Some cute video clips

Anika the magnet sleuth


Sisterly Love


Anika's jolly monkey feet


Anika & the change pad dilemma

The attack of the killer turkeys

Springtime air is making its presence known and Duane thought it a good time to let the turkeys run loose amidst the yard.

Over the winter, we discovered that Daisy was infact Daisy “Duke”. We were wondering why one turkey kept getting bigger and puffier and uglier!! He never posed much of a problem; however, you could tell he was becoming a little territorial when we’d come into the coop to feed the goats and the chickens in the morning. He would just slowly walk towards you, excect when you turned your back… that thing could creep up behind you eerily fast! Every now and again, I would puff myself up with my big winter jacket and let him know who was boss.

The three turkeys have been enjoying their new found freedom these last two days; however, when I walked into my kitchen to look out the window yesterday, I let out a little scream when perched right there were our massive turkeys pecking at the window… and admist them, the big ugly Daisy Duke himself looking at me with some sort of new found power… can you say “creeeeeepy”? Tapping on the window showed an eager-to-peck-my-fingers-off side of the turkeys I had never seen before. Once again… creeeeeepy!

Just now, Anika and I were looking out the window and noticed them grazing just below near the bushes. Anika couldn’t quite see them so I decided to wrap her in my jacket and take her out for a quick peek. As soon as we got out there, Daisy Duke came barrelling towards us puffed up like a peacock or some war-adorned warrior. Normally, just pretending to kick at him would ward off any uncomfortable approaches, but he barely flinched as he continued to come right at us. I started running for the steps and sure enough was stuck having to turn my back to go up the stairs with Anika. The stinking crazy bird flew up and tried attacking my back!! Our poor neighbours… I screamed bloody murder! Sadly, no one has come to see if everything is fine yet… how reassuring. Gotta love country life!

This is worse than having guard dogs! I don’t even feel safe trying to get out of my house. I have to see my midwife this afternoon so I’ll have to get the van armed with my frying pan. Home sweet home…

So I just phoned Duane at work quite shaken up and we may be having Turkey for dinner sometime in the next few days. Anyone up for a feast?

Men!

Ever since we have introduced solid food to Anika’s diet, the routine has been: placing her in her chair, putting on her bib, pulling the highchair up close and then holding her little hand as we say, “Thank you God, for this food. In Jesus’ name… AAaaaaaaamen!”

Every now and again when we are all sitting together and we bow our heads, Duane will lead us in prayer and Anika will wait anxiously to hear Duane say “…in Jesus’ name…” because we all chime in together and say, “AAAAaaaaaamen!” It has been a couple of months now that she joins in but the priceless thing is her little voice yelling “MEN!”

So I chuckle because I think us women can relate to yelling this in exasperation at times… and perhaps more prayerfully than we realize! LOL!

The best part was when I was in a hurry one day and I sat Anika down for her lunch. I scooped a spoonful and started it towards her hungry mouth when she looked at me and said “MEN!” Woops! Even my baby is humbly reminding me to give thanks to God for the abundance and nourishment we know in our lives.

For those who believe adults are the ones to teach children clearly have never had their own!

Imagine That!

Last week, Anika and I were playing with her tea party set and I pretended to pick at some food on my little plate and ate it. “Mmmmm” I said to Anika as she looked at my fingers and then my plate. I did it again and she smiled. I picked at my plate once more and started to bring the imaginary piece of yumminess to Anika’s mouth. To my delight, she opened her mouth, pretended to chew and said “mmmmm”. Next, she picked at her own plate and shared with me!!

It’s so much fun to be witness to someone else discovering pieces of our world, both the tangible and the intangible. It’s one thing when they discover grass or their reflection in the mirror. But it’s a whole other feeling when you witness them discovering thought, memory and make belief. The mind is so powerful… thoughts direct our actions and reactions… I pray that I can nurture Anika’s discovery of this in the most life-giving way. God almighty, give me the wisdom to shed Your light upon my children’s discoveries… that they may see you in all things. Amen.

And TRUTH shall set you free

I think I can safely say that I have spent my whole life living a willingness to share very deeply and openly with anyone and everyone. Why is that?

Afterall, there is incredible risk in being misunderstood and judged.

There is incredible risk in being written off as flaky.

There is incredible risk in someone assuming there is an ulterior motive at play.

And while these risks can leave me scared enough to just keep my mouth shut, I continue to believe that in scattering the seeds of truth, even if only my own, with faith there can be growth in places I didn’t know to anticipate.

Someone asked me once, “what do you benefit in sharing your intimate life details with others?”

Benefit? If I did it strictly for my own sake, what would be the benefit considering the risks I mentioned above? When I share, it is with the deepest HOPE that others will not feel alone. It is with the deepest HOPE that others will feel invited to open up and shed their burdens that prevent their own growth. It is with the deepest HOPE that someone will recognize that I risked my heart in trust… and that must make them special. And with the deepest HOPE that in sharing, they will allow me (and others) to LOVE them.

I suppose there is a part of me that believes that if I confess my sins openly, that I am accepting accountability. It’s one thing to confess to God who is already all-knowing. I am not telling Him something He doesn’t already know. I never worry about being misunderstood by Him because I know He journeyed in my heart, trying to guide me despite my ignorance while making mistakes. I can recount my steps with Him and identify where I chose not to listen. I know that while there is fair judgment, there is always unconditional love.

But it’s so scary when you share your mistakes with others who do not know what you contemplated in your mind before choosing wrongly. All you are showing them is the end result of your mistake and that can leave many to believe nothing had been learned at all, or that heartlessness is prevalent in my heart… and that’s what makes me ache in taking the risks I do.

But without fail, every time I have risked, someone has approached me and shared deeply in return. Is it not worth the risk, then, that among a hundred people with whom I share, ninety-nine may judge me and write me off while only one’s heart may be moved to shed their own burdens and be freed?

I have just opened my bible for guidance and lo and behold I came across the parable in Matthew 18 about the lost sheep. I am struck by the same choice in numbers that I used above:
“What do you think a man does who has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost? He will leave the other ninety-nine grazing on the hillside and go and look for the lost sheep. When he finds it, I tell you, he feels far happier over this one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost. In just the same way your Father in heaven does not want any of these little ones to be lost.”

Does this not affirm taking that risk? And earlier on, I came across:
“I assure you that unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven. The greatest in the Kingdom of heaven is the one who humbles himself and becomes like this child. And whoever welcomes in my name one such child as this, welcomes me.”

I am most humbled when I share openly. Should not my brethren rejoice rather than take offence or become uncomfortable? Should not my brethren welcome me in my vulnerability rather than judge? But if my sharing makes anyone uncomfortable, my HOPE again is that their boundaries be challenged… challenged so as to either welcome growth in their existing faith or else solidify what is already there. Perhaps making others uncomfortable is not so bad afterall? Not everyone is ready to hear or welcome truth… but truth does not live in convenience. Truth always challenges. How else could Jesus use the simplest sentence of truth yet cause incredible uproar?

So I will continue to be who I am and be fearless in my prayer and hope that TRUTH will challenge others… yet through that challenge, they will discover freedom.

Perhaps it is similar to my “bad dancer” theory. Anytime I have been to a social or dance of some sort and the dance floor is empty, I gather up my courage and go on the dance floor and dance like an idiot. Why? Others will laugh and think I’m a loser! But you know what? Within five minutes, the dance floor is full. I am guessing that some believe “hmm, no matter how badly I dance, I won’t look as bad as that poor girl.”

Maybe if I confess and share openly, others will feel they can, too.

“and they would turn to me, says God, and I would heal them.”

Tell me, then... is that not worth the risk?