Garden Helpers...

March already.....beautiful day, so Terry planted onions, approx 175 of them! He had alot of little helpers. One of the blessings of small children is they are closer to the ground and they can easily bend up and down without aches and pain! Our children have always loved the planting time. Last year we did not have garden, it was our 7th year and wanted to apply the principle of letting our ground rest. One of those waves came over me this morning, I had the windows open and heard the chatter of birds and it brought a great sigh, Joel's not here to help his daddy plant, he's not here to romp and run in the warm day.....but I girded up and went on. I read a scripture in Ps.149:2, Let Israel rejoice in him that made him; let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. I enjoy scriptures about children and heaven, Joel is rejoicing in his King, the one that made him. I can receive that as a comfort for today. The picture of Joel was his last spring with us, he loved his farm and all the happenings, he was an outside boy for sure, he put alot of miles on his little feet in three years running all over this place. The feet imprints are on a sidewalk that has hands starting with Terry and then goes in birth order to Josiah, Joel and Josiah did feet because we could not get their hands to open and spread out! We are needing to get Mercy's feet soon, now that it is warm. The last concrete stone has a scripture I wrote on it, Prov.24:4, And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. We are blessed, our chambers are filled with greater riches than anything the world has to offer.....children!!!! Micah, Andrew and Joshua have helped so much with the flowerbeds, we got the south side done now. We had so much smoke from leaves burning, it looked like "indians on the war path." The weather sure plays alot on our feelings and emotions dosen't it? I guess I just know what he would be doing if he were here. Josiah jumped up on a rock and said "remember how me and Balley use to play on these?" We all miss him and that will never change!!!

I am so mad at myself....the children have done a few things that they received some money for, and they wanted to go spend it this morning. Josiah only had four dollars and he wanted a cap gun. I told him he did not have enough to get one, I was hoping to instill a principle to him or he might pick out something else, but it did not work. Hosanna did have enough to get one, so she made her selection and then guess what happened....Josiah starts whinning that he wants a cap gun. I told him again that he did not have enough and it was only proceeding to go to a higher pitch, so I got frustrated and said "here get the cap gun, I told you, you did not have enough, it is so sad that you are whinning over this." Of course he was happy to get it, but I did not instill the princple that I wanted, I reacted the wrong way!! Several reasons I was so sad with my own self, just this morning as I prayed I had made a request to the Lord and quoted back the scripture to the Lord about even as we earthly parents know how to give good gifts and we are evil, how much more do you give good gifts as our Heavenly Father I do not have it here to write out but maybe you remember it. So I am sad that here I am desiring a prayer to get answered and trusting that the Lord will hear and aid me because he is my Father, In reality I act many times like Josiah did, I whine or complain, or am not content. I was sad at myself because I was not a good example. Of course I did ask the Lord to forgive me and Josiah too. Josiah asked forgivness too for being whiney as I prompted him and we talked about it briefly. And I was also sad that I did not have a sacrificial love to him at the start to make up the money amount and be willing to give him a good gift just like I was asking from the Lord. As we were driving home, I was sad, because I would have done anything to be able to buy Joel one. It is the mercy of God that we(I) am not consumed! A humbling situation, still need help, growth and a continuing repentant heart!!!! A little commentary on cap guns, BB guns and pellet guns......in 14 years (since Caleb and Daniel were about 6) of gun buying, we could have an armoury that out weighed some army I know, if we had them all, and all the trillion, zillions of BB's shot.... they just found two bb guns out in the woods the other day..... and all the money spent on the little $20.00 ones up to the $99.00 pellet guns!!!!! You see how these brothers have influenced Hosanna, she's a little "Annie Oakley." But I guess its worth it..... the fun and memories!!!!!!

We have a few colds around here, stuffy, runny noses, coughs, Oh I pray it does not get worse. There are sooo many others sick. We are not meeting for church tomorrow due to sickness in other families. May the Lord keep you all well too!

I have to get my thinking cap on.....birthdays coming. Mercy's 2nd birthday on the 19th and Andrew's 12th birthday on the 21st of March. I have some ideas and I think it will come together. What our family likes to do as our young fellows turn 12 is have a "manly party" recognizing young manhood. The last one was with Micah in Aug.06. Joel and Josiah had the biggest time. We had the BIG party up at the barn, lots of food, lights around the cedar poles, probably at least a hundred balloons strung across the barn rafters, (we used the air compressor to blow them up) played some games and then the main thing we like to do is have a time where Terry, Caleb, Daniel and Elijah speak a blessing over them with challenges to set their hearts as flint to follow the Lord! We want them to have a mile marker of rememberance of entering manhood. So, I am trying to really go all out as we did with the others. It is a very special time in our sons lives for our family. I have to get busy!!!!!

Blessings to your family as you prepare for the Lord's Day!!!

Cindy