The Substance of Chicks Hoped For...

If anyone knows me well, they know that I have recently acquired some chickens. Not only have I recently acquired them but I simply love my little chickens! Before you draw any conclusions that I am just an old country girl, I must tell you that I am a city girl that is slowly warming up to this country thing.

Yes...working in the garden until my hands and fingernails are covered in rich brown dirt, growing our own food, cooking a meal of fresh vegetables and knowing that you are giving your family the very best, canning with my girls, baking fresh loaves of bread for my family, gathering fresh eggs everyday, sitting on the swing with my husband after a hard day of yard work, sipping a glass of lemonade...I mean REALLY! Who could resist such a wonderfully rewarding lifestyle?

And so, I am enjoying this life...
COUNTRY I am happily becoming!

I am really learning allot. One endeavor I have undertaken is trying to hatch 3 little eggs. We have 11 chickens- all hens. I am happy as can be to have my chickens but we sure would like to have a rooster. So, a friend is letting me borrow a small dome incubator and has given me 3 fertilized eggs. Of coarse, we don't know what each of these little treasures will become. I mean, there's nothing like a little ultrasound machine out there to scan to find out if "it's a boy" (just in case you city folk were wondering).

This is a terrific project for me to do with my children BUT I am a bit selfish. With it being the first time I have ever attempted hatching my very own little chicks, I have kept the incubator in my bedroom, daring anyone to lay a finger on them. :)

I have come to the conclusion that hatching these eggs is a wonderful illustration of faith. Seriously! Each time I go to turn these warm little things, I pray,

"Lord, please One Rooster, Two Hens, help these live...

Lord, PLEASE one ROOSTER, two HENS, PLEASE HELP THESE LIVE..."Several times a day, I have to turn them. Praying the same prayer every time. You know, I don't know if I'm spending my time flipping "duds".

"Lord please one rooster, two hens, help these to live..."

Perhaps, something went wrong: the temperature wasn't just right, the proper humidity level was not maintained, they weren't turned enough, they were turned too much, the list goes on and on. Yet still...

"Lord, please one rooster, two hens, help these live..."

Really, if these things live it will be a miracle.

By the way, ALL life is a miracle of God. Think about it. God has designed the egg to hatch under it's mother who instinctly knows how to turn her eggs, keep them warm, protect them, hatch them. I am merely trying to do something that God has precisely designed a chicken to do.

And so I will continue to pray,


"Lord, please one rooster, two hens, help these live..."

Six days and counting!


"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Peace in the Valley

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside still waters."


Just imagine...place yourself in this picture.


The grass is cool, the sky, a clear azure blue. Hear the birds flutter their wings.
Now, take a look over at the water. The sky is reflected in the the still, calm water...

Is there turmoil? No, there is a strange calm and peace. This morning, as I read my Bible, savoring The Word, The Lord brought this verse to my mind. You see, my body was full of pain but it didn't matter. No, pain was not my focus. Instead, He made me to "lie down in green pastures" and "led me beside the still waters". There was calm in my spirit and peace in my soul. The world stood still as I spent time in prayer and reading The Word. Although there was much to disturb me, pain, sickness, frustration, worry, none of it mattered because I was there, resting in those green pastures.


Oh, if I could, I would love to simply stay there. THERE, with Him. But, life beckons me on- there are things to be done, appointments, errands, household duties. And yet, my soul can still be at peace, for I have the comfort of the Shepherd along with me, still guiding, still comforting, still loving...and I can rest in Him.



"My soul wait thou only upon God... " Psalm 62:5