Chickens and Kids

The weather has been nice enough to open the little chicken coop door and let the Light Brahma chicks out to enjoy the sunshine for a few hours.

Once they got over the initial fear of being chased around the coop and thrown out the door they seemed to enjoy it.

They are already 2 months old~ 2 months closer to farm fresh eggs again.

And of course I had to get a few pictures of kids in there too.

How I love that little chicken coop! It was worth every fingernail I broke to build it.

We Had Our Plans

The weekend of Trent's accident was the weekend that we had planned to work on the goat barn. The huge remodeling project that we have been working on for nearly a year was to see great strides in those few days. God obviously had other plans for us that weekend. Part of His plans included humbling us and blessing us. Whether Trent died or not there were still goats due to deliver within days in a barn that was not ready for them. Half of the north wall was still open, the electricity was not finished to plug in heat lamps, stalls were needing to be finished and walls insulated and sheeted. God sent a huge group of men and boys to spend time in the bitter cold, refusing to hardly come into the house lest they bother us, offering their time, labor and materials to get work done that we could have never accomplished in a months time. Every time I walk into that barn and see what they have done I will again remember those men and God's provision for His children's physical needs (Lord, let me remember to pray for great blessings for them every time as well). Thank you, brothers in Christ, for being willing to be used. Now that we are able to function a bit better, and those goats that have kidded need to be milked (which is a therapy in itself), it was time to get back to working on the tack room and the milk room. A couple of weekends ago Rob started loading the trailer with yet another load of scrap metal that was laying around the farm and hauled 1,700 pounds to the scrap yard, which in turn became money to spend at Menard's for plywood and 2x4's. In just an afternoon we were able to get close to a wall up. The dreams of having a working goat barn are a bit closer.

Pondering and Considering

Pondering again this morning the many writings of Paul~ trying to wrap my dazed brain around the truths that he writes about and that God is making real in my life. Reading in Philippians 3:10-11 he says: I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death and so, somehow, to attain the resurrection from the dead. Further down in verses 13 and 14 he says: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. The words had me stumped in the middle of my morning coffee time.

Paul said earlier in verses 7-8: But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Rubbish~ all these worldly, temporary things that I chase after. Longing to know Christ through the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings? What foreign concepts to a world where we chase pleasure and our greatest joy is finding something on sale at Walmart. Do we understand even a glimpse of our God, Christian brother and sister? What in the world was Paul talking about?

Alexis brought me to Hebrews 10:32-34 in looking for the answer: Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. God has always set His people apart. After the fall He never intended them to be comfortable here. Even His own son was treated with cruelty and contempt. Let us consider the privilege of suffering.

Consider how it makes us look for a way to make everything make sense. Consider that God only disciplines His children. Consider that God is sovereign. Consider that this world is fallen and is ruled by the enemy and is the deciding factor of the eternal, where all things will be made right. Consider that all these things will be thrown away as rubbish. Consider that all things suffered here will receive rich rewards from the King of the Kingdom. Consider that we really do only know Christ better through suffering because it forces us to let go of our own ideas and plans and consider His and which one is better. When life goes as the commercials promise and it is all about us and what we want we don't think twice about God. We are so lulled by the comforts here that we forget about eternity. When you have just seen eternity a little closer to home you tend to live with eternity close to your heart. Today I will ponder a bit more the longing to know Christ through the sweet fellowship of sharing in his sufferings. One day I will sit at the feet of the One who suffered and He will explain it to me fully.

Thank You

Just simply wanted to say Thank You all my bloggy friends. Your kind words and all your prayers have done more than you know to encourage me on the walk God is leading me on. And to all the new friends, followers, lurkers and visitors~ Welcome! Thank you for revealing yourselves and sharing in our lives. God is good, and I am glad He brought you along for the ride. You are treasured, my friends. The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. Philippians 1 :18-19

But Who's Going to Eat all the Ramen Noodle?

The party is winding down. Most of the people have gone home. The amount of tomato and hamburger hotdishes are dwindling in the freezer. There is an end in sight to the stack of thank you cards that I am still working on. Reality is setting in and Trent is still in heaven. My brain is still foggy and slow most days and little things bring me back again to the reality that he is gone. Walking sticks that he was working on, a card that he forgot to give me, letters in the classroom mailbox, a picture on the fridge, a glimpse of the remembrance of his smile and kisses. Looking in the pantry and realizing that one day I will have to go grocery shopping again and make the big decisions of what kind of cereal to buy and how many bags of tator tots we need. The little things that made the big differences are being realized. The boy who loved Ramen noodles when the rest of us tolerated them is gone. The blue box will sit for months on the shelf as a reminder. The school books he left behind as well as the dirty laundry that will sneak it's way into the washer will bring back the reality over and over again. The house is a little quieter, and cleaner if you ask Traci, even though the dishes still don't get done on Monday's or the kitchen floor swept. My heart still aches and tears wet my face. Thank the Lord that He protects us from this being an overwhelming flood that longs to destroy. Though the waters come up to our neck they will go no further. Our God has ordained His plans perfectly, and again we will rejoice in them.

Spring Has Sprung

Spring is finally coming to Wisconsin, and with spring comes mud~ lots of mud!

The kids couldn't be happier!

They have dug out the bikes and have been having fun.

The weather man is predicting 50 degrees for at least two days in a row.

Shorts and snowbanks~ only in Wisconsin.

Faith Like A Child

To watch a child is to understand God on a whole different level. Jesus said that unless we had faith like a child's we would not enter heaven. Is salvation really as hard as we want to make it out to be? Is trusting God really that difficult? Did He say it? Then why don't we believe it and simply live like He instructed? Traci shared with me that the day after the accident, when the house was overflowing and the multitude of kids were all enjoying the party, one of her six came and said they couldn't find Trent. She reminded them that Trent had died and was in heaven, remember? Oh that's right, and off they went to play. Total trust. God said it, God did it, keep living, keep laughing, keep believing, keep smiling. Let me sit at your feet and learn of your God little one's.

Farmer Boy

Cole is my right hand man now-a-days when it comes to chores.

We have been milking 3 of the 4 does and getting close to a gallon and a half of milk a day with one milking. The does are allowed to raise their own kids around here. Mommas and babies are separated at night and we take the first milk in the morning, then reunite them for the day. It works swell for all of us. Once I get a stock of milk frozen we will think about getting some bottle calves to raise. And once I make up my mind we may try our hand at raising some meat chickens this spring.

Cole's favorite chores are the chicken chores. He dotes on those little bitties and pampers them everyday. I don't think there are any other chickens out there that get the love and attention and change of food and water like Cole's do. He has even pretty much taken over raising my little flock of Light Brahma chicks the past couple of months. It's become a very special time in the mornings~ just Cole and I.

I Spy

I love watching the kids just be kids. The other day I told them I was going to take a walk out back and came around through the woods the long way. They didn't know I heard them coming out to find me (or maybe they were just heading out to play in the water??) and I got some very candid shots. Notice the shorts and the missing coats amidst the snow. I think it was a tropical near 50 degree day which makes them hardened Wisconsinites. Me? I had boots, snow pants, coat, hat and gloves on. Crazy kids!

Remember That Shed?

Remember that shed? That one we started way back last fall with all the left overs from the barn tear down? The one for the calves? The calves that have been bumped up to steer status since they have grown so much. Well.... Yippee Yay! Rob and Cole were able to get back to work on it the other day.

Cole was thrilled to climb up on the roof to help.

Even if he wasn't thrilled to get his picture taken for the umpteenth time.

I did my part by carrying the camera and offering advice~ "You could just put the steel siding up next since your out here anyway with that drill, honey, I bet you could have it done by supper time (it is now 7:00 and I have no idea what is for supper). What's that you say dear??"

It really does look good honey.

Even without the steel siding on, or the wooden fence up, or a real live swinging gate that doesn't require a twine string to tie it shut. Okay, okay, I'll go start supper now.

Some Days

Some days I forget what the fight is about. Some days I forget that God is sovereign. Some days I wish Trent was still here. Some days I torture myself with the thoughts of the things he will not be here for. Some days I look at trails through the snow and realize he will never walk those trails. Some days I look at the places he was, and now is not. Some days I hate it that the toothpaste tube that was full when he was alive now needs to be thrown away. Some days I hate it that I have to use Colgate now instead of Aquafresh because somebody was so kind to bring us toothpaste because our son died. Some days I hate sin more than other days because sin leads to death. Some days I forget how to put one foot in front of the other. But then those days God sends His words again. God sends his children to minister again. God turns my eyes to the cross again. God brings me back to where it all matters~ not here, but eternity. Not me, but Him. Not now, but then. Then, when He will ransom those that are His. Then, when there will be no more tears. Then, when those dead in Christ will rise first and there will be no more death. Then, when all that the locust destroyed will be restored. Then, when all those that were brought to Christ through the death of one twelve year old boy will be revealed. Then, when those rich rewards will be given out, only to be layed at the feet of my Savior because He will be enough. Some days, everyday, God really is more than sufficient to turn my eyes back to Him when they look to the now and here to be the balm. Today, again, I will cling to my Rock.

Just A Re-Post

Thursday, July 16, 2009 Living Victoriously Something that has been in my thoughts recently has been the way that Christians live their lives. Often times I think we forget who we are. One of Satan's greatest tricks is deceit. I often find myself feeling defeated in this life and need to continually remind myself of who I am in Christ. 1st Peter was a great encouragement to me this morning. 1Peter 1:1-2...To God's elect, strangers in the world... who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood. We are God's chosen. Chosen by God. God chose me. What a humbling thought. With that comes great responsibility, yet it is through the sanctifying work of the Spirit that God will do that work. My greatest calling in life is to be obedient to Jesus Christ. Already I have been sprinkled with the blood of Christ which means that my sins have been forgiven and I can approach the throne of grace of my heavenly Father without fear. But how often I forget that and go on as if this world owes me joy and ease. God said we are strangers here. Awaiting our eternal home with Him. Peter goes on to write that Jesus has given us new birth and a living hope through His resurrection. We have an inheritance that will never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for us. Through faith we are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. Because of this we are called to rejoice greatly!Trials and suffering will come that our faith may be proved genuine, that through them we will be refined, and it all will result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though we have not seen Him, we love Him. Because He has opened our eyes and hearts to believe in Him we are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy! We are receiving the goal of our faith, and the salvation of our souls. May our lives reflect this by living victoriously!