The "Great Horse Manure Crisis" of 1894

In 1894 The Times made this prediction:  "In 50 years, every street in London will be buried under nine feet of manure."  Phew!

It's understandable, due to "equine nature".  I read that a horse produces 15 - 35 pounds (!) of manure a day. In London there were more than 11,000 hansom cabs on the streets; AND  thousands of horse-drawn buses - each using 12 horses a day; AND a slew of smaller "vehicles", like delivery carts...all using horses...all of which contributed to what became known as the Great Horse Manure Crisis.

I assume the "nine feet" would be the result if the manure were never shoveled. There must have been crews trying to clean the stuff and leave the streets...if not clean, at least less gross!  But I can't imagine how the people stood the stench of all those horse droppings.  Did they just get used to it?
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After reading of this curious Crisis, I wondered if God, when He looks down on Earth and sees the streets of our lives "deep in the manure of sin"...with its attendant stink...wonders, "How can those people stand the stench of their sins?  Do they just get used to it?"

Manure is a perfectly healthy (for the horse, at least) by-product of "equine nature".  Sin is a perfectly unhealthy by-product of "human nature":

"But I was born a sinner, yes, from the moment my mother conceived me."  (Psalm 51:5)
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Back in the Israelites' history, God at times got really fed-up with them:

"Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption...."  (Isaiah 1:4)

Later in Isaiah, talking about the ones who were defiant and arrogant in their sin, "These people gag me.  I can't stand their stench."  (65:5)  Did the people just get used to the stink?
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The solution to the Great Horse Manure Crisis was the arrival of the motor car.  There was now a way to avoid the stench and pervasiveness of the manure.  And the solution to Man's Sin crisis was the arrival of the Son of God who payed the humanly-incomprehensible price for our forgiveness.  There is now a way to avoid the stench and pervasiveness of Sin.

"He Himself bore our sins, in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed."  (I Peter 2:24)

(After motor cars arrived, one could still have used a horse if he wanted - but he would have to deal with all the manure.  And though Jesus provided the way to be free from sin, we can still decide to disobey if we want - but we will have to deal with the consequences.)
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"But now that you have found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you...a whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way!..God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master."   (Romans 6:22-23,  The Message)
                                          ***************************
                   
                                                     Father, bless You!  
                                         You not only provided The Solution, 
                     You also gave us the incredible gift of eternal life at your side. 
                                           Help me to always listen to You!



                 
               

Oh dear...what have I gotten myself into??

Is there a verse in the Bible about "biting off more than one can chew"? ...'cuz I think I just did that!

Actually, "just" sounds like it was a few minutes ago, but it was a couple of weeks ago, when we were with the Tsachi church, joining them in their service - this time with my sister Carol.  It's been on my mind, and I'm still not sure how I'll carry it out.  But let me tell you about the eventful meeting first..
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Arriving at the church, we found that some guests from the Kichwa church were there, along with some Tsáchila from another area.  The picture above (taken after the activities were over and some had left) gives an example of the diversity of the people there that night.

You can see us, the 4th and 5th from the left - Germán slightly behind me - and beside me is Tserere, who is beside her husband Primitivo, the Tsachi leader of the church. My sister is the second from the right, and she is between the parents of a beautiful little baby whom we had the joy of dedicating to God.  (Holding  little Kleber Isaías in my arms while Germán prayed with the parents and the church was a joy!)  The others in the picture are a mixture of Tsachi and Kichwa and "white" leaders, including a foreign missionary.

Carol presented flash memories on which were stored pretty much all their literature in Tsáfiqui, including the Scriptures.  Then Germán gave the message, encouraging them to guide their lives by the Word of God, giving a bit more  history of the Scriptures becoming available - centuries ago - to different peoples in their own languages, and how vital it is to all believers.
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For the after-service activities, chairs were taken from their rows and lined up along the walls, to give more room for people to circulate.  I started serving up the Pineapple Cake I had taken.  As usual, they asked for the recipe...and not as usual, I had forgotten to take it with me! During this time, we had the baby-dedication and just chatted and caught up with others.

Then...I "bit off more than I could chew".  We have wanted to get an electronic piano for Tserere to play in the meetings.  I talked to her and her husband before we left, to get some information...and was a little dismayed.  She told me that my mom had not written the music with normal notes on pentagrams.  Adapting to necessity, she had had to invent another method, something about the placement of fingers...BUT...the notebook in which they were all written had been lost!  I wanted so much for her to be able to play that I said, "If I write out the songs for you, do you think that would work?  She and her husband both agreed that it would.  So I told them we would procure a piano for them.

It wasn't until later that it really sank in: their explanation of Mom's method wasn't clear, and I had no true idea how she did it...and the originals were lost! How in the world was I going to do what I offered?  Well, now I have to think of how to do this so that she can follow the songs, without drawing notes on staves.   (Any ideas out there?)
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I didn't find a verse on "biting off more than one can chew", but this might be close:  "Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes."  (Proverbs 19:2)  Oh well!!  I'll just cling to this verse:

"Don't worry over anything whatever; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer, and the peace of God which transcends human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:6)
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                        Father, sometimes our enthusiasm backs us into a corner!
             Thank You for being patient with us and for promising us your peace.

This meatloaf is really good!

I asked my husband what spiritual applications I could extract from meat loaf.  Neither of us could come up with anything!  Oh well...

Last week I had to decide what to make for lunch...for our church.  (We meet in homes, and the hostess usually prepares lunch for the rest.)  I like to vary the menu, and finally settled on meat loaf.  My husband said it was a good idea, but...make sure it's not too dry.  He was remembering meat loafs I had made ages ago with ground chicken, which is a very dry meat.  So I chose different meats...and a different recipe.  On Sunday, when my husband tasted it, he looked over at me, surprise on his face, and said, "This is good!"

I had made it with 3 parts ground pork to one part ground veal.  The combination was great.  I thought some of you might be interested in the recipe, so here it is.

Meat Loaf Florentine

Just mix all these ingredients together well - with your (clean) hands is best; squish them around together like you used to with Playdough or mud when you were little!

- 1 10-oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (or briefly cook, then chop, 4-6             cups of fresh spinach)
                 (or use half spinach, half kale)
- 2 beaten eggs (3 if small)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs (approximately)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 pounds ground meat (can be a mixture; I used pork and veal)

Put the mixture nicely into a greased pan (I prefer square or rectangular, but I'm sure a loaf pan would be fine), and squeeze some ketchup over the top (you can "doodle" designs - they'll get messed up as it cooks, but it's sort of fun!)  Bake at about 350 degrees, for approximately 1 1/2 hours. (A lot depends on what shape pan you use.  Also, electric stoves tend to cook faster than gas stoves, I've read, and things cook more quickly in glass than in metal.)  By the way, the photo isn't original.  It was just the only one I could find that looked similar!
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I Corinthians 10:31 says, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (Even making meat loaf!)  When those of us who are in charge of the kitchen look for nutritious, attractive, colorful meals, it is usually because we love our family members and want to do what we can to keep them un-bored and healthy, right?  We can do this "for the glory of God"!

Yes, food is important...but even more so is food for our spirits.  The Son of God, the "Bread of life",  said, "Just as the living Father sent Me and I am alive because of the Father...
                                         
                         "so the man who lives on Me will live because of Me..."
                                
                             "The man who eats this Bread will live forever." *
    
                                                                              --Jesus

(*John 6:57-58)

"Don't Leave Me!"...a poem with a promise

Jesus' disciples were heart-broken when He was killed. "What are we ever going to do without Him?"  They didn't understand until later, when they saw Him with their own eyes and remembered what He had said.

Not long after that, they were about to lose Him again!  Their best friend!  Did they once again think "What are we ever going to do without Him"?  He had promised them the Spirit, the Comforter, but I wonder if there was a part of the disciples' heart that knew they would miss Jesus as a person, as the Friend who had eaten, worked, prayed, wept and laughed with them.                                                                                                   ***************************

They may have remembered that God said to Joshua, "Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."  (Joshua 1:9)   God told Moses He would be with him, and it was so important that Moses replied, "If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here." (Exodus 33:15)  But those words were said centuries before...and not by this Man who was their Teacher!  They needed to hear those words NOW...from Him.

What did He say personally to his disciples...his friends?  Let's read this poem, and see that what He said to his disciples He also says to us today...no matter what, no matter when, no matter where.


                                      DON'T LEAVE ME!

                    Sly hunter-eyes glowed, and I was their prey.
                    They saw me alone, saw me weaker than they;

                    seeking to siphon off all of my peace,
                    to gloat if they managed to make my joy cease;

                    stalking me, taunting, and circling 'round,
                    awaiting the moment for pulling me down.

                    Then, on heavenly steed, He raced up to my side:
                    royal Rider, his Name and his banner flown high!

                    The beasts froze...then uneasily snarled at the One
                    who with only his look left each creature undone.

                    They spun 'round then and scattered, unable to stay.
                    "Why?  Lion of Judah, why did they run away?"

                    "They take pride in their prowess and relish their game,
                    but when I appear, they all cringe at my Name.

                    "When they feel my Power, their bravado grows thin.
                    They know they can't have you; they know they can't win."

                     I hungrily grasped at the promise implied:
                     His Presence my refuge!  "Don't leave me!" I cried.

                      "Please stay with me, Lord; keep your banner unfurled!"
                      He said, "I'm with you always...to the end of the world!"
            
                                             ********************                                  -Becky Rhon

That's what He said to his disciples.  I suspect He also, on a human level, felt a little sadness at leaving these men who had been his closest friends and allies. He knew how they felt...it would be a challenge to continue the spreading of the Kingdom of God without his physical presence, but He promised them what He promises every person who claims Him as Savior and Lord:

     "And be sure of this - that I am with you always, even to the end of the world." *    
                                                     AMEN!
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*Matthew 28:20) 

"Ambisinistrous": what Garfield wasn't (the president, not the cat).

The picture at the left can portray either an ambidextrous man or an ambisinistrous one...which means that they are opposites. An ambisinistrous person is clumsy with both hands!  (When referring to the lower extremities, it's known as "having two left feet"!)
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The 20th U.S. president, James Garfield, was the first ambidextrous man to fill the position.  (So he was not ambisinistrous.)  In fact, I read that he was able to write in Greek with one hand and in Latin with the other hand - at the same time. (I couldn't write in Greek no matter which hand I used!)                             ********************

This made me think of Someone else's hands.  Someone who is never ambisinistrous, and is ambidextrous (so to speak) to an exponential degree. God's hand and his arm are:

STRONG:  "Ah, Sovereign LORD, You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for You."  (Jeremiah 32:17)

"In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all."  (I Chronicles 29:12)

FAITHFUL: "If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."  (Psalm 139:8-10)

"I will cling to You; your right hand upholds me."  (Psalm 63:8)

TENDER: "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; He gently leads those that have young."  (Isaiah 40:11)

"For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear: I will help you."  (Isaiah 41:13)

PROTECTIVE:  In the words of Jesus: "I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand."  (John 10:28)

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life.  You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand You save me."  (Psalm 138:7)
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A few days after I had given birth to my firstborn, I was resting, exhausted, on the bed, and suddenly I felt two enormous, gentle, loving arms reach down and enfold me...just like I cradled my new baby, He cradled me.  If I had been able to see the palm of his hand, I would have seen my name. **

These verses are only "the tip of the iceberg".   Again and again God assures us that the very best possible place for us to be is in his arms.  His mighty hand is one of our greatest resources!

                                           Father, what better place to be?  
                                             Hold me close to your heart, 
                                    where I can feel the love that moved You 
                                 to write my name on the palms of your hands!
                                               **********************



**See, I have written your name on the palms of my hand."  (Isaiah 49:16)
                                                     

Driving took us almost as long as it used to on horseback!

Me...3 or 4 years old...a rest stop on the way home.*

Actually, that's an exaggeration. (And that's an understatement!) We were setting out for another visit to the Tsachi church.  From the house we stay at in Santo Domingo, it usually takes 5 to 10 minutes to reach the main highway.  This time it took an hour! We were part of a several-miles-long "caravan" snaking along at a snail's pace. We tried to relax and enjoy the lovely sunset splashed over the darkening sky.  We figured our Enemy wanted us to get all "hot and bothered"...so we just figured we wouldn't.  (Once we reach the highway, it's about a half-hour drive to the church.)

That morning we had read Psalm 90:16-17:  "Let your servants see what You're best at - the ways You rule and bless your children.  And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes.  Affirm the work that we do." It helped to remember the words.
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We were a little late, but we slipped into the comfortable atmosphere of the church...and time seemed to stand still. They don't worry about finishing at a set time, so we don't when we're there.

Speaking for a few minutes, I asked them about some of the wild animals that had been around when I was a little girl.  Are there still agoutis? armadillos? ocelots? monkeys? jaguars? parrots? snakes?  deer?...Snakes still live there, but there are no monkeys, deer  or jaguars anymore, and the other animals are only found every once-in-a-while.

How things have changed! Time and "civilization" encroach on their habitat...and encroach on our memories. But I reminded them that some things never change...like our God and his love and mercy.
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My husband's message touched on Wycliffe, one of the first brave men God used to open people's eyes to the errors of the then-Catholic Church, helping to pave the way for believers to have God's Word in their own languages.  He spoke clearly and simply about the necessity we have, now that we can understand it in our own tongue, to obey what the Bible tell us - how God wants us to relate to Him.

Then on to the post-service "social hour":  eating Banana Bread, getting an impromptu massage, speaking for a little video - a theology student's assignment, being given some finger bananas and oranges to bring home...and talking. My friend Carán has bad arthritis in her hands, so I had taken with me a menthol-based pain-relief gel for her to try.  (I use it daily for some of my pains.)  Of course, other ladies came to see...and I ended up with "orders" for a number of tubes of the stuff!  (The company should give me a commission!) We left the church, encouraged and looking forward to the next visit.
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                     Thank You, Lord, for being able to live the reality of this verse:

                            "Let your servants see what You're best at -
                              the ways You rule and bless your children."  (Psalm 90:16)            

                                               *******************


(*No, I didn't ride bareback.  My dad just sat me up there for a picture.  You can see his writing on the bottom part.  "In San Miguel" - which was where we would spend the night before starting the second day on horseback to reach home.)

"Two Prayers" (a 46-year-old poem)

The Pharisee and the publican...what kind of sheep is each one?  I know, that's a weird question, but it evolved as I was going off on a tangent this morning!

I had slept very badly, and awoke way too early. I went ahead and started the day and got a cup of coffee (which I don't like, but...it works.) I read my devotionals, then let God know how I felt.  Which was "lousy"!  I'm still sick, and I really need Him to help me figure things out. ("Please! This isn't easy!  I need You so much.")

After breakfast, I opened the daily devotional that we read aloud.  It started with this verse:

"I Myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.  I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.  I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice." (Ezekiel 34:15-16)  (Oh, my! Thanks, Lord!)

Two different kinds of sheep...illustrating two kinds of people...hmm...and I remembered this poem I wrote when I was 17 years old. ("Youth in Action" magazine had a creative writing contest, and I sent this in...and won second prize.)

Remember, I was only 17, so it may not seem so terribly profound and earth-shaking!  (Actually, the first prayer has a lot of whimsical satire!) But somehow it matched the verse I read this morning.  Here it is:

                                              TWO PRAYERS

                                       Here I am, Lord - in person!
                                       your servant so humble;
                                       I've not come to mumble
                                       a word to the air,
                                       but to lift up my voice,
                                       so choked with emotion;
                                       religious devotion
                                       resounds through my prayer.
                               
                                       I'm sure that You realize
                                       why it is I here stand,
                                       and with uplifted hand
                                       pour my heart out to Thee.
                                       My brothers must see
                                       of obedience a sample...
                                       What better example
                                       to follow than...me?

                                      See that man in the corner!
                                      He must be quite poor,
                                      kneeling down on the floor -
                                      why, he's praying!
                                       I thank You, oh Lord,
                                       that I'm not like that fellow,
                                       a big streak of yellow
                                      who hides what he's saying.

                                       And he's down by a pillar
                                       where no one can see him!
                                       Oh, Lord, should I free him
                                       from being so blind?
                                       So simple his thoughts are,
                                       no meaning his words bear.
                                       If You want a good prayer,
                                       just listen to mine!

                                       That's all for today, Lord;
                                       tomorrow's oration
                                       same time and same station
                                       I'll be here to give.
                                       Oh, please bless the Mrs.
                                       and all of our kin.
                                       By the way, thanks again
                                       for the good life I live.
                                               ________

                                   
                                        Oh, Lord, I deserve not
                                         thy presence to seek.
                                        You're strong and I'm weak.
                                         Show me mercy!
                                         I'm just a beginner,
                                         an unworthy sinner;
                                         but, Lord, to thy servant
                                         show mercy!
                                 **************************** - Becky Rhon

 The publican is the "injured" and "weak" sheep, who is promised personal care by his Shepherd, and the Pharisee is the "fat" and "strong" one.  Although "fatness" tends to mean prosperity, in the Bible it can, as it does here, refer to a prosperity that results in a hard heart and makes one forget God. (And if you have loved ones who are of the "lost" and "stray" sheep, take heart!  God will continue to search for them and "bring them back"!)                            
                                           *********************

                                   Jesus, thank You for being my Shepherd! 
                                            Thank You for tending me, 
                                      Thank You for showing me mercy.