How I spent my day...

My WHOLE day.....

I feel like I am swimming in strawberries. Seriously. BUT... I will be able to enjoy strawberries all year, whenever I feel like it and I shouldn't run out. I can have strawberry pie, strawberry jam, strawberry shortcake, strawberry sauce, juice drinks with strawberries, strawberry salad, strawberry soup, ......... ok, maybe the soup is taking it a little far, but I will definitely do the juice drinks and the shortcake.

To My Hubby

Have I told you lately what a good daddy you make? Have I told you that you are a great husband? Have you heard recently what a good friend you are? You are all of these things and so much more, babe. Thank you for your love, your patience, your sense of humor. Thank you for taking care of us, for making me feel protected, for being a good listener, for giving me good advice. Thank you for praying for me, praying with me and leading our family and for challenging me. I love you. Happy Father's Day.

I Wouldn't Recommend Playing With It....

The kids found this absolutely fascinating.



The dog was initially more cautious, but then even he wanted to play with it....

I was perfectly content to just take pictures.

CAUTION: NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART

Putting the Holes in Burn and Compost Barrels With Daddy

The Boy was in his glory. The Girl caught wind that The Boy was going to get to shoot a real gun with Daddy and wanted a shot at it herself. So, dearest Daddy went back inside and brought out Mommy's 22 and proceeded to hand one over to The Girl.

He set her up then bent down to show her how to line up the sights and then squeeze the trigger.



















They worked on the safety and how to hold it so we don't have the gun aimed at anyone or anything that a bullet may bounce off.



















Daddy then reloaded The Girl's gun and she hunkered down and squeezed of shots at a rapid succession.... Well, rapid for a six year old who has never shot. And, with almost every single shot that rang out, there was a resounding clang from the bullet hitting its mark.... my new burn barrel and compost barrel.



















Since The Girl was using my gun and hitting the barrels the majority of the time, I have a sneaking suspicion that I won't be able to use faulty sights as an excuse for my complete inability to hit a target anymore. Shoot.















Both The Boy and The Girl did a fantastic job of making sure that air will be able to get to my compost and they kept Daddy busy reloading for a LONG time.

Wordless Wednesday? Nah..... "The Silly Faces Post"

And, for the record, this is her fault.

Point Taken

God's been doing a lot with us lately, and many times when God is stretching you and teaching you and refining you, it hurts. So, for the first two thirds of this particular process, both J and I were FINE. "Ok, God, whatever you want.... I trust You!! I have faith in You!..." And then we faced the last two weeks.... (Yes, I've been hiding for those two weeks in case anyone noticed my absence and wondered where I was.) The questioning started. The faith faltered. We began to sweat and squirm and ask God if He remembered us. Through a variety of circumstances and people, God assured us that, yes, He remembers and, yes, He hears and, yes, He answers. I have found myself over the last week reminding God of all of His promises to us, almost on a continual basis. Even after I stopped sweating and squirming and got back to the submitting part, I still went around the house praising, thanking and reminding. This morning it occurred to me that He knows EXACTLY what He has promised my family. He knows EXACTLY when He is going to fufill those promises and He knows the work that still needs to be done in me before I can find myself in what He has promised. I don't need to remind Him. I realized that I had stopped just seeking Him first and praising Him just for who He is and was focusing on, "God, You SAID...." Now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing at all wrong with standing on His promises and His Word, but that should not be the main FOCUS of my relationship or conversations with Him. And as I was realizing this and begin to apologize to God for this, I opened my email for today and this is what it said:

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:31-34 NIV

__________________

He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered:
the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.

He hath given meat unto them that fear him:
he will ever be mindful of his covenant.

He hath shewed his people the power of his works,
that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.

Psalm 111:4-6 KJV

__________________

"You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied
And praise the name of the LORD your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;

Then My people will never be put to shame.
Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel,
And that I am the LORD your God,
And there is no other;
And My people will never be put to shame."

Joel 2:26,27 NASB

I like that. :) God knows. I don't have to remind Him. I just have to seek Him and put Him first. When I put my focus on Him and what He wants, everything else will line up. How awesome is that!

I have learned....

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

Hebrews 10:23 NASB

Sometimes, while there is a storm raging all around you, you have to grab hold of that hope, that faith, that promise, and just hang on like your very life depends on it.