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AlO-L«nc*«ter Farming, Saturday, December 28, IMS
OPINION
A Christmas Meditation
About 18 years ago my wife Hannah and I received a special
message a picture and letter from an adoption agency intro
ducing the person who would become our daughter. The letter
said, “As we have prayed, we believe God wants you to be
parents of this seven-year-old child.” Our hearts melted.
In the Gospel according to Matthew (1:18-25) Joseph, a right
eous man, discovered his fiance to be pregnant. Disappointed,
he planned to quietly dissolve the contract for marriage. But
Joseph received a message a letter, so to speak saying,
“Forget the tradition, be your own person, do not be afraid to be
a husband and father, Mary’s son will save his people from their
sins.” The message melted Joseph’s heart.
There are situations when the word of an expected birth
causes anxiety and panic. Joseph experienced a gamut of emo
tions when he discovered Mary was pregnant.
Hannah and I were seeking a child, but there remained some
trepidation, as is the case whenever parenthood is anticipated.
What kind of child will be bom to us or will be received through
adoption? Are we truly ready to be parents?
Joseph received an heavenly message saying, “Do not be
afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived from
her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to
name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
That was all Joseph needed. He took Mary as his wife, she bore a
son and they named him Jesus. The message of godly people to
Hannah and me was, “We have prayed, and we believe God
wants you to be parents of this seven-year-old child.” That’s all
we needed to accept.
Joseph really had no idea of the journey that would begin with
Mary’s son, Jesus. He trusted the messenger and the message,
“Do not be afraid... “As a righteous man, Joseph was willing to
set aside the potential disgrace to himself by his community. He
willingly became the adoptive father to a son bom from above in
response to the assuring message from the angel.
The gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus the Christ contain
themes of hope, celebration and peace. The central ideas are
there if we but listen to the messengers, whether they be angels
or our brothers and sisters who care about us.
Will you listen and respond to the message and the messen
gers this season?—Joseph L. Lapp.
Pennsylvania native Joseph L. Lapp is president of Eastern
Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Va.
Family Farm Survival to the Next
Century, Holiday Inn, Fogels
Wi‘diu‘Ml;n, l.iiui.n v 1
ll;i()|)\ Nt\> Vfjir!
Becoming More Effective in Busi
ness, Augusta House Restaur
ant, Sunbury.
Vegetable Study Circle, Plastic
Mulches, Using Most Effec
tively, Kutztown Produce Auc
tion, 6:30 p.m.
Leola Produce Auction and Veget
able Mi '
Regional tomato Growers' mcct-
ing, Thompson’s Dairy Bar,
Lackawanna County, 9 a.m.-3
p.m.
Tulpchocken Adult Young Fanner
business letter writing meeting.
Tulpchocken High Schoool,
Penn State Dairy Days. Bucks/
Montgomery County, Family
Heritage Restaurant, 9:30
a.m.-3 p.m.
Franklin County Extension Dairy
Day, Kauffman’s Community
Center, Chambersburg, 9 a.m.
Tn-County Council For Southern
Maryland and Southern Mary
land Agricultural Commission
meeting. Southern Maryland
Regional Library, Charlotte
Hall, Md., 7 p.m.
Lancaster County Tobacco Show,
Farm and Home Center, 9:30
a.m.
Solanco Young Farmers Associa
tion meeting, Daily Feeding
Economics, Solanco High
School, 7 p.m.
Eastern Pa. Turf Conference and
Trade Show. Valley Forge Con
vention Center, King of Prussi-
To Look At
Feedbunk
Chester Hughes, extension
livestock agent, reminds us that
attentive feedbunk management is
always important However, when
feed prices are high it is a good
idea for cattle feeders to revisit
feedbunk basics.
Good feedbunk management
may be worth $lO to $2O per head
more than average management
Cattle are self-propelled fermenta
tion vats. The biggest enemy of
fermentation is variation. Because
cattle arc not able to monitor their
own feed intake, farmers must do it
for them.
Consistent intake in catde is
based on them having a consistent
diet of consistent amounts at con
sistent times. The use of iono
phores may be a good management
tool. Minimizing feed intake varia
bility is important in maximizing
feedlot performance.
It has been documented in the
scientific literature that ionophores
may aid in minimizing feed intake
variability in cattle fed high grain
diets. When the price of feed is
high, ionophores add considerable
value.
If you look at the ingredients in a
ration, ionophores are a lower per
centage cost of the total ration. If
you receive a 7 percent improve
ment in feed efficiency, your sav
ings are greater than what you may
be paying for com.
To Score
Feedbunks
The accuracy of scales and feed
trucks, as well as the quality of
feed ingredients, may make or
break good feedbunk manage
ment, according to Chester Hugh
es. extension livestock agent.
Having records of what cattle
are eating day to day does not do
much good unless the information
is used and analyzed. It is impor
tant to use feedbunk scores in com
bination with records of the
amount being fed in order to have a
firm handle on where cattle have
been in terms of consumption and
Brandywine Fire Hall,
Guthriesville.
Vegetable Technology Confer
ence, Mt. Airy Fire Hall, Mary
land, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Frederick County Walk-A-Bout,
Larry and Judy Riggs, hosts, 10
a.m.-noon
199
:y ‘gri.
Leesport, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Stepping Ahead With Hoof
Health, Yoder’s Family
Restaurant, Hartleton.
Schuylkill County Dairy Day,
Penn State Schuylkill Campus.
Pottsville, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
(Turn to Pago A 23)
where they need to go.
You will be able to determine if
intakes arc going up, coming
down, or holding steady. The fol
lowing is a feedbunk scoring sys
tem you may find useful;
• 0 No feed remaining in the
feedbunk.
• 'A Scattered feed present.
Most of the bottom of the feedbunk
is exposed.
• 1 Thin, uniform layer of
feed across bottom of the bunk.
Typically about one kernel deep.
• 2 25 to 50 percent of previ
ous feed remaining.
• 3 Crown of feed is thor
oughly disturbed. Greater than 50
percent of feed remaining.
• 4—Feed is virtually untouch
ed. Crown of feed still noticeable.
Remember, good feedbunk
management costs nothing more
than a few minutes each day.
To Control
Rodents
Robert Anderson, extension
agronomy agent, reminds us that
NOW I CAN GO!
December 29, 1996
NOW / CAN GO!
December 29. 1996
Background Scripture:
Luke 2:21-40
Devotional Reading:
Psalms 42:1-13
When I read the first two chap
lets of Luke, I am often struck
with the recollection of all the
great music that has been inspired
by these words: the Annunciation
(1:32-35), the Magnificat
(1:46-55), Handel’s Messiah, and
a great wealth of Christmas carols
(both chapters 1 & 2). In these two
chapters we find a number of peo
ple who are lifted above their nor
mal lives by the presence of the
Holy Spirit: Zechatiah, Elizabeth,
Mary. Simeon and Anna. God’s
Spirit inspires them and their
words, in turn, inspire us.
There is another text from Luke
2 that became an important part of
the Christian liturgy in the fifth
century A.D. It is known to us by
its Latin name, Nunc Dimittis,
taken from the opening words of
Simeon: “Lord, now lettest thy
servant depart in peace, according
to thy word, for mine eyes have
seen thy salvation which thous has
prepared in the presence of fall
people, a light for relevation to the
Gentiles, and for glory to thy peo
ple Israel” (2:29-32).
Who is this man Simeon? We
really don’t know anything about
him except that he was righteous,
devout and had received a revela
tion from God promising that he
would not see death before he had
seen “the Lord’s Christ.” His
words lead us to believe that he
was advanced in years some
scholars have deducted that he
was a rabbi the blessing he
gives is that of a rabbi and one
scholar has even speculated that
Simeon was the son and father of
two of Judaism’s greatest rabbis,
Hillel and Gamaliel. But there is
little evidence and no proof.
LOOKING & PRAYING
We also know that he was
‘looking for the consolation of
Israel” (2:25). “Looking” suggests
that he was also praying for the
consolation for Israel the
unfolding of God’s promise to his
people. This pious man has been
praying for die fulfillment of the
-- ■ < < *
mice and other rodents take a
heavy toll on ear com stored in
wooden and metal com cribs.
The com crib provides an ideal
habitat for rodents. It provides
sheltered nesting areas out of the
cold winter weather along with
what seems like an endless supply
of food.
The control of mice and rats
under these conditions is very dif
ficult. However, several things
may be done to help keep rodent
populations down.
First, traps may be used to moni
tor the extent of the problem. Trap
ping alone will do little to elimi
nate the problem. Second, screen
ingWhcrevcr possible to exclude
rodents will also help to keep num
bers in control. However, when a
severe problem exists, commercial
rodent control measures must be
used including tracking powder
and baits.
Feather Prof’s Footnote: "Yes
terday is but a dream. Tomorrow is
a vision of hope. Look to this day
for Us life.''
most stupendous promise ever
made and, when he takes the baby
Jesus into his aims, he realizes
that that awesome reality is
fulfilled in this tiny infant. It is
this realization that leads him to
bless God.
So what is the importance of his
Nunc Dimittitf” Lord, now lettest
thou thy servant depart in peace
...” It means that he has now
experienced that for which he has
been living. It means that his life
has been fulfilled, his prayers
answered, and he is ready to go for
nothing could equal or excel what
he has just experienced.
We need to try to put ourselves
in Simeon’s place. What would it
take for us to say Nuc Dimitris'}
What would bring us the fulfill
ment that would make life com
pletely worthwhile? At what point
could you say. I’m ready to go?
NOW I CAN GO
On a purely personal level I
might say that I’d like to live long
enough to see my grandchildren
grown up, maybe graduated from
college and married. Someone
else might just want to be able to
live to the year 2000. Some people
feel their lives fulfilled by writing
a fulfilling book, painting a pic
ture, or composing a piece of mus
ic that says what they want it to
say. But there can be no higher
aspiration then that of Simeon;
“mine eyes have seen thy salva
tion ...” All other goals and prom
ises pale next to the assurane that
in Christ I—and everyone else—
can face eternity unafraid.
Simeon’s Nunc Dimittis also is
inspired because he suddenly real
izes that, what he has sought for
Israel, is actually being given to
the whole world. ”... thy salvation
which thou hast prepared in the
presence of all peoples, a light for
relevation to the Gentiles, and for
glory to thy people Israel”
(2:30-32).
There can be no Nunc Dimitris
that is purely personal and paro
chial. The only one that fits a
promise and fulfillment so great
and glorious is the one that takes
the rest of the world with us.
Lancaster Fanning
Established 1955
Published Every Saturday
Bphrata Review Building
1 B. Main St.
Ephrata, PA 17522
-by
Lancaster Farming. Inc.
A Slelnman Enterprise
Robert G. Campbell General Manager
Everett R. Newawanger Managing Editor
Copyright 1996 by Lancaster Farming