Isaiah 40:31

So do you remember a couple of months when I rambled about that wild clematis plant growing on a little path in my yard? Well, you can click here or I can give you the cliff notes

• I love the clematis plant.
• I have spent hundreds of dollars on them over the past 10+ years and not one has even "took" in my garden.
• I gave up.
• Last summer, we found a gorgeous clematis plant/vine growing in a path in my yard.....I could see it every morning from my bathroom window.

Moral of the story: God knew the desires in my heart.......yes, He even cares about what kind of flowers I love.....and gave it to me......His timing, His way, His place.....His will.

So yesterday I found myself arranging a pity party for myself......table for one please. I am going to be honest and open, as this is my blog and if you have been popping in my world on a regular basis.......you know that I keep it real.

So let's just say that I thought I had a good chance of getting pregnant this month. Josh and I are certainly not in hard core "trying to conceive" mode......but we are leaving this up to God and seeing if He thinks adding one more blessing to our family would be fun. Most people would call me crazy, but as I mentioned before.....I'd be thrilled to be doing drivers ed and diapers at the same time. I get comments all the time about my age and blah blah blah (after a while, it sounds like the teacher from Charlie Brown, yk?)......but according to my doc (who knows me inside and out, literally) and some testing she has done.....there is no reason I couldn't/shouldn't have another. She tells me that if anyone could handle a baby in their early 40s, it would be me. So after our recent loss in January......Josh and I decided to keep this issue in God's hands and see what He has planned for us. We trust fully in Him with our finances, our family, our health......our whole LIFE. period.

So without divulging TMI......let's just say we go with the flow every month. We tried "planning" and that was just wrong. Too much pressure.....too much structure. I am a free spirit, I avoid calendars and rigorous schedules as much as possible. So that didn't work for us. We actually laughed out loud after one night when we both "confessed" that it was the worst experience ever.

So, this month.....everything was timed pretty good, the planets were all lined up perfect.

nothing.

*sigh*

I know all the odds, I know the factors involved.....I know the risks with having babies at an older age (*insert Charlie Brown's teacher again)

I know all the inspiration, I know all of my blessings, I know I need to trust God's will, which I totally do......(doesn't mean I have to agree with it, LOL)

I just was let down and wanted to have some normal human feelings and be discouraged. I didn't want to count my blessings, I just wanted to stomp my feet for a bit. You know.......get it out of my system. I have had my share of losses over the past few years and I just wanted to be "pissy" if you will. I have been yearning to be pregnant for the past couple of years and now that Josh came to his senses is open to the idea...I am afraid it is too late. Not that God is wearing a biological watch or anything, lol.....but *He* might think my body is too old/tired for a baby now.

I decided that I was going to allow myself a pity party for a few hours and then be done with it. And I did.

When I am discouraged and down.....I clean and organize. So if you came to visit me......you will see that I don't get discouraged and down often. HA! I get like Martha Stewart on steroids. I start feverishly scurrying from one clutter pile to another like a mad lady, sifting and sorting through random items. The funny thing, is that I end up basically making new, more organized clutter piles because my ADD kicks in and I get overwhelmed.

Anyway......God has a funny way of being a total "buzzkill" on these pity parties.

I was organizing the bread box on top of the fridge and found a forgotten bag of what I think were English muffins. There was enough mold in this bag to make a batch of penicillin for a third world country. I went to toss it when this business card came flying out from under it. It was from our last order of Angel Food Ministries. (not sure if you know about this organization, but it is great).

The card simply had the Angel Food logo and the Scripture Isaiah 40:31 which reads:

But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

the word "wait" appeared to be in bold at first, but when I read it again......it was the same font style. God likes to tweak with our vision too.

At that moment......I felt a new sense of hope come over me. I felt like God was reminding me that He has it all under control....and knew I needed a little boost.

I started to cry as I instantly felt remorse for my selfishness. I asked God to forgive me for sounding and acting unappreciative of the blessings He has, and continues to, bring in my life. I felt like I was acting like a spoiled brat. I felt so ashamed.

We serve such a amazing God. He is so full of grace, comfort and love.....

As I went to my bathroom to wipe the boogers.....I happened to glance out my window and this caught my eye:

This picture is worth a thousand words.....

.....but you know I'll add a few more.

Not only does this show God's faithfulness.....but it also represents something else to me. As you can see, that clematis plant is growing in a huge patch of poison ivy.

Proving again to me, that God can bring beauty in ugly painful places.

So I'll leave you with a close up of this gorgeous flower......how blessed we are that God is the Ultimate Artist who shares His works with us. He cares enough about us (even when we don't deserve it) to give us beautiful creations to enjoy and used His brush and pallet of infinite colors to paint the world......for us! If you really think about it, He could have just given us (humans) a boring black & white world.


He doesn't owe us anything........we owe Him everything.


Have a wonderful weekend.....

peace, love and stay barefoot~

*~Michelle~*

Three Four Things This Thursday (Fisher Cat Slayer, Fort Knox, Shred update and more)

Hi there! If you are new to my place.......welcome! Thursdays are the day I ramble about three random things. Sometimes I share a new recipe, bits and pieces of what's going on in my crazy not-so-random world, or maybe a new homeschooling tip. I try to keep everything as real as I can......and I keep my eyes fixed on God! So if you want to join in......grab the button over on my sidebar, add your link/comments below and jump right in~!

1. OK, so after our devastating loss......Josh is determined to do two things. Become the Fisher-Cat Slayer and build Fort Knox. Josh is normally a very passive man......this is the guy who dove under the camper to rescue the blind baby rat. But if you witnessed what our barn looked like after that attack.......it might send Mother Theresa looking for a Rambo outfit.
So, knowing Josh's quirky version of a type A personality and giving everything 100%.....I am guessing this transformation will include a Conan the Barbarian outfit, a bear claw trap and some weird tribal face painting. He believes his Native American heritage (he is Pocasset Wampanoag) will come through as he is determine to trap and kill this predator. He also has deranged thoughts about hanging the victim in the woods (think The Village) to send a message to all his fisher cat friends or any other predator who thinks about stepping foot near our farm.

*sigh*....yes, he can take things to an unhealthy level.

2. He also started Fort Knox......well, that is what he is referring to our new chicken coop. I originally had planned on calling it the Cluck Cluck Inn or something cute for my feathered friends.....but after said attack.....Josh is determined to make this the most secure housing that can survive a nuclear attack.

I have to say.....Josh is a pretty talented well rounded guy. He looks completely professional in his "monkey suit" as we call the suit and tie he is required to wear for his job. But he sure can jump right into jeans, workboots and a tool belt and get that any construction job done too.
So here is Stage One of Fort Knox. I have to say.......he whipped this badboy up pretty quick all by himself (with a wiped out back, lol) with no plans drawn out. We recycled an old bookcase for the nesting boxes too. bonus!
He is going to try to get the walls up over the next few days (after work) and then we are heading over to Habitat for Humanity ReStore to maybe get a window (back by chicken wire of course!!!) and some shingles for the roof.

This will soon be a great new SAFE home for my sweet hens.......

And I told you Josh was a softie.......he came home with these little fluffy friends to keep "Rocky" company. I wanted to thank you all for all your great suggestions for a name for this little survivor.......I loved the spiritual meanings and encouraged N to choose one with a nice strong Biblical meaning. I loved Destiny, Silas and Maia. But she was dead set on Rocky because she believes (s)he is the fighter who wouldn't give up. Now if I can only get her to stop humming the Eye of The Tiger song everytime she holds it.

3. Shred update! I am on Day 23 (skipping only Sundays) of The ShredFest and I have to say that this workout gets results! Although I've only lost about 3 pounds, I have toned up significantly and definitely lost inches in my waist, arms and thighs. WOOT! I am guessing I lost at least an inch or more in my rib/waist area.......and my arms are certainly less jiggly.

I am quite certain it has to do with being in that brutal plank position for most of Level Two and Three....and I think I was sweating from areas that I never even knew had sweat glands with all the cardio. But I have to say......I had the confidence to wear a tank top this past weekend. And get this.......I even had the guts to wave to my neighbor when she drove by and I didn't have half as much flab flying in the wind. *thumbs up*

So if you are up for an intense, but effective workout......I am def. recommending The 30 Day Shred! And it's only $8.99 at Amazon.com. Heck, I can spend that on a bag of blue corn tortillas and salsa!

I have had this on my heart and I want to add one last thing.....

4. This week's event taught us such important lesson(s). Life is short and at any time your world can be turned upside down. The enemy, at anytime, can swoop in and steal from you (and your life).....we need to always be on guard and protect our mind, heart and body. That fisher cat killed for the thrill.....it's main goal was just to destroy and move on to the next victim. That is how Satan works. So remember to be prepared and protected . I want to share Ephesians 6:10-18 with you:

The Armor of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

I hope you have a wonderful day.......please join in and leave your links and comments below!!!

xox
*~Michelle~*

Sad Day

Well, today is a sad day, a little ironic because this isn't the kind of "memory" you want for Memorial Day.....we woke up to find that our two mama hens and their babies were victims of a fisher cat attack. :(

Not sure if you know what a fisher cat is......but I'll give you my Wikipedia version.

fisher cat: a ruthless predator that resembles a weasel mixed with Satan. Click here to see what pure evil looks like. They slither and sneak like the enemy. Fisher cats kill for the thrill leaving the majority of their victims behind.

I am sure God has a purpose for this creature.....and I sure as heck would like to know so that I can justify what I witnessed this morning. I woke up this morning around 6:15 and went out to the barn to check on some new chickens we adopted over the weekend. We found them out in the rain last night, as they were not familiar with their new home. So I wanted to make sure they were adjusting OK. Also two of our "teenager" chicks decided to spend the night out in the woods(they were found this morning) We went to bed praying for their safety......little did we know.

I won't get into the gory details, but trust me when I tell you that it was a glimpse of death in our barn. I started to hyperventilate when I saw Princess lying on the ground. (again, I'll spare you).....I ran over to Penny's box and she was in the same condition, and just feathers everywhere. All her babies were gone too. I felt like I was in a nightmare.

I ran up and woke up Josh....of course I was hysterical, so he jumped out of bed. We went back out and I could see the emotion come over Josh as well. It was just a senseless act. We started looking around to see where it could have gotten in and noticed a space in the roof line area. That's all it took.

Just then, we heard a peep. It was coming from under a rack in the corner. I have never been so thrilled to dive through containers and tools and grab the one sole survivor. I snuggled her so tight and told her that she was going to be OK. I cannot imagine how traumatized she must have been. We want to name her something to do with being a survivor or warrior......so if you have any suggestions....please let us know. (it can be boy or girl name.....we still aren't sure if it is a she or he at this point)

Anyway......I'd love to say that this is part of living on a farm with the "circle of life".....I guess in some warped way it is. I would have much rather have woken up to them just gone. I could have envisioned a mama fox feeding her young at least.

We are hoping that we can incubate Princess's ten eggs and bring some life back into this sad situation.....not sure if they are going to make it, but we can pray that they do.

It just proves to me, once again......on how precious life is and how quickly things can change. It doesn't matter that they were "just chickens"......these were God's creatures that we loved and cared for very much.

.....and they will be missed.

*one last request......please keep N in your thoughts and prayers......right now, she is more focused on being a mommy to our little survivor.....but I know there will be waves of emotions as she processes this tragic event.

Rest in peace sweet Princess, Penny and babies.....we are so sorry this happened.

Peace~

*~Michelle~*

Happy Memorial Day!

So I ran out yesterday morning to get Josh some much needed Aleve. (he threw his back out and is quite a bit of pain.....a little plea for an extra prayer if you can)........

I would like to comment that you know you live in the sticks when no pharmacy opens before 8 or 9AM.

So after from one end of town to the other, I went to our local grocery store which thankfully opens at 7:00 AM. Apparently not many other country folk venture out at this hour to shop as it looked like the employees were in the middle of a good card game in produce. I scurried over to the health aid aisle because I just wanted to grab the meds and go (did I mention that I ran out in the lounge clothes that I slept in?). I noticed that there was a sign advertising a free sample of those adhesive hot/ice packs that you can use for pain relief. SCORE! The sign told me to "Just grab yours at the store's pharmacy today". OK, cool. Except I found out.......by politely interrupting the card game, which now looks like the manager got in on...... that the pharmacy only opens at 9. Don't people get sick early around here?

Anyway.... I made my way over to the cashier who always asks if you would like to buy the product of the day. Usually it is a 4 pack of danish or a new type of spice that I cannot even pronounce. I usually decline such items as I am now on Day 18 of The Shred (I can actually walk in an upright position and starting to see some results in my arms too!)......and I try to stick to the four recipes I know I can make, I can't start getting all creative now.

Well this day's special buy was a small American flag for $1. How could I say no to that?

I came home and N asked me what the flag was all about. I promise.......we do include social studies in our homeschooling! I explained to her about how displaying the American Flag was even more important on Memorial Day to pay tribute to our troops. Always taking things to a new level......my enthusiastic little Patriot ran to her bedroom and came out with her red, white and blue bikini and suggested that she would stand down at the end of the driveway and wave it all weekend.

neat.

I told her that although I thought it was a great honorable idea......maybe displaying it on our mailbox for all the tractors passerby's to see would be a little better. I also reminded her that she would miss out on all the ice cream, burgers and fireworks this weekend if she made such a commitment.

She thought about it for 3.2 seconds and went with the mailbox display. phew.

So during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, I encourage you to join us in remembering our troops and the sacrifices they have made and/or are making for you and me. Let us give thanks to them for the freedom they are fighting for. Let's pray for everyone who has served or is serving in our US military and their families as well.

Dear God, please hold our service men and women in your strong arms. Cover them with your sheltering grace and presence as they stand in the gap for our protection. May the members of our armed forces be filled with courage to face each day and may they trust in the Lord's mighty power to accomplish each task. Let our military brothers and sisters feel our love and support.

Have a safe and wonderful weekend.....

xox
*~Michelle~*

Three Things This Thursday

I can't believe it is already Thursday! This week flew by......so let's get into Three Things:

1. So G, my oldest son went out and got a new tattoo yesterday. I must be a weird mama but when he got his first tattoo (at 16) it felt kinda like a milestone in a way. I have had my share of negative comments such as "I would never let my kid get one at 16" or "he is going to regret that one day".
Ummmmmm.......
A: never say never when it comes to life (and children).
You.never.know.what.tomorrow.brings.

*and most of the time, the people who give advice or make comments about parenting do not even have any children. Or they judge situations that they have never been in, such as teenage years.

B. My son got a Bible verse down his forearm. Not a naked girl or a giant Spongebob! (no offense to any people sporting Spongebob, Patrick or any of the Bikini Bottom gang)

So yeah, I love tattoos as I have mentioned before. I believe they can be a great way to express yourself . I am intrigued when I see them. I wonder who or what they represent.

G came to me and told me what he wanted for his next tattoo. Together we found the perfect font and designed it. (nothing like a little sketching-tattoos-with-your-mom bonding time to create lasting memories, huh?). As you can see, it says "In God I Trust" where he can flip it around to also say "I Trust In God". We dropped it off at the tattoo shop and made an appointment for the following week.
Well that week....G received some pretty devastating news. He found out that his basketball coach, who is an amazing guy.....has cancer. It really shook G up. This coach has been so influential in G's high school years.....he actually is one of the reasons G is still in high school as academically he struggles. But his determination to play and star on the basketball team has kept him focused and disciplined. We owe alot to Coach D. And Gunner felt he owed him this added piece as well.
Can I ask you to please pray for G's coach this week? He starts his treatments and we believe in the power of prayer and miracles. We believe that when two or three come together, God is with us and answers our prayers.

2. So I was actually mad when I went to the grocery store and saw the price of hummus. I think I might have even said "Are you kidding me?" a little too loud when I asked for a price check with that teenager working in produce. He gave me this strange look and quickly resumed stacking his cantaloupes. It was like this thimble sized container (OK, I am exaggerating, but it was something that would last about 12 minutes in my house) and it was priced $4.29!

So not giving in to the MAN (who is the MAN anyway?).....I came home and with the help of a friend found a recipe to make my own. I went a little too heavy with the balsamic vinegar so we toned it down with more garlic, onion powder, salt and some toasted sesame seeds. But for the price of a couple cans of chickpeas and other things I already had in my cupboard....I will never be buying hummus again. The great thing, is that you can make it with whatever added ingredients you like. I am going to try blending in roasted red peppers the next time I whip up a batch.

Homemade Hummus

• 1 clove garlic, peeled (I used 2-3 heaping tablespoons of minced garlic)
  
• 2 (15.5 ounce) cans chickpeas, drained
• 1/4 cup olive oil
  
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar(this was WAY too much.....I would suggest maybe 3 tablespoons)
• 1/4 cup cold water
• salt and pepper to taste

Put garlic and chickpeas in food processor until evenly blended....with processor running, slowly pour in olive oil, scraping sides as necessary. Then add vinegar until evenly blended.....add water until you get a spreadable consistency........season with salt/pepper to taste.
As I mentioned, we added toasted sesame seeds and onion powder too. Chill before serving.

If you don't have a food processor, which I do not.......use your blender on "pulse" setting. It is a little harder as you have to keep stopping and mixing it up......but it worked!

This ended up giving me enough hummus to fill up a medium size tupperware container and send some home with my friend.

It was awesome with toasted pita pockets, tortilla chips and pretzels......it basically lasted 2 days in this house! But it probably cost me less than $2.

3. Don't forget to enter my giveaway for the yummiest hand-made soap ever!!!! Bath Artisan Soaps is also offering FREE shipping to you all this weekend.......great time to treat yourself!

OK, so there you have it........my Three Things This Thursday! Please join in and leave your link with Mr. Linky! I could always use a great laugh or learn something new such as a helpful hint or a new recipe.






Have a great day! We are off to a wildlife sanctuary for a homeschooling field trip. :)

Peace~
*~Michelle~*

Support Local/Homemade.....and a *GIVEAWAY!*

So you might remember how I subtly left Josh the MapQuest directions to the llama farm where I wanted some handmade soap for Mother's Day. I know he could have gotten just any fancy soap gift baskets from a national store for the same amount of money..... but buying homemade and supporting work-at-home moms/local businesses is very important to me. (plus no store can even come close to feeding my addiction like a nice big chunk of home-made goat's milk soap)

It's pretty obvious as I have my own two online businesses that helps our home with a little extra income. I feel blessed and so thankful when I receive orders knowing that these people decided to spend some of their hard earned money on one of my creations. I know that my little $12 tees will never make me "rich" in the sense of what this world considers "rich".......but I *am* rich in reward that I am helping spread the word on what is important to me.......God and family.
(btw......a little shameless plug.......use BLOGGING at checkout for 20% at Little Earth Angels all summer! *not valid on gift certificates or Mothering subscriptions)

Knowing that you are helping a mom stay home with her children is one reason it feels good to buy from a WAHM (work-at-home-mom). Buying your fruits and veggies from farmer's markets is what keeps food on the local farmer's family table. Not to mention, I don't know about you.....but one less episode of crazy drivers or cranky people in the check out line is reason enough for me to buy handmade items.

You also are buying products where attention to detail is important. Most are one of a kind items where as skill and craftsmanship is absent with mass production.

Another thing to think about, my fellow tree huggers........most handmade items are made from natural (or as close to natural as you can get) as opposed to mass marketed items.....which also contributes to many environmental effects such as global warming and the poisoning of our air, water and soil.

So I wanted to brighten a friend's day and decided to grab her a couple of bars of soap for a little pick-me-up. I like to spread the love around.....so I went browsing at one of my favorite Etsy soap mama's shop.... Bath Artisan Soaps. I found myself drooling over all of her choices and completely unable to make up my mind. I am tempted to grab a couple bars of Blue Rush Spa Salt Bar for my next spa night. But the Jojoba Shea is screaming my name too!

You also will find yourself truly entertained by the creative names of her creations....I think my favorite this virtual shopping splurge are Sand in Your Speedo I laughed out loud when I saw her Ugly Betty Hand Made Cosmetically Challenged and The Bailout Bar and the witty descriptions. And loved the prices even more! I will promise you that you will not be disappointed with the quality of these oversized luxury pieces of Heaven!

And not only is Leann, the mama behind the lather, talented.....she is also generous. She is offering one of my friends (that would be you!) a couple of bars for FREE. Yep....that's right....you will get TWO full size bars of her best sellers sent right to your home so you can have your own little luxury experience on us.

(*disclaimer.....I cannot be responsible for any addictions that arise from these said experiences)

All you need to do.....is pop on over to Bath Artisan's Soap's Etsy shop and let us know what your favorite scent(s) would be.....come on back and leave a comment and you are *in* this giveaway. If you feel like spreading the word with Twitter, a blog post, Facebook.....give yourself another entry. Become a subscriber to my blog.....grab another one. Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry. It's easy! I'll pick a winner over the weekend.....but if you don't want to rely on Random.Org generator to determine your luxury fate and want to grab a bar while you wait......Leann is having a FREE Shipping offer until May 25 for my blogging buddies. Just note Early Bird Special at checkout in the "notes to seller" section and all shipping charges will be refunded.

OK, I think my final choice is her Patchouli Honey Bar made with cocoa butter and clay.....because nothing tickles my hippy heart than a fresh whiff of Patchouli!

So reminding others about the importance of supporting WAHMs, local family businesses and handmade Works For Me This Wednesday......(and *FREE* works for me too!)......join in on the fun over at We Are That Family's blog for more great links and tips!

Peace, love and stay barefoot~

*~Michelle~*

Stand Tall

So I heard this from a pastor over the weekend

"If you don't stand for something.....you will fall for anything"

It brought me to Casting Crown's lyrics from The American Dream:

"I'll take a shack on a the rock, over a castle in the sand" which is based on Matthew 7:25-27

So when I think about today's economy and the upside down state we are in.....I want to remain at peace knowing that my God will provide. It doesn't mean that I won't have storms crashing and winds beating down on me.....but I am set on a foundation that is not moved by the world (or it's circumstances). My foundation is not Josh's job, it is not my bank account, it is not our retirement. My foundation is not any person.....although Josh is a source of my strength, it is God who keeps us (and our marriage) strong.

My foundation is The Rock.....and I will remain unshaken in this shaky world.

I will continue to pray that when I start to worry about my children's safety or the overall health of my loved ones.....I will remind myself that God has His hand on me and my family. He is well able to take care of me and them.

I will not be fueled by fear. Fear brings torment.....faith brings victory. 1 John 4:18 says "There is no fear in love.....". So I am choosing to believe His word and believe His love. Because God doesn't love in a verb sense......God is LOVE. God loves me and He promises me (and my family) protection.

Now I know it's easy to trust God when life is smooth sailing......why wouldn't you? But can you trust God during the storms? I am guilty of choosing to stand tall in my convictions, but sometime, at the first sign of a stormclouds......I "jump ship". I try to take cover or find refuge elsewhere. I panic. I allow fear to get it's foot in. I forget that I am not facing the issues alone. I forget that I have The One protecting me from any weapon that is formed against me. This is something I need to keep reminding myself.

I am also going to work on not being driven by fear and scramble in life for finances anymore. Now there is a healthy balance that we will be responsible and pay our debt as we are required. We will provide for our family and enjoy life together. There is nothing wrong with treating yourself to nice things or vacations when you have the extra money. But we will continue to tithe and help the needy without fear that we won't have enough for us to get by. Clenching tightly to money for the fear that we will do without is crazy if you truly believe that God is the one who gave (blessed) you the money in the first place. It's His! He doesn't need money.....but I think he likes to see what we can do with a certain amount of money first, before He blesses us with more.

The enemy wants you to open yourself up to fear. That is his way into your life. Putting fear and doubt that you are not good enough if you don't have every material possession you want.....or you are not strong enough to overcome an illness or situation. Fear can lead to so many forms of devastation. Depression, guilt and addictions just to name a few. It convinces us that we have to be in control.......so we choose things we think we can control such as becoming a work-a-holic and spinning the hamster wheel of life getting nowhere fast. This can leadto frustration, greed and the ultimate empty feeling of despair.

Fear drives you into taking matters into your own hands and making poor choices. Choices that might seem good based on the world's standard or way of thinking. The mindset that "everyone's doing it" reminds me of the wide gate to destruction. And there is no doubt that in the long run, like the castle built on sand......as soon as a storm comes, it will all be washed away.

I do not want to be like "the world" and fall for anything that comes against me. Being a Believer does not safeguard me from the same trials as unbelievers. In fact, it sets me up for a good portion of it. But what a true testimony it is to come out on the other side of that storm, still standing.......and most definitely stronger than before.



So today, I am putting on my armor of God.....and I choose to stand tall.....fearless.

Stand tall to a failing economy
Stand tall to an upside down world
Stand tall to the negative influences that are surrounding my children
Stand tall to the nay-sayers and the skeptics
Stand tall to depression or anxiety
Stand tall to thoughts of ill health
Stand tall to the enemy who rules by fear.....he will not pass through my gates.


Will you join me in this stance? I hope you will.....

Peace and love~

*~Michelle~*

A little reminder....

So I am just sharing a cute little bookmark craft we made, right?

Look a little closer.....
.....it might be just what you need to know today.

I hope you have a great weekend.....

Peace, love and stay barefoot~
*~Michelle~*

Three Things This Thursday (LOST finale, farmin and a little ROAK goes a long way)

I. LOST finale! My brain is on overdrive (not to mention, WIPED! Between trying to absorb every detail of that two hour finale and going way past my bed time.....) so I need to collect my thoughts (and maybe squeeze in a little kitty cat nap) and I'll be back with my recap.

But I will let you know that a LOST season finale would not be complete without these:
We called this our Decadent Dharma Death by Chocolate which was warm chocolate cake (we used brownies), drizzled with chocolate syrup and a scoop of Cookie Dough ice cream on top. I stuffed my face with toasted pita bread and chips with spinach dip....and didn't think twice about how this was blowing all my hard Shred work. Well, I guess I did when I needed to ask for help lifting my arms over my head to reach the chips....but sooooooo worth it!

*so I will be back after I collected all these scattered thoughts and process how I am going to go all summer without LOST....although my brain could use a little vacation.

OK I am ready to just jot down blurbs of info about this finale.....

So far, I want to venture to guess that there is something very "Jacob/Esau" with this.....Bible stuff....and if you think it's just because I am a Jesus Freak, check out Lostpedia and see the AMAZING Bible references throughout LOST with just Jacob alone. Think about how many times God is mentioned on LOST. God save us all is quoted often.....God loves you as He loved Jacob was flashed on that screen (remember when Carl was being brainwashed?)



Jacob is appears in everyone's lives as a "savior" to help, especially in Locke's case. Again, not sure if I am reading way too much into this with my Bible eyes and mind....but the white dove on the book he was reading seemed very symbolic after he pretty much brought Locke back to life. So, he bails out Kate as a young child......he blesses Sun and Jin with excellent Korean, lol.....he hands young Sawyer a pen for his letter to Anthony Cooper (conman)....we also find out he is the one tells Hurley about the Ajira flight. He even hands Jack that Apollo candy bar that was stuck in the vending machine. The only thing that seems not "helpful" is when he stalls Sayid, and Nadia gets hit by that car (that was pretty graphic)......but maybe he "helped" Sayid by stalling him and avoiding getting hit himself. hmmmmmm.

Another thing......When Ilana and crew ask Richard Alpert the burning question "What lies in the shadow of the statue?" His Latin response translated into "He who will save us all".

So probably way off......but I'll venture to guess that
Jacob represents God (GOOD)
Locke could be a representation of Jesus (will rise again)
Smoke Monster could be the Holy Spirit......

......and that would make
The other guy on the beach with Jacob would be Satan/The Enemy/Evil
Ben could be Judas (betrayer, pawn in Evil plan)

Call me crazy. I don't know.


Little blurbs:

I was happy to see that Rose and Bernard were living out their lives on the island.....I still think they end up being the original Adam and Eve (two corpses found in that cave, I think Season One)

Lots of butt whooping in this episode......the smackdown between Sawyer and Jack was great. Pretty inpressed with Jack. I had to giggle when after it all, Juliet tells Sawyer that she changed her mind.....the look on his face was priceless. And speaking of Juliet......I wanted to give her a high five for laying out that submarine guard.

I loved hearing Miles scream "Dad" to Dr. Chang.......and was also happy to see that he didn't get his arm/hand ripped off.

OH, I read that the crocodile creature statue is Sobek, the Egyptian god of fertility......which makes sense that if (s)he is destroyed/torn down......that is why there was an issue on the island with women not being able to carry babies.

Lots pointing to Charlie returning to the island (why not? there are tons of dead people showing up)....Jacob leaving that guitar to Hurley.....Sun finding the DriveShaft ring......(which btw, my son H has a really cool DriveShaft tour shirt that we scored last year......has nothing to do with this recap, but wanted to share)

LOVED it when Rose said "“It’s always something with you people.”

What happened to my friend Sayid? He got shot but everyone was too busy getting sucked into the magnet trench of destruction, so they never panned back to him (or maybe my head is still spinning and I don't remember???)

I was sad to see Juliet get sucked down into that magnetic pit, Sawyer was devastated......but I thought it was a little far fetched that she survived that fall. I guess they needed someone to make that bomb detonate and leave us hanging until 2010, huh?

......or did it detonate? We only see the white flash.

*insert LOST ending noise here*


2. Things have been very busy here.....not only did we have nine new additions over Mother's Day weekend...Penny isn't going to be the only new mama around here......(NO, not me! I wish! *wink)....Princess has been "getting her brood on" and is laying on 12 eggs. Her little babies should be hatching sometime next week, maybe sooner!
And J is putting the finishing touches on the corral for our two little Nigerian Dwarf goats that are coming home to us in June. We already decided on their names. Bo (short for Boaz) was named by N......and Josh wanted to name his little sister Willow. He always loved that name and thought we might use that name *if* we had another little girl.....but it looks like we are going to use it on a little goat instead. *sniff
So he finally gets "his" Willow and in some weird twisted way, I am becoming a mommy again with these "babies". They are the cutest little things, I can't stand it! They will be joining our family soon enough.....just waiting for them to wean off their mama...and you know I'll be posting pics.

N and I also have been busy with our garden. We planted tons of peppers, some broccoli, zucchini, cukes, peas and beans. We transplanted all of our strawberry plants from the other side of the yard. All we need to do is onions and tomatoes.
I am determined to grow everything for my homemade salsa this year.....well everything except the secret ingredient which I cannot tell you......then it wouldn't be a secret, now would it? But I will tell you......that I have been told that it is the best salsa EVER. And yes, I am bragging because I only have mastered two recipes to call my own that people actually request.......my salsa and my chili. Other than that.....I can boil a mean pot of water, get toast the perfect color and my peanut butter and Fluff sandwiches ROCK.

3. Not sure if you got chance to check out my post yesterday.....but I did do what I set out to do.....and it felt great! The Bible tells us in Matthew 6:1 Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven....so I won't give any specifics. But I just want to witness to you about what joy you truly will receive just by doing a random act of kindness. To see someone's face light up with appreciation.....or maybe you won't even get that visual gratification, but I can promise you that you will feel it in your heart. I encourage you to include your children as well....it is so important to demonstrate and infuse the gift of giving in their younger impressionable years. It is our job and responsibility to God to raise His children with Christ-like values. But don't take it from me....there is no mistaking the reward/blessing from God when we please Him......and be warned. It's contagious!

Well that is it for me today......please join in the fun and leave your link/comment!

she drew him out of the water

I stumbled upon a fun carnival called "We Heart Art" event which is promoting children's artwork throughout the week. It is being hosted over at Domestically Challenged, 3baybchicks, and I am Living Proof That God Has a Sense of Humor's blogs. Make sure you check it out....they are giving away random prizes and you have the chance to check out some great creative projects.

I am not super crafty......but my *heart* is always in whatever craft we do and I am thrilled to be also teaching my children about God along the way:

This is from one of our homeschooling Bible lessons.....we used some scraps of felt, pipe cleaners and dyed some glue with blue food coloring. *a little hint...let go of all creative control and allow your child to place Baby Moses and the reeds in the jar they way they want with their perfectly sized hands and fingers...or you might find yourself in a panicked state with visions of driving yourself to the Emergency Room with a salsa jar stuck on your hand. Not that it happened here.....(Just.saying.)

We were learning about the story of Moses being rescued from the basket in the reeds and showing us that God is always looking out for us. God knew His plans for Moses even then, just like He knows the plans He has for us. It's kinda cool on how we can look back at our lives and see God's hand in every situation, we may not understand why things happen but who better to trust your life in than God.

So maybe today.......or this week......we can take some time to really focus on what God has lined up for us. It doesn't have to be the overwhelming task of your "big plan" of your life.....just what He has lined up for you to do today. Maybe it's just calling and lending an ear to someone who is going through a difficult time. Or maybe you could make a double batch of that lasagna and drop it off at an elderly neighbors house......just because. (oh, if you can't think of anyone, email me for our address......my kids/husband could use a good home-cooked meal, LOL) Maybe pay for the person behind you at the drive-thru (I'll let you know where/when we are going while waiting for your homecooked meal to be delivered to us....just look for older, very dirty minivan with the "Warning, UnSocialized Homeschoolers on Board" sticker on the back window).

So yeah....think about a random act of kindness that you can do. These opportunities are perfect for planting seeds. Seeds of hope and love which of course are all pointing to Christ. Sometimes we are so busy in our own lives that we don't notice that there are many people who are struggling to find peace and happiness.....only to get discouraged and left with a void in their life......A void can only be filled with knowing God. It's our job to be His vessel and have His kindness and love shine through us.

So I hope you have a blessed day....and I can assure you....there will be a day when you might need a little random act of kindness your way, and God will send someone or something along, just in time.....with just what you need. ;)

xox
*~Michelle~*

Not Me Monday!

So I always enjoy reading the hilarious posts from McKMama and friends with the Not Me Monday posts.....and thought today would be fun to jump on that wagon and join in! You basically 'fess up about a few things you've done that week (funny, embarrassing, sentimental)...and pretend that you totally did not actually do them!

OK, so that won't be hard for me

I did not feel like I went ten rounds with Mike Tyson after attempting Level Two of The 30 Day Shred this weekend.

I did not swear like a sailor when she (that would be the evil drill sergeant Jillian Michaels Shred-monger) instructed to do five more of this humanly impossible feat of lifting my arms with weights while lunging my legs in the opposite direction. Nope. not this Christian gal. ;)

I also did not blow all that hard work when I devoured two baskets of chips and salsa at Applebees on Saturday night.....and did not order extra sour cream either.

I did not pee my pants during a relentless 13 sneeze attack at N's soccer practice. And I did not make a mad dash to the Port-a-John before the floodgates opened. I guess that would not prove that I did not do my Kegels after each time I birthed one of my children, like my doctor suggested.

I did not run outside my house one night (after dark) last week in my underwear because I was dared to by my teenagers. It was not because we were celebrating our victory over debt and I did not mention how I felt like just doing that (in a crazy victory dance kinda way).....and they called me on it. I am not one of those people who cannot say no to a challenge.

I do not have a bag on my head right now for admitting those things.

I did not bawl my eyes out I watched the Mother's Day "DVD card" that Josh and the kids made for me....which included interviews of each of them telling me why I was so special and the best mom ever. I also did not laugh when N mentioned that her mom was loving and caring....not aggressive, like our rooster. That DVD was not the best.gift.ever. It will not be cherished forever either.

And speaking of roosters and chickens......I did not witness the most amazing event watching nine chicks being brought into this world over the weekend.

Ahhhhh, that felt good. Nothing like a healthy confessional to start my week! If you could use a little yourself.....pop on over to My Charming Kids and join in too.

Peace, love and stay barefoot~

*~Michelle~*

Everyone is celebrating Mother's Day here....

....even our Mama Chicken! Remember she made her nest outside and we were so concerned? Looks like Mama knew best. We are so thrilled to be able to witness such an amazing display of God's works.....

Three down.....six to go!

You can see #4 starting to peck it's way out

N raced home from soccer and is patiently waiting for the rest to be born

***Popping back in on Mother's Day to report that we woke up
to all nine babies hatched and healthy.

Here are a couple more pics to share!

this little one was named "Lil Red" for the red tuft on it's head

and a couple that look like their daddy
were named Oreo and Racer (stripes)

I am just in awe of God's creatures.....the miracle of birth and life
....everything.

Once again....I hope you all have a blessed weekend~ This was the cherry on top for me!! :)

xox
*~Michelle~*

Proverbs 31

So with Mother's Day coming up.....I have been thinking about alot of things beside my "typical" Mother's Day weekend thoughts and plans.

The "typical" ones are......I am going to sleep in both mornings (which usually is only about 7:30....wishing my internal clock had a snooze button)

Then I have a Get out of Jail It's Mother's Day Weekend pass to do pretty much whatever I want. Within reason, of course.....setting fire to the piles of clutter in my home or wracking up a huge bill at Pier One would not be reasonable. Taking off Saturday morning for yard sales, then hitting some nurseries for plants, and treating myself to a special lunch is more likely the reasonable choice I will make. This also gives Josh the opportunity to pick up a few things for me with the kids......and because I am such a thoughtful and gracious wife, I took the burden off of him and gave him a list of suggestions. ;)

I reminded him that he got the low maintenance version for a wife. My list only included home-made soap from a local farm, some new garden snippers and an exercise mat. Easy, huh? I am not a fancy jewelry person, although I "love me" a new choker or simple stone pendant once in a while....I work part-time at a hair salon so I could grab a pedicure/hair treatment whenever I wanted (although I am like the painter whose house needs to be painted)
Point being....have the kids write me a note telling me how beautiful, wonderful and awesome I am much they love me and a bar of patchouli soap and I am thrilled.

Sunday plans include church and maybe coming home to fire up the grill for lunch and just "chill-ax-ing" at home, playing in the dirt and doing a little bit of nothing with my favorite people. :)

But I woke up this morning and two things are on my heart:

1. First, I want to focus on what The Bible tells us in Proverbs 31 about being a wife and mother. These are just a few of my interpretations....

• I want to give Josh the extra confidence that he needs to know that I support, love and respect him always. I want to try to remember to think before I say something negative or complain. I want to make sure he is reminded that he is an awesome husband, provider and father. Proverbs 31:12
  
• I want to dedicate more time helping others this year......and have my children by my side to teach them as well. Proverbs 31:20
• I want to live my life as the best example to my children so that it will be a positive effect on their future. I want to infuse Godly wisdom every step of the way. For my boys with choosing a wife and how to treat her.....and for my daughter, (who this really won't matter as she will never be allowed to date, according to Josh anyway)....show her the respect she deserves and how she needs to respect/treat her husband. Proverbs 31:26

on a lighter note......I remind Josh that I am def. following Proverbs in other ways already......

• Proverbs 31:24 ( She makes linen garments and sells them....) my online business!
• Proverbs 31:16 (.....she plants a vineyard) well a garden counts, right?
• Proverbs 31:17 (..her arms are strong for her tasks) working on that...30 Day Shred, baby!
• Proverbs 31:10 (She is worth far more than rubies) Josh always teases me. He puts his hands out like a scale and bobs them up and down.....he says that he can imagine what it was like back in those Bible days, lol. "Hmmmmm........rubies or Michelle.....yeah, I guess you are worth a little more than rubies."
  

2. And secondly.....it occurred to me that there are people who are not able to or wanting to celebrate Mother's Day in the way I am blessed to.

I want to pray for:

• the moms who have sick children, may God grant them peace/strength/trust and believe in the power of prayer/miracles.
• the moms whose children have went back Home to Jesus, may God comfort and fill that hole in their heart that only Christ can fill and heal.
• the women who are struggling with infertility, may they trust that God has a plan for their barrenness and may they continue to have faith during their journey.
• anyone who has had to say good-bye to their mom, may they continue to hold loving memories in their heart and keep them alive by sharing stories with others.
• moms who are raising their children on their own, may God continue to be your source of strength.
  
• and this last group is one that doesn't get thought about often at this time.....the people who have been abandoned, abused, and/or betrayed by their mom. May God bring forgiveness and peace in your heart so that you may your life full of joy, love and hope.

So, with that.....please take a moment to say a prayer for others. Maybe take a minute to call someone who might need a lift this weekend or bring a card/small gift over to them. This one small gesture could be just what this person needed and you can bring light where they might have darkness.

I hope you have the best weekend possible.....may you be surrounded by the family and friends.....and most of all, may you be surrounded by God's Love.

Peace and love
*~Michelle~*

Three Things This Thursday (LOST, Shreddin, and Diggin in the Dirt )

1. Not sure, but I think I had my own smoke monster coming outta my head after last night's episode.

The simultaneous plots were really doing a job on my un-medicated ADD brain.....still trying to figure out if Richard Alpert truly doesn't really know where Locke has been these past few years. The convincing confused look on his face lately is throwing me off......then again, he has had a creepy look to him all this time. He had the same weird look when Ben told him that he tried to kill him. For someone who has been around for so long, he seems to be out of the loop lately (pun very intended).

I can't even wrap my head around this whole Jacob thing. Who/When is he?!?!?!? All I know is that Jacob told Locke (who apparently is the only one who has actually seen him at this point) back in the little cabin to "help him" but Locke blows everyone away with his statement about "killing him". Was that just to throw off Ben and everyone? And does Locke really believe he is the leader (he did say "Aren't I the leader?")

The thing that is making me the most LOST about everything that is going on.....is what is everyone's true intentions?!?!?!? Can't someone be upfront? Talk about paranoia.....

Is Eloise trying to save Daniel or is she following the same chain of events, but this time knowing the outcome? I keep getting flashes of her from prior episodes (in the future or whenever it was, lol) popping in people's lives such as Desmond making sure all the events play out a certain way. This is all making my brain hurt.

What's up with all the underground tunnels and temples? And who originally built them? And what was Richard gazing at on that temple wall when they took that suffocating swimming trip?

Not so sure that Jack is thinking straight these last few episodes......does he really realize what "changing" the whole plane crash scenario will do? Or can it change now that they are back in time? ACK! I am still confused with the "what happens happens" theory right now. Not to mention that scene with Locke sending Richard to help himself.....and watching it all play out.

And then Richard told Sun he saw all the Losties in the picture die - but with Kate, Hurley and Jack in the photo.....she must be very confused as they were just on a plane with her.

So a few *happy places* that LOST brought me........

Dr. Chang realizing that Miles was his son, and then the bittersweet scene where Miles gets to understand that his dad didn't really cast him and his mom off with ill intent. It was to save them.

Sawyer and Juliet......too funny with Sawyer's comment about plans to buy Microsoft. I felt so happy for Juliet when Sawyer actually joined her into the sub......(I really thought he was going to just send her off.....in a self-less for-her-own-good kinda way). But poor Juliet cannot catch a break, can she? Freckles, once again, spoils the happy ending. If looks could kill.......

I did get a good giggle on Dr. Chang quizzing Hurley on the "current" events......too funny.

And YAY for Sayid for saving the day! So happy the writers gave me my Sayid fix.....he seems to be one of the few characters who is upfront and you know his intentions....I think.

(paranoia or confusion at this point)

So next week is the big season finale......not sure if I am relieved or what. I think it is going to take all summer to go over everything and make some sense of it all. We do see that Sawyer is talking to Jack so I guess that cheesy CGI sub doesn't make it after all. (come on guys, they couldn't swing a real sub for that scene???)

I will be making some serious LOST finale food/treats....you can bet your bottom Dharma dollar there will be some serious nachos involved.

Please please please share your thoughts and theories with me.....I went to bed with my head spinning and am still going over everything this morning. Leave your link/comments below!

On to my other two things this Thursday...


2. After hearing alot about this workout.....including Big Mama's hilarious posts regarding her current experience with it.......I decided to splurge and grab my own copy. I am on Day Four and I can totally see how and why you can get your own "shredded" body in 30 days.....It is because after you do this 20 minute should be a prisoner confessional war tactic workout session, you are physically unable to lift your arms to grab anything from a cupboard that is above your hip. And make sure your toilet paper holder is securely mounted to the wall, as it will be your thighs' best friend when nature calls.

......but I am now on a mission.

3. Mother's Day weekend. I am relying on two things to pull off my Mother's Day request of working on my garden.

A:Weather
B: The ability to physically move after a week of The Shred.

But if all goes well.....and after a bottle of Advil and a tube of Ben Gay......I plan on turning this:

into this:

So I not so discreetly left my Mother's Day "wish list" of new gardening tools and veggie plant $ on the white board on the fridge, because I am good like that. I figure it saves Josh time, money and energy trying to scramble for presents. Although I do like surprises and I'm all about "it's the thought that matters"......I really do believe that it does take the pressure off of him as I have been told I am hard to buy for. So to go above and beyond.....I even printed out the MapQuest directions to get my favorite handmade soap. (and the scents I prefer)

I'm so thoughtful, aren't I? *batting eyelashes*


OK, your turn......share three things with me this Thursday! I could use some new recipes, a good laugh......or maybe you have a prayer request....whatever you want.....join in!




Peace and love~
*~Michelle~*

What...Me? Worry?

I am sure I am dating myself here......but when ever I hear that phrase......I cannot help but think of that fictional mascot Alfred E. Newman from my older brother's MAD magazines. I was not old enough to even understand/read them, but basically the magazine was a satirical look at American life, including politics, celebrities and pop culture. It was most assuredly politically incorrect. If I could read a copy now, I probably would go have my parents' head examined for allowing my brother to read it.....but then again.....we had Archie Bunker on the TV at supper time, so that gives ya a little insight, eh?


OK, so going back to the subject of worrying......I watched this preacher one time who made an excellent simple example of why we shouldn't worry about things in our life. How we should give it over to God who will handle it, because it is His situation. Think about it, when we give our life to Him, it (our life/the trials we face) is no longer "ours" to be in control. That actually is quite relieving to think about, isn't it?

So he asked the congregation....."Who here is worrying about *insert random person's name here*'s air conditioning unit going in his house? Who lost sleep about last night? Who had it on their mind all day, so that it distracted them from doing their job, tending to their family.....worse, focusing on serving God?"

Of course no-one was worrying about so-and-so's problem. They might have had sympathy for him, or even offered some help/suggestions......but it wasn't their issue to stress about.

That is how God wants us to do when we face trials/issues in our lives.

He tells us to come to Him, all who are weary and heavy laden......He will give us peace and rest.

That is to remind us that we should bring all our cares and worries to Him and let Him take on the yoke and burden. It will not only bring us peace (of mind and body)......it will allow us to live our life and do what we are created to do, serve Him.

Worrying is futile and steals time from us:
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life~ Matthew 6:27

Gee, that sounds like the thief to me.....doesn't it? The Enemy will do whatever he can to rob from us and keep us from focusing on God. When he creeps in our mind and starts poking around, he causes us to turn from God and start looking at ourselves. Not good. All I know is that I lived a life where I called all the shots and all it did was bring me into a dark place......so I know I don't want to go there again.

Worrying also is a sign that we are not trusting in God.....it's like.....OK God, I know you are awesome when everything is going well....you ROCK, thanks! But now that things are a little shaky.....I am not so sure I can rely on You fully to handle this. I need to take matters back in my own hands, OK?

It doesn't change anything:
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.~ Matthew 6:34

It's like living the nightmare twice.....we play out the scenario of the issue happening and then if this issue does come to pass....(which it very well could)......we live it all over again. But the fact is, that God will be with us if/when it comes to pass.

If He brings it to you, He will see you through it.

But He isn't with us with the worrying, well let me backtrack here......of course He is with us.....but maybe it is better to say, He isn't part of the worrying scene, we've left Him out when we took over the reins of control/worry.

So is it easy to Let go, Let God?

Nope. Not for me anyway.......but I'm working on it. ;)

When I find myself getting sucked into the worrying vacuum (that is what it feels like to me).....I try to rebuke the thoughts with powerful reminders such as If God is for us, who can be against us? and no weapon forged against you will prevail

Or then I can look at something so simple as one of our hens.......for whatever reason, she made her nest on the outside of our barn, in a pile of leaves....and poison ivy. great. So not only is she getting rained on.....she is totally subjecting herself to becoming a fox or coyote's midnight snack of chicken nuggets.
She is a dedicated mama and will not budge. She is laying on her nine babies (eggs) and has not gotten up to even eat for days.
Not sure why she made this decision......Josh just says, because she is chicken and is stupid. I like to believe that she trusts.

Every morning I would run out and check on her to make sure she was safe.....then we had one night where it rained all night and I couldn't take it.
So, I guess we took on her worrying/cares on us, because we ended up building her a shelter and brought her food and water. She didn't really understand and got very fierce when we were coming close to her.....but I kept telling her that we loved her and wanted to keep her safe. She needed to concentrate on hatching her babies.

I believe that she is thankful. Can you see her all camouflaged in the leaves? See the lovely poison ivy too?

So really sure if it "worked"......but I was trying to tie in how happy it made me to take care of our little hen's problems, so I can only imagine that God delights when He is able to take care of ours, especially when we trust and willingly hand it over to Him.

Happy Monday!
Peace~
*~Michelle~*