Set My Spirit Free

Gary and I have been in North Carolina on a short but sweet retreat. We had the great pleasure to meet and dine with Needles and Chicken- farmer and their families. And, we did have more than eggs but no fried chicken!

We had great fun with the children and the game boys. I think I could learn to play with those inspiring teachers.

Now about Needles, she sure is the straight one in our comedy trio. Chicken-farmer clucks and Needle pricks and off we all go a clucking –clucking and chuckling-chuckling.

I did take time to pen a blog of my thoughts on how important it is to have our spirits free. Joy is a vital part within our being giving us strength to live free.

SET MY SPIRIT FREE

(Jeremiah 40:1-6 MSG) “…The captain of the bodyguard singled out Jeremiah and said to him, Your God pronounced doom on this place. God cContinue reading “Set My Spirit Free”

Torn and tied in Love – God’s Tapestry

God’s Tapestry in Our Lives

I am constantly amazed at God’s handiwork. It seems we are each a thread and are intricately woven together to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ. Often after an event happens or is in the process of happening, we can see the move of God’s hand.

Just recently this has happened to me. It started last year when a dear friend of mine’s daughter-in-law was diagnosed with cancer. (I was deeply upset.) My spirit was deeply grieved. She was only 29, and I couldn’t understand why this would happen to such a vivacious young woman who had everything ahead of her including starting a family. The cancer took being a birth mother away from her. God laid her heavily on my heart, and as a result I consistently prayed, sent cards, and small gifts to help lighten her day. I knew in my heart that God had something special for this young woContinue reading “Torn and tied in Love – God’s Tapestry”

“The Hen (An Appreciation)”

This is for all our chicken farmers and friends having a love affair with the hen. You are in good company.

“The Hen (An Appreciation)” written by E. B. White* in 1944 during World War II:

“Chickens do not always enjoy an honorable position among city-bred people, although the egg, I notice, goes on and on. Right now the hen is in favor. The war has deified her and she is the darling of the home front, feted at conference tables, praised in every smoking car, her girlish ways and curious habits the topic of many an excited husbandryman to whom yesterday she was a stranger without honor or allure.

My own attachment to the hen dates from 1907, and I have been faithful to her in good times and bad. Ours has not been an easy relationship to maintain. At first, as a boy in a carefully zoned suburb, I had neighbors and police to reckon with; my chickens had to be as cloContinue reading ““The Hen (An Appreciation)””

Winter Window Sill Gardening

If you live in an area of our world where winter’s cold makes you weary, then chase your winter blahs away with a bit of windowsill gardening. Even if your world is warm in winter, you may not have outdoor growing space. So, if you have never grown herbs or other edibles indoors why not give it a try! There is nothing like having them fresh and at your disposal without having to visit a grocery store. It takes a sunny south-facing window and a little planning.

Many herbs can successfully be grown indoors. Some favorites you may want to try are curly parsley, Italian (or flat) parsley, onion chives, English mint, spicy globe basil, sage, Greek oregano and lemon thyme. Of course, there are plenty of other varieties but these seem to be well suited for indoor growing. If you choose to start them from seed, plan on 8-12 weeks (depending on the herb) before you start clipping the lContinue reading “Winter Window Sill Gardening”

Happy New Year

If you are reading this, just imagine you have made it to ’06. Congratulations!

Now what?

Many of us in ’05 have seen family and friends depart this world and make their journey home. Jesus was their life and theme and we can only imagine their experiences in their brand new home.

We have seen and experience the joy of weddings as couples mark the beginning of life together. We have also seen new birth in families bringing much joy.

Many have seen or experience loss of home or damages to homes from hurricanes and other natural disasters both at home and abroad.

Many have faced sickness. Sometimes even redefining life and its meaning.

There have been so many stories and much sorrow as well as joy. King Solomon said it all.

Ecclesiastes
Chapter 3

There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.

A time to be born, Continue reading “Happy New Year”

Coffee Lovers

Found this today on Internet and thought it just might just give Jersey-N-Needles and Chickenfarmer a little competition. Also might give a little comfort to our coffee lovers. What do you think?

You Know That You’re Addicted to Coffee When…
You grind your coffee beans in your mouth.
You sleep with your eyes open.
You have to watch videos in fast-foward.
The only time you’re standing still is during an earthquake.
You can take a picture of yourself from ten feet away without the timer.
You’ve worn out your third pair of tennis shoes this week.
Your eyes stay open when you sneeze.
You chew on other people’s fingernails.
The nurse needs a scientific calculator to take your pulse.
You can type sixty words a minute with your feet.
You can jump-start your car without cables.
You don’t sweat, you percolate.
You walk twenty miles on your treadmill before you realize it’s not pContinue reading “Coffee Lovers”

Chicken farming

Questions from Sara to Wendy

Q’s
How did you learn how to buy and raise chickens? Do you have a rooster (s)?
Where do the chicks live?
What do they eat?
Do you also kill them for dinner?
Do you have help?
What color are the eggs?

Wendy’s answers!

A. We bought our chickens in the spring of 2005. I thought it would be a good project for my boys, ages seven and five. I think it’s important that my children understand how their grandparents and great grandparents had to live. My grandparents taught me so much about life. I built a big coop with a chicken house built onto it. My boys had an awesome time building the chicken coop. Needles even came and helped a day or two. That was awesome because I didn’t need a ladder.:) Our chickens were about two days old when we bought them from Southern States. It was still a little cold outside so I keep them in a big box and I Continue reading “Chicken farming”

My Testimony-Pharm D

Q. From Sara…Heather, when did you realize your mission on earth was to be a pharmacist?
A. I hadn’t even considered pharmacy until my senior year in high school. I had gone from nurse anesthesia, to nuclear medicine technology, to a medical doctor. (Obviously, I was interested in the medical field.) My mom graduated from the school I attend now and since I hadn’t really decided on any college or any specific field, for that matter, I decided to check it out–despite the fact I didn’t want to leave Texas. Then I ran across pharmacy (that is the flagship program here at ULM) and thought, I think I would really enjoy that. I have always enjoyed studying, and pharmacy is definitely a field I will have to continuously study in. So I filled out my application and sent it in. I began praying that God would show me if this was really what He wanted me to do. My family and I drove to ULM one Continue reading “My Testimony-Pharm D”