Salt of the earth...my mission

The other night Steve thought aloud about what my blog purpose is all about. I am not a minister or a teacher per intent...although we all learn from each other...

My husband said...

"your just a salt of the earth, that is just who ya are and what your blog becomes about."

So I am going to study on this and see if it fits me. I think in so many ways measuring up to such is a high thing indeed to pursue. A noble thing. It really touched me deeply that my husband called me such. I am a Christian although so many before me have humiliated and shamed that very title. I perhaps among them at times. This blog is not intentionally set to push that however but to just be me in all my faltering weakness and His amazing strength within me.

I find myself favored by the circle of wonderful Christians who purpose their blogs beautifully as a ministry to the body of Christ at large. We have those around us that give us that gift.

My heart is to simply be real...to the folks who may believe as I do or not. It is always my hope that all might see that Gods love for them is far greater than any of us have really come to know. Even those of us who have befriended him.

There is a battle going on in the spirit...it is real. I know that many have been so terribly wounded in the battle under the weapons of false love, false biblical teaching and just plain mean hearted folk that were far too pious to really love ya as they ought. Those are the folk that sadden me the most. For in those acts they have often left many thinking God is far from them or that he is some ogre waiting to pounce on everything wrong that they may do.

He is not like that...at least in my friendship with him I find Him very fair...if we thought about what we really deserve. But there are those things in life that are not fair, some have nothing to do with what we may or may not have done wrong...just hardships that will either give us the ability to love or to turn our hearts to harden. It is unmerited that favor shown us. Simply believing in Jesus is what the word said. To bring those from afar near to God. When were walking close to Him it just makes us want to do whats right from the inside out. It is not Gods way to have us fear him like he is going to punish us for our error or sin. We punish our own self through the consequence of our own choices. We are given that free choice and need to own the results pleasant and not so pleasant. When we do not own them...we blame God. Gravity is a natural law...

"Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? it is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" (Luke 14: 34-35)

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another." (Mark 9:49-50) 

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." (NKJV)

"Salt is good [an excellent thing], but if salt has lost its strength and has become saltless (insipid, flat), how shall its saltiness be restored? It is fit neither for the land nor for the manure heap; men throw it away. He who has ears to hear, let him listen and consider and comprehend by hearing!" (Luke 14:34-35, Amplified Bible)

Salt in the Old Testament

The Hebrew people harvested salt by pouring sea water into pits and letting the water evaporate until only salt was left. They used the mineral for seasoning and as a preservative. In addition, salt was used to disinfect wounds.
Salt also had a significant place in Hebrew worship. Salt was included in the Levitical offerings, since salt was emblematic of permanence or loyalty. In Leviticus 2:13, God commanded that "And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt." Salt was cast on the burnt offering (Ezekiel 43:24) and was part of the incense (Exodus 30:35). Part of the temple offering included salt (Ezra 6:9).
Salt was also used to ratify covenants. In Numbers 18:19, God promises to provide, through the offerings of His people, for His priests forever: "All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before the LORD with you and your descendants with you." Salt cannot be burned or destroyed. Perhaps because of salt’s durability, God used it as a metaphor to indicate that as salt keeps its flavor, so the Lord’s covenant with the priesthood was durable. More likely, however, is that the "covenant of salt" (or, in some versions, "inviolable covenant") refers to a practice that rendered contracts irrevocable during the time period in which the Bible was written. In biblical times, men carried pouches of salt on their belts. When a pact, promise, or contract was made, the men from each of the participating parties would intermingle the salt from their own pouches with the salt from the pouches of the other party. This reminded the men that they could not retrieve their own salt from the other pouch, symbolizing the fact that they could not go back on their word.^{[citation needed]}
Another reference to the use of salt to ratify a covenant occurs at 2 Chronicles 13:5. At the beginning of this chapter, Abijah, King of Judah and rightful heir to David’s throne, is at war with King Jeroboam, who has taken control of Israel. Before Jeroboam’s destruction, Abijah speaks of the Davidic Covenant: "Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel: Should you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt?" Here, salt refers to God’s irrevocable pledge and intended loyalty in fulfilling the Davidic covenant and God’s desire for the loyalty of David’s lineage to Him if the people are to enjoy the blessings of the covenant. The preservative quality of salt represents the fidelity or loyalty intended in keeping the covenant.
Newborn babies (because of what the Lord commanded) were rubbed with salt to promote good health. A reference to this practice is in Ezekiel 16:4: "As for your nativity, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths."
In the Book of Genesis, chapter 19 the wife of Lot was turned into a pillar of salt when she disobeyed the command of God and looked back at the city of Sodom whilst fleeing from its destruction. Some Christians see this to mean literal salt whilst some think it refers to rock salt.

[edit] Salt in the New Testament

The Salt and Light metaphors in the Sermon on the Mount include a direct reference to salt: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot." (Matthew 5:13). This verse is paralleled in Luke 14:34-35: "Salt is good, but if salt itself loses its taste, with what can its flavor be restored? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear." Similarly, in Mark 9:49-50, Jesus says that "Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another."
It is unclear whether Jesus is referring to the use of salt as a seasoning, as a preservative, for sacramental purposes, or some combination of these uses.
Perhaps Jesus is simply saying that everybody has inherent value. Keep God’s gift of inherent worth inside yourself (cherish God's gift) and you will have peace with one another.
The salt that has "lost its taste" or "become insipid" may refer to a type of salt common in the Dead Sea area that is contaminated with gypsum and other minerals. It has a flat taste and is ineffective as a preservative. Such mineral salts were useful for little more than keeping footpaths free of vegetation. That may be why Jesus said that it is good for nothing but to be "trampled underfoot."
Jesus calls his disciples (and, perhaps, the crowds listening to the Sermon on the Mount), "the salt of the earth." He may be exhorting them to usefulness, or to fidelity, or referring to their role in purifying the world.
In Roman times, salt was an important item of trade and was even used as money. Roman soldiers received part of their pay in salt^[1]. "Salt of the Earth" may, in this context, refer to the listeners' value.
The reference to his followers being "salted with fire" in Mark 9:49 may refer, in part, to the purifying effect of salt in Jewish liturgical use.
In Colossians 4:6, Paul exhorts, "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you know how you should respond to each one".

The Simple Womans Day Book

FOR TODAY...October 19th 

Outside my window... is 70's with some of the annuals in the earth and all of the other things planted life is in a hushed cover under the blanket of the fertile soil awaiting the morrow when I'll go out and water.

I am thinking... It was a wonderful thing today to give almost all of my time to my son.

I am thankful for... gratitude in others...it is a beautiful thing to behold.

I am wearing... Tan caprice and a white t shirt with Winnie the poo around the boarder in a fall scene.hair pulled back with no shoes nor jewelery...

I am remembering... my daughters laughter

I am going... to Florida  to re fresh and re charge and have fun!

I am reading...the book of Proverbs

I am hoping... To Relax through the airport



On my mind... packing and the things I yet want to do. A manicure and spa time...Remove the wall boarder from above Doves bed before I go.

From the learning rooms... Planting by moon phase. A study in self compassion.

Noticing that... everything is coming together.

Pondering these words...  wonder what it will be like for me Mom? her first infatuation.

From the kitchen... a mess, Dove did not get her dishes done so the morning will arise with a mess

Around the house... Order...peace and family unity.

One of my favorite things~ being a mother


From my picture journal...

I hear there are hickory nut trees ...

The former monastery where I am staying has them all around it.

There are woods there.

Two more days...

Tackle it Tuesday

I tackled it!

"Send help Scottie"....said the captain (Star trek)

Well now we thought we might just build another wall in the hallway and just enclose all the toys but...I kept hitting my elbows on the wall.

5-6 hours of toy sorting!

Ever single thing was individually touched by me!

This nice stand was found at the good will.

These are the bins I used during the infancy and homeschooling days.

I gathered them from all corners of the house and set them to task

Did you ever see a boy with so many LEGO

My dear friend gave us at least half of them when Dash was 6 years old or so.

Dash builds, and creates this kid is very mechanically minded just like his Mother and Father.

the last of it for tomorrow

The big box is yet to get cleared out of trash and papers.

It has large things I think in it.

The bag is stuff to sort into the other sites that it belongs in.

The plastic bin also things that go else where.

Embraced round the hip "thanks mom for cleaning my room" hugs and humility gratitude gushing like a sweet candy center. Comes he to me after a while...

"O.K. here the deal mom...cause you cleaned my room you ask anything of me..anything mom and it is yours...do you need help with anything I got you covered.."

"Keep it that way is all I ask son...that was a lot of work child...I touched every single thing in all the bins..."

"woe , mom..."

"It's a deal, you got it mom"!!!!!!!

Growing up Mondays

  Tending souls like a garden
Last night my boy so sleepy with his tiny little boy sticky hand resting on mine.Soil tender ready for the seed.Your my favorite boy in the whole world...The earth sucked it up like rain on a tilled furrow.Satisfied and content in it's rest.

Lying beside my girl...she giggled with a memory of a scene in a movie where a man drops his bags as his eyes fall upon a beauty a love at first sight infatuation..." I wonder what it will be like for me Momma?"I say..."Baby, beyond all of that my wish for you is a man that loves God.That infatuation stuff fades on those days when your mad at him...if he love God too...then you can go to God and say.."hay God"! ... Tilling the soil tell her I... "funny thing child it often be that God lovingly turn that finger back at me and said "yes..but you..."Then I am soft toward him and loving...He then often come to me and said "I am sorry"That is what I wish for you daughter...a man that loves God.

She giggled in the sunshine like a flourishing vine...Well I hope if he drop his bags they don't have glass in them and the bubbling brook then giggles and the bed jiggles...smile she there in the dark Man I hope his bags don't have metal in them cause if they drop on my toes it would really hurt!
Earth tender and the garden thrives...
Ya know life began in a garden.
Till the soil with the understanding that the choice to love goes way beyond that...

spiritual sunday

I wanted  to post ...son needs attention to go to sleep, he a little stressed mommy leaving soon

daughter stressed over the friendemy issue at school she has to face in the morning.

I am where I am to be...and blessed to get to do so.

Shocking... potato and garden conclusions

Well potato nails ...have I told you about these...

They make your potato cook in half time and be much more tender.

Just wrap in foil and bake for an hour.

Dinner was a potato with the fixings.

Soy sour cream thank God for this invention.

Dove enjoyed her mac and cheese. She detests potato (an orphanage thing) that is what the babies had to drink for there was no milk and it kept them filled.

Shocking!

He has been cleaning the garage and doing many maintenance tasks.

Now that his thyroid is getting better he is back to his old self more.

Shocking!

Steve priced having the shocks on the truck done...

$475!

so he went and purchased them

for $150. with a 33. rebate.

Put them on himself!

Oh now he sees what I have been bouncing through!

It rides like a dream now, It is wonderful!

So many things this week we have completed.

This is the last of the garden beds...I finished it yesterday.

This goal began in May/June is coming to its fruition.

We will use the re bar trellis to grow vine over the sides of the shed.

The holes in the blocks will have herbs and flowers.

To the right the lettuce beds and to the left...undetermined as of yet.

There will be a two foot farther extension and the white grape trellis set over the shed entry.

In time the shed will be obliterated by greenery.

 

Steve helped me throw the last of the pick ax...this end had never been dug up.

It was clay hard pan...It is now ready for the onion.

I'll plant it in the morning.

 

 

 

This is a spaghetti squash it is doubling in size every day.

I am growing on the vertical so it is in a little hammock of sorts.

The cucumber is thriving this time

with cooler weather now

I had to treat for powdery mildew

It is the biggest issue with the hot days and cool nights of the desert.

As I pulled everything left out of the garden the perennial rye was tossed.

Then the last of the horse manure was cleared out from under the window and the

garden is finished!

I parked a plant hanger in front of the beading window, raked all the scrap up.

The rest of the horse manure is covering a 1/4 of lawn outside the garden gate.

I'll toss the rye in the morrow.

We finished up and took the family out for a day of fun.

To the mall and we each chose our desire from the food court.

We both came together on this.

While I was finishing up a call came in to cancel a long awaited play date

Dove was devastated and as I prayed for her I saw us taking them to the movie...

Steve walks to me and we look at each other and he began and I finished with what I saw.

We had the same vision of the day and so we set out after I showered.

We all had so much fun!

After the mall we went to the picture show at a $2 theater.

Get this Dove says..."mom this is nice, it is so much less building around me. I want to come back here."

Oh is it just so sweet that her sensory was at bay while we were there.

We saw "UP" the movie.

We all laughed it was clean and funny.

A sweet love story full of good humor.

We went back into the mall after the kids finished the left over sandwich from their lunch out side at a table.

It was a beautiful day not too hot outside.

We then drove to a shoe store to see if I could find a pair of these

LOVE THEM!

These are Merrell shoes.

They keep my knee in alignment for the arches are awesome.

They were almost half price.

I found a pair of walking shoes for 50% off the already marked down on clearance.

They are what I can use instead of walking or tennis shoes.

They are totally stable and very good to keep your joints free of stress.

They are cute too

:)

Well we even got me my first new leather purse

Matched the shoes and will serve well for the trip.

It was a real awesome buy.

I feel like a princess new shoes and a new purse.

I made sure the kids each had shoes before I got mine.

It really feels good to get a new pair.

So the kids are camping out their last night of vacation.

I have to keep a busy day Monday and Tuesday with appointments so tomorrow is the last day to pack and finish up my tasks...

so few to do for the laundry is done

kitchen mopped (thank you babe)

dishes done

garden labor done

Goal met as my heart had desired before my trip it be so.

kids set

a little shopping to do for the crew while I am gone.

Florida four days out...

In the midnight hours

all is still

distractions cease

battles exposed for what they are

comes he to only steal kill and destroy

divide and conquer

inielate even from within

yet my stronghold is greater

we all know who wins

they ask a question

"where is your God?"

eyes view only the battled ground

focused too close to the trees

The greatest armaments is to deceive

an enemy who convinced that he is absent

disarms the appointee.

"Where is God?"

"Where are you in the battle?"

eyes fixed on the slaughtered masses frozen in the fear

who are you to have forgotten who you have right to be?

There is a battle going on, God is left to blame?

Where are you in the choices of the day?

Has your hearts so hardened as to become the prey?

Weapons tossed idle dulled they decay

lust run a rampant to fill up each day

Then...you ask me

"where is your God?"

Ever present watching your own demise.

It is not in Gods absence that the battle is won

Who will stand on the line?

When the arrows fly behind they flush you out of the woods.

There is no hiding place down here.

So rally up the wounded may courage bind the scares

There is a battle at hand

if it were that deserters were shot

perhaps then we would have a strong front

no... we just wine that it is God who is absent...?

"Where is our God?"

Asking the same thing of you

Just where is this heart to be found

With whom do your loyalties serve?

It is the people who have left the field

in hearts hardened by those subversive attacks

little daily choices hearts have turned back

May that answer the question you ask.

This in response to the query of day before.
Gods right here...imagine He is pretty disappointed and saddened too.
Why would you blame him when humanity is so a fault.
Ignorant that this greater epic plays out.
There is a battle going on.
We either choose what side we are on or that choice is made in our apathy.
No fence sitting in this a one, it is the real deal.

Friday Funnies

Dove's teacher recieves her report.

It was on Amelia Earhart.

Now this is a report of many weeks in the doing.

The teacher pauses...

"Dove did you do this?" she asked

Showing my daughter the image .

To Doves horror...Amelia had a mustache drawn on her.

OH little brothers.

Now imagine us trying to keep a straight face as Dash is chastised for it.

What a parental relief when he left the room.

We thought we would just blurt out.

It was one of those moments as parents when life is just so dear.

Thankful Thursday

Good Evening

all

How sweet it is having a daughter.

It is now 9:45 and she is talked out...

she has such wonderful thoughts and idea.

Her mind full of wonder.

She tells me of all of her adventures on the games she plays on computer.

We speak of things of growing things of those adolescent days.

Values and truths.

Realities and life to come.

This day so full began with the pharmacy calling to confirm for the knee injections.

It looks like all has been approved by my insurance.

The injections that are $16oo. have been approved at 100%.

There will only be the three co-pays for the three weekly visits to come.

The injections to begin on Oct 26 when I return from Floria.

By the end of the day the appointment for the afternoon of that day set to receive the first in a series of three.
The assistant at the office is so helpful to do all the work with the insurance.

I am very grateful for all of her kind help.
Saves me several hours on the phone.

Each knee will have three injections when all is said and done within a three week time frame.

This to stave off the knee replacement a few more years.

My heart and mind has been with Debbie and her family all weekend.

Even this evening is just sorta quiet of spirit.

She and her husband are walking a very difficult road.

Our day here a new raised bed on the other side of the garden shed to mirror the other. By days end it is filled and the soil mixture ready to be planted.

The last of the beds to dig out and amend in the main garden plot is now finished too.

I only have until Saturday to make it ready to receive the onions.

The lettuce may wait until my return from Florida.

The hard labor of it done however.

When I get home I will not be able to do that work for a good three weeks or so until my knees settle down after all the injections. So now all is ready to plant that I can do easily with knees being an issue if they are so.

Thankfully the goals have been reached!

It is a good thing to live life with goals in mind.

Next up is to ready the house, family and myself for the trip to Florida for the bloggers retreat.

Steve took off today and so did the children have fall break and will all be home in the morrow and over the  weekend. Family cord tying time.

A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

We call of times cord tying because that is actually what we intentionally do.

So these cord tying times are the sweetest of life.

Lighting improvements were made in the kids rooms by the daddy man via attic fodder.

Dash is just loving the loft bed.

The chickens are happy again for we are getting between 3-5 eggs a day out of the six of them.

It is so good to see that again.

Speaking of the ample provisions....

Beloved Steve as I worked in the garden came to tell me of his thought to go to the grocery to get a bag of frozen french fries to add to my burgers for supper.

The cashier said

"YOU won!"

Oh!

A box of healthy (all things relative) desert for the evening meal!

Funny!

He had set up a movie and I finished the garden work went to shower.

We all watched an old John Wayne movie.

True Grit.

The actress is a spit fire of a girl with great character.

Dove Archer loved it.

She now awaits my arrival for she asked if I could come and cuddle with her.

Cords to weave my friend, I must leave.

Thankful to this day intertwined within the circle of life held within Papa Gods' loving hands to hold my daughter within mine.

Homemade laundry soap

laundry soap link

ran out of soap today

Went to my laundry room Pantry "Store"

Grabbed a bar, borax and the washing soda....

half and hour latter....

Continues the laundry...

did not even have to leave the house, no gas costs the best of all worlds...

last batch was in July not too shabby

The bottles are recycled OJ containers.
I just love the OJ for it is not from concentrate and I have a nice clear bottle
The bottles are not filled to top for the process will still thicken and I will want to add more water after it cools the rest of the way.

The old bottles are being retired.
They served well over three uses, don't want to advertise anymore.:)

Here a tip slip...

save those little tops from water bottles and dish soap bottles in a baggie.
When you get a good buy on a soap that only has a screw on...
Walla! now you'll have a pour top.
Good for many uses.
The old water bottle ones are great for little ones in the car.
Just buy twist off if you must buy water and keep a pop top for travel

Tackle it Tuesday

Over the weekend we swapped the two beds so we could put the bed up on the platform. We have had the platform bed but my daughter did not feel at ease to use it.

So we had to give her Dash's bed and Dash her frame so that we could do this.

Both bedrooms are undone now.

Daddy man had to remove the cieling fan from Dash's room and swap it out with the ceilinf light in Doves room.

Now Dove has a fan and she loves it!

Dash has a clean room but he will tell you it is because all of his stuff is still in the hall.

We had two unexpected kids drop by and poor old Daddy man was just spent...he looks up and sees two more children...we are mother/father of many.

We still have doves room and all the toys in the hall and all the laundry!!!!!

The last the butternut was cut today and the scrap for the hens and the compost.

The veggies got neglected on the counter so the hens will love them.

The scrap in the wooden bowl for the dogs and the other two are coffee grounds and pealings from the squash for the compost.

The kitchen to get finnished.

The egg shells on the dish will be ground for the hens or the tomato plants.

The studio begs to be set into action with many things in the process.

Gardening and decor projects.

The binder to the upper left is for the home decor color pallet

The book open to the Leaf Miner page oh arg those little pests on the squash and now the tomato

Seeds to get planted soon and coffee ready to sip in the garden.

click on any image to enlarge.

The garden plotting completed this week shows all location and what is growing and to be yet planted.

I am companion planting.

This took some time and a master has been kept running with up dates.

This is at the stage we are at.

Dogs to be fed each morning and watered

Chickens to be feed pellets and watered.

The scrap form the kitchen a thrill they all vie for the best spot.

Happy carpenter bee in the pumpkin and several squash have been pollinated

another day with an extra child and Archer sits writing her fictional story.

She had me up again at 3 am...my girl friend uses the melatonin time release as do I but she gives one a little earlier. Sometimes kids that have sensory issues just can not sleep. Dove feels like she is free floating and if there is any other stress than forget me trying to get my sleep regulated. I stopped even trying. The medication the neurologist gave me is no use I can not use it for If I did I would just feel worse from being forced from my sleep by dove. This happens a lot.

The kids had a snack and played until noon.

 

Archer (Doves) new color pallet for her bedroom.

The sheets are the bright violet.

He other set was two years old and worn out.

We went togeather  and she has now let go of the red/black/ gray pallet she had before in mind.

I can only begin to tell you how pleased I am about that.

She wants large geometric squares of all the different colors all over the walls.

OH this is a job!

and a bit of an expense so I will have to do a little at a time.