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Remember this picture?

I hope to have a picture soon, but we are losing branches out of this stately old Magnolia tree at an alarming rate.
I really wonder if we will be able to save it.

Snowy Evening

What is this???

During our last snow, I saw birds taking refuge under this table, though there was not much shelter to be had.  So today I went out there, put some protection up, and shoved the table against the railing and put down some thick cardboard.  Certain Man brought me some feed flats from the chicken house, and I put some sunflower seeds and peanuts under there just about the time the snow started.

It is really snowing, and things are covering up fast, but under the table, it is pretty much free of snow.  There is some moisture coming up through the card board, but the double thickness in the feed flat is keeping the birdseed dry.  I shall have to see what the morning brings.

We are doing okay so far in this snug house.  Certain Man is out running around trying to get some last minute things done, then hopefully he won’t need to go anywhere tomorrow.  He topped off the fuel tank to the farm’s generator and made sure it comes on in the event of a power failure.  I hope that if there are people who need a place to go, they won’t hesitate to come to Shady Acres. 

The sunrise this morning was a brief, red glow in the eastern sky. 

I looked out and remembered the words of Jesus,  in Matthew 16, 2-3 NCV

“At sunset you say we will have good weather, because the sky is red. ³ And in the morning you say that it will be a rainy day, because the sky is dark and red. You see these signs in the sky and know what they mean. In the same way, you see the things that I am doing now, but you don’t know their meaning.”

Listen to this, too, in Luke 21:9-11 NCV

⁹ When you hear about wars and riots, don’t be afraid, because these things must happen first, but the end will come later.”

 ¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Nations will fight against other nations, and kingdoms against other kingdoms. ¹¹ In various places there will be great earthquakes, sicknesses, and a lack of food. Fearful events and great signs will come from heaven.  

We live in exciting times, and we ought to be watching for His soon return.  We have the good news that the rest of the world needs in times like these — not just the hope of Heaven, but the guidelines of how we should treat our fellow men; how we should respond to things like disasters and things that are out of our control; what we should do with the things within our control to change.

Brothers and Sisters, live confidently, joyfully and prayerfully.  The world needs the message, and we need each other. 

What we all need most is Jesus.

Charis’s Daddy and Mommy had dentist appointments this morning, and when I decided not to go to Mama’s this morning since Our Girl Nettie was home from Center with no transportation, Oldest Daughter brought Charis for an hour or so.  She was so sleepy, but fought sleep with the determination only a small child can muster.  At one time she wriggled her way off my lap and crawled towards the living room with great purpose.  I let her go and then followed to find that she has a new game:

It made me laugh.  And reminded me of her mama.  When Christina was a baby, we could never leave those old round canisters of pop-up wet ones that were so popular back in the late 70’s on the dressing table beside her crib.  If she could reach them, we could expect that the whole thing would be on a pile inside her crib — all piece by piece.  She was fascinated with pulling one out until it would tear off, then pulling the little tiny piece that was poking up through the X shaped opening until it tore off.  It didn’t take too many of those things for us to learn to put it out of reach!!! 

Oh, my.  Good memories, Great new ones being made!

Snowy Morning

These pictures are especially for my far away girlies, so that they can see what it looks like around the old home place this morning

OUT MY BACK DOOR

 I stood  at my back door last evening, and took these pictures. 
It was prettier earlier, of course, but the cold actually seems to be more– 
–should I say, REAL in these pictures.

I came down this morning and the house was warm.  I went into the new sun room and turned on the lights to The Village, and looked at the gorgeous sunrise.  We are supposed to get more snow today.  I thought about Certain Man’s provision for me and for our family and was grateful for the man I married and for the many things he does over and over for me and our family without complaining.  I sometimes think about what it would be like to be married to a man who was a growly grumbler, and it would be difficult to live with a guy like that.

So, on this cold, snowy morning in Delaware, where “they” are calling for more snow, and it is all of about 15°, I’m counting my many blessings, heading for a good cup of coffee to drink while I read my morning Bible words, and thanking God for all His goodness towards me.

Oh, and about the “Village Lights” — Yes, The Village is still up!  And plans are to leave it up until Middle Daughter gets home from Chad, Africa, in the middle of February.  She is CEO in charge of storage, so we feel like we can’t do it without her. 

Hurry home, Beeba!  We miss you!

Thought maybe you would be interested in this note that came tonight — Certain Man and I are so glad to finally hear!
 
Hey Mom, we are here safe and sound. We should have access tomorrow, but not today. (sunday is the problem) DONT WRITE BACK TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS!!!!!!! She lives downstairs and is letting us use her account.
 
We got here on time, no major problems with the airlines. The guy at the airport didnät want to let me keep my bags, but the workers here were able to convince him to let me take them (without a bribe even).
 
Um, I still have the remains of the cold, so please pray that that goes away asap.
Pray that our team remains cohesive and alert as we start teaching the kids tomorrow at 800.
Also, my two toddlers are reminiscent of Daniel Garthwaites first days of Sunday School, so pray that I can win them over and that they have a wonderful time.
 
Gotta go, I only get 3-5 min on the computer.
 
Love you lots and lots. Please let everyone know, since I cant get on facebook.

Lovey

Beeba

Silly Old Myself today
Want to cry instead of pray.
Middle Daughter packing now
For regions far beyond my know.
A baby lies in desperate straits
While his family prays and waits.
Haitian millions starve and weep–
No shelter there for health or sleep
While war and famine, flood and quake
Their daily tolls of lifeblood take.
And I, who woke to this bright day
With health and strength to light my way,
Still want to cry –but need to pray.

It is quiet at Shady Acres.  I have finished the deposit for church, and Middle Daughter took it to the night deposit box on her way to Oldest Daughter’s house.  She is leaving on Wednesday for Chad, Africa, for a short term mission trip with Wycliffe as a teacher for their “VBS for Missionary Kids” program.  She will be teaching the toddler class.  I love to see her so excited.  She honestly feeds and thrives on the travel, the unknown, the opportunities, even the possible dangers.  And she loves little kids.

Middle Daughter has always been so careful with her money.  Whenever things like this come up, she looks at her savings and estimates whether she can possibly do this without asking anyone for anything.  That can be good in terms of running off all the time, but it can be terrible when it comes to accountability.  Somehow when you go off with just your own funds, there seems to be a sort of independence that I am not sure is good.  So when this came up, we encouraged her to not just “do it myself” but to inform the Brotherhood, and invite them to help.

This morning at church, friends brought independent offerings to be put towards her trip.  Cash, tucked in a sweet, sweet card.  Checks, given quietly on the side and representing sacrifice, and words of encouragement and promises to pray.  I’m not always sure that young people heading out realize just what this represents in terms of the home church.  It is a sign that they are willing to invest in, believe in, and pray for this person, and are willing for this person to represent the home church in the situation to which they are heading.

Which reminds me of how Jesus trusts all of us to represent HIM in the places we find ourselves.  That gives me reason to wonder why He trusts me, a fallible human, to be Jesus in the world around me.  And do I take it seriously enough?  And will I be faithful by His Grace to this call on my life?  I enjoy living so very much, but I confess that I am almost never excited about travel, the unknowns, and the possible dangers.  Just give me the opportunities, and please make them be right out my back door, and I’ll do my best to– well, do my best.

Okay, I’m an old “stick in the mud”.  I know it.  My family (for sure!) knows this.  And I suspect that God knows it, too.  He really rattles my cage sometimes.  But more often, He gives me more opportunities out my back door than I can really believe, and gives me such joy on the journey.  It’s funny.  As the days pass and I’m feeling better and better, and the fog of pain medication is drifting away, I am remembering the JOY!  That old excitement for what God might be doing next in the chapters of my life is returning.  I still have one more knee to do, and I can’t say that I’m altogether excited about that, but I am excited for the opportunities He is going to give me through and beyond that. 

Even seeing our girlie head off to Chad gives me joy.  We will miss her, and we will be so glad to see her come back, but I love to see our kids being faithful to God’s call on their lives, and it is a reminder that these wonderful people that have come from the love that Certain Man and I have for each other, have never really belonged to us.  They’ve only been entrusted for a time.  How I handle “letting go” can be a real measure of my trust in the Heavenly Father. 

Sometimes I wish I had the connection the angel, Clarence Odbody,  had in “It’s a Wonderful Life” where I could just look up and say, “How’m I doin’, Father?” and could get an instant answer.   Doesn’t seem to work that way, does it?  Sometimes it seems like there is a lot of “muddling” in the business of parenting, and I’ve made more than my share of mistakes in these thirty some years. 

This is where I come back to the fact that God loves my kids more than I do.  His interest in seeing them safely Home is even more than mine, and while I need to do my part, there is part that I can’t do, part that even God won’t do — unless they let Him.  And so, I pray they let Him.  I pray that the road I leave behind, though sometimes crooked, and sometimes broken, will still be light on their road to Jesus, and consequently, Heaven.

Lord Jesus.  May it be so. 

Yesterday, after the prodding of our friend, Lifebidder, (see comments on previous post)  I called the offices of the state to talk to my good friend there who I thought could maybe help me with the dissatisfaction I have concerning the wrong information on Gertrude’s tombstone.  She wasn’t in, so I left a long, detailed message, voicing some of sadness I felt at the discrepancies.

Today I came home to a message from her and she was upbeat and cheerful and has already talked to the memorial company to see what it would take to get things corrected!  I am so excited!!!  It may not even cost anything.  She promised to call me back next week after someone got back to her.  What a wonderful turn of events!

Thanks, Lifebidder, for your willingness to encourage me to do something about it.  I will try to keep you posted.