5-Gift Rule and Gimme Gimme

~ red wing blackbirds here in droves ~

Yep, Abraham Maslow had it right...food, shelter, clothing are needs; all else is want. He also said, "The story of the human race is the story of men and women selling themselves short."

yeouch.

That sure hit home. How many times do we slough off a compliment instead of simply saying, "Thank you", then tucking that compliment inside and pondering it later when we're in dire need of encouragement? I know I'm guilty.

For a lot of decades, I've remembered (a minor miracle!) and sung Mickey and Becki Moore's song called, "Gimme Gimme" and, at some point in time, had the pleasure of seeing them in concert. Mickey and Becki started in Greenwich Village, NYC as professional street singers, becoming part of the Jesus Movement and eventually moved to central Virginia. Theirs is a wonderful story, a testimony to grace, mercy and lashings of love and, in a box somewhere, I have their first album, Mickey and Becki (that's the album name I remember but could be wrong).

"Gimme gimme this, Lord,

Gimme gimme that

I gotta gimme gimme mentality

Oh, I really wanted this,

Instead you gave me that

Lord, you're not listening to me..."

All over the i-net, I'm reading where folks are going into debt, giving Christmas gifts. That is insane! I'm also reading about the 4-Gift Rule...something to wear, something to read, something they need and something they want. That sounds about right but I've made it into a 5-Gift Rule...something to give...as in make small packages of hard candies, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb/brush, hand wipes, wool socks/hat (purchased at Sam's the socks cost about $15 for 3 pair and the hat is 2 for $12) then drop off at a shelter, letting your child hand over the goods. Allowing the child to make the association between the package and helping a real human being goes a long way toward establishing an attitude of gratitude and a lifetime of giving. Also, consider serving food or giving gifts in a Salvation Army or other shelter. This Christmas, what are you doing for heaven's sake?

Remember Gene? He's the Salvation Army bell ringer at Sam's Club and a more cheerful man you'd hardly find. Last year, while shopping at Sam's, I found three pair of wool socks for $15. When I left the store, I handed Gene a pair, starting a delightful, seasonal relationship of rejoicing with him in Christmas. This year, I wanted to up the ante so stuffed a little dollar store bag with tissue paper, a pair of socks and a wool hat. While in Sam's, someone saw me ripping open the packages and, smiling, asked, "Are you cold?" "No, it's a gift for Gene, the bell ringer. It's cold and the wool will help keep him warm." The woman looked at me and said, "That's such a nice thing to do."  And, instead of saying "Thank you" I admitted, "Wellllll, it's a very selfish thing to do...you should see his face when I hand him a Christmas gift!" His smile could light up Time's Square!

Sometimes ya gotta break the rules or you'll never have any fun! There are a few days left until Christmas, meaning you've still got time to "be selfish"; click here for some suggestions.

My days are filled with supplying food, shelter, clothing for the animals and myself. Tending to the farm takes more energy and strength than I have yet I plod on, considering it all joy to do the work God has set before me. The hay is sold for this year...IF people come get it, leaving enough hay for my horses to get through the winter and my pantry, freezers and fridges have a few jars, bottles and containers of this and that, put up during summer's end harvest. I've got wool socks, hats, scarves, jackets and am ready to laugh, mildly, at winter.

Yesterday, the first day of winter, was mild and supposed to continue throughout the weekend, into next week. That's good with me; I've had white Christmases and while beautiful, they can add stress to the holy day. If yesterday was the first day of winter, that means today is my favorite day...the day when days begin to shorten with more light than darkness...YAY!

Although, this autumn and winter haven't been very harsh for which is am grateful. Eddie, my wonderful helper, has done a lot of things to make the house, barns, vehicles warmer and safer...he's my new hero!

 
Maxine, a friend of almost 45 years (!!!), gave this horse collar mirror to me. Her Dad made it, probably 30 years ago, and it was languishing in her home so she gave it to me. Eddie, my wonderful helper, put the pieces back together and hung it in the sun room right beside the

collection of, mostly, animal bells. Most of these bells were purchased in Eastern Europe...Romania, Hungary, Ukraine with one being purchased in Russia. I still have a few to display but have run out of room here.

Beside the bells is my beloved quote from Tolkien.

 Do you remember last week when I had problems with the water trough freezing? The problem was electrical...it wasn't working but I didn't know why until Donald and Eddie came to check it out. The horses, being horses, were horsing around and doused the socket with water which overloaded the circuit and shorted.

Yeah. Rather frightening and I'm so very glad the entire thing shorted out instead of catching fire. God is good. Very, very good.

Donald and Eddie replaced the electrical socket and, using an old dog treat plastic jug, they jury rigged and sealed everything.

News from the farm is simple...we've food, shelter and clothing along with oil in the tank, wood for the stove and we are blessed. Dr. Anne comes tomorrow to give cats rabies vaccinations and on Monday "my" computer guy comes to get my desktop set up (OH JOY!), Eddie returns to do more wonderful things and in between is Christmas Eve and Christmas. The cats will be given canned tuna, the horses extra hay and grain, chews for the dogs and I'll be given the greatest gift of all...the assurance God has a plan. He says I am the apple of His eye and He holds my right hand telling me not to be afraid so I am not afraid. For me, faith is a choice and I choose to trust Him. God has a plan.

Ponder this ~ "We need people in our lives with whom we can be as open as possible. To have real conversations with people may seem like such a simple, obvious suggestion, but it involves courage and risk." ~ Thomas Moore ~

I hope you've a few such people in your life; in my life, Maxine is one among several; all are blessings and gifts. 

Mind Your Moments Because Moments Matter

~ evening in the valley ~

It's extremely doubtful this post will dig any deeper due to extreme weather on God's part and extreme exhaustion on mine, yet, looking back at notes made last year, I see February 2014 was just as horrible and I lost three sheep - Harry and Sophie Shetland and my beloved Carly Shetland, age 21.

~ Carly Shetland ~

This morning, at 5:00 a.m. there's no promise of dawn much less of sunshine and it's only hope and perseverance that gets me out of bed. Well, perseverance and the fact Daisy wakes me because she needs to go outside. We all stumble downstairs and I open the back door to frigid temperatures, twice, and decide I might as well stay up and start a cup of coffee. Eventually, the sun shines and hope stirs that today might just be a tad more gentle than the rest of this month has been. Surely, February, you can end on a gentle note, eh?

~ this morning, 7 a.m. ~

Slow Living is what my life is called and it's mostly concerned with what I call "heat and eat" or what Abraham Maslow called a hierarchy of needs: "food, shelter, clothing". Should you click the link, you'll find an article saying Maslow's work "suggests people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs." I find enormous humor in that statement because, to my way of thinking, there are NO "more advanced needs". Certainly there are other needs, different needs, but "more advanced needs"...no. It could be I haven't any idea what's meant by "more advanced needs" and I struggle to think of some...work? Work is what I do because I love to do it and am blessed to do it...the work of my hands and heart is tending to this farm, these animals and myself. Self-esteem? Again, so tied in with my work that it's impossible to tell where one ends and the other begins and I've never felt that way about any other job. Sure, I've always done my best when employed by others but those jobs didn't give satisfaction like this farm, possibly, due to the bosses I had. It's nigh on impossible for me to respect a boss anyone who isn't honorable, trustworthy or who is a Janus. Truth be told, I don't even try.

The article says there are five needs: psychological (survival needs - food, shelter, clothing); security (employment, safety); social (belonging, love); esteem (personal worth, recognition) and, the highest level, self-actualization (personal growth, less concerned with the opinions of others, fulfillment of potential). Again, amusement because Dave once told me, "I wish you cared, just a little bit, about what other people thought of you." My response, "Dave, I care enormously about the opinions of those whom I respect; the others...ummm, not so much." That's still true and it amazes me when people say, "What will people think?" and I'm blown away by the prospect people will think. What they think is between them and God and I've enough to answer for without concerning myself with someone else's judgement.

Slow Living means daily, the animals need food and fresh water and that means going to the barn, twice a day minimum, to throw out hay for the horses and chicken scratch for the guineas. Far too often to suit my body, ice has needed to be broken and removed from the water trough and for that I use a crowbar and pitchfork. I'd like to say of all the jobs, that job hurts the worse but then I remember pulling the fire wood from the barn (one hundred yards, all uphill) and how it took three days for my body to recover (if it has). It's hard work yet I take perverse pleasure in being able to do it and, when my spirit, yet again, faints at the prospect I remember so many stories told in Daddy's family and find the strength (due to God's mercy) to carry on.

I believe it was my third Great Grand Daddy and Grand Mother who made their way from central Virginia (late 1600's - early 1700's) to the Appalachian Mountains of (what is now) West Virginia. Joining a group of travelers, she and the smalls (toddlers, babe at breast, younger children and girls) drove their covered wagon loaded with supplies (food, clothing, cast iron cookware, etc.) and, crossing many mountains, headed to the new home place. Grand Daddy and the older boys drove the livestock in a different direction but they were all to meet at the new home stead in time to plant a late garden. When Grand Mother's group got to a river (can't remember which) they didn't realize spring rains had dislodged the marker and it had caught, downstream, in a different place but not realizing, she nudged the horses into the water. Before anything could be done, the wagon overturned; everything, and everyone, was claimed by the river. When Grand Daddy got to the home stead the caskets of his wife and children greeted him.

So my questions are these: why and how do people who don't know Jesus or have such stories keep going? What's their motivation? From where does their strength come?

It's a privilege go live here, on this farm, in this valley. Every day moments are mine to receive and they all matter because all are gifts. When someone would ask Aunt Bonnie, "Why have you never left the farm?" she would reply, "Why would I leave heaven on earth?" I believe she well and truly cultivated the gift of contentment and found joy in the moments because they mattered greatly to her.

The Canada Geese are back and staying at Maiden Springs where they have food and water

and Maiden Springs cave drips with ice that will take another few weeks to fully thaw. Camus said, "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." Summer is mine to claim as well; a merciful gift from God and the stories of family...those great clouds of witnesses gone on before.

I mind my moments because moments matter...greatly.

Blessings ~ Maiden Springs ~ my animals ~ witnesses ~ stories ~ heritage ~ winter ~ summer ~ moments ~