In 2007, the author took over the complete care and feeding of the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks. In about 2004, she had inherited the care and feeding from her mother who had broken her hip and then became sick with heart problems. When her mother passed away in 2007, there was not much there in the way of backyard pets, but over the years, it became built up and quite nice. The author bought a digital camera in 2010, which made the possibility of winter, spring, summer, and autumn photographs possible. Over the years, the number of pets has gone up and down, and the decorations have gone up and down, but the author's love and devotion has remained the same. The author already owned the rabbit, mice, and hamsters back in 2004, and they are always included in her writings of God's backyard pets. Occasionally, we go out and about the neighborhood for it is quite scenic and describe other places such as Mary's Pond, Leonard's Pond, and the scenic trail at Fairhaven for Budgie, the author's bunny always came along for walks or bicycle rides or kayak rafting and so too the mice and the hamsters. The seasons play a large part in the lives of the pets, and we have faithfully marked every winter, spring, summer, and autumn. Being so close to the land and to the water and what's going on with the pets, it's only natural to feel the joys and woes of every season. See the wonder of the squirrels, chipmunks, birds, mice, hamsters, and bunnies though the miracle of each season. Follow the joy of Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving through the eyes of God and the author. These writings are specifically from 2015 to 2019. The author did not start with the intention of marking every season and holiday. It just evolved naturally from wanting to further document the backyard lives of their pets. And to do so, in a way that would make a difference. This book is dedicated to Budgie, the author's number one pet, and for whom she took on the project of the backyard pets in the first place. She always did believe. Whether a dozen pets or one pet, we have enjoyed every minute of it!

Changing Seasons: A Language Arts Curriculum for Healthy Aging is a language-based, interdisciplinary program that increases interaction and communication skills among older adults. Featuring simple step-by-step lesson plans and interactive activities, Changing Seasons is a practical guide for caregivers and health care professionals to ensure individuals sustain their quality of life as they age. Each activity reveals new, creative, and fun ways to encourage individuals to speak, think, and write, sparking imagination and engagement with others. This new revised edition recognizes the growing importance of technology in communication, and incorporates many lessons learned during pandemic isolation, as communication was often limited to screens. Included is a new chapter that incorporates eight lessons on utilizing videoconferencing platforms. Though technology may evolve, communication will remain key to a sense of community and companionship—whether in person or online. Changing Seasons provides a roadmap to promoting meaningful interactions.

Everyone who has lost a beloved pet knows the deep grief and heartbreak a death can cause, often raising questions about the meaning of such a loss, whether there is an afterlife for pets, and sometimes why God would take such a dear member of the family so soon. This book is the story of a father and son, Ed and Daniel, whose pet, Red, died on Good Friday in the week Christians call "Holy." It shows how Red's death drew them even closer while also leading each of them into new awarenesses. The timing of that death also raised serious questions for Ed, a pastoral theologian, which he had not faced before: do animals have souls? What sort of God is it that we Christians believe in? What was one to learn from the synchronicity of Red dying on Good Friday? As a result of his grief and the questions it raised, Ed found himself being led to teaching new courses in ethics, art, and spirituality concerned with animals, and a new field specifically called "animal theology." This memoir is written for those concerned with the death of their beloved pets. It discusses practices and rituals helpful in dealing with grief which can contribute to healing.

“Home gardeners, cooks and nature lovers will savor this delightful account” of a journey from first spring planting to final fall harvest (Publishers Weekly). My Vegetable Love is a daily record of a growing season in Iowa—but it’s about much more than planting peppers, tending tomatoes, or harvesting eggplants. It’s about all the things that influence this gardener: the weather, the neighborhood, his wife’s possibly recurring cancer, the changing nature of the academic community. It’s about the last months of his twenty-year-old cat, about his dog, and about all the other humans and animals in his gardening world. And about his family: the aunts and uncles who cared for and fed a six-year-old orphan, and helped him understand that good food was a way of knowing that someone cared. In all the gardens he has tended, the dills he has pickled, and the dinners he has cooked, Carl H. Klaus has tried to carry on that tradition and pass it on to his own children—and in this “delectable” book, he shares it with us as well (Publishers Weekly). “Part Gilbert White, part Henry David Thoreau, this chronicle of an Iowa gardener’s year has drawn from the heartland a calm, compassionate harvest.” —Roger B. Swain, host of PBS’s Victory Garden “Wholeheartedly celebrates friendship, love, pets, the elements of family, academia, cooking, eating—and of course, gardening . . . Bon appétit—and good reading.” —Smithsonian

All men of all nations return to their true source and roots of manhood by the Spirit of God and His Word. The women are not left out, because they play a wonderful role in men being all that they can be for Jesus and His plan for their lives. The man has to contend with many things that are working against him from the past, present, and future, but when he is connected to his true roots, he has the greater power working for him than what is against him. The man is more than a conqueror. The prophecies are for the man and the whole Body of Christ that he belongs to so they can know what God is doing in the nations and what he will do in the future. The man, the church and the leaders can position themselves with God and His Son Jesus the Christ for a better nation. All nations have a season of judgment and all nations have a season of blessings, so the man and his nation can position themselves with the True and Living God.

Football, Thank God for Mohamed: From a Marriage Licence to a Season Ticket is a light-hearted reflection on the life of a boy growing up. It explores how he perceives life has changed culturally over the last sixty years, from his school days through to marriage, children and eventually retirement. The author makes parallels between everyday life and the world of football. That same small child grew up to become a full-time football supporter. How did he choose a team to support? Why did he choose Fulham? What roles are represented by the football managers, linesmen, and referees? What is the difference between a fan and a supporter? And have you ever thought about how sex is related to the beautiful game? No? You will after reading this book and you'll have a few laughs along the way.

Salvation is the finished work of God through Christ’s death and resurrection, given freely along with the faith to receive it. But the daily working-out of faith in the trenches and choices of life can be hard work. Suitable for devotional use, the short readings in Real Faith is Hard Work are a collection of the author’s thought-provoking blogposts, combining truth from God’s Word with stories and practical examples to encourage you in various aspects of your walk of faith. “Michelle’s succinct and articulate reflections share truth with clarity, making me want to read, reflect, reread, and keep applying what she writes. She has gained a heart of wisdom by journeying with the Lord throughout her life, shining a bright light for us all and providing the shovel so I can dig deeper into my heart.” —Karen Farris, Blogger at Friday Tidings “Michelle has an honest and real approach, and she clings to the Word of God as her anchor. Her maturity in Christ and love for his Word are contagious.” —Lydia Sanders, Pastor’s wife / Women’s Ministry leader

Part of the trilogy of memoirs that inspired the television show The Durrells in Corfu: A naturalist’s adventures with animals—and humans—on a Greek island. When his family moved to a Greek island, young naturalist Gerald Durrell was able to indulge his passion for wildlife of all sorts as he discovered the new world around him—and the creatures and people who inhabited it. Indeed, Durrell’s years growing up on Corfu would inspire the rest of his life. In addition to his tales of wild animals, Durrell recounts stories about his even wilder family—including his widowed mother, Louisa, and elder siblings Lawrence, Leslie, and Margo—with undeniable wit and humor. The final chapter in Durrell’s reflections on his family’s time in Greece before the start of World War II, The Garden of the Gods is a fascinating look at the childhood of a naturalist who was ahead of his time. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Gerald Durrell including rare photos from the author’s estate.

This fictionAll that Glitters Is Not Godis the readers own story because, while reading, youll realize that you yourself are the writer and the reader, creator and creation, hero and villain. The climax occurs in your period of living, in your native place where youre the hot and the cold, beautiful and ugly, hard and soft, rude and gentle, ups and downs, fire and water, matters supporting birth and death, also beneficial and harmful bacteria. Thus youre the god and the devil in this book. You may or may not grant this ecological novel as your autobiographical story as the narrator is a tree, and all the characters, places, times, and reasons in this book are imaginary. Youd love to imbibe the italic wording used by the tree is alien to the time and place of the occurrence of the story, especially the slang indication and figures of speech like simile and metaphor. If you find the hero tree is mettlesome and metaphysical, it is with the academic support of his mother (earth), a key protagonist. And, you know the earth is the oldest, largest, and greatest university ever established by the Almighty God.