It's early morning two days before Thanksgiving. Last night the announcement was made not to indict the police officer in Ferguson, MO. Riots ensued there and across the nation. Looting, shooting and burning seem like a crazy way to complain about perceived injustice. Where is the justice to law-abiding citizens and business owners?
As I scratch my head and pray for solutions that will bring peace, I am reminded of the Scripture that says Satan came to kill, steal, and destroy. Anti-semitism, racism, neo-naziism, sexism are all fancy names for hatred. It started when Cain killed his brother Abel. As long as humans have inhabited this earth, people have felt hatred toward each other.
What causes this hatred? I heard yesterday something I have heard many times before. The opposite of love is not hate but fear. This really makes sense doesn't it? When anyone acts in self-defense, they fear what they might lose if they don't defend themselves. I am afraid to walk alone at night. I am afraid of certain neighborhoods where I know my presence is unwelcome because of my race. As an older woman, I am an "easy" target. This is a fact that causes me to take certain precautions that others might not feel the need to take.
A pastor friend of mine, who is a middle-aged black man, was lamenting the fact that as a black man in the USA, he is not safe. He posted on Facebook that the problem is with "the system" where "it is legal and acceptable to shoot and kill African Americans in this country." He and I have served in prison ministry together, reaching out to incarcerated youth, most of whom are black males. It grieves me to see him voicing these thoughts publicly.
As long as he believes this to be true, for him it is true. By declaring it publicly and in writing, he is perpetuating this. The spoken word has the power to heal and the power to kill. So rather than helping people to give and receive love, he has watered the seeds of fear and hate.
I certainly do not have any easy solutions. But I do know that "the prover proves what the thinker thinks." If we look for good, we will find it. If we look for people who care, we will find them. Conversely, if we look for injustice, we will find it. The truth is there. The question is, do we really want to know the truth and be set free, or do we want to persist in living in bondage to fear and its accompanying hatred?
Every day each of us has a choice to make. Are we going out expecting to be mistreated because we have been conditioned to feel like a victim because of our race, sex, religious beliefs, or nationality? Or will we approach each day prayerfully seeking to be a light in a very dark world. To live in fear means submission to the one who came to kill, steal, and destroy. To live in love means submission to the one who gave His life so that we might have life and have it more abundantly.
Is it safe out there? Of course not. But I'm going out there anyway because I was created specifically for such a time as this. There is a poem I have claimed as my own since I was in high school. Its author is Emily Dickinson and it reads: "If I can stop one heart from breaking, or cool one pain, or help one fainting robin into its nest again, I shall not live in vain."
Shalom
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Friday, October 31, 2014
Watermelon
No fruit conjures up more memories for me than watermelon. My home state of South Carolina is famous for growing watermelons in the summer. According to my mother, who suffered from severe morning sickness throughout her pregnancy with me, watermelon was her favorite food in the weeks leading up to my birth in late July.
When I was a young child, I loved hearing an adult say, "We're going to cut a watermelon." The fanfare surrounding such an announcement meant we were about to eat something sweet, delicious, and possibly cold, OUTSIDE. Cutting and eating a juicy watermelon inside was out of the question. As I got older, I was happy to help gather the supplies required for this event.
Outside meant a wooden picnic table, always under a nice shade tree. Next came a stack of newspapers which would cover the entire table. Then we'd gather enough table knives for each person, young and old alike, to have their personal knife. Of course we needed a "butcher knife" for cutting and dividing up the melon so that each person got a good-sized wedge. Finally there was a salt shaker. I didn't realize until I was an adult that I like it much better without salt.
I have no real childhood memory of eating watermelon inside. However, I did get out of bed late one night and found my mother eating watermelon at the kitchen table. I was probably about 4 or 5 years old. When I asked if I could have some, she replied that no, it was too late in the evening. Her reason for not sharing was her prediction that I would wet the bed if I ate watermelon this late.
More than twenty years later, a delicious watermelon made another deposit in my memory bank. Ed and I were living in Columbus, Mississippi. He was in pilot training and I was 20 weeks pregnant with our first child. The pregnancy was very high risk and I was on bed rest. It was early August of 1980 and we had one of the most delicious watermelons I had ever eaten. Although my morning sickness had essentially passed, I found that to be my favorite food, much like my mother 26 years earlier.
After eating a sizable portion of that melon, I started having abdominal cramps. I didn't want to think it was labor so I attributed my symptoms to gas from too much watermelon. In short order my symptoms worsened and I had to have an emergency C-section to save my life. At 20 weeks, there was no hope for the baby. As soon as I got home from the hospital, I asked Ed where the watermelon was. After a few days of hospital food, I was eager for some of that sweet, delicious melon. Ed responded that he had thrown it out. His words had a certain animosity so I asked him what was up. He told me that he blamed the watermelon for causing my early labor since I had mentioned such a possibility with the first cramps. To this day, watermelon is one of my favorite fruits but Ed is not fond of it at all. I once told him that he is the only person I know who holds a grudge against a fruit.
Of course as soon as I wrote that last sentence, I thought of the fruit shared by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden! Many of us have good reason to hold a grudge against that fruit even though the fruit itself was innocent, just like my Mississippi watermelon.
Here we are three decades later. Our daughters enjoy watermelon but our grandchildren are even more passionate about it than I am. Just this morning I was cutting a watermelon for them when all of these memories came flooding back. I could feel my late mother's presence in a very real and comforting way.
It's been years since our watermelon eating required a picnic table, newspapers, knives, and salt. I learned a long time ago that it's easier to remove the rind and cut the melon in pieces. These days we even eat it indoors as part of a meal! Most of our melons lately have been seedless, which sounds unnatural but they still have some seeds. This morning's melon was full of seeds. It's almost November and melons are no longer "in season." I found this one at a roadside stand here in Florida. It took me about 20 minutes to effectively cut it and remove most of the seeds.
Sure enough, my grandchildren and I thoroughly enjoyed it. And thanks to our chickens, nothing is wasted. They especially love to eat watermelon seeds!
When I was a young child, I loved hearing an adult say, "We're going to cut a watermelon." The fanfare surrounding such an announcement meant we were about to eat something sweet, delicious, and possibly cold, OUTSIDE. Cutting and eating a juicy watermelon inside was out of the question. As I got older, I was happy to help gather the supplies required for this event.
Outside meant a wooden picnic table, always under a nice shade tree. Next came a stack of newspapers which would cover the entire table. Then we'd gather enough table knives for each person, young and old alike, to have their personal knife. Of course we needed a "butcher knife" for cutting and dividing up the melon so that each person got a good-sized wedge. Finally there was a salt shaker. I didn't realize until I was an adult that I like it much better without salt.
I have no real childhood memory of eating watermelon inside. However, I did get out of bed late one night and found my mother eating watermelon at the kitchen table. I was probably about 4 or 5 years old. When I asked if I could have some, she replied that no, it was too late in the evening. Her reason for not sharing was her prediction that I would wet the bed if I ate watermelon this late.
More than twenty years later, a delicious watermelon made another deposit in my memory bank. Ed and I were living in Columbus, Mississippi. He was in pilot training and I was 20 weeks pregnant with our first child. The pregnancy was very high risk and I was on bed rest. It was early August of 1980 and we had one of the most delicious watermelons I had ever eaten. Although my morning sickness had essentially passed, I found that to be my favorite food, much like my mother 26 years earlier.
After eating a sizable portion of that melon, I started having abdominal cramps. I didn't want to think it was labor so I attributed my symptoms to gas from too much watermelon. In short order my symptoms worsened and I had to have an emergency C-section to save my life. At 20 weeks, there was no hope for the baby. As soon as I got home from the hospital, I asked Ed where the watermelon was. After a few days of hospital food, I was eager for some of that sweet, delicious melon. Ed responded that he had thrown it out. His words had a certain animosity so I asked him what was up. He told me that he blamed the watermelon for causing my early labor since I had mentioned such a possibility with the first cramps. To this day, watermelon is one of my favorite fruits but Ed is not fond of it at all. I once told him that he is the only person I know who holds a grudge against a fruit.
Of course as soon as I wrote that last sentence, I thought of the fruit shared by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden! Many of us have good reason to hold a grudge against that fruit even though the fruit itself was innocent, just like my Mississippi watermelon.
Here we are three decades later. Our daughters enjoy watermelon but our grandchildren are even more passionate about it than I am. Just this morning I was cutting a watermelon for them when all of these memories came flooding back. I could feel my late mother's presence in a very real and comforting way.
It's been years since our watermelon eating required a picnic table, newspapers, knives, and salt. I learned a long time ago that it's easier to remove the rind and cut the melon in pieces. These days we even eat it indoors as part of a meal! Most of our melons lately have been seedless, which sounds unnatural but they still have some seeds. This morning's melon was full of seeds. It's almost November and melons are no longer "in season." I found this one at a roadside stand here in Florida. It took me about 20 minutes to effectively cut it and remove most of the seeds.
Sure enough, my grandchildren and I thoroughly enjoyed it. And thanks to our chickens, nothing is wasted. They especially love to eat watermelon seeds!
Thursday, October 16, 2014
We All Need Money
While the love of money (and its power) is the root of all evil, the fact remains that money runs the world. While I am no economist, I do understand some economic principles. From early childhood, people learn that everything they need requires money. And rich people have more power, freedom, and stuff than poor people. When asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" children usually answer something that sounds fun and pays a lot of money. My nine year-old grandson wants to develop and test games for Nintendo. Isn't it human nature to desire wealth?
Now enter the charitable mindset. This is fueled by a desire to help people we think of as poor. They may be sick, lonely, or hungry. They may live in areas of the world where opportunity is limited because of political and military unrest. These situations inspire missionaries and people who love their fellow man. While desiring to help is noble, desire alone is not effective. It requires some action. The first challenge is always funding.
The reality is that goods and services are needed by everyone and paid for by someone. Some people see the world as a feast and others see only famine. Diamonds, gold, and oil are precious commodities that simply had to be discovered and then put to use. Such is our world. Until someone invented a car, television, computer and cell phone, we had no idea that we couldn't live without them.
Everyday someone tugs at my heartstrings and asks for money. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the need and feel inadequate to meet it. For example, I have a heart for orphans in India and Africa. I care about Kurdish refugees in the Middle East. I want to help America's Wounded Warriors. Medical missionaries make a huge difference in the lives of people all over the world and need my support. My spirit is fed daily by teachers in the media and they all ask for a donation. I have political interests that need money. And of course our local churches and synagogues do wonderful work and require ongoing support. When confronted with challenges like these, human beings become inspired to create solutions.
I believe with all my heart that creative inspiration comes from God. Because of this belief, which is fueled by faith, hope and love, I pray for solutions. Such was the case when my husband Ed joined with other business minded-minded people in a company that promotes online shopping. While their goal is to be profitable, most successful business people know that service to others is a higher calling than simply amassing large quantities of money for themselves. As a result this company offers a Partner program which invites other businesses and non-profit organizations to leverage their connections. As a result of this partnership, customers and supporters simply shop online at their favorite stores as usual. As a result they earn cash back on their purchases and a percentage of this revenue is channeled to the Partner organization.
Now that I have a creative solution for obtaining the funds to help worthy causes, my challenge is to effectively and simply communicate this solution to those who can benefit. And I believe that is all of us.
Now enter the charitable mindset. This is fueled by a desire to help people we think of as poor. They may be sick, lonely, or hungry. They may live in areas of the world where opportunity is limited because of political and military unrest. These situations inspire missionaries and people who love their fellow man. While desiring to help is noble, desire alone is not effective. It requires some action. The first challenge is always funding.
The reality is that goods and services are needed by everyone and paid for by someone. Some people see the world as a feast and others see only famine. Diamonds, gold, and oil are precious commodities that simply had to be discovered and then put to use. Such is our world. Until someone invented a car, television, computer and cell phone, we had no idea that we couldn't live without them.
Everyday someone tugs at my heartstrings and asks for money. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the need and feel inadequate to meet it. For example, I have a heart for orphans in India and Africa. I care about Kurdish refugees in the Middle East. I want to help America's Wounded Warriors. Medical missionaries make a huge difference in the lives of people all over the world and need my support. My spirit is fed daily by teachers in the media and they all ask for a donation. I have political interests that need money. And of course our local churches and synagogues do wonderful work and require ongoing support. When confronted with challenges like these, human beings become inspired to create solutions.
I believe with all my heart that creative inspiration comes from God. Because of this belief, which is fueled by faith, hope and love, I pray for solutions. Such was the case when my husband Ed joined with other business minded-minded people in a company that promotes online shopping. While their goal is to be profitable, most successful business people know that service to others is a higher calling than simply amassing large quantities of money for themselves. As a result this company offers a Partner program which invites other businesses and non-profit organizations to leverage their connections. As a result of this partnership, customers and supporters simply shop online at their favorite stores as usual. As a result they earn cash back on their purchases and a percentage of this revenue is channeled to the Partner organization.
Now that I have a creative solution for obtaining the funds to help worthy causes, my challenge is to effectively and simply communicate this solution to those who can benefit. And I believe that is all of us.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Ebola Raises Some Serious Questions
A couple of months ago I completed a continuing education course on Ebola. It was actually somewhat reassuring given these 2 claims: 1) It is transmitted through blood and body fluids 2) The patient is not contagious until they are symptomatic. So these sound simple enough, right? Right, if we're talking HIV or hepatitis which are not characterized by vomiting or hemorrhaging. Ebola presents with headache, vomiting, and fever. These are fairly common symptoms so what raises the flag that they can be life threatening? It's a simple matter of determining where the patient has been and who they've been exposed to over the past 3 weeks.
Therefore, if someone with Ebola vomits, bleeds, or urinates on a surface, how long does the virus remain alive? According to the CDC www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/environmental-infection-control-in-hospitals.html, the Ebola virus can remain viable on a solid surface "with concentrations falling slowly over several days." We in the medical profession are interested in "viral load." This is the amount of virus in a specified amount of blood. Some illnesses require a high viral load to be considered infectious. This does not seem to be the case with Ebola which requires a "low infectious dose" and those infected have the "potential of high virus titers in the blood." This means an infected person has lots of the viral organisms and it doesn't take a lot for someone to contract the disease.
There are reports that nurses are stating they feel their hospitals are unprepared to deal with Ebola. I can certainly understand this. And that is in medical settings with all of the PPE (personal protective equipment), disinfectant and sterilization policies, and trained staff for whom "universal precautions" are supposed to be routine. Think about the times you have been a patient in an emergency department. Was there carpet and upholstery? Were the staff and other patients outfitted in masks, gloves, gowns, and eye protection? Were you given these items? Were the people who accompanied you given these items?
Just the idea of flying on an airplane concerns me. So the airlines are screening people as to their possible contact with infected persons. They are questioning passengers about current symptoms such as fever and may even take the passengers' temperatures. Consider that you have an airline ticket you paid more than $1000 for and a trip you have been planning for weeks or months. Then you come down with a fever, headache, and possibly an upset stomach. Would you try to cover up that fact? I have heard that people are taking Ibuprofen to mask fever so they can board the plane. While these scenarios may be unlikely they are very possible.
The CDC article recommends that hospitals remove the draperies, carpets, and upholstery from rooms that house patients with Ebola. I have flown on many airplanes. They have upholstery and carpets. So do airports, medical waiting rooms, hotels, taxicabs, and rental cars. Supposedly the Ebola is considered to be enveloped, which makes it more susceptible to most disinfectants. That is good news but how confident are we that contaminated surfaces have been immediately disinfected?
It's been 38 years since I became a registered nurse. I have seen a lot of changes during that time including the discovery of HIV, and Hepatitis C, D, and E. Nosocomial (hospital acquired) infections such as antibiotic resistant staph infections have become more widespread and costly. At a time when we have more technology and pharmacology (drugs) than ever before, our risk of acquiring deadly diseases continues to be very real.
My knowledge of Ebola is not extensive and thank goodness I have no personal experience with it. However, common sense dictates that we should focus on good nutrition, good hygiene, and avoid exposure to sick people. I will not lay awake at night worrying about this but I will stay informed and alert. I pray that leaders in government and healthcare use wisdom, knowledge and courage to confront this disease. I also pray that healthcare workers ask questions and demand answers concerning Ebola now.
Therefore, if someone with Ebola vomits, bleeds, or urinates on a surface, how long does the virus remain alive? According to the CDC www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/environmental-infection-control-in-hospitals.html, the Ebola virus can remain viable on a solid surface "with concentrations falling slowly over several days." We in the medical profession are interested in "viral load." This is the amount of virus in a specified amount of blood. Some illnesses require a high viral load to be considered infectious. This does not seem to be the case with Ebola which requires a "low infectious dose" and those infected have the "potential of high virus titers in the blood." This means an infected person has lots of the viral organisms and it doesn't take a lot for someone to contract the disease.
There are reports that nurses are stating they feel their hospitals are unprepared to deal with Ebola. I can certainly understand this. And that is in medical settings with all of the PPE (personal protective equipment), disinfectant and sterilization policies, and trained staff for whom "universal precautions" are supposed to be routine. Think about the times you have been a patient in an emergency department. Was there carpet and upholstery? Were the staff and other patients outfitted in masks, gloves, gowns, and eye protection? Were you given these items? Were the people who accompanied you given these items?
Just the idea of flying on an airplane concerns me. So the airlines are screening people as to their possible contact with infected persons. They are questioning passengers about current symptoms such as fever and may even take the passengers' temperatures. Consider that you have an airline ticket you paid more than $1000 for and a trip you have been planning for weeks or months. Then you come down with a fever, headache, and possibly an upset stomach. Would you try to cover up that fact? I have heard that people are taking Ibuprofen to mask fever so they can board the plane. While these scenarios may be unlikely they are very possible.
The CDC article recommends that hospitals remove the draperies, carpets, and upholstery from rooms that house patients with Ebola. I have flown on many airplanes. They have upholstery and carpets. So do airports, medical waiting rooms, hotels, taxicabs, and rental cars. Supposedly the Ebola is considered to be enveloped, which makes it more susceptible to most disinfectants. That is good news but how confident are we that contaminated surfaces have been immediately disinfected?
It's been 38 years since I became a registered nurse. I have seen a lot of changes during that time including the discovery of HIV, and Hepatitis C, D, and E. Nosocomial (hospital acquired) infections such as antibiotic resistant staph infections have become more widespread and costly. At a time when we have more technology and pharmacology (drugs) than ever before, our risk of acquiring deadly diseases continues to be very real.
My knowledge of Ebola is not extensive and thank goodness I have no personal experience with it. However, common sense dictates that we should focus on good nutrition, good hygiene, and avoid exposure to sick people. I will not lay awake at night worrying about this but I will stay informed and alert. I pray that leaders in government and healthcare use wisdom, knowledge and courage to confront this disease. I also pray that healthcare workers ask questions and demand answers concerning Ebola now.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
How Do We Know What to Believe?
Knowing, really knowing, what to believe is a lifelong quest. If it were simple, there would be little point to reading and listening in hopes of learning something we don't already know. Isn't it crazy that things we believe so strongly one day, turn out to be wrong the next day? In a world where there are so many different religions and philosophies, how does a person know truth from lies?
Families, schools, churches including synagogues, temples, and mosques all contribute to what we believe. Every person in each of these institutions also come from families, schools, religious institutions and communities that engraved in them a system of beliefs. Getting to the roots of one's beliefs can seem almost impossible.
The books we read are full of bias. The same goes with news articles and blogs like this one. They are all written by a person with a distinctive set of beliefs. While it's easy to get swept up in the hype of what sounds good, it's important to know the underlying agenda. I just read an article about a book on global warming. Does mankind actually think he has the power to affect the climate in the world? I'm reminded of the book of Job when God asks, "where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?"
Along with global warming and environmentalism (these are all recently coined words and ideas by the way), we in America have awakened to a new education term called "Common Core." What the heck is common core and how did it come about? Good questions and we all need to research the answers.
As mentioned earlier, our beliefs are shaped by our teachers. So we must choose our teachers wisely. The world is now on the precipice of another world war. Like most wars, it is a war between ideologies. How does one decide which side to take in such a war? It may seem like our beliefs determine that decision. It's one thing for a nation to attack another out of a desire to acquire land and resources. And when the land and people are conquered, peace resumes, at least temporarily. However wars between ideologies are less well defined in a geographical sense and the "sides" are difficult to determine.
So to anyone with "ears to hear," my grandchildren in particular, my advice is to read and listen to lots of viewpoints. Ask lots of questions. And know without a doubt that your brain and your heart are your best teachers, followed by your parents and grandparents. Just know that none of us know everything, but we do our best to base what we believe on truth.
Families, schools, churches including synagogues, temples, and mosques all contribute to what we believe. Every person in each of these institutions also come from families, schools, religious institutions and communities that engraved in them a system of beliefs. Getting to the roots of one's beliefs can seem almost impossible.
The books we read are full of bias. The same goes with news articles and blogs like this one. They are all written by a person with a distinctive set of beliefs. While it's easy to get swept up in the hype of what sounds good, it's important to know the underlying agenda. I just read an article about a book on global warming. Does mankind actually think he has the power to affect the climate in the world? I'm reminded of the book of Job when God asks, "where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?"
Along with global warming and environmentalism (these are all recently coined words and ideas by the way), we in America have awakened to a new education term called "Common Core." What the heck is common core and how did it come about? Good questions and we all need to research the answers.
As mentioned earlier, our beliefs are shaped by our teachers. So we must choose our teachers wisely. The world is now on the precipice of another world war. Like most wars, it is a war between ideologies. How does one decide which side to take in such a war? It may seem like our beliefs determine that decision. It's one thing for a nation to attack another out of a desire to acquire land and resources. And when the land and people are conquered, peace resumes, at least temporarily. However wars between ideologies are less well defined in a geographical sense and the "sides" are difficult to determine.
So to anyone with "ears to hear," my grandchildren in particular, my advice is to read and listen to lots of viewpoints. Ask lots of questions. And know without a doubt that your brain and your heart are your best teachers, followed by your parents and grandparents. Just know that none of us know everything, but we do our best to base what we believe on truth.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Nana, What Do You Do All Day?
After spending 4 hours at the beach with my grandchildren, Alexa asked, "Nana, what do you do all day?" Of course I chuckled. These children are a high priority for my time. In fact, they are a major reason Ed and I decided to move to Florida just over a year ago. We wanted to be an integral part of their lives and living 8 hours away made that difficult. Like an increasing number of people today, we feel the need to be close to family. I remember studying in sociology classes about nuclear and extended families. While I grew up next door to my grandparents, our children never lived closer than a 5 hour drive to either of theirs. That seemed to be normal in the 80's and 90's. However, with the current state of social unrest in our country, I feel it's important to be close.
It is a well-known fact that how we spend our days is how we spend our lives. I have never wanted to look back with regret for not being a good steward of the time I've been blessed with. There are more "things" begging our attention than ever before. Many can be beneficial. But there is a limit to how many words I can read, how many causes I can support, and how much energy I can expend. So how do we know where to draw the line?
Being semi-retired, I work for myself and get to choose how much time I spend in this endeavor. As a result, I'm always aware of people that I may be able to help in some manner or another. With 38 years of nursing under my belt, it's pretty obvious that I like to help people. Being a force to improve any aspect of a person's life, great or small, gives me tremendous satisfaction. Network marketing fits quite well with who I am and what I consider my purpose. It allows me to be independent, flexible, challenged, and rewarded in tangible and intangible ways. So whether I am helping someone explore a new career path or the benefits of one service over another, I like the feeling that I can make a difference to someone everyday.
Staying informed about local and world events is also important to me. This takes time and discernment. With all the media bombardment these days, it's easy to get overwhelmed. However, I feel a sense of responsibility for understanding and acting on events in my sphere of influence. While I learned a long time ago that I cannot achieve world peace, I can be a voice for reason. It's easy to get swept up in the sensations of news stories. However, all stories are told from someone's point of view and often with a motive. So it takes time to evaluate such information and decide what is important and what is irrelevant, as well as what is true and what is not. So yes, I consider myself an activist. I attend conference calls on National Security. I read news stories. I attend local political meetings and I participate in rallies that I feel passionate about.
Friendships are also really important to me. I am intentional with fostering these relationships. Lunch dates, evenings out, telephone conversations, and even responding to my friends' Facebook posts are important to me. Just last week we bought season tickets to the local symphony to share this time with our friends. And whenever a friend phones me to talk or to schedule a visit, I drop everything unimportant to accommodate their request. Friends and family remain my top priority. When I was 7 years old I learned that we never know when we see someone that it could be the last time.
While these are all important ways to spend my time and my life, there remains yet "a better way." Of course I am referring to time spent in relationship with God, Who nourishes my spirit like none other. The time I spend reading His Word and communing with Him in prayer equip me to make better decisions about everything and especially about prioritizing my time. Since I became convicted about the Holiness of Sabbath, my day of worship has posed a bigger challenge. In the United States Sunday is considered the day of rest for Christians as well as most non-Christians. However, the Bible plainly states that God considers the seventh day of the week, the one westerners all Saturday, to be His Sabbath. "But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates." Exodus 20:10 NKJV So that settles it for me. Most of my family has come into agreement as well.
I thank my granddaughter for asking me what I do all day! It certainly made me take stock of my time to see where I am doing a good job and areas that need to be improved. Just as I must be a good steward of my money, I also must be an equally good steward of my time.
It is a well-known fact that how we spend our days is how we spend our lives. I have never wanted to look back with regret for not being a good steward of the time I've been blessed with. There are more "things" begging our attention than ever before. Many can be beneficial. But there is a limit to how many words I can read, how many causes I can support, and how much energy I can expend. So how do we know where to draw the line?
Being semi-retired, I work for myself and get to choose how much time I spend in this endeavor. As a result, I'm always aware of people that I may be able to help in some manner or another. With 38 years of nursing under my belt, it's pretty obvious that I like to help people. Being a force to improve any aspect of a person's life, great or small, gives me tremendous satisfaction. Network marketing fits quite well with who I am and what I consider my purpose. It allows me to be independent, flexible, challenged, and rewarded in tangible and intangible ways. So whether I am helping someone explore a new career path or the benefits of one service over another, I like the feeling that I can make a difference to someone everyday.
Staying informed about local and world events is also important to me. This takes time and discernment. With all the media bombardment these days, it's easy to get overwhelmed. However, I feel a sense of responsibility for understanding and acting on events in my sphere of influence. While I learned a long time ago that I cannot achieve world peace, I can be a voice for reason. It's easy to get swept up in the sensations of news stories. However, all stories are told from someone's point of view and often with a motive. So it takes time to evaluate such information and decide what is important and what is irrelevant, as well as what is true and what is not. So yes, I consider myself an activist. I attend conference calls on National Security. I read news stories. I attend local political meetings and I participate in rallies that I feel passionate about.
Friendships are also really important to me. I am intentional with fostering these relationships. Lunch dates, evenings out, telephone conversations, and even responding to my friends' Facebook posts are important to me. Just last week we bought season tickets to the local symphony to share this time with our friends. And whenever a friend phones me to talk or to schedule a visit, I drop everything unimportant to accommodate their request. Friends and family remain my top priority. When I was 7 years old I learned that we never know when we see someone that it could be the last time.
While these are all important ways to spend my time and my life, there remains yet "a better way." Of course I am referring to time spent in relationship with God, Who nourishes my spirit like none other. The time I spend reading His Word and communing with Him in prayer equip me to make better decisions about everything and especially about prioritizing my time. Since I became convicted about the Holiness of Sabbath, my day of worship has posed a bigger challenge. In the United States Sunday is considered the day of rest for Christians as well as most non-Christians. However, the Bible plainly states that God considers the seventh day of the week, the one westerners all Saturday, to be His Sabbath. "But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates." Exodus 20:10 NKJV So that settles it for me. Most of my family has come into agreement as well.
I thank my granddaughter for asking me what I do all day! It certainly made me take stock of my time to see where I am doing a good job and areas that need to be improved. Just as I must be a good steward of my money, I also must be an equally good steward of my time.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Compost
Most gardeners appreciate the benefits of compost. To my city friends, this may be a new word. After all, most people try to get over ripe produce, skins, egg shells, and peels out of their homes as soon as possible. To keep this stuff around can result in some disgusting sights and smells! However, we scientific types appreciate the benefits of these "kitchen scraps."
Since matter is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed, composting is an ideal way to "recycle" organic matter. When seen from a scientific perspective, we are performing an organic chemistry experiment. When seen from a spiritual perspective, composting demonstrates the miracle of life and its cyclic renewal. Besides sounding brainy and mysterious, what is the point?
As a gardener, my goal is to have healthy abundant crops in the shortest amount of time. That is why I decided that composting just makes sense. When you consider every banana, potato, onion, and avocado peel, every egg shell and apple core, as well as leaves and grass contain the building blocks for food, it's crazy to just throw it away. And for those of us with chickens, their poop is one of the most organic by-products in the world. The question then is how to transform this garbage into delicious food without having to get too up-close and personal with the whole process. For us, this starts in the kitchen with this Full Circle Natural Cleaning Solutions Fresh Air Odor-Free Kitchen Compost Collector 1.3 Gallon, Green Slate
.
Naturally we don't want things rotting under our noses. This desire has given rise to what are called compost bins. There are many varieties, both store-bought and homemade. Regardless of the type, the principles and outcome are the same. You need a contained area, open or closed, that is easy to water and aerate. A closed bin will turn the vegetation to usable compost faster than an open one. I know this from personal experience. Closing the container causes it to get hotter which speeds up the decomposition. Also, the amount of water matters. An open bin is subject to downpours of rain which will leach the nutrients from the composting matter. However, dry compost takes forever to decompose. This is why dehydrating foods preserves and hydrating causes stuff to rot faster.
Oxygen is necessary so the compost needs to be exposed to air. This is accomplished by mixing up the contents of the bin, which is one of the selling points to a barrel composter. The makers of these barrels tell you to give it a turn a couple of times a week and you're good to go. Some people even put handles on them. Aerating can also be accomplished by manually mixing up the compost with a pitch fork or rake. My sweet husband gave me the perfect tool on our last wedding anniversary. It's called an ames true temper 165117600 True Temper, 4 Tine, Forged Spading Fork,
and I use it twice a week to mix things up. Don't you love a man who knows what his wife really wants?
When I had one open bin, it seemed to take months to have usable compost. Also, I kept adding new stuff to the old so it never seemed ready. When I was planning my Florida garden, I also planned a compost bin. I wanted it close to the garden for obvious reasons. I didn't want to spend a lot of money. And I wanted it to work quickly. As you can tell by my criteria, I'm lazy, cheap, and impatient.
Here's what we used for our homemade compost bin:
1. 10 8ft untreated pine 2 X 4's cut in half
2. nails
3. wire (we used hardware cloth)
4. Tarp
We nailed the boards together in a box shape, alternating them to create openings. We then covered the sides with the hardware cloth and attached the tarp at the rear.
When adding kitchen scraps, we have a "new" side and an "old" side. I put scraps, leaves, grass clippings, egg shells, chicken poop, and wild mushrooms in one side. I continue to turn it twice a week and wet it once or twice a week, keeping it covered with the tarp otherwise. When this side is as full as I want it, I switch the "new" stuff to the other side. Meanwhile I continue to turn and water both sides. The "old" side turns to "black gold" and is ready to use in 6-8.
It makes me feel like a real Earth mother to turn something old, rotten, and smelly into something young, beautiful and delicious. Hopefully compost has now gained some new respect!
Since matter is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed, composting is an ideal way to "recycle" organic matter. When seen from a scientific perspective, we are performing an organic chemistry experiment. When seen from a spiritual perspective, composting demonstrates the miracle of life and its cyclic renewal. Besides sounding brainy and mysterious, what is the point?
As a gardener, my goal is to have healthy abundant crops in the shortest amount of time. That is why I decided that composting just makes sense. When you consider every banana, potato, onion, and avocado peel, every egg shell and apple core, as well as leaves and grass contain the building blocks for food, it's crazy to just throw it away. And for those of us with chickens, their poop is one of the most organic by-products in the world. The question then is how to transform this garbage into delicious food without having to get too up-close and personal with the whole process. For us, this starts in the kitchen with this Full Circle Natural Cleaning Solutions Fresh Air Odor-Free Kitchen Compost Collector 1.3 Gallon, Green Slate
.
Naturally we don't want things rotting under our noses. This desire has given rise to what are called compost bins. There are many varieties, both store-bought and homemade. Regardless of the type, the principles and outcome are the same. You need a contained area, open or closed, that is easy to water and aerate. A closed bin will turn the vegetation to usable compost faster than an open one. I know this from personal experience. Closing the container causes it to get hotter which speeds up the decomposition. Also, the amount of water matters. An open bin is subject to downpours of rain which will leach the nutrients from the composting matter. However, dry compost takes forever to decompose. This is why dehydrating foods preserves and hydrating causes stuff to rot faster.
Oxygen is necessary so the compost needs to be exposed to air. This is accomplished by mixing up the contents of the bin, which is one of the selling points to a barrel composter. The makers of these barrels tell you to give it a turn a couple of times a week and you're good to go. Some people even put handles on them. Aerating can also be accomplished by manually mixing up the compost with a pitch fork or rake. My sweet husband gave me the perfect tool on our last wedding anniversary. It's called an ames true temper 165117600 True Temper, 4 Tine, Forged Spading Fork,
and I use it twice a week to mix things up. Don't you love a man who knows what his wife really wants?
When I had one open bin, it seemed to take months to have usable compost. Also, I kept adding new stuff to the old so it never seemed ready. When I was planning my Florida garden, I also planned a compost bin. I wanted it close to the garden for obvious reasons. I didn't want to spend a lot of money. And I wanted it to work quickly. As you can tell by my criteria, I'm lazy, cheap, and impatient.
Here's what we used for our homemade compost bin:
1. 10 8ft untreated pine 2 X 4's cut in half
2. nails
3. wire (we used hardware cloth)
4. Tarp
We nailed the boards together in a box shape, alternating them to create openings. We then covered the sides with the hardware cloth and attached the tarp at the rear.
When adding kitchen scraps, we have a "new" side and an "old" side. I put scraps, leaves, grass clippings, egg shells, chicken poop, and wild mushrooms in one side. I continue to turn it twice a week and wet it once or twice a week, keeping it covered with the tarp otherwise. When this side is as full as I want it, I switch the "new" stuff to the other side. Meanwhile I continue to turn and water both sides. The "old" side turns to "black gold" and is ready to use in 6-8.
It makes me feel like a real Earth mother to turn something old, rotten, and smelly into something young, beautiful and delicious. Hopefully compost has now gained some new respect!
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