DNA: MAGIC IN A BLOSSOM

By Ada Brownell

Ever thought about the DNA in a flower? Or the wonder of love?

In my book, Love’s Delicate Blossom, —I discovered fruit blossoms are much more than pretty flowers. Maybe that’s why bouquets are part of weddings. Here’s what the leading man in the book has to say about blossoms and love.  Joe Nichols, explains it to the beautiful redhead, Ritah O’Casey, who has another fellow after her.

They were almost to Aunt Charlotte’s house, and Joe slowed the team to a crawl. He turned his dark-haired head toward Ritah. “The way I figger it…” He paused, looked away and then back to her. “Love is sort of like growing peaches in an orchard. Doesn’t your uncle have a peach ranch?”

She adjusted her pretty hat trimmed with white roses and moved the hat pin a little to hold it atop her head. “Yes. In Colorado. Uncle John inherited it.” Ritah wondered where Joe was going with his thought. “John grows wonderful tree-ripened peaches, and it’s the best fruit I’ve ever eaten. It’s so sweet, juicy and wonderful.”

Joe smiled at her, his white even teeth reflecting the evening sun. “That’s what I think love is like. Some of the girls I know are like a sour pie cherry. Others are like a plum, sweet but still a little sour. I’ve gone out with one or two who never laughed, smiled, and I felt after I got home like I’d been eating green apples. Yet peaches aren’t as easy to raise as many other fruits. The blossoms are so delicate it doesn’t take much cool weather to kill them. I think real love is like that, something special that must be cared for, like a peach.”

Ritah jerked her head up and blinked at him. “That’s awesome. I’ll have to think on that, and sometime maybe I can tell you why Edmund is in love.”

“Edmund?”

“That’s his name.”

He grinned. “Interesting.”

Then she realized she’d never said she was in love. Her smile flashed back at him and the connection they made with their eyes sent sparks through her.

***

Toward the end of the book Ritah discovers lots more about peach blossoms, and it has to do with the pesky seed.

Hopefully Love’s Delicate Blossom will be published by Sept. 15.

Here’s the summary and links to the other two books in the series, The Lady Fugitive and Peach Blossom Rancher.

Love’s Delicate Blossom Summary:

Ritah Irene O’Casey has three goals: Graduate from college, teach school, and persuade other women to use their brains, talents and ministries. But in 1917 few women attended college and in many districts teachers weren’t allowed to marry. Some women in their Iowa town are throwing their lives away working as prostitutes in the new brothel. Yet, a few don’t even have basic skills for survival as old maids or widows.

Ritah knows the war will make widows of many more women. Too many already sent their children to orphanages when illness death, or alcohol invades their homes.

Ritah believes a woman is as intelligent as a man, and a woman shouldn’t view herself as a slave or a plaything for men. In her mind, women should be respected. First they need to live for God. Then even though they might not have much schooling, they should study like their lives depend on it, because they often do.

The week before Ritah leaves for college, she rescues Tulip, whose parents died of cholera and a man tries to enslave the young lady, only age 14, in prostitution. Ritah finds a feisty widow lady for the gal to live with, but there’s still a mess of trouble.

BOOK 2 in the Peaches and Dreams series.

Ada Brownell’s Amazon page https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B001KJ2C06?redirectedFromKindleDbs=true

THE GOAL OF THE 9/11 BOMBINGS

 BY ADA BROWNELL

What did Muslim extremists expect to accomplish after the first 9-11 bombings?

What were their plans f they succeeded in destroying The World Trade Center Towers, The Pentagon, The White House or U.S. Capitol?

What was their next move?

Perhaps I’m interested in this because as a newspaper reporter I wrote stories about chemical weapons stockpiles in Pueblo, Colo., and Toole, Utah. I wrote mostly about the trouble our nation has in trying to destroy chemical weapons. I’m retired and I don’t think they’ve had success yet.

I’ve written other articles about the military, and have done some reporting on prisons, and mental hospitals.

But I also have done biblical and other research.

I’ve never heard any theory or investigation that the U.S. Government thinks would have been the radical Islamic terrorists’ whole goal in their attempt at destroying America. Would they have laughed at all the destruction, the shock of Americans and the paralyzing of much of our military defense?

Or would they be ready to take over the military if the leadership had been destroyed, including killing the president, much of Congress, and much of our important infrastructure? Did they have a plan to shut down all military bases, state and local government, all law enforcement, airports, and transportation?

Did they have terrorists stationed all over American and a plan to put into into effect?

I’ve heard they can shut down a nation through cyber attacks that take down programed electronic operations, shut off all electricity and power stations. It’s been said during a cyber attack it’s possible sll vehicles would stop and block highways everywhere, probably even stop airplanes and trains.

WE have no idea what terrorists might do in the future, but we’ve been warned. Way back in The Apostle Paul’s era he wrote:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

² For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

³ Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

⁴ Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

⁵ Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

⁶ For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts.  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:1-7).

WHAT CAN WE DO?

St. Paul says,  “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. ³ But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived., But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

¹⁵ And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures” (He’s speaking to Timothy here.) “ e able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

SO LET’S GO INTO THE NEXT CHAPTER:
4 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

² Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

⁴ And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

⁵ But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”

Then the Apostle Paul tells that he knows he soon will be a martyr, but he said, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

⁷ I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

WE ARE NOT WITHOUT HOPE. Even though such wickedness was rampant in Paul’s time, millions found a Savior, a Redeemer, in Jesus Christ whom Paul met after the Resurrection. Paul’s letters he wrote in the New Testament point people to salvation, to forgiveness of sins, and abundant and eternal life today all over the world, even in the countries where radical Islam survives.

What will you do in perilous times now?

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Summer: A LIVE HELICOPTER

By Ada Brownell

I stopped brushing my teeth long enough to hear the high –pitched hum of an enemy aircraft coming right at me.

I waved my arms hoping to scare it off, but quickly searched for a weapon. A towel was the best I could find and I swung it with all might.

Missed! The flying object went out of sight for a moment, then returned. Immediately I recalled how Christians sometimes complain to God for allowing this persistent enemy to live. Those angry thoughts rattled in my mind as I swung my weapon again and again—and missed.

Periodically I could hear a high-pitched whine as the enemy followed me everywhere.

Suddenly I realized I was trying to get away from an amazing creation. Perhaps it was the prototype for the first mechanical helicopter. I blinked and thought about the size of the thing.

“Lord, you must have had great fun designing that tiny mosquito’s brain,” I said, suddenly in awe. “Lord you are marvelous!”

I’d studied the brain enough to know that tiny insect’s head was crammed with sensory equipment. It was command center for sight for the tiny compound eyes. It governed motion of the all the moving parts, and had sensory information to help the insect find and feed on people and animals. I became so interested I dug into some research.

I discovered the feathery antennae contain sensitive receptors that can detect carbon dioxide in human breath from more than 100 feet, and also detect human sweat.

Next to the antennae is a long serrated mouth used to pierce the skin and suck out blood. Also in there is the proboscis, which holds two tubes, one injects saliva containing an anti-coagulant and a mild pain killer. The other tube draws the blood.

The thorax, or torso is connected to the head. Flight depends on a pair of wings and two small wing-like organs that do the steering (halteres). Six legs attached to the thorax have tiny claws to help the insects hold on to surfaces.

The stomach and lungs are in the abdomen. Small openings draw air into the lungs. In addition, the abdomen holds blood female mosquitoes take in, as well as eggs. A nerve signals when it is full.

Mosquitoes spend their first ten days in water, and despite my desire to see them drown, water is necessary for the larvae to live. If the water evaporates, larvae die.

Despite mosquitoes being such a great example of God’s workmanship, they are more than a menace to humans, causing malaria, encephalitis, Zika, West Nile Virus, dengue and chikungunya—serious diseases.

Yet the pests are examples of God’s supernatural design – a symbol of His love. How special is it that a mosquito emits a shrill warning that it is coming? I consider it a warning like God created similar to the rattles on a poisonous snake, a red spot on a Black Widow Spider, and the roar of a lion.

According to biologists, the buzzing sound of mosquitoes comes from a section of the wings. A comb-like half scrapes against another part whenever the insect flies. Not only do the bugs make noise, but they can hear with an organ in their antennae to recognize other mosquitoes and mate.

The intricate tiny detail God put in the mosquito fascinates me, but I’ll still swat them and use repellant spray.

Things on earth reflect God’s power and glory. So it wasn’t too outlandish to stop chasing the mosquito that night and gasp, “Lord you are wonderful!” God wants us to notice His marvelous works.

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

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