Oh, Gomer!

 It has been an eventful few weeks here. As soon as we returned from camp and our end of summer trip, we got to work. We only have a small window before baby girl number 3 arrives. 

 We had our first guest of the fall and Denbigh promptly put her to work. The funny part of this fence is that I sent the man to Lowe's to buy some boards for the kitchen. He returns with four pieces of fence. He tells me that it was a sign because they were on sale. The problem here is that we need about $3,500.00 more in fence just to do the front half section of our property. I guess he will have to start selling his famous pie to raise money for this fence.

 Here is one of his helpers.

 The curls on the other helper.

 The one that kept shaking the gate.

 We now have an idea of how sturdy the thing is.

 Ashley was laughing at Denbigh and coming up with many ideas for how he could raise money for each $35.00 piece of fence.

 I said I have seen alot of unusual things here, but this is a first. I have never had a fence in the foyer.

 Denbigh also put the first coat of "Stillness" on the kitchen ceiling. We bought a new fan for the kitchen and have to paint it and put up the cross beams before we can install the fan.

 I love the bead board and the lovely shadow of the chandelier.

 Here is the portion of fence I got up to when I was headed to the doctor on Tuesday morning. Now, we are just asking God to complete it. If you see people peddling pie or picking up cans on the side of the road, it's us. We're trying to get more fence.

 Here is a painting I did to raise money for the kitchen. 

 So, I dusted, swept, and mopped all 2,500 square foot of the second floor. Then, my husband decided to tear a few things apart and make a huge mess. At least he was being productive. Now, I clean again. He had to move this air intake down so we could insulate and still be able to open it and change the filter.

He also went about finishing the foam portion of the ceiling to help insulate. We have one piece left to go. We also washed and waxed the rocking chairs, tables, and swing outside. The yard is mowed. The flower beds are being weeded. I have been de-cluttering closets and everything else I can get to. I guess I am in full nesting mode. 

Here is another painting I did to raise money for Gomer. This is an 8x10. It is $15.00. Thanks for checking in on us. If you come across any fence laying around, Send it our way. 

Mark your calendars for October 20th. We are having a Fish fry shindig and fundraiser to help us feed our neighbors. Thanks so much. Love to you all.

Fly Lady, Send Help.

This was my bedroom a few days after arriving home from living at camp for three months. This isn't even half of our clothes and the things our kids require. I only broke down once or ten times. It is all de-cluttered now. I have moved on to cleaning out all of our closets to get ready for the baby clothes and the next size up for the girls. It's a mad dash to get ready for Cherry girl number three. You cannot imagine the type of dirt that builds up when you leave a hundred year old house for three months. It is coming along smashingly... atleast on the second floor. More updates tomorrow.

Talk to me, Abba.

Find peace in the season that you are in. I have appointed a time for everything. There is a season for everything. Cherish the depth and the joy that can be obtained in any season when you trust in Me. What gift are you rejecting that I desire to give you?

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven."

Ecclesiastes 3:1

For more on this segment, see this post.

Break Through by Springle and Clinton

Description: "While most of our relationships may be healthy and satisfying, we often have one or two important people who change the rules and drive us crazy--a deadbeat dad, an alcoholic spouse, a wayward child, a demanding boss, a lazy roommate.

When we act out of enmeshment and codependency, we may think we are experiencing love, but it's a shallow substitute for the love God longs for us to share and enjoy. Break Through helps you exchange manipulative and unhealthy relationships for reciprocal relationships that honor boundaries and allow each person the freedom to take responsibility for his or her own choices.

This important book, with its transformational tools and insightful illustrations from leading Christian counselor Tim Clinton and noted author Pat Springle, will guide you in not only breaking through to better relationships but making big changes for the better.

Their expert insights will help you:

•  Identify why you gravitate toward certain relationships, and why you stay
•  Discern the warning signs of an unhealthy relationship
•  Live within your limits, and help others to do the same
•  Redefine love, trust--and your responsibility to the people you care about
•  Learn which choices and behaviors cause relationship troubles
•  Experience the power and freedom of forgiveness

With proven principles for learning to say yes when you want to and no when you need to, you'll discover how to give up your need to please, rescue, fix, or control anyone else. Leave others' unrealistic expectations behind. Speak the hard truth to those who have hurt you. And exchange harmful relationship habits for healthy ones."

Like a GPS that guides you through the detours in your travels, Break Through offers sure navigation across the landscape of troubled relationships, giving you a saner perspective, along with practical steps and valuable tools that can protect you from the controlling, irresponsible behaviors of others. And the study questions, checklists, and inspirational stories in this book will help you fulfill your deepest potential for connecting to others in authentic ways. God longs for you to experience with the people who matter most!"

Stephanie's Review:

I personally thought this book was quite remarkable for it's subject type. Most books of the psychological or self-help genre are more liquified or watered down in their theology. This was definitely the exception to the rule. I was constantly impressed by the focus on Christ as the healer and how vital he is to the healing that needs to occur for us to have healthy relationships.

There is much wisdom in this book to be examined and contemplated. So many of us struggle because of the relationships we have experienced. These things have robbed us of healthy, life-giving relationships in our lives. This can be especially true of those of us who have been wounded in church or by people in spiritual authority to us. I highly recommend it.

New Every Morning

Aren't you thankful that you get to get up each day and begin again with Jesus? Each moment we are given a grace that is beautiful beyond words. I am longing to breathe that in this morning. What are you longing for?

Talk to me, Abba.

Trust me to be your deliverer and to give life. I am the one who gives life. There is no need to worry bout the things that the world tells you will happen based on statistics. I am the one who controls every breath. Trust Me with this life. Be fully abandoned to My care. Lose yourself in My ability to sustain, My sovereignty, My grace.

"Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant."

2 Samuel 7:28

This morning the doctor told me that she would like to deliver our little girl a few days early because my blood sugar had been out of whack (it's stable now). She told me that everything was right on track and we both looked healthy, but since I am high risk she wanted to do this as a precautionary measure to prevent stillbirth. As I was laying there for 30 minutes with the fetal monitor on, I was having a conversation with Jesus. In my mind, I thought that she would have issues from coming early. He reminded me of the fact that the first due date I was told was earlier and she was going to be right on time. The He reminded me of her name. Chayah means "the life given by God." Ultimately, I can clearly see that God Himself gives life when He chooses. I have trust His choices and ask Him for the desire of my heart. Today, I choose His sovereignty.

For more on this segment, see this post.

An Ode To Books

You may have been wondering where I have been. Over the summer, I was able to read quite a few books. Unfortunately, the wifi/Internet where we were staying kept going out. This left me to try to navigate the world wide web via my iPhone in a land that despises my phone carrier. Then, my husband kept whisking me away on surprise trips. So, I laid down the blog for a few weeks. Perhaps it was good..I have had many things on my mind by way of what I want to do and what I want to do differently. I think my theme in the time to come is going to be to open different doors. We don't always have to continue on a path because we have always done it. Ask Robert Frost. New reviews will begin next Monday. I hope you click in and follow my love of Christ and literature. Much love to you. 

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim

Because it was grassy and wanted wear,

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I marked the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference. 

Robert Frost

Release everything into My capable hands. Set it all down until I call you back to it. Release your worries, your sins, your habits, and your hurts. Trust My wisdom and sovereignty to deal with them effectively. Trust Me in the darkness and in the blinding light. Leave these things with Me. Enjoy the grace and the conviction that brings repentance. Revel in the freedom of trust.

"He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,,." -Luke 4:18

For more on this segment, see this post.

Defeated Enemies by Corrie ten Boom

A few weeks ago, I sat down with one of the books I got anonymously in the mail. I had no idea what it was about. Being about fifty pages, I thought it would be a good short read. Let me tell you, it was staggering to see what was packed into one little book. When I saw the title, I thought it might be about her forgiving the guards at the concentration camp like the story in The Hiding Place. I was wrong.

A missionary friend of Corrie's convinced her to write about her experiences with the demonic in the concentration camp and beyond. I usually am not into this kind of book because the people that write books about how to route demons put most of their focus on demons and salt and pepper a little Jesus on top. Corrie ten Boom has a solid theology and I was interested in what she had to say on the subject. I was not disappointed.

Corrie put all the focus on Christ. What a refreshing take on spiritual warfare. Mostly people tend to rely on a form of incantation or formula when attempting to deal with this type of thing. She looked to Christ, His word, and his deliverance for every spiritual issue. As they were being starved in Ravensbrook Prison, they decided to dedicate their involuntary fast to the Lord. The result was that the thick presence of darkness fled from them. The demonic was overthrown with simple worship. How glorious. Jesus was exalted. A great read.