Egg Hunting

One of the most entertaining things to do at Papa and Grandma’s farm is to gather the eggs from the multitude of chickens.  Gathering eggs can be used as leverage to speed along any unpleasant task, such as school, school, and more school. :)  Seriously – the kids look forward to the daily egg hunts, as well as feeding the chickens grubs and table scraps. Yech!  I am quit content to stand back and take pictures.  :)

These are a few of the cherished pets on the farm. 

Just outside of one of the chicken coops, they were all gathered to feed the chickens and snatch their eggs. :)

This little Barred Rock chicken was quite fascinated by my clicking camera.  She kept getting so close it couldn’t focus.  Definitely not camera shy, this one.

All in all, we had a good haul.  Fresh eggs for breakfast and baking, not to mention all the fun we had gathering them!

Cabin in the Woods

Since we are traveling without our trailer for several weeks (did I tell the whole trailer repair/insurance saga?) some friends of ours gave us the use of their cabin in “the big woods” of northern Minnesota for a week between our meetings.  It had a twofold purpose – it got us out of their house and hair for the week, and we got a family vacation (it may have been our first ever, now that I think of it)!  Now there are some who would say that an evangelist is on a perpetual vacation, but that is only because they have not traveled with four children and a seemingly endless supply of deadlines.  We have managed to see some great things in our travels, but it is far from what anyone would call a vacation!  So, since that particular myth has now been busted, I will continue with my original story. :)

We had the run of a lovely little cabin far from everywhere in Talmoon, MN.  The leaves had just passed their peak, and the weather was cool, but still very nice.  We just sat around after school each day and played games, did jigsaw puzzles, and enjoyed a week without deadlines.  We even had some snow!

The cabin was situated on Lake Big Too Much (okay, I thought that was a very funny name), so we were able to see the lovely water each day.  The days were mostly overcast, but this particular day was sunny, so I took the opportunity to take a few scenic photos.

Altogether, it was a very relaxing time, and we are grateful to our friends for allowing us to use their cabin in the woods. 

What is your favorite vacation memory?

October Days

We are on the trail again, after several months of being in Mississippi.  It has been an epic trip, with us traveling all the way to Minnesota!  It was a long drive, but we were able to break up the trip with a stop in Missouri, where we saw some college friends.  I always enjoy our infrequent visits with college friends. 

Paul is participating in a men’s retreat this weekend, and I am going to be part of a teen girls’ activity: Cupcake Wars!  I think this weekend will be exciting for all of us! 

The weather here is quite a bit cooler than the weather in MS, and I was delighted to see that we are here in the beginning of the fall color.  We have some fall foliage in MS, but nothing makes brilliant color like the extreme northern temperatures.  The days are cool, and the nights cooler, but the skies are blazing blue, and the contrast of the leaves is breathtaking!

I took the kids outside yesterday to get a few pictures.  That went as well as it ever does, with as many chin shots, closed eyes, open mouths, and weird looks as usual.  I was persistent, though, and ended up with a few good shots.

This was the best of the group shots.  Love the nose wrinkle, Josiah.  Also love that squinty, cheesy face, Abigail.  They are both classic

This is my not-so-little-anymore man.  Love his sweetness.

Little Miss Mischief – I’m afraid she is very much like her mother… :)

Here is the little Pixie-Pie.  What a sweet thing she is!

And the Munchkin Man – he is ornery beyond belief.  Can’t you just see the little boy-ness just oozing out of him?

Just a few pictures of the kids enjoying the farm animals, and the lovely weather. 

Hope you all enjoy your fall weather!

Raking It In

It’s that time of year – when the leaves fall and cover our yards and driveways and sidewalks.  The sound of leaf-blowers can be heard every day in our neighborhood.  Since we only have one tree in our yard, we don’t really bother with getting rid of our leaves, and have not invested in a leaf-blower.
Esther wanted a leaf pile in which to jump, though, and I came out the other afternoon to find her busily raking the yard into a scanty leaf pile.  It was so cute!  I didn’t have the heart to tell her it would be a rough landing, and she was content to wander around the yard gathering up the leaves. 


 
                               You gotta love that look of complete concentration – the tongue sticking out!


Here’s the happy, leaf-raking, apron-wearing pixie princess!

Thoughts to Ponder

It is autumn again – where does the summer go?  The year is drawing to a close as the leaves change their hues.  I always enjoy the fall colors, the crisp air, and the brilliant blue skies typical of Indian Summer.  At the risk of sounding morbid, I will say that fall is a time of death.  As the sap slows in the cooler weather, the leaves lose their life nourishment and begin to die.  That is why we see the trees garbed in their variegated garments.


As I thought on this, I was reminded that dying is a part of living.  Anyone who lives knows that one day he will also die.  For the person who knows Christ as his Savior, death is not just a reality, but a beautiful thing.  Just as the leaves, while beautiful in their verdant summer green, become absolutely breathtaking as their short life comes to a close, the person who knows Christ should not just fade out into eternity, but should become a more beautiful and glorious testimony to God’s glory.

Why is death so beautiful, you may ask?  The process of dying is not one that is easy or fun – I in no way wish to convey that idea.  Death for the Christian is not an end, it is the door through which he must walk to be with God for all eternity.  The Bible says, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”   This sounds strange and perhaps even dangerous to those who do not understand, but let me explain my ponderings on this verse.  God created man to be His companion, perfect, free from sin, disease, and death.  When man chose to sin, he destroyed that perfect environment, bringing alienation from God, pain, suffering, and death upon the whole human race.  Through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, man can again have a relationship with God, but it is tainted by his sinful flesh.
Only in death can man once again have a perfect relationship with God, free from pain, sorrow, sin, and suffering.  That state is what God created for us – what He meant for our lives to be.  He loves us, and does not enjoy seeing His children suffer.  No wonder he rejoices in the death of His saints – they are no longer suffering the effects of sin, and are restored to a perfect relationship with Him!

So when I see the leaves turning colors, these are the thoughts that go through my mind.  Yes, I am dying – we all are, bit by bit – but I want to become something glorious in death.  Something that draws others to my Savior Who made my life worth living, and living for Him.  Each day brings me closer to the day when I will cast off this fragile shell and be with Him forever.  What  a day that will be!

Fall Decorating

Okay – I admit it.  I love decorating.  It doesn’t matter what season, I browse through ideas, websites, and blogs thinking, “That is so ________ (beautiful, cute, easy, etc.).  I could do that!”  Most of the time, I do not get a chance to decorate because of the limited space in the RV.  however, when we are home, look out!  I started gathering fall decor items last year when they all went on clearance at CVS for 80-90% off.  This year, they are decorating my living room and giving it such a cheery fall look.

This cute fall wreath greets all the guests who come to our door.  (Do not look too closely at the roller-painted green door, courtesy of the previous owner – repainting it is on the to-do list, but not very high up right now!)  I bought the wreath on clearance for $4.99


These cute little scarecrows sit just inside the door next to my hutch.  I got them on clearance at CVS for less than $3.50 last year.  The little pumpkin was also on clearance for less than $1.


These little guys are on top of my piano,  I think they are funny, with their little fat bodies and big smiles.  I think they ended up being $.50 each on clearance. 


This sign hangs on the front of my hutch.  I think people get a real kick out of giving me things that say something about crows.  Crows do eat free at our house – almost every meal!  Well, except for the fact the Daddy Crow has to pay for the groceries!

And last, but not least, this is my favorite pumpkin.  I got it at CVS on clearance for $1.49.  I just love the way the leaves are woven through the framework of the pumpkin.
That’s about the extent of my fall decorations this year, since by the time I get back to the house, it will be time to decorate for Christmas.  I really get excited about that!  What is your favorite decorating season?