These past few months have been a bit overwhelming with all the changes and events. I didn't realize how long it has been since my last post. I've written a hundred articles in my head these past few months ... I just didn't get them down on paper.
In catching up ...
The winter was probably one of the worst since honey became self-employed. We had record snow & cold. We hoped it would be the thing to put us over the top. Instead, between all the equipment break-downs and the rising cost of living, we barely scrapped by. With what little we had left after the season, we thought we could limp into the summer season and regroup. The IRS took it. Apparently, self-employed small businessmen have become the main contributors to the Federal Government. May rolls around and there was no way we could hope to continue. So, honey found a job with a local trucking company. In alot of ways, we don't really miss self-employment. His hours are long and start awful early in the morning, but he doesn't have to spend his nights and weekends repairing equipment and calling customers. I don't miss the constant phone calls and billing headaches. Getting up at 4:00 am has become easier than I thought. Here in the Northeast, the morning light starts between 4:30 and 5:00as a rule and what a wonderful way to greet the Lord each day!
Other changes ~ Meja turned 18 this Spring and has decided to test her wings. She moved in with her sister and her family. Ah, to be young and "independent" for the first time. We miss the fun times we all had, but she's enjoying herself and we've adapted to the "empty nest" pretty well. (actually, we act like a couple of old folks - watching the morning come to life on the deck with our coffee ~ then barely able to hold our eyes open until our 8:30 bedtime.)
Now that Summer is here, our days are busier than ever. The gardens are in and struggling along. We've had a really cold Spring and Summer this year. We still wear sweet shirts in the morning, and by afternoon it's time for A/C. Unfortunately, the garden plants are as confused as I am. (On the 4th of July, I was wearing my winter jacket until noon.) We have about 7 more weeks of growing season before it gets "cold"(?). The life of a gardener. It makes me wonder why I want so bad to own a farm.
Times up for today. But, thanks for checking back with me. Your devotion is very much appreciated.
May the Lord bless you.
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
7/18/2008
3/24/2007
Spring
With spring comes change. Despite the foot of snow still on the ground, spring has finally arrived. We are all breathing a sigh of relief that another winter is behind us and before long we will be seeing green. When I see my first red-headed woodpecker of the season, I KNOW that winter is over. My beautiful little woodpecker was out today hammering on the birch tree with gusto ... PRAISE GOD!
We passed another milestone this week. Our sweet daughter turned 17. Our families combined when my little Meja was only 9 years old. Now, I'm amazed at what an awesome young woman she has become. We spent her birthday in town mostly window shopping and acting a little crazy. She and I have so much fun when we get out together. First, we converge on the bookstore, (one of our favorite places!) and in looking through the various books discovered an enormous amount of books on the homosexual lifestyle. Oh my goodness! She and I were amazed at the amount of books written for women about this. We just don't understand the whole concept of women living in this manner. That's not the way God designed us to behave and to have it put in our faces in that way really put a damper on the jolly mood we were in. So ... unwilling to loose the fun ... we headed to other more wholesome stores. The task of shopping doesn't do much for either one of us ... but being together just hanging out makes even the dullest of events fun. We have a lot of the same interests and get tickled over the silliest things. She is my joy and my best friend. May the Lord bless you my dear Meja ... Happy Birthday!
The next day, my youngest son packed his meager possessions in his van and headed back home to North Carolina. He was only staying with us for a season, and the Lord opened the path for him to go back down South to start his new life. We miss his laughter. The house is a lot quieter these days. But, we are all excited for him. It's a new chapter in his life and I am so excited to see what the Lord and Matt are going to write in it. The Bible says that our children are arrows in a father's quiver. We train them and when we send them out we hope that they fly true. Without a doubt, I know that Matt's arrow will fly true and that he will do great things for the Lord in his new home. We love you honey. May the Lord bless you in your work for Him.
Normally I would have thought that the events of this past week would have been depressing, but to my surprise, I feel such excitement! God is good and we are going to see such amazing things in the days, months, and years to come. Enjoy your children while they are young & rejoice with them when they make steps toward freedom. Encourage them to serve God with their wonderful & unique gifts. I promise that the blessings will be endless.
May the Lord bless you.
We passed another milestone this week. Our sweet daughter turned 17. Our families combined when my little Meja was only 9 years old. Now, I'm amazed at what an awesome young woman she has become. We spent her birthday in town mostly window shopping and acting a little crazy. She and I have so much fun when we get out together. First, we converge on the bookstore, (one of our favorite places!) and in looking through the various books discovered an enormous amount of books on the homosexual lifestyle. Oh my goodness! She and I were amazed at the amount of books written for women about this. We just don't understand the whole concept of women living in this manner. That's not the way God designed us to behave and to have it put in our faces in that way really put a damper on the jolly mood we were in. So ... unwilling to loose the fun ... we headed to other more wholesome stores. The task of shopping doesn't do much for either one of us ... but being together just hanging out makes even the dullest of events fun. We have a lot of the same interests and get tickled over the silliest things. She is my joy and my best friend. May the Lord bless you my dear Meja ... Happy Birthday!
The next day, my youngest son packed his meager possessions in his van and headed back home to North Carolina. He was only staying with us for a season, and the Lord opened the path for him to go back down South to start his new life. We miss his laughter. The house is a lot quieter these days. But, we are all excited for him. It's a new chapter in his life and I am so excited to see what the Lord and Matt are going to write in it. The Bible says that our children are arrows in a father's quiver. We train them and when we send them out we hope that they fly true. Without a doubt, I know that Matt's arrow will fly true and that he will do great things for the Lord in his new home. We love you honey. May the Lord bless you in your work for Him.
Normally I would have thought that the events of this past week would have been depressing, but to my surprise, I feel such excitement! God is good and we are going to see such amazing things in the days, months, and years to come. Enjoy your children while they are young & rejoice with them when they make steps toward freedom. Encourage them to serve God with their wonderful & unique gifts. I promise that the blessings will be endless.
May the Lord bless you.
3/18/2007
In the Craziness ... God's blessings shine
It's been a crazy week or so here at the cabin. We went from several sub-zero days and nights to around 40 degrees last week! Praise God for the sunshine!!! We were all so excited that we were outside on the deck in our shirtsleeves just soaking in the sun's warmth. I'm sure if anyone was watching, we looked absolutely crazy, but we didn't care. Winter has been here so long that we were ready to shed our coats and act a little nuts.
For the last week we've had company and have loved every minute of it. Our dear friend Christina was up from North Carolina, and was suppose to fly back on Friday; but the weather has a way of changing our plans and all flights on the East coast were canceled until today. We were all thrilled that she was able to stay just a bit longer. She got to see a full-fledged snowstorm and even went snow plowing with the Mountain Man. He loved the company and I'm sure that Southern girl had an experience of a lifetime.
I was thinking again today how God uses each member of the family to add something special to the family as a whole. One may add humor, another may add loving comfort, and yet another may add a thirst for knowledge. As I look at our family, I can see how each member has added wonderful gifts and talents that have enhanced all our lives. My Mama has, without realizing, modeled for me not just a love for each member of our little clan, but also an appreciation for each person's unique talents and views. I pray that I too can model this encouragement and appreciation for my own children. Thanks Mama.
May the Lord bless you.
For the last week we've had company and have loved every minute of it. Our dear friend Christina was up from North Carolina, and was suppose to fly back on Friday; but the weather has a way of changing our plans and all flights on the East coast were canceled until today. We were all thrilled that she was able to stay just a bit longer. She got to see a full-fledged snowstorm and even went snow plowing with the Mountain Man. He loved the company and I'm sure that Southern girl had an experience of a lifetime.
I was thinking again today how God uses each member of the family to add something special to the family as a whole. One may add humor, another may add loving comfort, and yet another may add a thirst for knowledge. As I look at our family, I can see how each member has added wonderful gifts and talents that have enhanced all our lives. My Mama has, without realizing, modeled for me not just a love for each member of our little clan, but also an appreciation for each person's unique talents and views. I pray that I too can model this encouragement and appreciation for my own children. Thanks Mama.
May the Lord bless you.
2/25/2007
Sunday at the cabin
Today was a beautiful day! It warmed up to a balmy 35 degrees. The sun was so warm on the deck. I wandered outside frequently just to enjoy the sunshine & enjoy God's day.
Everyone woke up frustrated with the cares of the previous week on our minds. But after our family church service, a few necessary chores & a late breakfast we all scattered to our chosen areas to relax. Our daughter is an avid reader and curled up in her room for some much coveted book time. Our son's recreation of choice is currently movies and he was able to put the work week behind him with Ant Bully and calls to his sweety. My mountain man made a bee-line to his shop to spend the afternoon with his music. He is making such wonderful progress as he learns to play! It's fun to slip out to the shop for brief moments to listen to him practice. And I grabbed my sketch pad & paints to capture an image that has been forming in my head the past few days. With praise songs in my headphones,it seemed that the stress just flowed away as the day progressed. Praise God for Sundays!
May the Lord bless you as you enjoy His day.
Everyone woke up frustrated with the cares of the previous week on our minds. But after our family church service, a few necessary chores & a late breakfast we all scattered to our chosen areas to relax. Our daughter is an avid reader and curled up in her room for some much coveted book time. Our son's recreation of choice is currently movies and he was able to put the work week behind him with Ant Bully and calls to his sweety. My mountain man made a bee-line to his shop to spend the afternoon with his music. He is making such wonderful progress as he learns to play! It's fun to slip out to the shop for brief moments to listen to him practice. And I grabbed my sketch pad & paints to capture an image that has been forming in my head the past few days. With praise songs in my headphones,it seemed that the stress just flowed away as the day progressed. Praise God for Sundays!
May the Lord bless you as you enjoy His day.
2/14/2007
Blizzard's Coming
Yesterday was spent in preparing for the coming snow storm. Depending on which weather forecast we listen to ... we should get anywhere from 1-3ft. of snow by Thursday morning. That's a lot of snow, even for the old-timers around here. All of the grocery stores were packed with folks stocking up in case they become house-bound for awhile. My mountain man checked his truck and plow equipment so he'll be ready to roll as soon as the snow gets to six inches. Then he ate an early supper and slipped off to bed. There's a good chance that he'll be working non-stop until sometime Thursday. (He enjoys his work or else this could be really miserable for all of us.)Everyone else around here will work diligently to keep the snow shoveled off the roof & sheds, and keeping the paths cleared. Everyone has a job to do when the weather turns bad. In a few hours the kitchen will be in full swing with beef stew in the crock pot, chili on the stove, and rolls in the oven for the tired & frozen workers when they wander through.
The weather often dictates the craziness around here sometimes, but after the storm passes there will be a time for rest. My mountain man will be out in the workshop with the smell of the wood stove, a mug of hot coffee, and his guitar snuggled in his lap playing praises to God. More than likely, I'll be right there with him listening and thanking God for blessing me with such a wonderful man.
May the Lord bless you.
The weather often dictates the craziness around here sometimes, but after the storm passes there will be a time for rest. My mountain man will be out in the workshop with the smell of the wood stove, a mug of hot coffee, and his guitar snuggled in his lap playing praises to God. More than likely, I'll be right there with him listening and thanking God for blessing me with such a wonderful man.
May the Lord bless you.
2/10/2007
Family Night Pizza
Family time seems to have become very rare these days. Growing up, the family was home every night for supper. Now, I hear from so many that families have to set aside special nights to get together.
Pizza Night is always a favorite around our house. Take out pizza is too expensive & frozen pizza just doesn't seem to have the right taste. Over the years, I've tried, tested, and modified a lot of pizza recipes. Here is the hands-down favorite among my fast-food lovers. It's amazingly easy and fast to make.
Pizza
Dough ~
1 tsp. sugar
1 pkg. dry yeast (or 2 1/2t. yeast)
1 Tbsp. flour
1 C. warm water
2 Tbsp. oil
1 Tsp. salt
2 1/2C. flour
Pizza pans or cookie sheets
Combine yeast, sugar, flour, & water. Let set for a few minutes to test the yeast & let it start working. Add cooking oil (or olive oil), salt, & flour; stir into a ball. (I let the dough rest for several minutes while I start the sauce, etc.)
Divide dough in halves for smaller pizzas or use the whole thing for a thick crust or cookie sheet pizza. Pat into pizza pans. Cover with sauce & toppings. Bake pizzas for about 15 minutes @ 400 degrees. (Adjust time & temp. to suit your particular taste.)
Pizza Sauce~
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans tomato sauce
olive oil or cooking oil
garlic powder
bell pepper, chopped
onions, chopped
parsley flakes
oregano
basil
salt & pepper to taste
Saute' garlic, onions, and peppers in oil. Add tomato sauce. Spice sauce with herbs to taste. Simmer to blend spices.
Toppings~
Italian Sausage (breakfast sausage works good too), hamburger, pepperoni, cheese galore ( I use all types of cheeses ... velvetta & cheddar combo is my family's favorite.) Imagination is the key to good pizza!
I've learned that a recipe is only the basic guide to a good meal. I like to enhance just about everything with our favorite herbs, sauces, & spices.
The pizza sauce can become an awesome spaghetti sauce by chopping tomatoes and using them in place of the tomato sauce. I also increase the other ingredients to add more zing to the spaghetti. The dough then becomes bread sticks. Just pinch off bits of dough, roll out like bread sticks, place on lightly oiled cookie sheet, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with garlic powder. Bake for about 10 minutes. (check them frequently the first time until you know how fast they cook in your particular oven.)
May the Lord bless you.
Pizza Night is always a favorite around our house. Take out pizza is too expensive & frozen pizza just doesn't seem to have the right taste. Over the years, I've tried, tested, and modified a lot of pizza recipes. Here is the hands-down favorite among my fast-food lovers. It's amazingly easy and fast to make.
Pizza
Dough ~
1 tsp. sugar
1 pkg. dry yeast (or 2 1/2t. yeast)
1 Tbsp. flour
1 C. warm water
2 Tbsp. oil
1 Tsp. salt
2 1/2C. flour
Pizza pans or cookie sheets
Combine yeast, sugar, flour, & water. Let set for a few minutes to test the yeast & let it start working. Add cooking oil (or olive oil), salt, & flour; stir into a ball. (I let the dough rest for several minutes while I start the sauce, etc.)
Divide dough in halves for smaller pizzas or use the whole thing for a thick crust or cookie sheet pizza. Pat into pizza pans. Cover with sauce & toppings. Bake pizzas for about 15 minutes @ 400 degrees. (Adjust time & temp. to suit your particular taste.)
Pizza Sauce~
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans tomato sauce
olive oil or cooking oil
garlic powder
bell pepper, chopped
onions, chopped
parsley flakes
oregano
basil
salt & pepper to taste
Saute' garlic, onions, and peppers in oil. Add tomato sauce. Spice sauce with herbs to taste. Simmer to blend spices.
Toppings~
Italian Sausage (breakfast sausage works good too), hamburger, pepperoni, cheese galore ( I use all types of cheeses ... velvetta & cheddar combo is my family's favorite.) Imagination is the key to good pizza!
I've learned that a recipe is only the basic guide to a good meal. I like to enhance just about everything with our favorite herbs, sauces, & spices.
The pizza sauce can become an awesome spaghetti sauce by chopping tomatoes and using them in place of the tomato sauce. I also increase the other ingredients to add more zing to the spaghetti. The dough then becomes bread sticks. Just pinch off bits of dough, roll out like bread sticks, place on lightly oiled cookie sheet, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with garlic powder. Bake for about 10 minutes. (check them frequently the first time until you know how fast they cook in your particular oven.)
May the Lord bless you.
2/02/2007
Self Employment
I see & hear advertisements all the time about becoming self-employed and how you have all this free time to rake in the money while you lay by the pool. Maybe someone knows something I don't. The REAL truth about being self-employed is that it's like having an infant child with no baby sitter. The business dictates everything about your life for the first several years & it eats all available money that you would have spent on the little luxuries such as a family car that runs, a stove with more than two working burners, etc.
My husband & I have been self-employed for several years now. We haven't made it past the infant years yet, which means that he has to spend a lot of time on the tasks that we wish he could hire out ... such as taxes. We hire someone to actually prepare our tax forms, but the gathering of information is a nightmare for two people who don't have a bookkeeper's mentality. To be fair & honest, he as been double-checking all the tax laws that apply to our business to make sure he doesn't overlook anything. Earlier today he had a half-crazed look in his eyes as he tried to explain to me the various ins & outs that he discovered. I sat him in front of the TV with the kids, a couple of frozen pizzas, & told him to stay as long as he wanted. I was then tempted to go hide the computer mouse until he came to his senses. Why does it all have to be so difficult to be honest? It would be so easy for him to just not tell the government about the work that he does & go on with life.
Jesus said to "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." ~Mark 12:17
I guess that's why my wonderful husband takes such care to "do it right". And that attitude is the reason that God continues to bless his efforts in business. Being self-employed is tough, but I like us working together as a team. We drive each other crazy sometimes, but we continue to become more united through the trials & the blessings. By the way, if I see another self-employment commercial before tax season is over ... you just may see our TV flying out our back door.
May the Lord bless you.
My husband & I have been self-employed for several years now. We haven't made it past the infant years yet, which means that he has to spend a lot of time on the tasks that we wish he could hire out ... such as taxes. We hire someone to actually prepare our tax forms, but the gathering of information is a nightmare for two people who don't have a bookkeeper's mentality. To be fair & honest, he as been double-checking all the tax laws that apply to our business to make sure he doesn't overlook anything. Earlier today he had a half-crazed look in his eyes as he tried to explain to me the various ins & outs that he discovered. I sat him in front of the TV with the kids, a couple of frozen pizzas, & told him to stay as long as he wanted. I was then tempted to go hide the computer mouse until he came to his senses. Why does it all have to be so difficult to be honest? It would be so easy for him to just not tell the government about the work that he does & go on with life.
Jesus said to "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." ~Mark 12:17
I guess that's why my wonderful husband takes such care to "do it right". And that attitude is the reason that God continues to bless his efforts in business. Being self-employed is tough, but I like us working together as a team. We drive each other crazy sometimes, but we continue to become more united through the trials & the blessings. By the way, if I see another self-employment commercial before tax season is over ... you just may see our TV flying out our back door.
May the Lord bless you.
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