I have been absolutely terrible about updating this blog due to the fact that we no longer have internet at our house, but for the few of those who may be wondering, we do still exist!

Tony has been very busy with work, and has done a tremendous amount of work at the house as well, planting more strawberries and blueberries, and building fences around all of it to keep the critters out. 

I'm trying to keep up with everything around the house, with the garden, and taking care of a toddler while growing another baby at the same time. 

That's pretty much it for now. God is good, and His love, mercy and grace keep us in awe!

Hannah's Dress

 This is the project that Hannah and I have been working on for quite some time now. The pattern and fabric did NOT work well together so we had to do a TON of altering, but it finally fits well. Isn't she pretty?

Back view. Many thanks to Hannah for her patience and trying the dress on a million times so that we could make changes!

Mom and Daughter Photoshoot!

Lydia was kind enough to do a mother/daughter photoshoot so here are a few of the final shots.

Awwww...

Swingin....

Kari and TJ's Wedding!

 Welcome!

 The gorgeous bride and her dad...

 Reading their vows

 Shooting ducks... (no kidding!)

Awww...

I'll post better pictures later - this is all I have for now...

Catching Chickens

Katie's First Solo Ride!

Rodeo Time!!!

 Katie's buddy :-)

 Ride 'em cowboy!

 Bronc bustin'

 Bull ridin'

 Mutton bustin' ( this little girl was sooo cute!)

 Barrel racin'

 Aunt huggin'

Finger lickin' good! :-)

Day at the Beach!

From prayer that asks that I may be

Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,

From fearing when I should aspire,

From faltering when I should climb higher,

From silken self, O Captain, free

Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,

From easy choices, weakening,

(Not thus are spirits fortified,

Not this way went the Crucified,)

From all that dims Thy Calvary,

O Lamb of God, deliver me.

Give me the love that leads the way,

The faith that nothing can dismay

The hope no disappointments tire

The passion that will burn like fire,

Let me not sink to be a clod:

Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God

-Amy Carmichael

Let Him Have His Way With Thee

Would you live for Jesus, and be always pure and good?
Would you walk with Him within the narrow road?
Would you have Him bear your burden, carry all your load?
Let Him have His way with thee.

REFRAIN:
His power can make you what you ought to be;
His blood can cleanse your heart and make you free;
His love can fill your soul, and you will see
'Twas best for Him to have His way with thee.

Would you have Him make you free, and follow at His call?
Would you know the peace that comes by giving all?
Would you have Him save you, so that you can never fall?
Let Him have His way with thee.

Would you in His kingdom find a place of constant rest?
Would you prove Him true in providential test?
Would you in His service labor always at your best?
Let Him have His way with thee.


How often have we sung those words without so much as a thought as to their meaning? What does it really mean to let Him have His way with us? I am learning more every day about what it means to fully trust Him and am convinced that that very thing is at the root of most of the problems that we face? We have to make decisions every day and many of them involve a choice as to whether we are going to handle things ourselves, or whether we are going to trust Him and leave them in His hands.
We do have personal responsibility in many areas, but I believe that way too often we don't stop even to consider whether a situation is our responsibility or God's. I have been through several situations in the past few months when I have been very tempted to say something to someone in order to bring something to light - after all, iron does sharpen iron right? I chose to put God to the test and say "Lord, I am going to leave this situation in your hands. I will not do or say anything in an attempt to change the things that I think are wrong - I'm leaving that up to you." Guess what? He fixed them in His way and in His time, and because He alone did it, He gets all the credit and receives all glory and honor! He worked things in marvelous ways, and had I said something, maybe the end result would have been accomplished, but it could not have happened in such a wonderful way as it did.
Our responsibility is to make sure that our relationship is right with God and our hearts clear and clean before Him so that He may work according to His will. He desires to do just that! He loves us with such a wonderful, complete love with which nothing earthly can compare, and all He desires of us is that we come to Him in brokenness and allow Him to build our lives as He pleases, us obeying His call and following wherever He leads.
O the freedom and joy that come from letting Him have His way! May we learn to trust Him!

Easter 2012

First off, I would like to say that Krista gets any and all credit for these photos - she did an awesome job!!!

Brown leaves sure look better when there's a cute smiling face in the middle of them! :-)

Runnin' away...

Awww...

Peekin' around the corner...

Family shot

There goes that tongue

Tongue again! :-)

Update...

For those who didn't get our family picture...

Katie 'n Justin

Our sweet little girl who's not so little anymore!

There are several songs that have meant a lot to me lately, so I thought I would share!

Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages cleft for me let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood from Thy wounded side which flowed,

Be of sin the double cure save from wrath and make me pure.

Could my tears forever flow, could my zeal no langour know,

Nothing could for sin atone- Thou must save and thou alone:

In my hand no price I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling.

While I draw this fleeting breath, when my eyes shall close in death,

When I rise to worlds unknown, and behold Thee on Thy throne,

Rock of Ages cleft for me let me hide myself in Thee.

The Haven of Rest

My Soul in sad exile was out on life's sea so burdened with sin and distress

til I heard a sweet voice saying “Make me your choice!” And I entered the Haven of Rest.

I've anchored my soul in the Have of Rest, I'll sail the wild seas no more

The tempest may sweep o'er the wild, stormy deep, But in Jesus, I'm safe evermore.

I yielded myself to His tender embrace, And Faith taking hold of the Word, My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul- The “Haven of Rest” is my Lord.

The song of my sould since the Lord made me whole, has been the old story so blest

Of Jesus, who'll save whosoever will have A home in the Haven of Rest!

O come to the Saviour He patiently waits To save by His power divine; Come, anchor your soul in the Have of Rest, And say My beloved is mine.

I've anchored my soul in the Haven of Rest, I”ll sail the wild seas no more; The tempest may sweep o'er the wild stormy deep But in Jesus I'm safe evermore.

Under His Wings

Under His wings I am safely abiding, Tho the night deepens and tempests are wild; still I can trust Him- I know He will keep me, He has redeened me and I am His child.

Under His wings, under His wings, Who from His love can sever?

Under His wings my soul shall abide, safely abide forever.

Under his wings, what a refuge in sorrow! How the hear yearningly turns to His rest! Often when earth has no balm for my healing, There I find comfort and there I am blest.

Under His wings, O what precious enjoyment! There will I hide till life's trials are o'er;

Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me, resting in Jesus I'm safe evermore.

Under His wings, under His wings, Who from His love can sever?

Under His wings, my soul shall abide, Safely abide forever.

What a comfort to know that our Father will always be there; He has already been through anything and everything that we may be going through; none of the circumstances in our lives catch Him by surprise.

I often see situations and want to “do” something about them. Having been given the spiritual gift of exhortation, I desire to “warn” everyone of the things I see. It's not that I want everyone to be exactly like me, not at all, but it is so painful to see others walking directly away from God and making decisions that have future and eternal consequences. God has been teaching me to let go; to trust Him with the lives of those around me. O how hard it is, but it has driven me to my knees in prayer. Sometimes it is my responsibility to say something, but God is showing me that He is able, He is willing, and He desires to make His power known in the lives of men. I think that we often hinder his ways with our limited knowledge and understanding. May we open our hearts to His perfect will, seeking not our own desires, but His deepest longings! How I desire for my heart to be as my Father's! To be so close to Him that my heart truly longs for His desires and His will to be fulfilled!

The Touch of the Master's Hand

I thought I had posted this several weeks back, but apparently I hadn't, so here it is!

As I think back on the events of this year, it has probably been one of the hardest year of my life up to this point. When I chose at the beginning of the year to give every part of my life into my Father's hands, I hadn't the least idea of all the trials that would come my way and the way of my family. Between a couple of close wake-up/warning calls in my family, the suicide of my brother-in-law, huge problems in the families of close friends, and more family problems in extended family, I sometimes felt like asking God how much more I could take. Everything has dealt with people that I am so close to.

On a brighter side, this year has been one of the best of my life. When I finally chose to give everything into the hands of my God, He has proved Himself so everlastingly faithful. I sit back in wonder at His gracious love, His mercy, His great kindness, and His never failing forgiveness. Through every storm that has beat about me, He has carried me on His wings. He has loved me and cared for me; He has calmed my heart with His peace, and given me perfect rest and quiet in His arms. I can truly say that I am, as Fanny Crosby put it, “Safe in the arms of Jesus, safe on His gentle breast.” He has given me peace that passes all understanding, He has taken away all fears. In all my years of knowing Him, this year has brought me ever so much closer to His side. Yes, I have known about His love, I have known about His faithfulness, I have known about His mercy, but never before have I experienced it to this degree of fullness. I can tell you that my God is faithful, because He has carried me when I could not stand; I know that my God is true, because the promises of His Word are being fulfilled in my life daily; I can tell you of my Father's mercy, because He has extended it to me when I am helpless; I know of His forgiveness, because I have wronged Him exceedingly and He has given me grace, pardon, and renewal of fellowship with Him. Oh how sweet is that fellowship!!!! It can never be known until it has been experienced, and it can never be experienced until my will is entirely submitted to His perfect will. I rest in my Jesus because He is faithful, and He is true. He will never give me a burden that I cannot bear; but I have learned (am learning!) to lay my burdens at His feet and leave them there. Oh how badly I desire to pick them up again sometimes, and yet, I'm learning that not only is His way perfect, but His timing is perfect. I must simply trust Him and, not so simply,.....wait....

Through everything that has come my way, my heavenly Father has given me a more perfect peace than I ever imagined possible. I have been shown examples of true godly love displayed in the lives of fellow believers that I would never have seen, had some of these “tragedies” not occurred. I have been touched by lives that from the world's standpoint have been torn apart.

All of this can only be explained as: The touch of the Master's hand.

Just Some Pretty Flowers!

More...

This cow was very intrigued by my quad!

Daddy and his girl!