Discipleship weekend

Just returned from the 10th annual New England Discipleship Network discipleship weekend. As always a privilege and a pleasure to participate in, this year with almost forty other brothers. These weekends focus on small group interactive encounters, either with a same group or in a choice of workshops. The theme this year was a transformed heart, whether for God, for the brethren or for the lost. We had,three small group sessions and a choice of two of four workshops. Saturday evening we experienced a powerful time of worship facilitated by,a gifted brother. As usual, the camp hosting us did a splendid job. My only regret was it lasted such a short time, starting on Friday night anx ending Sunday at noon.

Narrow Gate Farm

Last weekend God gave me the privilege and joy of visiting my friends at the Narrow Gate Farm in Maine. I've known this family for a number of years. They raise free range chickens, both meat birds and egg layers. In addition they have turkeys, ducks, pigs and are experimenting with rabbits. Two dogs complete the menagerie. That's not to mention green houses, flower beds and rows of vegetables. The couples' four children, ranging in age from five to sixteen, are avid helpers. Part of the operation is on their property and part on a neighboring farm. I had the opportunity to participate in their annual "Meet and Greet" where they offer a free meal provided by a close friend's barbecue business. The following day I helped stack firewood, and fed and watered chickens. We moved three of the chicken tractors.As the saying goes, a farmer's work is never done. There's always more to do.

Silver quarters

When I was about 12, my great aunt gave me four silver quarters and told me to keep them because they would be worth something in the future. She was right. Fast forward six decades and those 4 quarters would be worth about 25 dollars Why? The Federal Reserve was established in 1913 by bankers. In the years since it has become the "elephant in the living room" dominating the American economy and much of the world. In the old days when gold and silver were used as actual currency in the form of coins, ruling authorities could debase the currency by mixing base metals with the precious ones. Today the process is much easier. A simple bookkeeping entry by the Fed and voilà, we have another trillion dollars. As this money flows into the economy inevitably the price of goods and services increases. As Milton Freedman said, "Inflation is always a monetary phenomenon." Americans may have more money but it buys less. The ten cent candy bar of my youth is now two or three dollars. The ongoing rise of gold, which is almost $4,000 and ounce, and silver which is closing in on $50 an ounce, shows that people are losing faith in fiat currency. What happened to the 4 silver quarters? I spent them soon