A tennis racket and baby chicks

Heyllo everyone!

Maybe you remember me saying in this post that Britt from Ranch Life Site has been hosting a challenge on her blog every month. Last month it was on Summer Skies, and this month it is on editing. So, here is what I am entering:

Before editing

After editing. 

What do you think of these? Do you think that the editing makes it a better looking picture?

We had five baby chicks just hatch, too! Four golden yellow--two of which have a brown spot on their head--and one black one with a little bit of yellowish-brown fuzz around it's face. They are really cute and fluffy :)

Here are some pictures--maybe not as good as they could be, because our camera is on vacation, but still, you get the picture ;^) :)

All of them together :) Does anyone else get a beautiful picture of adoption?

This is Hazelnut. It is the baby of the family. Well.....They're all babies, but he/she is the baby of the babies.

Hazelnut seems to have a large inclination to sleep :) 

This here is Lemon. She is second born.

These two are Dotty (on the left; Dotty on account of the little brown spot on his/her head; Dotty is also the firstborn), and Lemon (on the right).

The other one with the brown spot on it's head is named Zip, and the other all gold/yellow chick is named Sunshine.  Anyway, it's fun to be baby animal grandparents again :) While the actual hen, Bubblegum, did all the work of sitting on the eggs and keeping them the right temperature for 21 days, we were the ones that made sure her nest was secure of predators, and took her out to get some food and water every evening like she needed to--she couldn't quite seem to figure out how to get out of her cage thingy-ma-bobber. So we sort of feel like the grandparents to them or something. Twice duckling grandparents, now chick grandparents :) 

So, now you've seen our most recent farm additions. I hope you enjoyed seeing them as much as we love watching and holding them!

"Wise men lay up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction." ~Proverbs 10:14

Blessings,

Julia <3 

The Light of the World

*Note: This was written months ago, so when I refer to 'recently' I really mean months ago :)*

Hello Everyone!

This is something that sort of hit me recently: Did you realize that we are the light of the world? Matthew 5:14-15 says this: "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do they light a candle and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand and it gives light to all who are in the house."  

We are the light of the world! Well, let me make this clear--Christ is actually the Light. 1 John 1:5 says, "God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him."  But, here's the thing. As Christians, we have been chosen by God, to carry His Light. You think of the illustration of a candlelight service; A single candle is lit, and then all the other candles are lit from that one.  We are all candles, but we are not lit, originally. Only Christ is, because Christ is Light. When we become a Christian, we are lit with the light of Christ, and it is our charge to carry His Light around the world. Just as Matthew 5:14 says, our light cannot be hidden. We are like a city that is set on a hill. Everyone near it would be able to see a city that is set on a hill, right? And as verse 15 says, men don't light a candle and then put it under a basket. A candle is lit for a purpose, that is to give light to all that are in the house. So, when we are lit with the Light of Christ at the moment of salvation, we are not supposed to go and hide; if it's sincere, our light should not be able to be avoided, for one. Secondly, the candle of our soul is lit for a purpose, that is to give the Light of Christ to all those that are around us. 

Here is the definition of light: '(1) The natural agent that stimulates sight, and makes things visible; (2) Understanding of a mystery; enlightenment; (3) Provide with light; illuminate.'

A light shows the way. It casts out shadows and darkness. It shows the truth. In the darkness, the objects of a room seem completely different than they do in the light, right? In the dark, you also cannot see the things that are around you. You cannot see if there is danger. You cannot see what you are doing.  
With a light, you can see the truth of what is around you. You can see and avoid danger. You can see what you are doing and where you are going. 

Think about this. Think about the world as darkness, with no light. Just darkness. Then add believers who are like candles. You have all the people that are walking in darkness, who cannot see what they are doing, who cannot see the truth of what is around them, who cannot see the danger that awaits them. And then you have the believers who carry the Light of Christ, who show the truth, who expose the danger, who show where the path is headed. Do you realize the significance of this? Do you realize that without us, aside from Christ, there would be no light? There would be no one to show the truth, expose the danger to all who are walking, blindly, in darkness! 

Do you often wonder why God doesn't do this or doesn't do that, why He doesn't show so-and-so this or that? I don't know about you, but I do sometimes. Have you ever thought that maybe you are supposed to shine the Light of Christ in that area? Maybe He wants to use you to show the truth or expose the danger and bring light to the darkness! Isn't that such an interesting and uncomfortable thought? Yet at the same time it sort of gives you a sense of importance, doesn't it, to think that God has a purpose for you? To think that maybe God wants to use you as His tool to shed His Light? 

There is a song by Matthew West called 'Do Something.' Here are the lyrics to it:

I woke up this morning 
Saw a world full of trouble now 
Thought, how’d we ever get so far down 
How’s it ever gonna turn around 
So I turned my eyes to Heaven 
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?” 
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of 
People living in poverty 
Children sold into slavery 
The thought disgusted me 
So, I shook my fist at Heaven 
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?” 
He said, “I did, I created you” 
If not us, then who 
If not me and you 
Right now, it’s time for us to do something 
If not now, then when 
Will we see an end 
To all this pain 
It’s not enough to do nothing 
It’s time for us to do something 
I’m so tired of talking 
About how we are God’s hands and feet 
But it’s easier to say than to be 
Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves 
It’s alright, “somebody else will do something” 
Well, I don’t know about you 
But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire 
I don’t want a flame, I want a fire 
I wanna be the one who stands up and says, 
“I’m gonna do something” 
We are the salt of the earth 
We are a city on a hill 
But we’re never gonna change the world 
By standing still 
No we won’t stand still 
No we won’t stand still 
No we won’t stand still



Here is the music video, if you want to listen to it:

Without us there would be no light. The world would be in complete darkness. So let us consider our part and be a light. Even if it's just in our example and attitude in this moment. 

"For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light." ~Psalm 36:9

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." ~Psalm 119:105

Blessings,
Julia <3