He must Increase

"Hope that is seen is not hope... but if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance." ~ Romans 8:24-25

Oh you guys, I appreciate your encouragement and "way to go's", but if you happen to see anything praiseworthy, meditate on what Christ has done, 'cause it's definitely not me. My hope is still and ever will be in the One who made us and gives us every breath.

" 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts." ~ Zechariah 4:6

Storms

Thank You, God, for the storms... through them I learn humility.



Thank You, God, for each sunrise... I am given hope for better things to come.



Thank You for my Rose and my Joy... can I ever show them how much I love them?



Thank You, God, for my steady cow girls... from them I learn the lessons of a lifetime.



Thank You, God, for Your Son's sacrifice.



Forgive my doubting.

"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
~ John 20:29b ~

""My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives."
~ Hebrews 12:5b-6 ~

Clear Head

"The end of all things is near.
Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen"

~1 Peter 4:7-11~

Verse 7: The end is truly near, and there is no strength in me to do what needs to be done to prepare the world for the coming of His Kingdom. I fail every single time I try to do good on my own. What a proud sinner I am. I do not seek Him in prayer as I should, therefore fear rules how I act. I see relationships crumble because of my doing, because I do not clear my schedule and exercise self-control by daily prayer. My focus is on me, myself and I because I don't praise God for what He has done, and don't lift up my family, friends and nation in their times of need. A lack of prayer impacts how you talk to others.

"Love covers a multitude of sins..." Haven't you found this to be true? Our Lord must be deeply saddened by how many friendships have been strained or broken in just the past month. He's told us how to prevent this from happening, why don't we listen?

"Your statutes are my heritage forever;
they are the joy of my heart.
My heart is set on keeping your decress
to the very end."
~Psalm 119:111-112~

Why won't I do what God's Word says, instead of just hearing it and going about my life? His Word is my life, my heritage, my joy.

Yesterday my family spent the day at our good friends' house. Their open hospitality to us and others seems to be what Paul is talking about in verse 9. But I think my friend showed an even deeper application of that verse when she noticed a new girl at church and made her welcome, inviting her to sit next to her, even when it may not have been comfortable to do so. I was humbled to see this.

Verses 10-11: God gave me the gift of prophecy to use to edify my church family. That is not a bad thing. What is wrong is how I have abused that gift, speaking my own words in whatever way I choose. As a friend told me yesterday, often it is God's will for those of us with the gift of prophecy not to speak. When will I learn to wait on God? I get the feeling that wisdom spouted at the wrong time with the wrong heart motive is no better than foolishness.

"A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself,
but the heart of fools blurts out folly."

~Proverbs 12:23~

Bitterness, envy, and strife about words to no avail are still being argued today... God is not pleased. The answers to all of the questions are so simple... love God, and love others more than yourself.

Love is not Safe

There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.

— C. S. Lewis


…great joy through love seemed always to go hand in hand with frightful pain. Still, he thought, looking out across the meadow, still, the joy would be worth the pain – if, indeed, they went together. If there were a choice – and he suspected there was – a choice between, on the one hand, the heights and the depths and, on the other hand, some sort of safe, cautious middle way, he, for one, here and now chose the heights and the depths.

—Sheldon Vanauken

Pursue with All Your Might

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness."

1 Timothy 6:11

What are we to flee?

"...controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction...

1 Timothy 6:4b-5a

Pursue...

... Righteousness... I need to run to God's Word for the answers.

Godliness... What would Christ do in this situation?

... Faith... Fear, doubt, worry, stress... I need to turn every worry over to the one who hears and cared enough to die for my sins - every other concern pales in comparison to that. Even when I am working to do the right thing, and all my strength and effort is poured into this life and all the toil that we must face, my God is the one that I lean on.

Love... How do I love my parents, siblings, friends, and future mate with unconditional love? A love that does not treat them like dirt... a love that listens... a love that does not expect anything in return... a love that never raises its voice in anger, even when you are verbally trashed, day after long, endless day. This kind of love will keep on loving, even when there is no end to personal hurt.

... Endurance... When hope is hard to hold on to, when you think that no guy will come along who will see into your closely guarded heart and treasure what he finds - a love for God, and a different countenance from those witty, cool, beautiful girls that the world is full of. Perseverance to go on living and working in a world that is falling apart at the seams, and you're one of the few who remain to hold things together while the rest go blindly off the edge of a cliff of our own making.

and Gentleness... "Make every effort to live in peace with all men... Heb. 12:14". Living among my neighbors in quietness, simplicity and humility. Not raising a ruckus at every little problem that I see in other people, but taking the log out of my own eye first. Meekly listening to what other's have to say, without blurting out my opinions. Being teachable. Friendly. Gracious and bearing with others' shortcomings, knowing that I will receive an even stricter judgment.

"Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth"

Funny how you can pursue all these things, and yet be still before God.

It's a kind of heart stillness, that gives the controls over to the Mighty One and walks always one step behind Him as He breaks new ground. Always listening to His voice, not worry, noise or busyness.

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 3:12-14

Shiloh Knoll Farm Newsletter

Shiloh Knoll Farm
Winter 2011 Newsletter

Hello Friends,

I'm grateful to God for allowing my family to live in this beautiful part of the country, and for giving us the means to provide a little real food for folks like you who take responsibility for your family's health and choose a better option than conventional fare. I applaud you, this country needs your wisdom and encouragement to do better.

Spring saw the arrival of our first batch of broilers. Believe it or not, I actually enjoyed processing the birds! Well, that and tasting the final product... I couldn't believe the flavor and how my body reacted positively to meat that was free of hormones, antibiotics, unnatural feed, and raised on green clover rather than in confinement houses. It's not all roses, though. We faced a lot of trials this year, with weather and varmints causing the most trouble, yet through all of my mistakes I gained experience. Because of that, I am confident and excited about raising chickens again, and hopefully will have pasture-raised and home processed chicken and turkey for you next year. In a few months I will send out an e-mail where you can place an order!

Summer brought three new calves to our farm, who are now happily bouncing around the field and growing into big cows as I write this! This is definitely one of the perks of farm life. Our Jersey cows, Mattie and Jani, went on another journey with me this year, as I learned about and started implementing managed-intensive grazing. They learned how to respect the halter, and I learned to respect all that they give us – real milk, beautiful calves for future milk and beef production, valuable fertilizer for healthy grass, and lessons in patience and perseverance. I couldn't count how many times they have made me madder than a hornet, yet cause me to turn right around and laugh at their antics. Animals are a blessing, not a production unit to be exploited.

Fall brought the taste of blackberry blossom honey from our bee hives, and homemade applesauce with honey and cinnamon topped the list of family favorites. Our second batch of broilers, turkeys, and three pigs lived happily and fulfilled their purpose... :) Hearing people rave about the flavor and deep color of milk-fed pork makes me want to raise pigs again in the future. We'll have to see what next year brings! Another arrival was our short-term milker, the Holstein, Nevada. She was a great experience for me, learning how to handle and care for a much larger cow, and she fed our calves well. I'm transferring her to another good home and hope to add Opal the Jersey to our herd in April! Exciting times.

And now this Winter season of cold mornings also teaches me many things. The sky proclaims the handiwork of the Creator as the sun rises, gleaming red on new snow. The bees, barely moving in their hives, yet staying alive and waiting for the first pollen rush of spring teach me the need to have a season of rest. Studying human and animal nutritional needs shows our complexity that no scientist will ever be able to totally define in a laboratory. God knew better than man when he designed calves to drink real milk, chickens to scratch at bugs, pigs to dig in the dirt, and cows to eat grass. My job is simple: learn more and more how to follow His perfect design.

Blessings to you all, and once again thank you for a great year!

~ Emily Sauble
Shiloh Knoll Farm

Don't Waste Your Life

Ever read the book 'Don't Waste Your Life' by John Piper?

Piper spends chapters explaining how a wasted life is one that is spent searching for pleasure in all the wrong places. Like retirement leisure, sports, friends, etc. "Life is wasted if we do not grasp the glory of the cross, cherish it for the treasure that it is, and cleave to it as the highest price of ever pleasure and the deepest comfort in every pain. That is what the next chapter is about.

God loves us by putting us through trials and pain, so that by learning to place our faith in Him, truest joy (happiness) will be ours. The path of the cross is an ugly, brutal, often deadly road. By our life and our death, do we honor God and show the world that He is worth living (and dying) for?

Whenever something is of tremendous value to you, and you cherish its beauty or power or uniqueness, you want to draw others' attention to it and waken in them the same joy. That is why Paul's all-consuming goal in life was for Christ to be magnified. Christ was of infinite value to Paul, and so Paul longed for others to see and savor this value. That is what it means to magnify Christ - to show the magnitude of his value.

It's a radical concept - when we are happy in God, we are glorifying Him. "To glorify God and enjoy Him forever" goes hand-in-hand.

The chapter that hit me the most was "Living to Prove He Is More Precious than Life"...

Of course, we do not use the word cool to describe true greatness. It is a small word. That's the point. It's cheap. And it's what millions of young people live for. Who confronts them with urgency and tears? Who pleads with them not to waste their lives? Who takes them by the collar, so to speak, and loves them enough to show them a life so radical and so real and so costly and Christ-saturated that they feel the emptiness and triviality of their CD collection and their pointless conversations about passing celebrities? Who will waken what lies latent in their souls, untapped - a longing not to waste their lives?

Oh, that young and old would turn off the television, take a long walk, and dream about feats of courage for a cause ten thousand times more important than American democracy - as precious as that is. If we would dream and if we would pray, would not God answer? Would he withhold from us a life of joyful love and mercy and sacrifice that magnifies Christ and makes people glad in God? I plead with you, as I pray for myself, set your face like flint to join Jesus on the Calvary road. "Let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come" (Hebrews 13:13-14) When they see our sacrificial love - radiant with joy - will they not say, "Christ is great"?

At the end of the road, will we show only a wasted life?

Why I am leaving Facebook

Simple answer: this country girl can't take the barrage of status updates and random info about 364 casual friends or aquaintances... I want, no, need to speak face-to-face with a few real friends, or I'll go nuts.

Long answer: I'm ashamed of the foolishness that goes on. I find myself answering in kind whenever I browse the home pages of people I know. People with quick minds come out in full force to display their wittiness, and I can't compete. You know the Bible verse that says,

"He that walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed." Proverbs 13:20

That is sort of how I view it. There are many wise people who use facebook, but I value their friendship too much to converse with them only on that social network. As for all the normally thoughtful people who get drawn into the foolishness, I say be strong and true to yourself and God, and flee. You may be one of the privileged few who can use facebook well and wisely - if so, praise God! I don't look down on anyone who does, I just use these generalizations to try to wrap my mind around why I have these nagging doubts and convictions that cause me to want to leave the social networking system.

I once heard someone state the opinion that single girls should at least display the fact that, 'here, I'm available!' on internet social networks, and not play 'hard to get'. Hm. If that is what is required in this day and age to get married, we are in a sad state, my friends. Never limit God's power. Just be yourself, and realize that your weaknesses give you the ability to display His power if you let Him work.

The second reason I am leaving is to free up time to focus on my herbal studies, teaching and home dairy business. Even if I only spent an hour a week on facebook, that translates to over two full days of each year that God needs me to focus on other things.

I hope to continue to blog, but even this is a constant struggle against posting foolishness when I should be doing other things. Not to over-spiritualize blogging, but don't you appreciate posts that somehow instruct or build up others, instead of tearing them down or building up my own ego?

I love work. The feeling of doing what God is asking of you at this time in your life is beyond description. Here's a cool verse I found this morning:

"Do you see a man who excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before unknown men." Proverbs 22:29

God bless you guys...

Two Lessons

#1 - You can do anything you put your mind to as long as you have a good supply of junk plywood, baler twine and hay pallets. How do I know this? We have pigs. 'nuff said.

#2 - Even more than I need to learn to communicate with people better, I need to continue to listen to people.

I've been struggling with milk customers not letting me know when they will not be picking up milk. Out of my customer base of 15 families or so, this only happens about once or twice a week, but it can be irritating. I try to remind them gently about the need to communicate if this happens more than once, but inside I'm usually quietly fuming at being taken advantage of.

This week has been a crazy fiasco of trying to coordinate butchering dates for our bull and three hogs. I called Buckley's to ask if they had an earlier date to butcher our hogs, since they will be ready within three weeks, and I had signed them up for two months down the road. Buckleys said their entire schedule was full, and just to let them know if we wanted to stay with the current butchering date.

Then the bull got out with the cows... bad, bad, bad situation. Our electric fence is still not working correctly, and no one can figure out why. I called Riteway to see if they had room in their schedule to butcher the bull this weekend, so at least we don't have to deal with one dangerous animal. They put him on the schedule yesterday, and this morning I got a call from Buckleys. He told me that he can't handle hogs as big as ours are going to be by October 15th, and yet he can't get me in earlier. I mentioned,"that's okay, I'll call Riteway and see if they can get them done earlier, since they are doing our bull this weekend." The guy at Buckley's said, "oh, you mean you got someone else to do the bull without telling us so we could get someone else in that time slot?" After a few more words of disappointment, I finally got the word in edgewise that I had planned to call them with this brand new information today. He seemed a bit satiated, and told me to call him back after I'd found out about the hogs.

I get the hogs on Riteway's schedule, call Buckley's back, and get his wife on the phone. She rants about loosing four customers because I wouldn't call them about changing to a different butcher (how this is possible, considering I only took up one time slot, had just yesterday found out about being able to get the bull done this weekend, and it was Buckley's who were unable to butcher the hogs even though I was okay with waiting, is something to ponder). Eventually, realizing she was not interested in hearing an explanation, and was just angry about my mistake costing them business, I quit trying to get a word in edgewise.

There was a moment of dead air, then a "hello? hello, are you there?".

To honestly answer, when someone is not listening, the person they are talking to could just as well be not present. I just felt like crying afterwards at the trouble I had inadvertently caused. Not a good way to start off the day.

Lord, help me to listen to others and get over my huffiness over people's mistakes. A little bit of grace goes a long way, and I for sure appreciate it when people rebuke me softly, instead of with a harsh diatribe.

"A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart." Proverbs 18:2

"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."

Submission

It strikes me that God is not interested in self-pity. Yes, we all have a sin problem. No, we don't have the right to sit around and gripe about it.

The particular issue I'm facing these days is submission.

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in the very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow..."

[Philippians 2:5-10a NIV]

It's tough to know deep down that pride is the reason you aren't able to submit to the authorities in your life. Especially when that pride and independance seems to hold your life together.

Like Sam said, "Just let it go!" But like the ring of power, pride is not usually dropped so lightly. (I can't believe I'm quoting TLOTR)

"I hate pride and arrogance" [Prov. 8:13]

"Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall." [Prov. 16:18]

"And those who walk in pride He is able to humble." [Dan 4:37]

So how do we get rid of pride? By understanding our position in Christ.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ , in accordance with His pleasure and will -

to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the one He loves .

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace

that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure , which He purposed in Christ,

to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will,

in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of His glory."

[Ephesians 1:3-14 NIV]

But it hurts! Pride is enjoyable, being in control is desirable, it is not fun to let God take control and let your authorities make decisions for you.

Moses could have been in control. He could have decided to keep his seat of power in Egypt, but what does Hebrews say of this man?

"He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.

He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking towards his reward."

[Hebrew 12:25-26]

And again:

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."

[Matthew 13:44-45]

Will I give up everything, even the pride which I hold close, for the Pearl of Great Price?

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!

Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.

Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." (I take this to mean do not put yourself in situations where you will be easily tempted to exercise the sin you are struggling with)

[Hebrews 12:1-12]

It isn't natural to treat other people as though they are better than yourself. It's not your first thought to defer to other people in conversations, listening to them with respect, especially if you think you know better than they. It is totally a foreign concept to our selfish, prideful natures to bow to authority...

...but God asks us to. God wants us to share in His holiness!!! Do we understand what that means? By giving up our rights, our demands, our ego, we grab onto the beautiful, glorious perfection of our Father. We see a glimpse of the victorious day to come, where God's will is done on earth and in heaven, and sin passes away forever, and what was once desirable above all else is revealed for the hollow, empty pleasure that it always had been, and the 'pearl of great price' becomes clear to our newly opened eyes.

Is the prize worth it?

True Happiness

Farmers receive more than their share of both inexpressible joy and intense sadness. Some days I'm on cloud nine because of the beauty of this world we live in. On other days, it is all I can do to keep pressing on when circumstances are bent on my destruction. A picture of heaven and hell.

Well, the skunk got its due at the end of my dad's rifle, but that won't bring back it's victims. I have never in my life seen such senseless carnage. If an animal kills in order to eat, that is one thing, but an animal that kills for the sheer pleasure of killing...

What does one do with the anger, frustration, tears, pain, and depression that follows a tragedy like this?

You know what is really sad? I'm learning more about how sinful I truly am. "When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Rom. 7:21-24)

How is it possible to be joyful?

"O how happy are they who the Savior obey,
and have laid up their treasure above!
Tongue can never express the sweet comfort and peace
of a soul in its earliest love.

That sweet comfort was mine, when the favor divine
I first found in the blood of the Lamb;
when my heart first believed, what a joy I received,
what a heaven in Jesus's name!

'Twas a heaven below my Redeemer to know,
and the angels could do nothing more,
than to fall at his feet, and the story repeat,
and the lover of sinners adore.

Jesus all the day long was my joy and my song:
O that all his salvation might see!
"He hath loved me," I cried, "He hath suffered and died,
to redeem a poor rebel like me."

O the rapturous height of that holy delight
which I felt in the life giving blood!
By my Savior possessed, I was perfectly blest,
as if filled with the fullness of God.

Now my remnant of days would I speak of his praise
who hath died my poor soul to redeem.
Whether many or few, all my years are his due;
may they all be devoted to Him."

Here I Am, Lord

"I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in deepest sin
My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them?
Whom shall I send?

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne My people's pain.
I have wept for love of them,
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak My word to them.
Whom shall I send?

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them,
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them.
Whom shall I send!

Here I am, Lord.
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord,
If You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart."

~ Daniel L. Schutte ~
Based on Isaiah 6:8

'Love of every love the best'

Be soft of voice
and gentle of bearing
Be kind of heart
and tender of hands
Be bright as the morn
and still as the evening
Within you they’ll find
God’s love reborn.
~ Mrs. Eva Hauk ~

This is something that has been on my heart lately. It was a tough week, what with a lot of things not happening as planned, and mistakes being made. I was certainly not 'soft of voice' or 'gentle of bearing' at times.

I watch my mother with amazement. She shows mercy, compassion and love at times where they are unmerited. Will I ever learn to do the same? Surely one of the greatest gifts a woman can possess is love: for her Lord, her family, and all others God brings into her life. What is Christian hospitality without love? What kind of home environment would there be without compassion? How long would friendships last without tender mercy towards each other and our failings?

What is this kind of love?

"The Love of God is uninfluenced. By this we mean, there was nothing whatever in the objects of his love to call it into exercise, nothing in the creature to attract or prompt it. The love which one creature has for another is because of something in the object; but the love of God is free, spontaneous, uncaused. The only reason why God loves any is found in his own sovereign will: "The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you because ye were more in number that any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but because the Lord loved thee" (Deut. 7:7-8). God has loved his people from everlasting, and therefore nothing about the creature can be the cause of what is found in God from eternity. He loves from himself: "according to his own purpose" (2 Tim. 1:9).

"We love him, because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19). God did not love us because we loved him, but he loved us before we had a particle of love for him. Had God loved us in return for ours, then it would not be spontaneous on his part; but because he loved us when we were loveless, it is clear that his love was uninfluenced. It is highly important, if God is to be honored and the heart of his child established, that we should be quite clear upon this precious truth. God's love for me and for each of "his own" was entirely unmoved by anything in us. What was there in me to attract the heart of God? Absolutely nothing. But, to the contrary, there was everything to repel him, everything calculated to make him loathe me - sinful, depraved, a mass of corruption, with "no good thing" in me.

"What was there in me that could merit esteem,
Or give the Creator delight?
Twas even so, Father, I ever must sing,
Because it seemed good in Thy sight." "

~ Taken from "The Attributes of God" by Arthur W. Pink ~

May we girls learn to be 'kind of heart' and 'tender of hands' to our families because we understand the vast, unmerited love of our Father.

Psalm 91

Take a look at this tiny chicken egg my brother found...
Guys, the UNIVERSE is smaller than this in God's sight, yet He holds each of you in the very palm of His hand.

Psalm 91 (NKJV) -

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust."

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
and under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

"Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation." "

Tact

Anyone else struggling with tact these days?

Maria von Trapp said...

"I can't seem to stop saying things.
Everything I think and feel."

"Some people call that honesty."

"Oh, but it's terrible, reverend mother!"

Thanks, Christi, for that humorous reminder. :)

Some day I may realize that people do not usually want their way of life challenged by an upstart who thinks she knows how to do things differently. Constantly, my words need to be tempered with humility. My dad and I are alike - we want so badly to 'fix' things. 'Fix' our neighbor's poor apple management, 'fix' a child's cough, 'fix' a friend's idea that vaccinations are actually beneficial... you get the picture.

There are people out there genuinely interested in learning what you have to offer, but it matters just as much how and when you present it to them, as what your advice actually entails.

People skills.

White

I thought I'd share this beautiful folk hymn with y'all.

" Ye fleeting charms of earth, farewell, your springs of joy are dry;
My soul now seeks another home, a brighter world on high.

Farewell, my friends, whose tender care has long engaged my love;
Your fond embrace I now exchange for better friends above.

I'm a long time trav'ling here below,
I'm a long time trav'ling away from home,
I'm a long time trav'ling here below to lay this body down."

- The Sacred Harp

Come quickly, Lord Jesus...

Proud?

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."

Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and the things which are not, to bring to nought the things that are:

That no flesh should glory in His presence.

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." ~ 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

God honors those who honor Him, not those who try to impress others.

I met a young lady who is disabled due to horrible abuse as a child. Would that I could learn from her joyful spirit how to rise above the lowest of my circumstances.

A week ago I heard from native missionaries to North Korea. Would that I had the courage to leave an oppressive homeland, meet the Savior Jesus, be trained in God's living Word, only to return to my family and be imprisoned, beaten, and even killed for my witness. (the government in N. Korea is scared of only one thing - no, it's not the mighty American fighting power, pressure from other governments, or economic downturns - it is the mighty God of the Christians whom they cannot win against, no matter how many they kill).

Learning about the amazing complexity that is found in the field of nutrition, I am humbled that my God is the only one with any power to heal - regardless of my dietary choices, He gives and He takes away health... and blessed be His name.

I know a couple who are wise in the world's eyes. They are smart, skilled, influential, well-to-do... and utterly impoverished in their spirits.

Will we pray for God's will to be done? Will we seek men's wisdom, or the truth found in God's Word? Will there be people who repented through the Holy Spirit, our prayers, and the sharing of the gospel when we stand before the throne of God, when the Son of Man is revealed in all majesty?

Lord forgive me.

I'm signing off this blog for a while, just to get my bearings aligned with His again.

Rain

"Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving...

Who covers the heavens with clouds,

Who prepares rain for the earth,

Who makes grass to grow on the mountains..."

~Psalm 147:7-8~

Last week I went camping with my church at Fisherman's Bend for four days. Among the fun things we did were biking, hymn-singing around the campfire, playing Dutch Blitz and spoons by lamplight, wading in the creek, hiking at Salmon Falls, and chilly morning devotions by the bank of the Santiam River. *Several younger boys received great joy in teasing me about my like of 'healthy food' and extreme dislike of soda and candy. One evening I found a chocolate bar on my pillow. I got revenge the next day by publicly burning it. The looks of horror on those faces was perfect :D Who says I'm sweet and kind all the time? ~Evil laugh~ *

A good friend invited me to join her family at Detroit Lake on Friday afternoon. Some of us went out in the boat while others fished. What could be more fun than lying in a boat on a lake watching the rain drops fall?

This morning I woke to the sound of rain on the roof. It's enough to make me glad my room is so poorly insulated. I slept in a full 15 minutes longer than normal just to enjoy the peaceful rhythm.

After milking I had to chase a galloping cow around the wet orchard. Have you ever seen a 1200 lb matronly milk cow gleefully kick up her heels as her irate owner runs after her, yelling helplessly? 'Tis a sight to behold.

I biked to a neighbor's house this morning to care for their animals while they are on vacation. Wet through and happy, am I :) A few hours from now some of us are heading up to Fort Stevens for the reenactment.

In the rain.

Church

Ready for a boring history? Well, read on at your peril... I never do anything half-heartedly ;)

God is so good. For the first 9 years of my life, my family attended a Baptist church with a great emphasis on solid Biblical teaching, and the homeschool families there really banded together and supported one another. I loved home groups, homeschool field trips, and spending time with other big families of similar interests.

I'm not sure why we left, but my parents felt God was leading us elsewhere, so we visited a new church one Sunday. Love at first sight ;) I have never witnessed a group of people more active in service and loving care for one another than at this church. At the time, the church was small and made up mostly of homeschoolers. I never thought God would ask us to leave, we were so involved in the homeschool co-op, AWANA, teaching sunday school, and myriads of other projects. But it seems to me that as a church grows, there is a tendency to get watered down in doctrine, purpose, and unity. Perhaps I'm wrong. I hope so, but my experience speaks otherwise. I have never felt so emotional about changing churches as I was on leaving this one. My parents wished better things for me and my siblings - a higher calling, a narrow road that means being different from the world, and shunned by 'cool' people. The youth and leadership were pulling the opposite direction in dress, music, actions, attitudes... and the new Christian school seemed to draw many home educators. 8 years had seen a lot of changes in both the church and my family - in the opposite direction.

You know when there is a conviction by the Holy Spirit, 'visionaries' (those who are passionate about their ideals and eager for change) tend to hit the opposite wall - that's exactly what happened with my family. We longed for a church family whose music, dress, and attitudes reflected the purity and 'peculiarity' that should mark believers in Christ. After visiting so many churches that the little kids would make a habit of asking, "Where are we going this Sunday, Daddy?" We found a church that shares our ideals. For two years members of my family struggled with this decision, however. I'm afraid I was the worst. I am reactionary, and I loved everything about this new church - hymns only, suits and dresses, King James only, great teaching, respectful youth. I did not want to leave, though God was not giving my parents peace with the change. When will I ever learn that my parents are the instruments of almighty God for good, and not for evil? That in my folly, they can guide me to the right path if I will only submit and listen to their teaching.

After a year, my family became quite cynical - every Sunday over lunch we would argue, joke, laugh and cry over this church. Why were all the issues that had made us leave SWH so important? What made our new church so right or wrong about things like only reading the KJV, singing hymns, and girls wearing dresses only? Were we simply guilty of 'church shopping', choosing to fight over 'gray areas', or were we truly convicted by God of Biblical truth? Were we dealing with legalism or leniency?

My heart changed - how frail I am. I realized that my parents were right. If we could not submit to our new church leaders, we needed to move on. We left and tore the whole family away from the few friends all had made.

Finally, through ECD, I met three lovely young ladies (you know them as Caity, Megan and Emily :) ). By happenchance I mentioned my family's struggle, and their family invited us to their church. We are now where God wants us and I am at peace for the first time in two and a half years.

I now know the purpose behind why the Lord sent us to this last church for those two years, yet never allowed us to stay. It went through a major church division at the same time that we left our old church, so it was not the right timing! My family also had many lessons to learn, many priorities and convictions to form, and struggles to work through. That's when faith becomes real and doctrine becomes your lifeline.

We have come full circle. I miss so many friends from all three churches, godly examples who encourage me to walk in His ways. I pray that you will forgive me for any words not spoken in love, but mostly for my bitter thoughts during these times. I am extremely opinionated, and where I failed to show grace to others, many still extended grace to me. To all of you that read this, thank you.

Two years ago, I grew fed up with the lack of repentance and the justice of God not being preached by churches in America. Where was the zeal, the conviction of sin in unbelievers' hearts? Why all the 'back-slidden' and apathetic Christians in the churches I visited? When I turned my focus to the wrath of God, however, I began to miss the grace of God. It's like driving - you find yourself drifting towards the ditch, and you react by yanking the wheel to the left and veering into the other lane.

In His mercy, I have again found as King David did;

"The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever be mindful of His covenant." (Ps. 111:4-5)

"Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness." (Ps. 107:8-9)

"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,
and His righteousness to children's children, to such as keep His covenant,
and to those who remember His commandments to do them." (Ps. 103:1-18 NKJV)

Brothers and sisters in Christ, never forget the greatest commandment - to love one another.

Questions for those who read this...

Question: what do you think are your best and worst personality 'quirks'? I'm not sure what people think mine are, though perhaps that I am quiet - and the worst being that I am too reserved. Though it is not a sin to be too reserved (thank goodness), people get the impression that you are proud, when you just aren't the type to jump up and down when everyone else does. A friend reminded me that it is important to come to terms with the fact that not everyone is going to like the fact that I am reserved, and that is okay. What words of wisdom do you all have - perhaps some scripture that applies? 'Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.'

I was in the garden on Thursday, weeding, when dad yelled at me to get into the house - too late, the first wave of wind was upon me before I knew it. The storm threw half of the tomato plants sideways, but only one stem snapped. Other than a bit of damage to the raspberries, a massive leak where dad is re-doing our roofline, no harm was done. Our power stayed on (yay for electricity when it comes to milking time :D), but neighbors lost theirs. That storm was about the closest Oregon will ever come to a hurricane - pretty pathetic. The lightning was fun!

Next week I begin studying to be a certified community herbalist. It should take about a year and a half. My music theory, keyboard skills, and private lessons are done for the year, and a whole new world has been opened up for me - I realize how much more I can continue to learn, especially when it comes to composition, improvisation, and building up my sight singing, transposition, harmonic reading and analysis skills. This summer I'm learning 'Sarabande' and 'Gardens in the Rain' by Debussy, and 'Rhapsody in B minor' by Brahms. Next year I'd like to learn pieces by Grieg and Rachmaninoff. Do any of you know of piano pieces that might be a good challenge for me?

The cows, munching on fresh orchard grass... during the storm they never stopped grazing. Stomachs on four legs.

Dealing with hot temperatures, flies, and weeds is taking up a lot of my time. I absolutely love getting down and getting dirty, and every day I thank God for this farm.

My dad is building an addition on our house - which means I get my own room someday!

Here is Chuck, growing big and tasty...

Here is Mattie, posing regally for her photo shoot... (it might seem odd that you can see the outline of her ribs, but for those of you who are new to dairy cattle, it's normal. Beef cows store their weight in their shoulders and rumps - dairy cows store it in their belly)