Well, I’ll Bee…!

Not only do honey bees fascinate me, they are good for our gardens and it is a real blessing to have a personal stash of sweetener on hand.  While I’ve used honey in baking for years, studies show that using honey from your own locale has additional health benefits.  So… I’m gonna try my hand at beekeeping this year!  Before I start, however there is so much to learn and it always helps to cement things in my head if I can share what I’m learning!  So… let’s talk honey bees!

There are three castes to a honey bee hive: the queen, the drones and the workers.

• There is only one queen per hive.  Her job is to sustain the next generation of honey bees and she does so by producing 1,000 – 3,000 eggs per day!  She has a stinger, but without a barb.  While she may use her stinger to ward off other queens, she rarely stings the beekeeper.

• The drones are the males.  Having no stinger, they cannot sting you or your livestock.  Their only job is to go from hive to hive mating with virgin queens.  Once a virgin queen has mated with several drones during her mating flight, she will lay eggs the rest of her life without having to mate again!  While this may seem convenient for the queen, the poor drone is no longer needed.  Consequently, the worker bees ban drones from the hive in the fall leaving them to die in the cold elements.  I suppose the drones might consider this a blessing since there are only 300 - 3,000 fellas per hive.  The rest are all female! J

• One hive consists of 60,000-80,000 worker bees in the summer.  Worker bees are always female, but do not lay eggs unless the hive becomes queenless.  Even then, the worker bee produces unfertilized eggs.  While she tries, she isn’t able to keep the hive alive without a queen.  The worker bee is born without wings.  After proving herself worthy by being a faithful worker in the hive for 21 days, she is granted wings.  She is often seen out and about foraging for pollen, water, nectar and propolis, a substance from trees used to mend holes in the hive.  The little worker bee is so devoted to the queen that she will work herself to death in 35-45 days.  The worker bee has a barbed stinger and is given only one chance to use it.  If it is any condolence to the receiver of her wrath, she dies after she stings.  I wonder if she knows that she better give it her best shot?

So what happens if the only queen dies?  How do honey bees keep populating?  The worker bees choose another queen from their clan.  They feed the honored one royal jelly which is made of pre-chewed pollen that is mixed with a chemical secreted from a gland in the nursing bee's head.  While this nutritional mixture is fed to all the larvae for the first two days of their lives, the “chosen one” continues to eat only royal jelly for the rest of her life.  This “super food” causes her to grow one and a half times larger and is what makes it possible for her to lay so many eggs.  As a result of her royal diet, “The First Lady” lives forty times longer than those on a less fortified diet.

How much honey does a hive produce per year?

That’s a difficult question to find a definite answer for.

From what I’ve read, we can expect from 50-250 pounds of honey per year!

Now, that’s what I’m talking about!

While the honeybee hive is perennial, it is quite inactive during the winter.  In fact, we had a beekeeper who kept his hives on our property in Iowa through the warm weather.  In the late fall, he would take the hives to California so that the bees could continue to produce honey.  If hives are left in the cold climate, the honeybees survive by clustering for warmth inside the hive.  Regardless of the outside temperature, it remains 93 degrees in the center of the winter cluster.  Before the winter chill hits, the worker bees have collected enough honey and water for the hive to survive the winter.  Wiser than most people, I’d say!

Fun facts, huh?  I hope that, like me, as I learned these facts, you found yourself saying, “Well, I’ll Bee…!” J

I’ll keep you posted as I learn more.

Whole-Heartedly,

Bonnie

P.S.  Please feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder or to read past articles at: http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/.  You may also contact me at:

             Bonnie Jaeckle

             In Search of the Whole-Hearted Life

             Diagonal Progress

             505 Jefferson St.

             Diagonal, IA 50845

If I Only Had a Heart

One of the most common Valentine symbols is the heart.  As I pause to consider what this signifies, I recall an incident that occurred during my emergency nursing career.

The paramedics reported that they were transporting to us a female who had been stabbed in the chest.  When she arrived, she was triaged into my care.  She was in no obvious physical distress, but was quite emotionally distraught.  As I patiently and gently prodded, she was able to give me a report of what had happened.  As the story unfolded, I discovered that she’d stabbed herself in the chest with a pair of scissors.  She felt that she was a bad person and feared that she didn’t have a heart.  Consequently, she decided to open-up her chest to find out!

While this seems odd to those of us who consider ourselves more emotionally stable, this precious woman may have had more sense about herself than most of the rest of us!  She realized that she was evil and that something needed to be done!

Scripture is replete with descriptions of the evil human heart, however Ecclesiastes 9:3 seems to sum it up best; This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.

The standard “treatment” for “psychos” such as this lady is medication and psychological therapy.  Sadly, the true condition of the heart is only masked through this approach for there is no cure.  The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it (Jeremiah 17:9)?

Even the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz expressed his awareness that something was missing within when he sang, “If I only had a heart!”  While the answer certainly isn’t in the Wizard, most would say that the answer is in Jesus.  Yet, nothing in Scripture indicates that our hearts are cured in choosing Christ.  Instead, Ezekiel 36:26 tells us that it is in receiving a new heart and spirit that we are cured,

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;

I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

The Hebrew word for “heart” is “leb” and it refers to our inner man, mind and will. 
The Hebrew word for “stone” is “eben” and it means rock or death.  In other words, the will is dead.  It can not choose!
The Hebrew word for “flesh” is “basar” and means mankind, flesh, meat.  In other words the will is made alive.

A dead rock cannot choose Christ!  But if it were given a heart filled with life: its will, its desire would be for Jesus.  So which comes first, we choose Jesus and He moves in or He chooses to dwell in us?  According to Ephesians 1:4, He chose us before the creation of the world.

Most would argue, “But we have free will.  We are not robots!”  Yet Scriptures reads that every intention of our hearts is evil (Genesis 6:5).  Is an evil heart capable of making such a righteous decision as choosing Jesus?  Instead, Ezekiel 11:19 tells us, I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.  It seems that Father is the only one with free will and will never yield His glory to another (Isaiah 48:11) for such an honorable decision.  Jesus makes this clear when He says; No one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father (John 6:65).

Not unlike Lazarus, we lack the necessary power to resurrect ourselves.  Father saw the desperate and helpless state of our souls and in His great love and mercy commands, “Take away the stone.”  He then commands us to “come out” of the spiritual grave of lifelessness into life as a new creature (John 11:38-44, 2 Corinthians 5:17).

Note that once Lazarus was re-created, He wasn’t made perfect.  Instead, he was bound-up in grave clothes which needed to be shed.  Jesus didn’t tell Lazarus to take them off.  Lazarus couldn’t because he was bound by them.  Instead, Jesus told those who were in fellowship with Lazarus, “You do it!”

Celebrating love really isn’t about giving gifts of candy, flowers and cards on a certain day of the year.  True love is demonstrated daily, stinkin’ grave clothes and all, in noticing that which has us bound and helping one another to walk in the freedom which is ours in Jesus.

With new hearts it is possible for us to recognize who our LORD is; in fellowship with His people we are able to return to Him wholeheartedly (Jeremiah 24:7).

Whole-Heartedly,

Bonnie

P.S.  Please feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder or to read past articles at: http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/.  You may also contact me at:

             Bonnie Jaeckle

             In Search of the Whole-Hearted Life

             Diagonal Progress

             505 Jefferson St.

             Diagonal, IA 50845

The Winning French Press Coffee Maker

We love coffee at our house!  I’m kinda finicky about it.  My husband, Gary on the other hand, is willing to drink almost anything labeled “coffee”.  I like mine either steaming hot or ice cold.  Gary, however, could drink coffee at any temperature!  It’s difficult for me to swallow coffee that has been cooking half the day, while Gary will drink it if there’s nothing else available.  I am thankful that we both like our coffee bold and black.  We jokingly refer to weak coffee as “church coffee” because our experience has been that most congregations make very diluted coffee.

I’m thinking Gary must get his love for coffee from his momma!  This sweet, 90 year old lady prepares her drip coffee maker before bed so that all she has to do in the morning is push the button.  However, “unable to wait” for the coffee to brew, she makes a cup of instant coffee using the boiling water mechanism at her sink so that she can be sipping while she’s waiting for the drip maker to complete its cycle!

A few years ago, we had the privilege of visiting a “house church” in Ireland.  We learned quickly that many Irish tend to be very fond of coffee!  In fact, the true Irishman drinks coffee with “a little sugar, a jigger of Irish whiskey, and a float of lightly whipped cream”!  Without the Irish “additives,” we were introduced to French Press coffee!  In our opinion, French Press coffee is unsurpassed and we’ve been somewhat dissatisfied with anything less since!

We’ve owned a number of coffee makers through the years: drip, percolator, espresso, etc. but never a French Press.  I’ve spent a fair amount of time researching these coffee makers shortly after our return from Ireland, but never took the plunge to purchase one.  Our drip maker is on its last leg, however, so I’ve been back to researching French Presses.  I nearly over-loaded with all the descriptions, reviews and consumer reports, yet all that homework helped to make a decision that we are not sorry for!  I thought all you coffee connoisseurs out there might be interested in our conclusion.

In my search, I found everything from the “Rolex of French Presses” for home use priced at a walloping $3,000 (no kidding) to $4.50 fly-by-night models.  With all these options, how did we make our final decision?

Things we were looking for:

• Pure, rich coffee flavor
• Non-toxic plastics, glass or metals
• Unbreakable
• Quality (Plunger seals often leak coffee grounds)
• Durability (Plunging mechanism often bends)
• Insulation for retaining heat
• Capacity for coffee drinking visitors
• Must also brew tea
• Availability of replacement parts
• Cost effectiveness (no need for expensive filters)
• Easy to use and clean
• Quick (No time to waste for morning coffee!)
• Non-electric (Must have coffee in a power outage!)

The winning French Press coffee maker?

Drum roll…….

The Frieling!

This coffee maker meets our criteria with:

• insulated double-walls which retain heat four times longer than glass!
• an unbreakable, toxic free, 8/10 stainless-steel body inside and out!
• the ability to make French press coffee or tea and the bonus of a sleek looking carafe which doubles as a serving pitcher for any beverage!
• its 33-Ounce capacity to serve several guests!
• replacement parts available from Frieling!
• ease of simply pulling the plunger out of the carafe and washing both by hand or in the dishwasher! No parts to disassemble!
• no need for expensive filters!
• having no power cords!  We can brew and serve right at the table even in a power outage!
• its durable and tightly sealed all-steel mesh plunger mechanism can be used with coarse coffee grounds or loose tea leaves without bending the plunger or having grounds seeping through!
• ease & speed of simply scooping ground coffee into the press, filling it with near boiling water, placing the lid/plunger unit on top and steeping for 4 minutes! Slowly press the plunger down and voila, coffee ready to serve!
• And we can’t be more satisfied with the pure, bold flavor!

Have a love for bold coffee flavor?

A French Press can’t be beat!

Have no idea where to start your search for a quality French Press without spending a fortune?

In our opinion,

there’s no need to look any further

 than the Frieling Polished Stainless Steel

French Press!

Whole-Heartedly,

Bonnie

P.S.  Please feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder or to read past articles at: http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/.  You may also contact me at:

             Bonnie Jaeckle

             In Search of the Whole-Hearted Life

             Diagonal Progress

             505 Jefferson St.

             Diagonal, IA 50845

What Planet Are You From? Part III

Is “heaven” a place where we go someday to live in a city of precious metals and jewels, as we’ve been taught, or is it an expression of something spiritual that can not be touched?

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched….But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God (Hebrews 12:18, 22).

The Jewish church state was formed on Mount Sinai.  It was a touchable place, a place where much was about outward and earthly things.  The gospel Church is formed on “Mount Zion”; it is neither an earthly nor a material mountain.  It is about inward and spiritual things.  It is everything that we have in Christ Jesus!

We read that the author of Hebrews says, “You have come to … the heavenly Jerusalem…”  This is past tense!  It has already happen!  You are there!  Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household (Ephesians 2:19).  While we remain foreigners and aliens in this world, we are “a holy nation, God’s special possession” (1 Peter 2:9-11).

As a tangible community, the lifestyle and fellowship demonstrated by its faithful and humble citizens announce to the world and beyond that Jesus has shattered their enslavement by and to idolatrous powers in this world and that Father’s glorious kingdom is already at hand.

We are given a glimpse of the untouchable, yet magnificence of the holy city in Revelation 21:2-23; 

(2) I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband...Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. (12) It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel...(18) and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone...and the twelve gates were twelve pearls...and (22) I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb, are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb

1 Corinthians reads 3:16 reads, Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?  Is this a contradiction to what we read in Revelation?  How can we be the temple of God, yet the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple?

Because Jesus prayed, May all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them (John 17:20, 21, 26).

I pray that you find comfort in knowing that while you may be an alien to the rest of the world, as a child of the Father, you don’t have to wait to dwell with Him in His city.

And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth….  They were longing for a better country--a heavenly one.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13-16).

This is what the “good news” is all about!  The Kingdom of God has come!  If you are “in Jesus,” you’re already home!

Whole-Heartedly,

Bonnie

P.S.  Please feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder or to read past articles at: http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/.  You may also contact me at:

             Bonnie Jaeckle

             In Search of the Whole-Hearted Life

             Diagonal Progress

             505 Jefferson St.

             Diagonal, IA 50845

What Planet Are you From? Part II

Do you ever feel as though no matter how hard you try, you’re never understood?  Do you often feel all alone even when you’re surrounded by others?  Does it feel as though others perceive you as an alien from a different planet?

The Hebrew word for alien is understood to mean “one who is not a part of any worldly culture, someone who doesn’t fit anywhere.”  This is something that the Psalmist clearly understood!

Hear my prayer, O LORD, listen to my cry for help; be not deaf to my weeping. For I dwell with you as an alien, a stranger, as all my fathers were (Psalm39:12).

Isn’t it interesting to consider that the Psalmist was dwelling with his Lord on earth at that moment in time?  It was always my understanding that this world is not my home and that I would someday “go to heaven” to live in the place that Father is preparing for me.  What I didn’t realize until more recently is that the word “heaven” was a common Jewish term for “God”, often substituted for the divine name to avoid possible misuse.  33 times, Matthew refers to the “kingdom of heaven”.  He only uses the “kingdom of God” 4 times.  Mark and Luke, however always refer to “the kingdom of God”.

The Hebrew and Greek words for kingdom primarily mean “rule” or “reign.” Both terms refer to the exercise of God’s power, dominion, or sovereignty.  The inauguration of the Kingdom of God was manifested in Jesus.  God’s kingdom is where Jesus is and He said that He is here now!

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:14-15).

As the body of Christ, then, the Kingdom is within us.

Having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, Jesus answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or, 'There it is!' For behold, the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:20-21).

Jesus taught us to pray, saying, “Thy Kingdom come thy; will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Mat 6:10.  In that, we are praying, “May the Kingdom of God be accomplished in and through us wherever we go, whatever we do!”

Jesus told His disciples, Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’ (Luke 10:8-9)!

While I realize that a three part article may be difficult to follow, please hang in there with me for next week’s Part III.  I think that you’ll find the conclusion quite challenging!

Whole-Heartedly,

Bonnie

P.S.  Please feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder or to read past articles at: http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/.  You may also contact me at:

             Bonnie Jaeckle

             In Search of the Whole-Hearted Life

             Diagonal Progress

             505 Jefferson St.

             Diagonal, IA 50845

What Planet Are You From?

We just purchased airline tickets to visit Gary’s family in Virginia.  For some reason, this conjures up thoughts of a previous trip that we made out East a couple of years ago.

Our flight left very early in the morning, so we decided to stay in our camping van overnight at the airport.  A storm brewed up in the middle of the night and soon the wind was so strong that it blew the vent cover on our roof nearly off its hinges.  The noise and rain pouring onto our bed woke us up!  Wrestling against the wind, we finally got the cover pulled back over the vent.  By that time our bed was soaking wet!  It was two in the morning and we had to be in line for security checks in two hours.  A soggy bed… two hours… why bother trying to go back to sleep!  Instead, we lugged our suitcases through the rain to our assigned terminal which was pitch-black with no one in sight.  Watching the marquis, Gary noticed that our flight had been canceled.  He quickly called our travel agent who got us the last seats on the only flight going out.  This flight had us leaving Moline, Illinois, going to Minneapolis, to Atlanta and then to Virginia. 

While waiting for our flight in Minneapolis, I noticed that there was another flight scheduled to Atlanta before ours.  I inquired at the desk and they were able to get us in the last seats available.

Meanwhile, Gary’s face was starting to itch.  Was he having a nervous reaction to the stress?

We knew it was going to be a close call to connect with our flight in Atlanta; however, we had no idea how far it was to get to our departing terminal!  Huffing and puffing, we slid through the gate just as they were starting to close the doors! 

By this time, Gary’s hands and legs were beginning to itch.  What in the world was going on?

When we finally arrived in Virginia, four hours late, we stood sleepy-eyed waiting at baggage claims to no avail.  Our luggage hadn’t arrived with us so we made our way to the customer service desk!

We explained to the receptionist that our flight itinerary had been changed several times since we purchased out tickets and that our luggage had not arrived.  She asked from where our initial flight originated.  “Moline,” Gary responded.  She suggested, “Well, when you come from a different country you have to go through customs.”  In his best mustered-up patient tone, Gary pronounced, “Moline.  We came from Moline, Illinois!”  She responded, “Yes and you must go through customs.”  While I held my tongue, I wanted to scream at her, “What planet are you from, lady?”

I never considered that maybe the problem was with us!  By this time Gary was developing welts on his face and itching everywhere.  He did kind of look like a refugee who needed to be quarantined!  Unbeknownst to us, he had gotten into some poison ivy just before we left and before it was over there was no inch of his body unaffected!

Do you ever feel as though no matter how hard you try, you’re never understood?  Do you often feel all alone even when you’re surrounded by others?  Does it feel as though others perceive you as an alien from a different planet?

I have some words of comfort for you.  Please stay tuned for next week’s Part II of “What Planet Are You From?”

Whole-Heartedly,

Bonnie

P.S.  Please feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder or to read past articles at: http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/.  You may also contact me at:

             Bonnie Jaeckle

             In Search of the Whole-Hearted Life

             Diagonal Progress

             505 Jefferson St.

             Diagonal, IA 50845

Marigold’s Babies

You likely recall my story about Gary and me tugging and pulling trying to get a very resistant pregnant goat transferred from my brother’s barnyard to ours.  Hoping to beat the arrival of her babies, I've worked diligently to get her trained to get on the stanchion to eat.  I’ll tell you, she’s not a stupid cookie!  She maneuvered every which way trying to get to the treat waiting for her without having to get up on that stanchion!  We nailed a sheet of metal to the side of the stanchion so that she wouldn't go around it for the treat.  We nailed another sheet of metal to the front of the stanchion so that she had to put her head through the proper opening in order to get to the snack.  Little by little she learned that if she really wanted that treat, she’d have to find a way to get those wide horns through the narrow head-stall.  One day she’d do it.  The next day she’d balk.  As she came to understand that I had no intention of hurting her, she did it more and more without hesitation.  At first I allowed her to eat without locking her in.  Then I began to lock her in extending the time period each day.  Once she was used to the head-stall, I began to touch, rub and tug on her utter until she was willing to allow me to do it without resistance.  As the days went by she and I became friends.

I had read that goats like to eat Marigolds and here at Marigold Meadows we have lots of them.  So I gathered up some dried flower heads one day and took them to her as a gift.  I explained to her that she and I would soon spend time together milking every day and that she would be providing a very important need for us at Marigold Meadows.  I asked her if she would mind if I called her “Marigold”.  While she obviously didn't verbally respond, twice a day Marigold hears me coming and makes sure that she is in the barnyard to greet me with her gentle bleating.

As the days went by Marigold’s tummy got so big that I swore she had a truck-load of goaties in there.  Her udder got so full that she could barely walk, but she was always there to greet me.  Until one day, not only didn't I see her when I came across the meadow, I didn't hear her either.  My heart leaped with anticipation. 

I came around the corner of the barn

and there she was with twins

 that were still moist from the delivery!

I must have just missed it because shortly after I arrived, she delivered the placenta.  I was so excited I could hardly talk.  I went into the barn where they were and asked Marigold if I could see her babies.  She had no problem with my presence.  In fact, as I picked her babies up into my arms to welcome them to our farm, Marigold looked at me as if to say, “ Aren't they just precious?”  I couldn't agree more.

Whole-Heartedly,

Bonnie

P.S.  Please feel free to contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder or to read past articles at: http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/.  You may also contact me at:

             Bonnie Jaeckle

             In Search of the Whole-Hearted Life

             Diagonal Progress

             505 Jefferson St.

             Diagonal, IA 50845