Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Getting Back Up

by Donna L. Watkins

If you haven't heard of Irwin Rosenberg, here's his inspiring story from The Word For You Today:

© 2009 Donna L. Watkins - Male Bullfrog on Rock in Our Pond
"As a junior officer he was discharged from the Navy when he was diagnosed with cancer. That was the standard military procedure at the time. But he was determined to get back both his health and his job. At one point he was given only two weeks to live. But through faith and dogged determination his cancer was eventually brought under control.

Irwin then focused his attention on becoming a naval officer again, but he discovered that Navy regulations forbade reinstatement of a person discharged with cancer.

Everyone around him said, "Give up. It can't be done. It would take an Act of Congress to get you reinstated." Their advice gave him an idea - he'd pursue an Act of Congress.

After years of waiting, petitioning, cutting through red tape and battling bureaucracy, President Truman eventually signed into law a special bill that allowed Irwin Rosenberg to reenlist in the Navy - and go on to become a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Seventh Fleet!"


It sounds like Irwin knew what his calling in life was all about. You have to know what your purpose is to be so determined and full of faith enough to bring it about with God's guidance. Determination is a great character quality, but after awhile if that's your only weapon against tragedy and failure, it will become rusty and not work as well as it used to.

There was a time when I thought determination was all I needed. Yes, I wanted God's guidance and blessing on my plans ... but I didn't focus on what He wanted. I have a brain full of great ideas, but most of them have never been God ideas. Not long ago, I had an idea and got instantly excited and dove right into working it through. As I stumbled over some rocks (that should've made me pause to look up), I kept on going with determination in high gear. Then as the road turned to continual rocks, I already knew in my spirit that I had not asked if this was a project I was to do.

We will continue to make mistakes until we reach Heaven. That's not reason enough to condemn yourself. It's part of life and God uses it all for good in our lives if we focus on loving Him in it. When we condemn ourselves we are condemning God for allowing it to happen. We're human and He knows that. So, say, "Oops!" and repent and move on with a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to remind you in a louder voice next time. I know it's not the Holy Spirit that's lacking, it's that my brain doesn't take time to tune in when it's off and running with one of my great ideas.

So, first get the go-ahead from God, then gather up all the determination you have and go for it! Get back up or get started. There's no promises that you won't stumble over some rocks ... but God will make a way for you if you're on His mission and not your own.

What mission are you in the middle of right now? If it's been a continual struggle, you might check in with the Commander to make sure you've been assigned to this duty.

Related Articles:
What Is Your Purpose or Calling?
Marked For A Purpose

Hearing God's Voice
The book that is having a monumental impact on my life and way of living is one called, How To Hear God's Voice by Mark and Patti Virkler. The clear and detailed content with loads of Scriptural backup, along with the interactive process of applying what you are learning, is yielding a lot of spiritual fruit in my life and the life of my husband, the counselor, who is now promoting the book to everyone he knows. Your view of the present, past and future will never be the same when you begin to commune with God as He always intended us to do since He walked with man in the Garden of Eden. For those who yearn for a deeper relationship with the Father, this book will take you there if you read and apply it. The author promises that and I do too!


Copyright and Reprint Information
The photo(s) and article are copyrighted. You may use them if you include the following credit and active link back to this website:
© 2009 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission from TheNatureInUs.com.
The link URL is: http://www.TheNatureInUs.com

People and Pet Virtual Memorials

A virtual memorial is an online memorial website that celebrates the personal life story of a departed loved one, human or pet. It offers a way to honor a loved one in a way that can be shared with anybody online. I believe the process of creating one would be very healing.

Virtual Memorials was founded in 1996 and hosts thousands of online memorial websites. Memorials are created either as public to share with the world or made private. For private tributes, you must be invited by the memorial creator to visit and given a password.

Honoring memorials can include the following occasions:

Birthdays
Anniversaries
Infants
Children
Teenagers
Heros

Visit Virtual Memorials website to find free memorials or sponsored ones with a fee. They have also launched a site, Critters.com for pet memorials.

Top 10 Uses for Vinegar

Still not convinced that vinegar is a must-have in every home? Check out this list.

1 - Cleaning drains: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda in the drain, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar; the mixture will foam as it cleans and deodorizes. Use every few weeks to keep drains clean.

2 - Mildew on plastic shower curtains: Put the shower curtain in the washing machine with light-colored towels; add 1 cup white vinegar to the detergent and wash.

3 - Soap scum on shower: Spray on vinegar, scrub and rinse.

4 - Toilet hard-water rings: Shut off water at the tank and flush to remove as much water as possible. Spray vinegar on the ring, sprinkle in borax and scrub with drywall sandpaper.

Read rest of article: Top 10 Uses for Vinegar at DIYnetwork.com.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Royalty Going Green Around The World

From the House of Windsor in Britain to the Alawi dynasty in Morocco, members of royal families around the globe aren't just playing polo and lolling on the French Rivera--some are using their famous names and hereditary wealth to do good for the environment.

Yes, royals have massive (and multiple) homes, jet around the world, and generally live lavish lifestyles with carbon footprints to match, but their high global profiles mean when they power their castles with renewable energy, grow organic vegetable gardens, or champion environmental causes, people take note.

Get your best bow or curtsy ready, you're about to meet eight princes, princesses, and queens from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East who know that 'green' is more than just a color on a flag or family crest. Read the entire article.

Keeping Peace in Your Household

The devil loves to stir up strife in a family. Nobody can get to us more than those who are closest to us and this gives way for many misunderstandings and arguments. A peaceful household is hard to find. Maybe Smith Wigglesworth's thoughts can encourage us to create a more peaceful place that we call home.

Being a Peacemaker
From the Smith Wigglesworth Devotional


"Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" - Ephesians 4:3

Of all the things God intends for us to be, He intends for us to be peacemakers. I won't find a Scripture to help me make this point any better than Matthew 5:23-24:

"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."

Most Christians are satisfied with the first meaning of this passage, but the second meaning is deeper. Most people believe it is perfectly right, if you have offended another, to go to that person and say, "Please forgive me," and you win your brother when you take that part.

But this is the deeper sense: "If you ... remember that your brother has something against you," go and forgive him his transgressions. It is so much deeper than getting your own side right, to go and get his side right by forgiving him of all that he has done.

That will be a stepping stone to very rich grace in the area of keeping "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Someone may say, "I cannot forgive them because she did that and he said that. You know, he didn't recognize me at all. And he hasn't smiled at me for at least six months." Poor thing! May God help you through evil report and good report (2 Cor. 6:4,8). God can take us right through if we get to the right side of grace.

Friends, when you get to the place of forgiving your brother who has something against you, you will find that that is the greatest ideal of going on to perfection, and the Lord will help us "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." The "bond of peace" is an inward bond between you and another child of God. Oh, glory to God!

God wants us to have a pure love, a love that always helps someone else at its own expense.

Check out Smith Wigglesworth Books. My favorite is the devotional so I can have a little piece of Smithy every morning.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Is The Bible Confusing?

by Donna L. Watkins

Some people don't read the Bible because they say it's confusing and contradicts itself. Poor excuse, but there are many excuses for those who don't want to study God's Word and get to truly know the Creator of this universe and the only True and Living God of this world.

The Bible offers contrasts, just as God offers us free will to make choices in our lives. Ecclesiastes says there is a time for everything. Life has many seasons. We have to seek our Maker to know what we are to do in each season, each year, month and day of our lives. If you buy a new swing set or an electronic build-it package, you read the manual written by the creator of these things so you know how to put it all together and how to use it.

We need to know how to put it all together in our lives and how to use them for our own good and the good of others. The Bible and spending time with God teaches us how to use our minds and bodies while we're here on this earth. To live successfully, you don't need another self-improvement series, you need the Creator's manual.

We need to soak in God's presence daily. On some days, I need that shower of love and grace several times throughout the day. Like any good friend we've cultivated, God is always there for us. We can enter into His presence and wash away the concerns, fears and worries in seconds. You might say that you don't feel like God is there for you, which contradicts what the Bible says .... so I must ask. Have you been spending time with God daily, like you would a good friend who would always be there for you?

We have to cultivate friendships ... even with God. If we don't know what it feels like to be with God, we won't know He's there when we need Him. Consider John 15:13-15:

"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father."

Do we know what Jesus made known to His friends? Have we eaten the bread of life from His Word, chewed on it and memorized it so we know our Friend intimately? Do we lay down our lives and agendas desiring only to be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1)?

The principle of the harvest isn't just for agricultural pursuits. All of life operates on the principle of sowing and reaping. We go to school to sow knowledge into our minds (reading, writing, etc.) so we can prepare to provide for ourselves, family and others.

We sow in time with God, so we can provide for the times when we need to feel His close abiding presence. If we have not made Him our Friend, it will seem that He is distant and not there for us. Consider a prophecy shared by Mark Virkler:

"My children, fear not your weaknesses. Be not discouraged by them. Are they mightier than I? Are they greater than the living God? NO! They are not! No! They are simply to be consumed by MY Power. Even as you are consumed in MY Presence, so are your weaknesses consumed by MY Power. MY Power and MY Presence are one. Therefore when you are consumed by your weakness, you are not consumed in MY Presence. Conversely, when you are consumed in MY Presence, MY Power has consumed you, and your weaknesses are no more. So come, My Children, unto Me, and you shall be healed."

God is the greatest Friend any one can have. Spend time walking and talking with Jesus and understanding who He is. It's easy to judge somebody when you don't know them. If you don't know Christ intimately, it's easy to say "the Bible is confusing." But it's the only manual for life we have that works ... so making the choice to consume it is a wise one.

Hearing God's Voice
The book that is having a monumental impact on my life and way of living is one called, How To Hear God's Voice by Mark and Patti Virkler. The clear and detailed content with loads of Scriptural backup, along with the interactive process of applying what you are learning, is yielding a lot of spiritual fruit in my life and the life of my husband, the counselor, who is now promoting the book to everyone he knows. Your view of the present, past and future will never be the same when you begin to commune with God as He always intended us to do since He walked with man in the Garden of Eden. For those who yearn for a deeper relationship with the Father, this book will take you there if you read and apply it. The author promises that and I do too!


Copyright and Reprint Information
The photo(s) and article are copyrighted. You may use them if you include the following credit and active link back to this website:
© 2009 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission from TheNatureInUs.com.
The link URL is: http://www.TheNatureInUs.com

Save Energy, Score Cash

Sure, everyone knows that saving energy saves money by lowering utility bills. Well, now you can get paid for saving energy at home by registering at MyEmissionsExchange.com. This free website pays registered users for lowering their monthly utility bills.

After you sign up, you can earn rewards by showing that you’ve reduced your electric, natural gas, propane or fuel oil bill from the same month a year ago.

You must prove 12 months of bill history before you start earning rewards; most utility bills display a year’s worth of billing history. All you have to do is input a recent utility bill. As you reduce your energy use, you gain “personal carbon credits,” verified by MyEmissionsExchange.com. Read the entire article.

Getting and Training a Deaf Dog

I decided to write a post that would do just that - raise awareness about deaf dogs. I also wanted to help answer some questions that people who are considering adopting and training a deaf dog might ask. In order to do this, I needed to seek the help of someone much more knowledgeable about the subject, so I recruited Seattle Dog Trainer Stormi King for an interview.

Stormi had originally gotten in touch with me when she heard I was photographing for the Deaf Dog photo book. When she said she had a deaf American Pit Bull Terrier named Jack who had his Canine Good Citizen certificate, his United Kennel Club Companion Dog obedience title, and was titled as a therapy dog, I knew I had to photograph Jack for the book!

Read the interview with Stormi.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Recycling Tennis Balls

Do you know that this year over 557 million tennis balls will be manufactured globally. And do you know what happens to these tennis balls when you are finished with them? Not much!

The majority end up being dumped in landfills. To date very little recycling of tennis balls has been done, but now you can discover the many ways you can recycle tennis balls and help your environment.

If you love tennis then find out how you can recycle your tennis balls easily and efficiently. Visit RecyleTennisBalls.com.

Better than recycling ... a company is now recharging them so they can be reused. Visit Rebounces.com

Spiritual Health Promotes Physical Health

From Creation Moments

Most Christians realize that going to church, and worshiping in earnest, keeps them spiritually healthier. Now, a new study by Duke University researchers backs up an earlier study that people who attend church at least once a week do have better health and live longer lives.

Researchers interviewed almost 4,000 people between the ages of 64 and 101 each year for seven years. They asked about general health, their social activities and alcohol and tobacco use. During the seven year period, weekly church goers were 28 percent less likely to die than those who were not regular worshipers or did not worship at all.

The head of the study cautioned that the study does not show that those going to church for health reasons will get better. Rather, he said that it shows that those who attend worship for religious reasons have better health and live longer.

An earlier study in California tracked over 5,000 people ages 21 through 65 over 28 years producing similar results. Other studies have shown that regular church goers tend to have lower blood pressure, less depression and stronger immune systems than those who don't worship regularly.

We should stress that attending church simply to gain better health is not a conclusion of these studies. These studies were concerned with finding possible correlations between attitude and general health. The results indicate a relationship between spiritual health and physical health. Visit Creation Moments.

Copyright and Reprint Information
The photo(s) and article are copyrighted. You may use them if you include the following credit and active link back to this website:
© 2009 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission from TheNatureInUs.com.
The link URL is: http://www.TheNatureInUs.com

Friday, October 16, 2009

Silver Shield For Pets

Colloidal silver has become a popular alternative treatment for many of pet owners health concerns for their animals. The immune system support spectrum that Silver Shield provides surpasses anything on the market. With all the research, testing and long-term uses documented, Silver Shield has been proven to be safe and effective for everyone, including children, the elderly and pets.

The Silver Sol technology is a patented process that provides great antimicrobial effective at even lower concentrations of use. It's non-toxic and safe because of the size and useability of its silver particles. This is one item with many uses that you can have in your natural medicine chest for your family and pets.

Uses for Pets

• Make a spray bottle of it with water (8 oz. water to 1/2 t. Silver Shield) to spray pet's coat, rubbing down into the skin. Can also be used on bedding to disinfect.

• Add to the drinking bowl for daily immune support and fresher breath.

• A drop in each eye or several drops in each ear will help with eye or ear infections.

• Use on wounds, cuts and skin issues. It's soothing and dries quickly, reducing inflammation and aiding in quicker healing time.

Read about more uses that can be adapted for pets.
Learn about How Silver Shield Works. Purchase Silver Shield at wholesale prices. Read more about Silver Shield.

GMO Dandelions Replacing Rubber Trees

Pop off most dandelion heads and, just for a second, white sap oozes freely from the wound. Pop the head off a new genetically engineered dandelion, however, and white sap oozes for minutes, allowing scientists to gather five times more latex than from the average dandelion.

The research could lead to a variety of new or cheaper products, including new car tires or even new pharmaceutical drugs.
'We have identified the enzyme responsible for the rapid polymerization and have switched it off,' explained Dirk Prufer, a scientist at Fraunhofer Institute in Munich, Germany, who is developing the technology.

'If the plants were to be cultivated on a large scale, every hectare would produce 500 to 1000 kilograms (1100 to 2200 pounds) of latex per growing season.'

For thousands of years, most of the world's rubber has come from tropical rubber trees. A diagonal cut in the trunk allows the white latex to drip into hanging cans, which can then be harvested and eventually turned into a variety of different materials.

Natural rubber contains trace amounts of biological impurities, however. For car tire makers, those impurities give vulcanized rubber a give and elasticity they can't get anywhere else. For some hospital workers, however, those same impurities can trigger life-threatening allergic reactions. Read entire article: Tech Helps Dandelions Ooze

Gijoujungnainermik

From The Word For You Devotional

In a comedy routine Joe complains to Jerry about the irritating habit of a mutual friend who pokes his finger into people's chests when he talks to them. Then Joe shows Jerry a little vial of highly explosive nitroglycerin attached to a string and explains, "This is going around my neck, hanging over the spot where he sticks his finger. The next time he does it, he'll pay!"

And so will Joe! Because an eye for an eye becomes a neck for a neck, a job for a job, and a reputation for a reputation! Paul says, "Forgive ... because the Lord forgave you."

Get over it before it turns into hatred! Moravian missionaries searched for a word for forgiveness in the Eskimo language. That's when they discovered "issumagijoujungnainermik," a 24-letter tongue-twister which literally means "not being able to think about it any more."

Genuine forgiveness is about moving on, and refusing to think any more about what happened. It's easy to forgive the one-time offender who cuts you off in traffic, but repeat offenders like Saul who continually pursued and threatened David, must be turned over to God. You don't have to endorse their behavior or pretend it didn't happen. Be merciful, but keep your distance.

After confronting Saul, David didn't take him out to dinner. The Bible says, "Saul returned home, but David ... went up to the stronghold" (I Sam 24:22). You can forgive the offender without pursuing a close relationship with him. Paul writes, "Watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way ... Keep away from them" (Romans 16:17). Forgiveness isn't foolishness; it's just seeing the offender through God's eyes.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Conies In The Rocks

by Donna L. Watkins

David and Solomon speak of conies in Psalms and Proverbs and one translation calls them "rock badgers." In Hebrew the word is 'shaphan' which means “the hider.” “Coney” is an obsolete English word for “rabbit.”

© Property of www.dicts.info - Coney
The coney is an animal which inhabits the mountain gorges and the rocky districts of Arabia Petraea and the Holy Land. It's about the size and color of a rabbit, though clumsier, and not able to run fast like one.

It looks like a mole, but the feet are not formed for digging. So he makes use of his own design and skills and takes refuge in the rocks. They are small and weak (like we feel in our worst hours), yet they have the wisdom to find security in the rocks.

The spiritual comparison is compelling. Aren't we instructed to take refuge in The Rock? Like the badger we can only find real true security in The Rock. This message of security given by the Lord is found throughout scripture:

Ps. 18:2: "The Lord is my Rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust...."

Ps. 40:2 "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a Rock, and established my goings."

Ps. 61:2 "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I."

1Cor. 10:4 "...for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."

So what's the message of the coney for us?

Realize who you are in Christ and live as part of God's redeemed family. You have direct access to the Father and all the blessings and privileges that come with it.

Recognize your limitations don't limit God. You were never designed to operate in your own strength trying to provide your own refuge from the storms of life. God gives us support at either side of us and He is the Rock that will always stand firm no matter what your trial. Trials come and go, and they go a lot faster if we press into Christ, the Rock, to weather them.

Related Articles:
Winds Make Us Strong
Alone You Can't

Copyright and Reprint Information
The photo(s) and article are copyrighted. You may use them if you include the following credit and active link back to this website:
© 2009 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission from TheNatureInUs.com.
The link URL is: http://www.TheNatureInUs.com

Don't Use Bird Seed

I've had friends tell me they took their feeders down because they were tired of the "weeds" growing under the feeder. I asked them if they were buying regular bird seed and they affirmed they were with a look of "what else would we buy?"

Bird seed mixes are cheap but they're not keeping the nutritional considerations of the bird in mind when they develop them. We stopped using those products many years ago and began using black oil sunflower seeds because they were shown to attract the most species of birds and they contained a good fat content to satisfy the needs of birds for energy.

You can purchase these seeds at a feed and seed store in 50# bags. We also buy "screened cracked corn" because many of the ground birds like that and it keeps the squirrels busy and uninterested in the feeders. In the winter we buy proso millet to scatter around. Our doves love it! I avoid it in summer since the birds have plenty of seed sources on our wildlife habitat property and it sprouts too quickly into grass if it's left for long. If you'd like a mix to fill your feeders, make your own bird seed mix.

Spices Used as Pesticides

Herbs and spices used to flavor food are also green alternatives to synthetic pesticides, scientists say.

Oils from thyme, rosemary, mint, and other herbs and 'killer spices' are gaining favor among farmers as alternatives to synthetic pesticides, according to Murray Isman, an entomologist at the University of British Columbia in Canada. (Also see 'Killer Bugs Made Welcome on Green Farms.')

Sprayed onto crops like any garden-variety pesticide, the plant oils repel insects, similar to how chili peppers can repel elephants. Other oils kill pests outright, the study says.

Originally intended for the perfume and food-flavoring industries, the killer-spice oils are already available wholesale and may be headed to retail shelves if the new use catches on, the researchers say. Read the entire article.

Interesting that Isaiah 28:25 says, "Does he not level its surface. And sow dill and scatter cummin And plant wheat in rows, Barley in its place and rye within its area?"

Wonder if that means in Bible times they sowed spices in with grains? Very interesting.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Alone You Can't

by Donna L. Watkins

In Bible times, people feared a swarm of locusts more than the armies of their enemies. Locusts would literally black out the light of the sun, eat everything in sight, and bring an entire city to a standstill. They were unstoppable!

© 2009 Donna L. Watkins - Obedient Plant (False Dragonhead) with Bug

Locusts are related to grasshoppers and look similar, but locusts have a behavioral phase called the gregarious phase. When environmental conditions produce many green plants and promote breeding, locusts can congregate into thick, mobile, ravenous swarms. These clouds of locusts will devastate entire crops causing famine. They occur in many places of the world.

As an example in Africa, a desert locust swarm can be 460 square miles (1,200 square kilometers) in size. Consider that 40 - 80 million locusts can be in a swarm that is less than half a square mile (one square kilometer).

Doesn't that paint the picture of why they were so feared in the Bible? A swarm of such size would eat 423 million pounds (192 million kilograms) of plants every day. The locust isn't big, it's length is 2.75 inches (7 cm).

Locust swarms are typically in motion and can cover vast distances. In 1954, a swarm flew from northwest Africa to Great Britain. In 1988, another made the lengthy trek from West Africa to the Caribbean.

What's the message within the locust?

Don't quit! Gather with other Christians and swarm the Enemy. Your victory is eminent! Alone you can't, but together we can!

We became one with Christ when we accepted Him as our Savior. Do you need to do this first step now?

We live in Him and He lives in us as His illustration of the vine and the branches portrayed (John 15:5). We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13).

Do you know that locusts don't fly very well. Their wings are too narrow. But they can jump 200 times their own height and timing is what they look for. The locust waits for the wind to blow and then jumps and lets it carry him to his destination.

What's the message?

When God sends a wind to move you, be sure you move! Self-help books are fine, but when the rubber hits the road, we need His direction and guidance, because our wings don't have much power without Him. Take that leap of faith and let His Spirit take you where you need to go. All your flapping around trying to fix it won't get the job done.

Stay sensitive to the Spirit, learn How to Hear God's Voice, and follow His direction. It's never too late to catch another updraft and soar to victory. "Be strong and courageous ... for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" (Josh. 1:9).

The battle is over your future and the futures of your family. Don't let the Enemy who delights in your troubles bring you to his level with whining, doubt and unbelief. Don't let him rob you of your potential. Don't let him have your children. Don't let him steal your destiny!

When we get through the ordeal and the storm, we will be able to instill trust for God in others as we say, "My wings were too small to travel this far. My flapping around didn't get me anywhere, but when I leaned into God, He got me here. To Him be the glory, forever and ever." Amen!

Related Articles:
Surrender
Wind Makes Us Strong

References:
National Geographic
The Word For You Today

Copyright and Reprint Information

The photo(s) and article are copyrighted. You may use them if you include the following credit and active link back to this website:
© 2009 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission from TheNatureInUs.com.
The link URL is: http://www.TheNatureInUs.com

Earthworms For Great Soil

Earthworm is one of the slimiest creatures in this world. Though it looks so icky and repulsive on the outside, it is extremely useful for a human being. Earthworms improve the quality of the soil in which they reside. Apart from that, earthworms are also a source of food for many other creatures, like birds, rats and toads. They can survive in almost any type of soil, the only condition being that it should be moist, and thus, can be found throughout the world.

Interesting & Amazing Information on Earthworms

• Earthworms can survive only in moist soil. However, too much moisture is also not good for them.

• Earthworms are hermaphrodites i.e. a single individual has both female and male organs.

• An earthworm can replace or replicate lost segments. However, the extent of this ability depends upon the species as well as the amount of damage.

• Earthworms usually come out of the dirt after excessive rain storms, since the soil becomes too moist for them to survive.

• Earthworms can be found in almost every type of soil. At the same time, their number greatly increases with the improvement in the health of the soil.

• An earthworm does not have lungs. Rather, it breathes through its skin.

• There are basically four types of earthworms - Nightcrawlers, Garden Worms, Manure Worms and Red Worms.

• After digestion, earthworms produce excrement that is about the same size as a pin head.

• In times of drought, an earthworm can dig deep into its burrow, which can be as deep as six feet.

• Roto-tilling of the soil can be harmful to earthworms.

• Even though earthworms are hermaphrodites, they need to mate with another worm to produce offspring.

• Earthworms do not have eyes, but are extremely light sensitive.

• An earthworm can consume as much as one third of its body weight in a single day.

Source: I Love India.com
Learn more about Earthworms.

Get Lawn and Garden Ready For Winter

Garden Chores

Move terra-cotta and ceramic containers to a protected location like a garden shed or garage. Clean clay pots (figure A) to remove the excess salt or algae build-up and repair damaged ones.

Bring tender plants, such as tropicals and containerized plants, inside for overwintering. Replant in pots if necessary and place them in a garage, heated garden shed or indoor room. Take cuttings of annuals, such as coleus, and begin propagating new plants for next season.

Dig and store tender summer- and fall-flowering bulbs, such as dahlias. Plant spring-flowering bulbs like daffodils and tulips. Plant bulbs with their roots down (figure B). If the bulb has a sprout at the top, it can still be planted. Get more tips.

Singapore's Park in the Sky

Singapore's Telok Blangah Hill Park is a dreamscape for city-bound nature lovers. A sleek fly-over infrastructure of bridges and platforms elevates visitors above the forest floor to give them a 'monkey perspective,' with minimal effect on the greenery below, writes Pop-Up City.

The views also include a 360-degree panorama of the city, a reminder that the city isn't -- and needn't be -- far away from the country. (see photos on website link below).

Used as an important trading spot beginning in the early 19th century, the park has now found a more stable balance between the goings-on of the city and the buzz of the wilderness. Check out Singapore's Park in the Sky

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Hospice Tips for Pets

There's a local ministry called Peaceful Passings that provides hospice services for pets. Their website also provides a lot of information of tips that you can glean valuable insight into dealing with an elderly or ill pet that may be nearing death's door.

As animals age, they may experience physical ailments that cause them to feel discomfort. They may become frustrated with their own aging process. They might not hear as well as in younger years, their sight may be impaired, they may feel physically vulnerable when in the company of younger animals. They may have aches that they did have before, and/or soreness in their joints and muscles.

Be patient with your pet's changing moods and gradual decline. They may become grumpy sometimes--it's not their fault! Learn more about how to continue loving and caring for your pet.

Recently our cat, Squeek, aka Kitty Girl, was suffering from a life-threatening disease and complications. We had chosen to care for her at home. This website offered helpful tips during this process when we were wanting to avoid having her put to sleep. It turned out she had another life left of those nine lives, so she made it through with a lot of prayer from subscribers, friends and family.

If you ever need to face these circumstances, visit Peaceful Passings for some helpful tips.

Sistine Chapel Ceiling and God’s Creation

by Lee of Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus

Sistine Chapel Ceiling

Sistine Chapel Ceiling

“Imagine that you are the child of the famous painter, Michelangelo. You grew up watching your father paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Each stroke of the brush revealed his love, creative genius, and masterful perfection.”

Later in life, you visit the Chapel and see a tour guide giving his talk about how the painting came about. They are standing there in “awe under the grandeur of the artistic work” and then hears the guide boldly say words to this effect. “The ceiling occurred by naturalistic processes over countless years as water leaked through the roof and stained the plaster. The people are told by their expert guide that what appears as an intentionally designed work of beauty is strictly a chance occurence.”

“Would you not, as Michelangelo’s child, rise up in righteous indignation at the telling of such a flagrant lie? If the guide said that you father had used the random procedure of dripping water through the plaster to create the masterpiece, would that lie have been any more palatable?”

He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names. (Psalm 26:7)

He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names. (Psalm 26:7)

“The modern “tour guides” of our world are evolutionists who would have us believe that all of the purpose, eloquent design, and astronomical complexity of life just happened as chance naturalistic processes (such as mutations) formed life over billions of years. Liberal theologians would have us believe that God used such a process to make things.”

As Christians that believe the Word of God as truth, we should “boldly proclaim the truth so that more people may come to know the true Master Artist and come to trust His written revelation to mankind (the Bible)”

The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. (Proverbs 3:19)

Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? (Job 12:9)

By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; (Job 26:13)Earth from NASA

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. (Psalms 26:7)

That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: (Psalms 78:7)

*Quotes from “Evidence from Common Sense March 22,” in “A Closer Look at the Evidence,” by Richard & Tina Kleiss, (Bryce Gaudian, The Great Works Catalog, p22)

© 2009 Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus - This article was reprinted with permission from LeesBird.com.

New Solar Street Lights

The new street lights by Luna Eye are lightweight and compact so they ship easily, plus you can put them on an existing pole. Install them during the day, and you're ready to go by the time the sun goes down.

The units themselves can be clamped onto an existing pole, so no need for additional holes to be dug or poles to be sunk. Plus they use LED lights to optimize efficiency, a high-capacity lithium-ion battery for storage and the entire unit (panels, inverter, batteries, etc) are all contained in one unit so you don't have to deal with adding cables or installing additional boxes or components.

One interesting feature - the Luna Eye system dims and illuminates depending on whether someone is around or not. If there is movement, the infrared will sense it and increase illumination, otherwise the lights stay at a lower lighting level.

You can also choose between a one-lamp and two-lamp system depending on how much output you need. Read entire article: Play Street Ball All Night Long: Luna Eyes

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Be Sure You Know About Flu Vaccines



Our prevention program is Silver Sol - Silver Shield. We've seen it work in our household for the past two years for many immune system issues and recently feel it was a major part of saving the life of our cat who wasn't expected to live. The research is quite impressive. Check it out. Purchase Silver Shield at wholesale prices at TheHerbsPlace.com.

Woolch for Mulch Gardening

From commercial growing fields to home gardens, Woolch™ is the answer for those looking for increased yields with herbicide-free and pesticide-free weed control, moisture retaining mulch. No more plastic! When no longer needed for weed control, Woolch™ can simply be tilled in to the soil where it will biodegrade and release nitrogen. Hassle free disposal and great for your garden!

In most cases, Woolch™ provides effective weed control for two years. The wool mulch helps to increase yields, stabilize ground temperature, and retain moisture around plants. While the initial mulch installation is a bit labor intensive, the weed control results are worth it. For long term use with perennials, additional Woolch™ can be added on top of old mulch after the second year.

Field trials were done by mechanically planting strawberries, then hand placing the strips of mulch over the rows, splitting the mulch above each plant, and pulling it to the surface. The field testing was done at the West Central Research and Outreach Center, University of Minnesota in Morris with support provided by the Minnesota Agricultural Utilization Research Institute. For more information about the field trials, visit: http://fruit.coafes.umn.edu. Large rolls (5 ft x 75 ft) are available for commercial use.

For smaller applications, an easier way to install is to place the mulch strip where you want your rows after the soil has been prepared. Then poke a hole in the mulch using your garden trowel/hoe and place your seedling in the hole.

Woolch™ is a blend of about 50% wool fibers and slightly less than half toothpick-size wood shavings. The wool is waste fiber created by the carding machines at the beginning of the yarn making process and by napping machines near the end of the blanket-making process at a local Minnesota woolen mill.

The wood is a waste by-product created from virgin timber as it goes through the sawmill process. These wool and wood fibers are then blended together via a roller and heat process at a small family operated company on the edge of the Minnesota Iron Range region. The green color is created using a soybean-based dye. Available for purchase online.

Winds Make Us Strong

by Donna L. Watkins

Have you ever planted a tree in your yard? Some are a bit weak when they're young so they have to be staked. You put a pole on each side and take wire or strong string, loop it through an old piece of hose (so the trunk is not damaged from the pressure), and you tie that from the tree to the stake. It supports it in the winds and in its growth.

© 2009 Donna L. Watkins - Tree at Boxerwood Nature Center, Lexington, VA


When the winds come the tree will hold up under the pressure and it will grow strong IF you've left a bit of slack in the line. Slack in the line? How does that provide strength and stability? Shouldn't it be tied tight so the tree doesn't sway at all?

No, because God has purpose in the winds of our life, and He has purpose in the winds for the trees also. God designed trees to grow thicker and stronger with the winds of time. When gusts blow on it, the tree builds caliper (thickness) at its base and that causes it to send down more roots for added stability. At first the tree can only stand breezes, but as it gradually builds up strength from each breeze and wind, it eventually will be able to withstand gale force winds.

God does the same for us. The winds (turmoil, troubles and trials) that come into our life are for a purpose. They strengthen us if we allow them to as James 1:2-4 says:

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Notice it says "let endurance have." Sounds to me like we have a choice in the matter. We can complain and look for support poles on all sides of us to hold us tight against the winds of pain, grief and dying hope, but it's not what God wants us to do. He wants us to lean into Him, to bend just enough into the problem that we will be strengthened in our faith and we will have endurance to last a lifetime as we build upon it year after year.

When a tree is staked without the slack in the line, it hinders the growth of the tree. The root system won't develop properly and the tree stays wobbly, unsteady and weak in the winds. There is a great possibility that it will be blown to the ground, uprooted to die.

So, next time you're wanting somebody to hold you up in the winds of life, remember that God raises us like well-staked trees if we'll let Him. He will hold on to us so we don't collapse, but He will allow us to go through storms, tornadoes and hurricanes so that we might become the great in Him.

Consider Isaiah 61:2-3:
" .... To comfort all who mourn, To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

We are His workmanship ... if we do not glorify God we will have a pitiful life trying to glorify ourselves or others.

Without the winds we would remain frail, weak and emotionally deformed. As we face the winds of disease, death of loved ones, aging, divorce, loss of finances, parenting nightmares, or even our own self-doubt which can kill us cell by cell.

Our choice is to bend with the struggle. Stay in the Word and you will survive and be more peaceful and joyful from the experience ... if you have withstood the storms as instructed:

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4)

Let us sway together in the heavenly breeze that God sends to cool our spirits so we will lean in to the warmth of His heart. We will be mighty oaks of righteousness in a forest of glory.

Copyright and Reprint Information
The photo(s) and article are copyrighted. You may use them if you include the following credit and active link back to this website: © 2009 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission from TheNatureInUs.comThe link URL is: http://www.TheNatureInUs.com

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