The Story

Several years ago I happened upon a book that revolutionized the way I look at life in general. Or at least the way I try to look at life. The basic premise is, there is more. There is more to our lives, more to this existence. We are part of a larger story. Here is a quote I read today from a later work by one of the authors.

Christianity isn’t a religion about going to Sunday school, potluck suppers, being nice, holding car washes, sending our secondhand clothes off to Mexico. This is a world at war. Something large and immensely dangerous is unfolding all around us, we are caught up in it, and above all we doubt we have been given a key role to play. -Waking the Dead

Isn't there something deep within you that screams "YES!" to this? To know that there is an epic story occurring and somewhere, somehow I'm not only connected, but a integral character in the final outcome?

I matter.

So do you.

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Revelation 12:11 & 17

CHICKEN UPDATE!

I know, I know...you just can't wait to hear from me on the status of my lovely Bantams, right?
I understand.
Well, wait no longer....
My daughter took some photos yesterday.

They're in that lovely, scraggly, puberty phase right now.

Another Free Download from Behemoth.com

Here's another free download from BEHEMOTH.COM. TEN P'S IN A POD. I've heard a lot about this book over the years. It is a story about life in a large family. So it is nice to get it in an audio format. Because I have over THREE BOXES of books by my bed, waiting for me to read them. So here's one I can "read" while cleaning, chauffeuring, or working. A great deal. Good through the end of March.

The few, the proud, the chickens!

First thing with a baby chick is to help it get to water asap. Especially after a hard trip. Taking each one in hand the children and I dipped beak after beak in water. Waited for them to swallow, and then dip again. Checking every few minutes and picking up the weaker ones again and again. Not giving up hope until we are certain that death has occurred. Then quickly remove it and focus on those remaining. At the end of the first 48 hours home we had removed 1/2 of them.



These are the few, the hardy...the chosen!


But still, for the next few days, one or two a day perished.

Each week the temperature of the brooder is reduced by 5 degrees... as they begin to feather out and are able to keep warmer on their own.


So come on over! Let your little ones play with them! Just remember that a chicken has two friends that aren't our friends. Sam and Ella. Salmonella is great for the chickens, it keeps them healthy, but it makes us sick. So wash your hands!

THE BABY CHICKS!

My husband reminded me today that I haven't blogged about everything going on around here. I am so sorry! So, hold onto your seat. I'm going to publish three posts in a week...yes, I need to watch out...my heart might not be able to take the excitement!



Three weeks ago,(the day after the Presidents Day holiday to be exact) we received a call from our Post Office. "Umm... your baby chicks have arrived, but they are all dead."

They still belonged to us, so I had to go pick them up. In the back IAHL was sitting, mourning the loss..."why did we even have to go get them if they're dead?" As in, I don't want to have to deal with this..why are we?
But I explained that someone needed to give them a proper burial. That would be us.

So with fear and trepidation we ordered more for delivery the next week. And we got the call Sunday morning...from Charlottesville! But having attended the first service...(a little unusual for us) we missed the call and they didn't leave a message. So we were invited over to my parents house for lunch with all the great-aunts and uncles and assorted extended family. I was anxious, but couldn't justify a 110+ mile round trip to visit a closed Post Office, with the possibility they were already on the truck to our town. So I pushed it down...and tried to put it out of my mind. Apparently I was successful, as I didn't think about it until 5pm when I checked my answering machine remotely. Yep, we got the call (from Harrisonburg!)

Now at this point I'd like to mention, (in my own defense) that we have NEVER received calls from the Post Office on Sunday. And this is NOT the first time we've ordered chicks. So I don't know if all these people just felt sorry for us and our loss only the week before, or what. But we have never been called on Sunday.

Back to my story. A Harrisonburg postal worker called and said they were there but she would only be at work until 4. (YES, it was 5 when I got it) But I still called the number, just in case.
NOPE.

By this time, I am literally climbing the walls emotionally. Every maternal hormone in my body has kicked in will full force and I am overdosing on adrenaline. But I look calm on the exterior. My dh keeps reassuring me, but even he is surprised that I am so worked up by the circumstances. I just know that every hour counts...literally... tiny little body counts.

So we called OUR local postal worker, because we know where he lives, and ask him if he has any ideas. Nope, but he's willing to check inside at Mt. Crawford to see if they've been delivered yet...absolutely.
What a saint.
We pick him up, drive him to BOTH post offices to see if we can find them, and realize that they are locked up like Fort Knox in the 'burg. Even our local Postmaster got into the fray and tried to get information for us from said lockup, but nothing. God Bless those two.

And we waited.

First thing in the morning I called that number given to me on the answering machine.
"Oh yes, they are still here....drive around back and come in to get them". So I do. Drive past the gates that say NO ADMITTANCE, walk up to the loading dock, terribly intimidated, knowing full well I am not an employee..and finally find someone to help me. (insert blank look on the worker's face).
It is eventually determined that they were NOT still there when I called, they were delivered to my Post Office that morning. Like an hour ago.

We got them, finally.
Only three dead.
Trampled.
Then began the watch....