Do you remember the last time you left something important at home and had to turn back to get it? It’s completely maddening when this happens don’t you think? There are some people that believe in fate and that there are no such things as coincidences, then there are some that things happen for a reason, like a grand ordained plan. Earl Melchert, whatever he believed before the September the 5th he now won’t ever grumble about such a mistake again. Earl returned to his house in Barett, Minnesota at lunch to pick up diesel, in the distance he saw what looked like it could be a deer, but as he got closer he realized it was a person! That deer that was a person was really a scared 15 year old girl called Jasmine Block, soaking wet and very nervous to take refuge inside Earl’s truck. Earl recognised the girl straight away, he had seen her picture on the television news, flyers and all across the internet, missing from her home Alexandria, Minnesota since August 9th. Jasmine said that the father, who was 32 years old, came to her housemate at night looking for her help with his son. Jasmine got inside the truck he was driving and went with him to his house in Carlos, Minnesota. Jasmine was tied with zip ties one she got there! For a whole 29 days she was sexually assaulted by Baker and his two friends Michael Samuel Powers and Jason Lee Holby, 21 and 31 years old respectively. She was moved to many different locations regularly. Jasmine feared for her life all the time she was kept there and told investigators that Baker tried to Kill her three times, once in a bathtub, but he was not strong enough with his cerebral palsy. The 5th of September the two men transported Jasmine in a duffel bag in a pickup truck… Completely scared, Jasmine found her chance to make a run for it when the two men went inside a store, so when she was unsuccessful in getting help in nearby houses she swam across a lake to get to land near Earl’s home… Her captors were looking for her, desperately, and she knew it, she was desperate to get inside Earl’s Truck, she pointed the men out to Earl and he called 911, when the police came, ultimately leading to the arrest of the three captors. Powers came out and said that he had spent two weeks at baker’s house and been involved in sex with a child. Baker only admits to heavy alcohol and drug use but denies accusations of knowing Jasmine, and even denies picking her up or holding her against her will. For Earl, and his part in helping the girl and calling the police he received $7,000 from Alexandria Police Dept which he immediately gave to Jasmine’s family as an anonymous donor! Earl had retired the wekk beofre really surprised everyone when he just smiled and handed his cheque to Jasmine and gave her a huge heartfelt hug. He said: “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” “What a retirement present, to hand over some money to people that really need it.” If Earl had not left something at home and hadn’t had to return, then he would not have been able to save Jasmine’s life, The next time you double back just think, maybe it’s fate or part of a bigger picture!

Briana a soon to be a mother will have these four words, her mother in law said, imprinted in her thoughts forever “Austin had an accident”. Brianna took the two hour journey to the hospital by car, her emotions were running high as she drove, without a single clue what was wrong with her husband. The baby she was carrying inside her was due in a few short weeks, they had excitedly anticipated the birth and new baby. Squarely between life and death in an awkward balancing act, his brain had bled, the doctors were not sure why though at first. Many tests later the doctors had eliminated drugs as the cause but they were able to give Austin’s family the reason why his brain had started to bleed like it did. In order to push himself further and work more hours, especially with a daily commute, her husband had slipped into an energy drink addiction. Austin now faced a less than certain future, with many brain surgeries ahead of him, with the possibility of seizures and strokes. Brianna wrote:

“But while everyone was focused on the almost unrecognizable face hooked up to all sorts of machines and tubes, all I could see was his parents”

Brianna’s heart couldn’t emotionally stand up to the gravity of the situation watching the grief on her in-law’s faces as they realized what was in store for him. She went on to write:

“I saw the light leave his mother’s eyes as she saw her motionless son laying in that hospital bed”

“I saw his father break down crying as he held onto his wife.”

After two weeks her due date approached and he still had not woken up, she had to give birth without him there. When her newborn baby looked up at her she wept with a bittersweet feeling, on one hand, the joy of the birth, but then the sadness of her husband too. Brianna went on even more:

“But a beautiful miracle happened as I delivered our son, Austin woke up”

Months onward, eight to be more precise and Brianna finds herself caring for her baby and her husband, her husband is now a completely different man than she married, nevertheless, she falls more in love with him every day. Brianna shared her final thoughts:

“Love is knowing you would sacrifice things that you didn’t even know you could sacrifice”

“Love is selfless.”

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We often don’t take the time to think about where all the food came from, especially when we sit down to eat it! Fresh vegetables and fruits are delicious, but we pay the price for them, the largest is to the farmer’s families! To the farmer’s families, the sacrifice is great, that of a father working long hours and sacrificing his family time, either not realized or soon forgotten as we eat our food. That is just the reason that the wife of one farmer decides to share the truth about her husband’s work on the farm after her difficult night trying to get the kids ready for bedtime. Katie Spence Pugh, the Farmer’s wife was completely drained after a long hard day working, followed by an evening of looking after the kids, again without her husband’s help! Eugene her husband was, as is always, working his usual long hours in the fields and although his wife was frustrated she had a light bulb moment. Katie went on to Facebook to let out her thoughts about the whole situation:

“I snapped this picture the other night at the end of a long day.

I was tired. I was irritated.

I had sent my husband a text telling him that I knew it wouldn’t make a difference, but I wanted him to know that I was feeling fed up with how much he works and with all that I have to do every day by myself.

The full-time job, cooking dinner, bathing kids, weekend trips without him, keeping up a home – you name it, I was resenting it. I have to have these little moments once (okay, several times) throughout planting and harvest season.

Then this happened.”

For Eugene, it really was the hardest time of year, with all the work he needs to do, but he had to keep on going for his family and the business. Eugene wasn’t at all angry with his wife’s text, but simply sat down calmly to eat, for a little quiet time after a long difficult and wearing day doing all the farm jobs.

“He came in, fixed his plate and sat down to eat all alone. He was tired. He was hot. He was exhausted.

Rather than complain, he said he was sorry I was tired and felt that way.

Charlotte joined him and talked his head off and even ate most of his dinner. He didn’t complain. He shared, and it hit me. Do I wish that we saw him more than an hour or so a day? Yes. But, the love he has for his craft is something to envy.

Farmers work in a thankless profession. It’s always non-GMO this and organic that, and let’s not even talk about the stress from Mother Nature.

This is a man who is working to uphold four generations of blood, sweat and tears and showing his children the value of hard work and discipline. So while I felt frustrated, I really should have felt thankful.” “I got to sit down to dinner and hear all the stories from the day with the kids. I got to give them a bath and hear their squeals and giggles. I got to snuggle and love on them for three hours more than he did. He is the one sacrificing, not me.

We will keep on keeping on until the next rainy day when we get a few extra hours with our hard worker. In the meantime, the next time you slip into that comfy cotton shirt or eat delicious farm fresh food, thank a farmer.

Where would we be without them?”

WIthout families like the Pughs then we wouldn’t have the fresh farm produce that we eat every day! Even if things get difficult for them, Katie and Eugene will have each other to lean on for support – there will be no more frustration in their home.

Samoan Hotshot fire crew are completely accustomed to marching through the forest, most people don’t even give it a second thought. Their absolute favorite thing that they do was caught on camera and now it’s going viral! These brave firefighters not only save people’s lives every day, putting themselves in harm’s way to save others, nut they are really talented singers too! They often project their powerful Samoan hymns as they are on the move….

A classic Samoan hymn that is popular with Samoan people is “Fa’afetai i le Atua”, which sounds a little bit like “What A Friend We Have In Jesus” it is all about saying praise to God for what he has given and its translated to something like:

“Thank God, that we grow, when he was free, to all of us”

This is the song in the video below starts by saying thanks to the son of God for coming from the heavens and to his soul for bringing success to their lives.

The forest fighters, who are incredibly brave and bold, they know how perilous their work is, saving others lives but too they also know that they have God to thank for protecting them in times of need. Of course it makes perfect sense that they sing to the heavens to praise the Lord while on their merry way to the next place, it’s not only gracious but it’s magical echoing through the forest.

To gladly run into dangerous situations every day to help others takes amazing people, who are selfless and have God to help them out in times of need. Strong individuals with strong souls and their voices really are heavenly! Four weeks of training is how long it takes before they are permitted to march through the forest together, with a more than significant bond they have developed, each depending on the other for their lives.

Have a look at them in their full mountainside sing song in the video below! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De9hDyIN6JY