4-H Goat Show

 

First year showing his goat in 4-H.  He placed 1st  in showmanship intermediate, 1st in Nubian intermediate doe kid and Grand  Champion in Nubian doe dry. 

He did great and we’re very proud of him! 

Congratulations, Isaac!

Goat who thinks she’s a chick

Egg hunt

Meet our call ducks, Louis and Louise, after the king and queen of Spain in the early 1700s.

They have beautiful feathers!!!

Isaac and Eli originally wanted call ducks more than any other duck.  We looked around, but because they are a rare breed, they’re expensive.  A pair usually runs $50 and up.

A couple of weekends ago we went to a fur and feather swap.  There was a guy selling this pair of call ducks for $40.  Still too much for my boys though.

Eli did find a male call duck for $5.  He was so excited.

Meet Donald.

The swap was ending and we asked the guy again how much for the call ducks.  He lowered his price to $30 for the pair.  By this time, Logan and Camden had  their money out and were convinced they needed to have a call duck too.  So I put in the last bit of money and we bought the pair.

We were told she would sit on her eggs and we are excited to hatch some.  Unfortunately, she’s making nests out in the tall grass.  This has become somewhat of a game for the boys to go out and search for Louise’s eggs. 

And  they don’t care what their attire is.  Even unders and mucking boots!

Faith

I do realize I haven’t written part 2 of Trusting God.  Before I do, I wanted to share a bit on faith because if you’re trusting God, you certainly have to have a whole lot of faith. 

So many people say, “have faith” or “keep the faith.”  It sounds simple.  But like trusting God, it can be easier said than done.

Faith’s definition is believing in the unseen.  Living by faith is a lifestyle.  And if you’re trusting God, you’re living in faith.

God opened my eyes to faith about a year ago.  I was praying for my oldest son one night.  I don’t even remember what it was about, but something was hurt and we were debating whether or not to call the doctor.  I prayed with him that night and asked God to heal him.  After the prayer, I said good night and before walking out of the room, I turned and said to my son, “If it isn’t better in the morning, we’ll call the doctor.”

Man, those words haunted me!  Why?  Because I had just asked GOD to heal my son and then made a backup plan just in case He didn’t.  I was already doubting what God could do!  I certainly wasn’t giving God much to work with. 

Believing.  That’s what faith is.  When we pray, we need to believe God is going to hear our prayers and He is going to answer them. 

Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, BELIEVE that you receive them, and you will have them.”

There it is as plain as day!  Believe that you will receive them and you will have them!  Say out loud, “I believe I receive!” despite what happens around you.   Don’t doubt God despite how dark things look. 

Times of hardness are going to happen.  Trust me, I know this firsthand.  Since I’ve stepped out in my faith and said I’m trusting God wholly and completely, I’ve endured some of the hardest times.  I’ve felt sadness in my heart that’s overwhelming at times.  But I remain strong in my faith.   There is absolutely nothing Satan can do to change the fact that I’m redeemed from the curse, but he is certainly going to challenge me on it.

So I can’t be surprised when things get tough.  Times are going to come when I have to stand strictly on faith, when I have to speak and act as though what God says is true even when I can’t feel it or see it happening around me.  There will be times when everything looks terrible.  And  that’s when I must endure the hardness as a good solider.

“You therefore must endure hardship as a good solider of Jesus Christ.”  2 Timothy 2:3

Living by faith is not something you try.  It’s a lifestyle.  You do it when it’s hard.  You do it when it’s easy.  You do it all the time.  You’re doing it because you know that faith pleases God.  Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Things may get a little rough at times.   But you can’t jump off the boat too soon.  Stand strong and faithful because God promises that if we endure hardness as a good solider that we’ll have the victory.  Refuse to fall away!

If there’s any way the devil can get your eyes away from God’s Word, he’ll do it.  He’ll cause trouble.  He’ll make the circumstances around you crash and roll like a boat in a storm.  He’ll do anything he can do to get you to concentrate on the bad circumstances around  you  instead of on the promises of God.

Like I said in my Trusting God post, the last half a year has been filled with some of the hardest, toughest, saddest trials that I have ever faced.  There were times I questioned God’s plan and wondered how I would make it through.  In fact, I still struggle with that at times.  Last night I was having a hard time and as I was praying, God reminded me of how we need to count it all joy when we all into trials.  James 1:2 says, “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” 

When you fall into various trials, count it all joy.  We’ve certainly had various trials.  More than just a back injury.  Joshua and I do not want others to take pity on us.  We want to stand strong, trust God, believe in His Word and be a testimony to others. 

I want you to know that we are not quite ready to share our whole story with you.  I hope in the next couple weeks to be able to.  First, I wanted to share a bit on faith to encourage you.  All of us endure hardships at some point.  Don’t grow weary.    Keep your eyes looking up and off the circumstances around you.  Look up because God is up.  The devil is down.  Believe what God says instead of what people say.  Believe what God says instead of what circumstances say.  Live by faith, not by sight. 

Bedtime prayer by Camden

“Dear Jesus,

Please help to keep me safe.  Help me to be a better listener. 

Help me to be big like Daddy.

Because I want to be big like Daddy.

But I have to eat my ‘tatoes. 

And steak.

And beans.

But I don’t like beans.

I just like chicken.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen!”

Easter 2012

A little late in sharing these.   Sorry.  Better late than never.

 

Egg hunt with all the cousins. 

This was the first year my teenage son asked, “Do I have to do the egg hunt?” 

To which I responded with, “Why?!  Don’t you WANT to do it?!?” 

He said, “Um, not really.” 

I tried not to cry realizing how big he was getting, but I did not make him do the egg hunt at G & G’s.  : (

So that’s why he’s not in the picture.  Too big, I guess.

Anxious to go look for eggs!

Logan and  Ellie climbing the tree to look for eggs.

Nothing like mucking boots to go with your Easter outfit.

Even though Isaac didn’t do the egg hunt, he was gracious enough to help out the little ones.

Camden with a full basket of eggs.

Still searching…..

Men talk.

Sister talk.  (have I mentioned how much I love my sisters?!?!?)

Everyone dumping out their eggs, seeing what they have and trading with others before packing it up.

 

Will going through his eggs.

Logan going through his eggs.

This year the kids didn’t need new Easter outfits.  They each had a hand-me-down outfit to wear, but Joshua asked me the day before Easter if I had a new dress and when I said no, I was just going to wear something I already had, he insisted on taking me out to buy me a new dress.  Once we picked it out, I insisted on getting him a matching shirt.  :)

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HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY!

I HOPE YOU HAD A BLESSED EASTER!!!! 

Goat owners

Yes, you read that correctly.  

I may be losing my mind.  But how can you say no to this face?!?!?

Meet Eyebrows, or “Brows.”  She was born on March 23rd and she was a gift to Isaac for his 13th birthday.  She’s a Nubian goat and the goat he will be showing in the fair this year. 

The “plan” was to keep her at Grandma’s house.  It was Grandma’s gift to him and that’s where it would stay.  We have no fencing or housing for a goat. 

But somehow she ended up at our house.  Funny, the things we do for our kids. :)

The new plan is to keep her here while she’s little so Isaac can bottle feed her, take care of her and bond with her daily.  Once she gets too big, we’ll have to move her back to  Grandma’s little farm.  She spent the night last night in the chicken/duck coop, snuggled up in the corner.  The boys played with her all day yesterday.  Any time they went inside, she would cry and cry for them to come back out.   They all really enjoy her, but Camden is especially growing attached to her.  He spent so much time with her yesterday—even telling me his tummy was too full at suppertime to eat so he could go back out to be with her. 

We are looking for like a calf hut or large dog house to keep her in.  It needs a door though so we can lock her up in it at night. 

I never thought we would have goats, but when you see  your kids truly enjoying something, sometimes it’s good to break the rules a bit. 

Trusting God

I sit down to write this post with so many thoughts in my head, I’m not sure this is even going to make sense. 

The last half year has been the hardest, saddest and most trying time of my entire life.  But it has also been the happiest time of my life. 

Make sense? 

I know it doesn’t seem to make sense, but I am going to attempt to explain it. 

Before I explain why it has been the hardest, saddest, most trying time of my life, I want to explain why it’s been the happiest.  Kind of like saying, Do you want the good news first or the bad news?  I’m picking the good news first. 

I have been married for 13 years.  I was married young (only 20), had my first child at 21 and life was hard.  I won’t lie, it was hard.   Of course I was happy to be married and be a mom, but there was so much I had to learn.  God had confirmed some things to me so I knew I was on the right track.  I just had to hang on and trust Him. 

Trusting God seems like such an easy thing to say.  A couple months ago I was teaching my 4-6th grade Sunday school class the story of Cain and Abel and about trusting God’s plan for their life.  I drew a picture of a heart and then sectioned it off into different areas or “rooms.”  I labeled the different “rooms” things such as school, sports, friends, family, play time, etc.  I told the kids they couldn’t say to God, “I trust you with my family and friends room, but I won’t let you into my sports room.”  They had to trust God with every area of their life.  Even if every one of their friends made the basketball team and they were the only one who didn’t, they needed to say, “I trust you, God.”   They needed to trust God in every area in order for God to fulfill His plan for their life.

As I was teaching this to my class, I heard a small voice speaking to me.  “Are YOU trusting Me with every area of your life?  Are you practicing what you’re teaching?”  Whoa!  Now if that doesn’t stop you dead in your tracks, I don’t know what will!

You see, yes, I was trusting God with certain things, but there were also some very specific things that I was kind of cutting God out of.   I was leaning on the side of the world and trying to reason it out in my mind logically of why I should or shouldn’t be doing  something.  I’ll tell you, that’s not a very good idea.   I was allowing God into certain rooms of my life and closing Him off in other rooms.

It was at this point that I took the plunge and said, Okay, God, You’re in charge.  I’m trusting You.”  My life has taken some of the biggest turns and twists since then.  I don’t know for sure, but sometimes I think God is testing me.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Other times I feel bombarded by the enemy, trying to steal my joy and make me second guess my decision.  I won’t lie.  I have second guessed whether I am doing the right thing, but I always hear a still, small voice answer me and I know God is with me.  How can I second guess God’s plan for my life?!?!

The trials have made this one of the toughest times of my life, but what has made it the happiest time?  My God and my marriage, or my husband.  Trusting God with your life wholly and completely doesn’t mean you won’t have storms in your life.  When you cling to Him during those storms, you will see the blessing in the end.  If you jump off the boat too soon (which so many do),  you never see the sun shine. I have seen some nasty storms, but I’ve continued to trust God through it all, and I’m seeing the SON shine.  Yes, there are still clouds that try to come and I may get off course a bit, but I am always back with God and His plan.

One of the things that has been blessed beyond measure is my  marriage.  There has been a change in my marriage that I know only God could do.  It is the one steadfast thing that has gotten me through these storms.  It is why this has been the hardest, saddest time, yet also the happiest time. 

There were times when I wanted to jump off the boat.  I almost felt like I would be better drowning in the water.  But I held on, mostly through tears, sometimes even asking God, Why?   Every time I wanted to give up, to quit, walk away, God would whisper two words to me.  “Trust Me.”  Sometimes I would hear those words and think it meant something specific—usually the way I wanted my life plan to go—and then when things didn’t go that way, I would again question God.  He would answer the same, “Trust Me.” 

Some days are still hard, but they’re getting better.  I am thankful to God for the gift of marriage.  It is something so few give up on or never experience the fullness of it.  I am thankful that during some of the hardest times of my life, God blessed my marriage.  I am thankful He never gave up on me and kept reminding me to trust Him. 

Psalm 20:7

7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Psalm 28:7

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Proverbs 3:5

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

John 14:1

1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

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Part 2: To be continued…..

Awana Games

Eli ready to go!

 

Relay race!  Eli was last and took the lead for his team!

Three-legged race.  Eli is instructing him on what leg to start with.

They did so good!  They tripped and fell coming in for the cone and Eli landed smack on his face.  His nose and lip were bleeding.  By Monday we noticed his nose was bruised, had a bump on it and was slightly crooked.  We ended up calling the doc and having to take him in for an x-ray.  Thankfully, it wasn’t broken!  Whew!

Oh, and they did win the race!  Eli reached out and knocked over the cone even after he smacked his face!

This was our first year in the Awana Games.  They took 4th place.  We learned lots!  All the kids did great and had lots of fun.

Spring chicks

 

These chicks/ducklings are 4-5 weeks old.  We have four ducks (all girls!), and six chicks.  Isaac has Snowball and Slippers; Eli has Sparkie; Logan has Bob; and Camden has Chickadee.  Oh, and I had Louis and Martha, but Martha decided to go swimming one day and didn’t make it.  Now I just have Louis.

Meet BOB!  This chick is held more than any other chick!  Logan spends lots of time with him.

Logan holding Ferdinand.

Louis and Sparkie.