It's been a long time baby....

Hello out there everybody!
Wow, I guess I've taken a dive from blogging. I'm sure this is a busy time for all of you friends and family. Gardening, lawn mowing and outdoor recreation added to our to-do lists. The same is true for us. This time of year for our family also marks the end of the school year and the crunch to get the home-school portfolio in order in preparation for annual evaluations. I started on that project yesterday, and think I may set a record for getting done early. Things are much easier with one kiddo to log, especially since the one who left for college this past fall was the one with questionable filing practices. Most of Sara's things are happily tucked in their assigned binders with a few possible exceptions.
The start of the equine sport season also adds a new dimension to life on the farm here. There's riding lessons for Sara, training for the naughty horse, repairs long overdue, vet visits, farrier visits and happy days riding in the sunshine! Barry's enjoyed a few trail rides already this year, the fruit of his labor. We plan to head to our first horse show sometime in June. Sara has been jumping Ricky the pony and will hopefully give the little squirt a chance to show his stuff (if he doesn't freak-out when he sees a jump.)
Barry planted the vegetable garden below the horse barn over the holiday weekend, boy did he go hogwild! He's got a LOT of tomatoes, and did I mention he doesn't eat tomatoes! Anyway, he seems to be making up for lost time. He wasn't able to get a descent garden in with moving and getting settled into the place the past two years. Yep, we've been in our new home for 2 years now, hard to believe. Barry's been hugely blessed to borrow a bobcat for the past month or so and has the nickname "bobcat Barry," quite deservedly. He's done the garden, clearing land for new, "future" pasture and general farm cleanup. As you seen above we've gotten a replacement for our riding mower, since it continues in disrepair (just have to put in a part.) We let our horses out one or two at a time to enjoy the best grass on the farm...our lawn. They love it, and NO they don't run off, just back to the barn if they get frightened.
"Our" bunnies have now gone on permanent vacation to our good friends the Hartles. Their arrival brought great big smiles to the kids, it's good. A small step in downsizing for manageability. Now, if we can sell a few horses that would be good. In God's time.
Matthew returned late last night from New Attitude, a conference held in Louisville, KY for singles and young married folk, featuring some great bible teachers. He hasn't come down the stairs yet, so I haven't gotten the full report yet. I got a very sketchy one at midnight. I'm sure that God challenged and refreshed him. Matthew will be heading out to look for a summer job the remainder of the week. Starting with some companies that hire elec. engineers, and moving on. He'll be visiting and helping out the boy scouts over the summer and will have his Eagle ceremony in July.
Sara's Ghecko died this past weekend, which has been very traumatic for her. He's appeared sick for awhile, not eating his plump, delicious meal worms and declining. She waited and saved a long time for him, and had worked diligently to tame him, so it is sad. He's in the family critter graveyard after a short ceremony. God will use this in her life.
The new kitties are getting big and running everywhere, almost ready to find new homes. I'd like to keep one, but we'll see. We have too many already, but if you know me, I just can't resist.I even brought a half-dead chicken home once when I was a girl and kept it in our basement briefly...boy was I blessed with patient parents!
Counting the many blessings of family, farm and the great God who brought the springtime and new life to our old (dead) hearts, love to all.

Daughter that's lovely, son that's home

The pictures of our lovely daughter were taken on a recent visit to Grove City. She's growing up into a beautiful young woman! Barry made the trek up to Grove City again yesterday afternoon to collect Matthew and all of his stuff. He is now safely home, though a bit under the weather with a cold. We had a nice meal together and have just been visiting and hanging out. All his dorm is now piled in his bedroom here, so there's just a little path to his bed. Hopefully he'll feel well enough to widen it soon. We're all so happy to have him home. Sara is still "in school," which is challenging when your brother's home and he's done, so she'll have to push through. She's almost done though, by the end of the month I suppose. I'm so grateful to be the mom to these two young people. They bring me joy. I'm reminded of how quickly the days go by and what a precious gift from God the days are. Only yesterday they were babies, soon they'll be off on their own. So, I'm thankful for today.

Psalm 39:4,5,12 O Lord, make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
For I am a sojourner with you,
a guest, like all my fathers.

The Paper is Finished

Sara finished up her research paper and displayed it last night at Presentation Night. It really turned out well, lots of work. She also had the opportunity to do a little public speaking, introducing and describing her research class and her paper to moms, dads, grandparents and children. She very confidently delivered a 5 minute speech, and did an awesome job! I will see if I can download it, not sure if it's too long. We are very proud of her and all of her classmates. They really did amazing work. She also displayed some wonderful art from her design class. It is a bit of a relief to have the projects behind us, so today, we can focus on some other neglected school subjects. The spring weather is such a temptation when homeschooling, especially when horses are beckoning, but we have to focus on getting done.

I Peter 1:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

This morning as I read from I Peter, God has focused my attention on my need to rejoice in trials, major to minor. My natural inclination is unfortunately a bit more whiny at times. Not necessarily outwardly, but inwardly thinking that this trial is not particularly convenient or pleasant. But I need to rejoice in my trials. God has given them for my good, to give me something precious...faith. He has saved me from my sin and given me an inheritance and is guarding me, giving me faith to trust the wonderful outcome of and beyond any trial. Sometimes just minor dips in the road seem to throw me off course, but God in his mercy guards me and gives me faith for today, so I will rejoice, He has grace for them!

Life update and A Deliverer

Above are the lovely lady Eagles from Sara's homeschool volleyball team. Below them the entire team. They competed a week ago in their spring tournament, and had a great time. No trophies this year, but lots of fun and experience with some wins and losses. It is a wonderful opportunity and hundreds of homeschooled youth are involved in the competition. It is an all day event, lots of exhausted kids at the end of the day, after many games.

The week has whizzed by, leaving me a little disoriented and definitely in need of God's help to order my steps. We've been out of the house a lot and when home, really trying to crack down and finish up the school year well. Sara's put tons of energy into her big research paper on the Pileated Woodpecker. She finished up with Friday classes, her homeschool co op, so I'm actually home and blogging on a Friday.

Sara had a riding lesson on Wednesday with a new young lady, who is also willing to help us with our "problem children," of the horse variety. My wonderful niece helps us a lot teaching Sara and helping her prepare for show season, BUT we don't want to overtax her as she's still recouping from back surgery. Can't keep her off a horse though.

Yesterday was "girls day," which often involves thrift store shopping for Sara and I, we had a ball. Started with a podiatrist appointment (he just happened to be near our favorite shop.) I've had my third bout in about 10 years of Plantar Fascitis:

( plantar fascia is the thick connective tissue which supports the arch of the foot.It is the source of the painful condition plantar fasciitis, a inflammatory condition caused by excessive wear to the plantar fascia of the foot or biomechanical faults that cause abnormal pronation of the foot. Wikepedia)

The Lord graciously allowed me to fully recover before. It does take a long time to heal. After the new doc, we had a great time with Chinese food and shopping. Then home, then back out to worship practice.

Today was a lot of confusion juggling cars to get one inspected, with our DD figuring out the solution(that should have been as plain as the noses on our faces) Are you smarter than a 9th grader? We laughed. A little confidence boost for the daughter one-upping mom/dad.

So lots of running and now my house looks like a hurricane hit it! We head out for an all day visit with Matthew for "parents day," tomorrow at GCC so it will get worse. God spoke through
psalm 107:

4 Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to a city to dwell in;
5 hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
till they reached a city to dwell in.
8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
9 For he satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons,
11 for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
they fell down, with none to help.
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart.
15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
16 For he shatters the doors of bronze
and cuts in two the bars of iron.

Well my house feels like a waste that I'm wandering through, so... we can connect with this. The sitting in the second verse just sounds like resignation to "my plight." Resignation clearly is not the appropriate response when wandering in the waste or stuck in chains. The response God is looking for is to "CRY OUT," to him. He will deliver me, but I must look to him, not me, even in my household mess. Your mess may be different, you may be sitting in darkness or wandering lost in whatever situation, "CRY OUT." He wants to deliver you. God the Father sent Christ to be The Deliverer dying on a cross for our sin, demonstrating his great love and desire to deliver you from sin, your greatest need. "CRY OUT." He will deliver you.