I’ve added a new blog feature–email subscription–and there’s a button in the right hand column for you to use to sign up. You can be notified of new posts to the Baptist Parson via email, which can save you time and trouble if you don’t want to check the website every day for new content.

The Founders Ministries’ Journal has a tremendous article by David C. Dockery posted here.

http://www.founders.org/journal/fj10/article1.html

While the article was originally written in 1992, nothing in it could not still be said of today.

Here is something that may mean I can devote more of my discretionary income to other projects:

The Open Library

This compendium of online books features many actual scans of public domain works, many of them very hard to come by in print anymore.

The Parson had to do a late-night feeding for the horses and donkey because of an appointment on Nov. 24.

I had just got the feedbags on all three when the donkey snapped his head up and froze, looking into the pitch darkness just ahead. Figuring it was a deer–they run through my fence all the time–I didn’t think too much of it, but noticed both mares did the same thing.

A few seconds later, and fewer than 30 yards away from me, a brazen coyote strolled by. I yelled at it, but it paid me no attention and continued its leisurely trot to wherever on the backside of the farm that it was heading.

If you’ve heard that donkeys make good watchdogs, they do. He sure knew that varmint was there a long, long time before I did.

I have only encountered one other coyote on our farm in a close encounter. It wasn’t fearful, either.

Information about hunting coyotes in Kentucky can be found here.

Truth told, we’ve lived here over a decade, and have only had one lamb “vanish” in all the goats and sheep we’ve raised. I do not know what happened to it–it might have been taken by a predator. Even so, I suppose if these things are traversing the farm like this one, they have fortunately not caused us too much trouble. I’ve had far worse losses from mink than coyotes–but that is a post for another day.

©Baptist Parson, 2009. All rights reserved.

A Thanksgiving Psalm and Prayer:

Psalm 103:1-22  Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.  (2)  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:  (3)  Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;  (4)  Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;  (5)  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.  (6)  The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.  (7)  He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.  (8)  The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.  (9)  He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.  (10)  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  (11)  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.  (12)  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  (13)  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.  (14)  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.  (15)  As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.  (16)  For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.  (17)  But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;  (18)  To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.  (19)  The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.  (20)  Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.  (21)  Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.  (22)  Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul. (AV)

O ALMIGHTY God, and heavenly Father, we glorify thee that thou hast again fulfilled to us thy gracious promise, that, while the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest shall not fail. We bless thee for the kindly fruits of the earth, which thou hast given to our use. Teach us, we beseech thee, to remember that it is not by bread alone that man doth live; and grant us evermore to feed on him who is the true Bread from heaven, Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. (Prayer From the 1926 Church of Ireland Book of Common Prayer, Service for Harvest Thanksgiving)