Tuesday

Bock-bock! Free Lunch from Chick-fil-A?

 Bock-bock! Free Lunch from Chick-fil-A?

Chick-fil-A, the Southern fried chicken fast-food restaurant chain, is offering a free spicy chicken sandwich  (based on online reservations from May 31st to June 5th) to everyone who registers online.

The online sign-up form (which produces the free Chick-fil-A spicy chicken sandwich coupons) automatically locates nearby Chick-fil-A restaurants for visitors.

The free Chick-fil-A spicy chicken sandwiches will be available after June 7th - for dine-in customers only.

Chick-fil-A's spicy chicken sandwich is a brand-new menu item.

Just remember; Chick-fil-A is traditionally closed on Sundays in celebration of the Sabbath.

Sunday

A Praiseworthy Pentecost

A Praiseworthy Pentecost

Today is Pentecost Sunday, one of the highest holy days in the Christian calendar.

Pentecost Painting by Mildorfer
(public domain artwork)

Pentecost (also known as Whit Sunday, Whitsun or Whitsuntide), marks the date when the Holy Spirit of God descended upon the first Christian believers in power and might.

(The biblical account of this event may be found in the second chapter of Acts in the New Testament.)

Pentecost is celebrated seven weeks after Easter Sunday, or Resurrection Sunday.



Mexican Pentecost Icon
(public domain artwork)


Did you know ... Pentecost is linked to the Jewish Shavuot festival, marking the divine encounter in which Jehovah God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai?

Christians perennial pray for miracles - particularly at Pentecost. Where do you need to see God step in - in a most miraculous way - in your own life? In what specific way do you need to hear from the Lord?

Related Items:


A Rhymed Inspiration on Prayerful Translation - "Most confidantes deserve not trust; Self-centered friendship is unjust. But one Companion merits more, The One who knocks on my heart's door...."
 
A Mother's Prayer - What happens when a teenager explores independence to an extreme degree? How about when that adolescent rebels and seems out of control? At such times, a parent of faith may resort to tough love . . . and dangerous prayer.
 
A Poetic Gazing at an Experience Most Amazing - Focused and fallen, faithful and faithless, like the chimera, one may feel torn between faith and practice. When will the dichotomy be merged and a fulfilled unity of spirit, soul and body be restored?
 
Now that the world is at our fingertips, via the internet, a host of holy ones are no longer folding their hands to pray. Instead, folks are tapping their computer keyboards, as they pray for one another. How does this work?
 
The acrostic is a classic form of ancient Hebrew poetry, still practiced by modern poets. The first letters of each line of an acrostic together spell out a significant word. Here's a look at Psalm 86, loosely paraphrased as an acrostic poem and a prayer.
 
Why does wickedness seem to win in our world? Tyrants and terrorists wreak their havoc. Peacemakers and promoters of positivity struggle, while evildoers seem to flourish. This poem, written in iambic pentameter, asks: Where may justice be found?
 
Should a woman preach and teach in the church? This debate has persisted for centuries. What ought women to do with their spiritual gifts? Would God give women teaching and preaching gifts, if He did not intend for them to use these talents for His glory? 
 

Saturday

A Hankering for Horticulture

A Hankering for Horticulture

With Mother's Day a memory, gardeners in many regions of the Northern Hemisphere are digging out tools and dusting off green thumbs.

It's time to plant.

What are your favorite annual flowers? Have you filled those patio pots yet?

My own fingers are itching to dig in the dirt, as my perennials are springing forth in great green bounty.

Buds are appearing everywhere - from posies to peonies. And my irises are enormous already. The daylilies are exploding in vain verdancy, waiting to fly forth in orange, yellow, red and more hues.

This week, I transplanted a morning glory, put in some bee balm and yarrow and divided some mature perennials from other beds. Plus plenty of weeding.

A plastic kiddie wading pool sits on my patio bricks, filled with a mixture of potting soil and mushroom compost.

Now it's time to head for the garden center and pick up a few annuals for all-season color.


Happy gardening!

Related Items of Interest

CTRL-click each title link to view any of these online articles in a new window.

How can gardeners keep weeds at bay without introducing harmful chemical compounds? Try these top five organic garden weed controls that actually work. Organic gardening may take more effort than gardening with chemicals. The results are worth it.
Mulch is a garden covering, generally composed of organic materials. Mulch is ideal for nourishing plants by adding organic material to the soil. The gardener may step back and enjoy the polished look of the well-managed mulched garden.
Why does wickedness seem to win in our world? Tyrants and terrorists wreak their havoc. Peacemakers and promoters of positivity struggle, while evildoers seem to flourish. This poem, written in iambic pentameter, asks: Where may justice be found?

Happy Mother's Day 2010

Happy Mother's Day 2010

Happy Mother's Day to: mothers, stepmothers, mothers-in-law, grandmothers, great-grandmothers and more!

What a wonderful time to affirm those marvelous maternal models in our lives.

Artwork (at right) courtesy of Vintage Holiday Crafts.

Happy Mother's Day!

Daughter, sister, mother, wife, aunt, grandmother, stepmother, adoptive mother and more. No matter how many hats one wears, life is a story of love and laughter and loss, a search through sound and silence. The heart is the key.

Grandchildren may play dress-up but no one compares to a special grandmother. Happy Mother's Day!



Take a look at these 10 warm and witty verses for Mother's Day. Or try your own poetic skill and make up your own Mother's Day greeting for your favorite mother, stepmother, grandmother or another special mom in your own life.

"Happy Mom and Stepmom Day!" In blended families, Mother's Day may pose particularly uncomfortable choices for stepparents and stepchildren alike. How can blended families celebrate Mother's Day?
What are the top gift certificates (or gift cards) you might offer a special mother? Here are our top ten purchased gift certificate ideas (or gift cards) for Mother's Day, followed by our top ten do-it-yourself gift certificates for Mother's Day.
Mother's Day is the ideal time to practice poetry with children. Mothers grandmothers, stepmothers, aunts and other special women appreciate thoughtful and personal greetings immensely, particularly at Mother's Day. Here are several creative ways to get started.
Scriptures and Sentiments for Special Moms. . . How can we make our Mother's Day greetings extra memorable? Why not include special Scriptures, selected just for the mothers we love? Here are ten favorite Mother's Day Scriptures (with online Bible links) to get you started. 
Swinging into maturity? Here's how a day at the park may be a metaphor for life, at least for a mother and child. 
What's inside my dresser drawer? Look and you will find - a mother's memories and more - and love that time's refined.


Time for Planting!

And here's some happy news: In most regions of the U.S., Mother's Day is the unofficial start of annual gardening. Time to plant those impatiens, geraniums and more!

Where does a love of gardening begin? Kids love bright flowers, and they adore digging in dirt! Who knows what they might find living under the dirt in a planting bed or window-box? Hands-on practice can sow seeds of interest that last a lifetime.
Johnny Jump-Ups, or violas, are the volunteers of the garden. Plant a few this year, and these dainty, delightful flowers will spring up in unexpected spots for years to come!
Daylilies are a gardener's delight. Faithfully producing dramatic displays of color, these adaptable perennials only improve with age. Even fledgling horticulturalists can enjoy almost immediate with these rewarding and satisfying flowers.
Tulips offer the first splash of dramatic garden color in the spring. This article describes how to plant tulips and care for the emerging flowers.
How to select, plant, and care for Gladioli. These elegant, showy flowers produce a brilliant display of glorious color in the home garden and serve as excellent cut flowers too!


Planning for flowerbeds and other landscaping can pay off in the long run. Cultivating your garden areas in advance will provide ideal environments for your flowers, vegetables, shrubs and other desirable vegetation.


With the advent of spring, allergy sufferers begin sniffling, sneezing and wheezing. Spring has arrived, bringing with it those annoying spring allergies, along with its beautiful flowers. What's an allergy-prone person to do?
Happy Mother's Day. Happy spring. Happy gardening.

Thursday

National Pet Week 2010

National Pet Week 2010

The first week of May is National Pet Week in the United States.

What proud pet owner doesn't love sharing photos of his or her favorite animal companions?

Here are some of ours:





Photos copyrighted by Nickers and Ink.

How about posting photos of your pets? Leave a comment (below) with a link to your own pet photo posts!