a new sweater !

Mercy
a big 4 1/2 !!

Mercy wanted to show you
her new
sweater!!!
doesn't it look so
"fall?"

Happy Fall to All!!! Its here, and its cool here! I am missing my 100 degree weather, I don't think I will see it til next summer though :( I am already wearing a jacket in the house, window units are off, windows open, pumpkins, hay bales, corn stalks are all standing/laying proudly in our house but I am still a summer person! I am a flip-flop person! I was trying to strain a few more rays from the sun while ago, and sitting right in the sun was so nice........... and hot!!

I read a scripture over a week ago, and it has been on my heart for sometime but it has been so busy, I have not had time to sit here. I find myself writing about the last 3 years and the grieving journey often and I am not necessarily done writing about that but there are other areas of my life that need work, chiseling, re-done, and any other word that would describe "help!" We all need "help" don't we? The things I wanna do, I don't and the things I don't wanna do, I seem to do! There is this 3 letter word that I want in my life.....do you know what it is??? JOY! I think I have had it for moments, maybe even a day or so, but it is not a consistent attribute in my life. I have had joy about Joel and in this journey of grieivieng as I embrace scriptures that the Lord has given me and it is so peaceful and anticipating, but I have to exercise my mind to stay there. But what I really want to dwell upon is how I want to have "joy" at all times. Happiness tends to make think of ones circumstances and lost people can be happy. Joy is something from within. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Notice its a fruit, that means stuff has to take place before its ripe so to speak. I guess this scripture that I read is an eye opener of how to get this "unction" in me. I don't doubt there are many other scriptures that would offer direction but this one verse is one that leaped out as how to let "joy" spring up in me. And let me make this clear, I am writing all this as a plea, as I don't have this down, as this is what I need help in, so don't go thinking I am writing from "experience," I am writing as a confession that I need God's work to make this happen in my life! I tend to fall in the "happy" category" more often than the joy one. A new chair makes me happy, a new kitchen appliance makes me happy, the house clean makes me happy, when schedules go smooth it makes me happy and so on but what if I don't get a new kitchen, or another new couch to replace the old one, or a new dishwasher to replace the broke one or the house is a mess, I want to have something that will lift my heart out of the drudge because of the desires not getting fulfilled like I expected so that is where I see I need this fruit of the Spirit in my life. The scripture I read is Isaiah 12:3, Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. As I have been thinking upon this, I think one way for me to apply and receive the fruit of joy, is to draw it from the wells of salvation! The word water means grace, so in thinking of the different fruits of the Spirit, they are all "graces" imparted to us by the Holy Spirit. The well of salvation is so deep, so rich, so fulfilling, it is meditating upon Who He is, what he has done, the price, the pain, the sacrifice. It will be an exercise of enveloping my thoughts upon Him instead of me, instead of circumstances, instead of things. The well of salvation will fulfill any longing. One more mature with the Word than me could surely come up with more but this verse was just a verse for me and it spoke to my heart of my need for joy and how I might get it. In Him!

Here's a little rendition of the love chapter in Corinthians "if you have not joy ye are nothing."

if i have a new kitchen, yet not joy, I am nothing
if i have a new appliance, yet not joy, i am a complainer still
if i have a clean house, yet not joy, i am not fun to be around
if i have a new chair, yet not joy, then i show ungratefulness
to my husband
if i have 13 children, yet not joy, then i am not a godly example
if i have "things", yet not joy, then the "things" become
a list to check off and get
if i have not joy then i am not walking in His Spirit.....(ouch)

Lord.......how I need Thee!!!

Well, we got another busy week, do we ever not have busy weeks??? Today Bethany is purchasing/picking up a semen tank so she can breed her does with a straw and get incredible goats! Major, huh? You'll have to ask her bout all that, way beyond me!!!!! Tomorrow Anna has dentist stuff, Thursday thru Saturday several are heading to the Tulsa State Dairy Show, Friday some of us might go to a football game, ( I'll let you know Natalie :) also some company over the weekend. Lets see on Wednesday, there was nothing..........yippeee!!!!

Hope you all have a great Monday and stay warm......or maybe that comment is only for me!!


Big news for Josiah......his first bottom tooth is loose! I wonder if Joel's would have been loose too??