Today's View and the Snake Road

View from our back porch

This morning's view from our back window (all before we left for church):

• 10 deer grazing
• 50 cows roaming
• 1 fox trotting
• 10 hawks swirling
• 5 geese swimming
• 2 ducks gliding
• 5 cats meowing
• 1 dog barking

And on the kitchen counter:

• 2 butterflies breaking out of their chrysalis

A couple of weeks ago, I was talking with some ladies at the Wednesday night dinner at church. The topic started out with the need for Earthquake Insurance (which apparently we need in So. Ill.- New Madrid fault!) and went to the "Snake Road". What, might you ask, is a "snake road". Apparently there is a road near here that the park rangers close for two months in the fall and two months in the spring for the SNAKES to cross to their habitats! SNAKES! NO KIDDING! WHO KNEW?! You can read about it here! My only question to them was, "Is there anything else that I need to know about this place!?!?!?" Welcome to the Wild Kingdom! (and that's just outside the house- just imagine if we threw what the kids are doing in!)


Front view of our house:

Isaiah's new trick

Isaiah

3 days!

3 Months!

Happy Belated Birthday Bennett!

Wow- I can't believe that I am just getting to posting for Bennett!
He turned 16 on February 17!

Quirky, Loving, Compassionate, Super Smart, Neat-o Bennett

Even cuter! My Dad is my guitar hero!

If you can't read the shirt, it says "my Dad is my Guitar Hero"!!

Too cute! Isaiah at 11 weeks!

Peace

"Peace does not come with an answer, but with the authority." from Living Beyond Yourself by Beth Moore.

When we search for peace, we often ask God for an answer. And especially a resolution of circumstance. But, we may never have an answer, and the circumstance may never be resolved, so how do we have peace? Peace comes when we place the circumstance under the authority of Jesus. Under His government. When we give it over to Him, He will give us peace. When we leave it with Him, He will give us peace. I don't know about you, but giving it over to Him is usually not difficult for me. What is difficult is leaving it with Him and not taking it back every single day!

I was recently struggling with leaving something with him, and I started thinking about a circumstance that has brought me much pain. My thoughts began to go down the road of replay and regret. I immediately prayed and asked God to help me not go down that road, and the scripture that came to my mind was "take every thought captive". 2 Corinthians 5:10. Controlling my thoughts with prayer, I was able to leave it with Him again. And then peace! Wow, it was that easy.

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.

Isaiah 9:6b-8 and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.

"The increase of peace accompanies the increase of Christ's government." Beth Moore