In Preparation!

Last year, when all were still exhausted from the busy summer, preparations were already being made for another year of growing vegetables for market!  After the last market day and most of the summer was cleaned up and put away, we were all very happy we were done...
Two weeks later a new seed catalogue came in the mail and sure enough, all were pouring over it again in new anticipation!  How soon we forget but, ah, its so good to have a vision!

Last fall, preparing for another year of farming

a crisp, golden day

concentration

big pile, little farmer

stinky 'gold'

look at all that 'gold' fly!

farmer at heart

Plowing with a friend

Where there is no vision, the people perish

{Pro 29:18}

Weekends are for Light

This weekend, I will put aside all disappointments and

Laugh

n

Live

n

Love!

Right now Pieter is outside with the boys running around playing 'no bears out tonight'.  The younger three are in bed for naps, each with an onion poultice around their dear necks to help aid relief to the coughing.  With whooping cough going around, it hard not to get paranoid with each cough, and I am learning to trust, even when they cough. 

Its easy to trust when all is quiet, but when it seems they are having a coughing contest, trust tends to fly out of sight.  I will not fear, but trust.

Today is our Rein's 5th Birthday!!!  He is been really having a growth spurt lately, not necessarily bodily wise, but spirit wise.  It warms my heart to see his attitude show willingness to try and willingness to take on challenges.  On one of our first sledding outings, he went down twice, then commenced to sit at the top of the hill proclaiming it was too much work to get back up the hill each time.  On our last sledding excursion, he flew off that hill, marched back up and did it all again!  At one point I offered to help him pull his toboggan up, but, no, he could do it all himself! 

He also started telling our visitors/or others stories of his life.  His vocabulary is expanding and it fills my heart with joy....all those times we stayed patient with him, are paying off. 

This weekend I will cherish each moment, each smile, each person in my small family.  They are way too lovable!  ♥

May your weekend be filled with joy, God's Peace and love for each other.  Yes, LOVE!   

The heart of the matter



How deep the Father's Love for us,



How vast beyond all measure

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure!

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom!!!



 Hold {your children, your husband} while they are near. 

Don't wait for tomorrow





Photos of Love!

This has been our first ever professional photo shoot as a family.  It all started when I read of a Valentine Day Special Photo Shoot, and the price was what made me consider it!  Shannon Belanger from Aylmer was sooo nice to make the session into a family session instead, so off we were....on a snowy saturday morning to the old Train Station in St Thomas.  It was so fun and I am very sure we will treasure these pictures in years to come!  Yes, Gesina was cold (of all times) and the floor was dusty which meant dusty clothes and shoes, but who says life has to be perfect?  As long as we are happy, loving and serving each other like Christ loved us and set a beautiful example of love for us to follow, I think my life is perfect!  I love my family very much!!!!

all so blessed with their little brother!

Happy parents, happy times!

our joy-filled boy

each one so special..!

running the race!

1Co 13:1-3

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

This is the kind of Love we have been learning of lately, growing deeper into that love, and praising God for His Love toward us while we were yet sinners and haters of God.  All praise and honor to Him! 

Family of Eight

                                              Not being able to fully comprehend how much we have been blessed is like opening the cupboard and grabbing only a handful of plates for the dinner table, and not realizing it should be 8 plates!

Eight hungry tummies to nourish

Eight souls to bless, love and encourage

Eight from God;

for God.

Puzzling Memories

One of our favorite things to do during the 'relaxing'  winter months in make puzzles!!!  When the littles are off to bed, or napping on a quiet afternoon, we take the vinyl covering off the table, and off we go!  We finished this one a few weeks ago and now we are currently working on a more challenging one.  A train station, situated on the outskirts of a city with lots of sky.  Its fun too, just a little more challenging. 

One of our (many) favorite things to do 

Coming along nicely

quiet concentration is the part I like....ahhh!

I love my family!  Sometimes I am so filled with joy and so blessed, I believe my heart will just burst!  Its not that we have the perfect family, but when things are done in love and harmony, and you have learned to look at your children, your husband, and love them the way they are, and see their individual characteristics, you feel so rich!!  So blessed! 

The other day I was looking at an old photo album and saw a picture of my nephew standing over the bassinet of his newly born brother.  Now those little nephews are men themselves, and it urges me on.  Take every moment captive to teach them, love them, prepare them for when we release them to go out on their own.  Not to be selfish and do things I want, but to love them every single moment of the day.  I have been learning a new dimention of Love.  To love and serve my family in order to benefit them.  Now all these household chores are no longer just something I must do, but I get to do them because I love them, and want them to benefit from my actions.  To have my laundry caught up, (and put away) because it benefits them when they are looking for clothes.  It benefits my family and expecially my hubby when I am a cheerful momma all the time.  When I put aside my feelings and smile anyways.  It benefits my childrens behavior (and me too, in the end) on how I start the day; is mom going to be serious today, or is she not?  and will the day end up in chaos reigning every nook and cranny of our lives and home?  A tidy home benefits unexpected company.  It benefits my child, who has just settled himself at the table with paint and paint brushes, when I get him a cup of water for rinsing, so he doesn't have to get up and go get one.  It benefits my child when i see him struggling with a -way too heavy load- and just help them along. It benefits my child to see my love when I help them to quickly finish their chores, or let them go on to their next thing, and I finish up the dishes. 

I could go on and on....but this also brings me to the source of our love, Jesus came to earth, to love us, to benefit us, to serve as a ransom!  He didn't have to, but he wanted to!  He wanted to love us!  Its up to us if we want to receive that love.  And to persue and fellowship with Him! 

The most heart warming thing is that I catch my children doing the same serving thing.  I love it!  I love them!  Love LOVE LOVE!!!

One by one, the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place, the more we search the scriptures and simply put the Bibles principles into practice, the more we see the puzzle taking shape. And its all good.  Wonderfully good! 

How are some ways that YOU benefit those around you?  Please share!!!



Harmony of the heart

Its wonderful to be inside,

 candles on,

woodstove flames dancing,

boys and dad tinkering with the go-cart downstairs,

all is quiet upstairs, children sleeping

listening to the rain
reading the Master Noah Webster story...

thats me,

being Thankful!

spring 2011.  =)