Pug Figs- Mark Hamby

Ever wondered why Jesus cursed the fig tree that did not bear fruit?  Now you can know!!!  Mark Hamby is with Lamplighter Publishing.  I highly recommend joining his e-mail list!

Pug Figs   

"One of the puzzling miracles of Jesus' teaching was the cursing of the fig tree because it didn't have fruit; yet the text in Mark 11 states that it wasn't the time for figs. It seems to me, at least on the surface, that the poor tree didn't have a standing chance. I have speculated for years about this unusual scene but recently I found the answer as I was walking through Herod's coastal seaport of Caesarea.

When I arrived in Israel to make preparations for our Lamplighter Guild-Israel tours,it was early spring. When Jesus came upon the fig tree it would have been during this same season. It is true that spring is not the time for figs but the first fig tree I saw was full of figs. You see, in early spring a pungent and bitter fruit appears known as a pug fig. In Hebrew, pug means premature baby. (1) The leaves would be sparse at this time of year but these early pug figs would be in abundance.

Pug Figs in Israel (Photo by Mark Hamby)

Pug figs were also the forerunners of the later sweet figs that one could eat. (2) If there were no pug figs there would be no edible figs in the fall. (3) Poor people or those who were very hungry would eat these first fruit figs though the taste was not desirable. (4) When Jesus comes on the scene he is hungry but finds only leaves--no pug figs.

The reason Jesus curses the tree is because the tree was not functioning as it should by providing fruit for the poor and hungry. Another reason is because the tree was full of leaves which represented a life of hypocrisy--it looked good on the outside but had no fruit within.

The fact that Jesus performs this miracle right on the heels of cleansing the hypocrisy of the temple now makes perfect sense; it also serves as a reminder that our lives need to be in a perpetual state of fruitfulness. We never know when God may need to pluck a few figs for some hungry travelers who need our assistance."

In Christ,

Rebecca

Quote #5

The most important decision you make every day is what you choose to put in your mind.


~Chip Ingram

Wonderful Blog Post

I have been following this young man's blog for a while now and have enjoyed his posts.  This one I thought very good and wanted to pass it on.  Take the time to read it.  It is worth your time.  :)

"My Life, My Passions, My God"

Blessings!
Rebecca

Pampered Chef

Yes, yes, I haven't been on in a while.  hopefully you missed me.  :)  If you didn't, I guess it was my fault....

I am now a Pampered Chef consultant!  I am very excited about this opportunity and look forward to seeing what God does with it.  :) It has kept me very busy between the actual shows and all the training for my hosts, plus my training and learning how to do things.  It has been a wonderful, and yes, trying experience. 

Some reasons that helped me decided to become a consultant were;
1.) You do it on your time.  Pampered Chef is very good to tell you to take your calendar and cross off dates that you have things going with your family.  THEN you set up appointments with people.  I really appreciated that.  Especially since that is the second thing in my heart- my family. :)  (God is first)

2.) They do have a minimum to meet, but it is very small.  If you want to go and become a big director and make lots of money- then go for it!  If you want to just make a few bucks here or there, then do that.  They encourage you to really make it, but they don't force you too.  I liked it because that means when CAPE convention rolls around I probably won't do as much the week before, of, and after.  When we are weaning and preg-checking, I can take the week off.  When I don't feel good, I just take a few days off without having to call anywhere and tell them I'm sick.  Sure, that doesn't mean I can just slack and not do shows because I will, but that also builds character, right?

3.)  I really love their stuff.  They have wonderful items that last a long time.  And their stoneware is amazing! (Ok, I will confess.  It will be very hard for me to not buy everything in their store!  I will have plenty of opportunity for learning self-control. :D)

4.) It gives me something to do.  I notice that when I don't have things to make me fill my day I can sit on the computer the whole time.  I find I just become unhappy.  Not all the time, but there is nothing like the feeling of your life just doing.....nothing.  Sure, there are things we do all the time in the house, on the ranch, just life- but it doesn't fill my day up. 

When I was chatting with Mom and Dad one night, mom brought up a good question.  She asked me if I would tell her when my business became something more than just a side job. When I wanted to push full ahead and make it a career that I just loved and didn't want to let go of it- would I tell them so that they could become my prayer warriors in that area?  Although I wanted to say "of course" and shrug off the question, it is a good one.

 Just like anything I don't want to let this become my idol.  I don't want this as a career.  I just want to be doing something and heck, make some money.  (wouldn't it be so nice to get married with some money to my name!) My heart is still to be married and have a family.  But I also want to be realistic in that though I dream my marriage will happen tomorrow, it may be several years down the road, or never.  I don't want to sit at home twiddling my fingers waiting for it to happen and then become a worrisome spinster that others need to take care of. 
I want to be a part of my family, yet not become a loathsome person to where I hate myself.  Although this job won't fix that it will help me stay active. :D

Does this make sense?  What have you found in your life to help you through these years of being at home?

Rebecca

Quote #4

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.   And let endurance have its perfect result, 
so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

James 1:2-4

THIS is what I want

Reading through this book by Brother Andrew has really opened my eyes to what a Passion for my Lord looks like.  I want it sooo badly I ache inside.  But it is an ache with the knowledge that it can be so.  I too, can have a passion that will burn down forests.  I pray for that!  I pray for a man who is so on fire for the Lord that he will burn me.  It sounds funny to say it that way, but if you will look at it like it was intended I hope you will see what I mean. 

This video was just amazing.  These guys are Warriors of the High King of kings.  I encourage you to watch this video.  Believe me, it won't be a waste of your time.  I even watched it a second time to really take in what was said. 



What do you think?  Do you agree with what he says?
HIS Daughter,
Rebecca

Coocoo Lane?

I thought this was quite a funny succession of e-mails that passed between my sister and I.  We do tend to converse in e-mail once in a while.  It is fun to make the words in the e-mail sound funny, to play with how you write it, etc. 

This one took place while she and I were getting some details together of another family coming over.  I was somewhat heading it up but she had taken the liberty (gasp!) of telling them what they could bring.  I thus wrote her this e-mail letting her know what I thought of her…..

Oh well I was going to ask them to bring something.  I really wish you wouldn’t do things like this without asking me.  Please let me take care of things like this next time.  I appreciate your trying to help, but it really wasn’t all that helpful. 
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

Just Kidding. 
 Do go ahead and remind her that the ______ are bringing a dessert as well.  She is more than welcome to make something too, (who turns away more dessert?) but just so she knows that.  J  Otherwise it sounded perfect!

Love you,

Big Teaser

Sarah then replied;

GOOOD GRIEF!!!  You just about gave me a heart attack!!!!

DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!!!!!  hahaha!

Ok, I'll let her know..... :)

 Love,
 your innocent, adorable, little sister who doesn't deserve teasing like that.... *impish grin*

My Reply;

“Your innocent , adorable, little sister who doesn’t deserve teasing like that…..*impish grin*"

Ummm, I must have the wrong person.  I was trying to e-mail my sister, Sarah Heckendorn.  So sorry about that.  If you know where I can contact her, please let me know. 

Here’s a description of her;

Ornery, scares easily, likes to sing, loves to wear weird clothing combinations, usually is happy, can tell a good joke, can’t make a fire to save her life, likes ginger in her tacos, is funny, silly, laughs a lot, cries, likes to read- but not often, makes beautiful things with her hands, is good with kids, doesn’t always care for suspense movies, is what you call a dark-haired beauty, wouldn’t believe you when you say that, even though it is true, looks gorgeous in red, can do her hair nicely, and is a drama queen!

If you hear from her, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Rebecca

Her answer;

Oh, Sarah Heckendorn!  Oh, dear. I'm sorry to say that I haven't talked to her since she was fired from the company due to some odd reasons.  The biggest was probably the fact that she refused to follow dress code. The other reasons are as follows:  She wouldn't work on her homework and instead chose to make little knitted, crocheted, or hand sewn items. She made many of the employees gag when telling about her 'secret ingredients' for different foods, made it impossible for the other employees to work with her incessant laughing (mostly at random things) and joke telling.  Her dramatic entries into the office will not be discussed in detail at this moment.  The worst part was when she would hide behind a cubicle to scare a fellow worker, and then end up scaring herself instead. Her problem with singing harmony without a melody was also a "major" problem.  She would also get strangely terrified if you just mentioned the latest suspense movie.

After many complaints, we finally had to let her go...  I do have a forwarding address though:

 Happy Valley

721 Coocoo Lane

Crazyville, JK, 72193

 I sincerly hope that you'll be able to find her... and help her... if there is still a chance.

Kindest Regards,

Mrs. Bubblegum 

 I guess most of these would be inside jokes.  Like the one about "hiding behind a cubicle and jumping out to scare an employee only to scare herself." *ahem* Yeah, she really did hide to scare someone and then after "dramaticaly" jumping out and scaring them...scare herself.

Needles to say with her around we are all kept in stitches.  (get it??? "needles"!!)

~Rebecca