Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Catching Up !!





Resurrection day for us went well, we had a good size group in our fellowship, Terry did the teaching, wonderful food after and fellowship with dear folks! We stayed a bit later on in the evening with the hosts of home church for our children and others to play their instruments then Terry did a small teaching that we normally do on Sunday nights and had some pizza and that about gives you our day. I felt like I was able to throw off the sack cloth and ashes and fix my hope on the fullness of the anniversary of the Resurrection, on life, that death is conquered and to look with hope that I will see Joel again.

The guys are here today, gathering sticks, branches out in the pasture and loading them on a trailer from all the previous dozer and tractor work, clean up, I guess you'd say and Terry is working in the garden. Tomorrow they begin their big commercial job that will last about 3 weeks, so they will be coming and going in that time frame. Also my dad, their "Paps" is coming tomorrow for a visit through Sat. The guys are dissappointed they will be gone, but Lord willing they will return Friday and if it does not rain as predicted, Andrew has his first night of steer riding. Its opening night of the start of the Rodeo season. We have a goat show on Saturday as well, one of the reasons my dad came, he really enjoys going with us! So as you can see, a busy week ahead.

Oh... on Saturday Elijah was paged and had a good size grass fire to get to. There were other county trucks there too. Elijah said his chief is a bit of "lets get in there," the other trucks stayed on the outskirts, but he and the Chief went in. The chief told Elijah to "spray over on this side so my truck will not melt!!!" So as he got home and I see his face all gray and hear stories like this, that cedars are going up all around him, smoke is thick, I think I will pray harder!! He really likes this opportunity and its good for him, but this momma had big eyes as I listened to the report!!!!

Some fun business for Bethany and Anna is that they have now acquired several music students. Bethany has 3 students that will be coming on Tuesdays for violin and Anna has 3 students that will be coming for piano. Anna also teaches 3 of our children piano. Good opportunities for them, which we are thankful!

The garden is doing really well, thank the Lord! We have spinach and really all we can eat and more. By next week we'll probably be having more then our family can eat, but like I told Terry, its good to have more than not enough and it does not really cost anything if we do not get around to eating ALL we have planted. Once again, thankful for Terry's skills and one of the basics is good soil and it takes a long time to get it that way. Work and patience!! Sounds like the garden offers lot of wisdom for our everyday lives.

How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter, Lam.4:2. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellancy of the power may be of God, and not of us, 2 Cor. 4:7. To see a child full of health and then to go down so fast makes these verses become more real. How "earthen" we are, these bodies do not last, we are susceptable to sickness, disease, and we just wear out eventually. Vessels and pitchers get chipped, broken, cracked. I am blessed by the thought that our Designer has created us so wonderfully and fearfully, we are the work of the hands of the potter. But what I thought was so wonderful is that the "treasure" is not us, our vessels, our pitchers, but we are made to be filled and allow the excellancy of the power of God to flow, to over flow, to spill out from the tops and even seap through the cracks as I was thinking sometimes I do not feel like I am overflowing but I do want the power of God to flow through the "cracks," of this pitcher, of this vessel. Its about the "excellancy of the Power of God", not us!!

Thought I would catch you up on the news around here, better go and see whats going on outside....had a few minutes here but now I hear hammers, saws and need to make sure someone responsible is using them!!!

2 comments:

Janet said...

I so love reading about your life on the farm and your wonderful family. It makes me sad to think that there are families out there that don't share the love and faith that your family so obviously do. Thank you for inspiring me. I think about you all often!

Mountain Mama said...

I would love to eat a spinach salad with you. Oh, the things we could talk about!

I also would love to bring my children over for piano and violin lessons. How sweet!

You are a busy family!
ps. thank you for your encouraging words! Love you :)