Going "Out On A Limb..."

My father and my youngest son are the kings

 of puns and practical jokes.

So it was not unusual that the first words

out of my father's mouth this morning

as the boys arrived to take care of

a tree that had blown down in the night...

"Now please, guys, don't go out on a limb for me!"

Yesterday, a tree that had been dead for some time

but was too close to the power lines to take down

miraculously fell down on its own...

Missing both the power lines and the wishing well.

My sons, always first on the scene
to help their grandparents,

Went down first thing this morning...

Before my father had a chance
to get out there with his chain saw.

We laughed over a cup of tea

At Dad's lame attempt at humor...

After the mess was all cleaned up

And ready to be hauled away.

But going "out on a limb" for someone or something

Is really no laughing matter.

We have tried to teach our sons

That there are times when

this is what you must do...

Even though this might put you in an

isolated or disadvantaged position...

Even if you have to face

rejection...

or embarrassment...

 or persecution.

Sometimes...it's worth the risk..

Because, after all,

to quote the famous author,

Mark Twain...

"Why not go out on a limb? That's where the fruit is."

 

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed;

for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee;

yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee

 with the right hand of my righteousness."

Isaiah 41:10

Just In "Case!"

About a half an hour south of us

Is the sweetest little village

Which has the most wonderful flea market

every summer.

It begins around Memorial Day

And ends with Columbus Day...

Every weekend, people from near and far

Come to the this quaint not so little Flea Market.

What do I like best about this particular flea market?

Why, the vendors, of course!

Some of them have had tables

for 25 or more years.

They are like one big happy family.

So, early this October,

We took a little trip south

To the market.

It was there that I came across

A charming elderly lady

Working on the most precious little dress

That she was knitting for her great granddaughter.

What attracted me to the table, however,

Were all the linens she had for sale.

You see, I'm a sucker for hand embroidered wares

And she had a whole pile of pillowcases.

As we chatted,

She told me how she happened to have so many.

Her mother had embroidered them all

For her son's "future" wife...

But the son had never married.

So, now that her mother had passed away...

She was selling them at the flea market.

I am ashamed to admit...

How little I paid for this one

Which was just too dear to pass up...

The stitches are so tiny and perfect

As is the crocheted edging around the bottom.

The little french knots on the flowers
are too sweet!

As I grieved that this case
had not gone to whom it was intended for...

I began to think that perhaps

the Lord had wanted me to meet this lady.

You see, as a young lady,

I had embroidered items for my "hope" chest...

But the thought had never occurred to me
That I could also be doing this
for my "future" daughters-in-law...



I found these wonderful vintage
 transfers at a yard sale!

So...
I have begun to embroider...

Just in "case!"

"She seeketh wool, and flax,

and worketh willingly with her hands..."

Proverbs 31:13

After the Rain...The Rainbow

Cloudy morning...threatening rain...

Woke up to a with a bit of a head cold today...

You know, the drippy nose kind...

The "keep a box of kleenex handy" kind...

The kind where you just don't have very much energy.

So, after worship and lunch,

I curled up on the couch

And worked on my "rainbow"...

while we visited with friends and family.

My "rainbow" afghan is such an easy mindless pattern

And a wonderful way

to use up those little balls of yarn

that you accumulate after a knitting or crocheting project.

I believe the original pattern came from my nana...

But I learned it from my mom.

She made rainbow afghans for all of her children...

and all of her grandchildren...

just from leftover balls of yarn.

I usually use a size I/9 crochet hook

And just begin with a chain long enough

 to make the size afghan I want

Then I single crochet 5 rows of black yarn.

The next row begins  with the color of your choice.

I crochet 9 single stitches...

then 'dip" the next one into the previous row...

Crochet one more, and "dip" again...

I then repeat this pattern every 9 stitches.

This "dipping" makes a wonderful wavy pattern.

The only other "rule" to the afghan

is that every 10th row is done in black...

The rows in between can be whatever colors you have.

And each row is a new row...

with about a 5 inch piece left on the end...

So that you can tie 5 together to form a fringe.

I just love these afghans...

They are so warm and snugly...

Each one is so different

because of the leftover yarn that you use.

I have one that I made when I was a teen

That still lays on the end of our bed.

What a comfort for me...

as I sit here sniffling

 With the afghan covering me to keep me warm...

And I meditate on God's promise to us

through the beauty of a rainbow...

And God said:
“This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you,
 and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
 I set My rainbow in the cloud,
 and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.

Genesis 9:12-13



The Harvest Is Ripe...

We spent the better part of an afternoon

last weekend

harvesting the last of the potatoes, onions, and carrots...

Quite late in the season for us...

But it seemed as though
every time we thought to do it
Something else came up...

Now, I know,
Sometimes I appear to be
quite the "farm" girl...
But, believe you me,
I was avoiding this chore
just as much as anyone else in the family.

Finally, though, we realized
after the third severe rainstorm of the month
That the harvest would rot...
If we didn't get it out of the ground soon.

So...all afternoon...we harvested.

The interesting thing is...
that despite the same end results...
each of us harvested in different ways...

My husband likes to get his hands
way down in the dirt
and pull up the potatoes...

I like to take a fork...
and turn over the soil...
while one of the boys gathers the potatoes...

So, you see, there are different methods of harvesting...
all producing wonderful results...
not one necessarily better than the other...

But the point is...
we need to get the harvesting done...
before it is too late...

Now, there were a thousand other things
that I would have liked to be doing
instead of harvesting...
But what a blessing for us...
when we saw the "fruits" of our labor...

Sometimes we think...
That we have plenty of time...
And we put off doing what we should do
until it is too late...

This morning we gave thanks
for last weekend's harvest...
For we woke to temperatures in the low 30s
And strong winds blowing...

So we sat around the woodstove
and thought about harvesting...
and marveled at
what an awesome God we serve.

"The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved."
Jeremiah 8:20

"While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."

Genesis 8:22


"Then saith he unto his disciples,
The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;"

Matthew 9:37

Time And Tide Wait For No Man...

Spring Ahead...

Fall Back...

Many of us know this little poem

that helps us to remember to set our clocks

In time with the seasons...

But here at our house...

on the coast on Maine...

We have an additional little ritual...

Spring...wharf in...

 

Fall...wharf out...

It is quite a procedure...

The tide must be high...

It takes several strong men...

And, of course, a four wheel drive truck.

Several times...

Someone has gone "swimming" unintentionally.

But it must be done...

For we know how important it is to respect the sea.

Yes, there may have been winters mild enough

when removing the wharf may not have been necessary

But why take chances???

When we know what could happen...

You see, there are times in our lives

when it is oh so important

to respect something or Someone

who is stronger and more powerful

than ourselves...

And there are times

when we think that we know better

or we are just too busy or too careless

and we don't heed the warnings

and disaster strikes...

And there are also times

when we need to lay things "to rest"...

perhaps for a season...

or maybe forever...

because that is God's will for us.

So, for now...

The wharf is resting on the rocks...
But, Lord willing

It will be back in the water next spring!

"Thou rulest the raging of the sea:

when the waves thereof arise,

thou stillest them."

Psalm 89:9

"Which stilleth the noise of the seas,
the noise of their waves,
and the tumult of the people."
Psalm 65:7

Food, Fun, Fellowship...The Church?

We spent a most enjoyable afternoon...

With a most amazing family.

A young husband and wife missionary team

and their 5 beautiful little girls

came to visit us...

Along with a lovely young lady

who is currently staying with them.

This family is "home" for a short time

in anticipation of the birth of twins...

They were recently sharing the gospel in Kansas.

The young lady living with them now

is helping out with the children

She has never been to Maine before...

since Kansas is her home.

We enjoyed a most wonderful afternoon...

The little girls played with legos

and our chickens!

The men gathered around the kitchen table

studying the scriptures...

The ladies sat together in the living room

watching the little ones

 and talking about homeschooling,

and children, and recipes,

and visiting the elderly...

And many more things of the Lord...

As they drove away

Promising to return soon

I couldn't help but smile

and wonder if

this isn't exactly what Jesus had in mind

when He told His church

To gather together...

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,
as the manner of some is;
but exhorting one another: and so much the more,
as ye see the day approaching.

Hebrews 10:25

For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.

Matthew 18:20

Standing Out In The Crowd...

It was Tuesday afternoon.

We were on our way to a soccer game...

way up north.

Since it was going to be at least a two hour ride,

Mom, Dad, Samuel and I

decided to make the most of it...

By stopping at some of the local farms and country stores

Along the way.

We were passing through a small town

and saw a little country store

with fresh produce and mums outside

So we stopped to stretch our legs.

The store was run by an Amish family.

You may not know this,

but there are two small Amish communities in Maine.

It had a wonderful assortment of baking supplies

at very reasonable prices...

So mom and I picked up a few items...

As we were shopping...

We noticed that the store was quite busy...

Not so much with locals...

But with tourists.

They had come to see the Amish folks.

It was somewhat amusing to watch...

The people would walk around, point, and whisper...

The store was located right in front of the family's farm...

And some of the children were out working in the garden.

We watched the tourists as they watched the children...

The folks running the store were very polite...

But rather quiet and reserved.

I'm sure that they are used to being watched...

Although for me it was a little unnerving.

There was a sweet little girl at the checkout counter...

Perhaps 11 or 12 years old.

Much to my surprise...

As I was paying for my huge bag of whole wheat flour...

She struck up a conversation with me!

We shared the most wonderful moment...

We talked about baking...and woodstoves...

and chickens...and goat's milk.

You see, she had been watching and listening

to mom and I...

while we were watching people watching her!

As we were leaving,

She told me about her "Auntie's" farm...

Just up the road a piece.

She said that sometimes they had extra goat's milk to sell.

So, we took a little detour.

The farm was absolutely beautiful...

And "Auntie" was most gracious...

In fact, we may be making a trip back soon...
To pick up a little doeling

Whose mama gives the most delicious milk!



The cookies are oatmeal raisin...
made from an old amish recipe...
soooooooo good!

An hour or so later...

As I was standing in the crowd on the bleachers

Watching my son coach his young men...

My thoughts wandered back to the new friends

that I had made that afternoon...

I thought about what it must feel like

to be constantly on "display,"

When a still small voice spoke to me...

"You, too, my dear, are being watched.."

And I realized that, as a daughter of the King,

I need to be very aware of and very careful with

everything that I say and do...

Not for the sake of my reputation, mind you...

But solely for the sake of His...

For someone just may be watching...

"For even hereunto were ye called:

because Christ also suffered for us,

leaving us an example,that ye should follow his steps:

Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.”

I Peter 2: 21-22

“In the same way, let your light shine before men,

that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16

"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ..."

II Corinthians 5:20

Seeing More "Clearly"...

"But life's not the breath you take

The breathing in and out

That gets you through the day

Ain't what it's all about...

You just might miss the point

Trying to win the race
Life's not the breaths you take

But the moments that take your breath away."

George Strait...The Breath You Take

I had one of those moments this morning...

Friday...it's pouring and very windy on the coast...

Nor'easter kind of winds

Mom is expecting company for the weekend

So, I sneak down this morning to help prepare...

A little vacuuming and dusting...

Praying all the while that we don't lose the power...
And that the big poplar next to the house that has uprooted
won't come crashing through our roof...

While making up guest beds

I feel a little tap on my shoulder...

one of those moments...

"I found these this morning in my desk

and I wanted you to have them..."

My Nana's glasses...

 

Nana went to be with the Lord when I was just 16,

But she probably had as much influence on raising me

As my parents did...

That's just the way it was back then...

And continues to be with my family.

 

If fact, my mom told my Samuel once...

 

"As long as your mom is alive,

Nana will never die"

 

Guess that means I'm much like her...

Though I don't feel it most of the time.

You see, Nana "saw" things very clearly...
A "No Nonsense" type of lady...

She was such a little woman...

But she made a big influence on everyone she encountered.

 

Nana couldn't be bothered wasting time on...

 

feeling sorry for herself...

or being disappointed that something wasn't going her way...

or worrying about things she couldn't control...

 

She didn't analyze everything to pieces...

And try to figure out everyone's motives...

 

She just trusted and believed

and lived life.

She took each day as a gift.

 

Nana survived through several wars,

And the Depression...

She lost her whole farm to a fire...

and almost lost her only child to scarlet fever...

 

Yet, she trusted...and believed...

And took each day as a gift.

 

For 16 years I watched her...

She spent each and every day

Just serving others...

 

Nana was as blind as a bat...

Yet she saw things more clearly than I might ever hope to.

 

You've heard the saying...

"It would be hard to find someone to fill her shoes..."

 

But in this case...

I think it would be almost impossible...

To find someone...

"to wear Nana's glasses."

 

  Trust in the LORD, and do good;

 so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
Delight thyself also in the LORD:
and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him;
and he shall bring it to pass.
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light,
 and thy judgment as the noonday.
Psalm 37:3-6

I Am So Sorry...

While working in the greenhouse this morning..

The Lord laid it on my heart...

To simply say...

That I am sorry...

And to ask for forgiveness.

In sharing what God has put on my heart...

I believe that unknowingly...

I may have offended someone.

We must be so careful with our words...

For they can be so easily misconstrued.

It was never my intention

To make anyone upset

With something I've written.

I only live to glorify Him...

And to share with others what He lays on my heart.

And so my heart is heavy...

That I may have hurt someone's feelings...

And I am truly sorry.

For in many things we offend all.
If any man offend not in word,
the same is a perfect man,
and able also to bridle the whole body.
James 3:2

Stuck in The Pen...

I continue to be amazed...

At how God speaks to me of His truths...

Through the most everyday happenings...

Today...

It was through a foolish chicken.

You see, we have about 25 layer hens...

That love to free range.

They travel all over our yard...

Looking for bugs and grass and other "tasty" treats.

Sometimes, I open the kitchen door..

And toss them some scraps...

By the way, my "ladies" absolutely love popcorn

And will come running from near and far

For these delicious bite-sized morsels.

Today, I opened the slider...

And called to them...

They were so excited to see me tossing

white puffs of popcorn onto the grass.

Happy ladies, indeed...

All except for one...

Who remained in the pen..

And scurried back and forth...

Eying the popcorn and her friends...

So wanting the popcorn...

But "stuck" inside.

One Frustrated Bird!

Mind you, all she had to do...

Was go out the pen door

Just as she has done every day for the past 6 months.

She has been in and out this door hundreds of times!

But, no,

She continued to run in a frenzy

Back and forth...over and over again...

Totally frustrated

that all of her friends

were getting all the treats.

And I pondered...

As I washed the dishes...

And felt bad for the hen...

How many times do I get "stuck in the pen?"

Doing the same thing, over and over,

knowing that it isn't productive..

Knowing that there must be a better way...

Wanting the "food" provided...

But, not taking the time to slow down...

And pray for a better alternative...

Or being too stubborn

to admit that my way
might not be the best way.

Precious Lord,

Help me to follow You...

Through the door

To the amazing "food" you have waiting

just for me...

And please, Lord,

I pray that I am not too "chicken"

To humble myself for You.

  "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes:
but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise"
Proverbs 12:15

 "Every wise woman buildeth her house:
 but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands"
Proverbs 14:1

Time To Light A Fire...

I lit the woodstove this morning...

The first fire of the season.

My husband and my son

spent time this weekend...

preparing for this morning.

They brushed the chimney...

And vacuumed out the stove and outlet in the cellar.

They brought in kindling..

And a small load of split wood...

So that we could have

a productive fire in the woodstove...

But one that would not burn out of control...

in the chimney.

And, as I sit here in the rocking chair,

Cup of tea in hand,

My husband off to work...

The rest of the family still sleeping...

I think about "the fire".

The time is right for a fire...

The rain outside is falling softly...

The temperature has dropped dramatically...

There is a "chill" in the air...

As I said, definitely time to "light a fire".

However, I am reminded of a time...

Many years ago...

When we lit a fire...first one of the season...

But did not prepare ahead of time.

The chimney caught...

And flames were shooting out into the night sky.

Because we did not prepare properly...

We could have reaped disaster.

Praise God, this was not the case.

And so we learned,

The importance of preparing.

So many speak of being
"on fire" for Jesus...
But what does this mean?
And, do we prepare ourselves for this?
Or, do we simple,
jump into the flames...
and then retreat...
because the fire becomes too hot?

And so, as I sip my tea,
I think about my "fire"...
I want it to always burn...
But I want it to be under control...
His control.
So that it doesn't get away from me...
And perhaps burn the "house" down.

I will keep my fire lit...
By immersing myself in the Word of my Savior...
Not clinging to the traditions of men...
But simply the Truths of my Lord.
And I will attempt to keep my "chimney" clean...
But regularly "brushing" out the creosote...
That could lead to an out of control blaze...
Not a fire that simply burns for Him.

"And I will bring the third part through the fire,
and will refine them as silver is refined,
and will try them as gold is tried:
they shall call on my name,
and I will hear them:
I will say, It is my people:
and they shall say,
The LORD is my God."


Zechariah 13:9

A Most Amazing Witness of Love...

I have the most incredible sister-in-law...

She truly lives out the words,

"Love Thy Neighbour"

About once or twice a month,

Mom and I will get a care package from her...

Filled with "craft kits"

We never know what might be in the package,

But they are always a welcomed surprise.

Here is one of the latest...

You see, Nancy knows that we love to craft,

So, every Friday,

she visits the "Senior Center" in her town.

They have a little store where they sell items

that folks have donated

or homemade items that the seniors have made.

Nancy goes and visits with the ladies,

And while she is there,

She looks for craft kits for us,

Because she knows we love to craft.

The elderly ladies so look forward to her visits...

They even have a "Nancy" box

that they keep under the counter...

And fill it with whatever craft items come in.

"We thought your mom and sister-in-law

might like to do these,"

they will always say.

And Nancy always replies,

"Oh, these are just perfect!

I know that they will love them!"

She also picks up handmade items

for her many nieces and nephews

Which is wonderful for the children

and the ladies at the center as well.

This is Nancy's ministry...

She finds out what type of things make people happy...

And then she searches for those type of things.

She is the one who will send a card...

With a handwritten note...

To everyone...For every occasion...

Mind you, coming from a family of 10...

We have a HUGE extended family!

Whenever we have a family gathering in Massachusetts,

She will call everyone who travels from any distance,

Just to make sure that they made it home safely,

And to tell them that she was so glad to see them.

She and my brother were not blessed

with children of their own,

But Nancy is more of a "mother" to many children,

Than their own moms.

I'm not even sure why I am feeling such a need,

To write about her right now...

She has been doing this for as long as I have known her...

Which is a VERY LONG time!

I guess, it is because lately,

I've seen so many examples of "pre-packaged"

Christianity and ministry.

People latch on to one technique or method...

and use it on as many people as they can...

In what they claim is an effort

to "spread the gospel"...

But this wasn't my Savior's example...

Oh, No... 
When I read about Jesus' ministry
in the gospels...I find...

He treated everyone as an individual...

He knew them inside and out,

He spent time with them,

He loved them.

This is what my sister-in-law does,

She understands that "love"

is not just a feeling...

but a willful action...

She "lives" the meaning of the words...

"Love Thy Neighbour..."
And I am truly blessed by her witness.

My little children, let us not love in word,
neither in tongue;
 but in deed and in truth.

I John 3:18