At It Again...

We've begun our second year of homeschooling.

We are all looking forward to what the year will bring. 

We saw blessing after blessing come from our decision to follow in obedience the call we received.

And we know, by faith, that the same will be true this year.

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9

Triumph

I hate to admit it, but I almost fell for it.


I almost bought the lie that Satan was selling.


"You're old.  Used up.  Useless.  OLD!"


I was questioning my self worth, my strength, my beauty, and my marriage.

I did not stop to count the blessings:
-- a heart that beats both strongly and passionately
-- a healthy, complete body that has healed from and triumphed over trauma
-- conception, carriage, and delivery of two healthy babies
-- energy to play and enjoy the abundance I've been given
-- vitality and a passion for this life
-- life itself 


Satan is awful like that.  He's just prowling around waiting to devour us in a weak time. (1 Peter 5:8)


And so I did the only thing that I can do in such a circumstance.  I called out to Him.


"God, my God!  I cry out.  Your beloved needs you now!"

And because He is faithful, He is present, and because He has never, never forsaken me, He answered.


And helped me to battle the lies from the Father of Lies...


With Truth.  Sweet, blissful Truth.


"I created your inmost being.  I knit you together in your mother's womb.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made.  My works are wonderful.  And you -- YOU are one of my works."  (From Psalm 139:13-14)


I soaked it in.  And I realized something.  That if His works are wonderful, and if I am one of His works, then that makes me wonderful.  Every.  Single.  Bump.  Freckle.  Inner-working.  Everything.  


And nothing -- NOTHING that Satan says can shake that.


The foundation of Truth.   The Author of Truth.  
God is my victory and He is here!
I WILL bring praise!

I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
GOD IS MY VICTORY AND HE IS HERE!
Lyrics from Desert Song by Amy Grant

Tune in!

"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in."  George Washington Carver

Momma's Still Got It!

Wanna take a guess at who was more accurate?

Okay.  Okay.
He IS a trained Marine, folks.
But, never fear!!
This Greyhaired Momma's still got it!  

Agricultural Trivia -- Day 3

We are back to Idaho Agricultural Trivia.  Well, I have one more post.  This one has been a long time coming, as there was some dissension in the ranks regarding what today's pictures actually were!  (There's still some disagreement, but we're gonna go with what most people believe it to be.  And next time, I'm gonna find the farmer and ask him...)

To refresh your memory, come with me back to Day 2:

Did you guess what that was?

If you guessed whole grain oats, you were correct.
I jest.  I jest.
It's wheat.
There's a nifty website, The Idaho Wheat Commission, where you can learn lots more.
If you so desire.

On to Day 3's challenge:

Some farmers in Idaho are experimenting with this as an alternative crop.

No, it's not a lower carbohydrate potato.  

But let me know if they come out with one of those.  

As long as it was tasty, I'd buy it.

About 500 acres of this crop were planted in the Treasure Valley this year, primarily for dairy feed.

Anyone?

Psalm 127:3

Children are a gift from the Lord;

                      they are a reward from Him.

More from home...

While we've returned to FL and are trying to settle in,  we've left part of our hearts behind in Idaho.  Good thing we still have lots of photos to share!   Makes home feel that much closer...

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."  Malachai 3:10

A Redneck...

... and his Grumpa.  Driving tractor.

I see a country song in the makin'!  Don't you?  Call Nashville!

A job well done, son!  (And Grumpa!)

Blueberries

Blueberries as big as the end of your thumb, 

Real sky-blue, and heavy, and ready to drum 

In the cavernous pail of the first one to come!

 And all ripe together, not some of them green,

And some of them ripe!  You ought to have seen!

Robert Frost

Magnificent

His Power

"For as in a thunderstorm the bright light is seen from one end of the sky to the other, so will the Son of Man be when His time comes."  Luke 17:24  (Bible in Basic English)

Leavin'...

... on a jet plane.

'Cept I KNOW when we'll be back again!!

Words Unnecessary

Farmer's Prayer

Lord, bless the land You've given me,
And may I always know 
As I tend each crop and creature
You're the One who helps them grow.

Grant me the strength and wisdom
Please protect me from harm, 
And thank You
For Your gracious gift-

The blessing of a farm.

Matthew 11:28

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Lean on Him

Agricultural Trivia -- postponed

Well, there seems to be some dissension amongst the ranks regarding the photos that were next in the lineup.

It will require more research.  And possibly more picture taking.   Darn!  More picture taking?!?!  What I don't do for this blog... Heh, heh, heh...

In the mean time, enjoy a few days of photos.  And know that I will be returning from yet another camping trip with a memory card full of great shots to share with you.

Wish me luck...

Agricultural Trivia -- Day 2

So, what were your guesses for the plants on Day 1?

If you guessed Sugarbeets, you would have been correct.  If you didn't guess Sugarbeets, well then you would have been wrong.  You can learn more about Idaho Sugarbeets, courtesy of University of Idaho (go, Vandals!!)

So here is today's crop.  Do not be dismayed.  I've taken it easy on you since Day 1 might have been a bit tricky.

Hint 1:  Idaho's 2010 crop was estimated to be worth 542 million dollars.

Hint 2:  Idaho ranks fifth for the export of this crop.

Hint 3:  This is grown in 42 of the 44 counties of Idaho.

Don't stumble over yourself to post your comment about what this crop is.  I know it might take some thinkin' but you're a smart crew.  You'll figure it out!

Agricultural Trivia -- Day 1

Grown on 1.3 million acres by more than 10,000 farmers in the United States and Canada...

 

This crop provides over half of the sugar we produce in the United States.

Idaho is the #3 producer of these in the US, following Minnesota and North Dakota.


Anyone?  Anyone?

The Harvest

Then He said to His disciples, 

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, 

to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Matthew 9:37-38

We are His workers.  The Harvest is for Him.

I will be as a farmer, and work diligently.

For Him.

As for me and my household...

... we will serve the Lord.
Joshua 24:15b

The Biggest Perks...

of being home 

is the chance we get 

to love on our family.

And to be loved on in return.

How ever 

will we leave???