I just have to take a moment to thank you all!  I may not have the most popular blog on the web, or the most visited…but I do believe that I have the most wonderful readers and customers!

I received a “package” when all I was expecting was a check from a sweet customer in Germany.  When I opened this unexpected box guess what I found inside?

My boys and I enjoyed it so much – we shared a bit and froze the rest for a special treat in the future!

I often receive cards from my customers and readers.  You share your stories, your family pictures,  your Christmas letters and you dash off little notes of encouragement frequently!

This sweet note came from a dear customer in Florida.  She created a card with my Jewish name and heritage on it.  This so touched my heart.  It will be framed for my room.

I receive notes by mail and by email expressing the fact that you are praying for me and my boys.  This is such a blessing to me and I am so grateful to know that there are people out there, many whom I have never met, that go to their knees on our behalf.

I have been privileged to speak to many of you on the phone.  We’ve prayed together, cried together and laughed together as we shared our lives.  What a blessing!

Many of you have traveled long distances to my farm to take my classes in person! Some of you have graced our table or stayed in our home and through these visits, I’ve made many dear friends who are scattered from one coast to the other.

Some of you have sent gifts to help us with our ongoing legal bills – how you have humbled me with your generosity!  Through your prayers and your faithful patronage of my little business you have helped this mama stay home with her children and continue their home schooling adventures!  How can I find words that give thanks for that gift?  I am overwhelmed with gratitude!

Y’all have supported me, counseled me, surprised me, and blessed me during one of the most difficult times of my life!  What joy it brings to know that these friendships are eternal – that we will all join before the Throne of Grace one day and worship our Father together. What joy we will experience then when there are no more troubles or tears!

Thank you all for making this aspect of my life and business a blessing.  Thank you for allowing me into your lives, for allowing me to pray with you, for allowing me to be your friend…

“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel” (Prov. 27:9)

Blessings,

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A new year brings many new possibilities.  For the last few days, my boys and I have been discussing our hopes for this new year.  We all agreed that we want our lives to focus more on our Father and less on ourselves.  We want to serve others. We want to be a blessings to others whenever He provides us an opportunity.  Most of all, we want to draw nearer to Yahweh…”better is one day in your courts”.

Last year, the best thing I did for myself was to start a gratitude journal.  I share some of that online here with all of you.  I purchased a journal for each of my boys for Christmas.  I found just the right one for each of them…I happened to  find them at a discount store so they were very inexpensive.

We started the journals by reflecting on 2009 and how thankful we were for His provisions for us throughout the year.  It took several pages! Then we began our lists for 2010.  Each day, as we gather for family devotions, we plan to share with each other some of the things we are thankful for.

By writing it down…acknowledging it on paper….you begin to see how blessed you are and how much Yahweh loves you!  These don’t have to be material things….although they can be.

Some of the things my boys discussed were really interesting!  Soft pillows and warm beds, Elders that love and support them, the double rainbow from our last storm, baby cardinals found in a hidden nest, milk from a cow, brothers that love, Grandma living so close, kittens that purr, gardens that feed, friends that teach and help, flowers that are beautiful and smell sweet, the joy of picking an apple off of your own tree, neighbors that bless, ring and run, praying for each other, card games, fellowship with our church family, holding hands, home cooked food….and the list goes on!

Already my boys are talking about sharing them with their children many years from now!  What a wonderful legacy of His faithfulness in their lives!

Can I encourage you to start your own gratitude journal this year?  Just a few minutes a day…but I warn you.  You will begin to look at things differently!  During my darkest hours this has been one of my biggest blessings!  When you feel that He is silent – read back and know that He is there!

I promise you that it will change your lives!  You’ll be so glad that you did!

Blessings,

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Join me on this special day…worship Him today with gratitude…

Psalm 26:7
That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all Your wondrous works.

Psalm 116:17
I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the LORD.

Psalm 100:4
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Bethankful to Him, and bless His name.

30. Special times.

31. A pantry filled with the flavors of  summer.

32. Warm beds and filled tummies.

33. His protection and provision…daily!

34. Nature that sings of Him

35. A body of believers that have become our family and we theirs.

36.  Godly men who speak into my sons lives.

37 The sounds of nature as it praises Him.

38.His word that encourages, convicts and gives grace – daily.

39. The sparkle in a boy’s eyes.

40. Gifts that speak love.

Won’t you join me….journal your gifts….as you watch your gratitude grow, your trust increases and life becomes an exciting adventure as you anticipate what your Father will do next….He is your source…He never fails….He never forsakes……

He keeps me…breathless….

Worship Him with Gratitude today!

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Sorry dear readers….my boys had a bit of a stressful period the last few weeks dealing with an ongoing situation but our elders did what elders ought to do and really blessed my boys.  I am so glad that they have these wonderful relationships with the men who lead our body.  It was amazing, after 30 years of being a Christian, to see the leaders of a body follow the word and seek to obey Christ. These men prayed, things were revealed to each of them (isn’t it cool when the Father does that?) and my boys were blessed by how they handled things. We are so grateful to our Abba Father who is continually going before us, providing for us and blessing us through this body that has become our family!

Back to cows….

We watched Suzie very closely for the next few days.  Mom called one day and said Suzie would lay down for a few minutes, get up, move and lay down again.  Strange. Later that day I was called out to her field by one of the boys – she was down again and couldn’t get up….we thought….turns out she was laying in a very muddy spot and having trouble getting her legs under her.  She finally managed and we could throw some hay down on the muck.  Everything else seemed normal.

Early next morning, Jeremy called the house on his cell phone during chores – we get no reception out here so it was very broken up but I thought I heard Jeremy say “it’s back!”.  I moaned and told him I was headed out.  Grabbed my boots (we’ve had lots of rain!) and headed out to her field.  However when I got close I could tell that Jeremy was excited…happy excited….then I saw this…

Jeremy was trying to tell me about the new calf and was telling me “it’s black”. ( Can you hear me now? )  Seems that Suzie had been busy that morning having a baby!  He’s an adorable little boy – half Jersey and half Angus.  When the vet had been out, Jeremy had mentioned that Suzie was stringing a little mucus.  I didn’t think much of it and neither did the vet.  It just wasn’t that much…or so we thought!

When Suzie came to our farm, she was in milk and when we put her in with the bull all he wanted to do was nurse her.  She would go stand in the pond to get away from him.  We moved her out of that field pretty quickly but evidently not quickly enough!

The boys are calling  him Chocolate because of his color.  I emailed D.J. to let him know his cow had surprised us and  boy was he surprised too!  We’ve stopped taking milk from Suzie for now but look forward to the time we can milk her again!

In the meantime, we are enjoying his antics as he romps and plays, kicking up his heels as he frolics around his momma.

Next post I’ll share how our recent chicken butchering went!

Blessings,

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Join me, won’t you? Learning to see Him in the little things, the everyday…and to worship with gratitude….

Psalm 26:7
That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all Your wondrous works.

Psalm 116:17
I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the LORD.

Psalm 100:4
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

So thankful to my Father for…

23.  Shabbat

24. Healing herbs

25.  The ability to hear lungs

26.  The ability to see beyond ears

27.  The technology to monitor health

28.  Healing wrapped with beauty

29.  A boy with an appetite

Won’t you join me….journal your gifts….as you watch your gratitude grow, your trust increases and life becomes an exciting adventure as you anticipate what your Father will do next….He is your source…He never fails….never forsakes……

He keeps me…breathless…..

Blessings,

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