Our piece of the Prairie

I’m Back!

I am home from vacation.. have been for a few days now and just getting life up and running again. Hubby and I had a great time! We flew south to get some of the last rays of sunshine and heat before we burrow in for the winter months.  We spent a lot of time pool side and out and about in the sun  . When our time was up we felt ready to come home and enjoy kids and family and look ahead to school time, holidays and a few projects that need to get done.  

In the Home: I am currently working on refining my home organization notebook. I am working on the chores. I wrote a master list of all chores and now plan to put together a page for each day of the week showing what jobs need to be done for that day. Our school days take up a good portion of our day so it is nice to have to put a lot of thought into the house work that needs to be done each day. I won’t be trying to remember the last time the stairway was washed or the laundry room floor was mopped. What time is not spent doing school work and chores it is spent cooking and baking! .. and of course I have my little business to keep making products for. Nice to see and experience the blessings of children that know how to help around the house!  

On Budgets: Is everyone enjoying the drop in gas prices?? I know we are.  Has anyone seen it go below $3.00 a gallon?  A couple days ago I was in town and I saw it at $3.19. Who would have thought I would get so excited about paying  $3.19 a gallon for gas! LOL..  

catching up.........

Friday was a blur. I will NEVER EVER EVER go to the Civil War Days on 'education day' again. Ever! I had to cover JOey's ears half hte time from STUDENTS cussing! The way they treated Abe Lincoln made my stomach churn!!!!!!!!! There was a plethora of other things, but it's water under the bridge and a lesson learned. The few presenters left who would talk were good. The surgeon took out part of Mat's skull.;)  They also got up close and personal w/a gatlin gun and 2 different (time period) blacksmiths. From there we killed some time (and Mat spent all of his money) at Pet Smart. His hermit crabs are much happier tho!LOL Then to the Sunday school class party. That was lots of fun as well. We got home about 9 (left at 10:30).

Saturday was more of hte same. We left at 7:30 for Mat's 8am soccer game. WE killed the hour in between games by going to the dollar store and a garage sale.  I did well there! Two plates (I give them away when I give away food), a denim jumper (.50!), a vase and a water gun (Mat!LOL) for $2.75. Then we hung out in town since I had a crop at 1. DH picked up the boys about 2 I guess and I got to crop until 5. Then home and spent an hour getting the house put back together!

Today was church. It was interesting. The pastor guided us thru a visual (?) meditation. Definitely stretching the congregation!LOL  And that Sunday school class that I spent an hour prepping for and making 24 small star sandwiches (studying Abraham and Sarah and God telling them that their decedants will be more than the stars) was for naught! They took all the children to the other church service to sing! I thought that at least TELLING the teachers would've been appropriate! OH well.

After church, we went back to the woods for mom's party. That was fun.

I wanted to go to Marshall's and mom had a $10 off a $50 purchase. I thought there is NO WAY I'd spend taht much, but my sister and I together might. I found some nice black pants for $7 and a Tshirt for $7. Then I found a dress that I was iffy about for $10. My sister said it was not too 'young' looking, but I still wasn't sure!LOL She decided to buy a stock pot so taht sent us over $50, making that dress $5 w/my half of the coupon. She wanted to look for other stuff and I decided to browse the boys. I very rarely find anything there. Low and behold that had not one, but TWO pair of Levi's 14 SLIM! For TEN DOLLARS! Dh was picking me up so I left him a message to have Mat come in and try these pants on. HUGE MISTAKE! Dh wound up finding dress socks, a new belt (which he desperately needed) and dress pants! That sent us WAY past $50 alone! But we only had one coupon so we still split it!LOL

My mom loved all of her bday stuff. She did really like the zip 3 ring binder and organization stuff for her medical stuff (along w/all the rest!). She took them to get pumpkins while we shopped!LOL

Photo's From The Pumpkin Patch

Here's my group...sitting on top inside the inflatible bouncer slide...they are trying to decide who gets to be the brave one and head out first. There's Jacob, David, Matthew turned around backwards and Miss KatiAnne (and Hunter, our Pastor's grandson). I noticed that most of the 'city kids' waited very patiently while the strange "amish" children tested themselves here. LOL...what those poor folks must have been thinking! I know...we do need to get out and about more, don't we?
The first ones out? Wild Child, of course...and Miss KatiAnne...

And what happens when, as D at As Simply As We Can mentioned on her blog, when country goes to town?

Here is KatiAnne with her pumpkin, Johanna with her choice, and way out there is Matthew, trying to help Miss Ashley from church select hers so he can help her carry it back to the wagon. Now, Miss Ashley comes from rather stout farm raised Southern stock...she really didn't need help carrying a pumpkin, but Matthew, well...always the gentleman :o)

After the pumpkin field, we stopped back at the farm kitchen and got some drinks before heading home. The children all played in the race track section. They had several different bicycles and tricycles and such.
Miss KatiAnne grabbed one of the large tricycles and took off -- with Abigail behind her telling her she needed to pick a different racer so her peddling wouldn't lift her skirt above her knees! She was right -- KatiAnne made about half a round on that track, with constant pulling on her skirt and apron, and chose a different ride. No one listens when Mom says to wear their bloomers.....

Todays Quote....Alphonse de Lamartine

Concerning Self Denial

Concerning Self Denial

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 16:24-26 NIV

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For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:11-13 KJV

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Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:24,25 NASB

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Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Romans 6:16-18 ESV

Persecuted Christians in Iraq

Friends,

I just read a news report where 3,000 Christians are fleeing the Norther Iraq Province of Ninevah.  They are being persecuted, and are being threatened . They may lose their very lives.

Please, keep the Christians in the Persecuted Church in Iraq in your prayers tonight.

According to a statistic from www.persecutedchurch.org ,  there will be an estimated 165,000 Christians who will die this year for their faith in Christ.

May God bless & protect  these souls who are in harm's way -- and may they stay strong in their love for the Lord!

~ gloria ~

CHIP Program

I have attended meetings of the CHIP (Coronary Health Improvement Project) for the last two summers.  Last summer, however, I wasn't able to attend all of the meetings, but I did really enjoy the meetings I did get to attend. 

Dr. Hans Diehl is a fascinating person.  Quite warm and patient in person, yet he is quite to the point when it comes to health and can bring a person to recognize when they are giving excuses for their health.  I so loved that about him!  I suppose one could get upset that he was so to the point, but I loved it.  He does it with a smile and he still loves the person whom he is talking to.   I think I also liked him because he reminded me of my grandfather... his face was shaped much like my grand-dads and that is likely because they have similar ethnic backgrounds, plus I love his German/Swedish accent.  LOL!

Anyways, the first year I attended the meetings, my heart wasn't with the meetings.  I found them full of truth, but it was truth I wasn't searching for so it seemed so irrelevant.  This year, however, I just ate up every morsel of health information.  What was the difference?  I noticed that I was tired in the afternoons, more than normal... more like when I was pregnant... and I'm not pregnant!  I realized I had put on weight and if I let things continue, I likely would become one of the statistics on the power point presentation.  Also, my husband had a couple episodes of not being able to catch his breath very well after moving some heavy farm equipment.  He just chalked it up to getting older, but he is only 39 yo and his symptoms were early symptoms of some clogging arteries.  That got my attention!  We have a 3yo and we both want to be around to watch her grow up!  So these meetings met a need for our family.  A need to be healthy and to live a strong vibrant life, not one of tiredness and complaints. 

The CHIP program is outstanding.  I see at the website you can listen to short health presentations online.  Do so... they are very good.  I was encouraged that taking steps towards better health is possible.  I was encouraged that simple changes at home can deter one from having to partake of costly medical treatments.  I was encouraged that the simple changes produce results! 

The CHIP program focuses on a low-fat, high fiber diet.  Because of these talks we are giving up many of our white flour favorites and opting for more whole grain alternatives.  Also trying to keep some raw foods in our diet to increase our fiber intake is another way we have made changes.  Thirdly, getting that daily exercise.  There are other aspects, but the main focus is living a life that is optimal in health.  Encouragment is given for baby steps as well as the giant steps that one can make towards improving their health. 

This program can reverse heart disease, without pills, without stress (unless you really stress over the diet!  LOL), and the results can be seen quickly.  To find out more about the program, click on the link at the beginning of the post. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

Guess what dropped in to visit?

We have a new kitten on the farm.  It wasn't by choice.  Dh brought home some rams from another pasture and later that morning we found a tiny kitten in the chicken barn, about 50 feet from where the trailer was parked. 

I estimate the kitten to be between 3-5 weeks.  The kitten is so small.  He also has such gooped up eyes.  We called the guy who has the pasture and he says it is likely their kitten, and said we could bring him back or keep him.  We were all very willing to take him back to the farm, but my daughter with such a heart for sick animals wanted to keep him... at least until he gets well. 

After cleaning his eyes, it is apparent there is an infection of some sort.  His inner eyelids are red and swollen.  His left eye may be blind...it is really hard to tell at this point, because the inner eyelid on this eye is SOOOO swollen.  But Today it appears rather gray and cloudy compared to the other eye. 

We are giving him a round of pennicilin.  The shots are soo small, it seems rather a waste of the effort, but he is so tiny.  We also got a bottle and some milk yesterday as he wasn't eating regular cat food very well.  I also picked up a bag of kitten food that was much smaller in size so he could try to eat.  Well, last night we gave him his first bottle and the kitten was sooo happy.  He purred for the first time (we had had him a day by then).  Since then, he continues to eat from the bottle at 3-4 hour intervals.   He eats a whopping 2 teaspoons of milk.  Once he had about three feedings in his tummy, he finally felt ready to discover the kitten food and ate about a teaspoon of that as well. 

We are washing his face about every 2 hours.  I know I should have some eye drops of a sort, but have no idea what to put into his eyes.  I also will be looking at buying another nipple to get us through another week.  He's about chewed this first one to pieces.  But he isn't very good at lapping milk just yet... he loses his balance and falls in... which then gave him a runny nose as well.   One thing I am happy about is that he is using the litter box.  His little wets make up a nickel sized spot.  If he stayed this small forever and made these small messes , I might consider an indoor cat!  LOL 

My daughter with the loving heart went a traveling for a couple days with her older sister to see some friends and to bring a friend home to visit during her home leave from academy.   I will be glad when she returns home to do the nursing of this poor little kitten. 

Any ideas for the kittens eyes?

Warmly, ~Melissa

Sanctified Manipulation

Kindred Spirits or True God Honoring Friendships