It's hard to believe that so much time has passed since I have posted. This last month has just flown by.
So much has happened.
Many things were scratched off the to-do list. Yay! That's always a good feeling!
I have opened a Facebook account....I'm not impressed. More on that in another post.
I saw old friends on Facebook...very nice but few really wanted to connect. That's a little sad.
My sister Cheryl, rode in segments from Michigan to Orlando, FL with a group to raise money and awareness for a pregnancy help center. It was grueling but very rewarding for her.
God has provided work for Bob in amazing ways! He is working with a pool company and a landscape company on a commission basis. He has several opportunities for sales right now. A BIG THANK YOU to all of you who prayed for us. Keep praying that these projects move forward. Also a landscape project popped up so Bob and the guys will be installing that in just over a week. God has been so faithful to hear and answer our prayers!!
Our garden started producing more beans! This is truly amazing! We had planted pole beans but they never produced. Now since the rainy, cooler weather has come, we are getting lots of wonderful, sweet beans! Also the yellow squash and zucchini are producing. More blessings!!
Bob has mastered Google Sketchup to the place that he can use it to present pools in a 3D format. That is a real praise as he had to relearn how to use the program and made quick progress.
I was asked to make some custom aprons and so making some more money for the household expenses.
We were accepted by the homeschool convention in SC, the one we really wanted to attend. The kids continue to sell ebooks.
We "happened" upon a huge yarn sale at Hobby Lobby and I was able to get some yarn so I can make more slippers to sell!!
And the list goes on...I see these things as direct answers from God to the prayers that we poured out to Him. Some people would say this was all coincidence but no, it is the hand of God.
Why do I doubt, why do I fear? There is no need. God will supply my needs. He will provide. He has proved Himself faithful over and over.
I am in an amazing season of life right now. I guess you could call it "growing pains"!
Recently, we have been praying, crying out to God, to show us what to do. In every area of our lives as a family and individually.
We had been going through such a dry time. We had to leave the church we were attending. We seemed to have almost no friends. My one good homeschooling friend had to get a full time job so I never see her anymore. Bob's work was very steady from March through mid-July and then nothing.
So we were totally and completely relying on God. And praying... and hoping. But, you know, God is faithful. He will never leave us or forsake us. It was just fine to be taken out of the busyness and hurry to stop and focus on His still, small voice. Sometimes, we can't hear it in all the frenzy. We rush on about our own ways and don't heed His voice, His directions, His ways. So we waited. And waited......
Just when we were about at our end, (of money), God sent work our way. He prompted us to hold a yard sale. Then another call for a design job came in. Bob has connected with a pool company and it may do very well for us. (Keep praying about that one, will you?) Julia was paid for her jewelry that she sold to a store (finally). Their ebooks sold well when hosted by the Homeschool Freebie of the Day. Julia was asked to do some graphic design and was paid well for it. Some Mennonite friends of ours run the Deli in town. I asked if they would sell some aprons, hotpads and slippers that I made. They were happy to do it and I sold almost all the slippers and hotpads in 2 days. (I had been trying to sell them at shows for about a year!)
We also had been praying about being vendors for homeschool conventions this year. The door to FL was closed even though that was our first choice. So we have knocked on the door of NC. Then God sent a lady to our yard sale to tell us of a new convention in SC called "Teach Them Diligently". So this morning I am filling out the application for that convention. Knocking on that door to see if it is where we are to be in March 2012.
We are friends with a sweet Mennonite family here in town and God is bringing me some sweet ladies online as new friends!
There are other things God is showing us. It feels like....
Isa 54:2-4 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame:.....
That may be taken out of context but that is what it feels like here. God is pressing us forward, requiring that we walk in faith and not in fear! He is showing us things we need to learn and do.
I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of this last night. As a family, we read 1 Peter 1. I was so encouraged by this.... 1Peter 1:3-9 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
Who are kept by the power of Godthrough faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Our faith is being tried right now and we are believing that it will come out more refined. God is keeping us by His power. But during this trial, we can have joy unspeakable and full of glory! We should be rejoicing!! Wow! I don't rejoice most of the time. But I can and I should. What a different perspective this is. Lord, help me to see and have faith through this season. Help me to hear your still, small voice and follow your leading, not doing what I think is best.
So, if you feel led, please pray for us, will you? I believe that God is faithful to hear and answer our prayers.
If you are going through a dry time, a trial, take heart! You are not alone and God is for you. Have faith and believe His Word. Listen for His voice for He wants to show you the way.
Life has been full lately. Some of the things we have been doing....
Bob has completed our third chicken coop. We call it the Dawdi Haus because it is attached to Coop 2. The oldest group of hens has moved in and seems to have settled in nicely.
It has 3 nest boxes and a nifty lid so that you can reach inside and get the eggs without going into the coop!
(He's so smart!)
He also has replaced our upstairs toilet, it broke! So glad he is a handy fix-it man!! I'll spare you the picture.....
Today he stained the back of the carport of our log home. It was one of those jobs way down on the list. But now it is done and looks great!
Of course, he is puttering in what is left of the garden, considering the heat and excessive drought conditions.
And, most importantly, Bob has had precious time to read the Bible. God is teaching him more and more and he is soaking it up like a sponge!
While reviewing some history books for the boys' schoolwork, he realized that his ancestors on his mother's side come down from the Pilgrims of 1620 and the Puritans that came over on the Winthrop Fleet in 1630!
And that they wanted a godly life and religious freedom and were willing to put their lives on the line to get it!
The kids have all gotten new computers. They were able to buy them with the money they earned from their businesses. So far, Julia has gotten back into blogging, taught herself how to use Gimp and started a new site for free blog backgrounds. (My new background is one of her free backgrounds!) She is also my "right hand man-er-woman"! She helps me so much around the house.
Mark has ramped up his schooling and is planning a new Lego movie with Steven.
Steven has made a stop-motion animation movie about David and Goliath. He is in the finishing stages and we are hoping for the premiere soon! Then Mark and Steven plan to do a movie together.
They are also kept busy caring for our 26 new little chicks that I posted about last time.
Me, well, I have learned to continental knit. I am basically a crocheter that dabbles in knitting. But I find knitting to be very slow for me. I watched this knitting video after someone suggested the continental style and I really like it! It will take some practice to get really fast but I have it down now. I love learning new skills even at my age!
It has been a whole month that I have been trying a new way of eating. A friend of mine has Fibromyalgia and she was greatly helped by eating this way. I don't have Fibro, but I deal with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Basically it is no sugar, no high fructose corn syrup and no hydrogenated oils or lard. Do you know how many foods this cuts out? The kind in a can or already processed? Quite a bit. So I have learned how to make my own refried beans, my own tortilla shells with whole wheat and ones from corn. I have made muffins with honey instead of sugar. I dragged out my old Sue Gregg cookbooks and voila! it was all in there! She has some great recipes if you want to keep it simple, from scratch and whole wheat, etc.
I have been working hard to promote the kids's ebooks, fixing up websites and finding another convention for next year. As well as plan and begin another school year with the boys.
Dealing with our garden produce has been a learning curve for me this year!
It has been a great problem to have, pumpkins and squash, tomatoes and peppers. Bob planted cayennes this year as well as jalapenos and green peppers and they have been prolific!! So I will learn how to dry the cayennes and make a powder out of them. They are too hot to eat fresh! But I use the powder all the time to make our hotsie-totsie sauce (like Taco Bell sauce). We've made lots of fresh salsa, too!
Today I washed about 5 dozen jars that were given to me. I plan to can chicken soup when we butcher 3 old hens whose time has come.
It is also time to buy groceries this week. I plan menus for a month and grocery shop once a month. I inventory all that I have in the pantry and freezer and then make out the grocery list. Tomorrow is the big day to hit the stores. I absolutely love doing it this way. I save about 9 hours of my time every month by only shopping once in the month. Occasionally, I'll stop in the store if there is a great BOGO sale or we need more produce.
This has been an incredible time of learning to walk by faith. In all areas of my life, I have to live by faith. My health, my children, our finances, our businesses, everything is out of my control and firmly in God's hands. I can't do anything to change these things except believe that God will make a way, show us the way to go and provide everything we need in the right time and the right way. We are not just sitting on our hands, as they say, but doing all we can do. But in reality, we can only trust. God is faithful and true. He will never leave us nor forsake us.
So this is what has been going on in our lives. What's new with you?
Leave a comment and tell me what new in your life. I'd love to hear from you.
Gotta run, Bob is patiently waiting for me to cut his hair!
Some days there is just too much to do. You feel overwhelmed. You begin to get stressed out. There is no way it will all be done in time.
Yes, we all feel that way sometimes. Julia has written a post for a devotional blog, Meditations of His Love. She speaks to that very thing. Click HERE to read it. I think you will be blessed!
Does God answer prayers these days? Does He care about the "little things" or should we just pray for the "big things"?
In January, my dear husband, Bob, was working outside in the cold. Somehow, his wedding ring slipped off of his finger and it was gone, totally and completely gone. He searched everywhere that it could have fallen off but could not find it anywhere.
It really bothered him and me because our marriage is so precious to us and the ring is a symbol of that relationship. Not to mention shortly after that in February we renewed our vows in a church service with all the married couples.
We prayed and prayed to find it. We prayed that God would show us where it was. Nothing, no ring.
Four months later, in April, Bob looked down at the ground near our front door because he saw a glimmer of gold. Sure enough, it was his ring!!
We have no idea how it could have ended up there. He had even looked in that spot before. Only God could have arranged that!
I believe God cares about the little things! I believe He wants to answer our prayers about small things. He wants us to come to Him as the loving Father that He is and ask Him for help, guidance, the things that we need.
To us, this is a miracle. Something that only God could do. It's like He is telling us not to worry, that He will take care of us and even give us the desires of our hearts. Reminding us again that He cares for the little things.
It's not about a gimme attitude, it is about relationship. It's not just going to God with our want list. It's about having a relationship of praise, worship, adoration and trust... trusting God to provide our very needs. Because He loves us.
Luke 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Psa 37:23-25 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
So, if you have a need today, pray. Bring it to your loving Heavenly Father. Trust Him to do the best for you.
Lay your burdens at His feet. He will sustain you.
" And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Luke 12:22-31
Lord, help me to seek your kingdom today, to not fret or worry about those things out of my control. Help me to place all things in Your hands and to trust you implicitly this day. Your Word is true and You will provide all we need.
This blog will serve as my place to share more personal thoughts, reflections and spiritual truths that I am learning. The plan is to post resourceful, frugal, creative and crafty ideas on the "So Dutch" blog,
The newest post is about free math worksheets. So hop over there to read about this great freebie.
What do you do when you feel agitated and stressed? How do you relieve that pressure that builds up from frustrating situations? Feeling overwhelmed? Fearful?
Pray! Pray and take all those concerns to God. He is waiting to hear you. One by one lay them at His feet. Repent, if need be. Forgive, if necessary. And then, above all, TRUST. Trust your Heavenly Father to go before you, fight your battles, provide and lead.
Then, rest. Rest in His peace which passes understanding. Know that He loves you and will take care of you.
Focus on Him, not the storm around you. He is willing and able to meet your needs.
After praying about it for about a year, we believe that it is time to put our house up for sale. We are planning to move to the area where Bob works but we are very open to whatever God has for us. Would you please pray for us? Especially, that we could walk in peace through this whole process. If you are interested in our house, please leave a comment and I'll get back to you. :)
We have a beautiful home and it will be hard in a way to leave it. But we believe that God is faithful to provide what we need for the next season of our life. He is leading us to walk by faith and not by sight. I find this challenging yet necessary. The right things are not always easy to do.
How is God directing you to walk by faith and not by sight? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Everyday I wake up I am presented with a choice. Circumstances and situations may press about me but they do not have to influence my inner state. By that I mean my level of peace and joy. It seems so easy to let the things around me determine my mindset. Will I be joyful and peaceful? Or will I let the cares and worries and troubles around me steal that precious gift from God?
"Choose this day whom you will serve." Joshua 24:15. I have a choice. No one can make it but me. It is not someone else's fault if I am crabby or unsettled. Even if my own body is in pain or just not feeling well is not a reason to go under and become negative. My spirit does not feel pain.
Did I say this would be easy? No, not necessarily. But it is a choice. So I choose this day to walk in peace moment by moment. If I stumble and fall, I will repent and get back up to continue in that peace and joy.
Actually, I am not doing this in my own strength. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phil. 4:13. For when I am weak, He is strong to work through me.
But I believe that God leaves the choice up to us. He will not make us follow Him. So I must choose.
Then after I choose, I must act. Put on "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." Isaiah 61:3. Start speaking it out. Praise God for his promises. Thank Him for his faithfulness and blessings. Put on music that you can sing along with to praise God.
Pray. Talk to my Heavenly Father. Give over to Him all the things that are tumbling around in my head. What about this bill? What about the future? What about____? As I give these things over to God, I am trusting Him to take care of them. I believe we must walk by faith. Sure, I have to do what I can do but most of those thoughts are things beyond my control. What a relief to turn them over to God.
Use my sword. (Eph. 6:17) Jesus combated the evil one with "it is written", the Word of God. When the fears/worries/thoughts come swirling around like a fog, stand up and say, "No! It is written...." and then quote the Bible verse that applies to that concern. This requires preparation. The Holy Spirit will bring to mind the truths that I have tucked away in my heart. So I must be in the Word to know the heart and character of God and what He does for me. At times, I have even written out a "Lies vs. the Truth" list. That is very helpful to combat the wrong thoughts with the appropriate scripture that refutes it.
So today will be a peaceful day. Today will be a joyful day. Even if I fall and scrape my nose, I will get back up and choose once more to follow Him. Psa 37:23, 24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
Psa 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
I am a believer, a Christian, saved by grace and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. I am a daughter of the Most High God. I have been married for 21 wonderful years to the best man on earth. I am mama to 3 special children that we have homeschooled all along. I love to create things, like crochet, sewing, quilting and even canning. I love music, singing, simple living, raising chickens and cooking.
