Feminine Appeal

I am getting ready to lead a study for women on the book Feminine Appeal: 7 Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother by Carolyn Mahaney. I am so excited about this. When I first read this book, I found so many new ideas about biblical femininity- well, they were new to me! My idea of femininity was based sorely and wrongly on what I had learned from the world. These new ideas were so freeing!! Some were thoughts that I had on my own but didn't know anyone else felt that way- to have them validated by the Bible! Wow! Now that is freedom. If you are a lady at Harbins, I would love you to join us on this 9 week journey (Thursdays at 10am at my house). I think you will be challenged, but I also know that you will be affirmed as we learn God's design for us!

I copied this from another blog. I thought that the writer, Carrie, said it so perfectly:

"True femininity comes from within... a peace that passes understanding, joy abundantly, a light in our eyes, a smile on our lips, kindness on our tongue... it is embracing who God made us to be... confident yet humble, strong yet full of gentleness. She'll be serving those around her, pouring out her life with joy, she'll be on her knees in the presence of her King, she'll be speaking life to those around her bringing them encouragement, hands ready to help, feet ready to go... all done whether in the heart of her home or on the other side of the world serving the least. You can have someone dressed modest and feminine full of worldly beauty and yet missing the the core of femininity, the core of who she was created to be, and you will find an empty woman, empty of life. It all starts from within, yet I think you will see it expressed in every aspect of her life. You will also find women that are not full of natural beauty but somehow they become the most beautiful woman you have seen all because she knows who she is and why she was created, full of joy and gentleness... full of life... a truly beautiful woman."

Are You Kidding Me?

Another rat snake in the barn!! UGH! This one wasn't as big. Roger is changing his name to "Snake Slayer"!!!

Memorial Day

We celebrated Memorial Day on Sunday so that everyone could stay late and play hard! No one had to go to work on Monday! We put out an invite to the whole church asking them to come and celebrate and to help dedicate our new house (We had 47 people!!) We had so much fun, we forgot to stop and pray to dedicate the house!!! Guess that calls for another party!!!

Daisies and cupcakes

The Grill Action





Girls playing dress up


Game Time




Baby Fun

Country Living Update

Living in the country is an adventure!! Yesterday, on my "way to town", I passed a blue jay, a cardinal, a turtle, two cats playing, umpteen horses, cows, and of course my goat neighbors! That's right- loving the drive! However, we are just learning how to cope with predators out here! Not the scary alien kind from the movies, but the creepy crawly kind like foxes, racoons, and SNAKES!!!!! UGH!! Just to set the story- I am nature woman! I love all things nature. We keep an aquarium in our school room just in case we find something interesting that we want to "observe". We were thrilled to come out this morning to "Lance", our new turtle friend in our garden. BUT, all that said, I ABHOR SNAKES!!!!!!! During chore time this afternoon, I sent Bennett out to gather the eggs. He went into the chicken house looked all around for eggs, and found a few WITH A SNAKE COILED UP ON TOP OF THEM!!!!! I am so glad he didn't reach down for them without looking more closely. Turns out it was just a black Rat snake (4 ft long!!)- a good snake to have unless it is EATING your chicken eggs!!! So, goodbye snake! I think I will start notching the hoe for every snake that Roger has to kill- a trophy of sorts!!! Oh yeah, and did I mention that we have lost 10 chickens to a fox! Oh, the joy of country living!!! BEWARE- THERE IS A PICTURE BELOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dew Droplets

Look at the dew droplets at the point of each leaf! Beautiful!

Chicken Heaven!

Our chickens LOVE their new home! Now that we are away from the road and have plenty of room, they have been free ranging all over the property! They love it! If we don't let them out of their coop early enough in the morning, the make such a ruckus as to wake the dead! Plenty of bugs and worms for everyone! Good Eats!

Still here!

I can't believe it has been 3 weeks since I posted! WHO BOY what a 3 weeks it has been! We are finally moved- that took around 2 weeks. I still have organizing to do, but it's all here in one place, so that is a relief. The morning sickness is ongoing, though I have a little miracle pill that helps alot. Still some days, it takes me over and I spend the day on the couch! Only a couple of weeks left of that though! I am determined NOT to complain about any of this- so if you catch me at it, call me on it! The circumstances that cause me discomfort at present are caused by God's blessings!

I read a blog post the other day that talked about how we really can't appreciate Him until we realize that our devotion to Him and love for Him are not and can not be tied to our comfort and happiness! Sometimes we aren't going to be comfortable, and even sometimes He causes us not to be comfortable- so praise Him through it all. That is especially true for me right now. I feel sick- because I have a new baby growing within me- remarkable!! I feel tired- because we are moving into a beautiful house that can only be from the hand of God- unbelievable! I am grumpy- because my life is chaotic because of the move- inexcusable!! So, it's time for me to buck-up!

"Count your many blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings see what God has done!!"