Be Ye Separate

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!!

{ 06:31, Saturday, July 4, 2009 } { Posted in From the Heart } { 4 comments } { Link }

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

My blessed day

{ 15:45, Friday, July 3, 2009 } { Posted in Country Doin's } { 3 comments } { Link }

Blessings!

Today is quite the warm one...in fact it's downright hot! First time it's been above 65* since last summer:P Today is 91* with a nice cool breeze from the river. We have been canning up the last of the cherries and decided to take a break and take a dip:) Mmmmm, that water is nice and wonderfully cooling:)

Now, I sit on the front porch in the shade enjoying the breeze that blows across it while sipping some iced suntea. The two dogs are lazing at my feet, tongues hanging out, quietly panting while their eyes slowly drift closed. The cat lays across the railing, her tail flicking now and then to ward off a fly, occasionally lifting one eye open to see what the sound is the in bush off the edge of the porch.

The girls are laying on the grass in front of the porch, each reading a little something and sharing ideas on things to sell at fair this year. They are making their lists, planning and going over supplies. Occassionally swatting at this or that in between giggles:)

Husband had to run a banking errand so he left us in the Ragtop Mustang, top down, sunglasses on and a big smile on his face as he dons his hat and drives away.

The freshly canned cherries, the sound of the lids pinging now and then, drift through the open window by my chair here on the porch. A feeling of contentment and joy wash over me as I feel the hand of our Heavenly Father resting upon my shoulder. Such a blessed feeling:) Thank you Lord for all that You provide. For the family You gave me to share my life with. For the friends You gave me to know I am not alone in my thoughts and lifestyle. For Your Son who did not come to judge us but to save us. Thank You!
God be with thee, everyone!

Sister Lori

Life is a Bowl of Cherries!

{ 18:25, Thursday, July 2, 2009 } { Posted in Putting Up The Harvest } { 5 comments } { Link }

Blessings!

Well, it's that time of year again...time for CANNING!!!

I didn't take any pictures of our Strawberry and Strawbluey adventure (that was last week) but I DID take pictures of todays Cherry-ganza!:P

First we have 67.8 lbs of cherries (yep you read that right:P)After washing them they are pitted. Here is Miss Mary-Ann taking care of that sticky chore:PLove my cherry pitter:)Once pitted they are put into a large bowl and sent to the cutting stationI had a little help from Miss Sarah (she did a little cutting but mostly did the cooking part)All cut and measured to send to the cooking stationThen the sugar needs to be measured out.

Miss Sarah mixes in the pectin and sugarThe jars are heated up while the fruit is cooking down

Time to fill the jars (me giving "the look":P)Not sure it will fill the last jarYay! it fits!!So pretty:)

Needless to say we are exhausted! But wow what yummy stuff this will be in the winter months when we begin yearning for spring once again:)

A bounty of provision. A blessing from the Heavenly Father. Thank you Jesus!

God be with thee!

Sister Lori

In Remebrance of Father's Day

{ 19:43, Sunday, June 21, 2009 } { Posted in From the Heart } { 1 comments } { Link }

Blessings!

I wrote this last year and wanted to share it again in remembrance of a father's day. Not one on a calendar but one that happens each and every day. So here it is...

Blessings!

As Father's Day fast approaches I have been pondering about the honor of a husband and father. We don't actually do much for these types of holidays but that's not really what this is about. I got to thinking about how I see many folks as a family unit. There are lots of "mainstream" families where the father is literally castrated by the wife and children. I even see parents doing the same to their sons! I find it such a sad thing to see a young boy taught to despise his own gender. Or reinforcing the idea that a husband is an inconvenience and toy. Both at the mercy of an overbearing and often merciless female. Sadly I have also seen daughters do the same to their fathers and brothers. What a state of chaos in the lives of God's children.

I got to thinking, as I my son and I were sharing a moment of gardening and work around this place. As I watch he and his wife share little stolen moments together in between work and responsibilities, I see that my husband and I have raised a good man who has chosen a good wife:)

I watch my daughters as they interact with papa and do things for him each day. Always wanting to please him and do things for him because they love him and respect his place in their lives. It warms my heart and makes God smile I am sure:)

Then I pondered further as I reflected on all the years of raising my boys. How papa was such a part of their lives. How he taught them to be men and how important their role is as a man in God's eyes, despite what the world teaches.

I began to think of all the little times that I had taken the time out to show my boys how to do something. How when they made mistakes we would "work through it" with them. When they neglected a responsibility, how we had gently reminded them and loved them and supported them as they took on the task (whatever it was) and completed it. How we saw them make mistakes that we "saw it coming" but they had to learn it on their own. When they were down on themselves for making those mistakes and feeling that they had been stupid in their choices and final decisions. How we built them up and let them know that we are all human and we all make mistakes and the most important thing is the love of a family who lives before God who will stand beside them and encourage them and support them until they "get it right".

Yesterday while we were out doing our auction stuff we sat behind a family. A wife, husband the three sons all in a row. Each time the man opened his mouth his wife would talk over the top of him and make remarks about his intelligence or choices. He went down to the kitchen and bought his boys a little snack and each a drink, and he brought her back something as well. Once the boys were settled in he gave her what he had bought for her and she complained bitterly about what he had done. That the boys were undeserving and they could have shared instead of had something individually. She complained about the pop being too icey and the snack he brought her wasn't her favorite. Not one thank you, not one pat on the arm or kind word. And later on when one of them made a mistake she was right there to let him know it was alright that things would get better.

I often wonder what women think when they are consoling their sons and helping them through the bad times but ignoring their own husbands when THEY make mistakes and go through bad times? I see it often and it saddens me.

Husbands have such a burden placed upon them and sometimes we think we should take everything else on to lighten their load but we forget to comfort and encourage. We can tend to get bitter about it without realizing that they didn't "give" it to us, we simply "took" it thinking that somehow that was helping rather than supporting him and encouraging him and letting him know that even though it seems overwhelming now, he is more than capable of fixing it of making it better and we will wait patiently and supportively until it turns around.

I always make sure that my husband knows that even when he makes mistakes that things will get better. That he's only humand and these things happen. That even if his choice WAS one that I might not have made, we will weather it out together and come out of it united. I want to encourage him like I encourage my sons. Letting him know that it will turn out one way or the other. I let him know that I recognize his attempt to do what he felt was right for us as a family or a couple or even for himself alone.

I just wanted to encourage each of you to recognize your husbands weaknesses and strengths. Encourage him no matter what he is doing or has done. Let him know that side by side you can get through anything. That his place in your life and the lives of your children is important and even if he makes mistakes you all love him and want to help him in any way possible even if it's just making sure his supper is on the table at the same time every day, or making sure his socks are matched up to save him a minutes time in the morning when he gets ready for work:)

I am so very blessed to have let go of a part of myself that was such a hindrance in my relationship with my sweet husband. Over the years I have not only come to appreciate and honor my husband in his role as husband and father, I have also come to appreciate and honor my own role as mother and wife:)

I pray that each of us is able to find that sweet place the Lord has given us as women:)

God be with thee!

Sister Lori

Very Productive!

{ 01:49, Wednesday, June 10, 2009 } { Posted in Country Doin's } { 3 comments } { Link }

Blessings!
   Well, yesterday was one of the most productive ones we've had around here in quite some time:) Although I think I wore myself to a thread, I am pleased with all that was accomplished:)
   We began with making a run for hay, sweetlix, grain and sand in the pickup. Our son had come over the night before with our daughter-in-love and granddaughter Little Miss Shea and spent the night. He has been borrowing our pickup so we needed him on his day off:) Anyway, he drove me to all the necessary places to make these pickups and get it all back here to unload it all.
   Once we got it unloaded, Miss Mary-Ann and Matthew (our son) spread the sand around and papa helped her to level it all to put the pool up! Yep! Matthew had purchased this pool last summer when he was living out in the country where he had room for it. After they moved into their apartment they had no place for it and his in-laws didn't want it there anymore. He asked if the girls would like to have it and of course they said yes:) I told him that it was still his pool and if he ever ends up with a yard again where he can set it up, then he can have it back. Until then he and the family can come use it anytime they like:) The pool will be a nice treat as it tends to get very hot around here in summer:)
   I mowed the area so they had a place to put the sand, then they got to work while I mowed the front of the property. I drove out back where the mower began to sputt and sputter before it died, it had run out of fuel:P While papa was filling the mower for me I looked over to the side of where I was parked and realized that Little Miss Shea was sound asleep in the playpen! And she didn't blink an eye when I restarted the mower and drove off:P She's definitely a farmer's daughter:)
   About a half hour later she woke up and wanted someone to hold her. Everyone else was rather busy so I stalled the mower and grabbed her up. We climbed back onto the mower and took off:) She helped me mow another 2 acres of the 9 1/2 acres we have here:P And when I say she helped, I mean she kicked her feet, played with the throttle and squealed with delight the entire time:P Silly turtle:D She had a great time and cried when I finally shut it down and got off the mower to help with the pool things and getting things redded up for supper. :D
   We got the garden sprinkler to work finally and planted more things before turning that on. It worked beautifully:) It takes a lot less of our time now to water that very large garden:)
   I walked about the garden and got to see all the new starts! The pole beans I started are sprouting already! The tomatoes we planted a couple weeks ago are more than quadrupled in size now and the new ones we planted yesterday are looking less shocked now. My three different lettuces are sprouting, both spinach beds are sprouting, the watermelon, pumpkins, spaghetti squash, cantaloupe, and radishes are all sprouting! It's so wonderfully exciting! God is so good!
   We got the pool up and partially filled with water now. It should take maybe two more days to finish that part. It looked like it might have had a leak so we stopped filling until we could measure the water. Then today we measured again to see if there was a significant amount missing. There wasn't!
   I did get a little too much sun though and my lips are parched from it but this too shall pass:) I know that the sun is so good for me and it always makes me feel energized and cozy:) Tonight I am pleasantly tired out:) Today I was a bit weak from all the activity yesterday but I think it's just the Good Lord slowing me down to enjoy the accomplishments:)
   Matthew and family stayed the night with us again as he and his papa are working on a car together:) They are fixing up a jaguar that Matthew traded something for and he and papa love to do these things together:) He has been so helpful and I know that we simply couldn't do all this without him. He is such a blessing:)
   Yesterday the girls and daughter-in-love helped to make noon meal and then supper which took a load off of me too:) I had completely forgotten about noon meal so was very pleasantly surprised when they came out with hot pastrami sandwiches and drinks! Then papa made smoked ribs for supper which he'd been smoking all afternoon:) The girls finished up the meal with a fresh fruit salad, green salad and sourdough bread/butter:)
   I hope to have his help again on his next day off as we desparately need weedwhacking done that is very necessary but no one here has been able to do it. The girls are afraid of the weedwhacker and I don't have the stamina to use it and papa simply doesn't have the strength with all his surgery issues. Matthew offered to help with it so I have about an hour of it for him to do. Once that's done it will be finished and we can get that area finally cleared out of the old planting containers, get it tilled so it's level and set up the garden sets:)
   The children all want to put up a volleyball/badminton net out by the barn where Little Miss Shea and I mowed today:) I have missed it for certain as we haven't had one since we moved here. The girls and I have some pvc paddles to make for it as well as decorating some rings for stick toss. Our favorite outdoor garden games:)
   So that was our couple of days. Long, hard but very rewarding:)
   Praying you all have a God filled blessed week!
God be with thee!
Sister Lori

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