Today in History

(Hubert Robert, The Fire of Rome, 1785)

One thousand nine hundred forty-nine years ago today (64 AD) the Great Fire of Rome began.  Three districts in the city were completely destroyed and seven others were seriously damaged; only four districts escaped the fire.

Some claimed the emperor, Nero, started the fire, though modern scholars tend to believe the fire was accidental.  To diffuse suspicion, Nero blamed the fire on the Christians.  

Christians were tortured and killed by hideous methods.  Some were fed to dogs and wild animals, some were crucified, and others were burned as lamps to illuminate Nero's garden at night.  

Today, think of the early Christians who suffered the cruelest tortures for the name of Jesus.  Are you living a life worthy of being called a Christian?

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 

let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,

 and is set down at the right hand of God."  --Hebrews 12:1-2

With God Nothing is Impossible

"With God nothing shall be impossible."  --Luke 1:37

     

The book of Numbers tells the story of the 12 spies Moses sent into the land of Canaan.  The spies saw a land more beautiful than they could ever have imagined, a land that flowed with milk and honey.  It was the land God had promised them.  

But the current inhabitants were giants and the cities were walled.  The spies returned to camp and told their friends, "We be not able to go up against this  people, for they are stronger  than we."  Caleb and Joshua disagreed.  Caleb said, "Let us go at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it."  Caleb knew that with God on their side they were stronger than the mightiest armies.  They were able.

Unfortunately, the Israelites listened to their "unable" friends and marched in the desert for 40 years.  Not until all the soldiers (except Joshua and Caleb) were dead, were they permitted to enter the promised land.  By that time, Caleb was 80 years old, but His faith in God did not waiver.  He said, "Give me this mountain...if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them [the giants] out."

God is pleased when we have faith to climb the mountains before us, and if we trust Him, he will prosper our efforts.  Don't let setbacks and enemies discourage you, or you will wander in the wilderness like the Israelites.  God is not the author of confusion; he wants to give you strength and peace.  He is able!  We may be weak, but He is strong!  

God has promised wonderful things for His children. Don't cower from the challenges before you.   Don't let the enemies of your soul keep you from the Promised Land he has prepared. Say like Caleb, "Give me this mountain."  It is your right to claim the promises of God in your life.  

The Bible says, "My God shall supply your every need."  Claim that promise.

Jesus said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you; I will be with you always."  Claim that promise.

The Bible says, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly."  Claim God's blessing in your life.

"If God be for us, who can be against us?"  

Have confidence in Jesus, for with God all things are possible.

Confidence in Jesus Christ

"Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; 

make thy way straight before my face."  --Psalm 5:8

The psalmist, David, was hunted; his life was in danger.  He had many enemies.  But he had confidence that the Lord was a shield for him and that the Lord heard when he prayed.  He said in Psalm 3, "I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.  I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about."  The Lord was his shepherd.

We need to have confidence that God will see us through the little problems in life as well as the big ones.  We need to exercise our faith on a day-to-day basis.  Before David fought Goliath, he fought a bear and a lion.  Every time he had a difficulty, he trusted in God.  His faith grew so that when it came time to fight the giant he could testify that God had helped him kill the lion and bear and the Philistine would be like one of them.

Whatever your problems may be today, whether your enemies are temptations, worries, or fears, face them, fight them, and trust in Jesus Christ to lead you and be your sword and shield.  If you want to be a giant-slayer for the Lord, you need to face the "lions" and "bears" in your life and overcome them through the power of the cross.

"Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.  One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.  For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock."

--Psalm 27:3-5

That "rock" is Jesus Christ.  Trust in Him.  It doesn't matter how hard the winds may blow or how torrential the rains are, the Rock of our Salvation stands unmovable.  If your life is built upon this rock, you will stand firm in your trials through His everlasting grace and power.

A World of Cats

Welcome to the world of cats!  Do you have one? I have three.  But imagine having 122...or rather don't... *sneeze*!  

One hundred twenty-four cats eat 40 lbs of cat-food in three days. Add litter expenses and the cats' total food and board  comes to over $19,500 a year. Then add the vet bills (all the cats have to have their shots and be fixed or spayed), and a person's yearly salary could be spent solely on cat-care! 

One hundred twenty-two is the grand total of cats currently residing at the Greenbelt Human Society in the little town of Alden, Iowa.    The Greenbelt Humane Society is managed by dedicated volunteers and financed mainly by donations.  Last year 113 cats were adopted due to their efforts.

The senior member of the cat kingdom here is Nero, who has lived at the humane society for 6 years--since he was a kitten.

 Below are a couple of the many kittens, and Frank and Dean--cats who were left in a box on the humane society's doorstep in 2006 as kittens.  Their owner was later hit by a car and killed; the cats were returned to the humane society where they have lived for the past two years.

Lillian Braun once said, "Cats never strike a pose that isn't photogenic."  However, a couple of the cats here certainly tried...

I caught this kitty yawning--from the looks of his teeth, mice should beware!

Ozzi (above) is quite the character...who wouldn't stay still for a good shot!

"Is this better?"  Yes, there's a beautiful white cat!

Mitsy and her son Tidbit (above) are 2 of the few handicapped cats the shelter provides a home for.  They came from a 5-cat household; Mitsy can only see shadows, and Tidbit was born without eyes; but that doesn't keep him from being extremely playful!

My favorite of the cats is Harley.  She is extremely affectionate  (my basis for cat-merit). The first time I visited, she didn't ask for my attention, she took it!  I was standing near a plastic tub, which she jumped on, stood on her hind legs, and reached her paws around me to give me a cat-hug!  Believe me, I was surprised--that was a first...   This time she jumped on my lap without hesitation, and  I got my daily dose of cat affection (and fur!)

Tricia and Harley

"Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you later." ~Mary Bly

For some cats, this is true...very true, but the cats at the Greenbelt Humane Society are not looking to ignore you or just take a message.  They're all hungry for attention, love, affection, and a good home.

Meet Skippy, one of our very own farm cats!

My Visit to the Farmers' Market

A nice short visit to the farmers' market would do anyone good--loading up on baked goods, rhubarb, and hopefully a few geraniums and tomato plants.  And I was really hoping the casual passerby would load up with geraniums and tomatoes, for my visit to the farmers' market was anything but short.

Thursday I had received a message from a friend who owns a nursery/greenhouse.  It's getting late in the season, so she was wondering if I knew anyone who would be interested in taking some of her flowers to a farmers' market and splitting the proceeds 50/50.  It sounded interesting to me, so we picked flowers up at the nursery, grabbed some rhubarb from our garden, and headed to the Eldora Farmers' Market which opens at 4:30 p.m.  

I was less than delighted to see a large selection of flowers already at the farmers' market, but my flowers were prettier (in my opinion) and our prices were very low; so I paid the $15 (per season) vendor fee and set up, selling a geranium or two in the process.

Geraniums sold for $2 per pot, Roma tomatoes for $0.50 a plant, and 4-packs of Huskie Red tomatoes, red salvia, (purple) evolution salvia, various colors of petunias, and dusty miller for $1.00 each.  

To our right were a couple ladies selling homemade bread.  We bought a loaf of their cinnamon oatmeal raisin variety--it was scrumptious!  The next vendor was a lady selling brownies and more bread.  My papa purchased a plate of brownies for us to snack on while we waited for customers.  Needless to say, it didn't last for long.

To our left was a lady selling Middle Eastern cooking.  I tried some of her flatbread, and that too was delicious!  If you're looking for good home-cooked food, look no further than an Iowa farmers' market!

We had a few customers who each bought 1 or 2 plants each.  Papa and I decided to set up our chess board and play a few games to pass the time more quickly.  Right in the middle of a captivating game, a lady came over and started choosing flower after flower.  She was our star customer of the day, purchasing about $30.00 of plants, so we stopped the clock and helped her load them into her pickup truck.  

When the farmers' market ended for the day, after paying the greenhouse owner's half and tax, I was just a few dollars in the positive.  We still had plenty of plants, so we decided to try the Iowa Falls farmers' market Saturday morning.

*Beep-beep-beep* is not the most pleasant sound to hear on Saturday mornings, but I heeded the message of my alarm clock, and we were soon on our way to the Iowa Falls farmers' market which opens at 8:30 a.m.  

After a rainy night, it was a pleasure to see the sun shining.  The only other vendors were the lady we had bought brownies from in Eldora and the man who sold flowers in Eldora.  This morning the lady had a nice selection of breads as well as brownies and zucchini bars.  We chose another plate of brownies and a loaf of banana nut bread, which was scrumptious.  

My sister and I brought a couple books to read to make the time go by faster.  We were able to sell some flowers and tomatoes, and by the end of the day I had just about broke even (after the entry fee, which will cover the rest of the season)

Thank you to my friend at the greenhouse!  It was a good experience, and I had fun.

 I learned that if you want to make money as a vendor at a farmers' market, it will take persistence, patience, and a good book to read. It's not likely you'll make a great profit the first time you visit a farmers' market, but if you come back for a second and third time, you should gradually make a small profit.

I'm not sure if I have the persistence required for success in this field, but should we have extra garden produce this summer (as we usually do), we now have a place to sell it--the farmers' market.  I also know that if I'm in the mood for delicious baked goods (without making them myself) the farmers' market is the place to shop!

When the Roof Leaks

There's an old story about a couple with a leaky roof.  The wife told the husband, "You need to fix the roof; it's leaking!"  "Honey, I can't fix the roof now," the husband replied, "it's raining."  After the rainstorm stopped, the wife asked the husband, "Would you fix the roof now please?"  The husband replied, "Why do I need to fix the roof now? It's not leaking."  The next rainstorm it leaked even more.  The scenario was repeated until finally not just a little leak needed fixing; the entire roof needed to be fixed.  I'm not sure if they finally fixed the roof or decided to move to the barn, but this story clearly demonstrates the evils of procrastination.

In Proverbs 24:30-34 Solomon relates, "I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.  Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man."

Yes, we have the instinct of self-preservation, and we try not to hurt ourselves; but often we fall victim to the vice of procrastination and hurt ourselves by missing out on much that life has to offer.    "Just 15 more minutes of sleep!"  we say as we hit the snooze button on the alarm clock.  We finally wake up a half hour later and realize we missed out on a beautiful, invigorating sunrise walk.  "Oh, I'll do my studying later!" we say, and we flunk the test.  "I'll make things right in a few days," we think after wronging a friend.  The days pass, then the years, and we find we have no friend.  "The weeds in my garden can wait!" we declare, and pretty soon we have no garden, only weeds.  "I need to conserve my energy, Why give my all at work? " we may think, and before we know it, we're fired.  

Laziness and procrastination are expensive habits; we pay for them in everything that is most dear.  If we indulge in these habits we lose time and money, hurt relationships, and fail in life.

Colossians 3:23 instructs us, "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord."  Put your heart into your endeavors, start with the little things, go on to greater things, and when the roof leaks....fix it!

Truth

Jesus Christ said in John 8:23, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Pilate said, "What is truth?"  and condemned Jesus to be crucified.  

Like Pilate, many find it easier to lethargically accept lies and acquiesce to the mob rather than to seek the truth.  Even if the truth is plainly before their eyes, often they will reject it.  Winston Churchill observed, "Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened."

Why?  The truth is not always pleasant.  The truth is that life won't be easy.

The truth is that life will be hard, but God will give you strength and grace if you realize your own weakness and trust in Him.

The truth is that people will fail you, but God never will.

The truth is that you will have to work hard to find success.  Only if you realize this will you be free to rid yourself of the vestiges of lackadaisicalness which hold you back.  

The truth is that you can never be "good enough" to get to heaven.  Only when you realize this can you accept God's gift of salvation.  Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:6)

Without the truth, all is anxiety, doubt, and obscurity.  Seek the truth in every situation you encounter.  Seek the truth in all you hear and do.  And accept the truth no matter how difficult it may be.

My prayer for today is, "Lord, 'send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.'"  --Psalm 43:3