Howard invited a friend out to see one of our new baby goats the other day. Their common interest is goats, one in which this guy is very knowledgeable. He gave my husband several helpful tips about them, and when he saw one of the goats licking Howard's arm, he said, "That means they need salt."
Well, we knew that cows liked to lick salt, but we hadn't thought about it for goats. The next day found us in the farm supply store looking for blocks of salt. We were also advised to get mineral salt too. Who knew?
In the store, we were directed where to find them, and we were surprised that they weighed 50 pounds apiece! Since Howard's heart surgery, we try to be a little more careful with lifting, so a strong, young employee loaded them, and we got help unloading them at home.
Sure enough, the goats loved them, and it was reassuring to know they were getting the minerals they needed as well.
I was reminded of a verse in the Bible in which Jesus says, "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost his savour, werewith shall it be salted? It is henceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under the foot of men," Matthew 5:13.
We know that salt is essential to our bodies: it maintains fluid levels, affects our vital organs and prevents low blood pressure, among other benefits. I read that animals will eat dirt, chew on rocks or drink urine if they are deprived of salt.
By maintaining our Christian "saltiness," we may affect the lost who eat the dirty filthiness of the world, futilely feeding on "rocks," or drinking alcohol and using drugs. But if we have lost our savour, our effectiveness, Jesus said that then we are useless and discarded, trodden down by men. It reminded me of the salt that is put on roads during bad weather. Soon it is slush and mud.
"Please pass the salt," is a request at many tables. It adds flavor to the food. May we sprinkle savour from the way we live our lives for Him!
Monday, August 20, 2018
Friday, August 17, 2018
Lost!
We were so excited about the baby goat! It was a few days old by now and was venturing out of hiding. I called Howard to the window at breakfast to see it frolicking in the pasture by its mother. We watched laughing and marveling at the little creature's cute antics, until finally I left the window to begin the day.
Shortly, Howard called with alarm in his voice. "The little goat is gone!" he announced ominously.
"But you were watching it!" I exclaimed, although by this time he was at the sink washing the breakfast dishes.
"I just left for a minute, and when I looked again, there was no sign of her!" he said grimly. That was strange, for Mama goat was grazing unconcernedly nearby.
"We have to go look for her!" I decided. We got in the car, drove through the pasture gate and looked in sheds and out-buildings. She was nowhere to be found! We even looked down by the pond, to no avail.
All day we worried in frustration at the little goat's disappearance. Since there was a stand of thick, tall grass directly behind their grazing area, we concluded that a wild animal or a soaring eagle must have grabbed her. We went about our day with heavy hearts.
Later that day as the sun was about to set, we heard a commotion outside. Our son Greg was yelling something, and we heard bleating from the goat's mother as she dashed around frantically in the pasture.
"I heard the little goat!" Greg shouted, heading for that tall grass in the pasture. We rushed out just in time to see our hero son, striding along with open shirt and the young goat in his arms! He looked like Hercules just then!
He told us he heard bleating under a pile of boards from a dismantled barn in the over-growth. He reached in and pulled the baby out! Evidently she had fallen through and had been there all day! What a happy reunion for mama and baby!
I couldn't help but think of the story in the Bible that Jesus told of the lost sheep. The shepherd would not give up until he found him, as the parable goes.(Matthew 18:12-13, Luke 15:4-6). The song had been going through my head all day, and I found myself singing it as I prayed and thought about the missing goat.
May we be just as diligent for a lost soul! Jesus said in Luke 18:14, "Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish."
Shortly, Howard called with alarm in his voice. "The little goat is gone!" he announced ominously.
"But you were watching it!" I exclaimed, although by this time he was at the sink washing the breakfast dishes.
"I just left for a minute, and when I looked again, there was no sign of her!" he said grimly. That was strange, for Mama goat was grazing unconcernedly nearby.
"We have to go look for her!" I decided. We got in the car, drove through the pasture gate and looked in sheds and out-buildings. She was nowhere to be found! We even looked down by the pond, to no avail.
All day we worried in frustration at the little goat's disappearance. Since there was a stand of thick, tall grass directly behind their grazing area, we concluded that a wild animal or a soaring eagle must have grabbed her. We went about our day with heavy hearts.
Later that day as the sun was about to set, we heard a commotion outside. Our son Greg was yelling something, and we heard bleating from the goat's mother as she dashed around frantically in the pasture.
"I heard the little goat!" Greg shouted, heading for that tall grass in the pasture. We rushed out just in time to see our hero son, striding along with open shirt and the young goat in his arms! He looked like Hercules just then!
He told us he heard bleating under a pile of boards from a dismantled barn in the over-growth. He reached in and pulled the baby out! Evidently she had fallen through and had been there all day! What a happy reunion for mama and baby!
I couldn't help but think of the story in the Bible that Jesus told of the lost sheep. The shepherd would not give up until he found him, as the parable goes.(Matthew 18:12-13, Luke 15:4-6). The song had been going through my head all day, and I found myself singing it as I prayed and thought about the missing goat.
May we be just as diligent for a lost soul! Jesus said in Luke 18:14, "Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish."
Thursday, August 16, 2018
When You Least Expect It...
"Have you ever had a blessing from an unexpected source?" I was teaching a Sunday School class recently, and this question was posed by the lesson. Immediately my husband's hand went up.
"I have!" he exclaimed. "I was making a purchase at a store, and they were having trouble with their card machine. Over and over, I inserted my card, finally giving up, as the line behind me grew longer."
"I don't have any cash," I said, ready to put back the merchandise I really needed. "Just then the man behind me thrust bills into my hand to cover the tab!"
Actually, I had gone into the store first and experienced the malfunction, returning to the car with nothing but an explanation and sending Howard into the store. "Did the machine work?" I asked, and he told me the story!
Other people in the class told of their unexpected blessings, and I reminded Howard, "What about the cane?"
"Oh yes," he said. "We were on a trip to Texas, and I had forgotten my cane. Going into a Cracker Barrel, I asked a friendly hostess if they sold canes. She shook her head and said they didn't carry them. Then after lunch, she brought me a nice cane!"
"Oh, you found one!" I exclaimed, "How much is it?"
"It's yours!" she replied. Maybe a traveler had left it there, but it was a blessing that I have enjoyed ever since!"
The original question was related to the blessing the Jews received following their Babylonian captivity from those such as King Cyrus, Zerubbabel and others who helped them return to the land of Israel.
Watch for your unexpected blessings!
"I have!" he exclaimed. "I was making a purchase at a store, and they were having trouble with their card machine. Over and over, I inserted my card, finally giving up, as the line behind me grew longer."
"I don't have any cash," I said, ready to put back the merchandise I really needed. "Just then the man behind me thrust bills into my hand to cover the tab!"
Actually, I had gone into the store first and experienced the malfunction, returning to the car with nothing but an explanation and sending Howard into the store. "Did the machine work?" I asked, and he told me the story!
Other people in the class told of their unexpected blessings, and I reminded Howard, "What about the cane?"
"Oh yes," he said. "We were on a trip to Texas, and I had forgotten my cane. Going into a Cracker Barrel, I asked a friendly hostess if they sold canes. She shook her head and said they didn't carry them. Then after lunch, she brought me a nice cane!"
"Oh, you found one!" I exclaimed, "How much is it?"
"It's yours!" she replied. Maybe a traveler had left it there, but it was a blessing that I have enjoyed ever since!"
The original question was related to the blessing the Jews received following their Babylonian captivity from those such as King Cyrus, Zerubbabel and others who helped them return to the land of Israel.
Watch for your unexpected blessings!
Friday, July 20, 2018
"Have you ever had a blessing from an unexpected source?" was the question to be posed to the Sunday School class I was teaching recently. The lesson referred to the unlikely help of those who contributed to the Jews' return to the Promised Land.
Immediately my husband's hand went up. "Yesterday I was buying a small item from a neighboring store, but they were having trouble with credit card machine. After several tries, I s
Immediately my husband's hand went up. "Yesterday I was buying a small item from a neighboring store, but they were having trouble with credit card machine. After several tries, I s
Thursday, June 7, 2018
What is so Rare as a Day in June?
Here we are in the month of June! No blogs in May, unusual for me, although it was a very eventful month! Has anyone ever been sick from a tick bite? Let me tell you, it was no fun! Body aches, fatigue and general malaise. I finally went to the doctor, who gave me meds that REALLY made me sick. Couldn't eat or drink, became dehydrated and was sent to hospital for IV fluids. Lost 11 pounds in a week!
All is well now, although I was feeling sorry for myself when Mother's Day came and I missed my kids. Still under the weather that day, moping around, I didn't feel like going to church. The phone rang, and our son, Trevor, asked me if Jamie was here yet. What? From Houston? It was true! Not only did he cheer my Mother's Day, but he took us home with him for a week!
What fun to get to see our grandchildren at their gymnastic practice! We also got to go to church with them, eat out a lot and generally enjoy ourselves. How would we get home? Jamie would have to work! Well, he had planned everything out. We would meet son Mark halfway to his house in Austin. He would drive us to Waco where son Trevor would take us home to Oklahoma! What great kids we have!
There was a little layover in Waco waiting for Trev, so Mark drove us around the Magnolia Silos and gardens of Chip and Joanna Gaines. When Trevor arrived, we all had a delightful lunch at beautiful Collins Street Bakery, home of the famous pecan pies. The white, colonial-style structure with walls of windows was built a few years ago closer to the beaten path than the original bakery location.
What a treat to have Trevor here overnight when we got home. He hadn't seen our new environs since we moved to the country, and he thoroughly enjoyed himself, and we him! Reminiscing, seeing our chickens and goats, eating mom's cooking, and laughing over family videos all added up to precious moments.
Our next big adventure is a planned reunion with all our children and as many grands and great-grands who can come for our 60th wedding anniversary later this month! Can't wait!
All is well now, although I was feeling sorry for myself when Mother's Day came and I missed my kids. Still under the weather that day, moping around, I didn't feel like going to church. The phone rang, and our son, Trevor, asked me if Jamie was here yet. What? From Houston? It was true! Not only did he cheer my Mother's Day, but he took us home with him for a week!
What fun to get to see our grandchildren at their gymnastic practice! We also got to go to church with them, eat out a lot and generally enjoy ourselves. How would we get home? Jamie would have to work! Well, he had planned everything out. We would meet son Mark halfway to his house in Austin. He would drive us to Waco where son Trevor would take us home to Oklahoma! What great kids we have!
There was a little layover in Waco waiting for Trev, so Mark drove us around the Magnolia Silos and gardens of Chip and Joanna Gaines. When Trevor arrived, we all had a delightful lunch at beautiful Collins Street Bakery, home of the famous pecan pies. The white, colonial-style structure with walls of windows was built a few years ago closer to the beaten path than the original bakery location.
What a treat to have Trevor here overnight when we got home. He hadn't seen our new environs since we moved to the country, and he thoroughly enjoyed himself, and we him! Reminiscing, seeing our chickens and goats, eating mom's cooking, and laughing over family videos all added up to precious moments.
Our next big adventure is a planned reunion with all our children and as many grands and great-grands who can come for our 60th wedding anniversary later this month! Can't wait!
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