God’s Law
The Law is Gentle
I first posted this thought at https://www.inspireafire.com/the-law-is-gentle/ Martin Luther famously said that God’s Law serves three purposes. First, it acts as a curb to prevent violent outbursts of sin. Think of a curb along a road, or a curb bit in a horse’s mouth. The law is like that barrier saying “you can come this…
Debt Free
I recently paid off my student loans. With submission of that last payment, I was – for the first time in (too many) years – debt free. You might think this would result in feelings of relief, elation, excitement, happiness… You’d be wrong. Instead I was plagued by sporadic moments of irrational panic. The moments were…
Cooking Tip #6: The Secret Ingredient
I recently discovered a secret ingredient even more important than cheese. I know, I didn’t think this was possible either. But it’s true. And this secret ingredient is so unique, it is added not by the chef during cooking, but by the consumer right before eating. Here is the story of how I discovered it.…
Cooking Tip #5: How to Crack an Egg
Not so very long ago, a friend lent me a book called Cooking for Geeks. This book was intended to explain, in precise and empirical language that a scientist like me could appreciate, exactly how to do amazing things in the kitchen. Like fry an egg without causing an explosion. I’m not sure it achieved…
Thought of the Day
Paraphrase from Professor Timothy B. Shutt: If we aren’t careful, we can make a god out of our idea of God. Certainly made me stop and think. Perhaps all those times God is not acting how we expect, He is simply smashing idols. I am who I am… You shall have no other gods before…
Obedience
I recently volunteered at a canine obedience trial. Some dogs and handlers make it look so easy! They move around the ring at the judge’s command, the dog’s head never moving more than an inch from the handler’s side. And yet, the biggest test of obedience often comes not during the intricate heelwork, but during…
Speeding
I have received two speeding tickets in my life. (According to Murphy’s Law, I suppose I should add the caveat “so far.”) The first one was well deserved. I was driving back from a conference in Connecticut to my apartment in western New York. I’d stopped to visit my parents and left way too late. …
Leave It
One of the first commands I ever taught my puppy was “Leave it!” Like a toddler’s newfound use of the word “no,” “Leave it!” quickly became an echoing refrain. Leave the garbage, leave my shoes, leave the cord to my cell phone… It wasn’t long before she knew what it meant. Acting accordingly, however, was…
“Morel” Dilemma
I was first introduced to the concept of mushroom hunting when I lived in southern Illinois. One of my lab mates was shocked to learn that I had never hunted deer, and even more shocked that I have never been hunting at all. The conversation went something like this: “You’ve never been hunting?” She asked.…
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Meet Janet!
Janet Beagle, PhD is the founder of The Mustard Patch. She divides her time between the Midwest and New England, and if she’s not writing, she’s probably out hiking with her 2-and 4-footed friends.