Painting Precious People

So I have come to realize lately that I live in a household of artists, musicians, writers and among other things, cooks, gardeners, and photographers. Emily has been painstakenly working away at this painting for several months. Monthly we wait with baited breath to get the next sequence in an unfolding work that is being done in the land depicted here. We are praying for the people of that country to learn of God's love and to lead better lives, as many of them live in poverty, with alcohol dominated days.  The scenery in that country reminds us of some of the vast expanse we see from our home.


It is a picture of something beautiful. A painting of roling hills, flowing streams, green grass,
and people and animals.

It is a picture of a Mongolian valley with the Mongolian Nomads and their livestock in summer time.

The men and boys watering the horses.

Some children and dogs playing by their Gers (houses) with a herd of sheep in the background





A mother and her child by their Ger with more children and dogs playing in the background.

A boy and his horse with the unique Mongolian Saddle.

Watching the cattle.


Hope you enjoyed your journey to this far away land!

New Coats

such a wonderful blessing! Two of our girls were needing  'real' good coats, now that they have stopped growing. We have been looking for a couple of water proof warm winter coats that don't cost an arm or a leg. We can have such blizzard conditions here it is necessary.  A couple years ago Ron got a nice waterproof/down coat and he uses it!  Well last week we went to the nearby/faraway  big city to the name brand outdoor store where they had clearance coats. You know the $2-300 kind that one drools over but can rarely affort let alone for a whole family?  Well we found two nice ones - clearance affordable too. Beth wanted a different color but the fit was perfect. Em's was jsut right. So purchased hers and waited  a couple hours to hear from the manager if another store had Beth's size and color.  They found one-wonderful! Even though it would have to be shipped. That's ok! So free shipping and they gave us 20% off on both coats, so we got to very nice coats for under $200.  Shows me again that God is very much aware of the small details and our personal preferances too! So very comforting. 

If My Words Abide in You -(Scripture Memory)

The very essense of memorizing! I have never heard anyone speak the Word in this way from memory! Dynamic and Refreshing! We were moved! An example what the word of God in heart and mind will do. I hope you are blessed too!!  We were introduced last evening to "This is My Word", from Isaiah 55. In searching for it on u tube, I also came across this sermon that moved us deeply. (slip on past the intro song and be blessed!) As we trek on through the book of Acts; let it saturate us, slowly  sink in, and stick!

Recitaion of Psalms 1, 16, 103  Rom 5:1-8; 8  Matt. 6:1, 25-34
 I Cor 13
If you can't see this video embeded here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOkLP6VHtWk

Unanswered Prayer

A couple days ago via another blog  I was so exited to see the old book Unanswered Prayer by Serepta Henry had been reprinted and available here. For many years I have been facinated by her life and work and read as much of her material as I could find. Some of her material in book or article form I've only found in pdfs or online reading.  There is MUCH practial help in her article and books.  In Gospel Echos for the Home I've begun to blog her three years worth of aticles written in the late 1890's  and printed in the r*view and h*erald on home life. These articles have been invaluable to me and I pray others will also be blessed and benefited by them.  In time I hope to have many of her articles in audio format.  Also I personally belive that during the years following the beginning of the latter rain the Lord left us these works as a legacy to aid our home life. But many of them have remained in obscurity.

another blog

More Memorizing

Maybe I was a little vague in my writing yesterday, so here's a few specifics.

As for the memorization. We have begun memorizing the book of Acts prior to GYC 2012.  The theme for GYC is ACTS: The revolution continues.   Sean Nebblett  outlined the memorizing plan on his blog a couple weeks ago, so we started. It’s about 3-5 verses a day.  The girls are ahead of me, but I’m plodding along. Here’s the link for the memorization schedule. On this page is the Outline & ways to memorize making memorizing practical. 

The 5-50’s is a running/walking exercise that  we heard of a few weeks back.   It’s running 50 yards, then walking back, and repeat 5 x.  The next week you increase to 10-50yds. Etc. But I’m not up to that yet.  I had to go back to the walking because the running was jarring an old back injury to much. I’m a bit sad because I loved the lung expansion and it felt good otherwise.

As for my description of bibles, papers and computers across the living room, I was thinking how good it is to have such things clutter the home, too many homes  in this world have other types of clutter that is not profitable.  I want the word to be in my thoughts, heart and action.  Like judge Miller said: pray bible, sing bible, read bible....

Remnants in Time

As the morning rolls on I pass through the living room, here and there on couches and floor are papers...computers.... and books from the mornings study. Copies of the chapters in Acts that are being transscribed into nuerons and snapses, not just strewn across our living room couches. Sometimes when I pass it I think, "it's all left here, it needs to be picked up" ... until I remember I'd have no other way. It's a good  thing to see, it's a good feeling to know these are remnants in time, time well spent in the Word.  that this is how we want it!   A real, practical, daily reality of time with the Lord in his word. 

Our exercise break has new meaning now, with our tennis shoes, coats, hats, and gloves we travers the drive way, running/walking our 5-50's. The verses roll off our tongues, or around in our minds. But its a new way to learn and we are thankful for the Nebbl*tt's encouragement to blaze new trails.  The 5-50's run/walk idea came from James Raffer*ty during a series of meetings he did here. Such a practical way to build stamina.

Some things have simmered down around here. Grandma is  better than she was, although still limited to only feeding herself, and still needs full care and a caregiver. But for now there is some normality at least, and not so heavy a load us on at the present.  There have been other things to concentrate on, such as test preparations, summer plans, book writing, health, company and the constant daily duties that so easily multiply.

On Sabbath we enjoyed a long hike to yonder hill. Seeing the view from there of the mountains is very inspiring. We watched a heard of about 57 elk grazing and moving over the upcoming wheat fields. We looked for fallen antlers, but only found a small buck rack. There are some very nice bull elk racks out there ....somewhere....  It was a good walk with our friends. 

After enjoying time with some good friends this weekend, and hearing how they are simplifing and how good it is, we managed to get the mending pile in one corner of a closet nealry eliminated that afternoon!  Wow that feels really good!   There are still some things left to mend, and other sewing projects that we need to finish, especially before summer, but it was a good start!!   More later......

Back burner blogging...

Blogging has been on the back burner this past fall, winter. We have more than had our hands and house full the past few months. My husbans’s mom has difficult health challenges. Lot’s of his family coming and going etc. (26 of us here for Thanksgiving/Christmas).   His mom broke here ankle in July, in Aug had surgery, spent 2 1/2 mon. in rehab, was home for about 6 weeks, Dad had to lift her out of her chair, transport her to the necessary places, bed etc. She was loosing strength and appetite, etc. In early Dec, via blood work it was discovered that she has a major infection, turned out she had a large infection between the plural cavity which was collapsing 85% of the left lung, it had gone on unnoticed by the Drs for some time. She had surgery in large ka*lec hospital 1-1/2 hrs away. She was not in good condition for but survived it then spent 3 weeks in rehab. Last week it looked like she was failing to the point that we though it best to bring her home while she was still conscious, so she could appreciate knowing she was home. (she was no longer qualifying for the rehab that the insurance was covering, not having enough strength to do the PT) This past week has been a near nightmare trying to help his Dad sort out the particulars of care, finances etc. My sister in law has been here, and has been a tremendous help this week, she had to return home today. Mom is needs full care (2 person assist), pureed food and thickened liquids, since her ability to swallow is greatly compromised by Achalasia and MS. It has been trying on all of us. We don’t want to loose her, but she has had a long hard fight (MS 31 years), it could be any time or months in the future. We just don’t know. We would appreciate your prayers for them us also as we are in this with them. Particularly that Dad will have peace with the decisions that have to be made, and that he can let it all rest in the Lords hands.

My husband is progressing on vol.2  of The Ret*rn of the La*ter Ra*n, through all this, but has been limited the past couple months with all that has been happening with his mom. We have defianetly had the challenges, in a different sort of way, time and energy seem to be the enemy’s target. So would covet your prayers. But we have been well and enjoying a milder winter, garden veggies that are stored, and much wild life, including several bull elk in our field, and the three kittens we ended up keeping.  More later....