Today starts the third giveaway at Seven Sisters! It’s a beautiful Edwardian Apron–I know you’ll love it!
Head on over to their blog and enter as many times as you want, following Leah’s rules! And yes, she made it!
Hey! *I* haven’t gotten one for Christmas or my birthday yet…..maybe I better put in an order for one this year! 
Have fun!
Every August, you see back-to-school sales. Everywhere from Wal-Mart to the car dealerships. (Hey, I’m not sure why you need a "back-to-school" car, but I’m sure the saleman there will be glad to enlighten me! )
Wal-Mart and Meijer’s have lists from the local schools. Pencils. Pens. Compass. Crayons. Scissors. Glue. Calculator. College ruled paper and notebooks. Binders. Organizers. School boxes. Backpacks.
And the list goes on!
Not only that, but there are back-to-school sales on clothing and shoes. Don’t new clothes and August go together?
We can’t forget snacks! Especially for the college students!
But what about the poor, deprived homeschoolers?
I confess I used to stock up on "school supplies" every August. After all, there was an abundance, and sometimes you couldn’t find certain things later in the year! And there are always good sales–Meijer especially is good about having something really super duper cheap each week.
But not anymore. I usually am still letting the budget recover from 4-H fair time by August! Then there’s fruit to buy for canning and canning supplies. Plus, we seem to have amassed most of the gadgets we need and lots more we don’t need! I buy more paper and clear-view binders and page protectors than anything, and the stores always have those now.
So what do homeschoolers do?
They ask for it all for Christmas!!!
At least that’s what my younger children are doing!!!
I mean, think about it—pencils, pens, crayons, calculators……aren’t they the perfect stocking stuffers?!
And just wrap up some snacks, some new clothes (my littles are asking for homemade blouses, jumpers, slips…!), and voilà!
Christmas on a Back-to-School budget! 
It’s easier to talk than to pray.
It’s easier to talk, talk, talk to others about problems, situations, circumstances, crises, relationship issues, than it is to pray, pray, pray to the Only One Who can do anything about it all anyway.
And the more we talk, talk, talk about these things to others, the less we pray, pray, pray and the more we start thinking things depend on "us" doing this or that or saying this or that or fretting about this or that and making sure "we" do/say the right thing…..
All the while, the one thing we really could do, and it would be THE right thing…..we don’t do.
Because we’ve expended all that energy talking.
And maybe, just maybe, we’ve believed a lie that praying isn’t really going to solve the problem anyway.
What a tragedy–and what a lie!
It isn’t wrong to talk to others or pray with others…..but first we should talk to the Lord. And realize that nothing "depends all on me". Nothing. He is in control. I am His channel, His hands, feet and mouth on this earth.
But I have to be in communion with Him to see what HE would have me do or say.
My heart should be full of Him. Then my mouth will speak sweet words that have far more effect than my fretting, anxious heart could produce. That would only produce fretting, anxious "it depends on me" words that only alienate.
Talk.
Or pray.
It’s our choice.
But only one brings peace.
Only one brings true resolutions.
What a privilege to be able to talk with THE King of Kings about anything and everything.
Will you exercise that privilege today?
Will you talk……or pray?
Well, I’m a day late here, but Susannah has posted her giveaway at Seven Sisters blog!
It’s a beautiful hand needle-tatted bookmark–I know you’ll love it! Head on over there and see what you need to do to enter! Her giveaway goes through Saturday night, September 19, and the winner will be announced sometime Sunday the 20th. (We have a wedding that afternoon, so you might not see it posted until later in the day–I know, I know! The suspense will be killing you! )
Have fun! Two more giveaways to go!
My mom called this morning to tell me my step-grandpa passed away early this morning.
It was expected….yet not.
Are we ever really ready to let go?
He was 91 and had Alzheimers. He didn’t know any of us for the past 3-4 years.
He knew the Lord, so I know he is in a better place now.
But he sure leaves a big hole here.
I remember when he married my grandma–the day after we got married! He took such good care of my grandma. They traveled and did many things she couldn’t do the last 10 years of my biological grandfather’s life due to his illness. They worked on the crisis prayer line at their church for years. They often took people in, helping them out. Most never came back to do anything for them, but they didn’t care. They were investing in God’s Kingdom.
I remember when I was down with one of my miscarriages, Grandpa and Grandma came down to my home, visited with me, brought me food, and cleaned my house. I mean they cleaned my house! I distinctly remember Grandpa taking a pen with a cloth over it and going over ALL the baseboards in my living room, dining room and the stairway to dust it! This is old woodwork with all the nooks and crannies that it’s famous for!
It was probably the first time it had been done in 40 years, and it hasn’t been done since!!! 
Servant-hearted. God-loving. Prayer Warriors. That’s how I’d describe both my grandparents.
I’ve missed him, as he hasn’t been himself for the past 4 years. And I’ll miss him more.
Life.
People get older, pass on.
Sometimes, they don’t get a chance to get older. They go straight to the arms of Jesus from the womb.
That happened 19 years ago today.
Our firstborn son, Noah Ross, went from my womb to Heaven sometime between September 6-7, 1990.
He was born into this world, in body, on September 8.
On his grave marker, no dash.
No memories, but those of flutters and kicks and flips in the womb.
No pictures of birthdays or holidays or just-goofing-around days. Just an ultrasound picture from early on. And some pictures after he came into this world, although they are not good enough to hang on the wall, to commemorate that a son was born.
How my arms ached to hold him then! I held him just a short little while before giving him up, but the days, the weeks that followed were so hard.
But my Jesus walked with me through that valley.
Then "birthdays" would come. Sometimes I’d bake a cake, other times just go to the cemetery. I know exactly where he is buried behind that stone. Even now.
Yet….he isn’t there! He is with my Savior–the One Who died for me….for Noah Ross….so he could go straight to Heaven.
Now I think….a 19 year old young man….he would have graduated this year….probably be working with his daddy……what would he be like?
Many times since I have been in the Bubble of His Grace…..and He carries me now.
Carry me, carry me, won’t You carry me now
I’m too weak, and fragile, to walk on my own.
I’ll rest in Your love until once more I can stand
To journey beside You, and follow You home.
~Carry Me by Christine Wyrtzen
Today. A day of memories. A day of good-byes….for now.
But also, a day of Eternity. Today great-grandson welcomes great-grandfather Home. Step-son-in-law welcomes step-dad Home. Jesus welcoming His servant Home with a "Well done, My good and faithful servant."
Life.
It ebbs. It flows. Like a river, it never stops. It may slow for awhile, but then it rushes on.
We dip our feet into it, trail our fingers in it, willing it to wait for us…..to savor these moments just a bit longer.
But it pays us no heed.
We take the memory of it with us, holding it close to our hearts until that day when we never have to part again.
Thank You, Sweet Jesus, for the hope of Eternity….the hope of seeing our loved ones again, both young and old.
My daughters, the farmgirls, are hosting a blog giveaway this week and the next four weeks. Each week will be something different, make by each of my oldest four daughters! Believe me–all four prizes are very neat and sweet! 
You’ll love them!
So head on over there and read the rules and comment if you want to enter! The first on is up here: Embroidered Cloth Journal Giveaway and will be open through Saturday, September 12. The winner will be announced sometime Sunday, then the next giveaway announced next Monday!
Have fun!
That isn’t original with me. But it really caught my eye…..and my heart. I’ve been reading over at Ann Voskamp’s blog, A Holy Experience. The actual post where she shared this thought is "A Place for Everything".
And I found that as a link from another good post, which I highly recommend: "How to Build a House of Prayer" (today’s post).
And I got the link to that (don’t you love it?!) from: "Prayer: Why We Struggle (and How Not To) " Warning! It is very convicting! (But very, very needful and true!)
"Walk With Him Wednesday" is what she is calling this meme.
I’m going back to slowly soak in more. Won’t you join me?
Won’t you make a place for God, in your life, your home, your day…….so that your life, your family, your home– your heart–becomes…….
"A place for God and God spilling into every place."
It’s been one year since my daughters, Seven Sisters, started their blog!
They have a BIG surprise, and even more surprises—you might want to head over there and take a look!
Happy Blogoversary, Farmgirls!
The theme of my life, my motto, my principle to live by.
I’ve preached it a lot here on my blog!
This morning, I awakened much earlier than usual and had an extended quiet time with the Lord. I was pondering different things and had some thoughts that at first seem to fly in the face of what a lot of wonderful people have shared.
But on digging deeper, it isn’t so much that what I will share is going to negate what others have said. It’s dealing with the driving force, the reason behind it all.
Don’t worry! I’m not going to preach some heresy here!
As wives, mothers and keepers of our homes, we want to be efficient, we want to be good stewards of our resources and time. There is certainly nothing wrong with training our children to work, to help out, for everyone to pitch in to make the load lighter. There is nothing wrong with using a day planner to keep track of your time and make sure the important things get done. There is nothing wrong with training children to obey.
Unless…..
That is your primary focus. What do I mean?
I find myself getting more focused on getting things done. And guess what? There ALWAYS seems to be more and more "things to get done"! When I save some time here, five more things rush in to fill it up over there!
I am not a super-organized person. I still struggle to implement writing stuff down so I don’t forget (can a type A firstborn be a scatterbrain?!) I work on those weaknesses in my character, but I am finding I must be careful on what the bottom line motivation is.
The bottom line cannot be "running the home more smoothly".
The bottom line cannot be "making it easier."
The bottom line cannot be "getting more done."
The bottom line cannot be "being more efficient."
The bottom line cannot be "first-time obedience" (hang on–you’ll see where I’m going!).
The bottom line, the motivation, the driving force behind it all is Godliness—in myself, my family, my home.
If I do all the above–run my home smoothly and efficiently, get lots done, have all my children obeying right away and helping in every way; if I let that become the goal and yet I don’t have hearts, I have missed something very important.
Relationships.
I remember Michael Pearl answering a letter in one of their newsletters. I don’t remember the whole thing verbatim, but this thought stood out to me–to resign being the boss, the prison matron, so to speak. To resign from "getting things done" and instead, go after their hearts. Spend time with them. Delight in them. Enjoy having the children around.
I can’t do that when my purpose and my goal is to have my home run smoothly. Or to have first-time obedience. Or all the other multitude of things we put first. Academics. Outside activities. Church.
If our "bottom line", our goal and motivation isn’t Godliness formed through relationships, then all the rest is but dung. Nothing.
Mamas, please remember you are forging relationships that will last into Eternity. THAT is your most important focus.
Young ladies, please remember that you can seem obedient, helpful, academically smart and quite proficient in becoming a homemaker, but if you do not have love towards your siblings, if you don’t really enjoy being with them and with your mama and daddy, you just have an empty shell.
Perhaps I’m the only one finding myself slipping into "getting things done". I am yielding my life, my "schedule", my routines, my homeschooling, my homemaking all to the Lord. That doesn’t mean I am not going to plan, and have a "que será será" attitude towards life.
But I plan to take the days, the opportunities, the moments, to build the most precious thing in the world–
Eternal relationships.
I firmly believe that the other things "shall be added unto me" as I focus on the most important thing.
Getting hearts. Keeping hearts. Tying heart strings.
Enjoying each other.
Yes, it ALL goes back to relationships.
Have a blessed day delighting in your family!
You’re 12 now and probably don’t want to be called Anna-Pie anymore, but you will always be my sweet little Anna-Pie, no matter how old you are!
Our sweet little girl who God has healed–here you are when you were just 15 months old and had ITP….
And here with your "bumper buddy" (and your Sissy!)….
We are so glad you are completely healed today, glory to God!
You are becoming a very lovely young lady! You are such a diligent worker and a good organizer (even if you delegate a little too much, sometimes! )
