We're moving forward

What a glorious day today, the sun is rising, the birds are chirping and the horses are playing up in our field, even though it is only 23 outside, you would think it was Spring. Oh wait...it is Spring, the last two mornings I fed our animals in a blizzard with over 4 inches of snow on the ground, but it is spring and today is a great reminder of new life.

Today gives me much renewed energy to move forward from the last two weeks of "trial"....I say trial because I feel like we as a family have truly been tested. These are times when you either turn farther from God or draw closer to His love. As a family it either makes you love each other more or become frustrated and out of patience. I would have to say I was the later, I lost my patience and was easily frustrated with the circumstances that were brought before us. Three very sick kids, one very sick husband, an injured horse, broken down truck and a best friend who is is dealing with more in her life than I think anyone should ever have to experience. After 5 visits to the doctor and hospital, 3 x-rays, 4 people and one horse on antibiotics, one vet. visit to our farm, and two visits to the car dealership.... we have been emotionally, financially, physically, and spirtually tested over a very long two week period. Frankly my attitude towards adversity has not been noble or admirable in my eyes, I feel like I failed in honoring our Father. Which has forced me to move forward and find new hope and energy in life. To appreciate times of adversity that draw us closer to our loving Savior.

My hope lies in the cross, where our sweet Savior layed his life down for our ugly sins and gave us the opportunity to be clean and free from our failures. Even for a single moment to realize that we are free from our sin allows our heart to be renewed. This renewal I pray would stay with us until the next time we are tested in hopes that we will turn to Christ for strength instead of relying on our wordly ways and sin nature. I'm reminded that worry is sin....why do we worry so??? Why do I worry about the things that we can't control, why do I take the control away from my Father? Sin Nature! Ugly sin that makes His heart ache. I fall and He picks me up, He forgives and makes me clean, I disappoint him and He unconditionally loves. WOW! Our Mighty, Wonderful, Savior! What a joy it is to know Him, to have a relationship far greater than any relationship we have on this earth. To know the one who created our families for us, and so sweetly gave us the opportunity to be part of His creation. All thanks be to HIM!

My perspective has changed thanks to loving friends that God has placed in my life. I thank God for providing accountability for me in these difficult times. I'm sad to see my attitude fail, but so encouraged by those around me who are there to lift me up again, thank you friends. Specifically my friends who lovingly stood by me and prayed for my family and so sweetly and gently reminded me of Christ's love. Thank you for being great examples and providing encouragement when I had lost my perspective. God is so good.

So today is a new day, we are new every morning, Great is His faithfulness! I pray everyone has a wonderful day and thank you friends for you love and encouragment.

Just thought I would blog...

So again we were up early this morning with Breezers who had taken off half her clothes last night and was saying she thinks she needs medicine. So I reached for the faithful braun thermoscan thermometer and was not shocked to see that she 103.2....needless to say, I agreed with her that she needed more medicine. Poor little thing, she was coughing so hard that she gagged and puked in her mouth....yuk. Anyhow, I think I am taking her to the doctor this morning because her fever has gotten higher since Friday. Lauryn also woke up under the same circumstances so I think we will call the Dr. at 8 and hopefully get them in....oh did I mention that it is snowing outside and 23*...I actually never want to complain about the weather because it is completely out of our control and to be totally honest it is also part of God's creation. I grew up with a Dad who was a complete news and weather junkie (obsessed)...so I really don't care what is happening because I can't control it...so I just sit back and watch whatever God is creating for us. Anyhow, I better go workout and shower before we head to town.

Sick kiddos

I am feeling really bad for Lauryn and Breezers who have been sick with the flu since Friday. Bree has been having a pretty high fever which tonight hit 103.5. Neither one of them can breathe and both are coughing horribly. I pray for rest tonight for both of them and selfishly also myself. So I will blog another day when I have a little more energy. Oh please pray that the rest of us don't get sick. Going to bed now.

Crazy morning....

So, we had a little excitement this morning on our farm, well more exciting then normal because there is usually something exciting going on at all time but today was a little different.... I looked out the window up towards the horses and chicken coup only to see a coyote standing about 3 feet away from one of our chickens. Much to my surprise all the chickens were just standing there like nothing was wrong...um I know that they can be a little dumb sometimes but come on...I didn't think they would just stand there waiting for mr. coyote to have his morning snack. So the great farmer as I am quickly ran outside to try to scare it away....did I happen to mention I'm in my jammies and crocs running through the chicken mud screaming at the coyote. So he runs maybe 50 yards away and just stands there, knowing that I have a fence line of barbed wire between us. So.....since he was going to be so stubborn and just stand there, I ran back through the mud as it squished between my toes to the house.... got my 22 and ran back up there to find him still standing there. As I am yelling at our dog Maia to run back to the house....note to self if there are more than one coyote they can kill dogs, so I didn't want her to chase after it if there were more over the ridge. Anyhow, as I got ready to shoot he takes off, I took three shots at him only for him to run away from me. Those buggers are fast! I actually had a lot of fun because I love shooting my 22 rifle. So I stayed up there and shot a few more rounds just for fun...actually it was fun to watch the horses run away, they are so pretty when they get excited. Anyhow, I love having a farm because you never know what your day is going to bring. Of course I called Keith and let him know and he was pretty jealous that he didn't get to shoot at the coyote. Next time I will grab the rifle first and hopefully get ourselves a coyote skin....ha ha ha. I'm very thankful we didn't lose any chickens.

Homeschooling?

The Lord truly led us into homeschooling. Lauryn was struggling with anxiety issues at school this fall....she was a really scared and sad little girl. After praying for an answer for a long time, our hearts were ready to homeschool. At first I was a little overwhelmed with trying to establish a schedule, but in time I really began to relax and allow God to lead us. Lauryn absolutely loves being with her sisters and family. I really believe that her heart was broken when she was away from us for so long, and frankly my heart was also broken hearing the sadness and fear that was in her little heart. To see her heart free from fear is truly a God given gift which began a long time ago on an old wooden cross where the Lamb gave His life to save us all. Everyday I have to remind myself that fear and worry were washed away, along with our mistakes, failures and sins. When life seems to consume me and the enemy comes into attack, my prayer is to be reminded of what our Saviour did for us on that day so long ago. Whether it be by picking up the bible and seeking encouragement or conviction...or by talking with my Father in heaven or by worshiping in song.... I have been trying to seek Him throughout my day. I want my girls to see me as a child of God who seeks to know our Father more. What homeschooling has allowed us to do is turn our focus on learning more about Him instead of what the world wants our children to learn. God is being removed from everything around us, our nation, our schools, our government. It became evident that the light that I had prayed my girls would be in school was being dimmed by the enemy. I truly believe that there are so many wonderful schools and teachers that do a wonderful job with our kids...believe me, my mom was a teacher, I was a teacher and a lot of my best friends are teachers now and they all do a wonderful job, but what God continues to reveal to me is that He gave my children to me as gifts and that is what they are to me...gifts that I need to treasure, love, nurture, teach and guide in the direction of Christ. As much as I enjoyed being involved with school activities...that enjoyment does not even compare to watching my children learn with my own eyes all day long. Seeing them seek God on their own and watching them grow closer in their relationship with Him and watching their special relationship as sisters develop into great friendships. I also have the opportunity when days are hard and challenging to guide them in the right direction. I fail miserably....daily....and only by the grace of God can I be lifted up again over and over again. Homeschooling is, and was a difficult decision that I will continue to lay at the Lords feet every single day. I never want to be in control of it, I want it to be truly all about our Father and allow Him to be the one who guides and teaches my girls. This is so longwinded but to have the ability to write down why I am doing what I am doing is such a blessing. My prayer now is that I will not stumble anyone by what I have written...I only ask that you will pray for us. If you are reading this I thank you for listening. I better get going, we start school at 9.

The reasons why I homeschool...

My very first ever blog, yikes what has this world come to???

I trully can't believe that I am officially blogging, but I prayed and prayed that God would lead me to another outlet besides facebook that could be used by myself and others for accountability and a semi-social outlet that doesn't require noise. That sounds very odd, but my life seems to contain a lot of noise i.e. 3 girls and a lot of animals. So I ask for prayer in this adventure, that God would truly bless you and work on my heart in the process of blogging. I look forward to sharing daily thoughts, whether they be profound or humorous or even just plain boring, in any way I will continue to pray that my words honor our Great, Awesome God and that someone somewhere will be blessed through my crazy thoughts. Have a wonderful blessed day!

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10

" Two are better than one, because they have good return for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up."