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Notes from the Ladies’ Seminars

January 29 & March 1

Part 1

 

A few of you asked me to put some of my teaching notes here. Since I have several quiet days, I thought this would be a good time. If you missed the pictures, you can find them here January and March.

The photos below are from my sunrise and sunset photo album.

 

Morning Session – Complaining is not a Fruit of the Spirit

 

If you want to be a woman who lives in a large spiritual house,

you must follow God with a fierce faith.

 

 

The quality of life is only

as good as the materials used by the builder.

The lumber of life is

caring, sharing, patience, forgiveness, and understanding.

Don’t expect to spend your life in a cathedral

if you are accumulating only enough lumber for a shack.

 

 

When I complain, it is a reaction to something that disturbs ME

…something that makes ME uncomfortable.

Complainers want others to know that THEY are not happy.

Complaining is the act of reinforcing what YOU don’t like.

Complaining is addictive.

The more YOU do it, the more it becomes an ingrained habit.

 

 

We must get rid of the worldly idea that life is about ME

…that I must be happy to be content.

 

 

God does not exist to make a big deal out of me.

I exist to make a big deal out of Him.

 

 

Are you goaded by Satan’s game plan which is being a negative complainer,

or are you guided by God’s game plan which is being a grateful encourager?

 

 

Who is spinning your clay?

Be assured that someone is shaping your life

your thought patterns

and your inner passions.

 

 

Life is what it is.

The sooner we adjust to where we are

the happier we will be

and the better decisions we will make.

The sooner we focus on God and His will for our lives

the quicker we will find contentment.

 

 

Contentment is not a place at which we arive and stay.

It is a daily journey, day after day after day,

because life is always changing.

 

 

Never give someone else the responsibility for your happiness.

Peace and contentment come from your relationship with God

not your relationship – or lack thereof – with other people.

 

 

Do not complain about the wind.

Adjust your sails.

 

 

 

I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet. That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, the perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic.

Psalm 27:4-5 (The Message)

 

 

 

Granddaughters

Abby Was Here for the Weekend

Jana’s Science Project

Monday, March 7 & Tuesday, March 8

 

Jolene and Abby arrived on Thursday evening. Jolene is a good friend of Abby’s (both from Maine) and stayed with an aunt and uncle.

Abby stayed with us, but spent a lot of time with Nathaniel – checking off some things in preparation for their July wedding. Wedding invitations printed (check). Shirts purchased for the guys (check). Wedding music chosen (check). They had Saturday supper and Sunday lunch with us. It was fun to hear about some of their plans and all the things they accomplished this weekend.

 

 

Then, just like that, the weekend was over and it was time to pack for the ten hour drive back to Maine.

 

 

What fun to see you again Jolene – and to spend time with you Abby.

 

 

Tonight we went to our local middle school to see the science fair – especially Jana’s project.

After taking the first few pictures I noticed a smudge on my lens – thus a few fuzzy spots on the first pictures.

 

 

 

 

Jana wanted me to take a picture of her and Maddy – a good friend.

 

 

Maddy’s science project.

 

 

Our niece Karen’s son, Travis, also had a project in the same room.

 

 

He loves farming, so I was not surprised that his project was about growing something.

 

 

 

 

Jana with her teacher Mr. Thompson

 

 

 

 

Jana wants to eventually work in the medical field, so it was not surprising that she chose something to do with blood pressure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion: Their blood pressure went down with the heavy metal music.

That surprised me.

 

 

 

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 (New Living Translation)

 

 

 

Middle Creek Wildlife Management

Migration of Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Saturday, March 5

 

An Amish buggy we met on the way to the wildlife area.

On Saturday morning I told Cerwin that I may sit in my La-Z-Boy all day and organize old photos on one of my exterior hard drives. He replied, “I though you might like to go to Middle Creek Wildlife Management.”

I immediately changed my mind about doing nothing all day.

 

 

As we approached the management area we began seeing flocks of geese and swans in the air. If you look closely you can see them in this photo.

 

 

Tundra swans overhead.

 

 

When I saw this flock of snow geese, we stopped to get a picture – and I immediately noticed that they were decoys without one live goose in the field. Can you find three hunters?

 

 

In the next field hunters were sitting on the edge of the woods.

 

 

It was a beautiful, foggy morning to drive through the wildlife area.

 

 

 

 

Tundra swans

 

 

The area was also full of people.

 

 

The air was alive with the sound of honking.

 

 

 

 

The media reported that there are about 80,000 snow geese, 3,000 tundra swans, 2,500 Canada geese, and a variety of other water fowl in the area right now. Because snow geese are arriving and leaving daily, it is estimated that as many as 150,000 will go through Middle Creek.

 

 

 

 

Sometimes it was difficult for me to decipher between tundra swans and snow geese, but I always recognized the Canada geese who were mixed in with the flocks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some people have serious telescopes and cameras for birding.

 

 

 

 

As soon as I saw these, I thought, “They don’t look like snow geese,” and when I got home I discovered that they appear to be Ross geese. Ross geese have shorter necks and are a bit smaller than snow geese.

 

 

 

 

This picture is for my friend Pearl. Can you identify the ducks in the center?

 

 

These appear to be ring-necked ducks.

 

 

As we pulled into this parking lot, I realized that it was the place to be in the wildlife management area.

 

 

 

 

It was full of people coming from and going to Willow Point.

 

 

The white spots between the trees are snow geese.

 

 

Dried weeds along the trail.

 

 

 

 

 

Notice all the snow geese in the lake to the left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice the black tips on the wings of the closest geese in flight – that is an indication that they are snow geese.

I have heard about the swan and goose migration for several years, but this is the first time I experienced it. I’m glad that Cerwin talked me out of sitting on my La-Z-Boy all day.

 

 

 

Keep company with God, get in on the best.

Psalm 37:4 (The Message)

 

 

 

Part 2

Sportsmen’s Dinner

Worship Center, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Friday Evening, March 4

 

By the time we had visited each of the vendors, the floor became quite full.

 

 

This vendor demonstrated a duck call.

 

 

Someone spent a lot of time decorating the auditorium.

 

 

 

 

The stage looked like a camp site in a mountain.

 

 

The items in the front are just a few of the many door prizes. You can’t see what the bear is doing because of the door prizes. He is raiding an ice chest. The ice box is on its side with hamburger rolls spilled on the floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed hunting videos while we waited for the program to start.

 

 

When I looked up, I saw a Canada goose above my head.

 

 

Cerwin thought there were between seventy-five and one hundred door prizes.

The Master of Ceremonies said, “If your ticket number is called, shout or do something. Act like you won a prize!” The first number that was called was Joram’s – and he made noise!  There were about a dozen people delivering prizes. That’s why they needed to know where you were. There were more than 1,000 people in the audience.

You can see a picture of Joram on yesterday’s post.

He won a really nice muzzle loader gun. Cerwin, Jeff, and Diana also won prizes – though not quite as valuable. Cerwin got a Buck folding tree saw and a $25 gift card to Lancaster Archey. Jeff won a coffee cup, hat, and a $25 gift card to Weaver’s Store. Each of the children age twelve and under won prizes if they shot their first buck during the past season. Diana won a $20.00 gift card to Cabela’s for getting a four-point buck.

 

 

Though I enjoyed the entire evening, my favorite part was listening to Steve Chapman speak and sing.

 

 

He has a great sense of humor and timing in storytelling. He also used a lot of hunting terms to share the gospel.

 

 

This was a song about turkey hunting. The young man on the left had a turkey caller and was supposed to keep rhythm with the guitar when Steve looked at him. The girl’s caller sounded like gobble-gobble-gobble when she shook it. She was also supposed to shake it when Steve looked at her. They were both from the audience and did a great job.

 

 

During the early part of his program, he shared that the saddest part of a hunt is when it is over. That was his final challenge to the audience. “When your life-hunt is over, will you be ready to meet God?

 

 

 

Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength.

Psalm 138:2-3 (The Message)

 

 

 

Part 1

Sportsmen’s Dinner

Worship Center, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Friday evening, March 4

 

 

The hunters in our family – plus me who was taking Josh’s place – walking toward the Worship Center on Friday evening. Josh recently started a job after school, and didn’t want to ask off work.

 

 

We were a bit early, so waited in front of the line until they were ready to serve dinner.

 

 

A vendor bringing in an interesting display.

 

 

 

 

Jere & Jordan

Then it was time to eat the meal which was catered by Hess Catering.

 

 

There was a variety of grilled meats (ribs, pork, chicken, and sausage) plus salad, corn, and baked beans (which I didn’t choose).

 

 

I tried to get everyone’s attention, but each had their own agenda.

 

 

I tried again, but a few were still intent on eating. Left to right: Diana, Jeff, Jere, Jordan, Joram (a cousin’s son who goes to West Virginia to hunt with the guys), Nathan, and Cerwin.

 

 

Following the meal we had time to check out the vendors. Nate (background), Jere, and Joram talking to a Weaver’s Store rep.

 

 

Being early was nice, because we had time to visit each vendor without a large crowd.

 

 

Dale Shelly was there to display a variety of meats, plus his cookbook, Original Wild Game, Fish, and Seafood Recipes.

 

 

Nathan (grey sweatshirt) checking out the guns at this vendor.

 

 

 

 

Cerwin checking out Cooper Bear and Caribou Hunts. Notice the baboon behind Cerwin.

 

 

A taxidermist had fun with this display.

 

 

Diana and the baboon.

 

 

Part 2 tomorrow night.

 

 

 

Thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.

Psalm 107:31 (The Message)