Friday, March 12, 2010
Say "Cheese!"
Every time we get the camera out, Jude places himself inches in front of it and says, "Chee!" He also produces a cheesy grin. Pretty cute.
Ingenuity
Jude is now eighteen months old and he loves to take baths. He's quite the little fish, which is unfortunate for him, because the tubes in his ears don't allow him to fully partake of the water experience.
The other day I put Joel in the tub and Jude was desperate to join him. I went to fetch Jude's ear plugs, got distracted for a bit with something else and returned a few minutes later to find Jude trying to get himself into the tub by way of a pillow that he was trying to use as a step stool. He had figured out that he needed some sort of lift to get into the tub and then figured out how to solve the problem with a pillow from the love seat in our bedroom. I was pretty impressed, especially since Jude had never seen the same thing modeled by the older children.
Jude was so excited to get into the tub that he even let me put his ear plugs in his ears without the usual fuss. The sweet taste of success was finally savored and Jude giggled and splashed with delight as soon as his feet hit the water.
The other day I put Joel in the tub and Jude was desperate to join him. I went to fetch Jude's ear plugs, got distracted for a bit with something else and returned a few minutes later to find Jude trying to get himself into the tub by way of a pillow that he was trying to use as a step stool. He had figured out that he needed some sort of lift to get into the tub and then figured out how to solve the problem with a pillow from the love seat in our bedroom. I was pretty impressed, especially since Jude had never seen the same thing modeled by the older children.
Jude was so excited to get into the tub that he even let me put his ear plugs in his ears without the usual fuss. The sweet taste of success was finally savored and Jude giggled and splashed with delight as soon as his feet hit the water.
Back in Business
A few weeks ago our chickens suddenly cut their egg production in half. We just couldn't figure it out. We checked their water and food supplies, wondered if the change in weather was a factor or if the chickens were just getting older and not laying as much. I was getting pretty concerned because Paul had egg customers to whom he had promised eggs and we weren't able to fill the orders.
Finally I got a hint from a friend of mine that we should check the chickens for lice. Matt did check them and sure enough, that was the problem. He bought the last bottle of dusting powder off the shelf at the local feed store, so I guess other chickens in the area must be having the same issues.
The next morning, Matt and Paul dusted each chicken after it came out of the chicken house. Twenty eight chickens were properly treated and then the guys cleaned out the chicken house, sterilized it and put new wood shavings down. The chickens started laying their usual amount of eggs the very next day. Problem solved. Matt and Paul dusted the chickens again this morning for their second and final treatment.
The newest threat to our chickens is in the form of a hawk family that's taken up residence in our birch tree. They've built quite the aerie in the uppermost branches of the tree. I'm sure they thought it was a ideal spot with a plentiful food supply so nearby. I have a neighbor down the road who said that she lost all of her chickens to hawks, although she didn't have a chicken house for her chickens. I figured that hawks wouldn't bother full grown chickens, but I spoke with my Grandma last night on the phone and she said she had a friend whose Jack Russell Terrier was carried off and killed by a hawk (must have been a pretty desperate--or evil hawk).
Anyway, I have noticed that our chickens look up in the sky when the hawks are circling our yard and then they high tail it to the chicken house, well house or to the safe covering of the snowball bush. Last year we put up a fence to keep neighbor dogs out of our yard, but obviously that won't deter the hawks. Only time will tell, I guess. I would rather not have the scene of the flying monkeys of the Wizard of Oz replayed in our very own back yard.
Finally I got a hint from a friend of mine that we should check the chickens for lice. Matt did check them and sure enough, that was the problem. He bought the last bottle of dusting powder off the shelf at the local feed store, so I guess other chickens in the area must be having the same issues.
The next morning, Matt and Paul dusted each chicken after it came out of the chicken house. Twenty eight chickens were properly treated and then the guys cleaned out the chicken house, sterilized it and put new wood shavings down. The chickens started laying their usual amount of eggs the very next day. Problem solved. Matt and Paul dusted the chickens again this morning for their second and final treatment.
The newest threat to our chickens is in the form of a hawk family that's taken up residence in our birch tree. They've built quite the aerie in the uppermost branches of the tree. I'm sure they thought it was a ideal spot with a plentiful food supply so nearby. I have a neighbor down the road who said that she lost all of her chickens to hawks, although she didn't have a chicken house for her chickens. I figured that hawks wouldn't bother full grown chickens, but I spoke with my Grandma last night on the phone and she said she had a friend whose Jack Russell Terrier was carried off and killed by a hawk (must have been a pretty desperate--or evil hawk).
Anyway, I have noticed that our chickens look up in the sky when the hawks are circling our yard and then they high tail it to the chicken house, well house or to the safe covering of the snowball bush. Last year we put up a fence to keep neighbor dogs out of our yard, but obviously that won't deter the hawks. Only time will tell, I guess. I would rather not have the scene of the flying monkeys of the Wizard of Oz replayed in our very own back yard.
We All Scream for Ice Cream
Last Saturday night we took the whole family to Baskin Robbins for an ice cream treat, compliments of my sister, who gave the kids a gift certificate for Christmas. We rarely take the whole family for ice cream any more because a couple of half gallons of ice cream from the store is just much more economical for us.
As a kid, my parents took us to Baskin and Robbins fairly regularly. I've rarely deviated from ordering my favorite treat (a scoop of peanut butter and chocolate and a scoop of rocky road on a sugar cone) for the past twenty five years. Even as a kid I used to be amazed at the people who would come into the store and order vanilla ice cream. I just couldn't fathom how one could have 31 different flavors of ice cream from which to choose and then decide on vanilla.
The other night, as we backed out of the driveway, I announced to the kids. "This place has 31 flavors of ice cream to choose from!" Immediately from the back of the van I hear Lydia say, "I choose vanilla!" My very own child--a vanilla chooser.
As a kid, my parents took us to Baskin and Robbins fairly regularly. I've rarely deviated from ordering my favorite treat (a scoop of peanut butter and chocolate and a scoop of rocky road on a sugar cone) for the past twenty five years. Even as a kid I used to be amazed at the people who would come into the store and order vanilla ice cream. I just couldn't fathom how one could have 31 different flavors of ice cream from which to choose and then decide on vanilla.
The other night, as we backed out of the driveway, I announced to the kids. "This place has 31 flavors of ice cream to choose from!" Immediately from the back of the van I hear Lydia say, "I choose vanilla!" My very own child--a vanilla chooser.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Prayer Warrior
I've been reading the biography "George Muller--Man of Faith & Miracles" by Basil Miller to the kids. Yesterday I read the following passage from the book:
Throughout the year there were to be testings of personal faith, but God never failed him [Muller]. As a sample of such trials on November 30 he writes, "being in great need, I was led, yesterday morning, earnestly to ask the Lord; and in answer to this petition a brother gave me, last evening, ten pounds." Morning prayer was answered by the evening gift.
Mr. Muller testifies that in his lifetime fifty thousand such specific prayers were answered. Years before he died, about the middle of his career, he affirmed that up to that time five thousand of his definite prayers had been answered on the day of asking.
He made it a habit to keep a notebook with two page entries. On one page he gave the petition and the date, and on the opposite page he entered the date of the answer. In this manner he was able to keep record of definite petitions, and their specific answers.
Another striking aspect of George Muller, which is repeated throughout the book, is that very early in his ministry he purposed to never agree to a specific wage from his congregants, choosing instead to allow his congregants to give freely (or not so freely) as they were led by the Spirit. George also purposed to never tell anyone of any specific need that he had. He simply brought his specific needs before the Lord and the Lord always provided exactly what George had asked for, sometimes He provided much more. At one point he was feeding two thousand orphans a day, directly from the hand of God. Amazing.
I believe my next trip to WalMart will include the purchase of a small spiral notebook, in which to start writing my prayers.
Throughout the year there were to be testings of personal faith, but God never failed him [Muller]. As a sample of such trials on November 30 he writes, "being in great need, I was led, yesterday morning, earnestly to ask the Lord; and in answer to this petition a brother gave me, last evening, ten pounds." Morning prayer was answered by the evening gift.
Mr. Muller testifies that in his lifetime fifty thousand such specific prayers were answered. Years before he died, about the middle of his career, he affirmed that up to that time five thousand of his definite prayers had been answered on the day of asking.
He made it a habit to keep a notebook with two page entries. On one page he gave the petition and the date, and on the opposite page he entered the date of the answer. In this manner he was able to keep record of definite petitions, and their specific answers.
Another striking aspect of George Muller, which is repeated throughout the book, is that very early in his ministry he purposed to never agree to a specific wage from his congregants, choosing instead to allow his congregants to give freely (or not so freely) as they were led by the Spirit. George also purposed to never tell anyone of any specific need that he had. He simply brought his specific needs before the Lord and the Lord always provided exactly what George had asked for, sometimes He provided much more. At one point he was feeding two thousand orphans a day, directly from the hand of God. Amazing.
I believe my next trip to WalMart will include the purchase of a small spiral notebook, in which to start writing my prayers.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Encouragement
I've been struggling lately. That's the reason for the lack of blog posts. Satan's been throwing some pretty fiery darts my way, but God is reminding me of His faithfulness. Last week, in two very different places, the Lord brought this old hymn to my ears. It's probably my hands down favorite song of the Christian group Selah. The depths of God's love for His children can never be fully known, at least not on this side of Heaven.
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