Welcome to my blog! To get an idea of what this blog is about you might want to read the "About Me and My Family" page as a starting point. You can browse through the archives or head over to the "Articles" page to read on specific topics I've written on over the years. Keep checking back because I'll be posting new articals from time to time.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The Culprit is Found!

I believe the country life is one of the best lifestyles compared to those of the city. Things are much more peaceful, more basic, very natural (at least at our home), and nature is appreciated. People who live in the country see and deal with things totally different then those who live in the busy, modern city. (But of course, this is my own personal opinion.)

I love seeing our chickens peck around the shed looking for insects to eat, making their eggs taste that much better! They are so pretty when they roost in our "snake proof" chicken coop, right after we have gathered up all the eggs. Sometimes we will get up to 10 a day!

But lately there has been a change. Our little chicks (that the hens lay on and hatch naturally) have been dying or simply gone missing. We have not been getting as many eggs either and thought it was very strange when we found all of our "mama" hen's eggs missing.

But don't be alarmed! We have found the culprit! The mystery is solved! Today when Phillip went outside to let the chickens loose for their usual time of freedom around our yard, he found a long snake lurking around the chicken's nest, sniffing for some freshly laid "delights". Phillip quickly got rid of the nuisance which we later found out was a "chicken snake" that measured 5 feet 7 inches! After researching it, we found out that oak snakes also eat eggs! This is very good to know because we always see oak snakes, but don't think nothing of it since we thought they were harmless. I guess we were wrong!

Hopefully this ugly thing doesn't have any cousins living around here. Maybe now we can have all our eggs to our self!

Here is the brave hero with his catch.


When I took this picture I didn't get the 5 foot mark in it, but it really was 5' 7''.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Most Worthy

Over the past week God has been showing me area's in my life that need to change. When God does this he usually shows me several times through many different sources. (I must be hard headed!)

Sunday night my pastor preached on giving God praise. The theme scripture was from Psalms 119: 64, "Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments." The sermon was good . . . but I didn't realize it was for me. I am not unthankful . . . I praise Him. Oh how wrong my attitude was!

Later in the week, the daily devotion I receive in my mail was on thankfulness. Part of it read: "God doesn’t owe us anything and He doesn’t have to bless us. But He has! For the gift of salvation alone we should praise God each day. But He has given us so much more."

Then I read an article at Young Ladies Christian Fellowship. And yes, it was on being thankful even when things aren't going your way. It finally sunk in. I have been so unthankful! We can never thank and praise him enough. He is always worthy of continual praise from every living creature. Not even seven times a day will do Him justice! How ashamed I am for not praising Him as much as I should have! God sent His Son, Jesus, to die for my sins and make a way for me to go to heaven, He traded my insecurities for His peace, my brokenness for his fulfilment, my sorrow with His joy, my filthiness for His righteousness, and my troubles for his light burden. God has given me the most wonderful family, friends, and church. I have a home, a car, a job. . . that's a lot more than most people! I have every reason to praise him seven times a day and more! What a shame it is that I haven't.

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him." Psalms 28:7

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Random Picture



Hands with a purpose

Saturday, August 9, 2008

"Be of One Mind . . ."

I have been kindly awarded the "Kindred Spirit Award" by Lindsay and Sara! Thank you both! Your blogs have been an encouragement to me as well. Since you have both received this award already, I thought I would pass it on to my sister in Christ, Margaret at Margaret's blog. I receive a blessing from your blog every time I read it! Keep up the honesty!Here are the guidelines.

". . . Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." 2 Corinthians 13:11

Friday, August 8, 2008

Emotional . . .


In a few weeks I will be going to Pennsylvania for an eight day trip with some friends from my church. Already I am thinking about what I need and want to bring. I don't want to pack too light, because after all, I will be gone for eight whole days! Of course their are some necessary items that I will need - such as clothes and washing things - that will defiantly go in my suitcase. But then their are some other things that I could go with out . . . yet I am inclined to take them just because! Things that I might think I need, yet they might just be more weight to carry around. They might also get in the way when it comes to how much space I have for souvenirs!

In life we carry around a lot of things. I'm not talking about physical luggage. I'm talking about emotional luggage. Feelings are often more heavy than any item you could fit in the biggest suitcase. Feelings of hurt, anger, regret, fear, and grief. There are also feelings of happiness, confidence, peace, and love that will make our journey in life so much more enjoyable and glorifying to God. But the question is . . . what emotions are we going to hang on to for the rest of our life time? I'm afraid we don't spend as much time thinking about this as we do thinking about what to bring on our vacation.

What kind of luggage are you going to carry with you into your marriage? There are some people who think that once they are married their spouse can help them out with their troubles. This may be the case, but think about the strain that it might put on them if they feel it is their duty to help them overcome their burdens. Read the following example by Max Lucado*, but in my owns words.

The groom walks down the isle about to marry the woman he loves. In his arms he carries luggage of gilt, anger, arrogance, and insecurities. As he stands at the alter about to say his vows he thinks, "Finally a woman who will help me carry all my burdens. She's so strong, so stable, so . . ."

Now the bride is walking down the isle. She is very excited to be getting married to the man she's always dreamed of, yet her mind goes back to the bags she is carrying. Loneliness, disappointments, and hurt. She thinks about what is about to happen. "Just a few more minutes and I'll be married. So long discouragement and worry. I wont be seeing you anymore. He's going to fix me."

Does this sound familiar? Do you see the problem? Their are both expecting the other to work miracles that only God can do. If two people are carrying heavy burdens, how can they help carry even more? Marriage is about giving everything of yourself to your spouse. This will be hard if all we can think about is what we are going to get and how we are going to benefit from the marriage. One would be very disappointed to find out that our spouse cannot take away all of our burdens.

So what is the answer? Are we to carry our burdensome luggage on our own? No. Even though our husband may not be strong enough to carry our load, our Lord is always able to take our burdens away. He is the one we need to go to when we realize that our luggage of harsh emotions is too much for us to bare. Don't be loaded down with emotions that only keep you from living more freely. Let God carry your luggage!

*Disclaimer: I have not read much of Max Lucado's writings so I am not sure if they are doctrinally sound. I do know some of his beliefs are not the same as mine.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

It's Rodeo Time!

This weekend we went to a rodeo in a near by town. It was Phillip and Amy's first, and a very good one too!
On the way!






Bethany, Amy & Mama.



Bethany in the stable.

It was hard to get good pictures from the top of the bleehers!


This one is a little blury, but I still like it!


This is one of my favorites! [Phillip]

I tried to get a picture of my dad, but it didn't come out.