Christmas Memories Being Made

Our tree turned out beautiful this year. This photo does not capture the beauty of the tree, but perhaps that is because it can't possibly capture the memories that go into the tree each year. There are many ornaments on our tree that just doesn't flash, but they hold special places in our heart so they will remain. One of my most treasured ornaments got broken this year when Hope was hanging it on the tree. It wasn't her fault, it was truly mine. I knew it wasn't anchored correctly on the hook, but I didn't know how to fix it. The ornament was a glass antique ornament that had been on my parent's first Christmas tree. It was down right ugly, but it had hung on my childhood trees all of my life. When it crashed to the floor, I was saddened, but not heartbroken. I knew better than to try to use a makeshift hook, but I didn't take the time to find the correct solution for the problem. Hope was horrified, but I didn't catch it at first. Shortly I glanced at my rocking chair, and I found her with tears in her eyes. I smiled and told her the mishap wasn't her fault. I don't think she believed me at first. I asked her to come hang another special ornament for me, and that was the key to her smile coming back upon her face. She knew I trusted her. I knew I had done the God thing that she needed in her life at just that moment.

It was hard to smile at her when I saw the broken ornament. My first inclination was to fuss at her. After all, I had warned her to be careful. I chose the better path. Perhaps it came because just the week before I failed in this same test miserably. I had a small shelf of Precious Moments figurines in my kitchen. These were gifts that people had purchased for me over the years. They were special because people had thoughtfully chosen ones that reminded them of me...a momma rocking a baby, a momma holding a child...well you get the point. Our second son and our little guy were playing in the living room on the love seat. The oldest was tickling the little guy, and the little guy's head hit the wall. This is the wall that divides the kitchen and the living room. Then we heard a series of crashes, and sounds of broken glass filled the air. I was angry. I didn't want to look in there, but I knew I had to. I said things I now regret. Things that sting hearts of children. Things that cause a 14 year old to come back with red swollen eyes. Things that were harsh. Things like "I can't have anything valuable in this house. It always gets broken!" In the midst of my ramblings, I glanced up on the shelf and I was amazed to see the one Precious Moment that meant so very much to me was still standing on the shelf. I have had this one for almost 20 years. He is a little Navy Sailor standing with his sea bag. This was given to me by my brother's family. Just seeing this Sailor Boy snapped me back to reality...these things are not valuable....they are nothing more than glass. The valuable things are downstairs feeling awful over broken glass. My heart was heavy and it had nothing to do with broken figurines. As I finished the clean up procedure, my children starting coming back to me one by one to offer their apologies. I made sure the 14 year old heard my heart as well as my apologies. I made sure to ask him to forgive me for the things I had said. I wanted him to know he was my valuable thing not man made stuff. He smiled, and I knew it had been made right. My other children also told me they were sorry my things had been broken. I assured them it was just stuff that really didn't matter. My soon to be 11 year old came in to tell me that he would buy me a new one with his soon to be birthday money. I smiled from deep within, and hugged him tight. I assured him that he and his siblings were my real precious moments and I didn't need any others.

Even in the midst of an angry outburst, God still whispers into my ear. I have a choice to make. Will I do it His way or my own way? I am faced with these choices many times throughout my day. Sometimes I fail and sometimes I have victory. I am growing each and everyday in Him as I walk this journey called life. I just want my children to know that they are my precious moments and they are truly my treasures in my life. Thank God that His mercies are new every morning just as the Word says.

grace and peace,

julie

Christmas Ornaments

Here are just a few pictures of my favorite ornaments on our tree. When we lived in Florida, we had a very limited money supply. There just wasn't enough money to spend on tree ornaments. At that time my husband ran a cabinet shop so we had tools and plenty of wood. He decided to make ornaments for our tree. We took cookie cutters and drew the pattern on the wood. He then used a ban saw to cut them out. Our children sanded them to perfection, and then we painted the ornaments. Each child helped us paint, and they really enjoyed the project. Michael drilled a small hole at the top so that we could tie a small ribbon in the ornament. We made a stocking ornament for each person in our family. Our last child wasn't born until we moved to Tennessee. This year he realized that he didn't have a "sock" on the tree. I was desperate and didn't have any paint or extra stocking ornaments. I took a permanent marker and wrote his name in black on a bell ornament. For this year, it made him happy. I also had to purchase glitter and actually write his name in glitter on his real stocking. He was unhappy to see his stocking didn't have his name. He also realized he wasn't in the family picture that I have in our living room. This didn't make him happy either. I can purchase glitter and write his name on a stocking much easier than I can coordinate a family picture! I am sure we will have to have a new family picture made soon. One word of advice if you choose to make the wooden ornaments, paint both sides. It is frustrating when they get turned around on the Christmas tree and you are looking at unpainted wood instead of the pretty painted front!

grace and peace,

julie

grace and peace,

julie

Old Buildings and Thoughts

Every since I was a little girl I have loved being around old things. I can remember being about 5 or 6 when I was looking through my grandmother's barn. There were so many old treasures that I LONGED for as a child. I remember putting my hand on old furniture thinking of all the beauty that could be there. I remember holding up jars and begging my mother to let me take them home. My father did take the jars for me along with an old butter churn. He kept them for me until I had my own home to place them in. Words are not part of my vocabulary to express how I felt as a child looking at all of the old antiques and wishing I could make them beautiful once again.

During my entire childhood and well into my teenage years, I declared that I would someday purchase an old home and renovate it. Never mind the fact that I personally couldn't drive a nail in straight, I was a child and details like that just weren't important. Over the years, my husband and I did renovate an old home. We made good money on the little farm when we had to sell it. In many ways, it is still one of my favorite homes that we have ever lived in even though the ceilings were low and the floors were anything but level.

This brings me to Saturday...a friend called and asked if I would go with her to look at an old country store that is for sale right around the corner. Michael and I went and met her and her husband with their real estate agent. The store was nice, and those same feelings that I had as a child bubbled up in me a bit. However, now I KNOW the work that it takes to pull off a renovation so I kept it in check. Then came the other place... Across the street up the hill sets an old TB Sanatorium. It was built in 1900 and that was the purpose of the building. After the hospital closed, it was turned into a girls' dormitory and eventually purchased by a family that made it their home. The mother of that family died recently. She was in her 90s, and she was still living in the home. This summer the farm around it was auctioned off, and the home was put up for sale.

I walk past this home everyday that I exercise. I glance up high on the hill and wonder what it would have been like in its prime. It is a long shotgun type structure with a front porch that is really larger than it seems next to the giant of a house. I have always wanted to see the inside, and my friend had already inquired about it with the real estate agent. We ascended the big hill and opened the large back door. Quite honestly I wasn't ready for the feelings that rushed into my stomach the minute I walked through the door. I felt like that same little girl standing in my grandmother's barn so desperately wanting to make this place beautiful once again. It took my breath away, and I found myself giddy with excitement. I kept calling my husband to look at one thing after another. The doors are absolutely beautiful with the wood and the handles in top condition. I just stood and looked at the doors for the longest time. I took pictures of some of the furniture left in the home. I would love my husband to reproduce some of them for our home. I left the house with imaginations running wild, but I returned home to my comfort filled home and quickly forgot about renovating anything. Apparently my husband had not forgotten because he shared his thoughts with our three older children. Our oldest two sons are on a mission now to get us to purchase this building and turn it into a home. I think it comes from the fact that all of our 4 boys have always shared a room together!!!

I will have to keep you posted, but for now I am content with what I have. I now know all that goes into fixing an old building and it isn't the romantic notion that it was when I was 6 years old.

grace and peace,
julie

Sunday Scripture

"The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26

Brothers are Fun...sometimes

Here is a picture of me with my oldest brother. He is the one that came to visit us this Thanksgiving holiday. I will see my other brother and his family in December, but it will be at his house instead of ours. Growing up I never really appreciated having brothers. I always wanted a sister, and to tell you the truth I felt a bit slighted because a baby girl never appeared in our household. I was always very close to my oldest brother. Since I have been married, he has never forgot to call me on my birthday...even though I forgot to call him once. I think that is pretty good for 20 years of birthdays!

I have come to realize that brothers are fun now. This took me several years of revelation. When my middle brother got married, I was only 14. His wife became the sister that I had longed for my entire life. The only dilemma was that he had just joined the Air Force so they moved away from our hometown. He now lives close by the same town that we grew up in, and after the Thanksgiving week at our house I called his wife. They were not able to come and celebrate Thanksgiving with us due to work schedules. I called and lovingly suggested that they host family Christmas this year because I was a bit tired. My sister in law was thrilled at the suggestion. My mother was happy too because she was tired of traveling to Tennessee. Everybody was happy.

We will be visiting them sometime in December to celebrate Christmas with my family and then we will celebrate Christmas with Michael's family. Our families live about 5 minutes away from one another. All we have to do is drive. We haven't been back there for a holiday since my Dad died...so we have missed the last 2 years of celebrations. Our children are excited to see everybody. We will be back home to celebrate our Christmas in our own home with our children. I am looking forward to that as a low key celebration. There is something nice about opening gifts with children while you are still in your pajamas instead of rushing around making sure that the huge dinner is on tract.

My oldest brother will not be attending our Christmas in Ky event. It is too far for him to drive with his work schedule requiring him to be back home quickly. I understand, but I still will miss him. I am thankful for the time spent with him on Thanksgiving. I am also looking forward to this time with my other brother and his family. You see...brothers are FUN once you have grown up to appreciate them...or maybe it is once they have grown up to appreciate you....

grace and peace,
julie

Christmas Fun Starting

After all of our family left from the Thanksgiving week, I started to decorate for the Christmas holiday. I wanted to do a few decorations, but I could not put up the tree because we were hosting a church meeting in our home. There was not enough space to accommodate a Christmas tree AND 10 extra people. We will be getting the tree tomorrow, and I am hoping that Michael and sons will put up the outside lights.

I am not a shopper by nature. However for the Thanksgiving holiday I did purchase two things that made the Thanksgiving holiday MUCH more enjoyable. First, Michael bought me a crock pot. I have never been able to cook in a crock pot so I have resisted that purchase. Michael saw a good deal on a large crock pot so he purchased it. I ended up using it when our company was here to make spaghetti sauce. It was wonderful to put all the ingredients in and just forget about it. The sauce turned out great because the flavors had blended together nicely after cooking all day. I didn't even have to stir it. That was a good purchase.

The other purchase that turned out so wonderful was something that I have wanted to do for a long time. I just never took the time to set aside the money for this purchase. We have had a nice folding table for along time. We purchased it several years ago as a camping table. It is long like a nursery table that would be used in a church. We have never had folding chairs to go around it. In times past, I have used our patio chairs to place around it. However they are large and bulky and would not have worked this year with all the people. I picked up nice folding chairs to go with the table. This made room for 6 extra people to sit and eat at a table. I bought 8 chairs and spent about $79. That sounds like a lot of money, and it is, but it made our gathering SO much more enjoyable. At Thanksgiving Dinner, everybody had a place to sit down and eat at a table. We used the table and chairs to have another card game going while the other table was being used for Dominoes. Michael has taken that same table into his home office and used it to spread out his work papers. Then when we hosted the church meeting and dinner, I was able to again have room for everyone to sit and eat at a table. This took so much stress from me because it allowed everyone to eat their meals in the kitchen instead of on our couch or love seat in the living room. This too was a very good purchase.

I needed a quick centerpiece for our makeshift table the other evening when we had the church people for dinner. I took a pretty plate, 3 pretty candles, and some branches off a bush in our front yard. I put the branches on the plate, added the candles, and spread around some Christmas ornaments. I had a nice centerpiece that took me about 5 minutes...that included cutting the branches from the yard! You can't beat that. It looked lovely on the table, and the children enjoyed seeing the candles burn. Each candle had peppermint candy throughout. That was a novelty for the children. I hope these ideas might just help someone that will be hosting a lot of extra people this holiday season!

grace and peace,

julie

Is that a Glass Top Table and 160 pound Dog???

Missy wasn't real thrilled with being stuck outside while we all enjoyed dinner inside. She climbed up on our glass top table outside to get a better view of the food inside.
Maybe she climbed up on the table to cause us all to run outside and let her in to enjoy dinner with us. Seeing how she weighs about 160 pounds, she probably thought it would be a good attention getter.

"Help, I've climbed up and I can't get down."

We did help get her down after taking several pictures. I hope she learned her lesson!!!

grace and peace,

julie

New Additions

Our mother/daughter Black Angus Cows arrived Sunday evening. A friend had this pair that he needed to sell because of the hay shortage here in our area. I honestly don't know beans about cows, but our neighbor kept going on and on about how good of cows these looked to be. I wanted to ask what made a cow a good looking one and what made it an ugly one, but I just couldn't open my mouth one more time that day. I had already opened it twice and both times I showed my cow ignorance. The first time the farmer who brought the cow said something about the jersey heifer. I said that I wasn't talking about the heifer, but the baby cow. A sly grin came across his face and he said the baby cow WAS the heifer. (Mental note: a heifer apparently is a cow that is 2 years or younger and has NEVER had a calf. A heifer is NOT the Momma cow!!! Who came up with these rules and definitions anyway???)! The next time I opened my mouth was when I announced that I would like to eat the young cow. You know, raise it up for meat. I got both farmers and my husband looking at me as if I had 2 heads and a tail. I was then informed by one of the farmers that people do not eat their heifers...they eat steers. My thoughts are we have no steers on this farm, but we do have 5 huge eaters called children so we might as well eat the baby calf that we do have. My husband also informed me that we would NOT be eating any of our cows that we currently own because they are all females. So after all of that I just couldn't ask them what made a cow a good cow and what made a cow a bad cow. Now I am on the hunt for a cow that we CAN eat!!!

You will notice the ear tags in our cows ears. Michael and I learned from our last cow experience that you always need a way to identify your OWN cows just in case the dog scares the cow into your neighbor's herd. Yes, this happened to us and we lost our cow. Our neighbor did buy her from us, but I was more interested in raising her than selling her. But since my conversation on Sunday with the farmers, I guess we were never going to eat her either!!!

The last picture I posted was of our little jersey calf/heifer that was born on our farm this summer. She has grown a lot since then, and I think she has the most beautiful face. We did not have to tag our jersey cows because we are the only people out here that have jersey cows.

grace and peace,
julie

God's Attitude Adjustments in My Life

This morning I got off to a slow start. My husband muttered something about eating peanut butter again for breakfast. I am hoping to make some whole wheat bread later today so at least he can have homemade bread to toast tomorrow to go with his peanut butter! I don't think that is what he had in mind, but it goes better with my morning plans. I was on the verge of being grumpy myself this morning. I decided to take a moment to read some Bible scriptures while our daughter started school. She had put on a tea kettle with water to make her some hot coco. After a short time, I went back into the kitchen to get another cup of coffee. As I walked in, I smelled the stove and the coffee. It instantly brought me back to my childhood when I would walk into my grandmother's kitchen. Her stove always smelled when it was first turned on, and I knew bacon and biscuits would soon be on the table. She always took down a special coffee cup for me and poured me a cup of coffee complete with more sugar and cream than coffee. Good memories...

As I was pouring my coffee this morning, I glanced out the kitchen window. It is overcast here and the fog is heavy on the mountains which has the look of smoke on the mountains. It is truly a beautiful gift from the Lord. Then I looked at our pond and I saw all of our cows gathered at the pond getting a drink. Our 2 jersey cows were on one side of the pond, and our 2 new black angus cows were on the other side. Each pair is a mother baby combination, and just watching those cows brought such thankfulness to my heart. We have waited so long to see a farm grow in our lives. When we were first married twenty years ago, we use to sit and dream about having a farm. This morning the Lord reminded me that He is giving us the desires of our hearts right before my very eyes. This reminder from the Lord changed my whole attitude for the day. What started out as a grumpy day quickly turned into a day full of thanksgiving for who the Lord is in our life as well as what He has done in our life.

grace and peace,

julie

Birthday Celebration

Here is Josh doing something that he loves...fishing.

Here is Josh doing something else that he loves...making people laugh.

Our son is celebrating his birthday today. Josh is our child who is always good for a laugh, but he is the child that is the quietest out of the entire bunch. I have to purposely seek him out to make sure that I have spent time with him. He is not a loner, but he does like his quite times. He was like this even as a baby. He always has something witty to say...sometimes not at the best moments. He is truly like a ray of sunshine in our home with his laughter and his care free spirit. On the other hand, he is the most sensitive child that we have had. He truly cares about others and the things that they are going through. He is the child that reminds me most of my Dad. He has so many of the same personality traits of my father, and his heart is much like my dad's.

He requested for his birthday meal the following: Hot Wings, Fried Cheese Sticks, Veggie Platter (O.K. I always put that in so at least they can have some veggies for the meal), and an Oreo Cake for dessert. (Sounds like just what I need after eating with our family this past week)!

grace and peace,

julie

Monday Routines Return

The Thanksgiving holiday has come to a close for our family. The out of town family members have returned to their homes, and now it is time to once again return to our normal routine of life. I find that very peaceful. When I was younger, I use to be sad when the same old routine was thrust upon me after a holiday. It made me glum. As an adult, I take comfort in our daily routine because I know life has returned back to normal. As the Bible teaches us, there is a time for everything. I am now ready to return to the time of routines. I do have to admit it was a bit harder than normal to crawl out of bed this morning. I had slept in the last few mornings and that was a treat for me.

Today's agenda will be filled with home schooling children, cleaning up the house, LAUNDRY, and cleaning out the frig. I am sure the pigs will be happy to see that one on the list of things to do today. I am not even planning on cooking a large dinner meal this evening, but I will have to fix something for hungry bellies around here.

Off to work on the laundry I go...

grace and peace,
julie

Thanksgiving Fun Still Going On

I pray that your Thanksgiving holiday has been one of happiness and blessings. We are still enjoying family fun. There have been many card games and football games among our time together. It has been a great holiday, and I am thankful for a chance to enjoy family. Here is a picture of me on Thanksgiving day. I think I have taken my apron off this week only to sleep!! We have cooked nonstop and eaten just about the same. I LOVE cooking for lots of people who really enjoy eating good food.

grace and peace,

julie

Thanksgiving Countdown

Much has been accomplished here in our home this Weds. The house is clean, the big dog is taking a nap on the deck, and the children are all taking some time for themselves. We have all pitched in today and tons of things have been accomplished. Tonight's dinner preparations have been made. All there is left to do for tonight's dinner is to grill the Pork Tenderloin. The turkeys are setting in cold ice water in the sink to finish thawing. Mom and I will clean them out later this afternoon so that in the morning they will be ready to pop in the oven. I will also stuff one of the turkeys tomorrow. We are feeding 14 people so I bought two turkeys this year.

My brother and his family should arrive in several hours ready for dinner and fellowship. I am looking so forward to seeing everyone. I have set up extra tables so that everyone will have a place to sit while eating. This has taken up much of extra kitchen space, but it will be worth it in the end. My mom helped clean the carport so we will have a table out there for people to gather at weather permitting. I also put a cooler on the carport filled with ice and sodas. We usually don't buy sodas unless we have company so this will be a huge treat for the kids. I thought it would be handy to have them cold on the carport so people could just help themselves.

I will be getting up around 3:00 a.m. to cook one of the turkeys. My oven won't hold but one turkey at a time. Don't worry, I will be going back to bed while the turkey cooks! We will plan on eating around 1:00 tomorrow afternoon. The rest of the day will be filled with playing games and visiting and being thankful for all the Lord has done in our lives this past year. It has been a remarkable year for our family, and we are truly thankful.

grace and peace,
julie

Study Finds....

I took just a minute to glance at the news on Yahoo. I was intrigued by a study that found that men who had four or more children and lived on a farm were more likely to live to 100 years of age. The study also included that the men should maintain a healthy weight, but we don't have to go there!!! Here is a quote from the article:

"Theoretically, a household full of young kids should deplete a family's resources and undermine the longevity of parents, Mitnitski said. And yet, young dads with many children lived much longer than other men in this sample."


Imagine that!!! Some of us are well on our way to a LONG life!!! I also saw on Yahoo a couple of days ago that there is speculation that chemicals from shampoo and conditioners and other hygiene products are building up in our bodies and causing health problems. TnFarmgirl would agree with that one since she has been preaching this very thing every since I have known her!!!!! You can check her web site out for chemical free soap and shampoos. Her blog is located on our side bar.

grace and peace,
julie

Sunday Scripture

"Enter His gates with Thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations." Psalm 100: 4-5

Thanksgiving Preperations Continued

It has been a hectic few days in East Tennessee. We are getting ready for Thanksgiving which means a lot of cleaning, cooking, and cleaning some more! Michael and I spent the day getting in groceries and finding a place for them all. I do not normally buy in large quantities, but with all the company heading our way we did just that. Where does one store 20 large rolls of paper towels and 40 large rolls of toilet paper? I am afraid that after I have tucked all of these things in many nooks and crannies that I will forget that I have all of the extras!!!

We also attended our daughter's piano recital this afternoon. It was nice to slow down for a complete hour and listen to some beautiful music. Our daughter has been taking piano for a little over a year. I always enjoy hearing the more accomplished musicians play their pieces, and I love to hear what Hope has achieved in such a short time of lessons.

My mom arrives at our house tomorrow and I still have much left to finish. I decided that tomorrow evening I am going to make Chicken Salad with almonds and grapes. I picked up some croissants at the store to make sandwiches. This should be a simple meal that my mom really enjoys. I am going to try to get the chicken cooked tonight and then get up early to assemble the Chicken Salad in the morning. I would love to have some home made cookies in the cookie jar, but I am starting to run out of steam this evening. That may just have to wait for another day!

I will begin our Thanksgiving pre cooking on Monday, and I will keep you posted on how every thing is going here as long as I have time. For now...
grace and peace,
julie

Fall Garden Update

Our fall garden lettuce bed has really taken off in the last few weeks. Here you can see the beautiful lettuce that our family has been enjoying. I planted buttercrucnch, black seeded simpson, and a mescalin salad mix. I think this has been the best tasting lettuce that we have ever grown. The other plus about fall lettuce is that you don't have the bugs that you have in the summer time. I have been thrilled about our fresh fall salads. Next year, I would like to grow an entire bed of just fall lettuce.

Here is our spinach plants. They too are beautiful, and I have been adding fresh spinach to our salads. Our children all love spinach salad so I am planning on trying a spinach salad with a Raspberry Vinegar Dressing sprinkled with some pecans and fresh strawberries (if I can find them).

Here is a picture of our collard greens. Honestly I don't think any of our children eat collards, but Michael and I sure do love them. I will never forget the first time I ate fresh collard greens. It was Thanksgiving, and Michael was in the Navy. He had to work that day and we had no family to celebrate with in the area. We had just moved to Virginia that summer so we didn't have a lot of friends at that point either. Our neighbors' son was also in the Navy and he was serving over seas at the time. That neighbor took us in as if we were family. We addressed them as Pop and MeeMee, just like their grandchildren. I was helping her cook Thanksgiving Dinner, and Pop came in the house with a mound of greens fresh from the garden. I was skeptical, but he was very proud of his collards so I knew I would be trying them at dinner. I did eat them, and they tasted better to me than any thing on that entire table! I wanted to eat the whole bowl, but I knew I couldn't be such a pig. Thankfully for me there weren't many people who ate collard greens at the meal. That family was such a blessing to me and my son during that period of living in Virginia. They shared their family with me which is something I longed for during Michael's Navy time. I felt as if I had a family of my own right across the road, and that truly was a gift sent from the Lord.

We also grew fall peas, but we didn't grow near enough. Those peas were divine. One of our sons who doesn't eat peas said that they were wonderful. He ate 2 huge helpings of those peas. Next year I would like to grow 3 to 4 beds of fresh peas. They were worth the work, and I know that they would be wonderful put up in the freezer for later uses. With the amount of peas we grew this year, we only ended up with 1 meal worth of peas. It takes a lot of peas to make a bowl large enough to feed 7 people!!!

I cannot share pictures of our fall broccoli and cabbage because the plants are just too small. I don't think they will make it, and I am aggravated with myself that I didn't go to the feed store and buy more plants. I knew they looked pitiful when I planted them, but I thought they would grow out of it. I was wrong. That is what Fall Gardening is all about for me this year... taking time to experiment and find out what will work and what won't work. All in all I have been happy with the results thus far!

grace and peace,

julie

Thanksgiving Planning and Preperations

I am a procrastinator by nature. I work hard to overcome this flaw in my personality. When I was in school, I always worked much better under pressure. I would crank out a wonderful essay or project if the clock was ticking down to the last minute. I spent many long nights in college preparing assignments at the very last minute. It was almost as if having the thrill of wondering if I would make the dead line spurred me on to better performance. That is all well and fine for a college student, but it doesn't work so well for a mother. There are many factors in my life that I can't control so waiting until the last minute can become personal sabotage and failure. I find that I fall back into my old habits of procrastination when I am struggling to do something that I am not in the mood for at the time. This too is a flaw that I am trying to overcome in my life. I was mentally challenged with thinking about all the work of hosting a large Thanksgiving week of company. I am looking so forward to seeing every one, but for some reason this year I was over loaded with the logistics of it all. To add to that feeling, our second born son celebrates his birthday right after Thanksgiving. I want his birthday to be just as special as all of our other kids', but quite frankly it just isn't the best timing!!

Last night I resolved that I just couldn't put everything off till the last minute or this Thanksgiving would be a complete flop. There are too many people depending on me to let this happen. There are times that we as homemakers just can't control situations that come our way. We have to be very flexible and put our trust in the Lord. I remember one of those Thanksgivings at our house. We lived in Florida without any family, and I was VERY pregnant with our third child. I worked so hard to make it a wonderful holiday even though we didn't have other family members to celebrate with us. As I pulled the turkey from the oven, my feet were swelled and I was exhausted. The turkey was the last thing to get finished so we were very close to being ready to eat. The smell of the turkey made our mouths water. I needed to check the temperature to make sure that the turkey was done so I took out the thermometer that my mom had used over the last 20 years. I gently poked it into the turkey, and the thermometer cracked and red liquid oozed into the turkey. I was horrified. I asked my husband what that red liquid in a glass thermometer was and he informed me it was mercury. I casually asked if it would REALLY hurt us if we ate the other side of the turkey, and he was adamant that the turkey could not be consumed. I was nearly in tears when Michael said the unthinkable, "I'll just run to the store and get you another turkey and you can make another one with more dressing". Never mind the fact that the rest of the dinner was already setting in pretty dishes on the table!!!! We ate a vegetarian Thanksgiving meal that year, and it made me long to be with our family in Kentucky all the more. This was a situation that I couldn't control so we had to improvise, adapt, and overcome as the military saying goes!

Large holiday meals go a lot better with careful planning and preparation. This is something that as a homemaker I can control. I sat down last night to get my thoughts together for the holiday week. I planned out all of the meals. I made a separate page for the Thanksgiving meal menu. I made my grocery list for the entire week, and I mentally made preparations for the meal. I decided that we would move our patio table and chair set to the carport so that if it was warm enough some people could dine out there. I also decided that we could move our camping table from the basement into the dining room and that will become the food buffet area for the week. I wrote everything down that I needed to buy, and I planned all the details that I could think to plan while writing down my ideas. I then found my soon to be birthday boy and told him that I needed his birthday meal and cake choice by today. I would also include this meal in my shopping trip so I wouldn't be caught having to do a last minute grocery trip when I was already tired. The only thing that I did not plan out was his birthday gift...that will be his dad's responsibility! I then wrote down all the things that were bothering me that needed to be completed before the company came. This wasn't a list of impossibilities, but a real list of things that stressed me out. I then delegated each chore to a family member to be completed on Saturday. The backyard will be cleaned and straightened up, and the toys will be stored under the deck. One of our older boys will clean out the trash can cabinet while I bleach the trash cans. I have already cleaned the oven, and today I will be working in the laundry room. I know our company will want to be able to wash their clothes so it needs to be neat and tidy for their use. We will go ahead and move the outside table and chairs so we will be prepared if there is rain.

By taking this time to plan, I felt like the weight of the world had been taken off of my shoulders. I have a plan to work through now with help from everybody, and I do not feel overwhelmed anymore. I know the task at hand, and I will be ready when everybody arrives at our home. I know Thanksgiving is about so much more than food and a clean house. It is about the Lord and family and celebrating what God has done in our life. However, if the logistics aren't taken care of properly, the holidays can become very stressful. There are basics in life that have to be taken care of like 14 people needing to have a clean towel for a shower!! I want my home to be in such an order that other people can pitch in and help. If the laundry room is neat and tidy, others can throw in a load of towels instead of having to wait for me to dig out the detergent.

Now it is time for me to get busy tackling my thing to do list so for now...
grace and peace,
julie

Nap Time

Missy learned the only way to take a nap in this house is to contain the three year old. I think she has done a fine job of making sure he doesn't go anywhere!!

grace and peace,

julie

Caught in the Act of an Escape Plot

"Hey, Pig...Don't even think about it"!!!!

"Uh...think about what????"

grace and peace,

julie

Sunday Scripture

"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God".

Psalm 42:1

Hay...It's a Good Thing

Michael and Jacob went to town today to purchase hay. We have never bought hay for our animals thanks to our neighbor who provided it to us free of charge last year. This year he does not have enough hay for his own animals so we knew that we would have to budget hay money for feeding the cows and horses. As you can see in the first picture, our horse, Sully, is eyeing the truck full of hay. He is ready to dive into it! Our pastures are usually green enough to last us through December before we have to even think about feeding the animals hay. However with the drought this year, our pastures are bare and brown. We have been feeding the animals more grain to supplement for the lack of abundant grass, but it finally came time to purchase hay. Our county is having hay brought in from Kansas as well as other states. The hay prices have doubled from last year, and there just isn't much supply. Many farmers are selling cows by the truck load. We just made a deal with a friend to purchase a Black Angus Cow Calf pair. He has too many cows to feed through the winter. He said this is the first time he has ever rationed hay to his animals, and he is still concerned that he won't have enough to make it through winter.
Our horses couldn't wait until the hay was unloaded to start eating.

Finally, Lizzie and her calf Isabell took a turn at the hay. We had to lure the horses away with a bucket of grain so the cows could take their turn. There is plenty to go around for every body, but the cows needed a moment alone to eat without the greedy gut horses nudging them out.

Yes, indeed it feels and smells like a real farm around here. There is something so special about seeing animals eating and being content. I enjoy the beauty all around. I love the smell of fresh hay, and I love watching all of the animals. It just feels right.

grace and peace,

julie

Holiday Time (Again)???!!

The realization hit me yesterday that Thanksgiving is just 2 weeks away. I don't know where my brain has been, but I just thought Thanksgiving was much farther away than that. After all, it seems like we just celebrated the holidays. My family will be gathering here to celebrate at our home. Since all of our family live out of town, everybody will stay about a week. This year by brother and his family are renting a cabin, and my mom will stay with us. Everybody will gather at our home for meals. I am so looking forward to seeing my family. I haven't seen my mom or my brother since early this summer. I chat with my mom every day on the phone, but it isn't the same as getting to visit in person.

With all of that being said, I am going to share my heart honestly. I am not in the mood to get everything ready for every body's visit. Sometimes when we have company, I am just like Snow White or Cinderella singing while working. My heart is really into it, and it all just flows effortlessly together. Other times, I just seem like Eeyeore dragging my tail behind me. I dread the thought of cooking such huge meals and putting the house in order for guests for close to a week. I am not sharing this so that you feel sorry for me. I am just being honest and telling you that I struggle with normal issues. Sometimes when I read other people's blogs, I think they must truly be the June Cleavers of today's world. They must NEVER struggle with the way they feel, and their house is ALWAYS clean, and there is ALWAYS a nice meal on the table. (My children informed me last night that Hot Dogs with homemade relish should not be classified as dinner)!

I know the truth is that God wants us to do all things with excellence as unto Him. I know I will get everything together, and our Thanksgiving celebration will be filled with family and great food. I just have to get my flesh to line up with the Lord. I know He has called us to be hospitable, and I believe that whole heartily.

I also just want to make sure that I express that this flesh issue has nothing to do with being thankful. I am so thankful to the Lord that at times I can hardly contain myself. He has blessed us in ways this last year beyond even our wildest dreams. I have always loved Thanksgiving. It is truly my favorite holiday. I just am having a hard time believing that it is here around the corner AGAIN!!

grace and peace,
julie

Pigs Escaped (Twice)

We have had the pigs since Sunday, and on Tuesday they found a way out of their fence. Our son came rushing in to announce the pigs had escaped. We all ran to put them back where they belonged. We did not want to let them get to far from their "home". I had much funnier photos of my husband rushing the pigs. He fell in a quite humorous manner, but I was threatened with my very life if I posted that picture on the Internet. To show all of you that I am a submissive wife, I honored his request. However, he never said anything about NOT talking about the great fall!! He called me the Farm Paparazzi!~! Always looming with a camera to make sure that photographs are shot at just the right moment in time!! The pigs found yet another area to escape later in the day. They have been contained since then so I am hoping that all is well, and they will not escape again. We are always out doing a head count of little piggies. We don't want to lose any!!

grace and peace,

julie

More Farm Surprises

I was out feeding our animals the other morning. I am trying to establish a rapport with our pigs without establishing a relationship. I want them to come to me, and do what I want when I want. However, I don't want to fall in love with them and therefore have a hard time butchering them. I know the best way to establish anything with farm animals is to give them a bit of grain. I was all alone in the barn while Michael was working outside of the barn on a fence. I casually grabbed the bucket to dip out grain for the little pigs. I noticed that none of the tops had been put back on the trash cans that we store our feed in, and I remember that one of our son's friends had fed the animals last. I didn't think anything about it until the moment that I reached into the trash can to scoop up the feed. I glanced down, and that is when I saw this thing...

I just about came undone. I screamed and gasped and jumped and ran and screamed some more. It wasn't that I was afraid of the little possum, I just didn't expect to find him in the feed can. Michael thought something major was wrong, and I think he was amused to find a small possum. However for me, I bet that is the last time I casually dip my hands into a feed can without looking first! I also plan on having a chat with the boy who left the tops off the cans...I have a word or ten to share with him!

grace and peace,

julie

Quick Thoughts on Farm Animals and Cultural Irony

It is so nice to again have pigs on our farm. They settled in nicely and began to explore their limited new surroundings. I say limited because it is not as much as we would like them to have, although it is more than they had at their previous home. They met our cows right away as the two Jerseys stuck their snouts through the fence to see what was going on. The horses sniffed from above and eventually pushed them gently with their noses. Missy, our dog simply sat from a distance and whimpered.

The animals seemed to accept them quickly and moved on like this was the way it was supposed to be. The farm is now more complete and closer to whole for both us and the animals. Our goal is to build a farm with a variety of animals, crops, and ecosystems all functioning and flowing together in balance and harmony. Many of the blogs here have the same vision for their farms and lives, but many of us wonder if we will ever achieve it. This lifestyle is a rarity in our society and is not easily acquired.

This lifestyle requires commitment and patience, characteristics that many simply do not have today. We find it hard for ourselves to maintain those traits as we are influenced by the people around us who have opted for life of instant gratification and minimal loyalty to anything but themselves. Isn't it ironic that one must work so hard and overcome so many obstacles, trying to achieve a life of simplicity?

More thoughts on this later, I must get to work now to pay the bills.

Michael

Newest Addition to the Farm

Below are the most recent addition to our farm. More to follow....



God bless,
Michael

Surprises for Saturday

Today has been a great day with many surprises. Michael woke early this morning to tell me that he was picking up pigs today. He had heard about a local place that sells custom mixed animal feed cheaply. He spent some time this morning planning his recipes for pig, cow, chicken, and horse feed. He went and purchased 1000 pounds of feed for all the animals. As he was headed out the door to purchase the pigs, a family came unexpectantly for a visit. We had a great time chatting and catching up on daily happenings. This was the second family to drop in for a visit today. We got to chat with another family earlier in the day. It was the first time they had been out to our home. They too have a small farm and there were many hopes and dreams and ideas to exchange! (Boy, I sure was thankful that I had cleaned the house on Friday)!!!

Earlier this morning as I was taking 3 loaves of Sourdough Bread out of the oven, the phone rang. I heard Michael tell our oldest son that I had not cooked breakfast, but there was always something to be found to eat. Shortly after the conversation, Matthew showed up with one of his friends. My kitchen table became filled with children of all ages. Our 5 children were all there, and 2 more teenage boys. In a matter of moments, 2 loaves of Sourdough Bread, 1 pint of homemade Strawberry Jam, and almost an entire batch of hot chocolate mix had been inhaled. The hot chocolate kept everybody lingering around the table laughing and talking. I enjoyed the moment immensely. I love having the kids' friends come by our home. Most of their friends feel like this is a second home to them. They eat freely in our kitchen, and they laugh and play as one of our own children. It is music to my ears because I know what they are up to. The more time I can spend with all the kids, the more I know what is going on in their lives. This is important to me. I want to be a place that they see the love of Jesus displayed in real everyday people. This is true Christianity to me. Memories are being made and lives are being changed over hot chocolate and sourdough bread!!

For dinner tonight there were 5 extra kids around the dinner table. The remainder of the sourdough bread was consumed, and there are no leftovers for tomorrow. However, I am so thankful because I know that these are the important things in my life during this season of having older kids. I am so thankful for the opportunity to spend time with my kids and their friends. It is truly my ministry, and I love it.

Right when Michael was getting ready to get the pigs for the second time today, our oldest son asked him to go to a power lifting competition with him. Matthew will be lifting tonight, and he wanted his dad to come along for support. I saw Michael's face. He really wanted to get those pigs, but he also felt he should go with his son. He called the pig farmer who told him that he could pick the pigs up tomorrow afternoon. So Michael went with Matthew to the weight lifting competition. He laid down his own desires to do something for his son. I am sure they are having a great time, but I am also glad I didn't have to spend the evening watching all the events.
Maybe tomorrow we can get the pigs...or maybe God has some other plans...

grace and peace,
julie

Weekend Happenings and Honey Do List

I am looking so forward to this weekend. It has been a stressful week for me personally. I have found out a lot about myself this week. I found that I am more emotional than I realized. I am not cut out for business, and quite frankly I don't even want to be oriented in that direction. I LIKE being a wife, mother, and homemaker. The highlight of my week was spending a few hours one morning rearranging dishes on my hutch for a fall display. (Am I boring or what)???!!!

Our son will play his last football game of the season tonight. I will be on guard in prayer for a safe event for him. I have enjoyed once again watching him play football, and I would like to end the season on a good note.

We are planning a laid back weekend with little priorities on anything. I am sure Michael will find his way back into his shop throughout the weekend. I too love being down there with him especially on cool evenings. It is such a peaceful place, and I love to see how things are created. I usually sit and watch him create and listen to his heart. He shares much from his heart when he has a piece of wood in his hands. It is truly one of the treasures in my life. I can connect with my husband while drinking a cup of hot coffee and watch my children "play"/work in the shop.

I am planning a family dinner for tomorrow of Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Hashbrown Casserole, and Jacob's Salad. I am sure there will be a hot loaf of bread to go with that too. I am not so sure about a dessert, but we will see what my hands find to get into tomorrow!!

grace and peace,
julie

Sawdust Is In the Air

The last several nights I have had the opportunity to return to my wood shop, a sacred and redeeming place, I once visited often. Despite the enjoyment I get from it and the benefit it can bring to our home as well as friends and family, I simply have not had the time to indulge for the last several months. Between the business, activities with our children, and various farm chores, sawdust production has taken a backseat.

But, with the days getting shorter, kids sports slowing a bit, and the "nearly" completed kitchen remodel always staring at me, I found myself in the shop the last couple of evenings constructing spice drawers for those open holes in the cabinets. I suppose I am just tired of explaining to guests what those holes are, or maybe I am tired of Seth using them as a ladder to get to the cookie jar. Whatever, it's nice to be down here, using tools and feeling very masculine.

There is something about creating with our own hands that satisfies the soul. I personally cringe when I have to pay someone for chores or jobs that I know I could do equally well or better myself. Not only am I giving up my hard earned dollar, but I am not going to have that contented feeling of a job well done by me. I don't think it is a pride issue, I simply enjoy the work and prefer to take care of my self and the things God has placed under my stewardship.

Unfortunately, time does not allow for me to do all of these things myself. There's this whole priority thing in life that I'm learning about. But, I must say, I'm glad that sawdust is on the shop floor again. Now where did Seth put my tape measure.....

Michael

Operation Pig Pen Complete!

Michael finally finished the pig pen that he has been working on in our barn. We have hesitated for a while on putting the pigs in the barn due to the fact that it is so close to our house. However, there are several reasons that we made the decision to do this. First, the shelter was already provided which meant we did not have to spend any money to make a shelter for the pigs. All we had to do was rearrange the barn and add a gate that we already had on our farm. Second, with winter coming on it is much easier to take care of animals closer to the house. If the pigs had been located far far away, it would have been a challenge to get them water during the winter months. The last time we had pigs the biggest issue during the winter time was the fact that their water always froze. We spent a lot of time thawing out water buckets and giving them fresh water. I am hoping that this will be an easier project with the animals closer to the house and the water hose. Of course the main reason that we didn't want the pigs so close to the house is the odor. The last time we raised pigs we realized that they weren't the nasty smelling things that we had always imagined. However, anything will stink if you don't take care of the "droppings". We will have to be very diligent this time to clean up after them often. (We have 3 strapping young boys that should be able to handle shoveling pig droppings just fine)! We had also wanted to have pigs in a larger pasture, but we just didn't have the time or money to fence off an entire pig pasture. Pigs have a tendency to find a way out of fences that you think are secure. With our last set of pigs, we used electric fence to help contain them. We have never been able to get our electric fences to work here on this farm. Michael even bought a new charger, but to no avail. He has spent a lot of time working on this issue, but in the end we have never resolved it. Maybe next time we get pigs we will have the electric fence up and running and we can put them in a larger grassy area. Now all we have to do is go to pick up the little darlings. We will purchase 2 hogs because they don't like to be alone. Plus it takes 2 to feed our family for an entire year!

grace and peace,

julie

But it's still dark outside!!!!

I love fall and winter. I don't mind being cold and snuggling up with a warm cup of coffee in front of the fireplace. In fact, I quite enjoy the downtime that comes with the fall and winter seasons. With all of that being said, I do have a struggle with these seasons. I always thought that by nature I was a morning person. After all, I am NOT a night person by nature. If I make it up past 10:00 p.m., I have really accomplished something. However, I have come to realize there are 3 things that I need to operate as a morning person: 1. proper sleep 2. Motive for getting out of bed 3. LIGHT

It is obvious to feel your best each person needs to get a proper amount of sleep. I can function on less than a needed amount of sleep, but it doesn't always make for a pleasant day. I am more emotional, and I generally do not enjoy the day at hand as much when I am exhausted. I also need a motive for getting out of bed. I need something external to help PUSH me into action early in the morning. It might be my husband's job that requires him to get up at a certain time or children that have to be somewhere at a certain time. When my children were very young, I use to get up early in order to have an hour or two all to myself. At one point, I would get up at 4:30 a.m. in order to meet a friend at the local Y to get in a work out before the day got started. I only stuck to the commitment if I knew she was waiting on me. She became my motive for getting up so early.

Then we moved to Tennessee...I remember the first morning I awoke in the hotel room while we were here looking for a home. It was dark outside...very dark... I wondered why in the world my children were up and about. Well, it was 7:30 a.m. of course my children were ready to start the day! However, I wasn't ready to get out of bed when it didn't even look like a sun rise was in or on the horizon. I have always struggled with this dilemma every since we moved here. It is now 7:22 am and it is still dark! I know when the time changes, this will change some of my problems, but as winter continues on it still is dark around here very late in the morning. So I have come to realize that I am NOT REALLY a true dyed in the wool morning person...I just pretend to be one when all 3 factors are in place. I am going now to get my cup of morning java and spend a moment gathering my thoughts with the Lord. After all I will have to spend the rest of my day playing catch up for sleeping in so late on this dark fall morning!!

grace and peace,

julie

Sunday Scripture

"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.

He reveals the deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him."

Daniel 2:20-22

Heavenly Chocolate Cake Recipe

This has become our family's all time favorite choc. cake!! Wow, it is the best ever. It does take a bit of time, but it is worth every minute spent. Enjoy!!

Filling
1/3 All purpose flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups milk
1 cup chocolate syrup
1 egg lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Batter
1/2 cup butter softened
1 1/4cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate syrup
1/2 cup water

Frosting
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup powder sugar

For filling, in a small saucepan, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in milk and syrup until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg. Return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Cool to room temperature, stirring often.

For Batter:
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture alternately with syrup and water. Beat just until combined.
Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire racks to cool.

Cut each cake in half horizontally. Place one bottom layer on a serving platter. Spread with a third of the filling. repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cake. In a mixing bowl, beat frosting ingredients until stiff peaks form. Spread over or pipe on top and sides of cake. Garnish with bits of shaved chocolate. Store in refrigerator.

Sitting with Dad

Recently part of our family visited a local Civil War re-enactment. Everybody in our family loves history so we try to make history as alive as possible for our younger kids. Seth,our youngest, wasn't near as interested in the accounts of the Civil War as our older children. However, he did sit with Daddy because Daddy said to sit. I am amazed at how quickly ALL of our children respond to their father. I know it shouldn't amaze me, but they respond differently to him than they do to me. This used to bother me. I often wondered if I needed to step up my discipline or what was I lacking as a parent that Michael obviously had. Well, after five kids I have finally figured it out....HE is the DAD and that's why! He has an amount of authority in his children's lives that I will never have. The really awesome thing is that he demands that our children relate to me with respect. Our children do respect me, but they sometimes will speak quickly and out of frustration. Michael does not tolerate that. When all of our children were little, I had promised myself I would never be one of those mothers who said things like, "Just wait until your Dad comes home". Now granted during that time period in our life, Michael was in the Navy serving on a submarine so that also was a good reason for not telling our children that. However, as our sons have gotten older I have found that I need that male support to keep the balance in our home. I do tell our older boys that their Dad will have to be called in on many things. We make the decisions together, and we have a unified front with our children. This is so important, and I believe it is a key to raising children. They do not even try to play one against the other because they know without a shadow of a doubt that it will not benefit anything.

Michael has a type A personality. He likes to be in control of things and he is much stricter than I am. The older kids have figured this out. This past summer our oldest child did something really stupid that could have really hurt him. Guess who he wanted to talk with first in our home to tell of his mistake. He wanted to talk with his dad. This so surprised me because I would have thought that he would have wanted to go to the more merciful parent which is me. He wanted to go to the one who had ultimate authority and say in his life. Michael handled the situation WONDERFULLY, and I was

completely impressed. I would have been much more emotional...that is the woman side of me.

The funny part was that when our oldest son wanted to talk about the emotional part of his mistake, he came to find me. Michael and I working together as a team gave our son exactly what he needed. Michael couldn't do it by himself and I most certainly couldn't do it alone. It takes the two of us to fulfill the call of parenthood in our children's lives. (I do believe that God gives an extra measure to those families that are single parent families. I do not want to make it seem that if you are a single parent then you are doomed for failure. I have seen God work in awesome ways in many single family households).

One of the awesome things about having a good father is that it gives a good representation of the God/Father relationship. I was raised with a very loving father. I automatically saw my heavenly Father in that same light. My earthly Dad loved me and would have given his life for me so how much more would my Heavenly Father do the same for me. I have seen friends who did not have that type of relationship with their earthly father. It was much harder for them to relate to a Father God because they had never seen what a real father was suppose to be. One of the strange things about fatherhood is that there is an element of fear/respect. My father was one of the most loving men I had ever known. However, there was a level of fear that I knew that I had best not push him. He had never really given me any reason to fear him what so ever, but there was an element of knowing that he was one to be respected. The Bible teaches us that we should have a fear of the Lord. This was easy for me to understand because I understood that my own father was a loving father, but I still had a respect/fear of his position.

One of the things that I admire most about Michael as a father is the way he teaches our children. He does teach them Bible scripture, but he does so much more than just read the Bible to them. He teaches them Biblical principles during everyday activities of life. For example I have heard him teaching the boys about Biblical principles during woodworking or farming. I have heard him teach them Biblical principles while teaching baseball or football techniques. Of course I cannot overlook the everyday example that he sets with the children as being part of the daily success as a Dad. When he is wrong, he is quick to apologize to them. That is an example that will make their relationships better if they will follow his way.

Parenting is an awesome responsibility, but with God's help we know that "I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me". Some days we question our decisions. Some days we feel like we have hit the mark and done a good job. Other days we feel like we have missed the boat all together. However, the good news is that God is always with us, and as long as our hearts are in the right place we will be alright. He will be there guiding us and leading us through our journey as parents...and it is ALL for HIS glory!!!

grace and peace,

julie

I'm Not Doing Bible

Our daughter has been working diligently this past week on learning her Bible memory verse. Her verse is found in Colossians 4:6 and it says, "Let your speech be always with grace that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man". She has quoted this verse daily to us, and we just talked this morning AGAIN about the meaning of the verse.

LESS THAN AN HOUR from this lesson, our son insisted that his sister should help him look for elements so that he could complete his science project. This was her prime opportunity to apply what SHE JUST LEARNED AND MEMORIZED! I hear a shriek coming from the kitchen table with large volumes of letting her brother know that wasn't her job to do his science. Her daddy calmly called her into the office to have her quote her Bible memory verse AGAIN. In a moderately loud disgusted voice she replied, "I'M NOT DOING BIBLE NOW!" (Do you think???)!

This is the problem with many of us Christians. We compartmentalize our life instead of letting God flow through each area of our life. I have to remind myself daily that the mundane things are still an opportunity to serve the Lord. If I don't watch myself and my thought process, I find myself complaining and grumbling. I am queen of getting my point across without using words. I can stir up an entire house by stomping around (complete with sighing) and making sure that each and every person who lives here knows that I am the cleaning martyr. I have to be careful to remember to glorify the Lord even when I am frustrated with the daily things in life. I can change my entire outlook and actions when I remember that everything I do is for the glory of the Lord. I go from being Queen of Grumbling to being the Daughter of the Most High whose heart is ready to serve the Lord and my family. In this attitude, I can continue training my children to be servants and helpers. This brings so much peace in our home...now all I have to do is to put it into action in the hard areas of my life!!!!!!

grace and peace,

julie

Ebbs and Flows

Our life is a process of ebbs and flows. We don't often plan the path, but we seem to get caught in the current of projects that we are working on at the time. For example, we have spent much time last fall and winter remodeling our home. However, once spring came the current changed and our attention was diverted to outside farm work. We have spent the spring and summer working on improving our farm. There is still much that needs to be accomplished in this arena. Our focused has been changed once again to building a business that provides our family income. The one area of our life that is very stable is that of raising our children. Whatever project has our attention at the time, our children are still on the front burner so to speak. When possible, we pull them into the project of the season. They all had a portion in building our kitchen cabinets, and they have all been a part of our farm projects.

Sometimes I dream about a life where the projects are fully finished...you know where the kitchen cabinets ALL have drawers, and the tile floor is completely finished. I wonder what it would be like to have a farm that was already put together...one complete with large fruit trees and a barn that didn't need so much work. I know our projects have our fingerprints all over them and that makes them unique to us. I also understand that there is always room for improvements no matter what stage the farm, house, or business is at. I am not foolish or naive in this area.

There is a scripture in Psalms that says, "Teach us to number our days so that we can gain a heart of wisdom". That is my prayer...I don't want to be like a lab mouse that just runs all day on his little wheel for no reason at all. I want my life and the things that I fill my hands with to count for something important. I see the ebbs and flows in our life somewhat like seasons. Naturally we will spend a lot of time in the garden during the summer months. There are many tasks here on the farm that are done during the summer time. The season has changed a bit again, and I am starting to look around in our home wanting to complete many of the projects that have been started. I would love to take about 6 months and do NOTHING but finish our home and farm projects. However, we would lose the house and farm if there was no income to pay the bills so that doesn't seem profitable. We will continue to weave the projects that need our attention into the daily living that makes up our lives. When time and money permits, we will continue the next step. I just don't want to miss the important things in life with being overwhelmed with other things.

Our pastor taught us in Florida that we need to enjoy the journey that God puts us on. I know there are certain aspects of life that aren't so enjoyable, but we need to keep our perspective on God, and enjoy the journey of our life. I have also heard it said that life is what happens when we are busy living. When our children were young and our life was not exactly what I had envisioned it to be, I kept a piece of construction paper on our frig. I wrote on it in large letters: ENJOY THE JOURNEY. It was a great reminder to be thankful for ALL that God had given to me in life..even all the messes and dirty diapers.

grace and peace,

julie