Encouraging Servants

My goal after trying to be a good wife is to train our daughters to be good, well rounded, skilled wives one day. If God does not bring them a husband, they will be well equipped to serve in however God calls them.

Because I want my girls to be LADIES, and not WOMEN, I sometimes worry about them working such hard work with their dad. They can just about outwork most boys we know their age. Having them work construction is not 'my' ideal work for young ladies. Then I have to be reminded that THIS is where we are right now in life. We cannot afford to hire out, and if we could, would we? This is our FAMILY business and we work together and we share the benefits together. $$$ :o)

These girls have the PRIVILEGE of being with their dad most of the day EVERY day. They know each other so well that they can hand him something before he even ask for it. What a blessing to him and FOR THEM!

Not only can these girls do construction, but they can cook, quilt, sew, play piano, can fruits and vegetables, care for babies, etc... They will make great wives one day, hopefully at their husband's side as he operates his own business, and training their children how to work and play together for the common cause of the Kingdom! If God calls them to farm life, missionary life, or political life we want them to be ready, ready to serve. So God is causing *me* to get over what I think a lady looks like, and be thankful that they have servant hearts.

Emma and Dad

Olivia switching the cords around.

Emma holding a bracket for Dad...he couldn't do this without her.

Olivia...gonna haul some dirt.
It's a dirty job, but someone needs to do it. :o)

Emma helping dad dig out the holes for the post.
Do you know what happens to the ground when you are in a stage 3 drought?
Just ask Emma.

ICE POP BREAK!

Free People Are Not Equal

Olivia is working on a Political Science Class that she is going to teach this fall. While working on her research this morning she came across this quote, I just LOVE it! She has also posted it on her blog, Heart of a Southerner.

Free people are not equal
and equal people are not free.

Government has nothing to give anybody

except what it first takes from somebody,
and a government that is BIG enough
to give you everything you want,
is big enough to take away everything you've got.


~ Lawrence W. Reed
Seven Principles of Sound Public Policy

Olivia did WONDERFUL with her speech but she did not win, but that's OK, we both learned alot. I'll post more later when I am not so tired.

Thank you for asking Dana!

Lots of Prayer Request

Pray for Olivia

Olivia and I will be away for a few days while she is presenting her speech for State Congress in 4-H. She will competing in the persuasive category Tuesday, between 9-11, please pray for her during that time. She needs to be confident, yet humble. It is alot of pressure. Also, pray that the students and adults will really listen to message of her speech. Although she is suppose to be evaluated by the judges on her public speaking skills, during her last competition she received a "politically correct" judge that really hurt her score. Pray that she will receive fair scores.

We'll be home Wed. evening, win or loose it will be a great opportunity.

***
Pray for Production

We are ready to upload our first DVD for publication (I am SOOO EXCITED), but I've run into a couple of tecnical glitches and since Josh is not around to help me I am kind of stuck. Plus being away from the computer for a few days I'm REALLY on hold...someday I WILL have a laptop...well if it's God's will. ;o) So please pray that God will help me figure out what the problem is...I'm so close...

***

Pray for Joshua

Also, please pray for our son (19) who has chosen the broad path in life, rather than staying on the straight and narrow. It is incredibly painful, and yes I do fret, because I know he has serious (self-inflicted) pain ahead for him. He has really struggled the last couple of years with his faith, but I KNOW that he belongs to God, and that God WILL bring him back. It is God that I trust in. In the meantime the waiting is almost unbearable at times, but this is also causing me draw even closer to the Father, focusing on Him and not my circumstances. Please pray for Josh, that this time of wandering won't be too long, and the he too will truly cling to the Vine, his only Salvation!

Thank you!

The Supper Quilt

Olivia and I had a great day out today, just the two of us! First we went by our favorite thrift store, then to a tea room that we been wanting to try for years...it was nice and over priced, but I did use a gift certificate, so that helped soften the blow. Then we went to a quilt show and it was FABULOUS!!! Even if you don't want to sew/quilt you can't help but to be impressed with the artwork of quilts! We walked away so inspired!!! Personally, I have SO MANY ideas swirling in my head.

THIS quilt was breathtaking! It needs to be in a museum somewhere, I'm sure that is where it will end up one day. A MAN created this and it has 51,816 squares in it! It measures 183"x67" Pictures do NOT do it justice!

Then we made a pit stop at Sams and came home to rest! I'm so glad God gave me daughters !!!

Faithful, Dependable, Strong

From the book Rebel with a Cause, words of Franklin Graham:

"It may sound trite, but it's true: Without my mother's faithful, dependable, strong presence on the home front, my father's world wide preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ might have never have been possible."

*****
The Lord may not call our husbands to a world wide ministry, but he has called them to a ministry right here, right now, and OUR duty is to be all HE needs us to be! Praise the Lord!!!

Description of a Worthy Woman

Proverbs 31:

10An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
14She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
16She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
20She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
25Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29"Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all."
30Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
31Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.

I've Got a Gun!

This is the blog of a daughter-in-law of a friend, of a friend of mine (some of you know them):

Resolved To Worship

She has the most BEAUTIFUL pictures posted regularly! This morning I read this NEAT POST from her. What a great reminder not to fear but live boldly for Christ. You really need to go read the whole thing.

"Life is not about making sure we only go to a church where people homeschool, or wear clothes like we do, believe all the same things that we do... or any other thing like that. It's not about getting in our little cliques and only hanging with those who think like us... rejecting others.

"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel!" That is our call. It doesn't say go into all the world and preach about 5 steps to this or 10 points to that to be godly... it says to preach Christ and him crucified. To tell of His love and of the wrath to come -- to give HOPE to the hopeless...

And there is no hope unless you've been hit by a "mack truck," as Robert puts it -- that's where Christ comes in and your life is forever changed."

Nine Heros

When I heard about the nine firefighters killed in a warehouse
my heart just sunk. What a tragic accident. But what a credit to those men that they were able to rescue two people. Every time Jeff and Josh respond to a fire call I pray that they return safely. I admire and respect their heart of service. I know God is sovereign.

"This is a profession that we must never take for granted,
there's a fire raging and they go toward it."
~~~Mayor of Charleston

When you pray each day remember your public servants, especially the firemen and policemen. Tonight nine families are walking through the valley of grief.

What is a firefighter?
He doesn't preach the brotherhood of man.
He lives it.

Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13

The Love and Faithfulness of a Woman

A couple of weeks ago I watched the dedication of the Billy Graham Library on TV. Being the parent of a prodigal it brought comfort to me to watch Franklin Graham. I was reminded of how this son went astray and how God brought him home and now he lives a life of service for the Lord. Sometimes us weary moms just need a reminder that 'this too shall pass'.

I was brought to tears as I listened to Rev. Graham speak with a frail voice of his wife and his love for her. He told how she had been bedridden for 6 months and how he goes into talk with her several times a day. What he said was brief, but it was full of love and dedication for his Lord and for his wife.

That caused me to think about Ruth more. How she lived a long and faithful life, faithful to God and her husband. She no doubt had suffered her own struggles and endured them with grace that only God gives. She has walked though the valley of a Rebel Son and God was faithful.

When she died last week I was so overwhelmed with doubts of my own faithfulness. When my life ends will it be a life of perseverance? Seeking to be a God pleaser? There is a beautiful video clip, pictures and comments from family here:

http://www.billygraham.org/RBG_FuneralService.asp


What a beautiful woman, she simply glowed with glory. She found her service to the Lord, her purpose, in being Billy's helpmeet. She cared for all 5 children when he was gone for months at a time. Isn't a glorious thing to have earthly examples of Godly women that embraced their calling as a woman. Her fulfillment was in Christ as she stood by her husband, was a keeper of their home, and a mother to more than their five children. Could Rev. Graham been able to do all that he has done without such a strong, humble woman at his side? I believe her crown in glory will be just as magnificent as his.

The greatest love on this earth is the love
an old man has for his old woman.
~Paul Harvey

I dare not say that my life is near as holy as Ruth Graham, nor Jeff's as Billy Grams, but when I look at all those photos of them together, I see the same love Jeff and I share. I hope the Lord will give us 64 years together.

Living with 3 Fiber Artist

Being creative is a double edged sword. Jeff and I have always strived for our children to have a wide range of skills, we try to expose to them to things that will make them think and be productive. All of this is good, but it can become chaotic if a few of us are being 'productive' at the same time, in the same room, in a small house. :o)

JUST TODAY:

Olivia thought she'd try her hand at making tea with some mint leaves from her herb garden. It tasted OK, she'll have to tweak it a bit, but at least she is learning.

NOW I'M GOING TO BE REAL TRANSPARENT WITH ALL OF YOU! NONE OF THIS IS 'STAGED', THIS IS REALLY HOW WE ARE LIVING THIS WEEK.

This is our coffee table today; a quilt Olivia is working on,
a scarf I am crocheting on (while we sit and read together or listen to lectures on CD),
and you'll see a science book buried under that. :o)

We have everything happening in the living room. The ironing board has some tea bags that Olivia just sewed up and also a quilt that I am piecing together.

Here is one chair with a stack of fabric I am working from,
a bag of nice quilting scraps my Mom got from a rummage sale,
and a skirt that Olivia just finished making (she's made 2 since yesterday).

Here is Emma working on her quilt (and watching the Beverly Hillbillies...lol), a cutting table set up, an ironing board, and scraps and threads everywhere! btw...we do sweep and pick up a couple of times a day, but then we get back to work. :o) Actually, my girls are having a fit that I am showing these pictures. What is that verse 'where there is no oxen the stall is clean'?

Emma is really getting the hang of that perfect 1/4" seam.

Here she is with her Gordian Knot top. It still needs to be quilted.

We have also kept up the laundry, meals, piano practice and a few school lessons. When Jeff walked in (and over) today, I said, "Honey, this is the price of having 3 Fiber Artist in your home." Which he is fine with it, he knows we are being busy and that we do not live like this all the time. :o)

Am I a Bad Sport?

My husband takes his work and providing for his family very seriously, as he should. :o) One of his short comings in life is that he does not play enough. I've tried to change that about him for over 20 years, but I think he is pretty much settled in his ways. But what I don't get is that he is GOOD at everything he plays. Not only is he good, but he is humble about it all. He never makes a big deal about winning, but it's almost like he can't loose. To me it is no fun to play pool, golf, horseshoes, cards, chess, bowling, badmitten, etc... who wants to play a game knowing you'll loose each time? Does that make me a bad sport? ;o)

Tonight the girls, Jeff and I were outside playing badmitten. Now you have to know how Jeff is, he treats me like I am some sort of royalty, so when we are on opposing teams he will take it easy on me, and when we were on the same team he will run circles around me so I don't have to do much of anything. lol... The girls did not find this very amusing, but on the other hand, they are use to it. I hope they have husbands that love them so dearly!

btw, one game that I CAN beat him at is Pictionary...guess what we never get to play?

One Smart Cookie!

Tonight I was tweaking our Teaching Good Things website (when I should have been sleeping) and I managed to delete something important and made a mess of the template. Long story short, I e-mailed the sweet young lady that designed the template in the beginning and in minutes she had me all straightened out! Thank the Good Lord she was online tonight, because I was really starting to freak out!

It's neat that she is a HOME EDUCATED girl! I have to boast about that ya know! So this is my plug for Anne. If you need a domain name, hosting or help with designing a template she is GREAT, and VERY, VERY pleasant to work with. Her rates are reasonable also. We should support not only other Christians, but support these wonderful young ladies that are seeking to be creative and productive while still at home. She is one smart cookie!

What He Has Done

...but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Joshua 24:15

And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua,
and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua,
and which had known all the works of the LORD,
that he had done for Israel.
Joshua 24:31
~

We are to serve and worship God for what He has done, NOT for what He can do for us. Although He does delight in giving good gifts to His children.

Todays goal, an attitude of thanksgiving, focusing on what God has done, His faithfulness, the promises He has fulfilled in the past.

Food and Friends

We hosted a cookout for a new family in our community that are fellow home educators. We invited them, and 3 other families over. Everyone brought a little something and we had a good time. The guys played horse shoes, the kids played Frisbee and badmitten, and we women folk sat around and visited.

(Olivia blowing bubbles with the little ones)

Olivia was such a big blessing by helping with the little ones. This is just one way that older girls (and boys) can minister to families, by caring for the younger ones so moms can relax and have some good adult conversation. I am so thankful for my daughters and their love for children. I pray that God has made their quiver LARGE, and that God fills it FULL!

Here is Taylor who is swinging with her baby sister, Chandler. Taylor will make a great Mom one day. I look forward to see what God will do with her love for family and home. Their family is adopting a baby from Liberia.Chandler-Mae and her lovely Mom.

Trish (aka Farm Girl)...I wish I could work as
hard as she does and still look as good as she does!
Hannah, Trish's daughter, with dirt and worms (chocolate pudding and gummy worms).

Here are the intellectuals of the group playing chess!
Andy, Tucker, Scott and Chandler

Johnny and Joshua playing Frisbee.

Jeff and Chandler...she such a doll.

Well that was just a few shots, I missed capturing alot of faces...oh well, maybe next time.
:o)

It's Daisy Season

We have a bunch of Giant Daisies right as you walk out our front door, they are in full bloom and are so beautiful! Olivia transplanted several to her herb garden last fall and they look beautiful also. The only thing about them, as with many of the more beautiful flowers, is that their season is so short.

Psalm 103:15-16

As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;

the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.

Our lives are so very short (although some days feel like an eternity). We never know when God's Wind will blow over us and our days will be over. Will we have been faithful, will Jesus greet us and say, "Well done good and faithful servant"?

So we are truly enjoying our lovely daisies. And they are a reminder of how we too need to be bringing our Lord glory, no matter how many days we live... just as these blooms do. Bring Him glory, sing His praises! Can you believe some people think these came to be by accident?!!!!!

Emma took some to our elderly neighbor yesterday, how can you not SMILE when someone brings you flowers?

Clothespin Bag

I made this clothespin bag from a baby dress that I picked up at a yard sale for 10 cents. The neat thing about this dress is that it is a halter style and has elastic in the back, so it was incredibly easy to simply sew up the bottom (leaving the ruffle of the dress showing), and then triple tying the straps around the top of the hanger. The elastic in the back of the dress makes it easy to 'close' the pins in. This could be done with a T-shirt, or any other piece of clothing, by placing the hanger in the shoulders and sewing an opening.

Here is a quote by Nancy Wilson:
One time when my children were still very young, a woman stopped by for a visit. “How do you keep your house so clean?” she asked. I thought for a moment, and I remember answering, “I work really hard—all the time.”

*****
That is so true! If you want to have a home, which is more than just a house, and you want it to be a place where relationships grow, a place of productivity, a place of education, a place of hospitality, and place where the Great Commission is carried out, just to name a few, then you DO have to "work really hard-all of the time." You may as well find purpose and joy in your work.

Those who oppose God's people advance the Kingdom!

Blessed were the protesters, for without them, the Creation Museum would not have been so big, Answers in Genesis leader Ken Ham said before the controversial building's ribbon-cutting on Saturday.

"The Lord directed us to this piece of property, right on a major freeway at a major interchange. And we decided to build a far bigger building (nearly 60,000 square feet), and a far bigger vision and a far bigger impact around the world - and I just want to thank, sincerely, the local secular humanist group."

~~~

Now THIS was exciting to read! (go here and look down on the right for the rest of the story, under Ribbon Cutting) We are hoping and praying that we can visit this museum when we travel to New York to see family this summer. We love Ken Ham and his work.

This story just goes to prove (once again) that God does work ALL things for HIS GLORY! Praise the Lord!

The Heart of the Matter

God pays no attention to the insignificance of the work being done, but looks at the heart which is serving him in work. This is true even of such everyday tasks as washing dishes or milking cows.

Martin Luther

The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Proverbs 10:8

~

From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;

from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth

He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

Psalm 33:13-15