Author Archives: mittonmusings

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About mittonmusings

A Canadian, lifestyle blog with an inspirational twist!

Why We Need to Count: Exploring Numbers in Faith and Life

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According to the initial counts, 113.06 million people watched the Super Bowl game this week. That’s a lot of people. Our family was among them. Well… the television was on at least. It is estimated that 500 people are killed by hippos each year. It’s an estimated number because nobody wants to be picking fights with hippos. The number of chickens in the world has more than doubled since 1990. I’m not surprised. Chickens are great. Statistics. The numbers are everywhere… for every thing. A quick Google search can find you the numbers for just about anything you want to know about. I wonder who counts. We have a friend who’s job it is to present sport’s stats to the television hosts. Where do his numbers come from? Is there some kid out on the field who has a marker and a whiteboard and tally marks every play? Or who counts every malaria carrying mosquito out in the jungle? How on earth? It’s where my brain is going this week… who ? Why? Why do we need to know?

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

Markets rise and fall. Corporations have departments full of bean counters just to tell them how their businesses are doing. It seems like everyone needs to know “the numbers” these days. And if the numbers don’t add up? We change, we brainstorm for better programs, better means to an end, better “stats”. We all like to see the numbers add up to our efforts. Unfortunately… churches do the same. And I am not sure it is all good. Now, I appreciate numbers. I understand the reasoning behind gathering statistics… why put effort into something if you get poor results? My scientific brain (and my lazy work ethic and pessimistic outlook) says why work harder than you need to for little or no result? Yet, I can’t help but wonder…. is it right?

Ethically, I suppose there is nothing morally wrong with working towards a program (at church or otherwise) that only generates positive results. Why else would there be marketers who study these things? Is it for dollar signs only? Do churches have a saved soul account? I just found out my favourite farm store is going out of business. A numbers game has forced them to declare bankruptcy. Online shopping strikes again. I’m showing my age here, but what about the little guy who works behind the counter? Yeah, I still go to the check out lady. People over points. I think each person is important to God. He loves us all : uniquely.

Still, I recently read an article that said God does, in fact, care about numbers. Why else would He give the Great commission? “Go into All the world”… we are to tell anyone and everyone. I get that. There are an elect few that will choose the narrow way… but that part is not our job. Our job is to tell our story. On the other hand, the Bible talks about how the shepherd leaves behind the 99 sheep in search for the one (single) sheep who has gone astray. I guess you could say numbers count… but God sees the numbers in individual people. Does that make sense?

Perhaps that doesn’t make sense. Perhaps, the numbers don’t add up, shall we say. Does God care about quality of life? Or quantity? I don’t have an answer. I now have more questions than when I started this post. And I am more confused by my own questions. Good grief! I suppose that’s how it goes sometimes in our spiritual journeys. Sometimes there are more questions than answers. And that’s okay. I’m sure there are statistics about that, too.

I guess the point is this: the Super Bowl is going to get played. People are going to watch. Others are not going to care about anything besides the half time show. Others will care about the coin toss or the colour of Gatorade. The players on their teams are simply going to do the best job they can at playing the game hard to win points. That’s all we can ask of ourselves. Do what you can. Share your story. Help others share their story. Support the community who is trying to serve. Play the game. Let the angel with the whiteboard and tally marks take care of the numbers. I’m pretty sure we can check the score boards later.

Finding Support in Snowstorms: A Journey Home

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Well, my friends, it has been a winter wonderland recently out here at #Itsnotta Farm! The big fluffy flakes are still coming down as I type tonight, and it is supposed to keep coming for a few more hours… here’s hoping I can get out to work tomorrow! Which is where my muse meets us for this week’s post: travelling home from work last week! Usually, by the time I am heading home from work it is beginning to get dark. My commute is about 12 minutes on a good day… along two fairly decent two lane “highways”. One day last week was whiteout conditions. Now, when the weatherman says whiteout out here, it means the snow drifts across the farmer’s fields… and with the predicted 100 kilometer winds, the snow piled up deep and fast!

Photo by Apti Newim on Pexels.com

So here was my scenario… it’s dark, the wind is whipping across the fields, driving snow over and across the roads. It’s not bad driving along until: BAM you hit the snow drift at 60 clicks. Cars were spun out and dotting the road here and there. I moved slow and tried to see ahead for the dangers… almost home. Just before the turn off onto our street… flashing yellow lights. Big 18 wheeler in the ditch and the flatbed tow truck in my lane. Okay angels, get me around and back into my own lane safely…phew. Signal well in advance to turn… here I go….and OOOF.

I literally could not see in front of my face… the snow was blowing so hard between our two farmers fields I could not see… and the snow drift it created was about 3 feet high. Do I gun it and hope I make it only to get stuck deep in the middle of the drift? Do I call it here? Do I turn around and head back 10 minutes and try my luck at the other end of the road? Quick prayers and call for help. “Hi honey… I am abandoning the car here at the end of the road and walking home… no I can’t see, yes, I am fine, yes …I suppose it is stuck….I have boots…” I struggle to put my boots on and hit the flashers. I am now a country girl… I can do this. I’m so close to home, I made it this far… I can’t feel my face…

Just then, I see the head lights of a large truck… my farmer neighbour pulls up along the other side of the now 30 foot long drift. I smile my dumb-city-girl-moved-to-the country-and-can’t-drive-in-the-snow smile. “You okay? I’m going to go get my plow… be 15 minutes” as he drives his big truck through and back around. (At least now the wind had died down enough to see each other). Another set of headlights on the other end of the drift… Hubby has arrived! I drudge through the pile of snow, bare feet shoved in winter boots, purse, keys, lunch bag and shoes gathered around me as the wind whipped at my face like a scene from some crazy adventure story… I hopped in the van and drove home while my superhero hubby waited for the good Samaritan farmer to come back with the plow to get the car through. I am sure they both had a laugh at my expense and an exchange of words about country weather. I thank them both for “rescuing me”.

Not my real neighbour… but you get the idea!

As I thought about this, I wonder how many times have people needed to be rescued in life? Many of us. In fact, I am guessing all of us at some point need rescuing. We go through life’s trials slowly… trying to see ahead and making cautious choices to move around the flashing yellow lights. We put the high beams on and press forward. We almost make it home… and then we turn the corner and get hit with the drift that is just too big to plow through without help.

Are you hearing it, my friend? Have you been there struggling to put on your boots when you can’t feel your face and plan to “walk home” leaving the troubles behind? Luckily, God provides a Way. He sends community to help. It’s not just coincidence that neighbours just happen to be out driving in snowstorms. Phone calls are readily available. In 2025, we have no excuses not to check in on one another. Many of us are blinded by our surroundings. We can’t feel our faces, but we are determined to make it on our own. Until we get stuck. I was in no real danger. Yet, many of us are hiding our troubles, cruising along on our own until: BAM we hit the drift full force. Joyfully, God is right there waiting for us… we simply need to ask… and He’ll plow the way and clear the storm. He doesn’t promise the snow will stop, or that the wind won’t blow…. but He’ll be there to dig us out of the ditch when we veer off the road.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

So, beloveds, if you don’t need rescuing this week… be the neighbour. Bring the plow around and clear the way for someone else to maneuver through the snowdrifts of life. Be there at the other end of the call when someone threatens to walk home alone like a crazy person. Flash the yellow lights and be a guide for what may be ahead. Protect and pray. I’ll be thinking of you as we dig our way out of this current dumping … and hoping I make it to work in the morning! Blessings, my friends!

The Story of Nieve: A Cat Named for Winter

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I wanna tell you a little story about how our female cat came to arrive at our house. I’ve always had long haired Persians or Himalayan pure bred cats, but the breed standard was changing and the push face Persian was no longer my favourite. So, we (okay I) researched the next pretty kitty and discovered a Birman breeder about an hour or two from where we were living at the time. I wanted a boy. Boy cats are always better (we can debate that later… but trust me). A litter of kittens later and long story short, a girl is what we got, so we just went with it. After all, she was a cute little bundle of fluffy white fur, and declared my birthday present to myself. I had to wait for some time before she arrived, but the real story comes on the day of her pick up to come home.

Dec. 17, 2016….worth the trip!

We drove the hour plus in a blinding snowstorm, complete with freezing rain, wind and white outs. The hubby was determined to please his wife, and so we continued on the journey arriving with carrier in hand to complete the sale. Upon arrival, after a somewhat harrowing trip, he refused to “talk cat” with two crazy cat ladies, so he decided to wait in the car as we went over pedigrees and plans. More than likely resting from the white knuckling drive. Finally the little bundle of joy was wrapped snug in her little blankie… but the car battery(exhausted by the wait) was now dead. A few choice words later and a boost from the breeder’s husband… both men seemingly weary from the chit chat of the said crazy cat ladies… the vehicle roared once more and we were finally on our way.

Now, I tell you this story to paint the picture of how “Nieve” got her name. A breeder often lists litters by alphabet, and this litter was “N”, so we searched for names depicting ice, snow, sleet etc. Nieve means “snow” in Spanish. It worked… and it stuck. Yup, around here, the weather is worth naming your cat after. We live in Canada. It’s cold. We now have a farmer’s field in front of us and field behind us. The wind whips through our yard like a tyrant on a rampage. It’s cold. I drove home in the dark the other night and hit a snow drift pushed across the road from the fields north of us. I slid through it. It’s cold. Did I mention we live in Canada? And did I mention it’s cold here?

Photo by Lauren Hedges on Pexels.com

This week a “polar vortex” is going through our neck of the woods. It’s cold. The wind is brutal and my bunnies and chickens are outside. The rabbits seem to tolerate it, but every morning the chick birds peep out and say “Nope, my skin wrapped chicken feet do not like the feeling of snow nor ice!” And off they go back inside. The water dishes freeze and I must replenish them several times. The yard is littered with “ice pucks” where I have cracked out the dish shaped “disk” and replaced it with liquid water. It’s cold.

Still, I suppose we are luckier than others. Our face isn’t freezing off at first sight. My hands are feeling it — but I still have all the tips of my fingers and toes. I still run out without full proper winter attire to do animal chores. And I survive. It’s harsh, but it’s better than a lot of places. It’s funny when you think about weather. I wonder why God let the seasons happen. Why did it become part of His science? It’s a muse I think about especially when the weather gets like this.

There certainly are a lot of biblical references to weather: “white a snow” “cold hearts”, and the like. Storms, rain and the calm. I guess people haven’t changed all that much… we still talk about the weather! I suppose it is a topic that unites us in some way… we all have our weather story. Like picking up Nieve. I suppose our God stories should be as easy to talk about as the weather. A natural part of our daily existence. Something not quite under our control but a part of us nonetheless. An underlying “thing” that changes the way we should prepare for the day… we put on our gloves and boots like we should put on our graceful attitudes. Our hearts should overflow with what they hold inside. Is your heart cold ? Or is it overflowing with God’s spirit … like the wind rushing through the farmer’s fields.

Dress warm my friends… inside and out!

(Photo generated with A.I.)

Anyway… this cold is what I’ve been thinking about this week. I hope it makes you (and I) reflect on how it can be an example for us. Thanks for hanging out and talking about the weather with me. You’ve been a good Canadian! Here’s to a warmer week next week!