Wordless Wednesday

Happy Birthday to my dear father of 72!

This is for you, dad...

Even though we're not there with you today, you are in our hearts forever and remember, this life is just a blink of an eye and we have eternity together, right???

Enjoy this day and every one from now on with such a passion...we all only get one life to live.

Live it full, not empty!

I love you, dad.

The Love of a True Friend...

I had to post a picture of the gifts my friend sent me from Georgia...I was so tickled to recieve a copy of Corrie Ten Boom's book, "Each New Day" two bookmarks, and a beautiful hand towel with a pumpkin embroidered on it...too nice to use!...And how could I possibly forget the seven page hand-written letter that I will treasure the rest of my life! Hand-written letters are a true sign of friendship...guess I'd better get on the ball about that;)

Dear sweet Della, thank you so much. You made my day, my week, and quite possilby all the way to the time Hailey comes off the plane next Saturday!

Don't you just love unexpected expressions of the love of God to you wrapped up in thoughtfulness? I do.

Isn't our God good?

He's gonna be a teacher, FOR REAL!

My man got a teaching job at a charter school!!! Talk about excited...he went for the interview yesterday and started today! It's part-time, so he can continue to pursue his other interests and now that his foot is in the door, so to say, he'll get more than his feet wet and it's the beginning of the new season I knew was coming.
I have to say that we must hold on. Do not give up hope, become discouraged, or waver in believing our God!

...Wordless Wednesday...well, I tried atleast...

NO pictures today...it wouldn't work, but I did attempt it...sorry.
I'll post some tomorrow, I promise...I have several that I think you'll enjoy.
God morning to you...it will certainly be a good morning, but I want you to have a God morning...

The Heavens declare the glory of God

Letting Go

Sometimes I have nothing to say because the way is narrowing and I find that I just need to sit on His lap and linger a little while longer. It's for everyone's benefit.

The Rising Sun

Thankful Thursday~

Thankful Thursday has rolled around again.

I am thankful for the excitement of our children as they come up with ideas of things to do with cardboard while I sit here and work on renting our house in NY. They created an amazing 'guy' house that has a staircase, windows (using seran wrap), a garage, and a divider between the rooms!

Then they were off to paint. I caught them, tho, before they painted themselves...for some reason, this holds a peculiar fascination with them, particularly Isaac.

When we read the Proverb this morning, it spoke of a friend sticking closer than a brother...I asked them if they, as twins, could imagine anyone being closer to them than each other. They do EVERYTHING together and I mean every single thing. 24/7. It's just about impossible to imagine being closer than they are. Yet, our Heavenly Father is closer to us than that. Wow. For that, I am thankful.

What are you thankful for today?

OH, I am also thankful that my mom is home from having a Biopsy yesterday and I am expecting the results to be fine!

One more thing. It looks like we'll be renting the apartments in our house and for that I am most thankful.

Glory to our God for His faithfulness to His kids.

daune

...Wordless Wednesday...

The Rain came down...

I woke to the sound of the rain beating down outside my open window this morning. What a pleasant surprise that was.

Last night the boys and I were reading, "Little Britches" and we happened to be on a part where the family is encountering a tornado (they're crawling across the prairie in the storm and they're all tied together so no one is blown away!)...all at once, the lights in the bedroom began to flicker and the fan slowed down and then we heard thunder. I jumped up and shut down the computer because the area we live in has been known to lose power quickly and with lightning and thunder, I didn't want our computer to get zapped. But there was no rain and then the stars came out. So waking to rain was a treat and it also meant that the weather would be cooler today. Atleast that was my hope!

...it's only gotten up to 73 today! What a treat. It's been averaging about 88 everyday lately with high humidity. Wearing a sweater makes me think of NY in the fall.

How I miss my friend, Diane, and going to Alleghany with her, the boys and once and a while her dogs! Can't think about it cuz I'll start crying all over again. Fall in NY is breathtaking. The color of the leaves and trees spread across the mountains is an image that's forever etched in my mind.

Selah.

My handsome husband!

A Refining Week...

Isn't it cool how nature reflects the Creator and His handiwork and the visual way He refines us to be like Him? Take, for example, diamonds...it takes tons of pressure to make a diamond a diamond...pottery-round and round the wheel it goes...one flaw and it's round and round the wheel! Gold is refined by fire. Our faith is more valuable than that...so, why should we think we're any different than gold or diamonds or a vessel that's used to drink from?

Testing seems to be a part of life...for all of us...Whether we like it or not and it's not something we can control...are you on the wheel today, being pressurized or going through fire?

When one has believed certain things all one's life and the Father of lights, Father of Truth wants to change and transform one's thinking to conform to His thoughts and His truth, He sheds light on a dark area of your thoughts, your heart, your emotions, etc...well, that is what I'm talkin' about...

We're moving and I don't really want to move. I love this house, the three acres, and the quiet. But the time is coming soon for us to be nearer to people and although I know that's true, it doesn't make it any easier.

We're also going through a financial transition and so I'm again learning, on a deeper level, the real meaning of offering up a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of my lips giving God the praise He's due, despite what I see, feel, don't see, don't feel, don't hear, etc. He is still God and worthy of my love, adoration, trust, and devotion.

He's been showing me what's really in my heart and mind. Some of the time, I have succumbed to the pressure and wanted to get out of the situation immediately. 'GET ME OFF THIS WHEEL!' 'I HATE THIS PLACE OF STRUGGLE.' Yet, I hear the voice in my spirit saying, 'Allow Me to refine you, make you more like Me and speak like Me, believe like Me. Walk with Me down the narrow road."

The road that leads to Life is narrow and few are they that find it...every believer has the opportunity to walk that road. We all have testings.

Last nite, we watched the makings of "The Hiding Place" because the DVD wasn't working and Corrie Ten Boom* went through different parts of that time in her life and shared her heart on the experiences(*she was in a concentration camp, Ravensbruck, in Germany)...she literally lived the walk down that narrow road and did not become bitter, try to escape the pain by hardening her heart toward the German Reich, but rather she experienced a nearness to Jesus through the desperation of the situation. She forgave, trusted, believed and God delivered her and was able to use her mightily. What an example to all of us of one who was willing to 'go through', and not give up.

When I get to the other side of testing, what image will I be molded into? What image will you be molded into?

...when we give in to the temptation to quit, succumb to the things that are trying to lie or destroy us, then we've been molded to that image, i.e.-fear, distrust, anger, hardness,

bitterness.

But if we endure the testing, see it for what it is, count it all joy, then we are able to turn our eyes to the One in charge of the Universe and allow Him to mold us into His image, whereby we then have more love, patience, grace, kindness, and strength to go through it, and not become bitter, hard, and deceived. The outcome benefits others, and we find LIFE.

This is so being worked out in me right now...everything in my mind wants to run away, make things 'all better' and have no external trials, but even if all the externals are worked out in my time, my way, I'm still the same immature person on the inside and never get to the place of understanding what true joy is...I choose JOY.

All that said, I choose not to look at what I see (with my eyes), not to place blame, not to give into pity parties that are inviting me to come hang out. I choose to look upwards and take every thought that comes into my head through the filter of what the Creator of the Universe has promised and done, and since He doesn't lie...(he's not a man that He should lie or human that he should change His mind), then I know that whatever the outcome, it will bring Him honor and be pleasing to Him. That is my ambition in life.

Have a great weekend.

daune

Too busy to write!

Been such a busy week that I won't be able to catch up until tomorrow. Thought this might encourage someone...daune

Ok, just one more thing. We have to be desperate for God like the woman that bled for twelve years and had spent everything to get well and the physicians couldn't help her. Complacency just creeps up and chokes you when you're not paying attention..any comments on that? It is very subtle...if only we could see things in slow motion sometimes...we might not get caught by surprise...ya know!

Hello blog friends and family and all you bloggers that secretly view my blog but never leave any comments. ;) It's ok, I do the same thing myself.

What a busy weekend it was. Saturday was a nice and productive day...I did some mowing in the evening...that lovely 'lawn' just won't stay at the same height...can't figure it out!

Jef worked on his 'area' outside to clean and the boys played with their hens and the oak tree. They love to play Tarzan and swing from that tree.

Then on Sunday, we worshipped with our 'extended' family and then did some shopping for company that came last night. It was a blast...I have to share pictures of these beautiful children that came with their parents.

I've messed up so many times already and deleted the pix more times than I'd like to admit...so, I'm going to post now and say 'goodnite'~
daune

Bye Bye Lucy...

This was much harder than I thought it would be. Thought I'd just drop the dog off and leave and feel this sense of relief...nope. I felt remorse that we didn't do all we could to train her, despite the fact that I'm not a sheep herder, have no sheep or cattle, and the rooster and hens don't need to be herded cuz they follow the boys wherever! Caleb and I walked back to the kennels with this kind woman who carried Lucy in her arms and then when we got close to all the dogs and they started barking, she got loose and ran toward the road...I just prayed and miraculously, she came back to the woman...that was so God! She picked her up again and we all walked back once again and the lady put Lucy in with a calm female of some kind and Lucy was mortified...it was horrible. But in a matter of seconds, she was fine. She'll now have someone to wrestle with and play. I kind of held back the tears all the way to the car and Caleb was so surprised that I cried...he said he felt good for Lucy to be getting a better home with some family that she can be used to herd.

So, we spotted a yard sale on the way back and I bought myself two purses and him a helmet...Lucy ate the other one...It's better now, but the pain of leaving her is still in my mind.

Her being gone is beneficial for all our stuff outside...I can actually plant my flowers without fear that she's going to pull them out of the ground and chew them! ...and writing is therapy and letting go and forgiveness for not being the best pet owner.

I detached my heart from hers when she chewed and broke several of my things and the last thing she did was to get out of her crate, large as it is, and break through the screen in the family/school room and eat the blind and tear the screen apart...I think she got scared from not being in her crate at night and wanted in really bad...we've been hearing coyotes at night again...they have the eeriest cry...we had no idea she got out until we saw the damage she'd done.

Well, anyways, that's all for now. Jef and the boys have been building a Lego city for a while now and this morning they went to their Home Depot class and the boys made a fire engine that can hold pencils or crayons...practical. I like that. They've pretty much hung out all day together...it's so cool when they do that.

I got to work outside cleaning, rearranging, poisoning red ants, potting a poinsetta Josh asked me to repot, pulling weeds, moving furniture around outside and mentally preparing for all my children to be here and where to put everyone...

Till I need to write again...daune

I'm dreaming down here in this warm climate.

So much to share...first, the changes of my template...that's for my dear mother-in-law who said it was too difficult to read! Is this better, mom?
Plus, I love so many colors, it was too hard to decide. For this season, we'll try this. Please leave a comment as to whether this is better, the same, or worse.
Secondly...another interesting thing Isaac said today...we were talking about indenting in paragraphs and he pulled up his shirt and said, "This is indented!" meaning his stomach...
We've also been talking about word pictures a lot. The Scripture is full of them, like Ezek. 37, the valley of dry bones, etc. Jesus' parables also were full of them.
Yesterday we were reading about John Adams deciding to tell his father, after being at Harvard, that he didn't want to be a minister. He said he felt bewildered like, "a boy in a strange country with half dozen roads before him, groping in a dark night."
Lots of thoughts, little time...
The great highlight of my day today is most definitely the news that our daughter has purchased her tickets and will be here on November 3rd. Here is a small portion of her email to me this afternoon..."THE TICKETS ARE PURCHASED!! CAN YOU SAY YIPPY?!?!?!?!?!?
I'M JUST A LITTLE EXCITED,I REALLY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GANNA HAPPEN. WELL I AM BEYOND GREATEFUL TO JOSHY! WE ARRIVE ON THE THIRD AT 3:42PM. AND WHEN WE LEAVE ON THE 10TH THE FLIGHT ISN'T UNTIL 4:30 SO WE CAN HAVE 1/2 THE DAY TOGETHER! HAILEY IS LOOKING FORWARD TO IT AND MAN AM I!!!"
Well, the 'guys' are watching, "Apollo 13" with Tom Hanks cuz Jef couldn't get to the store to get a new one...they're happy and mama's happy, too!
Life is full and God is good; no, He's great.
Have a great weekend.

Fall Colors...

Since we don't have this kind of thing here...i.e.-fall leaves, I thought I'd just find some stuff from my computer to put on...

I actually have been trying all afternoon to upload a picture and for some reason this one worked...yippee!!!

I am reminded of how important it is to our freedom to be able to read. And especially to read the Word of God. That's where true liberty comes from.
I bring all this up because the boys and I have been working on reading and how the Bible speaks of reading, particularly the passages about having the Scripture read out loud to the people and the effect it had on the people...
Well, today we were reading from the VOM, Voice of the Martyrs, magazine, and the topic was on a conversion as well as persecution in India. That led to a closer look into this country.
Only 61% of the people there are literate and as a result they are kept in darkness about the Truth and they continue to believe that the bug or rat crawling around them could possibly be their uncle! As well as the caste system...such bondage.
My point is that the Father in heaven made a point to have people hear His Word, and in order to do that, one had to know how to read. Here are just a few verses that speak of this:

Neh. 8:8 (NLT) They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage. Jeremiah 36:8 (NLT) Baruch did as Jeremiah told him and read these messages from the Lord to the people at the Temple.
Jeremiah 51:63 (NLT) Then, when you have finished reading the scroll, tie it to a stone, and throw it into the Euphrates River.
Acts 13:15 (NLT) After the usual readings from the books of Moses and from the Prophets, those in charge of the service sent them this message: "Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for us, come and give it!"
2 Cor. 3:14 (NLT) But the people's minds were hardened, and even to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, a veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.
1 Tim. 4:13 (NLT) Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.

On a lighter note...this is what life is like with a couple of sizzlers...Sunday morning we were sitting in church and Isaac leans over to me and says, "Mom, if you think you're a good person, just take off your shoes and smell your feet!" So, he attempted to take his shoes off as we were sitting there! We had a quick lesson in why we DON'T TAKE OUR SHOES OFF IN CHURCH! One never really knows what will come from these boys mouths...but it's usually very entertaining!

I perused the blog community today and found that it's apparently Thankful Thursday...I love that...there's so much to be thankful for. A full life and times of quiet; for boys that are full of ideas, energy, creativity, questions, questions, questions...for a man of God that lays down his life for me and his children, hummingbirds that whiz by my head when I sit on the carport, being able to go places and stay home at the same time. There are so many more...parents that just celebrated their 46th anniversary, all my siblings married to their mate after all their years together...my in-law just celebrating their 50th anniversary...how many people are privileged to have these gifts? I am honored and grateful.


Is anyone else in the southwest having as many problems with red ants as I am!? This is slightly gross, but I opened the fridge to find a trail of ants on the inside of the door!!! When I swept them off with a rag, I got bit! So, I have this stuff that kills them, but they have to take it back to the mother ant (mother ship :)), I think that's what she's called, and I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT THAT LONG, BUT I COULDN'T SPRAY THE INSIDE OF THE FRIDGE EITHER! I did several sweeps, closed the door and then sprayed at the bottom...it took several hours to get this thing straightened out!
I've just come to the place of not allowing these kinds of things to rob me of my joy...yet, if it was a roach, I wonder if I'd think differently...those Ican't tolerate!
I just read today's post from http://www.holyexperience.blogspot.com/ and I am always challenged and encouraged by the way she writes and what she writes. If you get a chance, check it out...hope she doesn't mind me sharing her blog.:)
Goodnite...

Wordless Wednesday...

Lucy has a home!

...and a chipper Tuesday to you! It was anything but chip and crisp here! Close to 90 again, but the breeze for some reason seemed cool and so I kept the a.c. off to save money! I even hung laundry for a change of pace.

I have good news about Lucy...we found her a place to go...We take her Sat. and I couldn't be happier for her or the boys...but I tell you what...we're not getting another dog for a long time. Ten chickens is enough.

On other fronts, this is the fifth week of 'school', if you wanna call it that. We're still finding a routine and at times, I so miss the mark. Grace is working, that I know, to change my heart almost instantly after I mess up. I have the most wonderfully forgiving boys and husband.
Well, our fellowship is having a marriage conference in a couple of weeks. Did I already say that? Jef and I are doing five short skits on different aspects of marriage...it ought to be a blast. From the beginning of marriage (honeymoon period, remember yours?), to the unsubmissive wife, to the distracted husband, to money, and, of course, on to intimacy and all that evokes...we have twenty-five years to draw on...who needs lines to look at?

Ya know...I've just had a revelation that you'd think I'd of already known since I've been walkin' this road with twins for nine years...the fruit of the Holy Spirit, you know:

love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness, long-suffering, and self-control can only be worked out when there is an OPPORTUNITY for it TO BE WORKED OUT...for example: mom washes the kitchen floor on her hands and knees and makes the mistake of leaving the bucket on the floor and ten minutes later walks in to a puddle of water just sitting there, actuallly it was spreading in a direction, downward...hmmm. Hence, the opportunity to allow the fruit to grow...patience, kindness, self-control...all at once...and the opportunities present themeselves ALL DAY LONG...This just dawned on me today (perhaps I just needed a refresher course!)...imagine that...pruning, pruning, pruning in order to bear more fruit...and the opportunity to practice forgiveness, as well!

How true and painful all at the same time...but every day we are being conformed to the image of Christ...what joy and confidence, eh?
Today the boys and I read Luke 11:39-the end, but I was thinking on vs. 39-40- "Then the Lord said to him, "You Pharisees are so cardful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy-full of greed and wickedness! Fools! Didn't God make the inside as well as the outside? So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over."

My question is, 'why do you think Jesus came at them from this angle'? I mean the whole giving to the poor, especially since He said that they'd always have the poor? Let's get some conversation goin' here about this matter? I do see that our actions are a direct reflection of our heart. He was discussing the issue of greed in this passage, as well.

Oh, I have an amazing rooster...he works out! Check this out! There is truly no fat on this animal...it's all muscle...he has nine hens to keep him happy. :)

This was a science project Isaac initiated...he's watching the light bulb melt the ice in his cup!
What a genius! See that face of wonder?

My life in pictures

I saw another pix of a clothespin and thought it would be cool to practice taking some myself...but it does remind me of the gift of hanging laundry out to dry in the sunshine.

Idn't he cute???

Always closing the blinds to keep the sun and heat out!

She was chasing her tail on this!!! It was hilarious.

We got rain and the boys thought it would be a blast to play in the sandy mud!

Mud leap frog!