"Blue Ribbon at the West Virginia State Fair"

   I am so proud of my wife and her accomplishments! This year she entered one of her cross stitches into the West Virginia State Fair, thinking all she would do would be displaying her work for all to see. But that wasn't the case, SHE WON a first place blue ribbon! I will link her blog here so you can read in detail and see her progress as she stitched this beautiful cross stitch. "Maple Cottage Stitcher" is the name of her blog for those of you that don't know! She worked almost a whole year on this.

  Here is a link the the song that she partially stitched on her sampler Hymn and History of "It is Well With My Soul". It is a wonderful but heartbreaking story if you have never heard the story on when, where and why Horatio Gates Spafford wrote this wonderful song!

   So again Congratulations and I can't wait to see the next one! Again I am so proud of her and her work!

Psalm 107:29"He calms the storm, So that its waves are still."

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U.S. Drought 2012 and a story of my Grammie

As everybody  in the U.S. knows we have had a very dry summer! It reminds me of one hot dry summer that I stayed with my Grammie. We had three large gardens going as always, since we preserved everything. I was about 13 and when I say hot, I mean hot! I would drive the tractor, with her on the back from garden to garden as we picked and watered. The road to the potatoes garden was very bumpy. On one of the hottest days of this summer, as always I drove her up the road but this time was a memorable event. As I drove she would say, "speed up its hot", then "slow down, you are jarring me to death", then "come on Clint we have to hurry", then "Please slow down I am about to bounce off". I couldn't please her, lol! So I stopped and asked her how she wanted me to drive, lol! To this day we laugh and talk of that day!

Well below is an article on the weather her this year. When you get  to the bottom the is a link to a map that monitors the damaged areas of this drought. West Virginia doesn't look that bad but to us it feels awful. I can't even imagine what the rest of you are going through! It looks like many areas need lots of prayer! So water water water those plants! Make a Few Rain Barrels to collect water.

"STATE REMAINS ABNORMALLY DRY, DESPITE RECENT RAIN"
Article from http://www.wvagriculture.org/index.html

  Most of West Virginia remained “abnormally dry,” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor map dated July 17, 2012. However, recent rains resulted in a small portion of southwest West Virginia being removed from drought status, an improvement over previous conditions that showed three-quarters of the state’s topsoil moisture ranked as “poor.”

   Despite marginal farm conditions, West Virginia has not had it nearly as bad as the majority of the country, which is suffering from an unprecedented heat wave and an historic drought.

   Nationally, nearly 90 percent of the nation’s corn and soybean crops are located in drought-stricken areas. The worsening drought conditions will likely drive up food prices in the near term, and meat prices by next year because corn and soybeans are predominant ingredients in animal feed.

   “I have requested farmers to keep detailed records of drought-related losses in the hope that Congress restores emergency funding to the Farm Bill that’s currently under consideration,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass.

   He called on Congress to move the bill to the White House and to consider the plight of the farmers who had high hopes for a record corn crop earlier this year.

   “Farming is the most important industry in this country,” said Commissioner Douglass. “First, it provides the food we all rely upon each day. Second, it is among our most-important exports, regardless of the condition of the world economy at any given time. And third, it represents the finest of American ideals: ingenuity, hard work and service to others. As a nation, we must do what it takes to get these family businesses through this potentially ruinous natural disaster.”

   The national drought map can be found at www.droughtmonitor.unl.edu. The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS) has detailed weekly reports on crop and weather conditions around the country. Visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/State_Crop_Progress_and_Condition/index.asp for more information.

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.

How will Jesus come the second time?

   How will Jesus one day return to earth when He comes back to the Mt. of Olives at His second coming? Lets turn to scripture and see. Acts 1: 9-11 answers this for us: "Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” It appears that when Jesus returns for His children, He will return on the clouds. This is for those that are saved (in Christ Jesus).
    There is another return of Christ, this time spoken of in Revelation 19:11-14. This time the Heavens will open up and Christ is seen setting on a White horse. This is event is different then the rapture, this time Christ is coming to set up His kingdom, that He has promised. There will be an army following Him made up of His church, OT believers and even angles. On this return Christ is bringing "judgment and war", the Holy wrath of God will be poured out on all of sinful mankind that did not except the salvation He offered through His son Jesus. He will destroy all sin and corruption that is left on the earth, so His perfect and eternal Kingdom can be set up.
     A song that I have listen to and sang in the past keeps coming back to me over the past few months. A song that has lots of truth in it, a "Christian" song. But God's word tells us that a little leave will spoil the whole batch (Gal. 5:9). The song is call "Make way for the King", by Lenny Leblanc, the song towards the end sings like this. "Make Way for the King, Cause He's Comin' on a white horse to carry me home." An example of why we need to do as James said and test everything or like the Bereans in Acts 17:11. Jesus isn't coming on a White Horse for His children, His redeemed. He is coming on a white horse because God patience will be gone with all the rebellious, sinful, corruption that mankind has become! Christ is coming on the white horse of Judgment and His followers will be right behind Him.

"Jesus will come bathed in radiant splendor, enveloped within an atmosphere of indescribable brilliance, surrounded by the ear-piercing praise of angels and saints. Scintillating light shining from His eyes. Irresistible power pouring from His hands. None will deny His beauty or escape its transforming energy." ~ Sam Storms


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His Grip 

Genetically Engineered…Mosquitoes?

     I read this yesterday in our news papers hear in West Virginia and had never heard of these before! I thought I would share this article with you!

Dear EarthTalk: I couldn’t believe my ears: “genetically engineered mosquitoes?” Why on Earth would they be created? And I understand there are plans to release them into the wild?
— Marissa Abingdon, Sumter, SC
 

    Yes it’s true, genetically engineered mosquitoes, which were bred in the lab to transmit a gene during the reproductive process that kills their offspring, have already been used on an experimental basis in three countries—the Cayman Islands, Malaysia and Brazil—to counteract the quickly spreading mosquito-borne viral infection dengue fever. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that as many as 100 million cases of humans infected with dengue fever—which causes a severe flu-like illness and can in certain instances be fatal—occur annually in more than 100 tropical and sub-tropical countries.
    The British company behind the project, Oxitec, is focusing initially on dengue fever, given that the particular virus which causes it is only carried by one sub-species of mosquito. This makes the illness easier to target than malaria, for instance, which is carried by many different types of mosquitoes.
    Oxitec first released some of the genetically modified mosquitoes in the Cayman Island in the Caribbean in 2009, much to the surprise of the international community and environmental advocates, many of whom are opposed to genetic engineering in any of its forms due to the unknown and unintended side effects that unleashing transgenic organisms into the world could cause.
    In Brazil, where the largest experiments have been carried out to date, the government is backing a new facility designed to breed millions of genetically engineered mosquitoes to help keep dengue fever at bay.
    Dengue fever isn’t considered to be a big problem in the U.S. as yet. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that most of the dengue fever cases showing up in the continental U.S. are among those who have travelled to sub-tropical and tropical areas of the world. Still, WHO reports that the incidence of dengue fever in the U.S. has increased some thirty-fold over the last half century.
    A proposal by Oxitec to test its transgenic mosquitoes in the Florida Keys has some locals upset. In April 2012, the town of Key West passed an ordinance prohibiting the release of the mosquitoes pending further testing on possible implications for the environment. In the meantime, Oxitec has applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a patent on their mosquito and permission to release them in the U.S.
    Some 80,000 people have signed onto a campaign on the Change.org website calling on the FDA to deny Oxitec’s application. Mila de Mier, the Key West mother who launched the campaign, is concerned about the potential consequences of releasing an experimental organism on a delicate ecosystem.
    “Oxitec’s business goal is to sell genetically modified mosquitoes in the United States,” said de Mier. “…we’ve already said we don’t want these mosquitoes in our backyards, but Oxitec isn’t listening.” More definitive scientific study is needed, she says, that looks at the potential long-term impacts.

CONTACTS: Oxitec, www.oxitec.com; Change.org, www.change.org.
EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine ( www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

New Idea for Buttering Corn!

  Well, maybe not a new Idea for all of you but it was for use. We had corn a week ago and my wife pulls out the old red lunch caddies. In my Jethro Bodine puzzled look i said, "What are you doing with those." She told me she had a great way to butter corn." So, here we go, I guess, lol!

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3 Roll it around and Enjoy!

Well, I will have to say that it was a great way to butter your corn, just drop an ear in and spin it around. It wasn't messy, butter wasn't flowing all over the plate and I could keep the cob clean for reuse latter, lol! What?? We are all about re-purposing, aren't we? Well there is a tried and tested idea for you all to try out!

" Biblical love is not emotions or feelings, but attitudes and actions that seek the best interests of the other person, regardless of how we feel toward him." ~ Jerry Bridges

Promise’s From God on Salvation

  A Person must persevere in faith to be saved, which through the working of the Holy Spirit, God does Himself. True believers cannot lose their faith, since its God’s gift. God will preserve true believers and they will be saved.  Here is scriptural proof to the topic at hand. Many more scriptures can be used but this should be sufficient.  To say that a true believer in Christ Jesus can lose the gift of salvation would be calling God Himself a liar and would allow each person to boast. Ephesians 2:8 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

 Salvation is Eternal and before the foundation of the earth:

Ephesians 1:3 ^“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”

Hebrews 10:14 “^For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

2 Timothy 1:9 “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began..”

Titus 1: “Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, ² in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began”

1 John 2:25 “^And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.”

   More Scriptures that God gave us eternal life: 1 John 5:10-11, John 10:27-28, Romans 6:23, 1 John 5:13, “John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. ²⁸ And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

Promise of being sealed: 2 Corinthians 1: 21” Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, ²² who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

Ephesians 1:13 “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise”

Ephesians 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Imputed Promise’s from God:

Roman 4:11 “And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also”

Romans 4:22 “And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”²³ Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, ²⁴ but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead”

Psalms 32:2 “Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity..”

Romans 4:8 “Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.”

Romans 4:5-6 “But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, ⁶ just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:”

  It takes 100% righteousness to enter into heaven, as humans we will NEVER be able to work or earn 100 % righteousness. There is only one way to achieve this! When we accept the free gift of salvation, Jesus himself places a white rode of His 100% righteousness on us, Jesus then takes 100% of our unrighteousness (sins) and places them on Himself. 100% in God’s eyes in past, present and future sins! Then God makes us more promises! He seals us with His Holy Spirit and promise never to IMPUTE sin upon us again! The word imputes means to “charge to ones account”.

It is because of what God has done for us we are saved, NOT WHAT WE DO FOR GOD! The LORD Jesus has paid our debt of sin in full. The debt is covered; it is entirely wiped clean.

God Keeps a true Born Again Believer, so as not to lose your salvation:

   The assurance of the believer is not that God will save him even if he stops believing, but that God will keep him believing – God will sustain you in faith, he will make your hope firm and stable to the end. He will cause you to persevere.

John 6:37 “that the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out.”

2 Timothy 1:12 “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”

1 Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵ who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Romans 8:35-39 “³⁵ who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ Just as it is written, “FOR Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be Slaughtered.” ³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  And lastly if we say that we can lose our salvation then the prayer’s which Jesus prayed for us would be null and void, in John 11, John 17, Luke 22:31-32.

“Our perseverance is a gift from God. In our salvation, God blesses us with assurance through His gift of perseverance (2 Thessalonians 3:5). However, many Christians lack full assurance of their salvation because their understanding of assurance is founded on the constantly changing emotions of their hearts rather than on the eternal Word of God.” ~ Burk Parsons

“It is true that God will never forsake His own children.  But the proof that we are His children is that He works in us the vigilance not to forsake Him. God's not forsaking us is the work He does in us to keep us from forsaking Him (Philippians 2:12-13).”  ~ John Piper

Pumpkins, Cinderella's Carriage!

   Yes that's right this is the first pumpkins I myself have ever grown! On the farm we did grow winter squash and gourds but we never to my knowledge grew a pumpkin that we would have used for anything else but eating! Well it all started last Halloween when my daughter, wife and I went pumpkin hunting! When I saw the prices had jump so much ($25.00), I told the girls' "WOW, we need to just grow our own". So when we prepped it for decorating, we saved some of the seeds! As you know I planted in my Hugelkulture bed or Click Here! They have done really well in the Raised Beds, and all I did with the vines was continually inter twine them in the walk ways. I pulled two yesterday to make some pies or I should say for Dana to make some pies, lol!

  The variety that we planted was "Cinderella", they are a unique French heirloom whose correct name is "Rouge vif D'Etampes". The source of their nickname it that they resemble the pumpkin that Cinderella's fairy godmother transformed into a carriage. This pumpkin is recorded as having been the variety cultivated by the Pilgrims and served at the second Thanksgiving dinner. This is our favorite pumpkin variety. There is something magical about them. Cinderellas make a delightful decorative accent for the fall season, but additionally their flavor is good for any pie or winter squash recipe.

  I would go through all the different things about pumpkins, such as, how to grow, store them, when to pick them, etc. but why do that when All about Pumpkins and Winter Squash has done that for us, lol! If you have any tips, advice on storage or anything else on pumpkins please leave a comment.

"Fruit-bearing is not a matter of being strong or weak, good or bad, brave or cowardly, clever or foolish, experienced or inexperienced. Whatever your gifts, accomplishments, or virtues, they cannot produce fruit if you are detached from Jesus Christ. Christians who think they are bearing fruit apart from the Vine are only tying on artificial fruit. They run around grunting and groaning to produce fruit but accomplish nothing. Fruit is borne not by trying, but by abiding." ~ John MacArthur

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Cucumber Sandwich's, Yummy!

   Nothing like a Cucumber Sandwich's on a hot summer day!

  They are simple to make as well!

 Mix Cream Cheese and Dill to taste

Spread on both slices of Bread

Peal and Slice Cucumber's

Place on sandwich and Enjoy with Ice Tea, Yummy!

“For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.” Psalm 149:4

"Some of my Harvest update and an apology"

  Well this has been such a busy Summer. With getting back to work and seeing how the automotive industry is booming right now, we have been working 50 plus hours a week for up to six days a week to fill our production number! It actually is wonderful for me and my family because I was off work for so long when I had my shoulder surgery. Praise Jesus for the extra cash flow! On top of that we have had a Derecho Storm hit our area, which damaged lots of stuff and had our area without power for up to a week. We also have been dealing with a son that needs lots of prayers from each of you. Also, gardening, my daughter has multiple volleyball camps, Bible college, everyday life. You can see why I have neglected my blog. So that's my apology! But I do want to show off some of our harvest of this year! Also if you didn't catch my update on my "HugelKulture raised bed" you can CLICK HERE for an update. I thank you all and God Bless!

Well I will leave you with some photos!

 

 

Psalm 107:37 "And sow fields and plant vineyards, That they may yield a fruitful harvest."

Proverb's 20:4 "The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing."

Matthew 9:37 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few."

Linked To:
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Country Garden Showcase 

"Understanding of God's Divine Providence"

  Understanding of God's Divine Providence helps us understand the teaching of "predestination,  justification, sanctification, glorification, perseverance of the saints, ect.)  In my study of this I found that gotquestions.org had a very good teaching and summary on this subject. So instead of me muttering on, I will use it and give them the credit, lol!

  So what is “divine providence?" Divine providence is the means by and through which God governs all things in the universe. The doctrine of divine providence asserts that God is in complete control of all things. This includes the universe as a whole (Psalm 103:19), the physical world (Matthew 5:45), the affairs of nations (Psalm 66:7), human birth and destiny (Galatians 1:15), human successes and failures (Luke 1:52), and the protection of His people (Psalm 4:8). This doctrine stands in direct opposition to the idea that the universe is governed by chance or fate.
   The purpose, or goal, of divine providence is to accomplish the will of God. To ensure that His purposes are fulfilled, God governs the affairs of men and works through the natural order of things. The laws of nature are nothing more than a depiction of God at work in the universe. The laws of nature have no inherent power, nor do they work independently. The laws of nature are the rules and principles that God set in place to govern how things work.
   The same goes for human choice. In a very real sense we are not free to choose or act apart from God’s will. Everything we do and everything we choose is in full accordance to God’s will—even our sinful choices (Genesis 50:20). The bottom line is that God controls our choices and actions (Genesis 45:5; Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 21:1), yet He does so in such a way that does not violate our responsibility as free moral agents, nor does it negate the reality of our choice.
   The doctrine of divine providence can be succinctly summarized this way: “God in eternity past, in the counsel of His own will, ordained everything that will happen; yet in no sense is God the author of sin; nor is human responsibility removed.” The primary means by which God accomplishes His will is through secondary causes (e.g., laws of nature, human choice). In other words, God works indirectly through these secondary causes to accomplish His will.