Tag: farmers

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Innovation & Creativity

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…and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze,to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. Exodus 31:3-5

As I sit here writing this installment of 30 Days of Thanksgiving, I am reminded of a day over 30 years ago as I sat in front of a new Macintosh computer.  As a journalism major at San Diego State University, I was fortunate to be able to use the brand new, one of a kind Macintosh-only lab situated in my college.  Today, I use an incredibly fast and powerful laptop.  But back then that little box with a tiny gray screen and it’s smiling Mac face could barely allow me to save a single five page document on a single sided diskette.  Over the next three years I saw that little Macintosh evolve into a computer with an actual hard drive that could store quite a bit more data.  But compared to the mega computer that is now called my Iphone, it paled in comparison.

God’s gift of innovation and creativity has led to amazing advancements over our 1,000s of years.  The tiny spark of fire and the invention of the wheel were legendary, but history will probably record the last 30 years or so as ones where our unique ability to dream and create new solutions to heal, communicate, build, and more has been some of the most influential yet.  While I was tinkering around with that tiny Macintosh my parents were still trying to get used to their new answering machine and microwave oven!  And look at us now! 

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

A bird creates a perfect nest for her eggs.  But she won’t ever dream of how to make it better.  Her instinct tells her one way to create that nest – which might not withstand a storm.  With our gift of innovation, we learn why buildings collapse in earthquakes and seek new designs and materials and even the best sites upon which to build.  We are a creating people – in the image of God, the Great Creator.

I am not an inventor but I am the type of person always looking for ways to streamline or how to “do it better.”  From cooks who seek to adjust recipes to be healthier to the farmer who discovers new ways to increase crop yields and the doctor who discovers a pattern in a disease to the scientist who turns an Amazonian plant into a cure, we humans always seem to be seeking the best way, the new way, the different way. 

I thank God today for the innovative and creative spirit He placed in us.  Our lives have all been blessed with each leap we take forward into the future.

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Our Furry Friends

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Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;  Proverbs 27:23

I am certainly thankful that the Lord sent His Holy Spirit to be with us always – to comfort, guide, and even giving us those taps on the shoulders when we are about to say or do something we shouldn’t.  Sometimes, however, we need an earthly comfort. A warm and fuzzy hug or a big sloppy kiss.  And that’s why I’m so very thankful God gifted us with pets.

There’s no clear answer as to when we humans started domesticating animals.  Some say the beginning of the 5th millennium BC, while others think it was a bit later in that millennium.  But no matter, we can know it was a long time ago we became shepherds and farmers.  It’s thought that dogs became our companions around 27,000 years ago!  The oldest known dog remains were found in the Americas and are dated to approximately 17,000 years ago.  We’ve certainly have had a long term love affair with our pets!

The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. 2 Samuel 12:1-3

Now, while this verse is a rebuking lesson for David from the prophet Nathan, it also shows us a glimpse into the everyday life of the people – ones who loved their pet companions.  I can also imagine the shepherds who received the message of Jesus’ birth with their faithful sheep dogs by their sides that fateful night.

I’ve been blessed with two dogs, a few cats, some fish and even a few hermit crabs.  My dog right now, Tucker, brings me so much laughter and joy.  Don’t we all need someone in our lives that, when we come home after a long day, jumps for joy and begs to cuddle with them?  I thank God for this companionship and the love so many of us throughout the ages have received from our furry friends.