Monthly Archives: May 2009

church farm, coffee, family, Life experiences, Mountain biking

DAY PARTS

I just wanted to post a few pictures Im calling “Day Parts”.

PART 1

Started out the way I love to – Devotion , Sunday preparation and strong coffee.

bible coffee

PART 2

Then I went to work on getting these two canoes back to Missouri for my friend Mile Ketcherside.

We had to fix the Yakima racks on Annie’s Ford Explorer before they can be shipped. She hit a tree and did some damage to the whole system. Bigger project than I projected.

2 canoes

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PART 3

Hung out at Chruch Farm. It is really cool to see lots of people come by to help Thomas during the day.

All kinds of stuff growing – can’t wait for the harvet give away at “The Table”.

I met a young man from Virignia that is filming a documentary on “Building Communities” today. He is filming three cities and stopped by Church Farm to take a hands on approach to some of the work Thomas and crew are doing.

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I love using a canoe to very last drop. This one is helping us grow Kale and salad greens.

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The Potatoes are kickin it.

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Twila and Sophie have the life!

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PART 4

Just before sunset, I slipped in an hour of the “sweet spot” in the woods.

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PART 5

Finishing off the day by just hanging with the best bride on the planet! – She makes killer tacos.

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“As thy days, so shall thy strength be;”—Deuteronomy 33:25 (kjv)

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Life experiences, outdoors

I’VE BEEN AFRICANIZED

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Yesterday in Cornville Arizona I was introduced to the Africanized Honey Bee with a punchant right jab to the face.

This was a vicious relentless non-stop  attack.

Africanized Honey Bees also called Africanized bees or killer bees — are descendants of southern African bees imported in 1956 by Brazilian scientists attempting to breed a honey bee better adapted to the South American tropics.

When some of these bees escaped quarantine in 1957, they began breeding with local Brazilian honey bees, quickly multiplying and extended their range throughout South and Central America at a rate greater than 200 miles per year.

Africanized bees acquired the name killer bees because they will viciously attack people and animals who unwittingly stray into their territory, often resulting in serious injury or death.

It is not necessary to disturb the hive itself to initiate an AHB attack. In fact, Africanized bees have been know to respond viciously to mundane occurrences, including noises or even vibrations from vehicles, equipment and pedestrians.

Here are a few facts about AHB’s

AHB Facts

  • Are slightly smaller than the European honey bee, but only an expert can tell them apart
  • Defend their hive more rapidly than the European honey bee
  • Usually sting in greater numbers
  • Are less selective about where they nest
  • Swarm more often than European honey bees
  • Do not have stronger venom than the European honey bee
  • Each bee can only sting one time – females die after stinging (Awesome!)
  • Eat nectar and pollen and make honey
  • Are not native to the U.S.; they came from Africa

Keep a close watch out this summer and remember the AHB’s are more likely to sting you if you are wearing black clothing.

bee

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church farm, Ministry, Prescott

GENER-O-SITY

Today I open one of the many bills that come into the church office and this one I just have to blog about.

The bill was from R.W. TURNER  & SONS PUMP AND WINDMILL CO. out of Chino Valley Arizona.

The total amount was very reasonable to repair our well at the church as well as replace the pump that will supply water to our church farm for many seasons.

But what just blessed me was the amount that the Turner folks decided to contribute to the Church Farm Ministry .

These guys are not only good at what they do, but they have a heart of generosity that is hard to find these days.

Not only did they give the ministry a substantial gift but they also went above the call of duty by giving us a FIVE YEAR WARRANTY as well.

I just wanted to say thank you to these fine people and suggest that you write them and say thank you as well. The address for R.W. TURNER PUMP AND WINDMILL CO. IS:

3471 N. Hwy 89

Chino Valley, Az. 86323

You can also find them on the web at http://www.turnerpump.com/

windmill-2

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church farm

NORTHPOINT SCHOOL VISITS CHURCH FARM

This past week I came to the church campus to find two groups of students from Northpoint School learning some hands on education at the church farm.

After they had gone back to class I walked around to see all the work they had accomplished.  Great job guys and thank you.

I also learned that Prescott is one of only twelve communities in the United States to receive a major grant from Expeditionary Learning Schools Outward Bound (with funds provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) to create a new, small, rigorous high school based on the highly acclaimed Expeditionary Learning model.

Here are a few photos of the students with Thomas the teacher.

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Twila the goat will be having her kid in August. Really looking forward to all the excitment.

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To have a church part of a school’s field trip is a real delight. I wish we had more things to offer the community. Perhaps in the future we could offer other real life opportunities for people to come and participate and learn.

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church farm

AN OLD WELL WITH A NEW LIFE

In Genesis 26, there is a story about the Philistines filling the wells Abraham had dug with dirt and debris. Isaac reopens the wells by removing the debris.

It is amazing how stuff that used to work stops working.  Things are in a constant state of repair all around us.

This past week we repaired the well at the church and for the first time in almost 15 years water began to flow from the well to water the gardens at Church Farm.

I just wanted to post a big thank you the the following people to make this possible through their donations.

Rick Turner and sons from Turner pump and windmill company, Steve and Cindy Alward from High Gear Bikes, Nate Wood, Kate Pressman, Harold Potts, Michael Taylor, Virginia Jenkins, Pam Crawford, Paul and Jo Lummer, Gary Lummer, Natascha Lummer, Ester Summers Jeff and Tracie Scheffert,  Anden Scheffert, Michael Russel, Treba Pickering, Melvin and Linda Odell, Adam Arnold, Ray Wehrs, Norman Williams, Francis Clark, Jean Bloecher, Jason and Amber Dykstra, Nancy Edwards, Scott and Kim Floyd, Diane Gurle, Bob Blount, Rich at Coffee Roasters and Thomas Arnold.

These people helped us unstop a well that will water the church farm that will feed people – AWESOME AND GOOD ON THEM!

Here are just a few pictures of the well being unstopped.

The old pump comes out and the new one goes in.

truck field

well workers

old well

new pump

potatoes

corn

The Potatoes and the Hopi Blue corn on the rise.

Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them. Genesis 26:18 (niv)

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Ministry, Mountain biking, what I am working on right now

NIGHT VISION

Tonight I took my single speed mountian bike through one of my all time favoite sections of Prescott’s amazing trails.

Part of it takes you through a long tunnel that is under a rail road bed.

It is very dark in the middle of the tunnel you just have to keep looking to the exit for the way out.

Here is a picture of what it looks like biking through to the other side.

tunnel

Night vision is really a key if you are going to make it through to the other side.

I was reading through Bob Gass’s daily devotional and he writes about having night vision so perfectly I just had to share it on my blog.

 Night vision

Sometimes God doesn’t tell us why because He wants us to know who. In Psalm 23, David goes from talking about God, “The Lord is my Shepherd,” to talking with Him, “Thou art with me.” What happened in between? David learned that no matter how dark the way is, the Lord is there to guide us. He discovered that it’s better to walk through the valley with God than stand on the mountaintop alone. God doesn’t always light the path in advance, but He promises, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee” (Isa 43:2). When you feel like you’re out of your depth or in over your head, claim the promise! Job had many unanswered questions, but when he began to understand the difference between reason and relationship, he told God, “I…heard about you before, but now I have seen you” (Job 42:5 TLB). When you can’t find the reason, trust the relationship. God won’t fail you.

Contrary to what you may think, darkness isn’t always the work of the enemy. Sometimes it’s one of God’s best teaching tools. “About the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea…And when they saw Him…they were greatly amazed…beyond measure, and marveled” (Mk 6:48-51 NKJV). You get to know the Lord by going through storms with Him. The Psalmist said, “To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you” (Ps 139:12 NLT). So instead of running from your problems, ask God to develop your night vision, to show you “the treasures of darkness…hidden in secret places” (NRS).

“I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness.” Isaiah 45:3 NLT

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Ministry

My Circle

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We started a new series today called “My Circle”.

Here is a breif outline of today’s teaching.

Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me .. Get Mark and bring him with you,   Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. Only Luke is with me. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength.. 2 Timothy 4:10-14

 Paul’s Circle  

1. Demas Got DISTRACTED.

Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. Matthew 13:22

 

 2. Mark took a FALL but got back up.

Paul and company put out to sea, sailing on to Perga. That’s where John called it quits and went back to Jerusalem Acts 13:13

for he is useful to me for ministry 2 Timothy 4:11

He remembered that they were but flesh Psalm 78:39

a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again Proverbs 24:16

 3. Alexander HURT Paul.

“Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm”

 4. Luke stayed FAITHFUL.

“Only Luke is with me.”

                        The ABC’s of Your Circle 

                    Get Angry   or  Get Ajusted                              

                Become Bitter  or become Better  

               Stay Callused   or  Stay Connected

 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. –  2 Timothy 4:17,18 (niv)

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church farm, what I am working on right now

Four Gallons Per Minute

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Just a quick note:

Today Rick Turner came to get us started on the well for Church Farm.

Here are some brief notes to let you know of the progress.

We have water at 32 feet.

The well is pumping 4 gallons per minute.

The well depth is 332 feet.

This is good news for Church Farm!

Sorry this is such a short post but my eyes feel heavy.

Thank you everyone who has sponsored this project to get the well fixed. I will post more pics as progress is completed.

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