Raising Cane

He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. Proverbs 10:5

Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." Acts 14:17

Wednesday I canned green beans. Isn't it amazing that just two plastic bags from Kroger full of string beans makes 8 quarts of beans I canned and still there is enough for supper tonight? I love canning. It is hard because I am working full time, but it is one of my favorite things to do.

Two weeks ago my Mom, Dad, #1 daughter, #1 son and I did 15 dozen ears of corn. That isn't that much when you realize that we usually do 30 dozen. I have a friend who always gives us great corn and we love it. We shuck it, use the turkey fryer to parboil it, and then plunge it in ice cold water in a cooler to cool the ears down. Then we take it out, cut and scrape it off the cob and bag it. We have fresh, frozen corn for months.

I am proud of the fact that of my farming grandparent's grandchildren (there were 9 in all) I am the only one that has kept canning alive. Some of my greatest memories are of us all gathering out at the farm and doing corn for 2 days. We kids would sneek some of the cut corn in our mouths, we would all shuck the ears and then we would go play by the pond or in the barn. We also would gather to dig up potatoes. I only remember doing that once or twice.

But the best thing was the sugar cane. My grandfather would grow it and my grandmother would "raise cane" because she always thought he grew too much. :) Any hoo, we would strip the cane of it's leaves, press it through and the juice would come out. Then we would cook the juice until it thickened and it made the best molasses ever. It happened in October and was the best time ever! I don't have enough land to raise cane, but my husband and I have a nice small garden where peppers, cukes, beans and 'maters rule. Now if only the weather would cooperate and dry out. I need the sun to poke it's hot head out from behind all these gray clouds and warm the earth and turn my 'maters. I have a lot of green ones, but they don't make for good juice and chili. We aren't a green 'mater family!

Farming is a noble and dying heritage. I love my heritage and love the little portion that I keep alive in gardening and canning and sharing with others.

Teen In Training

Timm came back from camp on Friday night. As a twelve year old, I was not worried that he would be homesick or be good, or even have fun. He has trouble (especially at school) keeping his mouth closed and his thoughts to himself. He has no problem telling people what he thinks, no matter the consequences. It's a gift and a curse.

Well, this year, he apparently was promoted. Being the oldest camper on his team, he was asked to step up to the challenge of helping as a "Teen faculty member". From what has been told to Mike and I, Timm really did a great job. He helped lead his team, he talked with two boys who actually came forward and were to be baptized at their home church, he did an outstanding job! Mike and I really proud of the job that he did. He was called to help and he met it head-on with no problem.

As a reward of being a "Teen", Timm got to stay up a little later a couple of nights. The best night was when all the faculty went out to the zip line and rode it at night. Now it gets pretty dark in the valley at Butler Springs. So going up into the woods, climbing up the stand and riding that little thin wire and harnesses at night would be a faith-builder. Timm said that all they had was a glow stick and you could see your objective, the circle at the other end. You push off and down you go, into the darkened night, not sure of where you are, what is below you, and wondering why you decided to do this crazy thing. Can't you just close your eyes and imagine gliding down at a very fast rate, the wind coming at you and then a sudden stop? It must be exhilarating!

Timm loved that he was called on to be a helper. I asked him if he now understood what it means to be a counsellor at camp. He said "I do and I am going back next year as a teen helper."

Maybe I will go with him next year. I want to see my children become courageous and faithful helpers, shining their light before God and men.

1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.

Laughing At Yourself

Friday afternoon, I took Allie to the doctor for a physical for band. It was the usual physical. They weighed her, took her height, read her blood pressure. Then the doctor came in and asked his set of questions. He took the little hammer and started checking her knee reflexes. Her knees were not responding well and she was laughing. I told the doctor that my knees were the same. So he told her to put her hands together with palms facing each other, held up to her chest and elbows out. So she did that. He then checked her reflexes again. That satisfied him. Then he asked her to stand up and he checked her posture. He told her to turn around. Allie did a 360. The doctor rolled his eyes and said, "No, turn around." Then he stopped her when she was facing away from him. She laughed and said, "You said turn around." He told her to touch her toes. She bent down, touched the floor and stood back up. Doc said exasperated, "Slowly." So she went down again and he checked her spine as she stood up. By now I am just rolling with laughter. Next the doctor told her to squat down. She turned to him and said, "What does that mean?" He said squat down. So she tried to, but she ended up falling to her knees. By now this comedy was too funny for either of us to not be laughing. How the doctor was putting up with us is beyond me. He then asked her to squat and walk like a duck. Now can you see Allie doing that? She couldn't do it. So the doctor told me that he thinks she can't do that because of her knocked knees. She said, "I have a disability?" I told her, "Yeah, you do. A lot of them."

So later, when we were driving home, I asked her if she realized why the doctor made her put her hands together when he checked her reflexes. She said, "No, why?"

"Because he wanted you to concentrate on something other than your legs."

"He did? Oh, I thought he was checking my hands or arms. I thought it was scientific!" She said in wonderment. I laughed and told her, "Oh I am going to blog this!" So I did.

Some days it's an adventure to be with Allie. God gives us laughter because he loves that musical ringing in our voices. Here is the verse I have picked out for today. Proverbs 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

His Lovingkindness Endures Forever

This morning, I read Psalm 136. It's a poem or song that is fixed on one main thought. God's love is everlasting. No matter what you do, no matter what He has done, no matter that you sin and fall away, repent and come back, He will always love you. What a better way to keep your spirits up than with this thought?

This Psalm focuses on every aspect of God. The author begins by reminding us to be thankful for everything. He then talks about God as the creator of all things, the One who saved His people from everything, our Savior. After each line, the author says, "His lovingkindness is everlasting." How can we ever forget that? Are you thankful to Him that gives you the day and the night? Do you thank him for specific things or are you someone who just says thank you? I have read that if you write down what you are thankful for and keep a record, you won't really be able to comprehend all that God has done for you. But, it is a good way to start being more exact in what you want to thank Him for. Maybe start with five or 10. I'll start and then if you want, email them to me and we can make this a habit.

I am thankful to God for...
1. The love that Mike still has for me after almost 19 years of marriage.
2. Allie, Timm and Jaci
3. My Mom and Dad
4. This job
5. That I am able to type this devotion every day.
6. That somebody likes to read what I type.
7. My Christian upbringing
8. The time I can spend alone.
9. This country and our freedom
10. My new car.

His lovingkindness endures forever!

My Oldest is 15 - July 23, 2009

Today, at 5:24 AM, my oldest daughter, Allie, turned 15. Most of you reading this know her. She is the one whom some of you can tease endlessly and others of you can depend on for help. She is beautiful, shy and fierce. She is loyal beyond loyal and if you do her wrong once, she will forgive. But if you keep it up, she will be done with you. She takes her time in deciding what her heart and mind want, then she goes for it. She is growing up into her own woman.

When Allie was little, she was a quiet girl who cried every day. Not always did I know why, but she did. I guess she just had to get that emotion out and the only way she could was to shed tears. It took a long time for her to see that she didn't have to always cry, and now, like most teens, she only cries occasionally. She doesn't bow to peer pressure and feels a responsibility to let others see how to live.

Being fiercely loyal is something that I admire in Allie. She reminds me of Jonathan, the son of Saul, friend of David. Jonathan was fiercely loyal to David, and when he found out his father wanted to kill him, he did what was right and helped David escape.

1 Samuel 18:1-4 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.

Allie is that kind of friend. She will do anything for her friend. It is one of her greatest attributes. Mike and I are very proud of our daughter. She brings us joy and new adventures. We couldn't ask for a better daughter.

Unity - Lifting You Up, July 22, 2009

Are you in unity with your Christian brothers and sisters? Are you in unity with your co-workers? Are you in unity with your family? Are you in unity with God? As I was reading Psalm 133 today those questions popped in my mind. Psalm 133 states "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing--life forever."

I like the interesting description of how being anointed with oil feels as it runs down your head onto your face, and down your clothes. How the dew comes down the mountain and everything must get wet. It doesn't matter what gets wet or oily, it all does. Being in unity doesn't mean we are always happy and agreeing with each other. But it does mean that we need to stop trying to always be the one who is right. We need to listen more than we talk, and then talk to the right people. It means that we need to be able to agree to disagree without hurtful words and feelings.

You should treat your church family as you do your wife, husband and children. When we show respect for others and not put ourselves first, our attitudes change, people around us seem different and the Devil starts to realize that he doesn't have that hold on us.

So again I ask, are you in unity?

Listen - July 21, 2009

This week, a lot of our family is at church camp. It has always been a favorite place for me to go. I went there as a child and never got homesick, never had a doubt about being there as a child. As an adult, I knew that I would be there as a counselor. Not really for the kids, but for me. It may sound strange, but I looked forward going there, spending time away from the world of tv, cell phones, computers and such and be able to just commune with God in a natural habitat. It was therapeutic to me to get up early, just as the sun was starting to make it’s appearance over the tall, old trees and hills and read my Bible and devotion and just listen. The birds would chirp to each other, the quietness of the early day would be all around me and the possibility of what lay ahead was before me. I miss that.

I can not remember the last time it was so quiet that I could just listen for God. I get up early and my mind is full of to do lists, family and friends and just busyness. It’s time for me to remember that I am the one who has to stop and listen. God hasn’t stopped talking to me. The routine of the day may get crazy and I may not realize I haven’t stopped until it’s bed time, but I need to stop and listen. Listen for that still small voice inside my heart. Listen for that message that is being sung to me in the breeze.

I try every morning to wake up, take a shower and read my Bible. I have found that when my routine changes, my habit changes. Since changing hours at work and the kids being home from school, it has been hard for me to read. Now that vacation is over and the routine is settling down, I am beginning to pick that back up. The one thing I need every day is a face to face with God. It usually comes in the way of my studying His Word. That more than anything else is what I want and crave.

Lord, help me to always be in your Word and learn all I can about the glorious riches you have in store for me. Help me to be able to stop and listen for you soft, quiet voice in every instance. Thank you for your love and forgiveness. Amen.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:19-20