Swallowtail butterfly

I missed the best picture. On my way in to the house there were 3 of these beautys on the same flower. I ran for my camera & when I came back only this one was left. But isn't he/she gorgeous?

"Tiny caterpillar, climbing up a tree

He wiggles & he wiggles & he wiggles back to me

I put him in a box,  "Don't go away" I said

But when I opened up the box, a butterfly instead!

I can never make one, even if I try

Only Jesus Christ can make a butterfly."

Blessings.

08:26 - Saturday, July 4, 2009 - comments {0} - post comment

Let freedom ring!

Happy Independence Day!

Blessings.

08:21 - Saturday, July 4, 2009 - comments {1} - post comment

Freedom Is Never Free

Galatians 5:1
What the Messiah has freed us for is freedom! Therefore, stand firm, and don't let yourselves be tied up again to a yoke of slavery.

Living In Freedom,

08:05 - Saturday, July 4, 2009

July 4th menu & activities...

I would like to start off by wishing everyone a "Happy 4th of July"!  This is my favorite holiday.  I love spending time with  my family and watching fireworks.  This morning for breakfast we had a simple sausage, egg bake and fried potatoes, & O.J., for a late lunch we had Italian shredded beef on toasted hoagie's, homemade cole slaw, mustard potato salad, fresh white sweet corn, fresh lemonade, and a delicious homemade sour cream apple pie!!!

Later in the afternoon we headed out to buy fireworks and stopped at the ice cream shop for our favorite ice cream.  We plan on watching fireworks this evening.

 Blessing's,

Heidi

07:28 - Saturday, July 4, 2009 - comments {0} - post comment

Happy Birthday America!

  Happy Birthday America!  Today I am especially grateful for the wonderful freedoms we enjoy.  The freedom to worship, the freedom to praise God, the freedom to own our own property and live and work as we wish. For all these freedoms and more I very thankful for!

I pray each one of you enjoys a blessed & wonderful day!

Gloria

01:04 - Saturday, July 4, 2009 - comments {0} - post comment

Praying for the Sun to Make an Appearance Today!!!

Happy Birthday America!!!!  Let's all cheer for the Red, White and Blue!!!  I love the Fourth of July, and the cookouts, family gatherings, and fireworks.  But this year, we aren't sure if there is going to be much fireworks.  We might be able to still arrange the cookout, and just eat indoors.  But is is difficult to celebrate with fireworks when it is raining!!  UGH!  The weather reports aren't sure if the rain will stop before sunset and the big firework displays or not.  DARN IT! 

Matthew took off earlier this morning with our Noah, 3 years old, to pick out some fireworks.  We always wait until the 4th to buy ours because of the wonderful sales they hold the day of.  He alsos picked up some sausage and milk on the way home for our breakfast....sausage gravy and biscuits!!  YUMMY!  He even made breakfast for us.  Matthew never cooked (except for Hamburger Helper) until he met me.  LOL  Now he is the breakfast expert and won't let me in the kitchen when he is making pancakes or his specialty of biscuits and gravy. 

The rest of the day we are going to hang out, relax (finish putting away laundry, do a few dishes) and just enjoy having daddy home!   Tonight we are going to my brother's house for a cookout (possibly cook in...depending on the whether), and then back to town for the city wide fireworks display.  I am looking forward to seeing my family today.  We are all so busy, and it seems working schedules conflict that we don't get together more often.  Looking forward to seeing how big my neice Megan is getting with her first pregnancy.  She is due in October, and I am sure she isn't much bigger than her little frame was before, but maybe a tiny bit. 

Matthew's family is all scattered this weekend.  We made a comment last night that if everyone wasn't gone, we would have loved to get them all together at our house this weekend.  Oh well.  His parents church is having a 3 day meeting, his sister lives in Washington,DC area and unable to come home, and his other sister, her hubby and 5 year old daughter just started their 5 day trek back to Missouri from California and today.  They visited Sea World, Disney, etc. and had lots of fun.  I can't wait to hear about their trip!

12:04 - Saturday, July 4, 2009 - comments {0} - post comment

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!!

BLESSINGS!

   I ASK FOR URGENT PRAYER FOR HOMESTEADBLOGGERS COUNTRYMOUSE (SISTER CARRIE). SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR WRECK YESTERDAY WHERE HER VEHICLE WAS T-BONED. SHE WAS LIFE FLIGHTED TO A HOSPITAL, TREATED AND RELEASED TO HOME.

   HER HUSBAND CONTACTED US AND TOLD US THAT ONLY GOD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HER LIVING THROUGH THE CRASH AND ASIDE FROM SOME INTERNAL BRUISING, CUTS AND SCRAPES SHE SUFFERED NO BROKEN BONES!! GOD'S HAND IS ALL OVER IT.

   AS I ALWAYS TELL FOLKS, GOD IS NOT SILENT AND YES HE STILL PERFORMS MIRACLES. THANK YOU JESUS!!!

   PLEASE LIFT SISTER CARRIE AND HER FAMILY IN YOUR FERVENT PRAYERS BOTH IN SUPPLICATION AND PRAISE. SHE IS GOING TO HAVE A TIME OF IT AS SHE HEALS FROM THIS. PRAY FOR HIS HEALING HAND. AND FOR THEIR COSTS TO BE COVERED AS THIS CAME AT A TIME WHEN THERE WAS A LAG IN THEIR INSURANCE.

   I KNOW YOU ARE ALL SUCH WONDERFUL PRAYER WARRIORS AND KNOW THAT GOD WILL HEAR!

GOD BE WITH THEE!

SISTER LORI

09:31 - Saturday, July 4, 2009 - comments {4}

July 4th

8:36 AM - Saturday, July 4, 2009 - comments {0} - post comment

4th of July!!!

Happy birthday America!!!!
What a grand place to live!!!


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We had a pitch in last night at work, which was fun.. we all ate until we thought we would pop from gluttony! LOL!
I do love my co workers, and I do love my job, but I miss being at home so very much. Being at home for my children and grandchildren. DH and I discussed it, and after this year, we are both slowing down. Taking time to "smell the roses" per say. I have absolutely NO free time this summer, due to school, work and other obligations, and DH has been trying to work extra to keep the house going, prepare for winter, and work a bit of overtime himself to get us out of a financial bind we've gotten ourselves into....
One exciting breakthrough is that...... although the financial *crash* time is almost here, we have enough money to pay the bill that is owed and we won't be garnisheed! YIPEE!  God is soooo good.....

He does certainly provide us with what we need whenever the time arises, and we also have to trust in Him to provide understanding in yet another delimma. (We're full of 'em here!)

A friend of the family (friend... I use that term loosely) decided last night to verbally attack our daughter and son in law. Simply because our son in law did not agree with this person's political views.
I have personally been attacked twice by this person, and choose not to have any further dealings with him based on this fact, but now to have my child attacked too? I am angry to say the least, and wonder what kind of venom is going to be spewed forth this time? How long until he comes crawling back begging forgiveness and promising to never do it again this time? Will our daughter accept an apology (I don't think so)? Will this person MEAN it IF he does apologize?
Isn't there a verse, "For out of the mouth the heart speaketh?"

Here it is... I found it:
Mat 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Huh.

Guess now we know how he really feels (and has felt) about us all the while..... but that's ok.  We still have each other, and always will. We're a family. A true family.

And again..... as we celebrate the unity of America on this day (One nation, under GOD, indivisible).... we can also celebrate the unity of a family (One nation, under GOD, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!!
I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the republic
for which it stands,
one nation
under God
indivisible
with liberty
and justice for all....

07:45 - Saturday, July 4, 2009 - comments {1} - post comment

Fourth of July Plans & Menu

                              I have been planning our weekend.  Tomorrow we will enjoy a quiet day at home.. just family ( all 12 of us!).  We always enjoy a special meal on America's B-day.. so this year I will be making grilled steaks ( a rare treat) , baked potatoes, homemade baked beans, watermelon & homemade apple pie! It's not the fourth w/ out homemade apple pie! 

      Sunday our Church is holding an evening meeting and then a potluck meal. I'll be brining watermelon, lemon meringue pies and spinach salad. The girls are making cookies & cupcakes.  We are also going to bring a pinata & water balloons!  It should be a fun evening!

      Fourth of July is one of our favorite holidays!  We sure enjoy celebrating and taking time to remember how blessed we are in this land of the brave and home of the free!  I am also thankful for the freedom and perfect law of liberty thru Christ our Lord ! Jesus died so ALL men could be set free!  How grateful  I am for that!  We are no longer under the bondage of the law -- but are free thru the grace and liberty in Christ! Thank you Jesus for your precious blood shed on calvary so all men can be free!

  Hope you all enjoy a blessed Holiday!

Gloria

07:23 - Friday, July 3, 2009 - comments {2} - post comment