Reflection

Today, I would just like to share a few pictures I took during early Autumn. These little Pine Siskins came to clean out our sunflowers!  It was so fun to watch.  I think at one time there were six birds visiting.  It was a beautiful day and perfect day for pictures.  Hope you enjoy!

There are 5 friends in this photo!

I pray that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving day!  We had a very nice one.  Just us four, together, enjoying each other.  So nice that my girls are older and we can enjoy more things together.  I am so thankful for my family!  Thankful to our Lord for all He has blessed us with!

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him.  Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him.  Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7 (NLT)

Photo Day - Summer Catch Up

8-4-13 Castle on the Lake

8-4-13  I have lived here now for 14 years and they have been working on this castle since!  There has been so much done in these 14 years, but just think of how long it took all those Medieval time people to finish their castles!!!!

8-4-13  Rapunzel, Rapunzel...please let down your hair!!!  I want to live here!!!

8-4-13  Here is the Captain of the ship!  I love this man!  He is the best Dad EVER!

8-4-13  Enjoying the Pontoon!

8-4-13  This summer we were so blessed with having my brother all the way from New York.  I love him deeply and having him visit us made our summer perfect!  Wish I could keep him here.

8-4-13  Brother enjoying the Pontoon!

8-4-13  Arrrgggg Matey!

8-4-13  On the Docks, making great memories!

8-4-13 Meme and her girl! 

8-4-13  Meme enjoying the Pontoon!

8-4-13  My girl loving the open spaces!

8-4-13  Captain, giving the thumb of approval!

8-4-13  Storms a brewing across the way!  Such beauty here!  PTL!

Love sharing great times with my family!  This was such a wonderful day!  Being with my brother here in my hometown was priceless!  I miss him so much.  Can't wait to see him again!

Thank you mom and dad for always treating us with great times, but mostly for your incredible love!

God has blessed this family and I am so grateful for them.  Thank you Lord for all you do for us.  For giving us these great moments.  May we draw closer to You because of them!

School Has Begun...but first...

It has been such a long time since my last blog.  Truly time must be getting faster!  I wanted to share a few firework photos of our celebration for America and also my parents birthdays!  This year my parents were not able to come, but we still celebrated the fourth of July as if they were here!  We love them dearly and are proud of them as well!  Missed them extremely, but we were blessed with a visit from them with my brother (from New York) this month.  Hopefully I will get those photos ready to share that adventure!!! 

Love fireworks!

Oooooo....Aaaahhhhhh!  These were the fireworks right down at our city beach.  We didn't have our boat this year (sniff sniff), but we were blessed as always with a great show!

Happy Birthday American and Mom and Dad!

My sweet girl enjoying beach time! 

She played and played and met a new friend.  She is my social gal!

Here is my sweetie watching the Fourth of July parade downtown.  It was a great little parade and thankful we have this in our town.

So, now that it is August and now that we have a Freshman High School-er we decided to start school last Monday!  Our curriculum is brand new and we love it so far!  My eldest daughter has been showing super responsibility and getting up super early (hate to admit, but earlier than me!) and starting off with Geometry!  Crazy!  She has accomplished so much in just this one week!  From writing her first argumentative essay, to Bible study, Logic, Biology, Geometry, Apologetics, Chinese and more!  Wow...she is in for a real full year!  Plus, starting on Monday both girls will be involved for the first time in volleyball!  
My youngest (5th grade now) will start school Monday and we will be in full swing of the school year!  School, Music, Sports, Life, etc...

May God Bless you all during this next month...hopefully I will be back soon for another update! 

Sharing Photos

It is about time I had a few photos to share. With school finished and summer beginning, I hope to take more photos. Here are a few from May! I really loved the day my husband drove us up to the mountain to spy on this cute bear family! We had no idea she was a mother bear, until we heard not one, but two baby cubs crying!  Love our Heavenly Fathers earth and the perfect nature He created!

5-17-13 Our annual Lost in the 50's Parade!  Most years during this time our weather teases us with rain and possible thunder.  It did sprinkle a bit, but it turned out perfect and our town enjoyed the great parade.

Sweet family getting ready for the parade!  Love these two! 

Growing up, but her sweet spirit remains pure and perfect!

5-23-13  So we didn't see these guys first.  We saw momma just walking around.  Then we heard their cries!  Have you ever heard a bear cub talking?  They almost sound human!  So cool and exciting to be able to enjoy this!

Going higher and higher!

"Betcha I can reach the top before you!!!"

"Momma?"

We also saw a few does grazing the mountain grounds!

Momma resting while her cubs were running around.  I do believe she was feeding one of the cubs before I took this photo.  Not sure, but then she began cleaning herself. 

So very thankful for where we live. A little bit of everything here. Thank you God for you blessings! 

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5

Late...Again

Time is moving...I am rushing, feeling like I can't stop and breath.  Our fifth year of homeschooling is coming to an end.  My oldest is finished and moving on to 9th grade!  She finished strong and aced everything!  I am so proud of her!!! 
Still finishing with my soon to be 5th grader.   The day we decided to switch her curriculum has put us little behind, but I am so happy with our choices and I don't mind us being a little behind.  We should finish in two more weeks!  So proud of how far she has come and the knowledge she is gained!  Thank you Lord!
The garden has been planted, the grass is being mowed once a week, projects are being discussed and soon to be in action!  So much to do!  Tomatoes and peppers are in as of last night...hope they make it.  Looks like a storm is brewing!
The new chickens are growing super fast and we need to move them into the bigger coop SOON!  However, we also need to cull the older chickens to make room.  Fourteen chickens are way to many for our backyard.  Also, we may have another rooster...not sure yet.  
I have lots of photos I haven't even looked at and I hope to sit down at the computer soon to show a few!  Seems like I have put my "picture taking" on hold...which I haven't, I just need a few moments to share them. 
Church is incredible and I am so very thankful for the people we have gotten to know.  Our Life Group on Sundays will be slowing down now that summer is coming and we will be meeting about once a month.  I will miss our studying here together, but look forwards to planning other things...hopefully camping!  I pray that we will continue to study Gods word and hold Him at the top of our list! 
So, I hope to continue with this blog once in a while.  I want to keep in touch with those who read it.  Just other priorities have taken its place.  So, I will try and come back soon with another update!

May God bless you during these weeks and may you find Peace in Him!!!

Happy Easter

But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.  He was beaten so we could be whole.  He was whipped so we could be healed.  All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.  We have left God's paths to follow our own.  Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all!  Isaiah 53:5-6

Jesus did die!

A good man named Joseph, a member of the Jewish Council went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.

Luke 23:53-54  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.  It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.  

 

This was a very sad time for so many!  However, little did they know, this was not the end!  It was the Beginning!

In Luke 24:1-7 we read:  

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus!!  While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?"  He is not here; he has risen!  Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:  'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again'"

 

Jesus returns to his Disciples.  He returns and says "Peace be with you."  They were all startled and frightened! 

Can you imagine what they must have felt?  They had just witnessed the death of Jesus and now he has come back and is standing with them once more!  

He said to them, "Look at my hands and my feet.  It is I myself?  Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." Luke 24:39 

 

Jesus tells his Disciples to go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation!  Whoever believes in Him will be saved!

 

Then when it was time Jesus ascend in to Heaven!

Then Jesus led them to Bethany , and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them.  While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven.  So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy.  And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

Luke 24:50-53 

 

I am not a writer...sometimes I just don't know what the perfect words are to say.  In this case I don't know how to describe with words the feelings I have about our Lords death and resurrection!  I don't feel I deserve such great love and compassion.  I am so imperfect!  I am flawed in every way.  I am a sinner!  

I am incredibly thankful for what Jesus did for us.  He went through complete agony and pain for all of us.  He died and rose again for all of us.  

All we have to do is believe!  Believe in Him with all our hearts and bring Him into our lives.  In return we will live with Him forever in Heaven!

 This is His promise and I am so thankful to be apart of it! 

 

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.  And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

Romans 3:22  

 

 

His is Risen!

He is Risen Indeed!

Our Easter Eggs this year!

God Bless you all and I pray your Easter was great!

Remember to reflect on what this Easter has meant to you and your family.

Spring into the Knowledge of Jesus

Spring weather here can be so confusing! One minute raining, the next beautiful and sunny, and then down comes the hail! After all that, right back to sunny! I love it though. Love to see spring creeping in with grass growing, birds chirping, kids running and the dog rolling! Good times!

Hen ladies out enjoying the starting of the green grass.  Even if a light hail came down!

The Big Boy Bison enjoying the kids, chickens and sun!

Crazy kids saw the hail and went out to lay in it!  It was super sunny at the same time! 

It lasted only 3 or so minutes.  Kids!

Our sweet youngest daughter is our chicken master!  All the hens like her and she likes all of them!  Even our new baby chicks love her!  She has a way with the animals.

I love chickens!  Have I said that before?  I just love them!

Here is a professional chicken catcher!  She did get her too! 

So, I know we are in a time with Easter bunnies, baskets, eggs and candy.  What I really want to know is what does Easter really mean to you?  Have you sat back a taken the time to know what all this is about?  What is Easter?  Why do we celebrate it?  

I don't mind the egg dyeing, candy, baskets and bunnies, but I fear we are completely losing what this time is about!  I love that kids do Easter egg hunts and stuff like that, but my desire is to have our kids know what the true meaning is.

JESUS!

Should I say it again?  

JESUS!

JESUS is the reason we celebrate Easter!  Whether you know it or not, JESUS is the reason!

I know the Bible series on the History Channel has been a huge success and I highly recommend you watch it.  Yes, they haven't covered everything in the Bible, but it sure gets you thinking and talking and wanting to learn more!  Please, watch tomorrow nights show!  The Bible Series on History Channel, 8pm/7c.

Tomorrow nights show will be of His Crucifixion ( means:  The execution of a person by nailing or binding them to a cross.)  

JESUS was a humble man.  He did no one harm or wrong and yet He was a huge threat.  Even the chief priests and elders went against Him; Matthew 27:1-2.  One of his disciples betrayed Him.  One denied Him.  He was mocked, spit on, beat, flogged.  They made him wear a crown of thorns, shoved on His head to make Him bleed.  He was made to carry His own cross.  

Read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John...each man records the details of JESUS' death.  

Luke 23:44-46:  It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining.  And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."  When he had said this, he breathed his last.

I hope that we can reflect on what this all means.  Jesus knew He was going to die.  He knew that He was going to be nailed on the cross for a greater purpose.  He did this all for US!  Yes, US!  Jesus was the final sacrifice.  For all us sinners.  For you and me!  So, that now we are saved by Grace.  We don't need to do any payment for our sins.  They have been washed away by His blood.  If we should believe in Him with all our hearts and ask forgiveness of our sins, we will live in eternity with Him!

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, He gave His one and only Son.  That whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life!

But just wait...this isn't over here!  NO!  Jesus died, but He also rose up!  There is more to this story.  I hope to write more for tomorrow.

...to be continued. 

Update

I have no idea why I struggle to keep this blog updated! At least once a week is what I was hoping for.  I seem to let "life" get in my way! There has been a lot going on, but mostly just regular life! Here's a recap:

We have been working hard at school!  Here my daughter was reading Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography.  It was a very good book.  She has long since finished it and is onto reading Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright.  So proud that my girls love reading.  I struggled with it as a kid and I prayed that the Lord would help our girls to love it...and they do!  
Always lots going on during our Homeschooling.  So happy with how the year is going.  Love our Heart of Dakota curriculum for Olline.  Melina is doing super well with her studies, but we are looking forward to a change for next year.  Still praying as to what curriculum we will be using!  Possibly the one from My Fathers World.  She also finished her Science project she had to present infront of her peers and teacher.  She did her report on popcorn!  She did a super duper job!  Aced it!  Yeah!!!

On this day the girls had fun making Valentine cupcakes!  YUM!  They were delicious!

This was the start of February!  Look at that snow.  However, the glorious sun came out and it was a great time to throw a toy for our Bison Boy!  He has grown up so fast!

Olline loves to hold the chickens!  These girls are so sick of the snow and we all can't wait for some green grass!  (Update: Snow has melted, the grass is seeing the sun!  Can't wait to get into that garden!)

Come on Bison!  Bring it!  Bring it!  Good BOY!  Good Dog!  I love you buddy!

This was on Feb. 9th.  Our poor Hen...named Duck!  (I know...isn't that crazy?  My husband named her!  She lays big huge eggs like a duck too!)  She got egg bound.  Her egg was stuck inside her.  The scary thing is they continue to produce eggs even if one is stuck.  So we tried to give her a water bath.  Melina sat with her for a while to dry her off.  Today, she seems to be better.  She still isn't laying, but she is eating and drinking and seems full of life.  Hmmm?

YEAH!  This picture I just took today.  We decided to get new chicks!  We got them on March 6th!  EIGHT of them!  Two Rhode Island reds, two Barred Rocks, and four Buff Orpingtons!  WE LOVE THEM!  They have grown like crazy and they are only two weeks old.  Their cute little feathers are coming in and they are the most active critters ever!  LOVE THEM! (I think I already said that, but I just love them!)  The only sad part is, we are going to have to cull our other girls.  This will be my first experience with this!  I am nervous.  I just can't have 15 chickens in my backyard.  Plus our hens are not laying, but maybe two eggs here and there.  So it's time.  Not sure how I feel about it though!

My husband and I just finished our Bible study group last Sunday as well!  It was the most wonderful thing we have done.  I am so thankful we joined that group.  We have met the greatest people.  We have learned so much as well.  Learned a lot about ourselves and about God!  The Holy Spirit has guided us in growing closer to our Heavenly Father and I am so excited to see where He takes us next.  We will have a Life Group starting on April 7th here at our home!  This is really stepping out of our box!  I am a little nervous, but mostly super excited.  To actually watch and see how God works in all our lives is the most thrilling thing someone can go through!

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.  Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.  Galatians 5:24-25