Category Archives: Education

Weather Reflections: Lessons from Jesus Calming the Storm

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Greetings! The next few days are supposed to be wet, wet, wet! So, as a good Canadian, I’m going to start this week’s post with small talk about the weather. If the weather does what it says it’s going to, our piles of snow are going to melt away to puddles – with flooding, mud and general chaos of spring. I’m okay with that, as long as the temperature stays above freezing and it doesn’t turn into a slick ice rink on the roads! I’m done with that type of country driving (see here for my great winter driving story! HeHe!)

Speaking of the weather… it was the topic of my Sunday school lesson this past week. (They don’t call it “Sunday school” anymore; who wants school on Sundays? Showing my age here -but whatever… you get it – lessons for a bunch of little kids from the Bible). I’m loving getting back to hanging out with 3 year olds. They are brutally honest. They won’t let you rest for a moment… nor do they let you get away with faking it. They’ve got to trust you or it won’t fly. Which makes it difficult if they are a little shy and don’t want to hang out with a newbie who they only see once a month on the kids ministry schedule instead of mom or dad. We had eight blessings this week. One handsome young man melted my heart when he wanted only me to play with him. Alas, I digress… back to the weather.

Our lesson was Jesus calming the storm. In case you are not familiar… the gospels tell the story of Jesus and the disciples out in a boat when a storm arises. Jesus is asleep, and the men become afraid and wake him up. Bottom line: Jesus tells them He’s got it all under control and proceeds to “rebuke the winds and the rain” and calms the storm back to a gentle breeze. Yada Yada… disciples are again amazed at God’s power, Promote to kids that Jesus has the power like Superman and all is good in the world. The kids and I have a snowball fight with cotton balls, we laugh and run around with blue streamers being wind and crazy rain and I roll play Jesus and make them all STOP and be calm again.

And so, I muse. This story has been on my radar three different times this week in three different contexts. And I always say…”if you don’t listen to God’s still, small voice, then He’ll hit you with a 2×4 until you get it”. Jesus calming the storm. What am I to learn? Do I need reassurance that God, is in fact, always in control? Especially right now when Canada and the USA are battling out tariff wars and the news is all a buzz about what’s going to happen next? Am I to share it here, in my little corner of the internet, to encourage you, my beloved readers, that yes, God has the power to rebuke even the wind and rain and make the earth stop shaking? Or am I to reflect on how I can teach the next generation about the simplicity of the Gospel miracles… through play and fun?

Perhaps it’s all of the above. Weather is one of the simplest, and yet complex observances we can make on a daily basis. We have apps that keep us up to date hour by hour. Driving conditions and school bus cancellations… flight delays, weather watches and our outfit of the day. We are so influenced by something so seemingly simple as what ever is happening in the sky. Perhaps this is why it’s hitting me threefold this week. Something’s about to come down the tubes that will prompt me to remember that Yup, God’s got this one too… and a snowball fight with 3 year olds will be triggered in my memory.

Photo credit Etsy

And so, I pass it on to you, this week, my beloveds… so that we can be encouraged together that no matter what, the Creator of the universe and all the crazy weather that comes with it, still has you and I in the palm of His hand. We can peacefully sleep in the bottom of the ship (on a pillow says only one of the gospels… which is a weird observation in itself, but I digress again) as the storm rages on around us, knowing that Jesus “got power”! Take it to heart… and bring your umbrella just in case.

The Role of a Rooster in your Flock: Introducing “Morris”

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Welcome back! If you’ve been following mittonmusings for any length of time, you’ll know that a flock of chickens have been on the want list for a very long time. It sparked a three year long search for the perfect country farmhouse and an uprooting of my entire family to move away from everything we knew and held dear. Which seems a little crazy now that I see it in black and white… but here we are! I planned, prepped and did my research. I sought out what breeds of chicks would be friendly, cold tolerant and easy for a beginner. I asked questions and read lots. I went through a reputable source and ordered six day olds… three of each kind. (In case you care to know, I have Americanas and Lavender Orpingtons). I discovered the order list was a little late, but in May of this year, the little bundles of fluff moved in.

My family tolerated the chicks and their crazy mom as they ran through the living room… and made a complete mess of my beautiful farmhouse. Still, mom was happy, and the dream was a reality, so what could they say? Eventually, the babies finally moved out and #itsnottafarm got a bit more “farm like”. And then tragedy struck.

“Mort” my dumbest (but most favourite) chicken got “lost”. Literally, lost. She more than likely wandered off into the woods and couldn’t make her way back. We saw no evidence of predators, so I would like to think she is happy somewhere… So we were down to five. And then: “Mavis” became “Morris”. Yup, I got a rooster. Which is not a surprise if you buy a “backyard mix”… it happens more than 50% of the time… but I had done my research, and planned remember? My chicks were supposed to be 98% guaranteed female. Laying hens. Alas, life always has other plans, eh? I denied it when she grew a bit bigger. I denied it when a friend commented. I denied it when her comb grew. I could deny it no longer when the crow came. We are now down to four girls and a very handsome, but definitely male, rooster. We now have “Morris.”

We now have a “Morris”

Is it so bad to have a rooster? No, not really. The rooster’s role in a flock is protector. A role “Morris” is taking on well. It’s actually kind of fun watching him call to his ladies … especially if one is falling behind. He’s a big boy, so can’t hop the fence as well as the hens… and he often gets stuck at the back of the pack. We are learning to “tame” him (although he is fairly friendly) as he is beginning to strut his stuff and challenge the hubby and the dog. I bring him treats so he likes me most of the time. He’s screaming in protest in the background as I type this! Oh brother… they are out on my porch… he’s calling them back… See? Welcome to my crazy life dream!

So, as we adjust to life on the “farm” now with a rather loud and unexpected rooster, I hope you find your own protector. I hope that God gives you someone who “has your back”. Who calls you back to Him when you stray a little too far. I hope there is one who may have been unexpected in your life, but is a vital part of it. I know God is good. He gives us what we need – when we need it most. It’s not always what we want… but He makes it all work out. There will be casualties. No one is perfect. Even if they are in authority and have a very important role in leadership. We will lose our friends sometimes. We will be challenged, and have to act on the defensive on occasion. I heard a tidbit of farm history, that weather vanes on top of barn roofs depicted roosters to remind us to be bold in our faith… and to not be like Peter who denied Christ three times before the crowing of the morning rooster. (By the way…they crow all day… and at any time of day…so yeah…there’s that).

“Morris” and his Ladies

I hope a “Morris” comes into your little world to bring you a bit of the unexpected. To keep you on your toes. To be bold and tough and a good protector. Yet, a beautiful soul who has every good intention to be wise and wary. A father figure, perhaps. Let this be your reminder to muse on them a little today – and be thankful for their role in your flock. Blessings, my beloveds.

The Beauty of Harvest Season: Lessons from Nature

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How many times have you heard or seen this verse? Especially around this time of year as the days grow shorter and the sun goes to bed earlier. Canadian thanksgiving has past and our turkey comas are subsiding. Harvest is upon us. Yet, I never fully understood it until we moved out to a more rural landscape.

Every morning as I drive in to work, the golden sun is just beginning to peak above the horizon. I’m a nighthawk by nature, but I am beginning to love the morning sunrise. The colours are fabulous, and as the dew and misty morning fog gets burned off by the early sun, it truly is a fabulous drive in to town. Along the route, I meander over the hills and valleys and the farmer’s fields all blend together with hues of brown, golds and yellows. Farm stands are filled with the last few sunflowers and wagons of squash and pumpkins add to the landscape with pops of orange. It even smells like “earth”. Technically, I suppose everything is dying… yet it is alive somehow with the change of season.

Now I certainly don’t claim to understand “the harvest”. On our drives, we marvel that some fields have already been clear cut to the ground. Others are still drying out and looking very sad up close. Our nearest neighbourhood farmer had half of his field cut … the other half sitting dormant for what seemed like days. We didn’t understand. Did he just get tired half way through? Did the machinery die? Did he get called in for an emergency? Or simply get hungry and gave up on his work in hopes for a leftover turkey sandwich? A few days later … the field was all clear. Seemingly worked on by fairy farmers in the middle of the night.

Speaking of the middle of the night, we have seen the giant headlights of monster machines working into the darkness (okay, darkness might be 7:00pm nowadays, but still.) So. What’s the deal? I have come to understand that harvesting of field crops: hay, corn, soy etc. are specialized feats of proper timing. First hay cutting and second hay have to be done dry, at certain temperatures to survive rolling into those big hay bales without molding. Soy beans are practically dead … shriveled into loose pea pods so they can be easily shaken out of their crispy casings and loaded into the harvester. Silage corn is also dry as a bone. No sweet juicy corn for the cows. Corn meal gets blown into those silos. It’s a wonder cows like it. Blech.

And the backyard farmer? Homesteaders with plots of veggies and flowers? That’s a whole other adventure. Our own garden was a disaster. The weeds took over and took over fast and furious. We chalked it up to an experiment gone wrong and just let it go. My kale is now five feet high and has all gone to seed. We did manage a few small pumpkins and some yellow cucumber like things? Plant pumpkins people… those things will grow anywhere. Vines are resilient. The other cucumber things? Not even sure what they started out as? Roald Dahl’s BFG fans will certainly label them as “snozzcumbers”. Slimy, but satisfying. I’m sad my strawberry plants are buried under there somewhere. There’s always next year, I suppose.

And so, we return to my muse about the verse in the gospels. Farmer’s fields are Huge. Backyard gardens are a lot of work. Trial and error have developed into perfect timing over the years to create “agricultural science”. Specific machines and gadgets that help with this or that. Measuring devices for moisture measuring for peak harvest timing. And then the labour. I don’t think a single farmer can harvest acres and acres on his own. Are their groups for these things? I suspect they share equipment. No one family can purchase those mortgage breaking pieces of machinery and survive can they? It has to be a group effort.

Snozzcumber anyone??

Which makes me think about the point Jesus is making in the verse… those plants grow full and expansive and wide on their own. The world we live in contains vast numbers of hurting, helpless people just trying to survive. No one has to “cultivate” wild weeds. They are doing just fine out there … in fact, they are flourishing. Pumpkins grow in the compost pile. Fed by the manure. Can you imagine what would happen if people took the time to truly cultivate the world around us? To nurture and feed and encourage one another to fully grow and bloom where we are planted?

There are plenty of people who need our love. Plenty of people who need God’s love and guidance. The fields are limitless. The weeds are thick. Those of us who are trying to do good in the world and live by His principles are few. Our task is hard. There are no fringe benefits. Only the fruit we collect. We go out into the pasture like “sheep among the wolves” (we’ve learned about predators out here too… they are quiet and sneaky and hide among the shadows…). So, please, encourage your fellow workers. Lend your expertise. Share your equipment. Put in the hours. Volunteer your time to be there when the time is right. It’s not an easy job…. but it is worth it. When your storehouses are full and you have an abundance of joy for when winter hits … your efforts will be rewarded with the peace that you can make it though the ‘leaner’ times in life.

I can drive up and down the hills every morning and marvel at the fields ready for harvest… and think how beautiful they are. Yet, I must remember to pray for more workers to do the hard stuff… and encourage those who are trying. For they are few and far between. And if you are one who is out there driving the tractors late at night: thank you. I’ll meet you at the compost pile for a snozzcumber snack.