Punch list items, a blessed mistake, church

Saturday was a busy day on the farm. I finally had some time to take care of some of the little left over items on our ongoing projects – my punch list. Mama and I went early to the vet to ask about a problem we are having with our chickens but we did not get any real answers; not without the carcass of the dead chicken. We have had two die of mysterious causes. We are considering putting concrete down on the floor of the coop to help eliminate mites and funguses. I am not sure the cost is justified, but cost has never been an obstacle to Mama’s plans.


We went to the lumber yard in Nocona and turned in a list of materials to get a price estimate on what we need to begin the apartment. While we were there we got several bags of Sakrete to fill in some holes left from setting posts on the equipment shed and to back fill where the hogs dug out in their pen. I got to use all of it up on those little chores, but now they are complete.

I cleaned out the calf stalls also. I dug out any wet dirt and replaced it with dry fresh dirt to help eliminate the smell that comes from keeping live animals – especially animals of that size. It took two very full wheel barrows loads to haul away the scrapings. We are scattering the material on the area where the leech bed was dug for our septic system. I hope it will produce some very fertile grass in the spring. Right now the calves are enjoying the grass that is growing in their lot.

Mama ordered some gravel to be used backfilling the form for the next pour and the wrong material was delivered. On the reorder the gravel yard got it right so we ended up with twenty tons of product which we were able to use in different ways. The yard only had us pay for what we ordered so the mistake for them was free to us. It was a real blessing to us.

Grandpa and I spread out about eight of the ten tons of the more compactable product in the formed up area and he used the gravel to complete a circular driveway around the shop. The driveway looks very nice and with wet weather coming, it will be a blessing. We should be ready to do the pour by mid week this week. Tonight and tomorrow we will get the area leveled out and tamped down. Next week, the building begins.

After the evening feeding Mama and I went to Wal-Mart to get a few things to complete the baking she was doing. We are keeping several people supplied with the Amish Friendship bread. Grandma and Grandpa like the recipe, especially Grandma. She will eat an entire loaf in a couple mornings. I have to admit I am close to the same intake at times.

Both Grandma and Grandpa went to church on Sunday morning to hear Squire Parsons sing at one of the larger Baptist churches in Bowie. Grandma actually got to talk to Squire and his son. She invited them out to the farm for chicken and dumplings but their schedule would not allow them the time. She felt they were really thankful for the invitation. Grandpa did not enjoy the activity. The worldliness of churches today is a huge distraction for him and it does not take too much to set either him or Grandma off.

Our pastor was out of town at a revival on a Zuni Indian reservation somewhere in New Mexico so our associate pastors filled in. In the evening service David Dickerson spelled out some of the refuges we have in our faith – like the cities of refuge in the book of Numbers. One of those refuges is the local New Testament church. We have found a good one but it is still made up of people; some of whom will never fully understand what they have in this body of believers.

It is sad to see the opportunity being wasted in Grandpa’s life to fellowship with the body of Christ.