Mustard Seed Eureka!

I am thrilled to report that I did indeed find mustard seed!  Since I work in the Big City, I dialed up the local HEB Superstore there and inquired about their supply.  I was assured they had it.  Whether because they planned ahead, or because city folk just don't make many pickles, I do not know.  But I hurried over there when I got off work and picked up two jars for hubby.

All this chase for mustard seed got me to thinking.  In the Bible, our Lord Jesus tells us "if we have only the faith of a grain of mustard seed."  As you can see, that is not much.  Extremely small, but readily visable.  And just like my search for the actual seed, this kernel of faith can be elusive and hard to find, to obtain.  And just as these seeds make all the difference in Pete's Bread & Butter pickles, this spiritual faith seed makes all the difference in our walk with Christ.  Just as I had to turn to a bigger source for the actual seeds, we have to turn to The Source (aka Holy Spirit) to obtain this faith seed.  The real seed is boiled in the brine to season the pickles and release it's flavor.  As our faith seed is boiled in the trials of life, it can also release a "flavor" to season the world around us.  Just as the seeds still look whole and unharmed in the finished jar of pickles, He Who Is Able will bring us through the hot water whole and complete.

Barbara

In a Pickle

Here we are once again.  It's June in S.E. Texas, as it is across the rest of the world.  Everyone either has a garden or has a friend or relative with a garden.  Or has access to some local farmer's market.  And cucumbers are starting to come in, in abundance.  Yet once again, all our area grocers are out of mustard seed before anyone can make more than one batch of pickles!

Every year it is the same old thing!!  Run from store to store only to find empty racks and shelves where once the little round golden orbs were stacked!!  Wear yourself out getting in and out of the sweltering Texas sun and 100+ "feels like" temps.  Run in a store straight to the appropriate spot only to find the cubbard is bare and then right back into a roasting oven of a vehicle to go down the road to the next possibility.  There's no time for the freon in the system to even cycle through once before your stopped and out again.

I cannot for the life of me understand why not even one of them has thought in past years, "Hum...I could have sold three times as much of that high priced spice if only I had, had it stocked when demand was high.  I think I'll order in triple what I normally sell while it is still winter and then next summer when everyone else has bare shelves and the warehouse can't ship any more, I'll open up my private stock and hang a banner out front proclaiming:

We STILL Have MUSTARD SEED In Stock!!!

They will pour in!  They'll tell their friends!  I'll get all the dough for the seed and everyone will bless me and call me a saint for saving the day and the crop!  May even win a few more loyal customers for the forethought.  It's a total win, win, win situation."

Yeah, just one grocer with vision is all we need.  So, what are you waiting for!  Spread the word!  Tell YOUR grocer!  Save a pickle!!

Barbara

Celeste has given her answers!

Celeste has posted her answers for the Interview Me Game!  You can read her replies here:

My Day & Thoughts: 5 Questions from Barbara

And it's not too late for you to play along.  Simply comment on her blog asking her to interview you or comment here to ask me to interview you.

Barbara

Last Call!!

Not for alcohol. But the last call to join in on the Five Questions game.  Been oodles of traffic by this blog...but only two takers so far.

BUT, I am thrilled with the two that have said they want to play along and can.  They are both good friends of mine from way back in the days of J-Land:  Carolyn and Celeste.
I'll be letting you know when and where they post their answers.

Enough for now.  Will see you later.

Barbara

Would you play with me?

Been reconnecting with many of my old blogging buddies.  Some that I found here on blogger and some that I've known since our days on AOL Journals.  And then there are those that seem to have abandoned their blogs.  Some for other interests, like Facebooking and others due to what appears to be a lack of interest from their old audience and blogging buddies.

I can't throw any stones there.  I, too, got caught up in the drivel of Facebook for a season.  I also took a hiatus from posting and updating Life & Faith.  And I simply don't have the time on my dial-up to visit everyone the way I'd like to.  But now I am back to blog.  It's my primary concern and interest when I do have time to come online at home.  I love all my buddies and readers!  And still want to connect and feel that sense of community we had five, six years ago. 

Been mulling it all over.  One thing I have noticed is that we don't play the memes we used to back then.  So I have decided to try to start off one that was one of my favorites back in the day:  The Interview Me Game.  You can click the link to see my answers to the questions I was asked back then. 

For this new round, I will be the first "asker" of questions or interviewer.  If you want to participate (and please play along!  Don't be a party pooper.) simply follow these directions:

1. Leave me a comment saying "Interview Me" and leave your email address or a link to the blog you want to play the game on.

2. I will respond by e-mailing you 5 questions. I get to pick the questions.

3. You will update your journal/blog with a post containing your answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them 5 questions.

Okay... ready, set, interview!!!

Barbara in Caneyhead

What a nice way to wake up!

This morning I was in the bedroom sound asleep when I heard the bedroom door creak open.  I muttered something half aloud to the dream I was having.  Gradually let my eyes flutter open to see Bubba walking up to me.  "Hi, sugar."  Then I realize Candy is creeping in behind him and she has Baby Ruth in her arms.  They lay her down on my pillow, speak a few words and they are out of there.  Someone brings me a cup of hot coffee.  I am having a wonderful time watching my Baby Ruth smile, wiggle, and speak those sweet, soft baby words to me.  What a joy!

A little disappointed in myself.  I blogged each an every day through April for the challenge and had such high hopes and firm plans to continue writing three or four entries each week. What a fool believes, huh?  Of course life has been busy.  At work.  Late days.  Tired.  A lot of nice weekend time with my favorite baby.  I let Caneyhead slip off to a backseat once more. 

One thing I do know, the Good Lord willing, I'm not going away for an extended stay again.  I know I told you all that you could get extra info and pictures if you followed Life & Faith in Caneyhead on Facebook.  And that is true....but this shot is so good I'm going to share it here as well.

This handsome fellow showed up at Pete & Bug's hog trap unexpectedly!!  Pete had seen hog signs in the woods and they had borrowed our nephew Skippy's trap because we sure like some good fresh hog meat.  So far, the hogs have not been back....but this bobcat is a beaut!  That's a tall trap for a rooter.  Judging by where his back comes on the trap, Pete said he'd be knee-hi on him.  I think he's gorgeous!  Makes me feel good to know something this awesome is out there in woods surviving and thriving. 

Well, time for supper.  Tonight it is corn on the cob...fresh from the garden....some au gratin potatoes and a small beef roast I bar-b-que'd slow all day in the crock pot.  YUM

Barbara in Caneyhead