Happy New Year

I thought it looks sort of bright like a glowing ember.
We have a New Year upon us. I was thinking as I walked
about this post and this is what I came up with.
A New Path For A New Year

We worked out in the pasture today and got it all cleaned up,
and put to bed. We haven't been able to get out there because of
the rain and we had a lull in rain and the dirt was perfect so
not me of course I don't know how to drive a tractor, I took pictures.
I was thinking that no one really thinks about how precious dirt is, but
it is without proper care you can end up with the Sahara Desert.
I always feel like if you take care of your dirt it will take care of you.
So we try to take care of our dirt and keep her clean and weed free.
We try to put the nutrients back in, I live in California because my
forefathers fled the dust bowl which was a example of poor soil management.
So some before and after pictures: Before plowing.

And after plowed.

I enjoy having a clean house, but I really enjoy having a clean field.
I always tell people we didn't move out here for the house, we moved
out here for the dirt. I love my dirt. I have some patches of clay but
most of it is sandy river bottom that has excellent drainage.

Of course, my favorite farmer.
So, since it is a New Year, I thought I would share
some Resolutions:
1. Chickens are looking a bit plump, they need a bit more exercise.
2. The dog is looking a bit plump, she needs a bit more exercise.
3. Everything else that looks a bit plump will remain nameless.
4. Enjoy life, worry less, love more, and laugh all of the time.

Happy New Year my dear, dear friends, You have blessed my life
far more than you will ever know and you have given me so much joy
I thank God for all of my remembrance of you. May He shower
His love, His blessings and His mercy in every area of your life in
2011

" Lord, give to me a quiet heart
that does not ask to understand,
But confident steps forward in
The darkness guided by Thy hand."
(Keep a Quiet Hear, p. 12)
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding:
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

~Kim~

The Field of Dreams

Since I spend so much time out in the field of dreams,
I thought I would show you a bit about it. This is where
I walk, a bunch. I walk at least twice or three times a day,
depending on the weather. More when it is warm.
When we moved here and I was four, I had a stick horse and
I would ride that stick horse all over the cow trails.

This is how it looks when it has been newly plowed and
the trees look like this in the middle of December. Our trees
don't loose all of the leaves until about the 18th or so of December.
Or that has been what it is these last two years I have been paying
attention.

This is the field of dreams just before we start the garden.
The trees are newly green. This is the part of the year when
I loose my mind. I tell myself in December even if it is the last
day, I will not go crazy with seed catalogs, I will not buy seeds,
like all of the different varieties of pumpkins that I can find.

This is how the field of dreams looked when I was a girl.
That is my horse Apache. I lived on him and he was my life,
after my Mom died he became my whole world. He lived until
my daughter was two. There has never been a horse in my life
quite like him. If you notice in the back is a old barn. That was
where the cows were kept and we had a hay grinder in there that
my Grandpa used to grind up feed for the cows. Where the barn is in the picture
is my back fence. This was how it looked 40 years ago.

This was the other day before the rain came and washed
the leaves from the trees. I always thought they just fell
after the first few frosts, but this year, the rain just washed them
out all in one day. I will take another picture now that the
trees are without leaves.

We have changed the field of dreams from what it was in my childhood.
But when I was a girl my dream for this place is what it looks like
now. I always wanted white split rail fences around it. Maybe that
is why I take so many pictures of the split rail fences is it was always
part of my dream.
I just thought I would share it with you on this New Year's Eve. When I
was a girl and I would ride that horse, always I saw what it is now. It was
a dream that became a reality. Only I gave it up, and God gave it back to me.
Sometimes He does that.
I think as we stand on the threshold of a new year,
it is always good to dream just a little. In a song by Fleetwood Mac, yes, I can't help it
I still love Rumors. Stevie Nicks sings a song and she asks, " Do you have any dreams would
you like to sell?" I always wonder when I hear those words, will I ever
get so old that I have to ask someone if they have dreams to sell? I hope not. Happy
almost New Year.

~Kim~

Thankful Thursday

I think the thirtieth of December is a good day to be
thankful. I mean every day is a good day. My chicks
all made it back to the nest. The weight on my chest,
is starting to leave. The sun is shining and we have a
break in the weather of a couple of day.

Today all of my kids will be here for Christmas part 2
I am thankful that my house will be full and there will be laughter
and stories and jokes and babies making everyone laugh.

Last night my grand daughter was so excited to see Sasha (the dog)
she kept petting her and laying on her and Sasha had jumped up on the couch
and the baby was sitting beside me and Sasha had her head in the baby's
lap and the dog was on her back with a smile on her face she was so excited
they were home.

I am thankful for the tiny window God gave so that they could get home and
not be delayed. Today, Denver is expecting 20 inches of snow.


As we get ready to say good bye to another year, I am reminded by the simple
truths that When your plans seem to slip out of your hands, remember that your time never
slips out of His.
(Discipline: The Glad Surrender.")

One of the things I have been so thankful for is that "If anyone is in Christ, he is a
new Creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
(2 Corinthians 5:17)

Thou are the Lord who slept upon the pillow,
Thou are the Lord who soothed the furious sea,
What matter beating wind and tossing billow
if only we are in the boat with thee!

Hold us in the quiet through the age-long minute
While Thou are silent, and the wind is shrill:
Can the boat sink while Though, dear Lord, art in it?
Can the heart faint that waiteth on thy will?
(Amy Carmichael, Toward Jerusalem)


More times than not in 2010 I got out of the boat. More
times than I can count, I sank, only to have the Lord pull me out.
As I got in bed last night, I was exhausted because all day, I had
spent it in yelling at the waves and trying to be God. So as I
tried to relax, I realized I had spent the whole entire day in sin.
I did not trust God. Doubting God is sin, because I am saying to Him
that I am smarter and I know best. So today, I can tell because of
the exhaustion that lurks behind my eyes.


So on this beautiful morning, I am reminded once again, who is God and it
isn't me. I am so thankful He never gives me what I deserve. So I close with
this thought. " God came down and lived in this same world as a man. He
showed us how to live in this world, subject to its vicissitudes and necessities,
that we might be changed---not into a angel, or a storybook princess, now wafted
into another world, but changed into saints in this world. The secret is Christ
in me, not me in a different set of circumstances."

(Keep a Quiet Heart p.20)

So I am so thankful today for life that is given, Oh Lord help me to remain
content in the place that I am.

~Kim~

Rainy Days...and Wednesdays

It has been awhile since I posted a chicken photo.
Here is my little bantam flock. Two of these are the mothers
of the others. The little odd looking brown one is a Silkie/
Mille Fleur cross. Dumbest chicken on the planet. But she
is pretty to look at, I learned something when hatching
eggs from hens, hold the babies or you get very wild ones
like I have. They are terrified and never seem to calm down.

Now the reason for this post. When I started this blog, I had only read
a few blogs and knew nothing about them. So I bought a book called Blogging
for Bliss and read all about what she said about starting a blog. The thing
that almost made me stop was the taking pictures part.
I had never taken pictures, I always let my husband or my kids and I have
always managed to keep my self hidden in family photos too. Just not a big
fan of photographs.
I read that and my son brought me his camera and showed me a few things and
I started trying out taking pictures. Something happened that I never expected.
I fell in love with seeing life through a camera. I have read Pioneer Woman's tutorials
and I have photoshop on my computer which I don't use very often. But plan too learn
it to make my photos better. So one of the things I want to do for 2011 is take better pictures.
One of the things I am obsessed with is water droplets. On my walk the other day, I took pictures of the dew on the grass. This is a few of my pictures.



I never knew until I took this picture that grass had
little hairs on them. I never look close enough to notice I guess.



Now pictures are easier to take if you don't have your dog
coming up to look at what you are trying to take a picture of
or eating the grass.


Or it helps if the cat isn't out there too and the dog and cat are
running though every patch of grass that you are on your knees
in the mud getting pictures of, but I did manage a few.

I have a point and shoot five pixel Cannon. Since I am so new at this
I keep putting off buying a new camera. I have this idea and I don't know if
it is true, but like any art form, what you see is not the artists ability so much,
but the medium reflects the heart. It is something I have thought about
as I take pictures. When I am down or depressed my photographs reflect
this and I can't get a decent picture to save my life. When I am happy,
so are my photographs.

So one of my many goals will be to keep learning and taking pictures and
learn what all of the words mean instead of saying pointy thing.

I hope you are having a good Wednesday. We have rain, only it is nice rain so far.
It hasn't turned into a deluge. My daughter and her family will be flying in tonight.
I am praying for good weather. Denver is supposed to get snow so I am praying that
we have a lull and they get in and out of Denver before the snowstorm hits.

So once I have my chicks all back in town I will be a very happy camper.

Thanks for stopping by,
~Kim~

Happy Birthday

Today my son is 25, I can't believe that time has passed by so fast.
His name is Benjamin and he has always been"The son of our right hand."
Do I brag about how he has a great wife and they have given me 3 lovely
grandchildren? That his talents and gifts still amaze me. I am glad I was there
that day he was born. I might think someone switched babies. I am
so proud of the man he is and I am so thankful that God has blessed me
with him.

Now a story, you didn't think I could not tell a story. When I was pregnant
with him it was an economy pretty much like it is now. Only we were so poor
we didn't notice it. My husband had decided to go into business for himself and
we always did okay, just enough to keep the wolf away from the door. We were
brand new Christians and we wanted to test this God thing out to see if God would
hear and answer our prayers. It was like a crash course I think.

I was in a woman's bible study at the time and I was learning so much about the Bible
and the teaching leader talked about writing down your prayer requests and getting on
your knees and lifting them up in prayer. So we started doing that and God would
bring in just enough work so we would have just enough to buy food, pay bills and no more.

My husband was doing a big project of a man who had an idea. We had all of this
equipment in our bedroom which served as a office and they would work in there and
this project was unique. Now it is pretty standard but then no one had ever done it before.
When my husband had finally got all of the equipment programmed and working and ready
to go, he got a phone call telling him his friend had been killed.
It was a terrible thing not only because he left a young family but we had all of this
equipment and what were we going to do with it. My husband talked to widow and she told
him to sell what he could.
Now this is the weird part that I still wonder about. We were broke but we got about 25 dollars
together to put an add in a magazine called Oil World or something like that with
our phone number. But they made a mistake and put in the wrong area code. We didn't
have any more money to run another add.

Then out of the blue a man from Tulsa, Oklahoma calls us on the phone and wants to come
see what we had. Only at this time, I was in labor with my son. If I could have stopped it I
would have we needed money so bad. He said he would call back at a later time.

Now I was in the hospital after I had my son and in those days you had to pay 5.00 dollars
to turn on the T.V and the gal in the room was as poor as me and between us both we couldn't
scrape up that much. We both laughed when the guy came in and he looked so shocked at us
that he said, he would turn it on anyway. But the thing was as we held our sons, and we talked
she ended up rededicating her life in the hospital. We didn't need a T.V.

When I went home from the hospital, it was cold and foggy. My husband had spent hours
out trying to rustle up work but everyone was waiting before they said yes to spending money.
It was starting to get scary but we had decided we would continue to get on our knees each
morning and lay out our needs before God and if He was who He said he was we
would be okay. On that final morning, I had one box
of cornmeal in the cupboard, one egg, a little milk and two heels of bread. I fixed
cornmeal mush that morning for breakfast and I was scared because I didn't know how
far I could stretch the milk.
We got a phone call that morning and it was the man from Tulsa, He wanted to know if
he could see the program and the equipment. My husband called a man who had
a nice office and took the stuff down to his place. All the while I am praying what
was I going to do as I didn't have food for lunch.

My husband called a few hours later and he was bringing the husband and his wife home
to look at the equipment. They came in and looked at the equipment and we sat in the
living room while the men talked and I rocked my son and all of a sudden the man
from Tulsa says, " I will take it all, the equipment and the programs and he took out his wallet
and started counting 1oo dollar bills across the top of our coffee table, 17 of them.

Then they walked out, we just sat there, staring. My husband called his friends widow,
and told her and she needed money too. So that day God blessed two families.
My husband said, " I don't get it, I couldn't get the program to work."
I have always thought that really that man from Tulsa and his wife were really angels in disguise.

So 25 years ago almost to the day, God sent those people to our house and we knew without
a doubt God was real and He did answer prayers.

I always think what was we did was we got in our orange Volkswagen with two baby seats
in the back and went to the store and we bought a can of tuna, a bag of Doritos and a loaf of bread and a bottle of Dr. Pepper to celebrate. Nothing has ever tasted so good.

Happy Birthday, Ben,

Love,
Mom

The Field of Dreams

I was out this morning, walking around in the cold, but
the sun is shining and the air has such a nice smell to it.
Clean and rain washed and the smell of damp earth. When I
opened the door this morning and the smell came to me,
I knew I had to spend the first part of my morning, in
the field of dreams. It never fails to disappoint.

There was this sunflower coming up and as I looked at it
I realized why sunflowers are my favorite flower. That sunflower
has been through big storms, wind and rain. The ground is hard right
now and the sun doesn't shine very much. Yet, it does what it supposed
to do, grow and produce blooms to reproduce. To have seeds for new
sunflowers.

I want to be like that sunflower, I want to grow even when the sun doesn't
shine, I want to remain rooted strong even when the floods and cold comes.
I want to always be reproducing fruit for the vine grower. I want to be able
to always keep my face turned toward the son. I love Sunflowers.

I didn't know if you have ever saw fruit from a Strawberry
Tree. They looks so pretty but they aren't that good to eat.
I went to a botanical garden down in San Diego. They had
a huge one growing and I was so intrigued I knew I needed
one in the field of dreams. Most of them fall off I think our
weather is to hot. These got ripe though and I was pretty happy
to be able to show them to you.

The sky was so blue this morning and I love how the
sky looked through the limbs on the tree with this yellow
leaf still hanging on. Sometimes in December I feel like
I barely held on but this year was so nice to be able to
look out and see the blue sky and know I made it.

This is a hollyhock that is growing in the garden.
It is crumpled because of the cold and rain but it still
shines in the early morning light. My eyes kept being drawn
back to it as I walked. The green with the moisture still
on the leaves.

I think one of the reasons I put my Christmas things away is
I need this week to return from all the places I have strayed.
My relationship with God has gotten stale. Not because He moved,
but because I was to busy to spend time with Him. Did you ever read that
little book and it presents a picture of Jesus waiting for you beside your
favorite chair and you go racing by telling Him you will be right back.
But like me, in December, I never come back. I will grab a bit of a verse
as I go by but I do not sit and have a meal. My soul begins to dry up.

I am this week able to look at my life in the light of a new year. Did I accomplish
what I wanted? Did I stray down paths that weren't good? Did God have to use
the hammer, the chisel and the rasp because my heart was too hard and my ears
wouldn't listen to his voice?
Was I happy with what I did accomplish and always, I want to do a better job.

I think as I end this pondering post I would have to ask myself these things.
Does my faith depend on having every prayer answered as I think it should be
answered, or does it rest rather in the character of a sovereign Lord?
My prayer still remains: Teach me to receive thankfully those things in my life
that cannot be changed.

I think always at the end of December my prayer always is this:
"For I have learned in whatever state I am,
to be content."
(Philippians 4:11)

I will add this disclaimer, most of my thoughts are not my own but what I read from
Elisabeth Elliot, she has already said what needs to be said, and I am but a
incompetent forger.

~Kim~

Only 364 Days Until Christmas

This was our sky on Christmas morning. It was a beautiful sunrise.
Today is a beautiful day as well. I titled this post to get
your attention. I was thinking, If I start now, I might be ready
next year in time. I am thinking of getting a big plastic
container and just getting gifts all year. I did that one
year for my Mom. My Dad was real sick and I thought about
her a lot so when I was out I would see something that would
remind me of her and then at the end of November, I wrapped
everything in a big box and wrote a card for each one and numbered
each package and she got to open one package a day for 25 days.
The biggest present Christmas morning. It was so much fun and
I think my Dad enjoyed it just as much. He would call me each morning
as she opened a package. When he died in February just a few months later, I was so glad I had
done it. So I am thinking about that again.

I hope you all have had a lovely Christmas. I thought I would show you a few of my
Christmas presents that I really like.

First of all my handy-dandy blow torch. For those moments when
you might see a welding opportunity and are afraid you might miss it.
I wanted the kind I could carry in my purse for those really emergency kinds
of jobs, like maybe when you need to get a quick getta way.
Really, it is so I can start fires in the wood stove real fast. I bought one
for my husband now we have two. His and hers blow torches. It isn't everyone
who can say they got that for Christmas.

My second favorite Christmas present are these heavy duty optical lenses. Best
present ever. The only thing is when I put them on and I am happily stitching away
my kids walk in the room and start humming the song to "Honey I Shrunk The Kids."
Or quoting lines from the movie, like my daughter walking in saying, " Szalinski give it
a rest it's Saturday!"


I don't care, I am thinking I can see now, I can maybe even do a stitchery on linen.
I never could see well enough to be able to do linen. I feel like I can conquer the world
being able to see very small close up things.

I got up early this morning and my first thought was how fast can I get all of my Christmas
stuff put away and everything back to normal. It took about two hours. But now,
my house is normal and the tree is back out in the shed and I vacuumed and swept and
everything is normal except of course for the tons of food in the fridge.

I am so thankful for good health and feeling good. I take that for granted to much.
I am thankful for all of my friends and family. Really for putting up with me. I am
so very, very thankful for my sweet daughter-in-love and my awesome son who
had us come to their house for Christmas Eve and she cooked and fed us. It was the
nicest Christmas eve ever. Then sent us home with a lovely basket of goodies that
she had baked all herself.

Then on the way home we got in terrible fog and it was so scary. I was so thankful
it was us and not the kids who had babies. But we all got home safety. My daughter
who was driving herself, even decided not to follow us but went home a different way
that she was most familiar with and she had never driven in fog like that before.
My husband and I have lived here all of our lives and it was as bad as we have
ever seen it. We have that to look forward to until the next rain storm.

But this week, my daughter and her family will be back from Virginia. So
life is very good.
I hope your day is wonderful.

~Kim~

Wishing You All A Merry Christmas

I just wanted you all to know how you have
made my Christmas so bright. Thank you for
sharing you stories with me and for reading mine.

I wish you love, friendship and peace.

So from my house and my heart,

Merry Christmas!!

Farmgirl/Kim

Thoughts Today

Today, we received more rain than the previous days.
I baked and watched the rain and listened to the thunder.
I sewed a bit and visited with a old friend. It is so wonderful
to get caught up this week.

My husband is off of work now until Monday. I am so excited.
What I like about his working at the company he works for now is
he will be really home. I feel so sorry for people who have to be on call
and we lived on call for 22 years. Every Christmas, birthday, vacation
nights and days always living with the phone ringing. We never really
were unplugged. He took a laptop every where he went. Now it is so nice,
yes, he can still get into places to do work, but now he doesn't have to and
the really good thing is the lap top is at work. Total freedom.


You know how women get all upset if you bring up the word " submission,"
I know I used to be that way, and sometimes I do get my eyebrows really pointed,
but after all of these years of watching my husband be on call, and never complaining,
of being talked to meanly when things broke, well, I have learned submission by watching
him by submitting to those in authority.

In a book called The Mark of a Man, p 77 it says,
" The offering up of oneself for the sake of others--- this is the price of
real authority. It was because Christ "humbled himself"---to the point
of dying---that HE is now lifted up above all other in heaven or earth.
His exaltation required His humiliation. The way up is down."

"And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and
became obedient to death---even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8)

I was thinking of that as I go about my really nice life. I cook and I clean,
but for the most part no one tells me what to do. I get really spoiled. I was
thinking of that because Jesus became a baby born in a manger, he also submitted
to his earthly parents. I always wonder, how He was perfectly submissive,
to people He created.

I think about these things during Christmas.
Have a great rest of the week, we might get sunshine. I am really looking
forward to it.


~Kim~

Calm Before The Storm

We have another storm on it's way that shall get here tonight.
This one will have high winds, rain, and lighting and thunder.
Oh, I almost forgot, cold. Cold and snow. It didn't rain here much
today, and the sun came out and I ran all of my errands, so I think
I am finished with everything. Shopping, presents wrapped and now
to just bake yummy things.

Today is the first day of winter. I am even glad about that.
The days will stop growing shorter and begin to lengthen.
What's that saying? " As the days begin to lengthen, the cold
begins to strengthen."


Since today is the first day of Winter I thought I would
give you my list of 20 things I love about winter.

1. Christmas
2. Warm house
3, Fire in the wood stove.
4. The secrets that abound every where in the house.
5. Baking yummy goodies
6. Watching the little babies and boys " Love Christmas."
7. Reading a book with the rain outside.
8. Getting together with friends and family.
9. Snuggling down in warm covers.
10. Watching old movies I have seen a hundred times but
loving them anyway.
11. Walking outside in the cold.
12. Being thankful that I am alive.
13. Visiting the Library.
14. Going shopping with my kids.
15. Reading the Bible and pondering all these things in my heart, as Mary did.
16. Having time to sit and read blogs and visiting online.
17. Sewing in front of the Christmas tree.
18. Coming home to a house with Christmas lights on.
19. Getting I tunes cards. New music. :0
20. Knowing next week, me and my hens will have time to just
hang out. I told them that today, when I went to feed them.

Here is my list. I am so thankful for the life I have been given.
I hope you have a great rest of the week.

~Kim~

Still Raining

I got up early and drove down to the park by my house.
I just had to take a picture of the park/lake.
It is just full of sea gulls. It hasn't stopped raining
in three days. We are getting more rain today and tonight.
We have a small break on Christmas Eve then another storm
hits.

This is another view of the park. I am sure if I went down
there now it would have even more water in it.
It is starting to get cooler now so I imagine in the mountains
around us it is turning into snow.

There is another park on a street over from my house and
this is the dog park. It is full of water too. I went out to feed
my chickens this morning. The only one who was grouchy was my
white Silkie. She is a little bitty thing and she was wanting to fight
the bigger hens through the fence.

I had to laugh because the weather man is still sticking to his story
that this will be the driest winter on record in this La Nina year.
I hope your days are Merry.

~Kim~

Raining, Raining All Around

It has now rained since Wednesday. I have never seen it
rain here like it has this weekend. You expect it if I was say in
Seattle Washington. Our dirt in our pasture is river bottom and
really sandy. To have standing water sort of tells you how much rain
we have. I was reading about a place that already had 11 inches as of
yesterday afternoon. It has broke the records set of this area in 1921.

It is supposed to keep raining like this until Friday. They started handing
out sand bags. My daughter said today that she drove by a park and it
looked like a lake and it was full of cattle egrets. She said it looked so pretty.
I am going to see if I can get down there tomorrow to take a picture.

We were having lunch together today when all of a sudden a car on the road
out in front of the house spun out and I thought he was going to roll and hit our
fence but managed to get out of the spin.

This is some more of the pasture and it is where our
garden is in the spring. My daughter said at work today
one thing she noticed was how afraid people were, and
she wanted to know why were they so afraid.
I told it because it is not what we are used to and we
can't control it and this is just what I think we don't really
have weather here very often. We aren't prepared for it
either. So because living under the illusion we can control things
around us, when we can't it makes us feel afraid.

Our swimming pool is to the very top. I don't know if it
will go over the sides but it looks so funny to be that filled
up to the top. I think what bothers me the most is what
will it turn into as it moves across the nation. So often
when we have a terrible storm here, it changes into a monster
as it goes across the U.S.

Tonight the storm begins to get colder and the snow levels will
begin to drop. We haven't had snow in 15 years so maybe this
is the year.

I hope your weekend has been a restful one, I have started the
Christmas count down in my head. With each day having a list
of it's own to be accomplished. I am so glad that Christmas Day
is on a Saturday.

Blessings from me to you,
~Kim~

Christmas Stories

When I first became a Christian some dear friends
invited us to their home for a Passover Seder. I was
so changed by that experience, it became very important
to understand the gospel, from a Jewish perspective.
I love reading the different things in scripture that I miss
as a gentile but if I were Jewish I would understand.

I am taking this Christmas story from a book called "A
Quiet Knowing Christmas, Ruth Bell Graham"

" And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping
watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon
them, the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for , behold, I bring you good tidings of
great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city
of David a Savior, Which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you;

Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger, The shepherds
said to one another , Let us go unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass,
Which the Lord had made know unto us. Luke 2: 3-19

Ruth writes:
Those Were No Ordinary Sheep
Years ago, I read the following in The Life and Times Of Jesus the Messiah
by Alfred Edersheim:

Jewish tradition may here prove both illustrative and helpful. That the
Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem was a settled conviction. Equally so
was the belief, that He was to be revealed from Migdal Eder,"the tower
of the flock." This Migdal Eder was not the watch-tower for the ordinary flocks
which pastured on the barren sheep ground beyond Bethlehem, but lay close to the town,
on the road to Jerusalem. A passage in the Mishnah leads to the conclusion that the flocks which
pastured there were destined for Temple sacrifices, and accordingly that the shepherds who
watched over them were not ordinary shepherds. The latter were under the ban of Rabbinism,
on account of their necessary isolation from religious ordinances, an their manner of life,
which rendered strict legal observance unlikely, if not absolutely impossible...Of the
deep symbolic significance of such a coincidence, it is needless to speak.

Ruth writes, " I was so touched by the fact that these were no ordinary sheep, I wrote the following:

Those were no ordinary sheep...
no common flock,
huddled in sleep
among the fields,
the layered rocks,
near Bethlehem
That Night;
but those
selected for the temple sacrifice;
theirs to atone for sins
they had not done.

How right the angels should appear
to them
That Night.

Those were no usual shepherds
there, but outcast shepherds
whose usual care
of special sheep
made it impossible to keep
Rabbinic law,
which therefore banned them.

How right the angels should appear
to them
That Night.
---Ruth Bell Graham---


One of the things that I love about the Bible and God is
that nothing is ever insignificant. People who might be
forgotten by the world, are remembered by God.
I have always wondered why it was that the Angels
appeared to the shepherds in the fields. I think of Jesus
the baby being born in the winter, but this would not have maybe
been the case, he might have been born in the spring when
the sheep would have been outside waiting for the Passover.
Which explains why it might not have been cold in the manger
and why Mary and Joseph were traveling by foot and donkey.
In Jerusalem it would be very hot in the summer, but maybe beautiful
in the spring.

From the very first Passover that I attended, I was reminded that
we see a baby born in a manger, but God sent His son to be savior of the world.

Just some things that I found today looking for a Christmas story.
I thought you might like it as much as I did.
~Kim~

Daily Adventures

You know sometimes, I think I just don't leave the house enough.
Because whenever I leave it is always an adventure.
Oh, this is my living room, it was cloudy and I thought the lights
looked pretty.

First of all, my dishwasher broke last night. I know the mother board
must have went out. Everything now that we just had our 10 year anniversary
here is breaking. I was surprised because I expected it to be the garbage
disposal. At least with two ovens I can still bake if one of those breaks.
I knew before I called what my repair man would say, " It is ten years old, just
buy a new one. " I found my self groveling before him. Begging and pleading.
I even offered to give him more money but he remained firm.


I got off the phone mad at myself, because how many years have I washed dishes
by hand anyway? How many generations have woman before me washed dishes
and I bet they didn't grovel. I sent my husband a text and he called me back and
he said, he bet he could change a mother board and if he couldn't well no big deal.
We would just break down and buy and new one.

My daughter this week wanted to read Sense and Sensibility. She is out of school so
I have went through every box, bookcase every closet where any books might live.
I never could find it. I have two copies by the way. I went to the library this morning, early, when they opened.

It is dark today because of the rain clouds, when I pulled into the parking lot there
was this man standing like he was waiting for someone to pick him up. He had a suitcase
on rollers. Of course when you want someone around there never is, I pulled into a parking
place as close as I could. I noticed he was watching me and as I put my car in park
he started walking towards me. I had grabbed the books I was returning and just
my car keys and jumped out of my car. I had my fast tennis shoes on today, and I made
it to the front door of the library before he caught me.


I dumped my books in the book drop and zoomed down one of the book aisles. There was
no one in the place where the librarians usually are. I hid behind a place where I could
watch him. He came in with his suitcase and looked around like he was looking for someone.
Me?? I don't know, I watched as he went in the Men's bathroom. Then I went out the door
so I could get my glasses, I forgot those. I went out to my car, and back, in my fast shoes.
I looked all the places Sense and Sensibility would normally be, none, zip. I am starting to think
there is a plot. Finally the librarian comes out of the back and she can't find it either.
Now the creepy guy is out of the bathroom and he walks by and keeps staring which
I am trying to ignore and not look.

I don't know what kind of aura I put off, I was walking the other day in a parking lot, I was as close to the parked cars as I could get because I could hear a car coming behind me. Then the car honks, I jumped about 10 feet. The guy rolls down his window and motions me over. Of course I walk up and he asked me for directions to a
pharmacy. He had a Dutch accent. So weird things happen like that all of the time.
I can't even begin to tell you what happens when I am grocery shopping. They should hire me
full time to show people around.

So I decide I will run across town to go to Barnes and Noble. I drive over there and the
parking lot is really full. As I get out there is this 1969 El Camino driving by slowly in the
parking lot. His windows are so tinted that I can't see the driver. I ran into Barnes and Noble
they have one copy of Sense and Sensibility. I wait in a very long line.

I go back out to the parking lot and guess who is parked next to me? El Camino guy. Backed
in for like for a fast get away. Do you think I have a over active imagination. My husband and I were almost robbed in that parking lot one Christmas so I am really jumpy.

I still had a bit shopping to do so I went and drove back across town to my side of town. It was
busy but not to bad it is only 9:30 in the morning. I finally get all of my stuff and head back
home.



(This is my favorite piece of furniture in my whole house.)


One thing I like to remember is "God is in charge of everything that happens
to us and never can a single thing happen without His permission.
God's permission comes through His love. (Principles of Joy)

Thanks for stopping by and I wish we could sit with a cup of coffee or
hot chocolate, and talk about what is going on in your life today.
Thank you for sharing your time with me today.
~Kim~

Friday Ramblings

My son took this picture with my daughter-in-love's
new Christmas camera. I thought it was such a good picture.
You get to see the wisdom in Sasha's eyes. I have always
had a dog in my life. My whole life. I believe, I have never
loved a dog like this. I love her for her gentleness with the babies
and for just being the best dog ever.

I warned you this is a rambling post. We have rain on our horizon
starting tonight at 4:00 a.m. and going until next Thursday.
To give you a idea we might get 10 inches of rain in a year.
A year. They have us getting 4 inches between tonight and Saturday
night with 8 inches by next week. With 15 feet of snow in the mountains.

We don't ever get rain like that. So I am pretty excited. I really like weather,
if I don't have to go any place.


I finally started a small mat to get back into rug hooking.
I am so slow. I feel like instead of just having two thumbs I
have ten. I can't seem to get my hands to obey me. I drop
my hook and I pull out and I start over. It is like starting over
at the beginning. But when I do sit and finally start getting it
I remember how addicting it is to sit and pull the "worms" through.
There was a fire in the wood stove and I am sitting by the Christmas
tree and the house is quiet except for the sound of the wood
popping in the stove and the sound of the flames dancing,
keeping me warm.

I hope to be able to sit and watch the rain and watch the fire
and sew and hook to my hearts content.
I can say with a thankful heart. " Find rest, O my soul, in
God alone; my hope comes from him."
Psalm 62:5

Have a glorious Weekend.

~Kim~

Being Thankful for Hard Things

I was thinking today, about being thankful for the hard things.
It is hard to be thankful when someone you love is in the middle
of a personal crises, and all you can do is stand by and watch.
My least favorite place to be. So this morning as I was praying
and trying to be thankful and try and see the good in this
situation, as the song says, I started trying to "count my blessings
one by one."

What I thought about is without hard things, I never notice the beauty
of the early morning sunrise. I never notice the red of the last leaves,
that have fallen as they lay upon the grass.

Without the hard things, I don't notice the little ways that people around
me show me love. It is only when someone I love hurts, that I see the love
I live with every day but take for granted.

Without clouds, we would never get rain. Without rain,
we would live in a desert. Then we would never see the
green of life. Rain brings cleansing and refreshment. The
same comes I think from the trials that are allowed. Then
I experience the sweetness of the joy of the evening sunset.

I think trials narrow my vision. One of the many
quotes I have used in my trials are these.
"If God is almighty, there can be no evil so great as
to be beyond His power to transform. That transforming
power brings light out of darkness, joy out of sorrow, gain
out of loss, life out of death." (Elisabeth Elliot)

Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, and they
shall sorrow no more at all. (Jeremiah 31:12)

I have not yet learned to find joy in my sorrows.

When I feel disappointed in someone, It's usually due to my
expectations rather that their actions.

Anxiety is the opposite of peace. To overcome it I must remain in
the presence of God.

So today, I am thankful for the hard things, because they
seem to make my vision clearer, my loved ones more dear.
They make laughter more vibrant. The trials make
the touch of God more real and His Word more alive.
Trials cause me to run back to God from the places I have
strayed. They make a touch, a word, a smile, seem to be magic.
I have come to realize without the pain of life, I never know joy.

So today, I am thankful for hard things, because in them I find
the joy of life.

~Kim~