Overflow

I’m afraid to go out to the garden. There’s too much produce out there—more than we can ever eat or find homes for! The extra-hot summer has been hard on the new trees we planted, but it’s been a boon to the garden. We’re eating big, luscious tomatoes at least a month ahead of schedule, and we’ve got green beans, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, and zucchini coming out of our ears.

Hubby says he’s figured out a way to feed the starving and malnourished in this world: squash. We figure that a few zucchini and buttercup seeds will, with some water and a little cultivation, yield enough pounds of squash to feed an entire village. It’s too bad that our Wyoming garden is so far from Africa--from what I hear, there’s a whole lot of folks there who could benefit from our garden’s overflow!

In the meantime, we can always toss the surplus to Petunia, the only one of our cows who appreciates a bit of diversity in her diet.

“My cup overflows with blessings.” --PSALM 23:5b

The Prowler

Coyotes have a lot more enemies than friends. I’ve never taken a poll of coyote haters, but I’d bet that the vast majority of them are, ironically, animal lovers who detest coyotes because they prey upon so many helpless lambs, chickens, goats, calves, dogs, cats, and many wild animals.

I don’t hate coyotes personally. I understand that everyone has to make a living, even if it is at the expense of cute cottontails and flashy pheasants. But when the bold, wily killers trespass into our barnyard, endangering the lives of our livestock and pets, they’re signing their own death warrant.

Yesterday, around 3 a.m., a coyote loudly announced her presence in our barnyard with a series of yips and yaps (probably in conversation with another coyote). Coyotes usually run away from our dog Bodie, but this one fought him and then chased him back to us. Clearly frenzied, she dashed back and forth on a slope beside the house, even though we were standing on our front step with a flashlight and a .243. She disappeared behind some sagebrush but made the fatal mistake of returning for another look. Hubby’s not a big hunter but has had too many sheep slaughtered by stray dogs and coyotes not to be a good shot.

I’m thinking of printing and laminating some copies of this photo and caption, then nailing them at coyote-eye-level to fence posts and trees around our place. Maybe that will deter coyotes and prevent further bloodshed!

WARNING: Prowlers NOT Welcome on Premises

“Wait patiently for God, don’t leave the path. He’ll give you your place in the sun while you watch the wicked lose it.” –PSALM 37:34



Sun-spiration

“Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the face.”                                                     –Helen Keller



Up There

This photo was taken atop the Grand Teton on Saturday. Zach is sitting; his friends and fellow firefighters, Jeff and Justin, are standing behind him.

While they were up there, another climbing party of 10 made it to the top of an adjoining summit. One of the climbers changed into a tuxedo he’d carried in his pack, another changed into her wedding gown, and another, presumably a preacher, proceeded to marry them.

As Zach was telling about the wedding, I started to say, “That’s cool,” but then I interrupted myself with, “Don’t even think about doing that yourself someday!” He’s my only kid and the apple of my eye, but that’s one wedding I’d have to miss.

“I ask Him that…you’ll be able to take in…the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breath! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights!” –EPHESIANS 3: 18

In Good Hands

Have you noticed how many insurance commercials there are on television? Each company tries to outdo the other’s commercials with humor and cleverness while simultaneously trying to communicate that it’s trustworthy and has its clients’ best interests at heart. Although I appreciate the talent and wit of many of those writers, I shudder to think how much money companies spend on advertising or how much profit they bring in from customers who are trying to purchase some peace of mind. But all the insurance policies in the world can’t give an iota of the assurance that comes from our relationship with Jesus Christ, who is our Shepherd, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Wonderful Counselor, Healer, Provider, Redeemer, Savior. If you really want to be in good hands, I can think of none better!

 

“Life carefree before God; He is most careful with you.” 

                    --1 PETER 5:7

Shalom!

Nearly every morning, I take the same route on my early walk or jog—the canal road that goes by the Heffie’s pasture. Even if I’m in a hurry, I always stop to count them to make sure they’re all there, probably because I’ve never forgotten the sight of a neighbor’s heifer which had fallen into the canal a few years ago. (She did get out safely.)

I’ve heard it said that cattle don’t respond to human verbal interaction, but I confess that I always talk to the Heffies anyway. Most cowfolks would call me crazy, but I often greet the heifers by name or speak blessings over them. “Hi, Blossom and Bubbles! Bless you, Annabelle and Winky! Be fruitful and multiply, Flame and Cupcake! Be safe and healthy, Dottie and Angel!” It might be my imagination, but they seem to welcome my greetings of goodwill.

Speaking of greetings…I recently read that in the Gospels, Jesus often greeted people with, “Peace to you!” In Hebrew, “peace” is shalom, which means peace, safety, prosperity, wellness, restoration, goodness, and wholeness. One scholarly definition of shalom is “nothing missing, nothing broken”. I like that!

Dear readers, I don’t know most of your names, but please allow me to take this opportunity to wholeheartedly, if electronically, send you this greeting: “Shalom to you!”

Black Sheep, Take Heart!

“So-and-so is the black sheep of the family (or other group).” English speakers have all heard and spoken those words--maybe even to describe themselves. A “black sheep” is someone who doesn’t conform to the rules, values, and expected behaviors of the flock of presumably white sheep. Anyone (like yours truly) who’s ever been a card-carrying member of the Black Sheep Society can attest to the fact that their “blackness” has afforded them many a scornful stare or shaming word. More often, it’s brought loneliness because “white sheep” avoid the company of “black sheep” out of fear, judgment, pride, or all of the above.

There must be a lot of proverbial black sheep wandering this planet of ours because the “black sheep” idiom is also common in 17 other languages! The expression even appears in the Bible:

“…He {Jesus Christ} embraced the company of the lowest. He took on His shoulders the sin of the many, He took up the cause of the black sheep.” –ISAIAH 53:12 (MSG)