Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  Our year was full of faith, family, friends and fun.  Thank you for following One Blessed Acre and all of our preciouspeas over the last year.  May God bless each of your lives in 2017.

Colossians 3:17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

#995 - spending Christmas Day with friends and having a great dinner
#996 - meeting new neighbors and enjoying afternoons talking
#997 - Christmas cookie decorating with best friends
#998 - spending a morning getting pedicures with the girls and my friend Fran
#999 - 22 years with my best friend
#1000 - ringing in the new year with family and friends

Happy Thanksgiving

"Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."

~Psalm 106:1

 

"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."                   ~Psalm 103:1-5
 

 

Ever since I began my journey of journaling my "1000 gifts," I find that I am able to be thankful for the big things in my life as well as the little things that some would consider mundane or insignificant.  Thanksgiving is a great time to remember all that we are thankful for, but I challenge you to do so each and every day - each day is a gift - one that no one should take for granted. 

 

I am so very thankful for my faith and the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, for my wonderful husband and our seven children, for our two precious grandbabies and all of our family and friends.

 

And, I'm so thankful for each of you!  Your precious comments bring such joy to my heart.  I wish you all the best today - Happy Thanksgiving!

Peace in a chaotic life

It starts early in the morning, the bickering between each of these five children God has entrusted me to raise.  Even before I've had a moment to wrap my head around getting up or out of bed, the fuzz still clouding my eyes from staying up too late again. 



I listen to the pleas,  "Mommy, he took my toy,  Mommy, she won't let me have any covers," and they continue endlessly.   I cannot disappear under the covers and wish the behavior to disappear.  I mumble something about needing more sleep and I wonder if I hide in the bathroom long enough, just until the bickering is done - would that work.    But, they always find me, somehow. . . someway their little internal tracking devices find me.


Should this be a reminder to me that even God can find us in our deepest, darkest hiding places - no closet is off limits to the Holy Spirit who indwells inside of us.

So, how do I find "Peace," that quiet moment when time and space seem to stand still and my eyes are open to the whole world around me. . . When through all the clouds and murky waters I find inner, calm, peace in this chaotic life that God has chosen for me?

Peace certainly doesn't happen with that first cup of tea, or for me, the first cup of soda, loaded with extra caffeine.  It doesn't happen either when I tune a deaf ear to the growing character issues that need to be dealt with in our house.

“Peace is the deliberate adjustment of my life to the will of God.”

Peace comes when God's strength,  The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace. Psalm 29:11, overtakes my weaknesses.  Peace comes when I remember that my life is PEACE with God in it!

So, I close my eyes, sit in my favorite spot of the morning, say a quick prayer, take one step at a time, correct the unruly behavior and yield my will to God's will.  These children are my responsibility - not a distraction - one to be ignored - but rather all else is the distraction around me to the peace that God wants me to experience in raising these little ones.  Why else would Job tell us, “Yield now and be at peace with Him; Thereby good will come to you. "  Job 22:21



The sun peaks out from behind the clouds and I realize that while I don't have everything figured out, the chaos has passed for the time being and I will make it - I will experience ultimate peace one day - the day that I return to be with the Lord.  God speaks to my heart today and for the time being I am being molded and guided along this journey.  So for today, I can count my way through the many gifts received that give me peace beyond understanding.

# 209 - 228

* reading moments with daughters
* the boy throwing rocks at a laundry pole and laughing hysterically for no reason
* coupon savings that add up to a huge stockpile
* more teenagers to raise
* a cat taking a morning bath in the bird bath
* new flowers planted in hopes of beautiful blooms for next year
* weeding the same beds over again. . .  how stubborn those weeds are just like our sin
* two bright yellow skirts sewn in hopes that the sun would take notice
* new rhubarb plants for next year
* focused on knowing God and infusing that into my children
* homeschool field trips
* his hand reaching for mine in the dark
* happy, contented little girl waiting for sisters at ballet, sandwiched between two bean bag chairs reading a book
* peaceful music playing in the background
* little boy good-bye's to Daddy
* breath to blow over hot muffins
* shoes by the kitchen sink to put by the back door one more time

Bloom, right where you are planted

Ralph Waldo Emerson said: "For everything you have missed, you have gained something else."



Spring has sprung in Northern California and it is so wonderful to watch in amazement.  The days are getting longer and the anticipation of planting our garden is mounting.  Which got me thinking about a quote I have often heard. . .



Mary Engelbreiht's quote, "Bloom where you are planted"



After being here in Northern California for the last year and a half and struggling with trying to "break into" a small, close-knit community, I think I understand the meaning of this quote just a little bit better. 

You see, God planted the gardens and I can imagine some of the plants blooming and wondering, "Why was I planted here?  God in His infinite wisdom knew why and where the plants would bloom the best, where they would be the most beneficial and serve the most purpose.  He didn't give them a choice to plant themselves in a location that "they" wanted. . . .  He chose for them.  Just like He chose to place us in Northern California, reasons unbeknownst to all of us, for better or worse. 


Every day I feel like I am constantly falling on my knees in prayer, asking God to forgive me for my struggle with discontentment and longing for something greater in life.  What I am beginning to realize is that God will show me the way. . . the reason that He wants our family here, the "why" behind our being planted.   He will take care of me, He will be my strong tower, my everlasting hope which I can stand upon.   It is what started me journaling my "1000 gifts" - the reasons for living and breathing - the God given purpose to my life.  I want to remember every day just how grateful I am and to fully be open to His ways in my life.   I pray when I get to that end I can look behind and see a deep, straight path, right to Jesus.
So for now, I may feel like I am missing something, but God knows I am gaining something even greater.  I will be content to wait out the reason that I've been called to "bloom" here, right where I've been planted.

Bloom, bloom where you're planted

You will find your way
Bloom, bloom, bloom where you're planted
You will have your day.

Look at the flowers, look at them growing
They never worry, they never work
Look at the way our Father clothes them
Each with beauty all its own

Each with beauty all its own

Some plant the seeds that others will water
But in all things, God give the growth
Come let Him garden the flowers within you
Come and discover some you've never known
Come and discover some you've never known

Look at the love that lies deep within you
Let yourself be! Let yourself be!
Look at the gifts you have been given
Let them go free! Let them go free!
Let them go free! Let them go free!

#200 - # 208

*    dirty spoons under the dining room table, babas, wanies and shirtless boy

*     chocolate frosting, chocolate cake and Lindsay who is now no longer in a car seat

*     playing trains with George late one Thursday evening after Bible Study

*     birthday girls during the month of March

*     "Dadda, Dadda, Where momma go?"  early in the morning coming from the crib

*     ice cream cakes and eight year old

*     birthdays and another year of serving God

*     talking to old friends early in the morning - so uplifting and just what I needed

*     quilting in bed late at night for new arriving babies amongst our friends

My blinders are on

I hear Pastor preaching on Sunday, about having blinders on.   Does anyone else hear the lesson he is teaching, or is he just talking directly to me?    I try to look away, but I hear him anyhow.

It is that point where we have begun to focus on something so hard . . .  that thing that WE want, but is it of God?  Does God want it in our lives . . . .  is it part of His will for us?

But, I really, really want it, you say, and I deserve it - God should grant it to me because I have been praying about it for so long.

Sitting there, I realize that I have been so easily distracted by analyzing others "blinders" that I forgot to take a look at my own.  It's times like these that God is taking us out of our comfort zone - to give us a gift - a place where we can lean on Him and know Him more intimately - something we would never do in our comfort zone.

I struggle to concentrate on the sermon, yet my mind wanders to my blinders. . . . the one thing that consumes my thoughts daily. 



My arms are so full, yet empty at the same time - I can feel the blinders around my eyes - wanting, struggling with a selfish desire to hold another little one, to smell the sweet baby "smell," to hear the baby babbles, to see the toothless smiles. . .  .  To beat the "clock" that is ticking away on my child bearing days.  That somehow, just one more child would complete my life. 

He's almost two now and he is still my baby, but reality sets in. . . he is not going to be for much longer.  What if he is the last and I never have anymore blessings - any more gifts - Children are a gift from the Lord and I want my arms so full of them!

But with these blinders I have closed myself off to God's will - it's as if I've told Him that His way is NOT sufficient or good enough for my liking.

So I come to Him, heavy hearted, repentive of my blinders - counting the gifts that I have, reminding myself to wait upon the Lord. . . Psalm 27:14  Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.   My blinders need to be removed if I am to see my gifts.

Counting gifts is about gratitude -  and I need to count these hard things too.

#190 - #198

two more baby chicks born, including one incredibly fuzzy yellow one

tendrils of curls outlining Abby's face because her hair is finally growing back from twisting it off so many times

little ones arms wrapped around my neck playing with my hair clips or twirling "myz hair"

the sound of snow falling, having it change to hail and then back again to snow

snowflakes and daffodils

cold, really cold days spent wrapped up inside

hundreds of sweet little birds landing on fences, building nests and laying eggs

a furnace that is working

patience - it is a constant struggle to attain

removing my blinders

How Sweet and Awesome Is the Place

"How sweet and awesome is the place with Christ within the doors, while everlasting love displays the choicest of her stores."

"Why was I made to hear your voice and enter while there's room, when thousands make a wretched choice, and rather starve than come?"

"We long to see your churches full, that all the chosen race may, with one voice and heart and soul, sing your redeeming grace."

We sang this beautiful hymn this Sunday in worship service and I was struck by the words so strongly.  I wanted to share them with you.  These are three stanzas from hymn 469, from the Trinity Hymnal.  We received one as a gift from Redeemer Orthodox Presbyterian Church, which was one of the many churches we attended during the years that the General Manager moved us around the countryside during his Air Force career.  This hymnal is so special to us, as the whole congregation signed it and put their mark on their favorite hymns to sing.

Tonight, I read over and over the many wonderful sayings to us and each of the beautiful hymns that each family chose for their own. . . all from each of our dear friends from Dayton, Ohio.  What a surprise when I saw that Pastor and his adorable wife Sue, put their mark on this same hymn and told us in their sweet note. . . . "We have delighted to know you and your family.  You will be missed.  Our prayer is that the Lord will direct our paths to cross again in this life.  Pastor & Sue"   Another one that touched my heart was from Mark and Jody . . ."It seems like yesterday that we were helping you move in.  So many things have happened in our lives to prove otherwise though!  God will be with you in your military travels.  He is always faithful to His children.  We'll miss you!" 

We have re-connected with many of these beautiful families through facebook and I'm so thankful to the creators of facebook and for the technology that has come about for us to be able to stay in touch with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  It is so important that we stay in touch with other Christians - fellowship is something that God purposed in our lives for our good - it's our way of staying accountable to God.   Hebrews 4:13   Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.  

We have three new chicks - hatched over the weekend to add to our flock in six short weeks.  They will spend their precious time in the garage until then, under the protection of wire fencing and a heater lamp, until they are big enough to fend for their own with the rest of the girls.  Two are multi-brown colored and one is a sweet fuzzy yellow.  She was the last one to be born on Sunday.  The girls have all held them and Georgie is awaiting his turn to hold one - that might be awhile since he could very easily crush one with his over-zealous boy strength!

We've had many warm, sunny days where we've sat on the front porch learning, while watching Abby climb the trees and Georgie dig in the rocks in the front yard.  Hannah's Netherland Dwarf rabbits are finally growing and are very sweet to hold.  I'm thankful that we got two because they are so happy together - two peas in a pod.

My counting of blessings continues on - it's amazing to see that I'm up to 189 already.  This has been such a joyous experience for me and I love being able to look back over the months to see what we've been doing around the homestead.  But alas for now, I hear the pitter patter of feet above me that are getting ready for the rainy morning inside.  I believe I have some chores to finish myself as I take care of our home - what a privilege to be a homemaker.

May God bless your day today!
Michelle


#166 - #189

Mom's night out hosted here at the house - lovely fellowship with many like-minded ladies

So many good soups and salads to share

"momma, baba, momma, baba" - Georgie's favorite saying these days . .  next to John Deere

pitter patter of a rain storm on the windows

back tickling from a 3 year old

watching Hamlet movie with all the children

daffadils peaking up out of the ground

the seasons changing so quickly

bitten baby tongue that heals so quickly

a week of sunshine

eggs in an incubator

the anticipation of having baby chicks

dinner with family

reading through the Bible and sticking to the plan

getting my quilted table runner completed

tea with a friend celebrating her birthday

Abby kisses

fun new signs about the chickens that the town can talk about

beautifully dressed little girls

well children - sickness gone

new baby chicks born from an incubator

being humbled to my knees, thinking that I displeased God

I can hardly believe

I can hardly believe it's in the 50's and it's January.  The girls and George are outside running around in the front yard barefoot and in short sleeve shirts.  Lindsay was enjoying the tire swing, that is after she dumped out the gallons of water on the inside.  We are nearing the hour to take Anne to piano lessons, but it's such a joy to see them outside and not cooped up inside.  We've had our share of rain for the last few weeks and I praise God that he gives us the sun to enjoy every now and again.  

I got the girls started back to school last week.  It's much better being on a routine and following a schedule - the girls seem to handle things better when they know what to expect.  I still receive the ocassional big brown eye look of, "can't we have the afternoon off, pleasssseee."



Charlie is growing so quickly and has fit right into this family.  He loves to be inside, but lately his favorite pasttime is stalking the chickens - I think he gets a secret thrill out of trying to pounce on them.  They just squawk and fly off.  I'm waiting for the day he tries it to the rooster, Hawk.  He might think twice about his pouncing on unsuspecting birds after that. . . .



Georgie loves to play with Charlie and chase him around the house.  Charlie is a good cat to tolerate little George.



My little boy loves to help out with dishes in the morning.  He doesn't do much washing, but is a great water sorter from one side of the sink to the other.  He absolutely adores the funnel and watches the water pour out from the bottom.  You can only imagine what is going on inside his brain as he watches the water flow out.  He is very busy in the morning and this keeps his hands from being idle, or from coloring on the walls with the new crayons that Grammie got him for Christmas.



Just a parting thought for the day.  With all the challenges that raising little ones bring, sometimes we just need to know that it's in our perseverance that God's work in us is done.  Through faith we can realize that our children will turn out all right, the laundry will get done, the house will look normal again, our husband will be fed a decent meal and our extra projects will get finished eventually.  

The spirit of godly womanhood is present in the woman who, with courage and fortitude, perseveres through the many challenges of life. She realizes that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," and consequently strives for the principled course of action." -Christine Russel



more counting of my One Thousand gifts. . . . .
#152  spending the day with the family

#153  another year with the man that I love and cherish

#154  giggles and squeels of delight

#155  tractors all lit up

#156  rain stopping during the parade

#157  hot cocoa after a long parade and tons of rain

#158  church family

#159  happy smiles on Christmas morn

#160  spending the evening with my parents

#161  the priceless look on Anne's face when she got her hope chest

#162  cloudy day nestled inside with the littles

#163  helping Abby fill her purse reminded me of when Anne was two years old and carried her purse everywhere we went

#164  free turkey broth

#165  quilting day spent with new friends

#166  Christmas cards from friends and family, even if they are received after the holidays

one tough cookie

For all the days you wish you could be somewhere else as well as doing something besides having to drink a not so good tasting smoothie designed to light up your insides like a Christmas tree.

But you were so willing and sweet natured about those smoothies, even if it took 2 hours to drink through the mountain sized container.  Even when the older gentlemen next to us kindly cheered you on, you simply smiled your squished-up-eye smile at him and gave him a little chuckle.

You had no idea what you were in for, but you were ever so brave.  I brought the book we've been reading together to comfort you while we waited.  You slowly took in all around you while constantly sipping on that smoothie.  Each time you looked down a little more was gone out of the cup.

 

We got to the back and met Mr. Sam who would be taking care of you.   Still you were brave and smiling until you realized what was going to happen - a needle, like the feeling of a shot, was going to be placed in your arm.  Your sweet hand reached for mine and my tears began to flow.   I tried to get you to look into my eyes and to take your eyes off of the needle, but your tears just kept streaming down your face.

How I wish I could've taken the pain away, told you that it wasn't going to hurt, to let you know that I too have had that needle, and have felt the pain; the only difference being that I got you as a precious gift for that pain.  The tears made your eyes red, but you kept still the whole time.  Mr. Sam said he was so proud of you and that it took him less time than usual to put in your IV. 

Your tears subsided, but the pain in your arm was a constant reminder that the day was not over.  It was back to the CT Scan machine where you could lay down with "Superman" arms so that the dye would get into your organs to help them take better pictures.

You laid so still and held your breath when you were suppose to.  I watched from a small room off to the back, praying that God would comfort you during your ride through the "donut."   From my quiet devotions I remember the verse  . . .  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding;  I do not understand why you are feeling this pain in your side and I do not understand what it will take to find out the reason why, but I know that GOD does.   God is the author of ALL. . . .

You got off the table and Mr. Sam pulled your IV out.  You didn't even flinch this time.  He wrapped a big bandaid around your arm and off we went. 

But not before stopping for some chicken nuggets, frys and a BIG apple juice on the way home.  No more smoothies for you today.

more counting of my One Thousand gifts. . . . .

#126  little boy and "dot dog" every morning

#127  going into a closet to hear the rain pitter patter on the roof

#128  oil lamps burning at night

#129  little feet in handknit slippers

#130  silly snuggles in the morning

#131  long sweaters on chilly November days

#132  better tasting smoothies than the ones you have to drink for a CT scan

#133  medical technology that was able to see inside a little girl

#134  such a strong and brave little girl who made it through her scan

#135  doctors who can diagnose her illness

#136  holding onto her little hand to give her strength

#137  wiping away  her tears, knowing that God gives us the strength to endure trials