Baby Chicks!

Promise of Abundance to Come...

My other car is a white horse...

~~Revelation 19:14~~

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY.......

49YRS OF LEARNING TO STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES :)

"Passover Dinner"....of Sorts!

(Is licking the bowl Kosher?!?)

Happy Holy Week, Y'All! My youngest and I are still up near Atlanta with my dear MIL as she undergoes chemo for lung CA. I decorated the table with various things found around the house and in storage in the garage. We had Matzo Ball Soup from a mix that I found in the pantry, salad, honeyed carrots, relish tray. Not too extravagant, but the fellowship was sweet :) I simply read Hebrews 10:19-25 as a devotional reading before we prayed and ate...

It was my first time making Matzo Ball Soup. The balls are the texture of half noodle/half bread. Next year, if the LORD wills and I shall live, and He doesn't "collect me" first, I would like to prepare way ahead of time for this very special week's activities, foods, decorations, and celebration in general. Our family has been in transition for years now, not really knowing what to do, other than we KNEW we didn't want to do the "bunny" thing anymore! We've had to try and replace the Easter-type trappings (no pun intended ;), with more Bible-oriented activities. To our dismay, there just wasn't much Biblical going on out "there"---including the churches!....egghunts?!?...So...we tried having older family members stand at "stations" around the property, ready to ask an age-appropriate, Bible-based question, taken from the Holy Week events, to each child as they take turns going around. At the end of the round, having their checklist of stations checked off, they were given a unique "treasure map" which led to a goodie bag containing treats and toys for their enjoyment. I think important celebrations should be FUN for children!!! But NOT at the expense of losing the meaning of the occasion.

This past year, some very good friends of ours began to attend a Messianic Congregation in the area. They invited us to their home last year for a Passover seder-type dinner. We LOVED the focus on the Lamb of God, and how the celebrations of the OT pointed to Christ. In this day and age when it seems the "church" is becoming more and more like the world, many, like our family, seem to be turning to the groups who are focusing on who/what we are in Christ, and worshiping Him as the Redeemed, rather than trying to "reach out" to the unsaved/unchurched by trying to attract them and make them feel comfortable in our worship/sacred assemblies. Don't get me wrong. There's a definite command to "Go" to the world, and preach the Gospel--but we're NOT told to bring the unsaved in. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Pastors are for the flock. Evangelists are for the lost. IMHO, there should be more "family business" going on during church gatherings, rather than "tip-toeing" around trying not to offend the lost or prodigals! On the contrary, we should be being fed, exhorted, rebuked, taught, encouraged, strengthened, prayed for, annointed, etc. when we get together--edified and built-up, so that we can LIVE being salt and light out in the world the rest of the time! We are "living epistles", hopefully "adorning the Gospel" with our lives as "neighbors".

OK. I'm done with my birthday rant now. Hope you all have a great day!...I take comfort in remembering that the LORD is faithful! Jesus said, "I will build my church."

Holy Week 2011

Palm Sunday dinner at Don's mom's. It's really different from what I'm used to in recent years (7-15 people at everything...), but Hosannah and I are privileged to be able to be here for her during this cancer treatment period----and she's doing much better the past 2 rounds...Maybe the next will be the last one.

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I got tears in my eyes at the stores as I couldn't find anything for Palm or Resurrection Sunday--next to nothing at the "Christian" Bookstore either! I want to take the time in the coming year to really prepare for Holy Week next year....More on that later :) Hope you all have a wonderful time of fellowship with friends, family, and most of all, the LORD during this very special season when we celebrate God's provision of the perfect Lamb--Jesus, to take away the sins of the world! Hosannah!!

***********HI PEEPS!!**********

Came home for 1 week and tried to get as much done as possible. Just returned to help with Mother-in-Law continuing chemo for a couple of weeks (4/3), then home for another week (4/17), before coming back for another planned round (5/2)...If all goes as planned.

Here are a few pix of how home looked when I left...

Here are the guys trying (later, successful :) to get the old tractor tires off using all kinds of means....

Some irises I'm hoping bloom this year---I've watered with dregs from bottom of koi pond. They look a whole lot healthier this year. I also took the mulch that had accumulated on top of the roots off. Apparently, they don't like that....That's a long stemmed yellow rose bush in the front right...

You can barely see the 6 cages containing tiny tomato plants to the right and 6 tiny pepper plants to the left (orange flags) in this garden not too far up from my back door...Managed to salvage them from some seedlings which I had tried to grow the last time I left home. (See earlier post!!) My 15yr old did pretty well :) If they live, we'll show updates!

I learned that you DON'T "prune" pear trees, as they get a bacterial disease called "Fire Blight" on the new, succulent growth which can kill the entire plant. The pineapple pear just above and to the left of this garden got this disease this spring. I pinched off the affected tips/pears and removed them from the area. I didn't get all of them however, I hope it was good enough. I learned from my Rodale's gardening book, that you must spray with dormant oil in the early spring in areas where this is a probem...I'm documenting all of these facts inside my gardening book under each season for each crop, hoping not to repeat the same problems next year...There's a LOT to learn. We lost our 2 goat kids also at about 8wks. Still trying to put all of the pieces together on that one :(

These are baby pears on the bigger tree closer to the house. I believe they are Asian pears, as they do not get soft until they begin to rot. You pick them when they just begin to take on a yellowish/green color, and the flesh just gives a little near the stem. They are more round-shaped.

This is a view from the back, west side of the house looking toward our little pond and the lane beyond which leads up to our oldest son's and his wife's home :)

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Of course I miss home and family and friends, but I am so privileged to be able to have the flexibility to come and help care for my Mother in Law who has been sooooo wonderful to her kids all these years!! We begin round 4 of chemo tomorrow. While she gets her treatment, my 9yr old and I work on school in the atrium lobby of the building, or get a flavored Kurig coffee or hot chocolate in the oncology waiting room and look through the various home/travel/gardening magazines for about 1 1/2hrs.

Today, my sweet husband is 49. Swwweeeet :)

?
Why is it that we,
in the very kingdom of grace,
surrounded by angels,
and preceded by saints,
nevertheless, can do so little,
and, instead of mounting with wings like eagles,
grovel in the dust,
and do but sin, and confess sin alternately?
*************
Is it that the power of God is not within us?
Is it literally that we are not able to perform God's commandments?
God forbid.
We are able.
We have that given us which makes us able.
We do have a power within us to do what we are commanded to do.
**************
What is it we lack?
The power?
No; the will.
What we lack is the simple, earnest, sincere inclination and aim to use what God has given us, and what we have in us. (John Henry Newman)

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Put another way: We don't know what we are, nor what is the battle that is raging...For surely, if we did comprehend these things, we would act! Open our eyes, LORD!

Early Spring Pruning--February at A Thousand Hills Farm

Hey Y'All! During my last stay at home in between trips to help my Mother-in-Law with her battle with lung CA, there was a LOT to do around our place!...It was time to prune all of those plants that were still dormant while I had time:) The variegated privet along the pool fence was WAY overgrown!...Several feet above the fence top and into the deck area! I went ahead and pruned it back fairly severely, as they can take it pretty well, and figured I wouldn't have to fuss with them for the rest of the year. The deck will need to be pressure-washed this year, as the wood hasn't been weatherproofed in the last few years, and unsightly mildew has grown on it as well as the white vinyl lattice which forms the walls. That is a project for a sunny, warm day in the not-so-distant future, maybe this next trip home? Also, the crepe myrtles around the property, (I haven't counted how many we have...roughly about 25...) needed to be trimmed back. I used some of the nearly 10ft. long spires to form the pole bean tee pee in the previous post...Just to the right of the above photo would be the gate entrance to what I call my "secret garden". The tree in the foreground is a redbud, and I am hoping to see it in full purple/pink bloom when I return for this next week. This is the tree that I hang my hummingbird feeder from. There are delicate, yellow,Japanese(?) irises along the picket, along with butterfly bush, assorted lillies, rose of Sharon, nandina, and several other grasses and plants that I am still unsure of!! The previous owners of the property who planted all of these wonderful things spent 20yrs creating all of this!! They don't live too far from us, and came by after we moved in to show us some pictures of the house and property through the years...It was so neat!! She was very happy that someone bought the place who appreciated it :) It was sort of likeI imagine the Isrealites felt going into the Promised Land as I kept/keep discovering new things that they had planted...Literally eating of the crops that we had not planted...Drinking from cisterns that we had not dug. Thank you God for allowing us to find/purchase this little corner of Your green earth :) I often walk the property, or just find a place on the upper portion, and look out and dream of the new earth when all things will be made right and Jesus will be our King among us forever!

I Know I'm in Good Company...Dreaming of My Summer Garden!

These are the tomatoes and peppers that I'm hoping to transplant...Will move them outside under tree in the garden soon so that they can get some real sunshine!
Ah...the sight of "babies" growing in the spring garden! 2 rows of brussels sprouts and 2 rows of broccoli in the forground. Toward the back, you can see the "bean pee" that I made from the trimmings from the crepe myrtles. I plan to plant pole beans so that they grow up the wood and form a shady, hide out for my 9yr old daughter. She can help to harvest the beans too! At the foot of the fence, is a row of 3" snow peas. I'll need to supply an additional, lower structure for them to grab onto before they are tall enough to reach the wire fencing (barely visible) that is attatched to the wooden one...Behind them is a row of garlic against the block base. A newly planted 10" rosemary is planted to the far left end of the snowpeas. I had a much older rosemary which finally died a year ago.

At the moment, I am not home, but at my Mother-in-Law's home about 2hrs away helping her as she undergoes chemotherapy for lung cancer :( This is her 3rd round. We are having to play many things "by ear" as far as making many plans, but that's OK, and I am privileged to be able to help her at this time...Hopefully, I will take more pix around our place as things progress, and I am home.

Today, my DH told me that he bought 2 apple trees, 2 peach trees, 2 more figs, more blueberries, and 8 raspberry plants!! Someone is going to be VERY busy ;)

It Has Been a LONG Time!!

Just wanted to get back into blog-world with this quote from my morning devos:

"We fight not for ourselves alone. These are they-our brethren-the cloud wherewith we walk encompassed; It is for them that we wrestle through the long night; they count on the strength that we might bring them, if we so wrestle that we prevail. The morning that follows the night of our lonely trial would, if we be faithful, find us new men, with a new name of help, and of promise, and of comfort, in the memory of which others would endure bravely, and fight as we had fought. Oh! turn to God in fear, lest through hidden disloyalty we have not a cup of cold water to give those who turn to us for succor in their sore need." Henry Scott Holland

Regeneration v. The Idolatry of Decisional "Evangelism" (Paul Washer @ t...

Wow! Oldest son is getting married in 2 weeks!!

"If we're to encounter the divine Presence,we must enter the interior sanctuary of our heart and, like Jesus in the temple, become indignant over what we find."

Larry Crabb, "Jesus Mean and Wild"
Water Brook Press

Our Silver Wedding Anniversary Month!!

1984~2009

This photo was taken in 1983 as an engagement photo about 9mos. before our wedding!

We are hoping to have a potluck cookout on July 4th this year to celebrate, with a cake and photo history during dessert...I'll try to post some of the pix here over the next month or so...

Evening Out Ensemble...

I did finish this skirt and covering in time to wear it out to the recognition dinner last night, but to my chagrin, instead of wearing it, I decided it was time to get back on the Nordic Trac!!! LOL

Maybe I can wear it at a future time,...say in 15lbs. less or so :) The material is like swimwear fabric and NOT very forgiving...It did turn out lovely though, don't you think?

The top is a cream colored 2-piece set with pearl embellishments....

The idea that I had of making Indian sari-like pleats on one side of the skirt (on the right in photo) did work, but they didn't show up in this shot. I just pleated the material over where I had made the seam, and then proceeded to turn down the material at the waist and create a casing for the elastic waistband....If I had not made the pleats, and just gathered the skirt with a plain elastic waistline, it would have fit OK...I ended up wearing a standby outfit instead that worked well anyway. Glad I had it to fall back on at the last minute!! We had a nice evening. Hubby had been there for 5yrs service.

It was held in an old opera style theater/auditorium in downtown, and had been renovated at some point in the past. The architecture was lovely....huge dome ceiling and painted plaster detailing all around...It was, in fact , the same building where my oldest son was featured as the annual representative for pediatric heart surgery patients when he was 5yrs old.....

Here are some shots I found of this building on Flickr.com:

Well, better run and finish packing for our camping weekend! I'm looking forward to posting some about that upon my return....Via Con Dios!

What's In the Crate???

A little billy!!...."Gruff", I think. Now Goatie will not be so lonely. They seem to be getting along well so far, it helps that he is young yet...
Well, tonight we are scheduled to attend a recognition dinner for Hubby's work. I am trying to come up with an outfit to wear...must finish a skirt out of material that I found on clearance at Wal-Mart the other night....Hoping it turns out. A little exotic, but hey, it's a facet of my personality...Will try to post pix later...
This weekend our church is sponsoring a camp with Colin and Nancy Campbell as the guest speakers....It's supposed to be a family camp, but due to some "technical" difficulties with our 16yr old, it looks like it will be just the 2 younger children and myself. I'm hoping to find another dad to "adopt" my youngest son for the weekend, because their are separate dorms for the men and women...I'm trying REAL hard to "roll with the punches" with all of this right now...The theme for the camp is Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..."

I'm TRYING! I'm TRYING!

Up! Up! The Day is Breaking--Paul Gerhardt

This poem was included in my little devotional (Joy and Strength, by Mary Wilder Tileston---far and away my favorite devotional book...)for this morning:

Commit thy way to God,

The weight that makes thee faint;

Worlds are to Him no load,

To Him breathe thy complaint.

Up! Up! The day is breaking

Say to thy cares, good-night!

Thy troubles from thee shaking,

Like dreams in day's fresh light.

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My Mother-in-Law is coming today...better get to the chores! Busy, busy weekend...But, just another thought before I go:

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My personal prayer for today is that I could be more like a small child...trusting her Father to know and do what is best...

I am so like a young child really, in the way that I know so little of "the big picture", and therefore cannot make proper judgements---but I so easily forget this and go barrelling into the day, wrecking havoc with my ignorant, though well-meaning gusto.

"Lifting Up the Heart to God"--H.L. Sidney Lear

It is a good thing

to have fixed seasons

for lifting up the heart

to God,

not merely the appointed hours of prayer, but a momentary act

before and after meals, beginning any occupation, entering into society, leaving the house, etc.

Especially it is a help to make such brief acts after having said or done anything either wrong or foolish,

after any trifling vexation or disappointment,

when the spirit feels, it may be, wounded and desolate,

or when one's vanity is annoyed at having been guilty

of some little folly or unseemliness.

Sometimes we are more really troubled and sore at trifles of this sort than at far weightier things.

But if all such things were met with a momentary uplifting of the heart

to God,

all these little frailties and worries would tend to mold the character

more and more

to

God's

pattern,

and they would assuredly

lose their sting;

for he who thinks much of God

will daily think less

of himself.

The lovely larger pots of flowers were a Mother's Day gift from my parents....Don's Mom sent some $ to help purchase "Billy the Kid"!...lol
Puppy’s Mothers’ Day Fun!
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Mimi and Grampie came to celebrate Mother’s Day at our house yesterday. We had a very nice visit and dinner. Mom brought shrimp ettouffe, jello blocks and strawberry/ruhbarb cobbler! I contributed the salad, garlic bread, corn on the cob, coffee and iced tea…
Mimi had been feeling sorry for puppy "having to sleep on the hard concrete flooring in his screenporch", so she brought him a cushy dog bed….Was he ever proud of it:

He was so happy that he proceeded to tear it to shreds while the rest of us enjoyed our visit----BAD DOGGIE! 

Later, we snagged some of the young folks to help take a stack washer/dryer that Hubby had aquired,up to the doublewide and unload it into the laundry room…(Glad to finally have that out of the driveway!)
Then we finished up our afternoon watching a storm system come through while sitting on our front porch—one of my favorite pasttimes. Our youngest son felt festive and got out his violin to play a tune while little sister danced a happy jig. Oh, these are the days……

Let's Make Rose Petal Jam!

Turkish recipe from the Middle East Cookbook that my Sweetie gave to me last year...

Behind the doublewide at the top of our property....I noticed the bush blooming profusely, and was thusly inspired :)

We are still working on some "cosmetics" of the doublewide, and are hoping to rent to a country-loving family...It has a super view....

***Since these roses are not particularly aromatic, I will add natural rose essence before putting in jars...

We stopped by to feed "Goatie" some new oak leaves and enjoy the late afternoon view...and rest from our trek to collect roses.

After trimming the colored part of the petals off, we rinsed them to remove any "creatures" :)

Then, drained and layered them with sugar...

Covered overnight to "ripen".