The Ways of The White Man - 757.1

  Once I was in Victoria, and I saw a very large house.  They told me it was a bank, and that the white men place their money there to be taken care of, and that by and by they got it back, with interest.
  We are Indians, and we have no such bank; but when we have plenty of money or blankets, we give them away to other chiefs and people, and by and by they return them, with interest, and our hearts feel good.  Our way of giving is our bank.

Maquinna

Nootka Chief

 Native American Wisdom

The Solution to the Economic Collapse - Oasis 11.11.11 - 757

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
      That there may be food in My house,
      And try Me now in this,”
      Says the LORD of hosts,

      “ If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
      And pour out for you such blessing
      That there will not be room enough to receive it.
       “ And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
      So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
      Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
      Says the LORD of hosts;
       And all nations will call you blessed,
      For you will be a delightful land,”
      Says the LORD of hosts.

~ Malachi 3:10-12

The Season of Building and Planting - 750

These are pretty amazing times that we are living through.

  The last month has held additional changes and challenges and has made me focus back to past directions as to why i am where i am.  i had gone through much paper work, cleaning and making room while organizing the new tree house space, and i came across a birthday card my Mother has sent me last year.  She went to heaven this year and memories of her bring a smile, a tear, and continue to motivate me in walking this path in which God has placed me.


"Just Think.
You're here not by chance,
But by God's choosing.

His hand formed you and made you the person you are.
He compares you to no one else - You are one of a kind.
You lack nothing that His Grace can't give you.
He has allowed you to be here at this time in history
To fulfill His special purpose for this generation."
How thankful I am that He has allowed me to be here at the same time you are!"

The rest of the card is for me alone - thanks Mom, Much love to you too.

  This morning i was making the staple peanut butter and honey sandwiches for lunch and i had some Proverbs time which always provides the spiritual food for consideration during the day.  Today's message goes directly with this season of building and planting.

Proverbs 31:8-9
Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

...and as it is said of wisdom...

20
She extends her hands to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.


  Just what is needed in this time of upheavel and those changes that were part of the past campaign promises.  Unfortunately words cannot adequately describe the motivation that i've received in answer to prayer to keep me focused on His work.  As i've written a couple times, it is a season of building and planting for me and manifesting those things that have been put in my heart and mind.  i have fortunately been working with Stephan and enjoying the construction projects and hands on, as he too allows me the trust to take responsibility on more work. 
  One of the current jobs over the last month is a residence in Tupelo, MS that needed a solution for water problems in the basement.  The solution was excavating the foundation walls to the footings and installing drainage pipe and gravel fill.  The house also was never waterproofed at the foundation so i was awarded that messy  tar job...lol... see more trust to mop the right way and fill every single pore in that foundation wall.  The dirt had to be hauled out in five gallon buckets and the gravel had to hauled in with the same.  We have since moved inside and completed hardwood floors in the entire house, new trim, mirrors and base, as well as fixing a couple rotted thresholds.  The last part of this project brought us to the basement for tile work and new tile base.  It has been a great experience here and with a great variety of work.
  The next building and planting i am focusing on is how this experience can be used toward the prison ministry efforts.  i believe it is integral to helping both the poor and needy and teaching the paroles through building and planting.  We are beginning to search on a possible halfway house location near the Clay county jail and are beginning to talk to the county about this.  This is a natural extension of how to use those gifts for others and to reach out in that manner, one of action followed by words. 

  i'm off to check the garden and enjoy the sun shooting through the fog on  this beautiful day.  God Bless and Love as always,

~ antbrother

Behold, I Make All Things New - 717

Revelation 21:5-8

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”  And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. ⁷ He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.  But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”


  Nothing like a fresh coat of paint to make an old front door new.  i know that is a light-hearted comment to a scripture telling us of salvation and condemnation.  It is what it is. Open your ears.  Ideas and visions are flowing lately, that designers mind, creators mind is busy filling up notebooks again but we have several new tools to use during this season.  My humble abode definitely needs some attention and work but that just makes sense as this is a time for new thoughts and directions and for putting into action those things that have been placed in our hearts and at our feet.  For me, having taken on work with The Carpenator, this season is one of building and planting.  The ant has gathered supplies and scraps, throwaways and roadside trash to some, but "Behold, I make all things new."  Time to use what has been given to us.

  Part of the scrapping efforts have been collecting old hand tools and old kitchen utensils - no power needed.  i happened to stop by an estate sale Saturday and received a real blessing of several old saws, hammers, wrenches, etc., etc., some real deep boxes of what i remember seeing in old-timers shops.  i had been needing to get a hand saw for some new projects and knew that typically the older, "Made in the U.S." tools were of better quality than anything you can buy now, so i kept an antennae out.  Four boxes for about $10 a box and all i need is some mineral oil and steel wool to clean up the gift.  Thanks Father.  Another interesting piece, that i traded out for some work with one of my grandmas, is a Root & Heath Co. corn sheller.  i'll have wait till next seasons harvest to be able to try this one out.

Continued prayers to all in this coming time of change.  Listen to your heart and look at what has been placed at your feet, all blessings.

Love,

~ antbrother

The Carpenator - 708

My boss has taken on the title of "The Carpenator", as an adaptation of The Terminator genre toward his work in construction.  It's a determination mindset in regards to work and the jobs, strong work ethic and pride of work.  You have to have a sense of humor when you're replacing a rotten roof on top of the elevator equipment room of a 1926 building.  Seventy feet up has a nice breeze and a great view, one thing i love about working with my friend again.  The German and the Polish are back together - guess i'm the side kick and Stephan is The Carpenator... lol....  i'm the ant.
  After moving most of my lifelong possessions this year for work and home, i have consolidated, simplified and began a new focus in building and planting from what i have been given.  Still from scraps, but look what is possible with a bunch of leftovers.

  More forthcoming...  an update from the weedbed, i mean garden.

Love and Blessings,

~ antbrother

The Worker / The Warrior - 694

2 Timothy 2:15
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Indian Steel - Sorghastrum nutans

  There has been a bit of a drought on words here and on my main website this year, though the messages and work at hand have only multiplied over this year of changes.  i have many fronts to update on but will keep it simple and direct - the truth does not take many words though i will surely ramble on in a GoOD way.
  i have been moved into place as is typical with the children of God at this time.  We are positioned and enabled to do His work as the main spiritual preparation is complete and the Lord is now maturing us in His Ways - continually teaching His children.  You may have been relocated this year, through displacement or other factors, and you have been taught though this process why you are here and Who you serve - you now know your purpose and path.  Along the way we have all experienced the difference and separation between the sheep and goats and have learned to ask God in everything by prayer - just to make sure we stay on the path through His leading.  Who wants to be head butted by a goat anyway?  Do you really trust your own judgement and decisions in this time of upheaval?
  My heart wants to share so many things right now, but i will simply send it out in prayer and focus on the issue of working for the Lord through the Way of the Spiritual Warrior.  The nice clump of Indian Steel grass is an excellent example of what God can do and has done in us and through us.  This grass is one of many throw away plants that i have picked up on the side of the road (someone else's trash) and nurtured and planted in order to be restored to it's true beauty - an original prairie grass of North America.  That is what God did with me. He changed me from the dead clump of dried grass laying on the side of the road, and He planted me in Amory and fed me with His Word - He restores us to our true purpose.  i just love the way He works.

Herb Garden expansion

  This year i have been moved out of my apartment and into a "tree house" and the old office space has been taken over by a future retailer so there has been some definite consolidation between home, garden and office.  i have also been moved outside and have been nudged further toward being able to use what is at hand by scrapping, planting and building - firepit, root cellar.  i have a surplus of wood scraps and a healthy pile of bricks started, as well as doors, windows, shutters and scrap steel.  Healthy eating has been an integral part of this restoration as well and, in addition to growing organic food and herbs, i have also begun brewing my own organic kombucha tea.  This has really felt like an urban homesteading process and i know it will continue to be a more prominent focus as resources are taken away or become unusable.  Work continues in my landscaping and i am in full weeding mode on the gardens to get the fall crop planted.  The daily job has changed recently from working in the furniture frame plant to being back with my German friend doing carpentry and cabinet work.  The journeyman has been maturing with more hands on work.  My technical drawing has also been put to use recently.  The rebuilding and planning taking place in Smithville, MS (post EF-5 tornado that eliminated the town) has spurred me on to refocus on the community gardens i am slowly growing for Amory.  As markets crash, currency defaults, and industries struggle, the urban farmer and homesteader will be the real answer to survival, real sustainability and restoration.  We are to become an Oasis for others in Word and deed.
  Praying has been my foundation and has strengthened my relationship with Jesus in a profound way - a very personal, intimate connection and oneness is present daily.  The more time i spend in reading the Bible and in prayer, the closer we have become.  Jesus has been and is my refuge and peace within while He moves me through this landscape, teaching me and leading me to help others.  i look forward to each day and anticipate the full indwelling of the Holy Spirit coming forth for all of God's children.

Love and Blessings,

~antbrother

Working on the website link and information on the herbs i grow.

Genesis 1:29
And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.

The Ways of the Heart - 645

  My friends, how desperately do we need to be loved and to love.  When Christ said that man does not live by bread along, he spoke of a hunger.  This hunger was not the hunger of the body.  It was not the hunger for bread.  He spoke of a hunger that begins deep down in the very depths of our being.  He spoke of a need as vital as breath.  He spoke of our hunger for love.
  Love is something you and i must have.  We must have it because our spirit feeds upon it.  We must have it because without it we become weak and faint.  Without love our self-esteem weakens.  Without it our courage fails.  Without love we can no longer look out confidently at the world.  We turn inward and begin to feed upon our own personalities, and little by little we destroy ourselves.
  With it we are creative.  With it we march tirelessly.  With it, and with it alone, we are able to sacrifice for others.

     Chief Dan George