Rescue

A cat was stuck in a tree today across the road from where I was babysitting. Mr. W. had to climb up a ladder to try and coax the cat down. After about ten minutes of calling "kitty, kitty" and "come on, I won't let you fall" the cat was still up on a branch unreachable from the ladder. I began to think: The cat realizes that his salvation is only a foot below and all he needs to do is let go, but he cannot bring himself to cross that line. That would mean taking a risk and depending on someone else. All it takes is letting go and getting on with life. But the letting go was so scary for him. Eventually Mr. W. got the cat down, after 15 minutes of coaxing and reassuring the feline that he would be safe. God desires for us to live, but in order to live we must let go of life as we wanted to live. Rid our selves of the comfort of the tree branch which leads to nowhere and embrace our true desires for life. "Standing outside the fire" doesn't get you anywhere. Abandon of self to Christ and taking up your cross is a difficult task. One that cannot be accomplished unaided. We all need help. We all need to be rescued.

A Day On The Farm

Life is never boring when you work at Cook's Farm Dairy. Today I chased two cows who got loose, ran the John Deere tractors to get the silage up the silos, helped milk half the cows, and managed the store. It's really all in a days work. It was me and the guys working tonight and we were all pretty crazy. I'm thinking about calling Alex, Garrett, and Stephen the Three Stooges. But it really only works when they're together. According to them time goes by fast when Jeff is working... I saw Monica yesterday while I was working the morning shift...She goes to Aussy Land on the 20th. I'll really miss her. While we were milking Tom Cordes told me about this great movie plot he came up with. He also said he finally told his pastor that he's been called to preaching since he was 17. He would really li8ke to get into it but doesn't think he really can right now. Family and everything... Rodney asked me if I'm a Farm Girl now. I borrowed his shirt when mine was covered in silage. I want to steal Garrett's John Deere Sweatshirt. He got it in Arizona!? Nathan has Chicken Pox and Alex has Strep.

Fishing With Andrew

Mulberry Hill is incredible this time of year and tonight was the perfect night for fishing. Andrew and I threw the pole in the back of my Dad's truck and drove along Glass Road to Mulberry Hill. Half-way to the water we ditched our shoes under a bush. The lake looked movie-like as we came over the hill. A few pontoon boats and a jetski were making their way around Lake Louise but they didn't bother us. I waded out into the seaweed-clothes and all- and went under. I came up laughing. There is something about water that is so refreshing and cleansing. I understand why Jesus used it in the ways He did. We swam for quite awhile enjoying the waters warmth. Andrew tried to drown me a couple times and I baptized him Methodist style "sprinkle, sprinkle". Andrew gave me the "full emersion".
We started to fish and the first time Andrew's first cast brought in a nice blue-gill. Alternating catching we caught between us over ten fish. (That's not telling a tale) But it wasn't about the catching. We were just enjoying being alive. You know how there are those times in life when you think, this is why I'm here. Those moments you want to keep with you and remember. Not all that Hallmark movie stuff- just life. Being with a friend, catching fish.
We climbed a big tree as the sun was going down and talked Church, Religion, Eschatology, and living life differently. There is something sacred about Mulberry Hill. It feels like Holy Ground. People talk about making pilgrimages to Israel- but perhaps we all find our own Israels- those places we feel close to God. Any place can be an Israel.

Fishing is a noble past time.