Caught between what God says and what makes sense

“You’ve stood where Joseph stood. Caught between what God says and what makes sense. You’ve done what he told you to do only to wonder if it was him speaking in the first place. You’ve stared into a sky blackened with doubt. And you’ve asked what Joseph asked.
You’ve asked if you’re still on the right road. You’ve asked if you were supposed to turn left when you turn...ed right. And you’ve asked if there is a plan behind this scheme. Things haven’t turned out like you thought they would.
Each of us knows what it’s like to search the night for light. Not outside a stable, but perhaps outside an emergency room. On the gravel of a roadside. On the manicured grass of a cemetery. We’ve asked our questions. We questioned God’s plan. And we’ve
wondered why God does what he does.
The Bethlehem sky is not the first to hear the pleadings of a confused pilgrim.
If you are asking what Joseph asked, let me urge you to do what Joseph did. Obey. That’s what he did. He obeyed. He obeyed when the angel called. He obeyed when Mary explained. He obeyed when God sent.
He was obedient to God.
He was obedient when the sky was bright.
He was obedient when the sky was dark.
He didn’t let his confusion disrupt his obedience. He didn’t know everything. But he did what he knew. He shut down his business, packed up his family, and went to another country. Why? Because that’s what God said to do.
What about you? Just like Joseph, you can’t see the whole picture. Just like Joseph your task is to see that Jesus is brought into your part of your world. And just like Joseph you have a choice: to obey or disobey. Because Joseph obeyed, God used him to change the world.
Can he do the same with you?”

Thanks Max Lucado for exhorting us!

 

Farmhouse Chicks

Thanksgiving Coop Style

It was a quite Thanksgiving this year as we didn’t have our soul sista and brutha here with their chicks.  Nor did we have our oldest son who serves in the military. It was just us 6 in the brood today. We sang, we laughed, we told stories, we went around the table and shared what we were thankful for. We prayed for each other and our nation. We opened birthday gifts…we played Scattagories with the grandparents and 

 

laughed so hard some of us wished we had practiced our keigel exercises like we were told to do long ago.

 

 

 

From one hen to another…..

It was a day of bun warming, pumpkin eating, birthday and game playing delights.

 

 

…and angel eggs on my pretty pink rooster platter

 

 

Sweet potato casserole that melts in your mouth.

What’s left of the chocolate covered pretzels.

 

 

Our one candle burning for our son who couldn’t be with us….instead he was standing watch for our freedom to have a Thanksgiving.

 

Can you say AMEN?

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: Thankgiving,food,pumpkins,freedom

Farmhouse Chicks

A Northern Nesting

Thanksgiving....

Birthday....

Snow....

Mudroom Update....

....makes a girl wanna nest! Or swoon...which ever comes first.

For starters we had a Thanksgiving/Birthday this year.

Farmhouse Rooster #3 turned 18 this year.

I still remember him as a snuggle bug in the rug. Cute, chubby, focused, and a little like a Weeble Wobble.

Really....does time ever stand still long enough to capture all the moments in life?

I can remember when he was born at home….our 1st home birth….in the upstairs of our 1st nest. As soon as he was born his brother ran and got his toy dump truck, laid in my lap and told him, "this is for you buddy."

Legos were a common stumbling  occurrence.  Now, instead of playing with them he sells them…for L.O.T.S. of money.

Fast forward 18 years....he is now a budding film maker, hunter, design engineer, military historian, actor, and protective brother.

I see a William Wallace in the making. Don’t you? sigh…. grin….love my freedom fighter.

 

Stay tuned for Thanksgiving at the coop….

 

Technorati Tags: birthdays,18,William Wallace,Freedom,Acting,Thanksgiving

 

Farmhouse Chicks

South meets North

South met North this Fall. She came with all the warmth and congeniality of a Southern Belle.

Grandma is her name and sunshine she brought.

 

 

She spent a week with us laughing…

 

…swinging

…snuggling

 

 

…posing

 

 

 

 

…and playing in the leaves.

Technorati Tags: Grandma,Fall,leaves,sunshine,Southern Belle,laughter

 

 

Farmhouse Chicks

Tiling the Breezeway

We are underway with our breezeway makeover!

Prepping the floor:

 

And the work begins:

 

Applying mud to the back of the tiles:

 

 

 

Grouting day:

 

 

 

To be continued…..

 

Technorati Tags: tiling,tile,breezeway

 

Farmhouse Chicks

Thanksgiving

 

 

 

 

 

24 Things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving:

 

1) Everyone of you that have impacted my life over these 45 years.

2) My mom, whose love is so evident in all she does.

3) My dad and his wife who invest in the lives of our children.

4) My incredible husband, best friend, lover, and confidant…without whom I could never be the woman I am today.

5) My oldest son, who is serving his country so that we can sleep safe at night.

6) My 2nd oldest son, who is fighting for freedom of soul and winning.

7) My oldest daughter, who is the finest example of a young lady with passion for her Beloved. Love her to pieces!

8) My 2nd oldest daughter, who lives to keep us all in order and moving efficiently in our home. Love that girl!

9) My youngest daughter, who brings us joy with her many stories, drawings, and dreams. Love that rose!

10) Freedom.

11) Healthy choices.

12) Good books.

13) Dance Class.

14) Sabbath.

15) Warm baths.

16) Abundant harvest.

17) Scrabble by the fire with my kiddos and hubby.

18) Snuggle time with a good book and 3 girls.

19) Fresh baked bread every.day.

20) Hugs just because.

21) Wood fires.

22) Satisfied bellies.

22) Great friends for my kiddos.

23) Loving heavenly Father.

24) Today.

 

 

What are you thankful for?

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: Thanksgiving,thankfulness,friends,freedom,bread,God

 

 

Farmhouse Chicks

When things go south and we have to stay north~

We have always lived as if we would need to go off the grid. When we built the first phase of our house it was built with Y2K in mind…I’m dating myself.

We actually moved in on Dec. 31st of 1999…..”waiting for the world to end as we knew it”.

Obviously we are still here and not much happened. However, we decided that we would always want to be ready for any kind of national catastrophe. So, we equipped our home with the ability to live without modern technology.

We have a bicycle generated battery situation for power, 2 wood cook stoves for heat and cooking food, ample storage for housing others, a root cellar, ability to heat water without propane, fresh running water in a river, optimal land to grow our own food, trading heirloom seeds with friends, and the list goes on.

Recently we have been talking about attaching a green house to our walkout basement and heating it with the wood stove that is only a few feet away. We can then grow veggies that we so love in the winter time.

We are also in the lookout for a larger wood cooking stove….something like this:

 

 

Ain’t she a beauty?

 

Every time we go to my Aunt’s house I drool over hers…..its somewhat similar to this. She also has an antique bakers oven that is the bomb!

We have been staking out our property for horses, goats and chickens as well.

Living on the grid is comfortable, but can lull us to sleep of the world’s current condition. These luxuries will not always be ours for the taking.

 

What are you doing to become more self sufficient?

 

The Coop would love to hear from you!

 

Farmhouse Chicks

 

Technorati Tags: homesteading,wood cook stoves,self-sufficiency,off the grid

Come to Jesus

Do you ever have a come to Jesus meetin’ with yourself?

I’m having one today.

Algebra 1 is what started it all.

Why do we need Algebra? I mean, come on, Cartesian points and all?

We are graphing numbers that have no value except abstract value.

Can’t we be learning about mortgages, taxation, government control, etc?

How ‘bout canning, freezing, timing of harvesting, new spring garden layout, surface area needed for planting crops….now where talkin’!

 

I’m re-thinkin’ this whole Algebra thing…unless you can give me a REALLY good reason to complete it.

One of the beauties of home-schooling is the freedom of choice. The freedom to teach and learn according to our gifting. 

I love this aspect of teaching. I get to help my children unfold their gifts, talents, and dreams. I’m all about carving the angel out of the marble.

 

So, I am going into a small hibernation mode this afternoon….getting on my face and seeking the Author of learning.

Goin’ to meet with the Master…will let you know how it all works out.

 

 

Farmhouse Chicks

 

Technorati Tags: home-schooling,Algebra 1,God,Jesus,angel

Dancing in Rhythm

Isn't life like a romance to you? It is to me.

Dancing with each song that God brings into our lives.

Some songs are lively, some melancholy, some jazzy, some soft and sway like....but each one has a story to tell.

You have a song to dance to and a story to tell in this season...embrace it and embrace the Author of your song.

Soon you will find yourself dancing in rhythm and the romance will unfold.

 

Farmhouse Chicks

 

 

Technorati Tags: dancing,God,romance,story

Home Again, Home Again

We have finally made it home to the rainy North. More like puddle valley I’d say.

We had a fine feathered frenzy in the South with beach days, schooling, dancing, teaching, and picture taking.

We spent much of our time traveling around the state dancing in various churches for the Passover/Resurrection Day season.

 

We were well received by all. I still stand in awe of all that took place and all the incredible comments from people who watched us minister in the dance.

We will be putting together a small DVD clip of the two dances we ministered with if I can ever figure out this whole *trimming the video* thing.

We even have our own website now too:

www.chavahstreet.com

Go check it out and let us know you were there!

Farmhouse Chicks flying the coop to Chavah Street!

Technorati Tags: Dance,life,5812 Chavah Street

Distracted and Ineffective

How many times are we distracted by the cares of this world?

How many times are we set back by something someone says?

How many times do we trip over our emotions?

Distractions come in various forms.

For me it’s usually in relationships. I don’t like conflict. I don’t like confrontations. I don’t usually have too many, but when one comes it totally paralyzes me.

Then the enemy has a field day.

He doesn’t have to kill us.

He just has to distract us.

When we are distracted we are ineffective for the Kingdom.

We are ineffective for our family.

We are ineffective for our daily routine.

I know.

I was there.

This week.

But the great thing about serving a Mighty God is this: He’s in the business of redemption.

It’s no coincidence that this distraction came the week of Passover. It’s the time of redemption. And redemption needed to happen in this situation.

Redemption has taken place, reconciliation has been made and I am alive again.

Today is the day of salvation.

Today is the day of redemption.

Thank you Father for the Redemptive work of the Cross. 

 

Farmhouse Chicks

Don’t you just wish?

Don’t you just wish that life was as easy as a lazy swing?

An old rocker on a weathered cabin porch?

Or  the beauty of this Hummingbird Moth?

Or dancing with Cinderella?

Or  your man?

Or slip slidin’ with friends?

Hmmmm….looking forward to a country summer.

 

 

Farmhouse Chicks

Technorati Tags: Summer

What looks good on you?

Most days my kids see me in my yoga pants and tennis shoes with my hair pulled back in a pony and no make-up…sweaty from my morning workout.

 

 

 

AND…

I do occasionally don this look:

Or this:

And on a rare occasion this:

BUT…do you know what’s my kids favorite way for me to dress?

 

THIS

It’s the apron. They LOVE the apron.

It means all things mommy….to them it means warm fuzzies, chocolate chip cookies, fetachini sauce, and mom in the kitchen…instead of on the computer.

 

So what are you wearing today?

 

Farmhouse Chicks

Technorati Tags: home,cooking,aprons