in a big mix of people with varying backgrounds. I was a quiet, conservative, quirky Bible thumper who didn't fit in too well. (Still am, only definitely not so quiet anymore.) The other thing was public education itself; the whole humanistic worldview; forced evolution and sociology, etc. Fortunately we had a few older teachers who themselves embraced truth despite what the textbooks said. Mrs. D in biology was quick to point out that evolution was a THEORY that some people chose to believe. We didn't get any of this "proven fact that you're stupid not to believe" junk.
Chemistry was where I got my wings though. Our teacher was a Methodist pastor's wife, an organized, reserved and refined woman - good traits for a pastor's wife. Also good traits for a chemistry teacher. Early in the year we covered the basics of molecular structure. Why I was the only one in the class to question the inconsistency of the laws of physics I'll never know but the hand went up and the question was asked. "Since protons are positive and electrons are negative and like charges attract, what keeps the those things apart? Why doesn't that thing just (hand motion for crunching together)?" I think that was the only time I saw Mrs. H's shell crack. She took on a bemused little smile and a twinkle in her eye as she answered, "If that happened the universe as we know it would collapse. I guess whatever's holding it together keeps that from happening."
She knew. And I knew. And we each knew that the other knew. It was God. I did not know Colossians 1:16 and17 yet, but it didn't take a degree in rocket science to see the obvious. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
The other thing that happened that year was a casual observation about that evolution thing. If life on earth was evolving into something better, why were things getting worse? It didn't add up. I later learned that observation was based on entropy, the Second Law of Thermodynamics, what the Bible calls the "law of sin and death". Creation wasn't changing into something better, it was groaning in travail awaiting redemption.
All that was 30 years ago. I didn't need science to confirm scripture, but as a young person it was exciting that real science existed peacefully and in harmony with God's Word. A conscious choice to reject the world's science was the first of many steps of faith.
As I understand it now the creation/evolution debate taking place on a larger scale was getting into full swing. Dr Henry Morris and other believing scientists fought for the hearts and minds of young people. Debates took place on campuses. More people joined the battle. It hasn't let up and has only got more ugly. I meet people all the time who grew up as I did and had their faith shattered or corrupted by "science so falsely called" in university. I'm just so thankful that God showed me the truth early on and I had enough sense to believe it.
4.09.2007
Pimping Hollywood (again)
Dan Burrell had mentioned in his 2006 year end observations that the money grubbers in Hollywood were using churches to promote (i.e. pimp) conservative and faith based movies.
It's not just churches. Thanks to some astute PR work the National Honey Board is now enlisted to promote Jerry Senfield's new movie. So what's being promoted here? Is the movie promoting beekeeping and honey products or is it the other way around? Will pimping this movie actually DO anything for beekeeping and beekeepers or will it leave impressionable and sometimes ignorant viewers with huge misperceptions like Disney's Pocohontis did? Will promoting this movie cause people to use more honey? Who stands to make more from this partnership? Will Jerry donate money for CCD research?
Fast food chains have been pimping Hollywood for years. Star Wars and Finding Nemo promotions never prompted me to get a Whopper or Big Mac. Don't get me wrong, I full well intend to see the movie. They'll get my few dollars for a ticket. I may even buy the dvd. I just question what short term or long term benefit we as beekeepers will gain from this.
4.06.2007
Right There all the Time
I lost my kefir ball this week. Talk about a panic. I had run out of milk and had to suspend it until I got more. I remembered putting it in a container with the last couple of tablespoons from the milk carton. But I couldn't remember what I did with it. Not a good thing. A kefir ball is a living thing and can be destroyed by ignorance or neglect. All I could think of was that Mrs. Eleanor would be needing more soon and it may be weeks before I could get another ball from my neice. Thirty six hours had passed and the panic was mounting.
The search started. I tore into every cabinet in the kitchen and pantry. I checked every shelf of both freezers. I stared at the space I last remembered seeing it and tried to remember. Nothing. So the whole search started again, Cabinets, pantry, freezer, prayer; "Where would I have put that thing?" More cabinets, the chest freezer, more prayer. This was a mission. People were counting on me, I couldn't let them down! "What am I going to do?" You'd have thought I lost a baby.
Then I saw it. It was sitting at eye level directly in front of me in the refigerator. It had been there the whole time and I'd actually looked by it, past it above it, or below it seveal times. It stared me in the face but I didn't see it. It was safe in it's little jar just where I'd left it. And it was fine.
How often is God's truth like that in our lives! I know I've missed so much my Savior would have for me because I'm incognizant of the needs He has prepared to meet. Then things hit the fan and I'm not prepared. The Holy Spirit was right there, waiting to empower me and I was looking elsewhere. God the Father desired fellowship, Christ was waiting to intercede, and I missed it. I was looking beside, past, above and below what I needed most. What I need most every moment of every day is HIM. Time in his Word, time in confession, time in worship.
So the kefir ball was found. And I felt stupid. It was right there the whole time.
Lord, let me evermore look to You first and foremost in and for all things in my life. And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
I lost my kefir ball this week. Talk about a panic. I had run out of milk and had to suspend it until I got more. I remembered putting it in a container with the last couple of tablespoons from the milk carton. But I couldn't remember what I did with it. Not a good thing. A kefir ball is a living thing and can be destroyed by ignorance or neglect. All I could think of was that Mrs. Eleanor would be needing more soon and it may be weeks before I could get another ball from my neice. Thirty six hours had passed and the panic was mounting.
The search started. I tore into every cabinet in the kitchen and pantry. I checked every shelf of both freezers. I stared at the space I last remembered seeing it and tried to remember. Nothing. So the whole search started again, Cabinets, pantry, freezer, prayer; "Where would I have put that thing?" More cabinets, the chest freezer, more prayer. This was a mission. People were counting on me, I couldn't let them down! "What am I going to do?" You'd have thought I lost a baby.
Then I saw it. It was sitting at eye level directly in front of me in the refigerator. It had been there the whole time and I'd actually looked by it, past it above it, or below it seveal times. It stared me in the face but I didn't see it. It was safe in it's little jar just where I'd left it. And it was fine.
How often is God's truth like that in our lives! I know I've missed so much my Savior would have for me because I'm incognizant of the needs He has prepared to meet. Then things hit the fan and I'm not prepared. The Holy Spirit was right there, waiting to empower me and I was looking elsewhere. God the Father desired fellowship, Christ was waiting to intercede, and I missed it. I was looking beside, past, above and below what I needed most. What I need most every moment of every day is HIM. Time in his Word, time in confession, time in worship.
So the kefir ball was found. And I felt stupid. It was right there the whole time.
Lord, let me evermore look to You first and foremost in and for all things in my life. And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
3.31.2007
Taking it to the Next Level
Which in my case would be intermediate. But it is nice to be beyond "beginner" as a beekeeper. It's been a while since I had difficulty finding a queen. That's not to say it won't happen, but I'm finding her without looking more and more.
The really BIG news is that I've successfully raised queens! I have to honestly and sincerly thank Lonnie Funderburg who gave me a book on rearing queens and told me quite frankly to quit worrying about it and "just do it," exact words. So I did. I caught that queen, boxed her up to lay eggs where I wanted her to lay them, transferred them to a place where the workers would give them royal jelly and was rewarded with three virgin queens. That necessated the need to pull out that split deep and give them a place to call home. It'll be a couple of weeks before I see how their laying patterns are. They've got to mate first. Bill Miller gave me a link about artifical insemination of bees. I can see it's usefulness for genetic purity of queens especially in light of the aggressive dna of africanized bees. The drones die either way.
Since I'll be handling queens sooner or later I've got to learn to mark them. I guess that's next.
Becky is in Memphis for the week. She and Cindy will be working on music and have an appointment with a recording studio next Saturday. The appt. is here and Mike and Heather are coming in for Easter too. It will be nice. I've got a rough few months ahead of me as Terri will be working long distance via internet for an undetermined time. Her dad is a widower, has terminal cancer and as the only chld she's staying by his side. Can't blame her. I'm glad we can be flexible that way.
In other news, I realized this morning that scripture sanctions the medicinal use of alcohol. It's been under my nose all my life, Proverbs 31:6. Interesting that it was predicated by statements that Solomon should not touch the stuff. Go Bathsheba! I have to love that woman. So now when the kids tease me about my homemade cough syrup it shouldn't be so bad. Hey, you may think you'll never swallow again but the mess works!
I started Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge last week. I'm on chapter 2 now. So far so good. It's a fresh look at womanhood and while I appreciate the author's frustration with trying to live up to some ideal of the perfect woman, I was a little disappointed that she picked on the Prov. 31 woman. I really think it's because modern thinking is that you have to do ALL that ALL the time to be the right kind of woman. NOT! There's no way she could keep that candle going all night with small kids. She's be passed out from sheer exhaustion just trying to keep up with them. And it's not likely she was running a home based business while suffering morning sickness either. Give the woman a break. The things listed there were done over a lifetime. Bathsheba was old or dead when Solomon wrote that. He knew her godly character better than anyone and this chapter reflects what he knew about the woman he admired most in life. And I suspect that between his honoring her with a seat at his right and writing of her nobal character he hoped to silence the accusations against her that continue to this day. I'm sure I'll have more comments after I've read more.
My other muse today concerned Deborah. I've pretty well concluded that some of the old guard in the bee club is gone for good due to the fact that they can't deal with a woman president. That is sad and I would challenge my critics to criticize by doing something better. As a "mother in Israel" Deborah rose to do what was needed during a time that the men did not. God blessed her and made Israel victorious through her leadership and the courage of another woman, Jael. So far God has blessed this bee thing I got myself into. He's given me wisdom to help others as well as the bees. It's been an avenue for blessing on many levels. We're facing a possible crisis right now and I've already got a plan to deal with it should it be needed. Deborah's are a good thing. Don't be a crybaby Barak or a weasel Heber.
Which in my case would be intermediate. But it is nice to be beyond "beginner" as a beekeeper. It's been a while since I had difficulty finding a queen. That's not to say it won't happen, but I'm finding her without looking more and more.
The really BIG news is that I've successfully raised queens! I have to honestly and sincerly thank Lonnie Funderburg who gave me a book on rearing queens and told me quite frankly to quit worrying about it and "just do it," exact words. So I did. I caught that queen, boxed her up to lay eggs where I wanted her to lay them, transferred them to a place where the workers would give them royal jelly and was rewarded with three virgin queens. That necessated the need to pull out that split deep and give them a place to call home. It'll be a couple of weeks before I see how their laying patterns are. They've got to mate first. Bill Miller gave me a link about artifical insemination of bees. I can see it's usefulness for genetic purity of queens especially in light of the aggressive dna of africanized bees. The drones die either way.
Since I'll be handling queens sooner or later I've got to learn to mark them. I guess that's next.
Becky is in Memphis for the week. She and Cindy will be working on music and have an appointment with a recording studio next Saturday. The appt. is here and Mike and Heather are coming in for Easter too. It will be nice. I've got a rough few months ahead of me as Terri will be working long distance via internet for an undetermined time. Her dad is a widower, has terminal cancer and as the only chld she's staying by his side. Can't blame her. I'm glad we can be flexible that way.
In other news, I realized this morning that scripture sanctions the medicinal use of alcohol. It's been under my nose all my life, Proverbs 31:6. Interesting that it was predicated by statements that Solomon should not touch the stuff. Go Bathsheba! I have to love that woman. So now when the kids tease me about my homemade cough syrup it shouldn't be so bad. Hey, you may think you'll never swallow again but the mess works!
I started Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge last week. I'm on chapter 2 now. So far so good. It's a fresh look at womanhood and while I appreciate the author's frustration with trying to live up to some ideal of the perfect woman, I was a little disappointed that she picked on the Prov. 31 woman. I really think it's because modern thinking is that you have to do ALL that ALL the time to be the right kind of woman. NOT! There's no way she could keep that candle going all night with small kids. She's be passed out from sheer exhaustion just trying to keep up with them. And it's not likely she was running a home based business while suffering morning sickness either. Give the woman a break. The things listed there were done over a lifetime. Bathsheba was old or dead when Solomon wrote that. He knew her godly character better than anyone and this chapter reflects what he knew about the woman he admired most in life. And I suspect that between his honoring her with a seat at his right and writing of her nobal character he hoped to silence the accusations against her that continue to this day. I'm sure I'll have more comments after I've read more.
My other muse today concerned Deborah. I've pretty well concluded that some of the old guard in the bee club is gone for good due to the fact that they can't deal with a woman president. That is sad and I would challenge my critics to criticize by doing something better. As a "mother in Israel" Deborah rose to do what was needed during a time that the men did not. God blessed her and made Israel victorious through her leadership and the courage of another woman, Jael. So far God has blessed this bee thing I got myself into. He's given me wisdom to help others as well as the bees. It's been an avenue for blessing on many levels. We're facing a possible crisis right now and I've already got a plan to deal with it should it be needed. Deborah's are a good thing. Don't be a crybaby Barak or a weasel Heber.
3.13.2007
It’s been almost two weeks since several tornadoes swept through this area causing death and havoc. I think the whole world heard about Enterprise where it hit the high school full of students. My neice reported seeing it on BBN in Kuwait. Our prayers go out to the families who lost children and loved ones.
Our little community of Echo was hit as well. There are some YouTube files on it now. Mr. Riley’s chicken houses were hit the second time in ten years. He lost six of his eight houses when a lesser tornado struck in 1997. This one was far worse as locally it injured six people, damaged many homes, took out chicken houses in at least three other locations and left several families homeless.
I was home alone when it went through. I was cleaning bee equipment indoors while the storm sirens wailed. That part was nothing new. The wind had been doing some really weird things so it was obvious the weather was not right. Shortly after the power went off I heard the twister in the distance. I’ve always wanted to see one but was pretty scared out of my wits by then. I took shelter in the bathtub and had prayer meeting till the noise ceased. There was a lot of stuff banging around outside – it was very scary but all I could think was that as long as I feared God I had nothing else to fear. Pastor Lewis had given us that quote from Oswald Chambers only a few days before. God was my refuge and I knew that even if I died it would be ok because I’d be with Him. I just didn’t want to get sucked up for it to happen!
We were spared major damage. The back of the barn was blown out, fences were damaged and our roof needs to be repaired, but we’re ok. The yard looked like a war zone. The bee yard got blown around pretty good but as usual the bees saw it coming and had propolized things pretty well. I'm sure honey will be down as the water they took affected brood production. Trees and power lines were down everywhere. It took hours to clear the roads. One very close neighbor lost his home. Mr. & Mrs. D. were going to ride out the storm in their mobile home and were urged at the insistence of Eddie P. to get out of there. Eddie was returning from a wedding and the only reason they budged was to check on his children at home alone. Their home blew to pieces as soon as they got to Eddie’s house.
I continue to be impressed by the people of the community. The fire department was at the house within a few minutes to make sure everyone in the house was ok. The rescue and volunteer work continued several days. We're well into cleanup and reconstruction now. All the men of the holiness church pitched in to replace a member’s roof the day after the storm. It took a week but Fema finally decided Echo needed assistance. They have an office set up in the Community Center.
So that’s what’s going on in southeast Alabama. We still have a lot to clean up and are waiting for Alfa to estimate damage. I've been able to press on with Fire Ant First Aid sales despite it all. We've picked up two new stores recently and it looks promising for more. I'm thankful for God's mercy and provision. And we pray for the people of Enterprise who have more work ahead than Echo does. Our barns, homes and chicken houses can be replaced. The lives that were lost there will forever be a memory.
Our little community of Echo was hit as well. There are some YouTube files on it now. Mr. Riley’s chicken houses were hit the second time in ten years. He lost six of his eight houses when a lesser tornado struck in 1997. This one was far worse as locally it injured six people, damaged many homes, took out chicken houses in at least three other locations and left several families homeless.
I was home alone when it went through. I was cleaning bee equipment indoors while the storm sirens wailed. That part was nothing new. The wind had been doing some really weird things so it was obvious the weather was not right. Shortly after the power went off I heard the twister in the distance. I’ve always wanted to see one but was pretty scared out of my wits by then. I took shelter in the bathtub and had prayer meeting till the noise ceased. There was a lot of stuff banging around outside – it was very scary but all I could think was that as long as I feared God I had nothing else to fear. Pastor Lewis had given us that quote from Oswald Chambers only a few days before. God was my refuge and I knew that even if I died it would be ok because I’d be with Him. I just didn’t want to get sucked up for it to happen!
We were spared major damage. The back of the barn was blown out, fences were damaged and our roof needs to be repaired, but we’re ok. The yard looked like a war zone. The bee yard got blown around pretty good but as usual the bees saw it coming and had propolized things pretty well. I'm sure honey will be down as the water they took affected brood production. Trees and power lines were down everywhere. It took hours to clear the roads. One very close neighbor lost his home. Mr. & Mrs. D. were going to ride out the storm in their mobile home and were urged at the insistence of Eddie P. to get out of there. Eddie was returning from a wedding and the only reason they budged was to check on his children at home alone. Their home blew to pieces as soon as they got to Eddie’s house.
I continue to be impressed by the people of the community. The fire department was at the house within a few minutes to make sure everyone in the house was ok. The rescue and volunteer work continued several days. We're well into cleanup and reconstruction now. All the men of the holiness church pitched in to replace a member’s roof the day after the storm. It took a week but Fema finally decided Echo needed assistance. They have an office set up in the Community Center.
So that’s what’s going on in southeast Alabama. We still have a lot to clean up and are waiting for Alfa to estimate damage. I've been able to press on with Fire Ant First Aid sales despite it all. We've picked up two new stores recently and it looks promising for more. I'm thankful for God's mercy and provision. And we pray for the people of Enterprise who have more work ahead than Echo does. Our barns, homes and chicken houses can be replaced. The lives that were lost there will forever be a memory.
2.14.2007
For years I’ve tried to kill the annoying little nandina bushes that grow against the front of the brick porch on our old house. Someone planted a bush off to the side many years ago. The original bush is long gone, but for some reason the root system or offspring continues to return year after year despite my cutting it off, poisoning it, etc. You’d think they’d be gone, yet year after year those woody shoots continue to come up between the concrete steps and the brick porch. How any kind of plant ever pushed up through there in the first place is beyond me. But grow it does, a testimony to the tenacity of a stubborn little plant.
I understand now that my life is like that , stuck for years between the proverbial rock and hard place. What I’ve done to that plant in trying to remove and destroy it, is what sometimes happens to me; tugged on from one direction or another; whacked back, enduring poison that would destroy anything else; considered more of a nuisance than a beautiful plant. At least I feel that way. I’d love to be a beautiful blooming rose climbing on a trellis somewhere, or daffodils dancing in the spring sunshine. But I’m not. I’m that stubborn little nandina that insists on springing up in a crack.
I didn’t choose this place. It is where God planted me, and I must do his bidding, not the will of any well-intended landscaper who thinks the Creator made a mistake. I don’t know why. But I do know I can’t quit. If pushing up between rocks is what my God intended, then push I must. Maybe I don’t put out beautiful flowers, but if my Maker desires colored foliage in winter and rust colored berries in fall then that is what I will give him to the best of my ability.
Today is Feb 14, a day when hearts are supposed to be warm with the glow of love. It’s cold outside. And my heart isn’t in tune with the rest of the world. The rocks on either side of me are rough and cold and I’m having the fight off bitterness that seeks to poison my soul. It’s hard and it hurts. These winters of my life are not pleasant. Yet I must embrace them as they are part of my Master’s plan and purpose. He knows best and it is He and He alone whom I grow for.
I understand now that my life is like that , stuck for years between the proverbial rock and hard place. What I’ve done to that plant in trying to remove and destroy it, is what sometimes happens to me; tugged on from one direction or another; whacked back, enduring poison that would destroy anything else; considered more of a nuisance than a beautiful plant. At least I feel that way. I’d love to be a beautiful blooming rose climbing on a trellis somewhere, or daffodils dancing in the spring sunshine. But I’m not. I’m that stubborn little nandina that insists on springing up in a crack.
I didn’t choose this place. It is where God planted me, and I must do his bidding, not the will of any well-intended landscaper who thinks the Creator made a mistake. I don’t know why. But I do know I can’t quit. If pushing up between rocks is what my God intended, then push I must. Maybe I don’t put out beautiful flowers, but if my Maker desires colored foliage in winter and rust colored berries in fall then that is what I will give him to the best of my ability.
Today is Feb 14, a day when hearts are supposed to be warm with the glow of love. It’s cold outside. And my heart isn’t in tune with the rest of the world. The rocks on either side of me are rough and cold and I’m having the fight off bitterness that seeks to poison my soul. It’s hard and it hurts. These winters of my life are not pleasant. Yet I must embrace them as they are part of my Master’s plan and purpose. He knows best and it is He and He alone whom I grow for.
12.24.2006
Christmas Present
The clock on the laptop tells me it's 11:12 pm. We're finished with our rituals and gift opening. Cindy has gone to bed (she has to drive tomorrow and I'm praying the rain will stop) and the rest of us are not too far behind her. This whole weekend has been like one giant Christmas, and the day isn't even here yet.
But it has been special, in most ways good, in a couple kind of bittersweet. Brian and Mike's absence confirms again that the kids are grown up and have their own lives. We're ok with the reasons - it's just not the same without them. Thank God for cell phones. We still laugh allbeit long distance. I have to give the girls credit though - they raised the roof pretty good anyway.
So what did I get this Christmas?
I got to give love in paper bags to 160 mostly unsaved people. Dworeks loaned their van to transport candy and homemade cookie goodie bags to the jail and I was met by five other "ministers", one woman and four men, who eagerly unloaded the boxes and took them to the cells. To my knowledge it's the first time that many of us have been together in one place at one time. Sherry and I had service in the library with all the women. It was pretty special.
I saw and got to visit with a long lost friend. Not really, but time and distance makes it seem that way.
My extended family soldier boy spent the afternoon with us. He's back from basic for the first time in months.
I heard my daughters perform a fifth (or sixth?) awesome song they wrote. It made me cry.
I got to hear Brian cackle on the phone. Twice. I love his sense of humor.
I got to open Mike's present with him present by phone. His conscienciousness is really amazing.
I got snookered again by my husband. Somehow every year he manages to get me something right under my none. This time it was something BIG and I somehow managed to overlook it numerous times in the trunk.
I think the main thing I got was a new appreciation for the concept of God with us. That was what the first Christmas was all about - God with us. It's what the Christian life is about every day, God with us. Cool to think we can live Christmas out every day of the year. We don't need holly and mistletoe for that.
That being said I'm calling it a day and turning in . . .nite all.
The clock on the laptop tells me it's 11:12 pm. We're finished with our rituals and gift opening. Cindy has gone to bed (she has to drive tomorrow and I'm praying the rain will stop) and the rest of us are not too far behind her. This whole weekend has been like one giant Christmas, and the day isn't even here yet.
But it has been special, in most ways good, in a couple kind of bittersweet. Brian and Mike's absence confirms again that the kids are grown up and have their own lives. We're ok with the reasons - it's just not the same without them. Thank God for cell phones. We still laugh allbeit long distance. I have to give the girls credit though - they raised the roof pretty good anyway.
So what did I get this Christmas?
I got to give love in paper bags to 160 mostly unsaved people. Dworeks loaned their van to transport candy and homemade cookie goodie bags to the jail and I was met by five other "ministers", one woman and four men, who eagerly unloaded the boxes and took them to the cells. To my knowledge it's the first time that many of us have been together in one place at one time. Sherry and I had service in the library with all the women. It was pretty special.
I saw and got to visit with a long lost friend. Not really, but time and distance makes it seem that way.
My extended family soldier boy spent the afternoon with us. He's back from basic for the first time in months.
I heard my daughters perform a fifth (or sixth?) awesome song they wrote. It made me cry.
I got to hear Brian cackle on the phone. Twice. I love his sense of humor.
I got to open Mike's present with him present by phone. His conscienciousness is really amazing.
I got snookered again by my husband. Somehow every year he manages to get me something right under my none. This time it was something BIG and I somehow managed to overlook it numerous times in the trunk.
I think the main thing I got was a new appreciation for the concept of God with us. That was what the first Christmas was all about - God with us. It's what the Christian life is about every day, God with us. Cool to think we can live Christmas out every day of the year. We don't need holly and mistletoe for that.
That being said I'm calling it a day and turning in . . .nite all.
12.14.2006
From Today's Reading
And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. Hebrews 1:10- 12
Interesting that God would compare this universe to a piece of clothing, a coat or cloak in particular. We know from Scripture that one day this sin cursed reality will be replaced with new heavens and a new earth. A few random thoughts on that:
1. Garments are meant to be worn, may times made for a specific individual. So who was this universe made for? God certainly didn't need it as he exists outside time as we know it and is not bound by the physical laws that govern this universe. He certainly didn't make it for the legions that rebelled against him - they didn't rebel until after creation anyway. The conclusion is humbling - he made it for us. All the vastness of this great universe is for our benefit, our instruction and our blessing. WOW.
2. Garments wear out. And the more they are used the faster they wear out. They sag as the weave loosens and the threads become bare. Science is clear that the universe is expanding. It even has holes in it. Now, I must confess my husband's holy tee shirts aren't sucking everything in (though he's been known to stick his fingers in) but it is odd in that light that the threads always curl in.
3. The last part about God folding them up was intiguing in light of wormhole theory. (See here for a visual explaination.) God certainly doesn't need our theories to do exactly that; but it is interesting that He tells us exactly what he's going to do with this universe before he eliminates it. He's going to fold it up. Was folding the graveclothes after his resurrection a a foreshadow of this? He, himself had conquered death and folded the garments of death that bound him. Someday sin and death will be conquered for us. Don't it make sense that He'll fold up this cursed garment of time and space we live in, do away with it forever, and change it for a new one?
And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. Hebrews 1:10- 12
Interesting that God would compare this universe to a piece of clothing, a coat or cloak in particular. We know from Scripture that one day this sin cursed reality will be replaced with new heavens and a new earth. A few random thoughts on that:
1. Garments are meant to be worn, may times made for a specific individual. So who was this universe made for? God certainly didn't need it as he exists outside time as we know it and is not bound by the physical laws that govern this universe. He certainly didn't make it for the legions that rebelled against him - they didn't rebel until after creation anyway. The conclusion is humbling - he made it for us. All the vastness of this great universe is for our benefit, our instruction and our blessing. WOW.
2. Garments wear out. And the more they are used the faster they wear out. They sag as the weave loosens and the threads become bare. Science is clear that the universe is expanding. It even has holes in it. Now, I must confess my husband's holy tee shirts aren't sucking everything in (though he's been known to stick his fingers in) but it is odd in that light that the threads always curl in.
3. The last part about God folding them up was intiguing in light of wormhole theory. (See here for a visual explaination.) God certainly doesn't need our theories to do exactly that; but it is interesting that He tells us exactly what he's going to do with this universe before he eliminates it. He's going to fold it up. Was folding the graveclothes after his resurrection a a foreshadow of this? He, himself had conquered death and folded the garments of death that bound him. Someday sin and death will be conquered for us. Don't it make sense that He'll fold up this cursed garment of time and space we live in, do away with it forever, and change it for a new one?
12.01.2006
Raising the Dead?
My family has been thoroughly blessed by the writings of John and Stasi Edlredge the last few years. While I suspect their theological leanings may be more liberal than what we're used to, I have to say "Amen" to their explaination of God's desire to heal broken hearts and establish relationship with us mere mortals. I've always been grateful for our daughters' relationship with their Dad and reading Captivating over Thanksgiving gave him fresh insight into why it is so vital for girls to connect with their fathers. I have only read Waking the Dead so far and look forward to this next one - when I'm finished with some of these other book's I'm working on!
Last week Becky and I visited Mr. Joe. He and Mrs. Evelyn are very precious friends we met through beekeeping. He's a brilliant and quiet man who started beekeeping about the same time I did and I consider him my superior in every way.
It was a very cold and wet day we were there. While walking out to his honey house he spotted a bee in the edge of his birdbath in the water. I didn't think anything of it when he picked it out and noticed a few minutes later he had his hands cupped together. "Have you ever revived a bee?" he asked? It turns out that bee wasn't just litter in his birdbath that he was removing. He had warmed it up and brought it back to life. He proceeded to tell me exactly what the bee would do next. Sure enough, she started cleaning her eyes and face. A minute later she was getting the water off her legs and body. All the while walking around on his bare hand unconcerned about anything more immediate than her grooming.
"She's old, look how tattered her wings are" he said. I'd never inspected a bees wings close enough to tell something that intimate. The sense he had about her behavior, condition and needs were amazing. The tender care he showed for such a little of God's creatures was touching. I asked if he were concerned about her stinging him. No. As long as he didn't try to move her she wouldn't bother him and would leave on her own once she was fully recovered.
Isn't that just like God? In the grandour of heaven and the infinite majesty of His creation He finds us raggedy mortals drowning in sin at the edge of some dirty stink hole. We're dead in trespasses and sins. He takes us individually into His care and attempts to bring life to us by the warmth of His own love. We're known so intimatly by our Creator he sees every flaw and still chooses to take us into his hand where we can be cared for and given life. He's excited when we respond to Him and His desire for us is that our spirits would prosper. He wants us to have wings and promises that we will mount up as eagles when we wait on Him.
There's no question that little bee will never understand how blessed she was that day. For the most part us mere mortals are equally oblivious to the care that God has for us; the air we breathe every day, the little miracles that surround us. The difference is that we have DO have the capacity to understand, appreciate and ultimatly know our creator/caregiver in a personal and loving relationship. It's really a matter of choice, and He leaves that choice with us.
My family has been thoroughly blessed by the writings of John and Stasi Edlredge the last few years. While I suspect their theological leanings may be more liberal than what we're used to, I have to say "Amen" to their explaination of God's desire to heal broken hearts and establish relationship with us mere mortals. I've always been grateful for our daughters' relationship with their Dad and reading Captivating over Thanksgiving gave him fresh insight into why it is so vital for girls to connect with their fathers. I have only read Waking the Dead so far and look forward to this next one - when I'm finished with some of these other book's I'm working on!
Last week Becky and I visited Mr. Joe. He and Mrs. Evelyn are very precious friends we met through beekeeping. He's a brilliant and quiet man who started beekeeping about the same time I did and I consider him my superior in every way.
It was a very cold and wet day we were there. While walking out to his honey house he spotted a bee in the edge of his birdbath in the water. I didn't think anything of it when he picked it out and noticed a few minutes later he had his hands cupped together. "Have you ever revived a bee?" he asked? It turns out that bee wasn't just litter in his birdbath that he was removing. He had warmed it up and brought it back to life. He proceeded to tell me exactly what the bee would do next. Sure enough, she started cleaning her eyes and face. A minute later she was getting the water off her legs and body. All the while walking around on his bare hand unconcerned about anything more immediate than her grooming.
"She's old, look how tattered her wings are" he said. I'd never inspected a bees wings close enough to tell something that intimate. The sense he had about her behavior, condition and needs were amazing. The tender care he showed for such a little of God's creatures was touching. I asked if he were concerned about her stinging him. No. As long as he didn't try to move her she wouldn't bother him and would leave on her own once she was fully recovered.
Isn't that just like God? In the grandour of heaven and the infinite majesty of His creation He finds us raggedy mortals drowning in sin at the edge of some dirty stink hole. We're dead in trespasses and sins. He takes us individually into His care and attempts to bring life to us by the warmth of His own love. We're known so intimatly by our Creator he sees every flaw and still chooses to take us into his hand where we can be cared for and given life. He's excited when we respond to Him and His desire for us is that our spirits would prosper. He wants us to have wings and promises that we will mount up as eagles when we wait on Him.
There's no question that little bee will never understand how blessed she was that day. For the most part us mere mortals are equally oblivious to the care that God has for us; the air we breathe every day, the little miracles that surround us. The difference is that we have DO have the capacity to understand, appreciate and ultimatly know our creator/caregiver in a personal and loving relationship. It's really a matter of choice, and He leaves that choice with us.
10.24.2006
I love the choleric tendancies God programmed me with. While they have caused their share of confusion in the past (like contributing to my doubts about my salvation when I was a kid) they are handy to have in a crisis.
Example: When Becky was hospitalized for a concussion I was the one that was calm and in control on the way to the ER. Never mind she quit breathing on the way. I knew what to do and handled it. My composure was a different story when she was out of danger, but during the crises, God gave me the grace to handle it.
That being said, I've had many after thoughts since my little brush with death. One of the main things I've been hit with is that I'm probably still here because of prayer. So who prays for me on a regular basis? My family and pastor for sure. Beyond that I can't say for sure, for sure. I hate to admit that a lot of times we pray for people when we know there's a need, but not necessarily routinely.
Nobody knew I was sick. So how could they have prayed for that need? Short of the Spirit's prompting, it was impossible.
Lessons learned:
Pray whether you know there's a need or not. There probably is one even if you aren't aware of it and it's probably more serious than you realize.
Prayers from unexpected, unregarded or "other" sources are priceless. Case in point. I get a lesson from DC who is in prison about every 10 days. DC always writes and tells me she's praying for me. Is she? I like to think so. It's possible her prayers are the ones that kept my heart going. I don't know, but I sure plan to ask about it in eternity.
Pray when God brings someone to mind. This can be every time you open your email!! That's not a bad thing. God has a reason for letting you think of that high school friend, or the class bum as the case may be.
Pray through when something or someone is heavy on your heart. There's an old timey thing (I don't know if it's a doctrine or what - I need to study it out) about "praying through." As best I understand it you grab hold of the horns of the altar and don't let go till God gives you peace He's heard your prayers and will handle your request.
Once in a great while God lets you see the result of your prayers in this life. My Mom is pretty much a shut in due to circumstances beyond her control, yet her prayers for others is legendary. She prayed for a young mother she'd met briefly years ago. She had no way of knowing her baby had just been kidnapped. That baby is now a fine man planning his wedding. Back in the 50's she prayed for a baby girl she heard about in the news who was injured and orphaned in a house fire several states away. Years later God saw fit to connect the two of them. Mom's prayers for her to be raised by a loving Christian family had been answered and now that lady has a wonderful family of her own.
I suspect one of the blessings of eternity will be finding such connections and learning the results of our prayers. I love my mom's stories and want my own prayers to be such a blessing to others. It doesn't matter if I don't learn what happens here. The important thing is to PRAY.
Example: When Becky was hospitalized for a concussion I was the one that was calm and in control on the way to the ER. Never mind she quit breathing on the way. I knew what to do and handled it. My composure was a different story when she was out of danger, but during the crises, God gave me the grace to handle it.
That being said, I've had many after thoughts since my little brush with death. One of the main things I've been hit with is that I'm probably still here because of prayer. So who prays for me on a regular basis? My family and pastor for sure. Beyond that I can't say for sure, for sure. I hate to admit that a lot of times we pray for people when we know there's a need, but not necessarily routinely.
Nobody knew I was sick. So how could they have prayed for that need? Short of the Spirit's prompting, it was impossible.
Lessons learned:
Pray whether you know there's a need or not. There probably is one even if you aren't aware of it and it's probably more serious than you realize.
Prayers from unexpected, unregarded or "other" sources are priceless. Case in point. I get a lesson from DC who is in prison about every 10 days. DC always writes and tells me she's praying for me. Is she? I like to think so. It's possible her prayers are the ones that kept my heart going. I don't know, but I sure plan to ask about it in eternity.
Pray when God brings someone to mind. This can be every time you open your email!! That's not a bad thing. God has a reason for letting you think of that high school friend, or the class bum as the case may be.
Pray through when something or someone is heavy on your heart. There's an old timey thing (I don't know if it's a doctrine or what - I need to study it out) about "praying through." As best I understand it you grab hold of the horns of the altar and don't let go till God gives you peace He's heard your prayers and will handle your request.
Once in a great while God lets you see the result of your prayers in this life. My Mom is pretty much a shut in due to circumstances beyond her control, yet her prayers for others is legendary. She prayed for a young mother she'd met briefly years ago. She had no way of knowing her baby had just been kidnapped. That baby is now a fine man planning his wedding. Back in the 50's she prayed for a baby girl she heard about in the news who was injured and orphaned in a house fire several states away. Years later God saw fit to connect the two of them. Mom's prayers for her to be raised by a loving Christian family had been answered and now that lady has a wonderful family of her own.
I suspect one of the blessings of eternity will be finding such connections and learning the results of our prayers. I love my mom's stories and want my own prayers to be such a blessing to others. It doesn't matter if I don't learn what happens here. The important thing is to PRAY.
10.16.2006
I've lost track of how much time has passed since blessing this blog with a few clickety clicks. But then a lot has happened the last few weeks. Some parts I'd just as soon forget, others stare me down shaking their finger in my face "lest I forget."
I can't forget being ill four months partly due to heartache and stress I knowingly or unknowingly carried around. God knew how much this dumpling could take and let me get to the root of the problem in time to catch a life threatening condition. Anemia sucks. It took an overnight stay in one of Alabama's finest hospitals and 3 units of blood to get me out of danger. I take a handful of vitamins and supplements for breakfast now.
I can't forget meeting Debi Pryde and her words of wisdom. And how much fun it was jamming with Tracy at the FAR retreat even though I couldn't hold my notes as long as I wanted. (anemia - its a wonder I didn't kill myself) Next year, for SURE.
No forgetting Cindy's visit to (take over and) pull off her dad's 50th birthday event since I was in no shape to. God arranged all that. We had the best visit in years and both grew because of it. In some ways it was like getting my girl back. Call me a doting mom but while I don't worship the ground the my kids walk on, I have the greatest respect for who they are in Christ and who God intends them to be. Cindy's the oldest, and a most awesome young woman. It will be exciting to see what God's got planned for her.
No forgetting I'm married to an old man now, lol. Poor dear got his AARP invitation ON his birthday. Mama always told me, better an old man's darling than a young man's fool.
And wonder of wonders, the bee doors keep opening and opening. Went to the state association meeting 13th and 14th in Montgomery. A new amendment put me on the board of directors by virtue of being a pres with 10 state members. (sigh) A nomination from the floor and subsequent vote for a 3 year term did it regardless of local rank. So they're stuck with me whether they like it or not. There's one or two that probably don't, but they're voted out now anyway. I saw one officer publicly flinch at the 05 meeting after blabbing something where he'd lied to me. I think there's hope for the organization with the good people currently in the higher offices.
My kitchen is a wreck. I've been cleaning old wax that was given to me. And working on making creamed honey. (Yummmmm!!!!) I think I've fallen in love with the sweet stuff all over again. It's kind of interesting that Christ is described by several flowers in the Bible. I've no idea whether either make nectar for honey, but it is interesting that honey comes from flowers and just as the Word comes from God. There's some sweet goodness to that somewhere but this poor bod and brain are too tired to fully grasp it at this hour. :)
G'nite all.
I can't forget being ill four months partly due to heartache and stress I knowingly or unknowingly carried around. God knew how much this dumpling could take and let me get to the root of the problem in time to catch a life threatening condition. Anemia sucks. It took an overnight stay in one of Alabama's finest hospitals and 3 units of blood to get me out of danger. I take a handful of vitamins and supplements for breakfast now.
I can't forget meeting Debi Pryde and her words of wisdom. And how much fun it was jamming with Tracy at the FAR retreat even though I couldn't hold my notes as long as I wanted. (anemia - its a wonder I didn't kill myself) Next year, for SURE.
No forgetting Cindy's visit to (take over and) pull off her dad's 50th birthday event since I was in no shape to. God arranged all that. We had the best visit in years and both grew because of it. In some ways it was like getting my girl back. Call me a doting mom but while I don't worship the ground the my kids walk on, I have the greatest respect for who they are in Christ and who God intends them to be. Cindy's the oldest, and a most awesome young woman. It will be exciting to see what God's got planned for her.
No forgetting I'm married to an old man now, lol. Poor dear got his AARP invitation ON his birthday. Mama always told me, better an old man's darling than a young man's fool.
And wonder of wonders, the bee doors keep opening and opening. Went to the state association meeting 13th and 14th in Montgomery. A new amendment put me on the board of directors by virtue of being a pres with 10 state members. (sigh) A nomination from the floor and subsequent vote for a 3 year term did it regardless of local rank. So they're stuck with me whether they like it or not. There's one or two that probably don't, but they're voted out now anyway. I saw one officer publicly flinch at the 05 meeting after blabbing something where he'd lied to me. I think there's hope for the organization with the good people currently in the higher offices.
My kitchen is a wreck. I've been cleaning old wax that was given to me. And working on making creamed honey. (Yummmmm!!!!) I think I've fallen in love with the sweet stuff all over again. It's kind of interesting that Christ is described by several flowers in the Bible. I've no idea whether either make nectar for honey, but it is interesting that honey comes from flowers and just as the Word comes from God. There's some sweet goodness to that somewhere but this poor bod and brain are too tired to fully grasp it at this hour. :)
G'nite all.
9.22.2006
This will be short and sweet.
When Capital One says "No Hassle', don't believe a word of it. They are one of several companies who have outsourced their customer service somewhere in Asia (meaning you can't communicate with the representatives). Getting anything done or any queston answered is a HUGE hassle. All the English speaking people are in the fraud department, and even they are challenged to get it right.
Don't be fooled, those bumfuddeling Vikings ARE Capital One.
When Capital One says "No Hassle', don't believe a word of it. They are one of several companies who have outsourced their customer service somewhere in Asia (meaning you can't communicate with the representatives). Getting anything done or any queston answered is a HUGE hassle. All the English speaking people are in the fraud department, and even they are challenged to get it right.
Don't be fooled, those bumfuddeling Vikings ARE Capital One.
9.16.2006
Royal Thoughts
It's crossed my mind several times since studying the biology and social structure of bees that something I heard from my dear sister, Cookie, is very true. She had told me that every plot, every character, every story line Hollywood or Bollywood or "whoever" comes up with is in the Bible. It wasn't long after that ABC started showing Desperate Housewives. Yes, I watched a few episodes, more out of curiousity about the murder mystery than anything, and no, I don't watch it now. All that to say this - a Martha wannabe, Potiphar's Wife, the silly woman and Eli's wife were all there. Split them up into their respective years, put robes on them and viola! Bible characters. I think Potiphar's wife was probably the most blatantly obvious of the four original main characters.
But back to bees. Leaning more toward biology than Bible, it's crossed my mind on more than one occasion that si-fi has borrowed heavily from bees. Yes, I watch a bit of si-fi too, mostly Star Trek and Stargate. A lot of the other stuff that poses as si-fi is geeky occult not worth the trash can it needs to go in.
Queen bees have long held a particular reputation as the she-boss of the hive that everything centers around. There is some truth to that, but we'll skip the particulars for now. The important thing to understand for this discussion is that she's the key to hive cohesiveness. It is her pheremone spread throughout the hive from her to one bee, then another, then another as they go about their business, that signals "all is ok." This pheremone determines the "personaility", if you will, of the hive. I had a particularily cantankerous hive once. Replacing the queen caused it to become gentle within a few short weeks. Changes in pheremone tell a hive to prepare to swarm. Absence of pheremone causes a hive to become agitated and worrysome. You can actually hear the difference in a hive when no queen is present.
Relating this to si-fi, it's been interesting to see this concept applied to super villan races in both series mentioned. In Star Trek it was the Borg. Of course they explained it as low frequency sub space transmissions or something like that, but the concept of all within the ship or species being connected via "something" was not new. Same thing for the Raith in Stargate Atlantis. Their ships are called hive ships. Could it be more obvious?
The good part is as believers in Christ, we have such a bond. It's, He's, called the Holy Spirit. His presence in our lives is very precious as He gently (and sometimes not so gently as the need calls for) works to perfect us in Christ. One of my most striking memories is of an event that happened deep in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in the early 80's. Baby Doc was still in power and the country was much safer for Americans then. My dh and our 3 month old were visiting his parents (missionaries) at the time. Dad H drove us into slums that looked worse than anything we had ever seen in Chicago. I was scared to be there. He stopped the jeep in front of what looked like a hole in a wall and we were greeted by a dark skinned man who didn't speak a word of English. We recognized him immediatly though. No, we didn't know his name or his job or anything, but we recognized a brother who loved the same God we love. We visited in his home a while and it was an amazing oasis of peace. Of course Dad H spoke Creole so they conversed, and we never got past "hello", but the bond was there non-the-less.
It's happened many times since then. Deep fellowship with someone you strike converstation with in a tire store in a strange city. (Could that be the reason for that blowout?) Finding someone with a need greater than a clump of bees in their yard who gave you the encouragement your heart desperatly needed? We are after all part of the same body. And Spirit is life.
Ok, so maybe God did that queen pheremone thing as an image of one aspect of Himself. Cool, very cool nontheless.
It's crossed my mind several times since studying the biology and social structure of bees that something I heard from my dear sister, Cookie, is very true. She had told me that every plot, every character, every story line Hollywood or Bollywood or "whoever" comes up with is in the Bible. It wasn't long after that ABC started showing Desperate Housewives. Yes, I watched a few episodes, more out of curiousity about the murder mystery than anything, and no, I don't watch it now. All that to say this - a Martha wannabe, Potiphar's Wife, the silly woman and Eli's wife were all there. Split them up into their respective years, put robes on them and viola! Bible characters. I think Potiphar's wife was probably the most blatantly obvious of the four original main characters.
But back to bees. Leaning more toward biology than Bible, it's crossed my mind on more than one occasion that si-fi has borrowed heavily from bees. Yes, I watch a bit of si-fi too, mostly Star Trek and Stargate. A lot of the other stuff that poses as si-fi is geeky occult not worth the trash can it needs to go in.
Queen bees have long held a particular reputation as the she-boss of the hive that everything centers around. There is some truth to that, but we'll skip the particulars for now. The important thing to understand for this discussion is that she's the key to hive cohesiveness. It is her pheremone spread throughout the hive from her to one bee, then another, then another as they go about their business, that signals "all is ok." This pheremone determines the "personaility", if you will, of the hive. I had a particularily cantankerous hive once. Replacing the queen caused it to become gentle within a few short weeks. Changes in pheremone tell a hive to prepare to swarm. Absence of pheremone causes a hive to become agitated and worrysome. You can actually hear the difference in a hive when no queen is present.
Relating this to si-fi, it's been interesting to see this concept applied to super villan races in both series mentioned. In Star Trek it was the Borg. Of course they explained it as low frequency sub space transmissions or something like that, but the concept of all within the ship or species being connected via "something" was not new. Same thing for the Raith in Stargate Atlantis. Their ships are called hive ships. Could it be more obvious?
The good part is as believers in Christ, we have such a bond. It's, He's, called the Holy Spirit. His presence in our lives is very precious as He gently (and sometimes not so gently as the need calls for) works to perfect us in Christ. One of my most striking memories is of an event that happened deep in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in the early 80's. Baby Doc was still in power and the country was much safer for Americans then. My dh and our 3 month old were visiting his parents (missionaries) at the time. Dad H drove us into slums that looked worse than anything we had ever seen in Chicago. I was scared to be there. He stopped the jeep in front of what looked like a hole in a wall and we were greeted by a dark skinned man who didn't speak a word of English. We recognized him immediatly though. No, we didn't know his name or his job or anything, but we recognized a brother who loved the same God we love. We visited in his home a while and it was an amazing oasis of peace. Of course Dad H spoke Creole so they conversed, and we never got past "hello", but the bond was there non-the-less.
It's happened many times since then. Deep fellowship with someone you strike converstation with in a tire store in a strange city. (Could that be the reason for that blowout?) Finding someone with a need greater than a clump of bees in their yard who gave you the encouragement your heart desperatly needed? We are after all part of the same body. And Spirit is life.
Ok, so maybe God did that queen pheremone thing as an image of one aspect of Himself. Cool, very cool nontheless.
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