What Else Would I Do?

"The woman who makes

a sweet, beautiful home,

filling it with love

and prayer and purity,

is doing something better

 than anything else

 her hands could find to do

beneath the skies."

Copied from the Blog ~ Simply Farmhouse.

     When I read this, I thought what else would my goals be?  What else would I strive to do?  I love to stay home!  I want it to be a place of refuge...a place of love & prayer.  I want to hold my children close & teach them the things of God.  My desire is to pour scripture into their hearts daily.  I want to set a Godly example as their mother.  I want to be the wife my husband longs to come home to & care for.  No, with 4 kids our home isn't always quiet or perfectly clean, but it can be peaceful!  Helping my children learn & hearing them play brings such a joy & blessing!  I couldn't imagine sending them off & me going to work just so we could have more.  We have WAY too much now to keep clean!  lol  Enjoy life!  Hold your kids tight!  Greet your husband with a sweet smile & a kiss!  :)  What else could be better for my hands to find to do beneath the skies?       

Our Back Yard Garden

 

     We love to garden!!!  We plant a garden of vegetables every spring.  We also can & freeze them to enjoy all year long.  This year my Daddy came to help us plant it.  You can see our farm fields of wheat in the back ground.  It is such a beautiful sight right in our back yard.

Tomatoes (above) & Squash (below)

     This year we planted several rows of sweet corn & different kinds of peas.  We also planted a row of okra & about 80 Better Boy Tomato plants, 30 squash plants, 12 cucumber plants, 12 bell pepper plants, 6 cherry tomato plants, & 3 eggplants.  This will be plenty to eat, put up, & share!    This year we didn't plant early enough to grow green beans or potatoes.  Thanks to Nathan's family, maybe we will be able to enjoy those also.  Everything has grown so much since these pictures were taken just 10 days ago!  Today at lunch we ate our 1st pick from our garden-cucumbers!  We also ate fresh new potatoes shared from Nathan's parent's garden.  They were delicious!  :)  We are looking forward to the harvest ahead!  Yum!

Easter Fun

     We had a very blessed Easter!  Much time was spent with each other, family, & friends!  We were   coloring & hunting eggs, baking & eating, & going to Sunday Easter services.  What wonderful memories were made!

    

     Mamaw & Papaw surprised the kids by renting a big slide this year!  They all loved it & the cousins spent the night sliding & playing together!

Easter Cookies

This is a fun & yummy way to recount the story of Jesus' death & the wonder of Easter with kids!  We make these every year & my kids love this activity!  Each step of the way allows a chance to discuss the contributions Jesus made.

Things you will need:  1 cup of whole pecans, 1 tsp of vinegar, 3 egg whites, a pinch of salt, 1 c of sugar, zip lock bags, wooden spoon, electric mixer, cookie sheets, wax paper, & Bible

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the pecans into zip lock baggies & have kids break them into pieces with a wooden spoon.  Explain how Jesus was beaten by the Roman soldiers after He was arrested, & read John 19:1-3.

Next, add the vinegar to the mixing bowl & tell the children that Jesus was given vinegar to drink while he was on the cross.  Read John 19:28-30.  Have each child taste vinegar.  Add the egg whites to the bowl, explaining that eggs represent life & how Jesus gave His life to us by reading John 10:10-11.

Now add a pinch of salt to the bowl to represent the tears shed by Jesus' disciples & followers after His death.  Have each child also taste the salt to remind them of the bitterness of sin.  Read Luke 23:27.

The next step is to add the sugar while telling the kids how the sweetest part of Jesus' story is that He died because He loves us.  Let them also taste the sugar.  Read Psalm 34:8 or John 3:16.

Beat the mixture with the mixer on high speed for 15-20 minutes.  Have the children take turns beating the mixture until stiff peaks form.  Next, fold in the pecans & drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheets covered with wax paper.  Read Matthew 27:57-60 to explain how each cookie represents the tomb where Jesus' body was laid to rest.

Put the cookies in the oven & close the door.  TURN OFF THE OVEN.  You may seal it with tape to represent the way His tomb was sealed.  Read Matthew 27:65-66.

While waiting for cookies to make for about 10-15 minutes, read John 16:20 & 22 to learn about how the disciples & followers were saddened by the sealing of the tomb.

Remove cookies from the oven & allow them to cool.  Finally, distribute & break open the cookies which are hollow inside which serves to represent the empty tomb after Jesus rose!!!  Enjoy!  :)

Marianna's 1st Turkey

     Marianna has been SO excited about turkey hunting this year.  She delights in going!  She has even cried on several mornings when they couldn't go.  Nathan says she's a great hunter, quiet & still.  Her Papa Craig & her Daddy called this bird up!  She has shot at 2 others but this one she brought home!  We ate him last night for supper!  Great job Marianna!

Tough to Swallow

     Ever dealt with something that was tough to swallow?  Words spoken ringing like bells in your ears or even actions speaking louder than those words?  Ever just felt crushed again & again by the same circumstances?  Ever picked yourself up after being hurt over & over only to find yourself right back with the same muck thrown on you?  Ever been sick of dealing with a situation you didn't create, much less ask for?
     I've been reading through the book of Job, studying it, & searching for a peace in a trial that seems to never have an end.  I cannot possibly wrap my mind around Job's circumstances that surrounded him.  What sticks out to me thus far that I can identify with is that it was no fault of his own.  It was just kinda like being dealt a bad hand & it getting worse until it encompasses & effected his entire life.
     Job was beaten down by this situation & even seems to get angry with his "comforters".  It amazes me how he retained his integrity with God.  Job 20:25-26 says "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God."  Also, Job 23:10 states "But he knoweth the way that I take:  when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."
     When others fail us, God is still there.  He will see us through!  He is in control.  He sees the end.  He knows best.  Readers, you have been so good to comment, email, call, text, whatever...Please help me pray that God will continue to send His grace as I fight this battle, cover me with His wings, & send that peace & joy in the midst of me facing this that I don't understand.  Love you all!