February Recap

Dyed my hair red this month.

 Babies love garbage cans.

 Thrift store finds means we go out in style.

 This land takes my breath away, even at zero degrees.

 Happy baby with two teeth!

 Gavin sick, so much illness going around.

 We've been consuming lot's of fresh garlic, homemade bread is our favorite

 Husband got the tire swing up on one of our warmer days.

 These two love to race around on this thing!

Gavin snuggling with trouble a.k.a. Tobie.

 Our neighbor made this gun case out of a part a deer hide, all handmade.

Never, EVER wake the sleeping baby.

 Gavin's beloved lifted truck from our "free " table at co-op.

We have had a lot of drive through errand days. This is the day me, and two others were picking up prescriptions for our bronchitis.

It's been a very snowy winter.

My woodsman.

First Birthday

Before this month leaves us here's a look at my youngest at his first birthday.

Somehow we managed a small party despite his bronchitis and winter snowstorms.

We had some friends over, and the cupcakes I pulled together at 5:30 AM that day held up until the guests arrived.

It's been a fun, full year with this little boy.

Happy Birthday Dagen Asher.

A Sinner Like You

"He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities and thou will cast all their sins into the sea. " Micah 7:19

All.

Will.

Our.

Small words, immeasurable, unfathomable meaning.

We think we're perfect, or at the very least have a performance of perfect that appears less sinful than our fellow man. We don't focus on the words "all " or "our "or the biggest word of "will". You know, God's will, not ours. I'm thankful it's His will and not mine because that log in my eye blocks the view of what Jesus did on the cross , for them , for us.

My sins have been thrown into the depths of the sea and there is forgiveness and grace every time I dip into the never-ending cup of repentance my Jesus offers.

Yet why can't we grasp that when we step onto our platforms and point?

Why are the rules forever changing based on what we think and feel over what is said in the Bible?

My heart hurts when a person can stand for Jesus but forgot what He stood for.He stood for me, He stepped next to the lost, the broken, the imperfect and said "I will."

If God can forgive me, why can't you?

If Jesus intercepted the wrath meant for me why are you so angry at everyone?

If my Lord saved me and and stretched a hand to me why do you withhold kindness?

If God commanded that the good news go out into the ends the earth why then are eager to hurt others with the anything you can of things you hope will taint a person's reputation?

I'm a sinner like you.

Like you.

Did you forget that or does redemption only come within the form of your feelings about everyone else, about me?

If Jesus can wash the feet of his disciples, men who in hours would betray their master, leave Him and run. These humans an innocent Christ was preparing to die for. .....
How can you, knowing that , turn your back on anyone less perfect than yourself?

I've seen grown men with an infinite knowledge of the Bible treat small children with contempt out of impatience, exasperation and pride.

I've seen women use what's within their hearts employ those hands meant for serving to instead type negativity, hitting send to multiple contacts.

How can you forget you are a sinner like me and hurt, and put down, and display such never-ending amounts of eye rolling and condemnation towards humans like YOU.

Have you known the God that came to save us, the sinners like you?

She Got New Glasses

My daughter was always tripping and we didn't know why.

She was always confused, stumbling into things, a bit cross eyed and always way too close to books and screens.

Until she got new glasses, just like mommy's she likes to tell you. And they're "pink" her favourite colour next to purple.

Clarity doesn't fall as much as she used to, and she notices details like she is seeing for the first time. It's a beautiful thing.

What's All This White Stuff?

Breathtaking isn't it?

Since our move from smog and suburbia (East Coast) we've been asked about our weather. Kentucky is a very overlooked state, I've been asked about our tornadoes? About our "southern warmth" and if we get season's......

We haven't had any sort of spiraling wind funnels, and our warmth usually arrives around June then fizzles out around September. As for seasons, well we have our share of everything that can be offered from crisp, vibrant autumnal splendor to the bone chilling sub zero temperatures of winter.

Our city dog loves it too .

Unnecessary Valentines

There's so many unnecessary things that surprise and catch me off guard.

Every year I get a card for Valentine's Day from my Grandma. I'm always caught off guard because it's such a little thing, so unnecessary. Who remembers that day really? A lot of men think it pointless or feel its something they have to make sure happens or they'll be in the doghouse. (For sure til Mothers Day )

Sometimes we think unnecessary can be related to stuff, what we don't need, what we don't want..or it can relate to actions, attitudes, reactions.  For example it's usually unnecessary for someone to tail your vehicle's rear end, on a one way road, congested with traffic. Absolutely nothing can be achieved by that even if it makes you feel better.

Unnecessary can mean that you were thinking of me by writing that little note of praise about my efforts.

Unnecessary is someone asking that new person if they needed something before they gave it away.

Unnecessary is responding to that email because someone is crying out for a friend in a new place.

You see I don't expect you to be nice; of course we can state our standards such as "love like Christ."  " Or we can say that we believe in equality, that we shouldn't judge.We can have little verses tacked to our walls and have our Bible's on display but we can't keep our tempers in check.

I expected you to throw a Bible verse at me, to change it when it said "forgive" and yet not forget whatever I slighted you with. To hurt me with your words, with your cold actions. To do as you said yet for you not to live it.

I expected you to cut me off through social media, through personal contact because while you want no judgement for the way you are or believe you want me to agree with everything you stand for.....

I expected you not to include me because I don't dress like all the others, I don't look like everyone else. I'm different from you.

I'm familiar with knowing that I wasn't invited, that you won't volunteer information about where that place actually is, I can hear your voices become hushed as I passed you by.

I know lies are speckled with unneeded details so you think I'll believe them more readily. And I'll receive reasons, explanations instead of you just loving enough to tell me the truth.

I get it that you feel brave through text, through Facebook, and you can say things about me and to me that you couldn't and wouldn't face to face.

It's the unnecessary thoughts that warms me to my toes.

The way you smiled and invited me, emailed and ask how it's going.

That phone call, that card, the hand clasp that says you're so glad we met. That you have a funny story to tell me. They way you grasp how a faraway child needs a birthday celebration and you come because they haven't any family around.

I don't expect you, but my lonely humanity needs someone like you.

Thank you.

Remember in every place there's always someone expecting the unnecessary.

Happy Valentine's.

Puppy Love

Our largest change this new year has been our newest family member.....

Meet Tobie.

A.rescue from Manhattan NYC, this crazy big boy craved the country life and has set out to conquer and tear apart our home.

Between lots of snuggling, chewing, chasing, slobbering and a serious attachment to one rambunctious four year old.