tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78367447903430315272024-02-19T23:49:01.297-08:00In Search of the Whole-Hearted LifeAs a free-lance writer, my goal is to challenge my readers to "think outside the box" regarding nationalism, conventional medicine, institutional "church", traditional Western lifestyle and more. Please join me every Thursday as I re-evaluate those issues which are typically so deeply ingrained that most of us never consider questioning them.- BonnieBonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.comBlogger256125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-91924427211096158242013-11-07T06:15:00.000-08:002013-11-07T06:15:00.387-08:00Bluegrass & Loar Part 2<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Last week I posed the question, “Can Lloyd Loar’s memory be
rightly honored through a Bluegrass Festival?”
In order to sort through this question, I need to give thought to
several things; the first being, “What is the history of <st1:place>Bluegrass</st1:place>?”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
As settlers migrated into the <st1:place>Appalachian
Mountains</st1:place> around the 1700s, they brought their musical talents and
traditions with them. Some brought
instruments from their homeland, such as the fiddle, others engineered
“instruments” from whatever they had available.
For years, their songs of life on the farm and in the hills echoed
through the remote mountains, but no further.
Big stages, instrument amplification and glitzy clothes weren’t even
heard of. Family and friends simply came
together for fellowship anywhere there was space to gather and music was often
their common ground.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
Mountain music was also greatly
influenced by African-American slaves who brought their harmonic blues and the
banjo to the region in the 18<sup>th</sup> century. With the emergence of mail order catalogs,
instruments such as the “mountain” dulcimer, autoharp, guitar and mandolin soon
became popular in <st1:place>Appalachia</st1:place> and set the stage for
string bands.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
With the invention of the
phonograph and radio, in the early 1900s, this “mountain music” filtered into
the homes of the rest of the world.
While many refer to what developed as “mountain hillbilly music,” one of
its most influential <span style="background: white;">pioneers, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<b><span style="background: white;">Bill Monroe characterized the genre as:
‘Scottish bagpipes and ole-time fiddlin'.
It's Methodist and Holiness and Baptist.
It's blues and jazz, and it has a high lonesome sound.’”</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
Bill Monroe, a <st1:state>Kentucky</st1:state>
boy with Scottish roots, was born on the farm into a musical family. By “default,” <st1:city>Monroe</st1:city>
grew up playing the “less desirable mandolin” while his two brothers played the
fiddle and guitar. After his mother’s
death, when he was 16, <st1:city>Monroe</st1:city> lived
with his uncle Pen who played the fiddle.
Love for many of the traditional fiddle tunes was now in <st1:city>Monroe</st1:city>’s
blood.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
After having played with several
bands, at the age of 28, <st1:city>Monroe</st1:city>
formed “The Bluegrass Boys” in 1939.
This band is recognized as having “<span style="background: white;">created
the definitive sound and instrumental configuration that remains the model to
this day for what is known as </span><st1:place><span style="background: white;">Bluegrass</span></st1:place><span style="background: white;"> music. In </span><st1:place><span style="background: white;">Bluegrass</span></st1:place><span style="background: white;">, as in some forms of jazz, one or more instruments each takes its turn
playing the melody and improvising around it, while the others perform
accompaniment; this is especially typified in tunes called breakdowns. This is in contrast to old-time music, in
which all instruments play the melody together or one instrument carries the
lead throughout while the others provide accompaniment. Breakdowns are often characterized by rapid
tempos and unusual instrumental dexterity and sometimes by complex chord
changes” (</span><a href="http://renoandharrell.com/content/short-history-bluegrass-music">http://renoandharrell.com/content/short-history-bluegrass-music</a>). <st1:city>Monroe</st1:city>
became know as “The Father of Bluegrass.”<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mountain music, a “simple” farm boy playing his mandolin and
the development of “<st1:place>Bluegrass</st1:place> music; what does all of
this have to do, if anything, with the musical genius, Lloyd Loar?</div>
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<br /></div>
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Stay tuned for week three of Bluegrass & Loar.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Whole-Heartedly,</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-12020508671785533452013-10-31T12:08:00.000-07:002013-10-31T12:08:00.210-07:00Bluegrass & Loar<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
A few months ago, I was notified that I’d won two weekend
tickets to a <st1:place>Bluegrass</st1:place> festival held at a beautiful
country resort. It seemed like a great
opportunity to relax, hear some good music and to collect more “behind the
scenes” information about the workings of <st1:place>Bluegrass</st1:place>
festival venues. So… we headed out in
our motorhome to take advantage of having won the prize!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not unfamiliar with the time and energy that goes into
organizing and directing large events and it was obvious that the director had
worked her tail off:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">Contacting
sponsors for financial support</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Collecting
many raffle prizes from local businesses </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Arranging
for accommodations at a beautiful resort area, in a multimillion dollar lodge</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Booking
internationally and nationally recognized bands </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Hiring
“the best sound man out there” to provide the equipment and skill
“necessary” for the amplification of the “new” <st1:place>Bluegrass</st1:place>
styles</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Etc.,
etc. etc. </li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We appreciated the opportunity, enjoyed our stay and met
some wonderful people. In fact, being
there helped us in our journey of considering how we can rightly honor Lloyd
Loar in his hometown.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last winter when I began to plan for the first annual Lloyd
Loar’s Hometown Bluegrass Festival, other than scheduling a few bands for stage
shows, inviting jammers and listeners and getting the word out to the <st1:place>Bluegrass</st1:place>
audience, I had little idea of what <i>this</i>
festival might look like. I never felt a
need or desire to mimic what is already happening out there in the festival
venue. In fact, it seemed that this was
to be different, but I didn’t really know what that meant. I’m still not totally clear and I’m ok with
that because I realize that it will evolve over the years into its own entity,
if allowed.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It wasn’t long ago that someone responded to being
introduced to my idea of a <st1:place>Bluegrass</st1:place> festival in honor
of Loar saying. “I’m not sure that Loar would be honored.” At first it ticked me off. “Why wouldn’t he be honored to be remembered
in his hometown for what he contributed to music?” The more I thought about it, however, the
more I began to realize that they were probably correct in their
statement. While Loar was known as a
very kind man who had country roots, Loar was <i>not</i> a <st1:place>Bluegrass</st1:place> musician and it is not
likely that he would have been impressed to have been recognized as a
contributor to “hillbilly” music. Loar
was a very polished, highly educated and classically trained musician who was
driven to “amount to more than a farmer” (<a href="http://interwareralloydloar.blogspot.com/">http://interwareralloydloar.blogspot.com/</a>).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The majority of <st1:place>Bluegrass</st1:place> music fans
are lower to middle-class country folk, many of whom are farmers. While they may be aware of Loar’s name and
his contribution to the development of the mandolin, most aren’t aware of and
likely wouldn’t appreciate his perception of their “status” in this world!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I’d be in error if I didn’t
consider, “Would Loar be rightly honored through a <st1:place>Bluegrass</st1:place>
festival?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Stay tuned as I share a series of articles focused on
sorting through these important questions:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">What
is the history of <st1:place>Bluegrass</st1:place>?</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Who
was Lloyd Loar and what did he represent?</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">What
is the focus of our place, Marigold Meadows?</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">How
can these things rightly fit together to maintain that? Or can they?</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-59900972309730380532013-10-24T05:30:00.000-07:002013-10-24T05:30:00.655-07:00The View From Caldania’s Cupboard<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Before we built The Martin House, the “famous” pie-baking
spot was in our smaller log cabin. I
thought it’d be fun to turn this cabin into a little farm store of sorts. My desire for opening the store was to
establish a prominent spot where I could chat with visitors at our festivals
about activities and life at Marigold Meadows and to encourage interested
parties in their pursuit of a more self-sustaining lifestyle. Considering that Caldania, our calico barn
cat, likes to head up from the barn to visit festival attendees, we named the store
“Caldania’s Cupboard.” I decorated the
store with old garden tools, wooden boxes, seed and feed bags, hung herbs to
dry, etc.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
During our recent fall festival, I demonstrated how to dry
herbs, make herbal tinctures and oil infusions and I offered items that would
likely guide conversations in the direction of sustainability:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">Organic
heirloom garden seeds from Baker Creek</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Free
Baker Creek Seed catalogs</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Country
Wisdom Bulletins from Storey Publishing</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Free
Storey Publishing catalogs filled with sustainable living resources</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Honey
and bee’s wax</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Herbs
and spices</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Vinaigrettes,
muscle rub, bath salts and hand & lip balm that I make from herbs and
oils</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Eggs
from Marigold Meadows</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Herbal
tea blends that I make</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While I have no desire or time to start a business, neither
am I in a position to simply give away costly items to hundreds of people; so everything
that I made available was offered on a “suggested donation” basis.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
During the two weekends of our fall festival, I had the
wonderful opportunity to meet literally hundreds of people. It wasn’t uncommon for some of my visitors to
be on a mission for the homemade pie, consequently conversations with them were
short before they headed for The Martin House!
There were others, however, who simply needed someone to encourage them
in taking their first step toward a lifestyle of self-sufficiency. What a blessing it was to encourage them to
consider what that first step might look like for them. I also had opportunities to visit with several
like-minded people. If it was as
uplifting and encouraging for them as it was for me to visit about our
interests in gardening, preserving foods, raising livestock, etc., I
accomplished all that I set out for!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The view from Caldania’s Cupboard was simply
breathtaking. I wish you could have seen
it! From the east window, teamsters were
demonstrating how to work horses in the fields.
Seemingly with little effort, the horse drawn plows overturned the earth
in preparation for next year’s crops. A
bit of smoke wafting into the west window and the rhythmic clanging of metal
drew my attention to the other side of the store. Fanning the flames for their forges, the
blacksmiths were busy hammering out horseshoes, harness hooks, etc. Between customers, I sat on the porch of
Caldania’s Cupboard weaving a rug.
Across the meadow a cooper worked painstakingly to shave the top and
mold the staves for a barrel that he was crafting. A “colonial” lady arose from her weaving
frame to attend the soap that she was processing over an open fire. Yet another was gracefully spinning wool from
her llama. Along with the enticing aroma
of homemade pie, gentle strains of music drifting from the Martin House porch
added to the calm of the meadows. While
soaking all of this in, I spotted a family walking across the pasture after visiting
all the barnyard critters. Two of the
children were holding hands with their dad.
The other two were laughing as they skipped alongside their mom. Tears flooded my eyes as my heart overflowed
with a feeling of fulfillment. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are two rocking chairs on the porch of Caldania’s
Cupboard. Maybe next year, you can come
join me! I’ll make you some tea and we can
take in, together, all that’s going on around us. I’m sure you’d agree that there are few
places in this world with such a view.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-12069437732338721372013-10-17T05:49:00.000-07:002013-10-17T05:49:00.389-07:00The Douglas Center<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Sometimes, in the midst of all the work and whirlwind of
activity, we just need to lighten-up and be silly! That’s what we did this past weekend at
Marigold Meadows, during our fall festival.
Our good music friend, Ernie Douglas often has fun teasing and giving us
a “hard time,” so we decided to “get even” with him and loving dedicated our
outhouse in his honor. My brother, Art
asked me to write a little ditty that could be read publicly and presented to
Ernie at our Saturday evening stage show.
I thought you might get a kick out of it!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>The </b><st1:place><st1:placename><b>Douglas</b></st1:placename><b> </b><st1:placename><b>Center</b></st1:placename></st1:place><b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Dedicated to Ernie Douglas<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>10.12.13<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
We’re dedicating another building
here at Marigold Meadows! As you may
know, we are very thoughtful about naming our buildings after someone who has contributed
to that particular building in a significant way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
Last week during the dedication of our
new kitchen, our friend, Ernie Douglas expressed his disappointment that we’d
not named a building after him. We got
to thinking about his feelings of exclusion and realized that he’s right. Ernie has always been “Johnnie on the spot”
here at Marigold Meadows. Ernie has a
love for the “performing arts” and has “shared his talent” with us year after
year. We’ll never forget the year that
he received a standing ovation for performing, “Moon Light Serenade.” There’s absolutely <i>no</i> one who can “make music” like Ernie!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
Ernie is a great inspiration for
the rest of us to, “go for the gusto!”
He encourages others to be a part of his “performances” and he’s always
willing to “fill-in” whenever there’s a need. After all these years of sacrificing his precious
time and his “straining” efforts for our events, his commitment to “hang in
there until the paper work is done” still amazes us! Rain or shine, we can always count on Ernie
to “put on a good show.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
Ernie’s commitment and dedication
to Marigold Meadows has encouraged us to dedicate this building, where he has “given
of himself the most,” in his honor. We
could think of no one else who better deserves this “high position.” Ladies and gentlemen, we dedicate this
“throne room” to our friend, Ernie Douglas.
From this day forward, it will be known as, “The Douglas Center of
Performing Arts,” in his honor.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
Thank you, Ernie for your “generous
contributions”! It is our sincerest
desire that you’ll always remember this dedication as the ultimate “Royal
Flush!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
You’re the greatest!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
The Crew at Marigold Meadows</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most of them knowing Ernie, the crowd nearly rolled on the
ground laughing and Ernie accepted his “reward” in the manner in which it was
intended, with loving fun and silliness.
His response…. “You really shouldn’t have.” I truly mean, you <i>really</i> shouldn’t have!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-87138502265496278532013-10-10T04:41:00.000-07:002013-10-10T04:41:00.089-07:00Are You Wearing the Right Underwear? Part II<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 15pt;">For those
of you who accepted my challenge last week; why all the discomfort, guilt,
embarrassment and feelings of inadequacy?</span><span style="line-height: 15pt;">
</span><span style="line-height: 15pt;">Where are we instructed under the New Covenant that we must practice
such legalism in order to be true worshipers of God?</span><span style="line-height: 15pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15pt;">Worship means to “prostrate oneself” before
the one being worshiped.</span><span style="line-height: 15pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15pt;">While the
Spirit of God may occasionally throw us to our knees, true worship does not
include ritualistic activity at a specific time and designated place whether
that is in a basilica or at our devotional spot at home.</span><span style="line-height: 15pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15pt;">Worship is showing reverence to Him in every
conversation spoken and every thought considered, no matter the outward
circumstance.</span><span style="line-height: 15pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15pt;">Worship is not something
performed under specific conditions, but is a move of the Spirit that can not
be resisted.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-left: .5in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Jesus declared, “…, a time is coming
when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Jerusalem</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">... A time </span>is coming, and has now come, when the true worshipers will
worship the Father in spirit and truth; for they are the kind of worshipers the
Father seeks” (John <st1:time hour="16" minute="21">4:21</st1:time> & 23). <o:p></o:p></div>
<h3 style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">While there are still a few nagging rituals lingering in my life, the
majority of them have been stripped away.
Considering that my spiritual approach is foreign to most in the
“Christian” arena, I’m often strongly judged for my lack of compliance to the
general expectations. Sometimes the
judgment is verbal, often it is not.
Facial expressions are worth a thousand words! Luke speaks of Jesus describing such self-righteous
indignation; <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<h3 style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3>
<h3 style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">"Also He spoke
this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and
despised others: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the
other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I
thank you that I am not like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give
tithes of all that I possess. And the tax collector, standing afar off, would
not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, God be
merciful to me a sinner.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>I tell
you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other;<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>for everyone who exalts himself will
be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 18:9-14).<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="background: #FDFEFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></h3>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Thinking that we must practice specific rites and perform
certain rituals in order to be right with God is what Scripture describes as “setting
up idols” in our hearts. When we live by
these kinds of laws, we’ll always feel as though our efforts are never enough! They are considered “idols” because our focus
is on attempting to fulfill them rather than on the One whom we desire to
worship. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-left: .5in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="textezek-14-4"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">This is what the
Sovereign</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span><span class="small-caps"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span><span class="textezek-14-4"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">says: “When any
of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block
before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span><span class="small-caps"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span><span class="textezek-14-4"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">will answer them
myself in keeping with their great idolatry” (Ezekiel 14:4).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
While our
attempts may be genuine, the God who created the sunflower to track the sun is
not impressed with our efforts to follow the Law. Not only has it already been proven that we
are not able; He gave His Son to death for this very reason! When we continue in our efforts, we are
ultimately proclaiming that what Jesus did on our behalf was not good
enough! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
Those who
claim to live by the Law and demand that others do the same, must then realize
that they don’t get to pick and choose which Laws they want to follow. So, while you are out shopping for the right
underwear and getting circumcised (Gen <st1:time hour="17" minute="13">17:13</st1:time>-14), the
rest of us will be enjoying the fulfilling spontaneity to worship God with a
circumcised heart (Romans <st1:time hour="14" minute="29">2:29</st1:time>), according
to how His Spirit leads us. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="textgal-5-4"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">You who are trying to be justified by the
law</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span><span class="textgal-5-4"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">have been alienated from Christ; you have
fallen away from grace.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span><span class="textgal-5-6"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">The only thing
that counts is faith expressing itself through love (</span></span>Galatians 5:4 & 6).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="textcol-2-16"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Therefore do not let anyone judge you</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span><span class="textcol-2-16"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">by what you eat
or drink,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span><span class="textcol-2-16"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">or with regard to
a religious festival,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span><span class="textcol-2-16"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">a New Moon
celebration</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span><span class="textcol-2-16"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">or a Sabbath day.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span><span class="textcol-2-17"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">These are a
shadow of the things that were to come;</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span><span class="textcol-2-17"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">the reality,
however, is found in Christ (Colossians </span></span><st1:time hour="14" minute="16"><span class="textcol-2-17"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">2:16</span></span></st1:time><span class="textcol-2-17"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">-17).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-2444026188946990272013-10-03T04:39:00.004-07:002013-10-03T04:41:02.259-07:00Are You Wearing the Right Underwear?<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 15pt;">While I
never examined sunflowers closely, I’ve admired their beauty from a distance
and enjoyed eating and feeding their seeds to my feathered friends.</span><span style="line-height: 15pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15pt;">Last spring I planted some.</span><span style="line-height: 15pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15pt;">It was exciting to watch them go through each
stage as they developed their huge heads.</span><span style="line-height: 15pt;">
</span><span style="line-height: 15pt;">While studying about when and how to harvest sunflower seeds, I learned of
the flower’s many marvelous traits.</span><span style="line-height: 15pt;">
</span><span style="line-height: 15pt;">There is one, however, that, to me, is simply astonishing; this sun-seeker
literally turns its face toward the sun as it moves across the sky throughout
the day and then drops its head at the end of the day as the sun sets!</span><span style="line-height: 15pt;"> </span><span style="line-height: 15pt;">I continue to be awed by the Creator’s work!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
I’ve
always considered myself a “son-seeker”.
I worked carefully at following what I believed to be the movement of
the One whom I worship and I labored for years to worship according to the
acceptable rules. However, there were
often these irritating questions in the back of my mind: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Why do I feel guilty
if I don’t do it? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Why do I felt
inadequate when the results aren’t what I expect? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Why does it often seem
contrived, even in my most sincere efforts?
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->There’s no doubt of my
willingness to surrender my life for the purpose of offering life to others;
however what is it about how I go about doing so that just doesn’t seem right? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
In
time, Father helped me to understand the importance of these questions. He brought me to a point of realizing that I had
been taught to worship as though I was still under the Law. Under the Law, even the minutest details
regarding worship were laid out by God and no variation was tolerated. Even the kind of underwear that was to be worn
during worship was explicitly commanded (Leviticus 16:4). While the ancient and fearful rites, if
performed incorrectly resulted in judgment and death (Leviticus 10:1, 2 Samuel
6:6), the followers of Jesus need not have such fears.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
You may
not even realize that you are trapped in such constraining legalism; therefore,
I challenge you to consider:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Why are you bowing
your head, kneeling and singing praises when your “spiritual leader” tells you
to? Try not doing it when everyone else
is.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Why do you go to worship
in a place where you are surrounded by all the “spiritual” trappings to
worship? Simply stay home this month.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3)<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Why do you wear
certain clothes when you go to this “place of worship”? Next week, why don’t you wear your chore
clothes?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4)<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Why do you read the
Bible and “pray” daily? Set it aside for
a week.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
I’ll
check in next week to see how it went.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<div style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-91999212951680506392013-09-19T06:03:00.000-07:002013-09-19T06:03:00.876-07:00Martin House Pie<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b>My sister-in-law,
Marcia bakes the best pie in the </b><st1:place><b>Midwest</b></st1:place><b>. People come from all around and stand in line
just to buy a slice of her pie. She
doesn’t sell her pie, but has a suggested donation of $1.00 to help recoup some
of her expenses. Needless to say, she’s
losing money! Why, you can’t buy a slice
of store-bought, junk-filled pie for less than $3.00! We’ve tried to encourage her to increase her
suggested donation, but so far she hasn’t budged. Sadly, most people want something for nothing
so it never dawns on them that paying only a $1.00 is ultimately taking
advantage of Marica’s generous heart. It
is a rare customer who offers her more.
Seeing that her expenses are increasing annually, Marcia conceded to
letting me make a little sign to help people understand, in a fun-loving way,
how much goes into a slice of pie. I
titled it,</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;">WHAT WOULD <i>YOU</i> SAY IT’S WORTH?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;">Customer:</span></b><span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;"> How much is your pie, ma’am?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;">Martin House Baker:</span></b><span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;"> Well…. Let me see:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: green; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;">We hand-picked each piece of fruit in the
hot scorching sun.</span> <span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: green; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;">We washed, pitted and peeled each fruit by
hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: green; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;">We hand-mixed all the filling ingredients.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: green; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;">We rolled each layer of pie crust until it’s
paper thin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: green; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;">We chopped and hauled loads of wood for the
oven in the frigid cold.</span> <span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: green; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;">We baked 80+ pies, in the heat of the day,
over a wood burning oven.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: green; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;">We hand-carried water to wash the baked-on
stickiness of pie plates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: green; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;">And… we emptied nearly every ounce of love
that is in us into each and every mouth-watering slice of pie!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;">Why, I don’t know….what would <i>you</i> say it’s worth?</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: green; font-size: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZNKSvLEEm-WC0oFeA3SsApkZbxLpPmopZBrJ0_jW5jeVVDptJZlmk_2yApwOjusORyWLwntHBmS4bV6UwbpycEX3fd7Y4uXS0LOmoopfr2t9Hb1z2a_9tX_th_BTMTgo4RsJUcYd3xnE/s1600/granny+pie+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZNKSvLEEm-WC0oFeA3SsApkZbxLpPmopZBrJ0_jW5jeVVDptJZlmk_2yApwOjusORyWLwntHBmS4bV6UwbpycEX3fd7Y4uXS0LOmoopfr2t9Hb1z2a_9tX_th_BTMTgo4RsJUcYd3xnE/s1600/granny+pie+2.jpg" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /><!--[endif]--></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While her customers may still not get the message, Marcia’s
greatest reward is the fun that she has baking for others and watching them
enjoy her labor of love! She’ll quietly
and humbly serve you a slice of her labor and never think to ask, “What would
you say it’s worth?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-19290323188288033892013-09-12T06:24:00.000-07:002013-09-12T06:24:00.553-07:00The Martin House<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
It’s a great feeling to see the end result of something that
you’ve invested a lot of blood, sweat and tears into. That’s what we are experiencing today here at
Marigold Meadows. We are putting the finishing
touches to our newest addition, the Martin House.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My sister-in-law, Marcia loves to bake pies. In fact, she’s known as the “pie lady” in our
neck of the woods. We don’t live in the
west, so I guess you’d say, “Her pies are the best in the midwest!” During the festivals that we hold at Marigold
Meadows, she bakes pies in a wood burning oven and sells them by the
slice. While the rest of us might like
to think that people attend our festivals to watch demonstrations of age-old
skills of sustainability and/or to listen to our music, I’m thinking that a
good number of them come just for her pie!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Previously, Marcia baked pies in a wood-burning oven that
holds only four pies at once. Needless
to say, it took a while to bake the 80+ pies that she bakes in one day! Additionally, the little log cabin that she
worked in over the past seven years is really too small for her and her helpers
to work efficiently. In order to make
her work easier and quicker, brother Art spent most of this past winter building
her an oven that will bake 16 pies at one time and designing a larger cabin!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last spring, Art, Gary & I went to Sandridge, a nearby
forest to cut pine trees for building Marcia a larger cabin. What an experience! I’ve helped to down trees before, but never
in a forest! For several days, “our”
little corner of Sandridge was humming with chain saws, winches, a little <st1:city>Ferguson</st1:city>
tractor, pondering out loud, grunts, groans and sounds of frustration, as well
as, a lot of laughter and cheering.
While it was exciting, it was also hard work and downright dangerous!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While we hoped to use our draft horses for pulling the logs
out of the woods, our Spring was so wet that we had to keep putting off getting
into the forest. Running out of time in
order to get the cabin done before our fall festival, we decided to use Art’s
trusty ol’ <st1:city>Ferguson</st1:city> for that
purpose.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of our music companions, Gene Martin lives near to
Sandridge. Gene, who is in his 80s, was
so excited about what we were doing and wanted to help in some way. As it turned out, Gene had a type of lift
that was perfect for loading the logs onto the trailer. So, whenever we were ready to haul more logs
home, Gene faithfully showed up at our worksite.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once we transported the forty-some, seventy-five foot trees
the thirty miles to our property, we began to prepare lumber for the new
cabin. Using his mill, Art sawed while
Gary & I cleared away the slab wood, carried lumber to the building site,
etc. For the last three weeks, the saws
have been buzzing and the hammers ringing at Marigold Meadows. It didn’t take long for the word to get out
about what these three “crazy” people were up to. Before we knew it, there were car-loads of
people showing up to see the progress!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While Marcia isn’t too verbal about her appreciation and
excitement, she shows-up every couple of days to see the progress and to take
pictures. The smile on her face tells it
all!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">She
now has more floor space for herself and her helpers to move about.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">They’ll
all be cooler while they work. With
the new oven having been built into the wall, its heat stays in the wood
room behind the kitchen.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">They’ll
be able to serve pie not only over the counter inside the cabin, but
through a serving window to the outside, as well.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">They
no longer have to carry the dirtied pie plates to the old washtubs outside
the cabin. While there is no
running water, the new cabin is complete with three sinks and a drain!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">With <i>lots</i> of countertop space, she and
her helpers will no longer be bumping elbows while they work!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">And
when the work is done and it is time to store everything away, with all
the cupboard space that she now has, Marcia will never wonder where it is
all gonna go!</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think Marcia is more than pleased and we’re anxious for
Gene to see the end result. Won’t he be
surprised when he sees that we’ve named the new cabin in his honor, “The Martin
House?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-66222838967184481372013-09-05T06:33:00.000-07:002013-09-01T07:35:15.072-07:00The Logo<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
This week my writing time has been spent on designing and
sketching. I’m working on a logo for our
<b>Lloyd Loar’s Hometown Bluegrass Festival</b>. I wanted my design to be unique and
descriptive of Lloyd Loar, yet clear enough to use on letterhead, t-shirts
etc. While color and highlights, etc.
will greatly change its appearance, I thought it’d be fun to explain how I
developed my design and show you what it looks like, so far:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Considering
that Loar was the genius behind the acoustics of many instruments, I needed to include
an instrument in my design. Since Loar
is best known for his engineering of Gibson’s F5 Mandolin, I chose to sketch an
outline of it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->The
original F5 has “The Gibson” written on the head; I wrote “Lloyd Loar” on the
head of my design, instead.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Our
festival is located in Loar’s hometown, <st1:place><st1:city>Lewistown</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IL</st1:state></st1:place>.
I took advantage of the space on the fingerboard (neck) of the mandolin
and placed the word “Hometown” there and “<st1:place><st1:city>Lewistown</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IL</st1:state></st1:place>” just under it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->The
F5 has two sound holes, one on each side of the body’s front. I scrolled the word “<st1:place>Bluegrass</st1:place>”
to fit the shape of one sound hole and the word “Festival” to fit the other.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->5)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span>I
liked what I had designed so far, but something was missing. My design looked somewhat “empty”. Obviously, I didn’t have strings on my
mandolin, but I was concerned that they’d be <i>too</i> much. I wasn’t sure how
to incorporate them and still use the neck space for wording. Studying my design, I began to see that the
strings could be drawn so that they appear as though they are extensions of the
letters in the word “Hometown”! I gave
it a try and I really like the effect!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While the logo is still evolving and the scan doesn’t show
the strings real well, here it is so far! What do ya think?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p> </o:p><a data-mce-href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/7dV4xLLYT7r7VTvDMJMgnUdtG4aeV5Is4MnjNpk99phj-df3LF0HlAI6rYV9mKCP1QxDaK9VrDQRlHtcilmm5oDYlhjOB6IM/LoarLogo.rtf" href="http://api.ning.com/files/7dV4xLLYT7r7VTvDMJMgnUdtG4aeV5Is4MnjNpk99phj-df3LF0HlAI6rYV9mKCP1QxDaK9VrDQRlHtcilmm5oDYlhjOB6IM/LoarLogo.rtf" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;" target="_self">Loar%20Logo.rtf</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-14661497928746858172013-08-29T06:00:00.000-07:002013-08-29T06:00:06.614-07:00The Power of a Little Wren<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
It is human tendency to give ourselves far more credit than
we deserve. We habitually see ourselves
as more powerful and wise than we really are.
I often wonder what it will take for us to truly understand that:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>None are so empty as those who
are full of themselves</i>.</b> </div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
~ Benjamin Whichcote</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we are attentive enough to recognize it, Father often demonstrates,
through His creation, our weak position and need for wisdom. He used the power of a little wren to teach
my brother, Art such a lesson!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Art loves nature and has a tender heart toward God’s
creatures. One day while weed-whacking
around the clothes-line pole, he noted a wren’s nest, full of babies, on the
ground! Uncertain why they had fallen to
the ground, Art assumed that momma wren had cleverly crafted this little home in
the hollow of the pole. Concerned for
their well-being, leaving them in the nest, Art ever so gently returned the
little ones to their secret place. The
next day, his curiosity got the best of him.
He wanted to see if the little family was doing ok. Grabbing it with both hands, he pulled himself
up to eye-level with the pole. As if
peering through a telescope, he closed one eye and positioned the other to the end
of the bar. In defense of her little
family, Momma wren darted out of the nest and nailed the perceived predator right
in the eye! The power behind that tiny,
protective momma was so forceful that it knocked Art to the ground. Holy Smokes!
When Art shared this story, my heart went out to him. How startling and painful that must have
been! Yet, what keeps coming back to my
mind time and again is this: a strong, grown man was forced to the ground by a
tiny wren! I can’t think of many better
examples of being knocked-down to size!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Pride goes before destruction, a
haughty spirit before a fall<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>(Proverbs 16:18).<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Being humbled, no matter the tool used, is always painful,
but the lessons in dying to ourselves are necessary. Why?
Because “…with humility comes wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2) and according to
Proverbs <st1:time hour="8" minute="11">8:11</st1:time>, “wisdom is more
precious than rubies”. In fact, wisdom is
so invaluable that in finding it, we find life and favor from our Lord (Proverbs
<st1:time hour="8" minute="36">8:36</st1:time>)!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So…, how do we find this wisdom? What is it that we are to be looking for and
how do we know when we have found it:?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->The
Lord gives wisdom when we search for it as if searching for a treasure (Proverbs
2:4-6).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->The
wisdom given by the Lord is not “wisdom” in this world’s estimation. The wisdom of God is coming to an
understanding of the fear of the Lord and finding the knowledge of God
(Proverbs 2:5-6, <st1:time hour="9" minute="10">9:10</st1:time>).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->We
know that we have found it when we come to understand who God is and who we are
not!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wisdom is standing before God, with all pretenses removed,
and humbly admitting that in His presence, we are nothing! Wisdom is being in that place where we can
say with genuine humility, “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of
man that you care for him (Psalm 8:4).”
Pride simply does not exist in this place! Nothing compares to this wisdom! That is why we are instructed to seek it
above all else! In fact, Father’s hatred
toward pride and arrogance is so fierce and His desire for us to find wisdom is
so passionate that if we don’t get it the first time, His next tool just might be
a pileated woodpecker!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-35218428684170973402013-08-22T07:00:00.000-07:002013-08-22T07:00:08.571-07:00Hide And Go Seek With God<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
One of our turkey hens has been sitting on 11 eggs for a few
weeks now. On August 15<sup>th</sup>, <st1:city>Gary</st1:city>’s
and my wedding anniversary, she gifted us with two poults. The next day, she hatched two more. She now has quite a job on her hands. She desires to stay sitting on the remaining eggs,
yet is trying to keep an eye on four active little ones! Yesterday, when we went out to see if there
were any new arrivals, the babies had found their way through a hole in the
coop and were playing in the grass! They
marched in and out of the coop, trying to decide, “Is the grass truly greener
on the other side?” In the meantime, momma
paced nervously from the eggs remaining in the nest to the edge of the coop where
she could see her babies.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just a few days ago, I saw a beautiful, but likely hungry
hawk in the woods near the barn. Last
spring, villainous coons destroyed our entire chicken flock, except one! While it was fun to watch the baby turkeys
playing, Momma turkey is obviously aware of the dangers that her babies face
when they are away from her protection. I
knew that we needed to do something quickly to make sure that the babies
remained under her wing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I pondered the situation, I was reminded of the many
times in my life that I had one foot on each side of the fence; playing in the
green grass, yet staying near enough to my Protector to be assured that He was
still there. Not unlike the turkey poults,
I really had no clue of the dangers lurking around the corner, just waiting for
the right moment: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i>Your
enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour
</i>(<i>1 Peter 5:8).<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As much as she may have felt compelled to do so, momma hen
could not venture into the dangerous territory to rescue her babies. She was penned-in. Consequently, her babies were able to get out
of her sight and were a predator to come; momma peering through the coop would
have been no help at all! Our Creator,
on the other hand, is so powerful and sovereign that there is comfort in
knowing that we can’t get out of His sight.
We cannot go any place where He is not present.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i>Where
can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I
flee from your presence? If I go up to
the heavens, You are there. If I make my
bed in the depths, You are there. If I
rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even
there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast </i>(Psalm
139:7-10).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>We can be assured that <i>when</i>
we wander off into the enticing tall grass,<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>He knows where we are.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>But, like a “game” of Hide and Go Seek,<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>He <i>will</i> come “looking” for;
and “find” us.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="background: white;">And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save
those who are lost </span></i><span style="background: white;">(Luke </span></b><st1:time hour="19" minute="10"><b><span style="background: white;">19:10</span></b></st1:time><b><span style="background: white;">)<i>.<span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And He will provide protection from the predators who are
watching and waiting while we play.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i>Surely
he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and
under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and
rampart </i>(<i>Psalm 91:3-4).<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A “game”? How dare I
call it a “game”? Are you retorting, “Playing
where the predator can snatch us is not a game”? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;">While it may not be a game in
the way in which we understand games, if there is no person, nor power which
shall ever be able to overturn those whom God has<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>chosen, isn’t evil only a pawn in
God’s hand?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i> </i><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white;">(</span></span><span style="background: white;">John 10:27-29).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;">I’m not saying that we should
all go out and purposefully “play” in evil territory; however,<i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i><span style="background: white;">I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither
angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate
us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord</span></i><span style="background: white;"> (Romans 8: 38-39).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-81008952314384227342013-08-15T04:30:00.000-07:002013-08-12T16:16:28.264-07:00The Power of a Loose Tongue<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
We’ve all been disappointed when others have failed to live
up to our expectations. Our tendency is
to be angry, resentful and condemning.
Oh, but what opportunities to reflect the love of Jesus!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was made aware of a situation where some family members
were upset with others because they had failed to attend their annual family
reunion. In situations like this, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>We have two choices when it comes to how we portray someone to others:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>to shed the best light possible on the person we are talking about<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>or<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>to make their life, with details that we do not know or understand, <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>our business and shed a bad light on them in the face of others.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In this situation those two options would look something
like this:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->lovingly and positively putting them in a good
light: “I haven’t talked to them so I
don’t know why they are not here. But,
I’m sure that they have reasons that are important to them.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 39.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 39.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->hatefully and arrogantly putting them in a bad
light: “I guess they think that what
they are doing is more important than family.
We don’t need them here anyway. <i>We’re</i> the ones who are doing the <i>right</i> thing by being here!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.0pt;">
Unfortunately, the latter option
was chosen in this situation: One family
member was so upset that he blurted out something hurtful about the missing
members in front of the entire crowd and immediately wished he hadn’t said
it. Another family member took it upon
himself to get on the phone to find out why the missing members weren’t there
and then proceeded to share with those in attendance the “poor excuse” that the
black sheep had for not being there!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.0pt;">
I’m not writing about family
reunions, necessarily. Instead, I’m writing
about the power of a loose tongue. I hope
that my response to being made aware of this situation can be helpful to those
who find themselves in <i>any</i> situation
where they have an option to build up or to destroy another person. Here was my response:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i>While
I’ve missed a lot of family reunions, I have been at some. At those reunions there were other family
members who were not there. It never
dawned on me to be upset with them because of that. Why would I be upset? I don’t get that! It never dawned on me to call them and ask
them where they were. While I may have
missed seeing them, I never considered it my business to know where they were or why they weren’t there.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i>We
are all at different places in our lives as a result of the various experiences
that we’ve had, how our personalities deal with things, what’s important to us,
etc. Because of this, we all respond to
situations differently (attending or not attending family reunions is the
example at hand) and we deserve that right.
No matter what our reasons are and whether others agree or not, those reasons
are important to that individual.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Maybe they
weren’t there because there is something/someone at the reunion that troubles
them and they are not ready to deal with it yet. Isn’t that ok?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Maybe they
weren’t there because physically or emotionally it is too much for them. Isn’t that ok?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Maybe they
weren’t there because they woke up that morning and said, “You know what? I don’t feel like doing this today.” Isn’t that ok?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i>Whatever
their reasons, those reasons are ok in my eyes.
In fact, their reasons for <b>not</b>
being there may be healthier than why some people feel a <b>need</b> to be there! Regardless,
according to His Word, it is our responsibility, as God’s children to cover
what we perceive as another’s offense:<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 33.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>Whoever covers an offense seeks love,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>but he who repeats a matter separates close
friends. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;">
Proverbs
17:9<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 33.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i>Shedding
the best light on others in every situation helps to build them up and prevents
division not only between you and them, but between them and others. Shedding a negative light on others breeds
destruction first and foremost in our relationship with our Creator (Isaiah
59:2 & Matthew </i><st1:time hour="17" minute="23"><i>5:23</i></st1:time><i>). In addition, it breeds destruction of not
only that person, but between you and them and between them and their
relationship with others. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>“The tongue has the power of life and death and those who love it will
eats it fruit!”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Proverbs 18:21<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>, <st1:state>IA</st1:state>
<st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-88014470853924103382013-08-08T12:23:00.000-07:002013-08-08T12:23:00.414-07:00I Just Can’t Get to You<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
I was visiting with our grandson,
Dominic on the phone the other day.
Dominic, who is five, had <i>all</i>
kinds of excitement to share. It was so
fun to hear his stories. Living hours
away, Dominic has yet to visit our new home.
I told him that I missed him and that it would be really neat if he
could come to visit us and see his horse friend, Wonder. When I asked if he thought he might do that
some day, Dominic quickly and emphatically responded, “No.” “Oh, why not,” I asked? “Because you live far, far away and I just
can’t get to you,” he asserted sadly. My
heart sank. In Dominic’s little mind,
Grandpa and I are alive, we are out there somewhere, but no matter how badly he
wants to, no matter how hard he tries, he could never ever get to us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dominic’s mindset reminds me of
where my heart has been numbers of times in my relationship with God. While I’ve trusted that He is alive and “out
there somewhere,” it seemed that no matter what I did, I just couldn’t “get to”
Him. Hours of prayer and intense study
of His Word not only seemed fruitless, it activated further frustration and
deeper longing. I’ve heard it said that
God is within us, so I even spent a great deal of time trying to be still in
order to find God within. The harder I
tried the more questions developed. The
confusion and frustration was over-whelming at times. Those around me didn’t seem to
understand. My questions were irritating
to more than a few. On one hand I was warned
to stop asking <i>all </i>these questions
and simply trust; on the other hand many admitted that they were also disturbed
by the allusive answers to such questions.
Consequently, they’d rather I keep the questions to myself. I suppose I could do that, but… something
inside of me compels me to ask:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>While it might be humbling to admit, who of
us really “knows” God?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Isn’t there great pride and arrogance in
assuming that we can?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">Can
we possibly know and understand the One who brings both life <i>and</i> puts to death, who both heals <i>and</i> wounds (Deut. 32.39) and who
sets both blessings <i>and</i> curses
before us (Deut. 30:3)?<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Are
we capable of understanding the One who “make(s) peace and create(s) evil
(Isaiah 45:7)?<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">How
do we rectify that evil and good come from the mouth of God (Lamentations <st1:time hour="15" minute="38">3:38</st1:time>), yet evil does not dwell with this
same God (Psalm 5:4)?<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">What
do we do with a God who is Love (1 John 4:8), yet brings evil upon those
He created (Amos 3:6)? Why do we
blame evil on another when Scripture clearly reads that it comes from the
hand of God (Job <st1:time hour="14" minute="10">2:10</st1:time>)?<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve heard the standard
answers. Dare I say that I’ve “left no
stone unturned” as I’ve deciphered the “supporting” Scriptures many times, but
when the rubber meets the road, the supports are quite shaky and there seem to
be no reasonable answers. How dare I challenge
God’s Word and question God? Some would go
so far as to question my “Christianity”!
Let me give you a Scriptural example of a person who dared to do such a
thing. In doing so, I will also give you
an example of those who give all the “pretty,” prepackaged answers, but fail to
honestly ask the questions.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In his effort to understand God, Job
went so far as to question and accuse God.
Job’s friends, on the other hand, mouthed knowledge, but it was not living
knowledge of the God whom they claimed to honor. In their piety, they would never, ever
consider questioning God. Instead, they
simply accepted and trusted in what they had been taught. As much as we might want to believe and
portray that we are “good Christians,” the reality is… this is much more risky
than questioning and accusing God. Why? Because, while God left Job to wrestle in the
confusion and frustration manifested from his genuine desire to know and
understand his Creator, Father’s heart was touched by Job’s hunger for Him and
answered his prayers. On the other hand,
God was angry with Job’s arrogant friends who assumed they had a handle on
their Creator. In fact, He would not
even hear their prayers (Job 42)!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I realize that the questions are
unsettling. I understand that the
seemingly inconsistent Scriptural references can be more than we want to
consider. But… it is necessary. While the wrestling may never bring clear
answers in this life, it seems that it is necessary preparation for the next. Wishing I or someone else could help you
through the process? I will do
everything in my power to make it possible for my precious Dominic to get to
us, but neither I nor anyone else can give <i>you</i>
the answers for “finding” God, any more than Job’s friends could help Him. We all have to go through our own process of
questioning and searching. I can assure
you that, as much as this long lonely road seems fruitless at times, our
Creator declares, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">If you look for </span></i><em><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-style: normal;">me </span></em><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">wholeheartedly,
you will find </span></i><em><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-style: normal;">me, (Jeremiah 29:13).<o:p></o:p></span></em></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-59030887947850625632013-08-01T11:50:00.000-07:002013-08-01T11:50:00.564-07:00 “You Nasty…” and Other Challenges a Crown Bearer Faces <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
My sister-in-law, Marcia is a berry pickin’ queen! When she goes out, she’s prepared! She doesn’t leave the house without a cane
and a pair of nippers, along with her bucket.
Decked out in long pants, long sleeves and a scarf on her head, Marcia
uses the cane to pull distant brambles toward her and to find the luscious
succulents hiding under branches near to the ground. She uses the nippers to cut those old razor
sharp brambles that aren’t producing anything except annoyance. Brilliant!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While she’s quite a berry scout, through her years of
experience, Marcia has learned that berry pickin’ can be risky business! The story goes that, one year, she returned to
the house with her bucket full of berries, but the back of her shirt was ripped
to shreds, appearing as though a bear had attacked her from behind! Now those are some wicked brambles! Last year, she nearly fell into the swamp
groping for the dangling temptations just out of her cane’s reach. She is one dedicated berry picker!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There isn’t much conversation when we are picking berries
together. Except for the ecstatic, “Oh,
my gosh! <i>Look</i> at these,” an occasional “Ouch! You nasty …”, and “Holy cow, it’s hot out
here,” reaping our harvest is mostly business.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While it does have its trials, I love picking berries. I could and do pick for hours! Not only do I love being outside, I appreciate
the free fruit and I enjoy dreaming about all the delicious berry recipes that
will soon be filling our home with homemade freshness! And… although it may seem foolish to most, I
love the challenge of getting to the most “unreachable” berry.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Speaking of foolish… I wonder how many people have free
fruit in their back forty and don’t even know it or worse yet, they know it,
but don’t care. “Too much work,” they
say, “why in the world would I risk falling into the swamp, having my shirt
torn off my back and frying in the hot summer sun when I can simply go to the
store and just buy ‘em?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Easier; yes, but where’s the adventure? Where are the stories? Where are the lessons learned?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;">
<b>Sadly, most of us look at life the way that
we look at picking berries.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;">
<b>We’ll go to great extremes to skirt around
anything that may be<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;">
<b>somewhat prickly and treacherous in order to
avoid discomfort.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We expect life to be easy and we get discouraged when it is
not. In fact, typically we attempt to
pray away anything that resembles suffering.
However, according to Scripture, it seems that this expresses a
misunderstanding of the purpose for life:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Consider it all joy,
my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the
testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and
complete, not lacking anything.</i> James 1:1-4</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to come to the end
of life and discover that, while I may be old, I’m immature in my faith and
lacking the greatest gift because, at all costs, I worked to avoid a little
discomfort. Instead, my heart’s desire
is to be, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Blessed (as) the man
who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive
the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him</i>. James 1:12</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So... quit whining and get out there! Use a “cane” to get through those rough spots
in life, if you have to. Who knows, you
just might find yourself wearing a crown!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-77557475019239934562013-07-25T15:32:00.000-07:002013-07-25T15:32:00.368-07:00Haste in Choosing Toilet Tissue and Other Important Decisions<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
I’ve been up and out in the berry brambles early the last
few mornings, collecting gallons of the beautiful fruit that surrounds our
farm. While it isn’t all joy, I do love
picking berries. Most of us know that wherever
there are prickly brambles, there lives poison ivy. For <i>some</i>
reason the sight of poison ivy always reminds me of a particular childhood
experience:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
My youngest brother, Louie and I
spent a lot of time playing in the woods.
Home was often a long way from where we were playing and returning there
to take care of our bathroom needs seemed senseless. So… we often “did our duty” wherever we were
playing. Old fallen trees worked well
for a “resting” seat and leaves were often handy and useful as toilet “paper”. Well… most of the time, that is.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
One day, I was overly anxious to
get back to whatever we were playing and I didn’t take the necessary time to
consider what leaves I might be holding in my hand</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;">
<b>It wasn’t long before I realized that<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;">
<b>my hasty toilet “tissue” decision was going
to result in<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;">
<b>a long and excruciatingly painful
consequence!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
When the itching, blisters and
burning developed, I thought I’d die of discomfort before I’d ever get better. Needless to say, I learned my lesson about my
choice of nature’s toilet “tissues!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have you ever made hasty decisions that led to painful
consequences? Maybe you </div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">married
too quickly.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">left a
good job out of frustration.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">spent
money unwisely.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">opened
your mouth too soon.</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We’ve all found ourselves suffering the consequences of our
haste. What is important, however, is “did
we learn?” Most of us nod our heads an
emphatic, “Yes, I learned that </div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">I
should have never married the jerk!”</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">I
should have stayed with the great job that I already had!”</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">I
should have not purchased that!”</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">I
should have kept my mouth shut!”</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s good that we all learn something from our
mistakes. But… are we missing the
broader and possibly more important lesson in these experiences? While it’s true that I should not have used <i>those</i> leaves, is the greater lesson found
in simply gearing my pace down a notch or two in order to prevent the major “pain
in the wazoo” in the first place?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>It’s not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss
the way.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Proverbs 19:2</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-79058136796490526652013-07-18T05:30:00.000-07:002013-07-18T05:30:01.887-07:00 An Alternative to Chemical Wormers<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Our
critters are important to me, so I like to protect their health as best as I
can. I’m learning about worming without
harmful chemicals. While, I’ve much more
to learn, I like to share what I do know so that others don’t have to spend so
much time researching, planning etc.
I’ve been buying a wonderful product for worming, but have wanted to make
my own in order to save money. Plus, I
like the adventure of learning and concocting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
Let me begin
by saying that it is normal for almost all animals to carry internal
microscopic creatures. When in balance, the
host and the parasite can live in harmony with one another. However, as a result of poor dietary habits,
improper hygiene, poor pasture management etc., the host can develop an
internal environment that breeds an over population of internal parasite. When this happens, the parasites begin to
consume more nutrients than the host can relinquish without suffering
nutritional deficit. Something must be
done! The host could die, or at the
least, suffer unpleasant health problems.
However, we have a <i>big</i> problem when it comes to commercial
wormers!<br />
<b><br /></b>
<o:p></o:p><b>Like most herbicides and insecticides, our world is becoming more and
more resistant to the chemicals available to destroy parasites. The harder we work at developing new
chemicals, the stronger the strains of parasites become. Not only that, these chemical wormers are
becoming more and more hazardous to the health of our livestock. The key, I believe, is in prevention. We must work at developing an internal
environment in our livestock that the nasty critters have no desire to live in.<o:p></o:p></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To accomplish this, we need a product that:</div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">does
not have adverse affects on the animal as a result of harsh chemicals.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">builds,
not destroys the animal’s immune system.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">establishes
an internal environment in the animal that the parasite is adverse to.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">slowly,
but effectively kills the parasite without consequential toxicity due to a
build-up of dead parasites.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">promotes
expulsion of the parasites without developing diarrhea and nutritional
imbalance.</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Using my research and the ingredients of other products as
my guide, I’ve developed two products that I believe meet the requirements
above and are cost effective. The two
formulas are given over an eight week period and the cycle is repeated
throughout the year. Remember this is
not a harsh chemical that literally blows the crap out of the parasites, causing
adverse effects on the animals and is repeated a few times a year. Instead, throughout the entire year these
ingredients will establish an environment that the freeloaders do not like
while causing gentle expulsion of the dead scroungers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">WORMWOOD/BLACK WALNUT WORMER FORMULA - #1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">4 Cups Wormwood 4 Cups Garlic<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">1 cup Fennel seed powder 1 cup Diatomaceous Earth<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">1 cup *<u>Black Walnut</u>
powder <b>(<u>* NOT FOR HORSES)</u></b><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">DO NOT USE DURING PREGNANCY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Use right before breeding and
resume day after delivery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">During pregnancy substitute
with Formula #2 for 3 consecutive days<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Administration: </span></b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Given
for three consecutive days of week one<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Dosage: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Goat: 1 tbsp…………..Kids under 2
months: ½ TBSP<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Sheep: 2 tsp Llamas: 2-3 tsp Alpaca: 1-2 tsp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Cattle 3-4 Tbsp Horses: 2-3 TBSP<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Dogs: ½ to 1 tsp Cats: ¼ tsp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Pigs: 2-3 tsp Chickens 1 Tbsp to 6 chickens <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">**Horses: (*Carefully mix<b> and</b> mark container <b>without</b> Black Walnut)<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">WORMER FORMULA - #2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">4 Cups Mugwort 4 Cups Garlic 4 Cup Pumpkin Seeds<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">1 Cup Fennel seed powder 1 Cup Diatomaceous Earth<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">1 Cup Thyme 1 Cup Hyssop<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Pregnancy Safe: Substitute for FORMULA #1 during
Pregnancy!</span></b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Administration: </span></b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Given
one time weekly for seven weeks.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Dosage: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Goat: 1 tbsp…………..Kids under 2
months: ½ TBSP<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Sheep: 2 tsp Llamas: 2-3 tsp Alpaca: 1-2 tsp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Cattle 3-4 Tbsp Horses: 2-3 TBSP<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Dogs: ½ to 1 tsp Cats: ¼ tsp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Pigs: 2-3 tsp Chickens 1 Tbsp to 6 chickens <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the babies, administer a three day dose of Formula #2
beginning at 4 weeks of age, repeat every 3 weeks until they are 6 months
old. At that time, start them on the 8
week cycle. You may have to add water to
the product and use a syringe to drench them if they are not interested in
eating the wormer. If diarrhea develops,
immediately administer Formula #1 for three consecutive days.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In order to make the product more palatable, I mix it with
black strap molasses. Not only do the
animals love it, the molasses adds nutritional value that helps to build their
health. What a treat! A few gulps of apple cider vinegar splashed
in their water is an additional way to establish the internal environment that
we’re seeking in our animals. All of this
may sound like a lot of additional work, but once you get into the routine, it
goes quickly and it gives you the necessary time to closely evaluate your
animals rather than rushing through chores simply for the sake of getting them
done. In my opinion, their health and the
blessings that they offer to us are worth every minute!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">DISCLAIMER:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">The author
of this article does not endorse everything represented on/in suggested links,
books, etc. Each of us is accountable to
God to weigh everything according to His Word. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">All
content of this article is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free
Speech. The author sells no hard products and earns no money from the
recommendation of products. The information herein is presented for educational
and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice
from any licensed practitioner. The information is not intended to diagnose,
treat, cure or prevent disease. This is
best left to the Creator of the universe.
In all health-related situations, “qualified healthcare professionals”
should always be consulted. The author
deems THE GREAT PHYSICIAN to be most qualified.
The author assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this
material. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-33743803732526755662013-07-11T05:52:00.000-07:002013-07-08T09:25:07.366-07:00Bluegrass Festival Success<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Marigold Meadows was literally humming with activity last
weekend with our first annual Lloyd Loar’s Hometown Bluegrass Festival! We couldn’t have asked for a better “first”. We did have a brief downpour of rain, but it
didn’t seem to dampen the spirits of crowd or the musicians. At one point, we counted over 120 attendees
just under the shelter. There were additional
jammers and listeners scattered around the meadow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Festival Highlights:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">Bluegrass
Express from <st1:place><st1:city>Elizabeth</st1:city>, <st1:state>IL</st1:state></st1:place>
showcased the event with Andy Hatfield who is the National Banjo, Mandolin
and flat top guitar pickin’ champion!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Carol
Jean (Smith) Trulson surprised me with a visit. Carol Jean is the late Oliver Smith’s
daughter. For years, Oliver and his
family hosted the internationally recognized Harmony Pines Bluegrass
Festival in <st1:place><st1:city>Gilson</st1:city>, <st1:state>Il</st1:state></st1:place>. Carol Jean & I were high school
friends who sang together often and participated in state vocal contests
together.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">We
were blessed with several local musicians who were the backbone of the
festival, helping with odds and ends from start to finish, filling in when
other band members weren’t able to come, etc.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Fred
and Carol Barrett who are the hosts of the wonderful Bluegrass Festival at
<st1:place><st1:placename>New</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Salem</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype>State Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> came to support and
encourage us. They are so impressed
with and excited about our festival that they offered to showcase us at
the New Salem Festival!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Members
of Bluegrass Express have assisted with other youth programs at various
Bluegrass Festivals. They have
offered to help us organize youth workshops for our future festivals.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Phil
Belcher was Johnnie-on-the-Spot offering to help as we were getting ready,
being our festival photographer and offering a demonstration at the
festival of his handmade mountain instruments! What a craftsman he is!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Steve
Hatfield’s band, <st1:place><st1:placename>Heartbreak</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Mountain</st1:placetype></st1:place>
from <st1:place><st1:city>Peoria</st1:city>, <st1:state>IL</st1:state></st1:place>
joined us. Andy is Steve’s son. There’s no question where Andy’s talent
comes from!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">My
sister-in-law, Marcia had an opportunity to bake in her new wood-burning
oven that my brother, Art built last winter. Known for miles for her pie baking
skills, Marcia’s new oven will bake 16 pies at one time! No one was disappointed in how the oven <i>or</i> Marcia performed!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Steve
Smith from Barnyard Guitars in <st1:place><st1:city>Macomb</st1:city>, <st1:state>IL</st1:state></st1:place>
set up a vending tent of instruments, picks, strings etc.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Tony
Williamson owns a collection of Lloyd Loar mandolins. While he was not able to join us this
year, he sent us CDs at a discounted price to help us raise money to
encourage youth in <st1:place>Bluegrass</st1:place> music. On the CD, Tony is playing the various
mandolins and explaining the history behind them!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Mark
Wheeler, Steve Smith and Bill Kuhn were individual musicians who shared
their talents with us.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Gary,
my brother Art & I had the honor of joining in with various musicians.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">We
were astounded to have a young man show up in the meadow one day when we
were preparing for the festival. He
introduced himself and said, “My wife and I think what you are doing is
just wonderful and we want to do whatever we can to help.” Pete and Stephanie Scrogum were a
God-send to us from that point on and I’m sure they will be an ongoing
part of our lives. What a blessing!</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although he desired to be here, due to his traveling
schedule, we missed the opportunity by about 24 hours to have the Lloyd Loar’s
historian, Roger Siminoff join us. Roger
owns several of Lloyd Loar’s instrument prototypes, blueprints, compositions
etc. As everyone’s “go to” man regarding
Lloyd Loar, Roger has been very encouraging and helpful from start to
finish. Hopefully, Roger will be able to
join us next year with his historical presentation about the musical genius,
Lloyd Loar.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is no doubt in my mind that next year’s festival will
be even better. Musicians are already
lining-up to join us on stage, as well as offering to hold workshops, etc. Festival attendees are already spreading the
word and we learned a thing or two that will hopefully make our future
festivals even more enjoyable for everyone.
Mark your calendars for the last Friday, Saturday and Sunday in
June. You won’t wanna miss it and we’d
love to have you!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-59107651640895754852013-06-27T04:30:00.000-07:002013-06-27T04:30:03.317-07:00They Don't Bug Me Anymore!<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
We’ve had so much moisture this spring that the bugs are
thick here at Marigold Meadows! It’s
difficult to work in the garden without fearing that you might be carried away
by a swarm of gnats! I’ve never been to <st1:state>Minnesota</st1:state>,
but I’ve heard about their man-sized mosquitoes. I think their cousins are living here on our
farm.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The horses are pretty smart.
They are spending a lot of time in the barn where there is a breeze which
somewhat keeps the annoying insects away.
While the barn is one of my favorite places to be, I do have things that
need to be done. However, in my efforts
to make it through my “to do list,” it seems that I’m doing more fruitless
swatting than accomplishing <i>anything</i>
else! So… as I’ve considered plants that
are on my side against these pesky intruders, I think I’ve fashioned a insect
repellant recipe that will make outdoor work <i>and</i> fun activities a little more enjoyable.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I knew that I
wanted to stay away from DEET, the neurological damaging compound used in most
commercial insect repellants. I also knew
that Catnip was an effective insect repellant, but I didn’t realize just how
effective until I came across the researchers report given in 2001 at the 222nd
national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest
scientific society, that the essential oil in catnip is about ten times more
effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET!
However, like</span><span class="date"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> all enterprises, those manufacturing insect
repellants are interested in making money and catnip oil is not cheap! Consequently, while I wanted</span></span> catnip
as my foundation, because of it’s costliness I realized that I needed to use it
as a tincture or undiluted in minimal amounts.
Not having any catnip tincture on hand, I chose the essential oil of
Catnip.<span class="date"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I decided to use witch hazel as a carrier because it is not
oily. No one likes dirt and sand sticking
to their skin because of oily lotions and sprays. I concluded that it is best to mix insect
repelling oils in order for the end product to be most effective and least
expensive. Here is my non-oily, insect
repelling end-product:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4 oz Witch Hazel Extract</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 ounce Neem oil (purchase this diluted in olive oil)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
80 drops Citronella essential oil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
80 drops Eucalyptus essential oil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
40 drops Lavender essential oil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
20 drops Rosemary essential oil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
20 drops catnip essential oil (may use 4 oz. Catnip tincture
instead)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
10 drops Lemongrass essential oil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
10 drops Lemon essential oil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mix in a spray bottle.
Shake well before each use.
Reapply as needed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They don’t bug <i>me</i>
anymore! Try it and let me know how it
works for you!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">DISCLAIMER:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">The author
of this article does not endorse everything represented on/in suggested links,
books, etc. Each of us is accountable to
God to weigh everything according to His Word. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">All
content of this article is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free
Speech. The author sells no hard products and earns no money from the
recommendation of products. The information herein is presented for educational
and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice
from any licensed practitioner. The information is not intended to diagnose,
treat, cure or prevent disease. This is
best left to the Creator of the universe.
In all health-related situations, “qualified healthcare professionals”
should always be consulted. The author
deems THE GREAT PHYSICIAN to be most qualified.
The author assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this
material. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-90511173431346396012013-06-20T06:00:00.000-07:002013-06-20T06:00:04.698-07:00Hot Dog of a Man<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
We’ve met a man who is known in our community as, “Hot
Dog”. Hot Dog often attends music jams
with his wife, who seems to be one of the most loyal, supportive persons I’ve
ever observed. While he mostly gets
around in a wheelchair, when Hot Dog stands he is a <i>very</i> tall, big man! Hot Dog
is unable to speak clearly, but works very hard to communicate with those he is
interested in. He can tell you that he
is “Hot Dog”. Otherwise, under normal
circumstances he only utters, “Yabba, yabba, yabba”. However… it is simply amazing that at the
jams, Hot Dog will pull himself up out of his wheelchair to stand and lead the
crowd in singing “God Bless <st1:country-region>America</st1:country-region>”. While it is obviously a struggle for him to
get the words out, every word is quite clear!
His tenacity brings tears to my eyes every time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few weeks ago, I sang a closing song entitled, “Where Could
I Go But To The Lord” written by James B. Coats. Hot Dog’s eyes were glued to me as I sang:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt;">Living
below in this old sinful world,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Hardly a comfort can afford.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Striving alone to face temptations sore,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Where could I go but to the Lord?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Where could I go oh where could I go?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Seeking a refuge for my soul,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Needing a friend to help me in the end,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Where could I go but to the Lord?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Neighbors are kind, I love them every one.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background: white;">We get along in sweet accord.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background: white;">But when my soul needs manna from above,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Where could I go but to the Lord?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Where could I go oh where could I go?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Seeking a refuge for my soul,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Needing a friend to help me in the end,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Where could I go but to the Lord?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Life here is grand with friends I love so dear,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Comfort I get from God's own Word.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt;">Yet
when I face the chilling hand of death,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Where could I go but to the Lord?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Where could I go oh where could I go?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Seeking a refuge for my soul,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Needing a friend to help me in the end,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Where could I go but to the Lord?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;">It was obvious that Hot Dog
was listening, but I had no idea how deeply the song touched his heart. After the jam, he got up out of his wheelchair
and using his cane, Hot Dog made his way over to where the musicians were
sitting. He began to shake each one’s
hand. To my surprise, instead of shaking
my hand, Hot Dog drew me to himself and kissed me on the cheek. Looking me straight in the eye he spoke, “I
lub you”. I nearly broke into
tears. Using his unaffected arm, he
lifted his limp arm. It was obvious that
Hot Dog had something very important that he wanted to communicate to me, yet all
that he could utter was, “Yabba, yabba, yabba, stroke.” Our hearts were connected at that moment and I
knew exactly what he had on his mind. He
wanted me to know that as a result of his stroke he had learned a very
important lesson; </span><span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10.5pt;">“Where could I go but to the Lord?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is my understanding that Hot Dog was once a very stoic
man and quite intimidating to most, especially his wife. Today, when my brother Art sings, “I Wouldn’t
Change You if I Could,” Hot Dog’s gaze locks onto his wife’s face with tears
streaming from his eyes. It’s amazing to
me what the hand of God can do to a man’s heart. I don’t know who this man used to be, but
what I do know is that today… he’s a Hot Dog of a man!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-78686698169819456452013-06-13T06:00:00.000-07:002013-06-13T06:00:01.624-07:00Simply Udder-Full<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
I sneak a little dab of molasses into our dairy goat’s
“lactation supplements”. She not only
loves it, it’s proving to be quite effective!
Peggy’s now producing <i>so much</i>
milk that it’s difficult to keep up! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Brother Art is making me a cheese press; however, while
waiting for it to be completed, the freezer and refrigerator shelves are lined
with jars full of delicious, creamy milk.
Maybe I should go into business selling my herbal milk-enhancing concoction
and call the product, <b><i>Simply Udder-Full</i></b>!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few days ago, I decided that I <i>had </i>to do something with some of this milk! So, I made cottage cheese which does not
require a press. What an easy & fun
project. No more hormone,
antibiotic-filled cottage cheese is gonna make it’s way into this house! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hey! I have an
idea! I could develop a full line of
dairy products: Simply Udder-Full
Cottage Cheese, Simply Udder-Full Cheddar, Simply Udder-Full Swiss, etc! OK.
OK. One step at a time. For now…. perfecting the Cottage Cheese is
good enough!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ll give you the basics of my Simply Udder-Full Cottage
Cheese secrets, if you promise not to tell:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 Gallon Simply Udder-full Milk</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1/8 Cheese Rennet Tablet (not Junket)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2 Tbsp. “warm to your wrist” water</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Heat milk in a long, shallow, non-aluminum pan (my 15.5” x
9.5” x 3.5” Stainless steel roaster works great) over medium-low burner until
it feels warm to your wrist. Crush the
tablet in the warm water and stir to dissolve.
Stir warm rennet water into warm milk.
Make sure that you stir from every angle and in every corner of your pan
in order to mix thoroughly. In
approximately 30-45 minutes, touch the “milk” gently with the tip of a sharp
knife. A miracle should have occurred; the
“milk” should have gelled. It is now called
“curds”. Draw a long knife through the
curd vertically and then horizontally to make about ½” squares. Make certain that you cut all the way through
to the bottom of the pan. The squares
will begin to giggle and the liquid whey will begin to rise to the surface. Drain
the curds in a colander lined with butter muslin or cheesecloth. Squeeze more whey out by using the pressure
of your hands. Keep checking the
consistency, being careful not to make the cheese too dry. Add salt to taste. Refrigerate </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tips: I prefer butter
muslin which is thicker and sturdier than cheesecloth. The muslin can be rinsed and then sterilized
in boiling water and reused multiple times.
I’ve found the most economical cheese rennet and butter muslin at <a href="http://www.caprinesupply.com/">www.Caprinesupply.com</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve tweaked these steps a bit to develop my secret recipe,
however, this is enough information to get you started making your own cottage
cheese in a matter of minutes! I
promise; it’ll be close to being Simply Udder-full! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-80895377187972098392013-06-06T06:23:00.000-07:002013-06-06T06:23:00.329-07:00If I Were Your Brother<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
I came across a song on YouTube by the Spinney Brothers (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISzIWkg-fUY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISzIWkg-fUY</a>)
entitled, “If I Were Your Brother”. While
I immediately thought of my brother, Art who has been such a help and
inspiration to me, the song is filled with many applications to our
relationships with one another as brothers and sisters in Jesus;</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>If I Were Your Brother<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>If I were your brother would you hold out your hand?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>In these times of trouble beside me please stand.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>If I needed courage would you see me through?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>If I were your brother I’d do that for you.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>If I were your brother would you show me the way<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>And help with the answer should ever I stray,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>And grant me forgiveness for things I may do?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>If I were your brother I’d do that for you.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">CHORUS:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>If I were your brother I’d love no one more.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>There for each other like brothers are for,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>And gladly I’d lay down my life, it’s true,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>If I were your brother I’d do that for you.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>If I were your brother would you open your door,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Make me feel welcome in rich or in poor?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>And there at your table could I sit there too?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>If I were your brother I’d do that for you.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">CHORUS:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>If I were your brother I’d love no one more.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>There for each other like brothers are for,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>And gladly I’d lay down my life, it’s true,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>If I were your brother I’d do that for you.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Because I’m your brother I’ll do that for you.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How often do we consider the honor that is ours to demonstrate
Jesus’ love for one another as brothers and sisters? Personally, I have to be mindful to not allow
my agenda get in the way of this privilege.
Too often, I get so focused on tasks, which are seemingly important,
that I even become irritated when my schedule is interrupted with the needs of
others. Like Jesus, I want to be willing
to “lay down” my life for my brothers and sisters and to see my relationships
with them as more important than accomplishing something. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please feel
free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder or to
read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-13105147273357218302013-05-30T06:08:00.000-07:002013-05-30T06:08:00.121-07:00Need Mo Milk, Please<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Life at Marigold Meadows is always full of learning
experiences and sometimes that includes a bit of heartache.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We recently bought Peggy, a dairy goat who is half Saanan
and half Nubian. This mixed breed is for
the purpose of producing creamy milk and<i>
lots</i> of it! According to the
previous owner, Peggy was likely bred and due to deliver in the middle of
May. Like clock-work, she delivered
twins on May 13<sup>th</sup>. The twins
were seemingly healthy at birth, however, Peggy looked miserable. Her udder was so huge and congested that it
looked like it would burst, but according to the pictures that I’ve seen of
lactating dairy goats, this is “normal”.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unlike our meat goats, Peggy’s twins were very quiet and
“laid back”. I never caught either of
them nursing. Peggy’s teats were so
large and her udder so low to the ground that I was concerned that maybe the
kids were unable to get her teats into their mouths. Were they able to suck? Had they gotten the
colostrum that they need so badly?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I put Peggy on the milk stanchion to see if the little ones would
suck with assistance. They both sucked. The larger one was a bit more aggressive
about it and would sometimes butt the little one away, but neither of them seemed
to work at it very hard. Were they
unwilling or were they full from eating on their own before I came along? I asked previous goat owners for advice and
the standard answer was, “They would not have lived for several days without
food. They must be eating and you just
haven’t been there at the right time.” They
suggested that I milk Peggy way down so that she would be more comfortable and
that the little ones could get a better hold on her teats. I relieved her of almost a gallon of
milk! While keeping a close eye on the
little ones, I tried not to be overly concerned.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One morning when I went out to milk, I found that the little
one had died. My heart just sank! To top that off, Peggy was not producing more
than ½ cup of milk! What were we going
to do? Not only was it important to have
milk for the other little guy, we had bought Peggy because <i>we</i> wanted milk! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next learning curve… how do I increase Peggy’s milk supply?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m blessed with two helpful books on natural goat care:</div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">Natural
Goat Care – Pat Coleby</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">The
Complete Herbal Handbook For Farm and Stable – Juliette de Bairacli Levy</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, <a href="http://www.fiascofarm.com/">www.Fiascofarm.com</a>
is a wonderful website that I return to time again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I researched, I discovered that the herbs: fennel, dill
and fenugreek help to increase goat milk production. Hoping that Peggy would like the herbs and
that they would be effective, I decided to give it a try. I powdered equal parts of each ingredient
together in my blender and off to the barn I went. First, I mixed 1 tablespoon of the herbs in
with her ration of corn only to discover that she ate the corn and left the
powdered herbs in the bottom of her feeding pan. Hmmm…it was obvious that I needed to
out-smart her. So…, I mixed the powdered
herbs with 1 teaspoon of molasses and she loved it! I’ve been giving her 1 tablespoon of the
herbs each morning and evening for three days now. This morning when I milked Peggy, she offered
1.5 qt.! I’m not sure if her supply will
increase any more than this, but at least I know that the Little Spud is
getting what he needs and we have enough milk to drink, bake, make cheese, etc.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Who would have thought that a few herbs would have such an
effect? It never ceases to amaze me how
the Creator of this universe has provided everything we need. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">DISCLAIMER:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">The author
of this article does not endorse everything represented on/in suggested links,
books, etc. Each of us is accountable to
God to weigh everything according to His Word. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7.5pt;">All
content of this article is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech.
The author sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of
products. The information herein is presented for educational and commentary
purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any
licensed practitioner. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure
or prevent disease. This is best left to
the Creator of the universe. In all
health-related situations, “qualified healthcare professionals” should always
be consulted. The author deems THE GREAT
PHYSICIAN to be most qualified. The
author assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-76475676319941879702013-05-23T06:30:00.000-07:002013-05-23T06:30:03.042-07:00In the Eyes of the Beholder<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Have you ever considered that what we think of as “the norm”
is typically only cultural? A number of
things in the last few weeks have stirred those thoughts up for me again:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">We
were at an auction where people were paying big bucks for antiques,
primitives, etc. In the midst of
all of this was a gentleman who spotted an “invaluable” used game that he
thought his grandchildren would like.
When he won the highest bid of $1.00, he carried the game with his
head held high as though he’d received a trophy.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">We’ve
been considering whether or not we should demolish our old farm house and
build a small rustic home. While
most would determine the farm house not worth salvaging, those without
homes or small shanties would consider it the “mansion” they’d never even
dream of having.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">My
brother, Art reminisces about a time in his boyhood when he played
“basketball” for hours shooting a ball that would not hold air against the
side of our old outhouse as a backboard.
Unbeknownst to Art, our neighbor, who drove by our place everyday,
noticed Art’s determination. He
arrived at our house on Christmas Day with an inflated basketball, a hoop
and a back board. Art had never
received such an elaborate gift!</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Who determines what’s “normal”? How do we conclude what’s “good” and what’s
“bad”? Customs and traditions in one
culture would never be considered in another.
What’s perceived as beautiful to one is determined as repulsive to
another. What one values, another
considers unworthy. This song came as I’ve
pondered these thoughts.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>In the Eyes of the Beholder<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>By Bonnie Jaeckle<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Flame-branded scars disfigure her
face.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>To him she’s a princess, to
others disgrace.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Most keep their distance from the
“monster” they see,<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>While his loving hands caress her
face so gently.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>CHORUS:<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>In the eyes of the beholder
another can’t see,<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>‘Cause we’re blinded by
perceptions of how life should be.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>We can’t understand ways that are
not our own<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>‘Til we walk in their shoes and live
in their home.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Life in a shanty is all she
dreams of.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>It’s her constant request to her
Father above.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>It isn’t a mansion over-looking
the sea,<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Just something better than life on
the streets.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>CHORUS:<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>In the eyes of the beholder
another can’t see<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>‘Cause we’re blinded by
perceptions of how life should be.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>We can’t understand ways that are
not our own<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>‘Til we walk in their shoes and
live in their home.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>A new born calf and the sweet
smell of hay;<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Others go shopping while she gladly
she stays<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>At home in simplicity when they go
to work.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>She enjoys her family while they
pay the clerk.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>CHORUS:<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>In the eyes of the beholder
another can’t see<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>‘Cause we’re blinded by
perceptions of how life should be.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>We can’t understand ways that are
not our own<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>‘Til we walk in their shoes and
live in their home.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>One more bottle to help ease the
pain.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Those who knew him say he’s never
been the same<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Since his wife and children were
killed in a feud.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>How would you respond if it
happened to you?<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>CHORUS:<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>In the eyes of the beholder another
can’t see<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>‘Cause we’re blinded by
perceptions of how life should be.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>We can’t understand ways that are
not our own<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>‘Til we walk in their shoes and
live in their home.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Never satisfied with all that
they get<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>His friends complain that, “This
isn’t it!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>He knew his family could never
afford<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>The ball that they bought which
he had adored.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>CHORUS:<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>In the eyes of the beholder
another can’t see<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>‘Cause we’re blinded by
perceptions of how life should be.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>We can’t understand ways that are
not our own<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>‘Til we walk in their shoes and
live in their home.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole-Heartedly,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonal
Progress</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-62327461545125355502013-05-16T11:02:00.000-07:002013-05-20T08:25:46.738-07:00Grandpa’s Way of Life<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
It wasn’t so long ago that my life was so out of control
that my emotions and body were screaming to get out of the raging river. There never seemed to be enough time to
complete my growing “to-do” list and I had no idea how to rest and enjoy. While my personality is such that, even now, I
can easily acquire a project list longer than any day is long, my attitude and
approach toward those tasks have changed greatly. I’m learning to not be so over-whelmed by it
all, but to enjoy the journey along the way.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While generations of the past were certainly not idle, I’d
guess that the difference between years gone by and the typical modern American
lifestyle is the mind-set. However, it
seems that the tide may be changing and that more and more people are seeking a
less complicated life. I recently came
across a Mark Brinkman song that speaks of this longing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Grandpa’s Way of Life<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>He drank his coffee from a saucer,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Rolled his smokes from an ol’ tin can.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>He could play Sally Goodin on the fiddle.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Yeah, he was Grandma’s kind of man.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Spent six days a week behind a plow mule<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Turning acres into rows.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Yea, he’d even get up early Sunday morning<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>And put on his only Sunday clothes.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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CHORUS:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>And I wonder how things got so complicated.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>You know it’s hard to find a good ol’ Barlow knife.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I’d love to throw computers out the window<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>And go back to Grandpa’s way of life.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>In the 30’s he tried to give up farmin’,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Sold electric power door to door<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>He swore he’d never buy a German auto<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>After he got back in 44<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>His words and hand were stronger than iron.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Yea son, you could take that to the bank.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>And every year when we brought in the harvest,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Well, Grandpa always knew just who to thank.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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CHORUS:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>And I wonder how things got so complicated.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>You know it’s hard to find a good ol’ Rando knife.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I’d love to throw cell phones out the window<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>And go back to Grandpa’s way of life.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>He could fix anything with balin’ wire or duct tape;<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>He called them God’s essential tools.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>He never had much use for the TV,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>All except for Walter Cronkite’s evening news.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>He only had an 8<sup>th</sup> grade education;<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>No Diploma hangin’ just for show.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>But when it came to teachin’ me a lesson,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>He will always be the smartest man I know.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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CHORUS:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>And I wonder how things got so complicated.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>If I could hear his fiddle play tonight,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I’d throw my computer out the window<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>And go back to grandpa’s way of life.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I’d just go back to my grandpa’s way of life.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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While I recognize that God’s timing is perfect in all
things, sometimes I wish I could have learned a lot sooner that life was not intended
to be complicated, rather it is simply about learning to enjoy His presence
along the way!</div>
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Whole-Heartedly,</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Script";">Bonnie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
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Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
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In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
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Diagonal Progress</div>
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<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
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<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
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<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7836744790343031527.post-57885439944838766612013-05-09T05:07:00.000-07:002013-05-09T05:07:00.695-07:001st Annual Lloyd Loar’s Hometown Bluegrass Festival<br />
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1<sup>st</sup> Annual Lloyd Loar’s Hometown </span></b><st1:place><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Bluegrass</span></b></st1:place><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Festival</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwzFJIE0XfBjFGT9leB0TLh1v8WRcFefvFo31XbRBuzo6qYPU3DSMxDyEmILbCx1D2sCSJLbifnNaWyzXs2eUMxmkSFv8ceW3HqzDcvz7jJfXd0NcPGWMJSgWRMNRbofKQ-NqshoS7Dq0/s1600/Loar+w-10-string+oval+hole-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwzFJIE0XfBjFGT9leB0TLh1v8WRcFefvFo31XbRBuzo6qYPU3DSMxDyEmILbCx1D2sCSJLbifnNaWyzXs2eUMxmkSFv8ceW3HqzDcvz7jJfXd0NcPGWMJSgWRMNRbofKQ-NqshoS7Dq0/s1600/Loar+w-10-string+oval+hole-sm.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">to be held at<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Marigold Meadows<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<st1:street><st1:address><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1212 N. Cedar Street</span></st1:address></st1:street><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:place><st1:city><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Lewistown</span></st1:city><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">, </span><st1:state><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">IL</span></st1:state><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><st1:postalcode><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">61542</span></st1:postalcode></st1:place><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Tel: 641-344-8284<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">wholeheartedlife1@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Why Lloyd Loar?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Lloyd Loar's parents moved to </span><st1:place><st1:city><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Lewistown</span></st1:city><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">, </span><st1:state><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">IL</span></st1:state></st1:place><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> in
1889 when Lloyd was three years old. Lloyd attended </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Lewistown</span></st1:placename><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><st1:placetype><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">High School</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> from 1899 to 1903 and began performing in local music
programs. Loar went on to study harmony, music theory, orchestration and
piano. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMuruq8ia9hS60rvTHD81VeXQIGXbTxosFysKPPHNWc1XqDeOL5Wxnl8DiceAxa5gXdAvyyInUdq8axudf5vjOZSb5Y8ej1qadcNKhMFxqaowHt6EcVZsBT0FTvnyOGMpvGorCFwweqoS/s1600/Loar_inst_Man_Saw_Viol+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMuruq8ia9hS60rvTHD81VeXQIGXbTxosFysKPPHNWc1XqDeOL5Wxnl8DiceAxa5gXdAvyyInUdq8axudf5vjOZSb5Y8ej1qadcNKhMFxqaowHt6EcVZsBT0FTvnyOGMpvGorCFwweqoS/s1600/Loar_inst_Man_Saw_Viol+(1).JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-size: 8pt;">Loar's earliest claim to
fame, as a performer,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 8.0pt;">was for his proficiency on
the mandolin, violin and the musical saw.</span><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">According to various
documents*, Loar returned to his hometown later in life and established an
Acoustical Research Laboratory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Loar & Bluegrass Music<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">While Bill Monroe
may have been “The Father of Bluegrass", the sound we associate with </span><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Monroe</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">’s mandolin came from Lloyd Loar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">As acoustical engineer and
instrument designer for Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Co., Loar designed
the 1923 Gibson F-5 model which was </span></b><st1:city><st1:place><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Monroe</span></b></st1:place></st1:city><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">’s
trademark instrument.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Loar’s design and
development of the “Master Model” instruments revolutionized the tenor banjo of
its day and laid the foundation for Earl Scruggs and </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Bluegrass</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";"> music, 20 years later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhgIIMooHyuQwcg5xUg8TVwslsVppQvZ0gNw2ht4XJ25-AfqHVtIj-uYImpcCVCfVb8JA9ehp2J-MA0wZR4Np114rMNGVb7sDmB-Ghc5SNyHPURPHIvhr77RD1GqtiX8HRboRpFIknZ25/s1600/Loar_at_Gibson+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhgIIMooHyuQwcg5xUg8TVwslsVppQvZ0gNw2ht4XJ25-AfqHVtIj-uYImpcCVCfVb8JA9ehp2J-MA0wZR4Np114rMNGVb7sDmB-Ghc5SNyHPURPHIvhr77RD1GqtiX8HRboRpFIknZ25/s1600/Loar_at_Gibson+(1).JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Segoe Print'; font-size: 8pt;">Loar at his work bench
holding the 10-string mando-viola.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Loar's Legacy Lives On<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Loar’s contributions
to string musical instruments rank among other musical geniuses such as
Antonius Stradivari, Orville Gibson, Leo Fender and Christian F. Martin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Today an original Loar mandolin
is valued at $175,000 to $200,000 — a true sign of appreciation for the work of
this master designer. The result of his years of research and passion for his
craft is a legacy of durable instruments and designs that have truly stood the
test of time. </span></i><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">- Gibson.com<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">As one of the most fabled names in American
instrument making history, we want to dedicate a </span></b><st1:place><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Bluegrass</span></b></st1:place><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";"> festival
to the memory of Lloyd Allayre Loar.
Please join as we continue to make </span></b><st1:place><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Bluegrass</span></b></st1:place><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">
Music history in his hometown!
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Lloyd Loar's
Hometown Bluegrass Festival will be held annually,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">the last full
weekend in June, having a main focus on promoting scholarships for young
Bluegrass Musicians.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">1<sup>st</sup> Annual Lloyd
Loar’s Hometown </span></b><st1:place><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Bluegrass</span></b></st1:place><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">
Festival<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<st1:date day="28" month="6" year="2013"><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">June 28-30, 2013</span></b></st1:date><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">, <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Gates open Friday </span><st1:time hour="12" minute="0"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">noon</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";"> & close Sunday </span><st1:time hour="12" minute="0"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">noon</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* Friday</span></b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">-Stage Show </span><st1:time hour="19" minute="0"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">7 pm</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* Saturday</span></b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">-Open Stage-?am/pm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">(contingent upon number of bands)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Stage Shows - </span><st1:time hour="13" minute="0"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">1pm</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">/</span><st1:time hour="19" minute="0"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">7pm</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* Sunday</span></b><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";"> - Gospel jam </span><st1:time hour="9" minute="0"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">9AM</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Bluegrass</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">
jamming all weekend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">*Workshops<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* Primitive camping (<u>No</u> service).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* Shows rain or shine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* Free will donation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* Bring lawn chairs & umbrellas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* No drugs or alcoholic beverages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* All pets must be on a leash, but not
allowed in food or stage area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* No electric instruments, please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* Generators off at </span><st1:time hour="22" minute="0"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">10PM</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: maroon; font-family: "Segoe Print";">* Not responsible for accidents/theft.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">DIRECTIONS (once to Lewistown):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* Take </span><st1:street><st1:address><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">12th Ave. East</span></st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";"> off of </span><st1:place><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Main</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* Continue curving South as it turns into
Broadway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* </span><st1:street><st1:address><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Take Marshall St. East</span></st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";"> across tracks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* Turn North onto N. Cedar St.- Continue onto
gravel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">* Follow signs entering into Marigold meadows<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Whole-Heartedly, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Art & Marcia
Jones and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print";">Gary & Bonnie
Jaeckle<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial;">Note:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Photos
courtesy of Roger H. Siminoff, reproduction rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted, all Lloyd Loar
information reproduced by permission, www.siminoff.net.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 8.0pt;">*</span><st1:state><st1:place><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Illinois</span></st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 8.0pt;"> Census 1920 & 1930<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 8.0pt;">*Letterhead
for Lloyd Loar Acoustical Research Laboratory, </span><st1:place><st1:city><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Lewistown</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 8.0pt;">, </span><st1:state><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 8.0pt;">IL</span></st1:state></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 8.0pt;"> dated 1931<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<em>P.S.</em> Please
feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder
or to read past articles at: <a href="http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/">http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/</a>. You may also contact me at: </div>
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Bonnie
Jaeckle</div>
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In Search
of the Whole-Hearted Life</div>
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Diagonal
Progress</div>
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<st1:street>505
Jefferson St</st1:street>.</div>
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<st1:place><st1:city>Diagonal</st1:city>,
<st1:state>IA</st1:state> <st1:postalcode>50845</st1:postalcode></st1:place> </div>
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<br /></div>
Bonnie Jaecklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06739965129362937315noreply@blogger.com0