Chicken Slaughtering Day

 

Hey y'all! I'm finally getting a chance to post these (somewhat discusting) photos of our chicken
slaughtering adventure! I wouldn't say it was exactly what you'd call 'fun' but it was... well,
interesting! We may not have gotten our math and english done that day, but hey,  we got
quite the science lesson and a few survival skills! haha. Thankfully, we had Mrs. Herman to
help us out since we had no clue what we were doing! Thanks Kris :)

So.... Elijah had the job of bring the chickens to their... shall we say final destination...

 

He gave them all a hug before handing them over to Pa :)

e put them upside down in what we called "The Killing Cone". It really is a very good
way to kill a chicken. I know, that sounds bad, but it really is the best way for us because it
keeps the chicken still while it gets rid of all that stored up energy after it dies! And it's
probably the nicest way for the chickens as well because upside down is a very calming
position for them :)

Somehow Papa got stuck with the not-so-fun job of slitting the throat...

 

Then the chickens are dunked in boiling water for about a minute... this makes them easier to
pluck.

 

Now tie 'em up and pluck 'em! If you do it too fast you get a face full of yucky water!!! I learnt the hard way!! ;)

 

Now for the more 'gross' part... gutting!!! Mrs. Herman cut the first one up and showed
us the heart, liver, and all that rather interesting stuff... then she cut the stomach open so
we could see how the food was being digested! The gloves were nice in theory but didn't help much!

 

Well, that concludes my {decent} photos of the Evans' chicken slaughtering adventure! So until we do something super crazy again... that's all for now!

~Harmony~

A state highway employee stopped at a farm and talked with an old farmer. He told the farmer, "I need to inspect your farm for a possible new road."

 

The old farmer said, "Okay, but don't go in that field." The highway employee said, "I have the authority of the State Government to go where I want. See this card? I am allowed to go wherever I wish on farm land."

 

So the farmer went about his farm chores.

 

Later, he heard loud screams and saw the state employee running for the fence and close behind was the farmer's prize bull.

 

The old farmer called out, "Show him your card!!"

 

Funny? Yes, but it is a true picture of what happens when we get caught up in feelings of self-importance. Proverbs 16:18 says "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."

Also, Proverbs 22:4 says "By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honor, and life." 

There's this song that I've been listening to, sung by the Kenaston family like years ago and I just recently payed some serious attention to the wonerful words in it and let me tell you, they are wonderful! This has truly become my prayer and I really wish I could let you hear the Kenastons sing it because they sound amazing but for now you'll just have to be content with the words if that's alright :D

 

 

Lord, I've been too busy.

I've been pushing you aside.

And I've let the cares of daily life put out the fire that once burned bright.

I see how small my world's been,\

With no room for other's needs,

 But Lord, it's my desire to do your will,

And go where your spirit leads.

Pour your spirit through me so I can make you known.

Remove all traces of my will and fill me with your own,

To bring your light to those in darkness.

This is my hearts desire.

So use my life as kindling,

To set the world on fire.

As I look around me,

Hurting people everywhere,

Who are searching for the answers,

To the problems and the load they bear.

Their hearts are full of darkness,

Searching for the faintest glow.

So with your guidence Lord, I'll bring them

To the God that they can know.



Psalm 22:8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him...

You've taken up spelunking, and you're busily exploring an interesting cave. You check out the tunnels and pathways for hours, wandering deeper and deeper into the unfarmilier darkness. Others outside, realizing you must be lost, send someone to rescue you. Suddenly you hear a voice calling your name.

The rescuer greets you, saying, "Follow me, I know the only way out." You protest, "How can you say there's only one way? There must be others." The rescuer replies "I've explored this cave, and you must go my way or you'll never get out." You're too narrow," you reply. "Go on, I'll figure it out myself."

It sounds foolish, but that's the way some people respond when you mention that the only way to get to Heaven is through faith in Christ. You would expect them to say "Wow! Thanks for the good news!" Instead you might get a reaction similar to that of the cave explorer: "Leave me alone. I don't believe that one way buisness."

i love spring...

Earlier in the spring we had a mama robin lay her eggs in our school yard which was really exciting! It was such a blessing to be able to watch and it's really so amazing to see how God created the mama bird to know how to protect her baby's and everything. So I thought I'd share some of the pictures that I got with y'all so that you could see for yourselves why we had so much fun running out everyday to see if she had laid and egg yet or, later on, if they had hatched.

First we noticed the mama laying building her nest...

then one egg...

then another egg...

 and then finally, after 10 days of patience, two little baby birds!!!!!

A little older now.
 Seriously, how precious is this?

 

This was the last picture I was able to get before they flew away.

 Amelia found an unfortunately non-living egg across the road. The nest had been gotten by something and this one was left behind but, sadly, the mother never came back for it :(

Well, we've heard that robins sometimes lay eggs about three times a year so if it's true, well, y'all just might get to see some more pictures ;)

Have an awesome day!
~Harmony~

Myself

I have to live with myself, and so

I want to be fit for myself to know;

I want to be able, as days go by,

Always to look myself straight in the eye;

I don't want to stand, with the setting sun,

And hate myself for the things I've done.

 

I don't want to keep on a closet shelf

A lot of secrets about myself,

And fool myself, as I come and go,

Into thinking that nobody else will know

The kind of man that I really am;

I don't want to dress up myself in sham.

 

I waant to go out with my head erect;

I want to deserve all men's respect;

But here in the struggle for fame and pelf,

I want to be able to like myself;

I don't want to look and myself and know

That I'm bluster and bluff and empty show.

 

I never can hide myself from me;

I see what others may never see;

I know what others may never know;

I never can fool myself, and so,

Whatever happens, I want to be

Self-respecting and conscience free.

 



A quick story :D

I came across this little story that was in my devotional book and thought I'd share it.

An armed robber named Dennis Lee Curtis, who was arrested in 1992 in Rapid City, South Dakota, apparently had scruples about his thievery. In his wallet the police found a sheet of paper on which was written the following code:

1: I will not kill anyone unless I have to.
2: I will take cash and food stamps - no checks.
3: I will rob only at night.
4: I will not wear a mask.
5: I will not rob mini-marts or 7-eleven stores.
6: If I get chased by cops on foot, I will get away. If chased by vehicle, I will not put the lives of innocent civilians on the line.
7: I will rob only seven months out of the year.
8: I will enjoy robbing from the rich to give to the poor.

This thief had a sense of morality, but it was flawed. When he stood before the court, he was not judged by the standards he had set for himself but by the higher law of the state. Likewise, when we stand before God, we will not be judged by the code of morality we have written for ourselves but by God's perfect law.