Mar. 3, 2008 - Thoughts on Success

   I took these few quotes from the book "Poor Richard's Anthology of Thoughts on Success" It is basically hundreds of quotes from different people with one thought...success, which is really surprising considering the title.
  

    These are some of Mother's and my favorites....
 

    "The Success Family...
    The Father of success is Work
    The Mother is Ambition
    The oldest Son Common Sense
    Some of the other boys are Perseverance, Honesty, Thoroughness, Enthusiasm, Foresight and Cooperation
    The oldest daughter is Character
    Some of her sisters are Cheerfulness, Loyalty, Courtesy, Care, Economy, Sincerity, and Harmony
    The baby in this interesting family is Opportunity
    And one you get acquainted with the 'old man' you will be able to get along pretty well with all the rest of the family." Wasn't that sweet?
 

      "Someone has said..."

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Mar. 1, 2008 - The Heart Makes the Difference

   As we all have studied, and read the same historical accounts, we know that the settlers at Jamestown came with two reasons. They said they wanted to convert the savages, and also find gold. The latter vision came first in the gentlemens' minds. Gold, an ingredient for lust, destruction, bitterness, and harsh competition. Something that can wipe away the blood someone spilt, gain admission that others had to earn, and supposedly buy friendships in high places. That is what the Jamestown settlers had in mind. What went wrong?
  The settlers seemed to sink into the situations that they created. Indians, of course were around, but the settlers had a choice to make peace or turn to gunpowder. They did both, and afterwards they killed many Indians. Now that, as you well know, was not good for them, because Indians were very good at retaliating.
  Another thing, diseases and bad judgment also wiped out the settlers. They settled because of pride and conflict in an area where sickness seemed to parade everywhere, claiming its property within months.
   Lack of leadership also caused many problems. In order for the colony to survive, they seemed to need a man who could tolerate their bickering and also give orders that were useful. One such leader was John Smith,  a man known for telling tall tales, and when he left the settlers sank into confusion. Their food was low and rotten, the Indians were hostile, and sickness was leading the camp instead.
    However, another group of people, sailed  for the New World as well. A cluster of about 100 or so, were sitting upon the  Mayflower. Pilgrims they would become known as. They were humans oppressed by their beliefs and they decided to make a new land for the Lord, that they would do. Men, women, and children who had faith in God and hardly ever let that faith die, sailed across the Atlantic. Miraculously, no one died aboard the ship, except two crewmen who were not as believing as the Pilgrims.
     They arrived;weary like the settlers, but still beaming with hope. They prayed and thanked God for his mercy aboard the passage, and for brining them into a land far too rich that any they had ever seen. The forests were dark, bushy, and teaming with wildlife. Another awesome thing, is that the area where the pilgrims settled, the Indians were the only peaceful Indians for miles around. If they had sailed farther south or north, the Indians would have been more restless.
      They immediately began to set up their ground, on good healthy soil, and they asked God's blessing on everything. They made friends with the Indians, one was named Squanto.
     The pilgrims trusted God, unlike the gold stricken settlers, who would not convert the souls of the 'savages' until they had found their gold. Every decision the pilgrim's made, they prayed, thought of the people, and what was right. And that was why they flourished.
    The Jamestown settlers had a rough beginning, and a hard turn to try and make a colony, but the pilgrims never doubted what God had in store for them. Of course they too had problems like the settlers, but their hearts made the difference.

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Feb. 22, 2008 - A Lunar Eclipse

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Feb. 8, 2008 - An allegory that is our Salvation

   We have a tomcat named Randy, who used to be close to home all the time, and whenever I called, he was sure to come.

   We picked him out, with our keen eye already taken because of this strong attachment we felt. He loved us, and knew that was where we would always take him in. If he was ditched by his tomcat buddies, or laughed at by the others, we would open our arms, and give his peace of mind.

  Of course, when he did wrong we would punish him, because we loved him enough to do so. If he left a fowl odor in the house, we would find some way to make him see that it was wrong.

   But lately, I have seen less and less of him, as he was growing up and wanting to go off on his own a whole lot more than usually. I missed his presence, and hoped that he had not found pleasure in someone that was not his true master. We had not loved and cherished him so he could forsake us and live with another who really did not love him unconditionally like we did.

   So we saw him less and less, only when he came to get food, or his 'buddies' had caused him grief. So we became his second family. Of course I loved him still, so I let him go and do whatever he wanted, but still I kept him from harm.

  But today, I found him come home, and I was overjoyed to see my little boy, that is what I call him, and welcomed him with arms full of forgiveness.  My love, still warm and forgiving, was given to him and I held him like I used to, after a month of never seeing him.

  In a sense...this is like our Creator wanting us back after we sinned and turned ourselves away from Him. Of course there are consequences for our sins, and we must justly pay for them. But God will take back His children if they earnestly ask His forgiveness. 

1 John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." 

 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins, and purify us from all unrighteousness"

  This is a simple allegory, not one that does credit to God's holiness and righteousness, but it does put in into perspective.

  I hope this post has been encouraging if not different to read.

  Have a Blessed Day!

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Feb. 7, 2008 - Just Some Funnies For the Day...

  These were sent in an e-mail maybe three or four years ago and I have never forgotten them. They were the funniest answering machine messages that people actually had used.

 # 1 - Hello, this is a telepathic thought recording device. After the beep think about your name, why you are calling, and a number I can reach you at, and then I'll think about calling you!

 # 2-Hi, I'm probably home, just avoiding someone I don't like, if I don't call you back...it's you!

 # 3- * in a strong New York accent* Hi, this is Pugsy and Spike, we are currently robbing the Williams, however if you will leave your message at the end of the beep, they might or might not live to answer your call!

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Jan. 21, 2008 - Rooster Blues

This is our pathetic rooster. He had a bad encounter with frost bite. His wattles and comb had ice stuck to them and he could barely move his head.

And the worst part of it all, was that the ice was stretching his wattles clear to the ground!

So we took him out of the big pen and placed him in our mud room to thaw. How awful does that sound?

Yesterday he looked much better, but everything is swollen and bleeding from his skin cracking. I start to cringe just looking at his pain.

So now to add to our group of odd animals, we have a rooster who is suffering from frost bite. However the girls (hens) are all doing well. So that is a blessing our else we would have chickens in our bathrooms.

Have a Nice Day!

Maggnolia

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Jan. 13, 2008 - Experiments on the Homefront

   Sorry about the no-post time, but I had a post that I kept postponing and trying to work in the time to do it.

   So here it is...

   We purchased some of our flock of birds last March with the hopes of receiving beautiful plumage and eggs. Our four mature hens which we had already had for a year were laying and hardly took little '*holidays'.

   For seven months we waited until the day that they would mature enough to lay, and then it was early fall. So the other birds stopped laying, which we will not banish them from the chicken kingdom, for when they get colder and just happen to be molting at the same time, you don't get any eggs unless your chickens go to the gym everyday.

    So for a few months after that, we let them get back into their routine while still trying to start egg production. But after a few months of good weather and still no eggs we decided something was wrong.

   We called our hatcheries, which after going to a poultry workshop the other week, sell the right breed but because of generic somethings, hatchery birds are only about half the size and weight of standard birds for exhibition. So if you want good exhibition birds and not just good layers...do single sellers for better quality. Okay, I am sorry that is now a major pet peeve of mine.

    Moving on.

   They told us that we need to install a nice heat lamp for a certain amount of hours, but we did have a light...okay it was like a tiny light. You could call it a dark. And to make sure they are well insolated...and having a carpenter for a step-dad, you can bet anything is going to be insolated.

   After a few more tips, all of which we were doing, we finally tried our own variables:

    First, we put our extremely mean rooster, who lost his kindred spirit to the chicken pokers at the fair. Let us stop...If you are one of those people who stick things and taunt animals while they are pinned...please see me afterwards!

    Then, we cleaned the coop, and put in a bright lamp that is actually called a light. It is almost warmer than my bedroom, so if they find me huddling with the birds at night...just kidding.

     We also put in a test egg, which we read can help a chicken get in the mood for laying. So I think that speaks for itself.

     We  have gotten eggs everyday from the coop since then, well give a few days for them to put up their *knitting needles and plans for escape.

     So thank you for reading or skimming over the paragraphs looking for something interesting to read. I am a chicken person and some people are not, so if this post was a kind of torture I am truly sorry, but I had to get it out sometime.

     Have a Great Day!

    Maggnolia

* all those personifications of chickens are from the movie Chicken Run, it is hilarious...and if you have not watched it, it is good for the entire family. But some things get a little out of proportion.

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Dec. 18, 2007 - Gearing Up!

     Right now in our home, we are getting ready for my Christmas Recital. It was postponed from yesterday, and I am still a little nervous!   I will be playing I Wonder As I Wander.

     Mom is fixing her hair in the bathroom, and I am sitting here counting the minutes before I have to leave.

     We also received exciting news today...my sister- in-law is going to have another boy. She has been expecting for a few months, and today they found out that they will soon have 3 boys running around the house. Isaac who is 2, Will who is just over a year old, and the new one who will be an infant in few months. And the more the merrier, for their children are just too fun and are chunky-monkeys. (That makes them extremely fun to hold, and after a while if you have held them more than once, your arm muscles will be sore, but stronger:)

    For my apparel tonight, I am wearing a long light blue jean skirt, a white three quarter sleeved shirt underneath a button-up flowered blouse that is tied around my waist. And I am wearing my cousin Breezy's hand-me-down black ballet shoes with azure knitted woolen socks.

    My hair is french braided , that curves to the right and comes down my shoulder. I saw that look on a movie, but I have a feeling it was meant for thin-haired people. (Just in case you did not get that last sentence, my hair is extremely thick and coarse, and you can compare it to horse's hair)

    Outside, the weather is fair and chilly. The snow is packed to the ground and the leaf bearing trees are stripped of their leaves. Smoke rises gently, hardly being blown away, from the tops of houses, and decoratvie light are strung around the outside. In the distance a coon dog is barking up a storm and sort of disturbing the peace. But inside, the smell of winter pine trees are being burnt from our candle and twinkling lights can be seen from across the street.

    So I must depart my dear readers, and please do not fret, I shall return soon.  And I must thank you for reading the post of my ramblings.

    Have A Great Day!

   Maggnolia, Maggie, Flower Child (my aunt calls me that), Magg, Margie (Emily loves to call me that and I don't mind either), Maggie Moo, and the "annoying little brat with hair like a horse's that lives down the street listening to that classical (Hans Zimmer actually madam) music so loud, and you can hear her typing through the night at all hours!"

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Nov. 26, 2007 - Important Inventions

The Frisbee was invented...

•  In 1948
• By Walter Frederick Morrison
• In the United States

Chewing Gum was invented...

• In 1870
• By Thomas Adams
• In the United States

The Piano was invented...

• In 1709
• By Bartolommeo Cristofori
• In Italy

Potato Chips were invented...

• In 1853
• By George Crum
• In the United States

Rubber Bands were invented...

• In 1821
• By Thomas Hancock
• In England

The Shopping Cart was invented...

• In 1937
• By Sylvan N. Goldman
• In the United States

Velcro was invented...

• In 1956
• By George de Mestral
• In Switzerland

 I hope that you all maybe learned something from this very quick and silly post!

Have a Great Day!

Maggnolia

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