What does prayer look like?

This link was on my Facebook page a couple of days ago.  It was sent to me from Rethink Church which I follow hoping for fresh ideas for our newly formed church.  Along with the link was the following:

" Prayer isn't just spoken words. Sometimes it is done walking, as we take a stroll through our neighborhood and say prayers over our neighbors and the surrounding schools and organizations. Other times, it is with our hands, as we touch every piece of fabric and thread while constructing a quilt.

What does prayer look like for you? "

Some folks have replied that prayer looks like knitting or quilting or with kits put together to help those who are struggling. Well, for me - tonight especially - prayer looks like a 'gazillion' stars and northern lights along with the scent of a bit of rain. It is the grass that just perked up from that rain, the fresh little calf with its proud mommy, or the happy dog running along side the four wheeler with me.

See, I had never thought about prayer looking like anything. It was quite simply a quiet time to visit with our Lord to share my thanks and concerns. I did not think about it being prayer when I stopped 'to smell the roses'. You know, enjoy the smell of the rain or the freshly turned soil. OR, taking time to observe the birds on the water or the beaver swimming in the dam. That was just appreciating nature, well, know I will think of it as prayer.

Sunday morning Cheesecake

We are part of a new church plant.   It is exciting.   It is scary.  It is a lot of work.  We have always attended a very traditional church in our small town.   Sadly, due to lack of attendance and money, that church closed this past spring.   Our new church is very slowly getting going and we do church different!   We don't have a building to meet in so we currently meet in a local pub  (it is closed when we meet on Sunday mornings).  We have evening Bible Study once a week at a newly opened coffee shop named Gathering Grounds (seems appropriate, doesn't it?).  We have been doing various community things too.   Some of the things we have done is to pick up garbage in our new town and in the little town we used to meet at.  We have participated in a local BBQ Ribfest (contest) and donated the proceeds to a local fellow fighting cancer.   Currently, we are working on hosting a community Thanksgiving meal.  We are planning to feed about 300 people a complimentary, traditional Thanksgiving meal.  It is fun to be part of these adventures.

We have a little something for folks to eat and drink before we start our morning worship service.   This week was our family's turn to host.   I received a number of compliments for this so thought I would share it with you.

Brunch Cheesecake

(originally printed in "Cooking for your Style of Living" by Herberger's)

INGREDIENTS:

2 tubes crescent rolls

2 large cream cheese pkgs., softened

1 egg

3/4 cup sugar

cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Put one tube of crescent rolls on bottom of 9"X13" pan.  Mix cheese, egg and sugar together well.  Spread in pan.  Top with other tube of rolls.  Top with cinnamon and sugar.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

I think it is best served warm, but it isn't bad when chilled either!

Pediatric Dental Days at Standing Rock Reservation

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Pediatric Dental Days on Standing Rock Reservation.  Standing Rock is in south central North Dakota and north central South Dakota.  Along with four other people representing Children of the Harvest in our conference of the United Methodist Church, I volunteered to help with this event.  We helped over 300 children with their dental care on Friday and Saturday.   

There were about 40 stations where dentists and their assistants were able to work.  They were able to do cleanings, fillings and tooth removal, perhaps they could do more but I don't know for sure.  The doctors did need to refer some children to get work done elsewhere if there was too much to do at this location.

 

This is the working area before we started.  Most were for the dentists but some were for dental hygienists.  Some of the children had been pre-screened to help direct them to the proper people back here.

 

 

There was coloring, movies and 

games for the children while they waited.

 

When chairs were available we moved the next person (first come, first served) to

the 'on deck' area.  There was a movie there too. 

Moving about the various waiting areas were hygienists sharing tooth care information and stickers with the children.  This area, and the adult waiting area, were separated by a wall.  It was nice to have that division so nobody had to see (or hear) what happened on the other side and get even more anxious.  You see some of these children have never been to a dentist before.

 

 

This dentist had such a fun shirt on the first day that I just had to share it with you!  The front said something about Dr. Seuss and Green Eggs.

The back said '...and Ham.'

  

 

Another dentist wore brightly colored canvas shoes.  He happened to have bright pinkish/purplish shoes this weekend.  He also has a pair with 'Green Eggs and Ham' (guess that is a dental theme).  A pair with his name embroidered on them and some others that are other bright colors.  This man's shoe collection matched his wonderful personality.

 

  

Of course there was a need for supplies.  This was the supply area.  Tools, cleaning supplies, crowns, and many other items that this non-dentist person didn't know the use of.

 

This is where all of the work was done.  It was a busy area and only a few upset children.  These folks were great with the kids. 

 

 

Pastor Kathy, me, Mike & Libby who head up Spirit Lake Ministry Center, and Marilyn. 

The "Purple Shirt People" as we were called!  We helped guide the families, worked with the adult family members as needed and generally had a nice time!  We were given the purple shirts so folks could easily find us and by the end of the first day we'd gained a title!

 

Oct. 15 update:  The final numbers are in for Dental Days in Fort Yates on the Standing Rock Reservation in North and South Dakota. 367 children were seen with over $150,000 in dental work performed.

Week 13/52: Easter

For Easter, Andy was hangin' with his Peeps!!

Our family enjoyed church this morning and a meal with the Rockeman family.  Oh, and much laughter!  Of course, since it is calving season, there was a slight delay in eating.  We had a new calf who could not figure out how to eat.  So, the guys made sure the calf ate before them.  This evening they are out tagging calves.  Though it is a holiday, the routine must continue.

Another day, another rain

As stated in my last post, not much seeding is getting done thanks to the rain.  Since the last rain (last post), Brett covered the tillable acres on one quarter.  It was planted to Hard Red Spring Wheat (HRSW or just "wheat").  Now, early Sunday morning we got another 1.1 inches of rain.  Mark wonders if the rain gauge drain hole is just above the 1.1 inch mark since that is the amount of the last two rains!

The rain has allowed us the time needed to tend to the cattle.  The A.I.ing (Artificially Inseminating) is done for this season.  Christopher must have artificially bred nearly 100 head.  This process takes working with each female three times.  We do a lot of our breeding this way to help improve the genetics of our herd.  It is much cheaper than buying expensive bulls to do the same job, but is labor intensive compared to letting the bull just do his own business.  We hope to see many healthy AI calves next spring.

it's been awhile

It has been quite a while since I have posted.  Part of my trouble is that I think I should always have a photo to share, since that was my original reason to start a blog!  I have been bad about taking photos lately - lack of subject ideas, rainy weather, and so on. 

SO, you get an update on the ranch.  We still have a few cows left to calve.  No seeding has been done yet as the men are still working on that machine AND it is still too wet in the fields.  They tested the seeder today so can fine tune it now!  Today we started the process to A.I. (artificial insemination) some of our cattle. 

The forecast sounds rainy for the next few days so perhaps there will be some time for my guys to rest.

Along with 11 other ladies, I was in a "reader's theatre" production this past Sunday.  We performed, "The Other Twelve Disciples".  It was interesting to hear about some of the events in Jesus' life through the eyes of women.  Quite a nice little show, if I say so myself!

Well, til next time, enjoy your spring.

Beautiful days, but no time for camera

We have had unusally warm temps here in north central NoDak the last few days and predicted for the rest of the week.  Our average temp this time of year is around 34 degrees F.  The temps are in the 60's!!  Needless to say, we are enjoying it.  I have taken the camera out for the last couple of days but have only taken one photo.  I get outside and end up helping with the cattle!   It is really hard to run with the big DSLR and long lens wrapped around the neck!!

On Saturday another bunch of calves came to join the feedlot.  So, Mark & the owner of the steers worked those calves.  Brett & I visited with a couple of prospective bull buyers and then did chores.  The cows found a new spot to get out of their field and thought they would enjoy some of the goodies we give to the animals in the feedlot.  So, B. & I had to straighten that mess out.  We didn't get fence fixed as it got dark before all of the extra chores were finished.   So, Sunday morning the cows were back at the feedlot.  We ended up missing church because of it.  Guys fixed fence and got the cows locked into the pasture now.  (It was time as they will start calving any day.)  I spent time visiting my mother-in-law.  She lives on the same farm with a grove of sky high evergreens between us.  She been feeling tough thanks to Rheumatoid Arthritis.  (Hopefully the doctor and drugs will get her better soon.)

Anyway, I had hoped to post a photo with each entry so here is the only photo I have gotten in the past few days.   This just happens to be of some of the afore mentioned evergreens.

Church Apple

I was waiting at the church last evening while two of my guys had choir practice.  There was a ceramic fruit book end on the bookcase nearby.  I looked up from my Sudoku puzzle book and noticed that the cross window was reflecting on the apple.  All I had was my phone.  The photo might not be quality, but I captured what I wanted!  We often see photos of apples with light reflection (like the one closer to the leaf here) but the cross reflection was striking to me. 

Ranch report:  Calving has slowed down for the time being.  We have only had one calf in the last 2 days.   It was born on my shift overnight.   I am sure I would have missed her as she laid in the straw so comfy looking.  Lucky for me Rufus (one of our dogs) scooted past her and she stood up.  Oops, there was a water bubble.  So, I let her be for about 1/2 an hour, then back out to check.  She was cleaning her BIG calf.  Brett helped me get the pair into the barn out of the weather.  We have a big sled that is designed to hold the calf (it is a larger, tougher version of a kid one).  We load the calf into the sled and pull it (just like you would for  your kids) to the barn.  Hopefully the mom will follow without a problem.  That is not always the case, but it was this time! 

It looks like the cattle that were A.I.ed (artificially inseminated) are almost done.  It will be a week or two and the rest of the herd (naturally bred) will start.  We will have about 250 calves when calving is done.