Galatians 4:13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, 14 and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.
What if during these 45 days of believers around the world relentlessly praying for the Christian Aid Ministries workers who are being held in Haiti; the gospel is being preached to people who would’ve never heard it otherwise and there will be generations saved because of this?
What if the change of hospitals for my cousins cancer treatments will offer them different options and bring them into contact with someone who desperately needs to know the hope that only Jesus can give?
What if the hardest thing in my life- whatever it is. The thing that I’ve prayed the hardest against and yet it’s still there- was placed specifically to prepare me to be able to empathize with people I would’ve been unable to share with otherwise.
What if the health issue, the failed relationship, the financial struggle, the heart rending death of a loved one, the ultimate pain- whatever it may be- is what it takes to be at the right place at the right time and it makes all the difference in someone’s eternity?
What if God is that Almighty and Omniscient (All-Knowing) and able to bring the most beautiful results from the deepest pain?
Wow, God. Give us grace as we wait to see the beauty you will bring from our pain
Bonus Pics:
What if I plan my own birthday party and it ends up being enough sugar to keep the twins hyper until Christmas? (Jk I think they’d be hyper even without sugar😂)
Our first attempt at mini pavlovas was a success
And a cookie/candy exchange with a doz assorted options- so much fun 😉
We just had the most confusing weekend everrrrrrr.
I know I haven’t written for awhile but I’ve been super busy with my new job. AKA chief chicken checker at Glen Oaks Farm. Well, Dad does a lot of the main work, but I keep an eye on him, so basically I’m doing the work.
I mean-when the nice ladies came out to take pictures of our farm-who did they give actual Farmer Focus merch before the photo shoot? Not to sound cocky, but you can see for yourselves.
These pics COULD’VE been better-but they left a very important feature pinned on the back of the pickup during these 🧐 but it’s ok. I forgive them.
It’s pretty cool-you can look up our story on line and see all about how dad and I grow chickens. (These pictures are all from there.))
Or you can just talk to me and I’ll catch you up on the farms latest.
Like Dad’s Buck.
Dad is really a great guy. And he comes up with the best games.
His latest one has been kinda like “I spy”. I have to pay really close attention, but he peeks out the windows of the house and peers into the woods in the early mornings and in the evenings.
It’s up to me to guess which window he’ll be looking out next, so I FLY around the backyard and am usually sitting beside the window by the time he gets there.
Sometimes, he even dresses like a tree. But I still can find him.
And then I hear him question to nobody in particular or me (not sure which) “where’s my Buck?”
Dads sure can be confusing, but I do really like this game. So I didn’t overthink what was happening.
Until Saturday afternoon.
Dad came back from town with the biggest box. I’ve only recently gotten into opening packages that the mailman left for him, and oh boy! I couldn’t wait for him to set it down and go inside . I bounded over to his truck door and went thru my little kangaroo welcome routine.
But sadly, Dad opened the box himself and sadly-er yet, he pulled out the tiniest little fur ball of attitude I’d ever seen.
I tried to be friendly enough even though I had my serious reservation about the matter, and all it amounted to was Mr Attitude spitting his milk breath all over my face and Dad smacking me on the rump and saying “Boone! Be nice!”
And then, just when I thought I’d seen everything, Dad scooped up Mr Attitude and without a backwards glance at his patient and humble servant, he stated “ You’re coming inside tonight, Buck”
So tonight I curl up in my frigid little doghouse and try to ignore the throbbing pain of a broken heart.
Maybe tomorrow while we’re doing chores or playing “I spy” out the window, Dad will decide it’s my turn to spend some quality time in the house.
Wait- please tell me that this Buck cat isn’t what Dad’s been looking for all along.
Yours until the cows come home (without us having to give them a strong piece of bark
The original house at Paradise Lane is referred to by our family as the “old house.”
We don’t know exactly how old it was but it was built sometime before the Civil War. Part of the house was added at a later date but somebody got into the foundation when they were drilling a well or something so part of the house was unsafe to live in. We called it “the unfinished part” (so many original names)
Anyhow all that preamble to bring you up to speed on one of our favorite games. Julia and I had rollerblades and we set up a racetrack that went across the back porch, down into the unfinished part, sharp 180° turn, back past the deep freezer, and burst into the kitchen around the kitchen table.
It was amazing- if we got into the right flight patterns we could meet at the widest spots in the trail and never slow down. Clomping, gliding, sailing along for hours. I’m sure Em and Deb were involved too once they grew up a bit. Sometimes I wonder how my mom kept her sanity with the dull roar that such activities produced.
But anyhow we weren’t quite world class rollerblade champions-but we sure put in the hours and in our own humble opinions……
Last month I discovered a new store in Missouri and my only regret is that I’ve spent weeks in that community looking for ways to entertain myself and somehow I’m just now discovering County Road Surplus.
Amazon sells off their returns and idk-what-all-else in lots and this store was made up of bins full of Amazon lots.
They restock every Friday night and the first customers show up to wait outside hours in advance before the doors open Saturday morning at 8.
Each consecutive day, the price per item decreases until Friday night and it starts all over.
I discovered this place on a .50 day and since I had hours to kill, I methodically pawed thru everything and came away ecstatic with my treasures.
Somebody else thought my .50 outfits were pretty cool too.
Since I had a little extra time first thing on Saturday, I decided to sneak over there to see what the new shipments of bargains were.
By 8:15 there were people with shopping carts STACKED full standing off to the side sorting to see what they wanted to keep and what got returned to the bins 🧐 but they’d graciously/accidentally left me a few things-like a pair of binoculars for down at the cabin.
My most impressive purchase was a set of girls skates. I couldn’t figure out what size they were in the middle of the mayhem, but I assumed they were a candidate for a Christmas gift for some of my mom friends with pre-teen daughters, so I happily paid $5 and hurried to my van.
Upon further investigation, I discovered that they are adjustable in line adult roller blades ($61 on Amazon) and guess what-they fit me.
Someone on the back of the van said “my grandad always said it’s not a bargain if you don’t need it” but I just assumed that meant that she wasn’t a career roller blader like some others of us (lol).
Last week, Em came over to see my new purchases and encouraged me to take them for a spin.
Let’s just say that I’m not a skilled at rollerblading as I once was.
Em was impressed with the fact that my fancy wheels even had lights in them (an even better deal), but she went on to report to the rest of the family that she thought I was having a midlife crisis and that if they hear that I’m in the ER with a broken tailbone- she knows what bargain caused it.
So in other news, if you don’t hear from me for awhile, it’ll probably be because I’m down here in the basement proving that I NEED this $5 bargain and frantically attempting to dust off a skill from my youth.
Hopefully it won’t be because I’ve skated over an obstacle and broke an arm 😅🙏🏼
Kendra a.k.a Bargain Queen
Bonus Pics:
Spent a very enjoyable/leisure 2 day shopping trip in Lancaster last week- it’s sure beautiful up there this time of year
My passengers included this guy which made it even more fun. 2 days of shopping and he’s still smiling 😂💪🏼 what a champ ❤️
paradisemtnmusings 