gleams of glory

........gleams of glory from the spiritworld cheer our hearts, and urge us onward.

I read this little phrase this morning and it brought to my mind this photo! I think when I see rays again I will think differently now. The rays will remind me of the glowing city just over there. The rays will remind me of the glowing inheritance that awaits. It's a city built with the Light himself illuminating it and glowing so bright that we can have a foretaste now by the bright glowing rays like this photo. It awaits for those whose names are written on His breastplate! So next time you see rays demonstrated in the sky, let it remind you of the gleaming city of glory and urge us onward and cheer out hearts....it's just over there!!!!

Have a great Thursday!!

it's a wonderful day..... when your free in Christ!

Read this today and it is so!!

I'm not talking about people who insist you obey certain laws or moral rules in order to be saved. Such people aren't legalists. They are lost! They are easily identified and rebuffed. I'm talking about Christian legalists whose goal is to enforce conformity among other Christians in accordance with their personal preferences. These are life-style legalists. They threaten to rob you of joy and to squeeze the intimacy out of your relationship with Jesus. They may even lead you to doubt your salvation. They heap condemnation and contempt on your head so that your life is controlled and energized by fear rather than freedom and joy and delight in God.

Rarely would these folk ever admit to any of this. They don't perceive or portray themselves as legalists. If they are reading this they are probably convinced I'm talking about someone else. They'd never introduce themselves: "Hi! My name is Joe/Julie. I'm a legalist and my goal is to steal your joy and keep you in bondage to my religious prejudices. Would you like to go to lunch after church today and let me tell you all the things you're doing wrong?"

I suspect that some of you are either legalists or, more likely, the victims of legalism. You live in fear of doing something that another Christian considers unholy, even though the Bible is silent on the subject. You are terrified of incurring their disapproval, disdain, and ultimate rejection. Worse still, you fear God's rejection for violating religious traditions or cultural norms that have no basis in Scripture but are prized by the legalist. You have been duped into believing that the slightest misstep or mistake will bring down God's disapproval and disgust.

When you are around other Christians, whether in church or a home group or just hanging out, do you feel free? Does your spirit feel relaxed or oppressed? Do you sense their acceptance or condemnation? Do you feel judged, inadequate, inferior, guilty, immature, all because of your perceived failure to conform to what someone else regards as "holy"?

Jesus wants to set you free from such bondage! As Paul said, 'you were called to freedom'!"

An okie reception!

My heart was full this weekend! Why? Because ALL my children, except Joel, and my new and beautiful daughter Kristen were here, at home, on our farm!! We had an okie reception for Caleb and Kristen on Saturday at our farm! Also Kristen's parents were able to join us too!! After it was all set up, I thought it looked like a flea market! Ha! It was soooo much fun borrowing, gathering, strolling through antique stores and getting little treasures to add farm love to the theme I wanted to create for them! Andrew, made all the signs for me and I painted them, he helped me soooo much and I appreciate his diligence! Hosanna, josh and jeremiah came along side Andrew and pulled their share as well! Mercy just enjoyed the seem like pumpkin patch at "our" house!!! We cooked up close to 40 pounds of BBQ, 120 hamburger buns and 5 gallons of ranch beans, 10 giant size "family" bags of potatoe chips, 120 bottles of root beer, 64 pint jars of lemonade we made up!! For the desserts, the request from the groom was magic cookie bars and I made pans and pans of them!!! Choc crinkle cookies.....dozens!!!! Peanut butter clusters..... pounds and pounds of choc over pounds and pounds of peanuts!!! oh and about 80 little orange topped cup cakes!!! I delighted in all the work knowing it would bless the dear newlyweds!!

A day I will treasure because I know it will be rare to have everyone here in the days ahead!!!

A few country farm wedding reception photos!!!

cliche'

"some things never change, BUT some things do!" you might can tell I am thinking back, reminiscing, trying to adjust to change.....still!!! Today at the Fair is what sparked the feeling. Several years ago we ALL would come spend the day, I would cook crockpot stuff and we would just hang out ALL day while Bethany showed her goats. Last year we kinda stuck to that plan but not everyone came. So this year it's just a few of us, I didnt bring crockpot stuff and we are not staying ALL day while Bethany shows today and tomorrow. Something about it makes me sad, yet it just is this way. It's hard to describe. Change.....it's different, it's hard, it's good.

Mercy got new water boots, pumpkin patch, a home concert!!

a Lego party!

How many Lego party's can a house full of Lego boys have? As many as we want!!!! Ha! And so it was! An easy party to put together! Built a few
GIANT Lego blocks out of boxes, styrofoam cups and some spray paint! Grabbed some Lego m&m's, iced a few cupcakes and drizzled 3 GIANT Lego sugar cookies with names like Joel, Josiah and Lego!!!! And whacked up some Lego fruit, gotta keep the health up!!!! Ohhhhhhh and balloons!!!!

An easy party! But this was the hardest bd to get through of all that Josiah has had without Joel. This year Josiah cried for the very first time. The night before the party, Wednesday, he was crying in the chair. At first I didnt know why, but as I held him, he told me he wanted "Balley"/ Joel to be here and missed him. He went to bed heavy hearted. He woke up today excited but throughout the day he mentioned he wished he were here for the party. This is literally the first time since Joel died that Josiah has shown grief. Course at age 3 when it all happened I wouldn't have expected him to. I was so touched that he felt this way, and I told him that. I didn't like seeing him
sad but I was blessed for him remembering, feeling, missing Joel. I have often prayed that Josiah will get a
"double portion" of grace, power, might, to live his little life for Gods glory.

Every year I try to come up with an idea of how to bring Joel into the
party and every year the Lord brings an idea to my mind. This year the idea was, I ask Josiah to build Joel's name into Lego blocks and he did! He was so excited and proud to do it!!

Caleb and Kristen surprised me with the little lemon tree in memory of Joel and the birth of Joel and Josiah!!! So kind!

Sooooo now we have "millions" of more Legoooooooooooo's!!!!! Yay!!!!

happy birthday!!

Happy Birthday to Joel and Josiah!! Josiah is 9 today!!!! So it's time for a Lego birthday tonight!!!!

Joel..... Forever missed, forever loved!!!

whooooooooooot!!!!!!!!

Some new Fall friends!!! I guess what ever season it is, we like! I hate to see Summer go but the crisp mornings, evening fires in the chimanea, Autum smells of cinnamon, football games.....it's all wonderful!! Hope your enjoying the verge of Fall!!!

Happy Saturday!!!

my fav........ solid blue skies!!!!!!