Candlelight Service

Our church is having a candlelight service tonight. As I was thinking of this, my mind, as it often does, brought back memories of candlelight service held in a little white church among the hills of Pennsylvania when I was a child. (I think this memory thing must be a sign that I'm getting older or maybe we should say mature?!) Anyhow this is what came of my memories.

Candlelight brings memories

of times when I was small.

The church filled with evergreens

and smiling faces one and all.

We'd light each others candle

and in the glow of that small light,

We'd sense the very Presence

Of the one who gave us sight.

Remembrance of that starry night,

That time so long ago,

Would echo in the rafters

As we sang "The First Noel."

"O little town of Bethlehem"

Would leave our hearts aglow.

As we sang about the Saviour

Who came to fight our foe.

In candlelight we'd bow our heads

and thank the one above;
Who brought us Christmas here on earth

With a heart so full of love.

We miss you, Dad

Have Gun! Got Buck!

Joshua got his first buck this morning around 8:35. He was hunting in a stand by himself on our property. Tim and Caleb had already given up and had come in about 45 minutes before this. As the saying goes, "He dropped it where it stood." He shot from 60 yards across hilly terrain. It was a nice-sized 6 point buck.

Moriah Joy and Melody Rose

I'm not sure why, but these pictures turn grainy when they get to my blog.

Autumn's Gold

Piles of Kids, Piles of Leaves

Piles of kids,
Piles of leaves,
Piles of laughter under the trees.

Laughter and children
and leaves make three.
Autumn is fun as you plainly see.

Contentment in Solitude

He Remembereth

"For He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust." Psalm 103:14

I'm so glad for a God who responds with plenteous mercy when the "dust" of life builds up. He knows, he remembers and takes into account our fraility and responds with mercy that is everlasting. How awesome is that!

A Boy's Playground

Rocks, sticks, water, and blue sky above are the things that make up a boy's heaven on earth. A boy loves to discover interesting fossils, rocks with cool looking colors and shapes. Sticks thrown into the water become boats on an imaginary journey. Boys love to climb the cliffs and conquer and claim their land. Thank God for the things and the joys that make up little boys.

O to be a child again

O to be a child again without a trouble or care.
The happy grins, the whispered word, laughter in the air.

The sparkling eyes, the skipping feet, giggles that are shared.
These are blessings that are given from the One above who cares.

The One who is our Maker said, "come as a little child."
This lesson we must learn even when the days are wild.

Enjoy the day, enjoy each moment, trusting each day to God.
Knowing that each day from Him was sent, we trust..as we walk this sod.

Will You Teach Me about God?

Last night as I was tucking the girls into their beds for the night, a question was asked from the heart. "Mommy, after school tomorrow will you teach us about God?" "Of course I will," I answered. As a kissed them good-night and walked down the stairs I prayed that they might always want to learn more and more about God, our Father. What a privilege to be thought worthy of knowing something about God that I could teach my girls.

So after school with the girls, laundry waited, dishes sat piled, house sat untidied as the girls and I went on a spiritual journey to learn about God. As I came into their room to talk, Moriah with a beaming face says, "Mommy, after we learn about God we're going to have a party." What an insight to realize that God can bring the joy to have a party.

As we talked about God our Creator and how He made each one special and unique, I saw the joy of a child's belief in a God that cares. With a sweet smile, Melody says, "Mommy, I love God so bad."

Though Bible stories are read in school each day and our family meets for devotions each evening I plan to continue to put aside extra time each day to teach my girls about the God who loves them. What else could be more important?

Watermelon

My son, Caleb has grown many things in his garden. One of them being watermelon. He had to throw out many watermelon that began to rot. He finally declared that when he got a watermelon he would eat the first one by himself. His first and biggest watermelon finally ripened with no fear of rotting. So here he is eating his watermelon. He did share a few bites with his sisters and brothers, but for the most part he finished it off by himself. It was actually a very good tasting watermelon. I, too, had the privilege of a bite.
We've also had lots of cantalope from Caleb's garden, as well. It has been delicious.

Our German Shepherds

Melody and Axel

Caleb and Bella

Home grown meal

Yesterday we had a home grown meal. We raised the rabbit and the rest was from the garden or the meadow where we picked the blackberries. On the menu was:

Roasted Rabbit

Golden Buttered Potatoes

Corn

Butternut Squash

Coleslaw

Pumpkin Pie

Blackberry Pie

Dayton Air Force Museum

On Saturday, August 1, we went up to the Dayton Air Force Museum with my sister and her family. Here are the 10 kids with my husband. He probably looked like the Pied Piper with all these kids trailing after him all day. We had a great time, even though it was rather tiring.

More Pics from the Dayton Air Force Museum

Making Salsa

We've had loads of tomatoes. Also grew peppers, onions and jalapenos. Perfect ingredients for making salsa. It turned out great with just the right "hotness." Dixie, just so you know, I wrote down the recipe for this one just in case it turned out. Is that a first or what?!? Now I am hoping to make another batch. I got 10 pints. I had another batch started the first part of last week. I had got all that time consuming part done. That of removing the skins and the seeds from the tomatoes. I had all 16 cups of tomatoes diced and in the kettle, ready for the remainder of the ingredients when our electric went out. It was out from Tuesday till Thursday around noon. Needless, to say I had to throw out all those tomatoes. So I was quite excited when I got this batch done and sealed in jars.

Harvest Day for Corn

Last week we harvested our crop of corn. It was a family affair. My husband and the girls picked dozens and dozens ears of Silver Queen and Peaches and Cream corn.
The boys husked the majority of the corn with some help from the girls. I showed the boys how my grandpa taught me to husk corn to get the majority of the cornsilk off so that you are not everlastingly picking silk off the corn.
I got the job of cooking the corn and cutting it off the cob. It was an all day job. I got 64 quarts of corn. Of course, we had to have corn on the cob for dinner and supper just like we did when I was a girl and Mom put up corn. M-m-m good.

Sing, O heavens; be joyful, O earth

"Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb: yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." Isaiah 49:13 - 16

A command to rejoice and to sing is given to God's people here in Isaiah. A command to rejoice in spite of difficulties. The reason for this is because of the promised Redeemer shown to us in verses 7 -12. A Redeemer that is faithful and personal. A God who will set prisoners free and bring a bright ray of light to those in darkness. That Redeemer has come and paid the price to redeem each of us out of the prison and darkness of sin.

As we walk with the Holy One we must in faith, sing and rejoice, knowing that our Lord will not forget to be merciful. Zion, God's chosen people, in the midst of their hardship cried out, "The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me." Times in our lives, leave us wondering if indeed God has forsaken and forgotten. The hand of God, his Presence and direction, and his mercy seem to be gone. Yet, in these times we are to rejoice because God is faithful. He will not fail. In fact, God's voice rings out across the ages once again as He speaks those words, "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, YET WILL I NOT FORGET."

That baby in the crib, crying for its mother has no other source of help. He cannot help himself. The God-given instinct in a mother sends her rushing to her childs' side to provide what e'er she can for her babe. She doesn't leave him forsaken and forgotten. She is their to wrap her arms of love and comfort around her baby and provide the nourshment he needs.

God, in His greater love, is there for us. In those times, when there is no other source of help and life seems to be confined to a small space of a crib, God is there. He has not forsaken, nor fogotten. In love and tenderness, God again speaks, "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." (The word 'walls' is from a root word meaning to join, or a wall of protection.) God sees us every moment. He has placed us in the palm of his hand with the blood of His own Son. He sees how we are joined as a wall to him. We are continually before him. He, himself, has provided us with a wall of protection. What comfort to know that the God of the Universe will not drop us from the palm of his hand. He wants to join us ever closer to Him. In those times of affliction and distress we can sing in our hearts, because He has not forgotten, He will comfort and have mercy.

Happy Anniversary

We've walked together through the valleys.
We've climbed the steepest hill.
We've kept our hands together
Throughout these seventeen years.

We will keep on walking,
Always hand in hand.
No matter what we'll have to face
We'll walk together to win this race.

Each step we take together
with God as strength and guide.
Will be a step towards heaven
with our family by our side.

Lord, thank you for giving me this
man who walks with me.
For his strength and caring,
his love unendingly.

His walk is true and steady.
His hand is sure and strong.
I'll follow him so gladly
when his hand's enfolding mine.

Parke County, Indiana

On Saturday, July 10, we had a family day in Parke County, Indiana. Parke County is known for their numerous covered bridges. It is located about an hour from where we live. We had a lovely time. We visited six covered bridges and two historic mills.
We went to the county park in Rockville and grilled out for lunch. Grilled Chipotle Pepper Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Grilled Summer Squash, as well as, Ham and Vegie Pasta Salad. The park was pretty empty, so the kids were able to go swimming in the lake while my husband became chef for a meal. We also browsed through a couple of antique/craft stores in Rockville. A very nice and relaxing day. The next couple posts have a few more pictures of our day.

Memorable Moments

1. Caleb climbs through the hole in this covered bridge.














2. Josh, of course, has to walk across the arched beams in the bridge.





3. The girls, thoroughly enjoying grilled corn on the cob.





4. The boys and my husband watching the water snake slithering toward land.