naturalmotherhood's Xanga

Hopeful Farm

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:04:57 GMT

Dearest Family & Friends,

A very precious online friend of mine sent something to me I am very, very excited and touched to share.

The place is Hopeful Farm and it is a non-profit balm serving families with special needs children.

I went to the site and following interview and it brings tears as I am typing. Blessing!

In the whole time I've been online, I've never (that I can recall anyway) sent anything like this. I cannot wait to get this email, blog post, and social network message out to reach as many hearts as possible!

I also cannot wait (and I am saying this from the depths of my heart) to donate to this beautiful place and pray God will bless me to continue.

It feels as though I'm offering you a gift with the links below and well, I guess I am.

Here it is: {please, please consider sharing this with others}

Hopeful Farm, a Kentucky based non-profit that ministers to families impacted by special needs. I've attached some email announcements that you can use or use parts of if you feel led to participate.

The benefit is here: www.hopefulfarmfoundation.org/benefit.html and there is an interview with my daughter and I at www.hopefulfarmfoundation.org/interview.html

Love, Sandy

Again...

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 04:00:03 GMT

Okay.

I'm back. I am keeping up my other blog but it is hard to integrate everything into one place! People are always saying they can't stand blogs that don't have a theme or main focus and with me trying to fit everything into one box... it just didn't all fit.

Motherhood is such a huge part of me... of my life, my heart, my joy and more. I am realizing it is OKAY to spend time writing about it. I can still be a good mother and sneak away during naps or nighttimes to write to my heart's content:)

So, in the middle of the night when the whole house is finally quiet... I am typing and telling myself I should have kept doing this all along.

We piled up in Granna's van this evening for a trip 40 miles away to a park for a quick cook out dinner. We have been going to this park our entire lives. I grew up going there all seasons as a child, my children have grown up going and now our grandchildren are starting to go.

My in-laws (I call them in-loves:) had one of their FIRST dates right in this park and they ended up having several dates and brought all five of their children. Their parents brought them. Just a place you can go to get away from it all and only get charged some change for a parking fee. Can't beat it:)

We hooked up at our favorite table and Mr. Five Year Old ran, walked on the wooden rails, walked on the stone and wood benches, jumped over the places where creek water once danced.

The old swingsets up for many generations came down this year but there are still many memories to be made. It got too dark for the ducks to find us after we ate and talked so little bit is going back tomorrow with his grandmother.

We ended the evening by going over memories with the light of kerosene lamps glowing away the darkness and drove home content. These are the days we should do more of...

Blogging Change

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:13:33 GMT

For now, I'm exclusively blogging at a new place. I am keeping this blog bec/ I am not sure what I'm doing with it yet but I am starting a new plan. I want to blog something more frequently (going for every day or so) and more.

The new blog can be found at this address if you'd like to check it out:

http://a-sandy-path.vox.com/

On it, I plan to share the books I'm reading, music I'm listening to, movies being watched and I'll write on things of interest to the christian woman and her h ome.

Love,
Sandy

Make or Mar

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:05:19 GMT

From: Secrets of a Happy Home Life by J.R. Miller

There must be a wise choosing before marriage, or it may be impossible to make a happy home. At few points in life is divine guidance more severely needed than when the question of marriage is decided. A mistake then will cast its shadows down all the years to the close of life. Many a career is blighted by a foolish marriage. Wedded happiness depends greatly on reverent, prayerful, deliberate, wise choosing before marriage.

But now the choices have been made – carefully made – we will say. The happy day has come. The plighted lovers stand at the marriage-altar. Taking the woman’s hand, the man says to her – “I take you to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge you my fidelity.” Taking the hand of the man, the woman says to him, with slight verbal variations, the same words. The two are pronounced husband and wife, and go forth to begin their wedded life together, no more twain, but now one.

The happy pair are in their own home. It may be a fine, great house, with rich furniture, costly pictures, and all the elegance of wealth; or it may be a little house, with four rooms, cheap furniture, homemade carpets, and empty of adornment. It makes very little difference what the size of the house, or what its furniture may be. The happiness of the home does not depend on the house or on what it contains; the people who live in the house make the happiness, – or mar it.

Gratitude: 26-30

Mon, 19 May 2008 12:46:33 GMT

So thankful for:

26. A new child's play table! Our youngest son now has a wonderful hand made table made by his dad to get his new to him train set and car track set on. Children's furniture is SO expensive and we really needed a table for these things, Lego's and things that need a higher place than the floor. The table wasn't made with perfect quality or appearance in mind (it was started and finished in ONE day) bec/ we wanted to get it done to put the sets on safely. It is beautiful to me! I'll share a picture if I get a camera soon to share it!

27. BEAUTIFUL weather! The big B is now outside more than inside. When I hang clothes on the line and when I gather them, when we are working on the yard and gathering roses or flowers, while his dad and older brothers work on cars and on it goes. Playing catch and baseball with dad and anyone he can rope into it, playing soccer until his sister gives up and swinging as high as his growing legs will push him on the swing set! The joys of sunny days ;)

28. Hen eggs. Our son is bringing hen eggs from a local farmer and I would give gold coins for these delicious and gorgeous... deeply golden ovals! The LORD has answered my prayer in providing these... He is our Provider!

29. Hot coffee. Hot coffee with real or f/f half-n-half and/or with sucanat or agave nectar!

30. Banilla milk. This child is five and he still calls the vanilla milk he loves "banilla" --- and I found a plastic mini pitcher to shake this up in. I bought it before we tried to stop buying plastic but it only holds 1-3 little boys servings so it isn't in the container long. I just fill part way with whole milk, add a few drops of vanilla extract and a squirt of agave... and shake.

Keeping my post down to get better at actually making them. As you see --- I have a long way to go!

For the Help of His Presence

Thu, 15 May 2008 12:35:33 GMT

Why are you in despair, O my soul?

And why have you become disturbed within me?

Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him

For the help of His presence.

Psalm 42:5

This is such a beautiful verse! I am so blessed from the first word to the last.

Why would I despair in any amount or by any stretch of feeling or thought?!

Why would ANYTHING have power to disturb me?

I HOPE in GOD and I shall PRAISE HIM for the HELP of HIS ...

Presence.

Prayers were going up to Him in the silent and still minutes of this early morning. I wasn't out of bed yet when some things came to me. Packages from here ... I was to take ... there. Concerns, legitimate circumstances and situations and calls for a Father's help. They went to the throne and I was able to be freed the weight and worry.

What a joyful Lord we share the love of. How present He really is.

All is well.

Beautiful Words: A Gift On Mother's Day

Sun, 11 May 2008 19:53:37 GMT

Psa 119:38 Confirm unto thy servant thy word, Which is in order unto the fear of thee.

Psa 119:39 Turn away my reproach whereof I am afraid; For thine ordinances are good.

Psa 119:40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: Quicken me in thy righteousness.

Psa 119:41 Vav. Let thy lovingkindnesses also come unto me, O Jehovah, Even thy salvation, according to thy word.

Psa 119:42 So shall I have an answer for him that reproacheth me; For I trust in thy word.

Psa 119:43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; For I have hoped in thine ordinances.

Psa 119:44 So shall I observe thy law continually For ever and ever.

Psa 119:45 And I shall walk at liberty; For I have sought thy precepts.

Psa 119:46 I will also speak of thy testimonies before kings, And shall not be put to shame.

Psa 119:47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, Which I have loved.

Psa 119:48 I will lift up my hands also unto thy commandments, which I have loved; And I will meditate on thy statutes.

Psa 119:49 Zayin. Remember the word unto thy servant, Because thou hast made me to hope.

Psa 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction; For thy word hath quickened me.

Psa 119:51 The proud have had me greatly in derision: Yet have I not swerved from thy law.

Psa 119:52 I have remembered thine ordinances of old, O Jehovah, And have comforted myself.

Psa 119:53 Hot indignation hath taken hold upon me, Because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

Psa 119:54 Thy statutes have been my songs In the house of my pilgrimage.

Psa 119:55 I have remembered thy name, O Jehovah, in the night, And have observed thy law.

Psa 119:56 This I have had, Because I have kept thy precepts.

Psa 119:57 Heth. Jehovah is my portion: I have said that I would observe thy words.

Psa 119:58 I entreated thy favor with my whole heart: Be merciful unto me according to thy word.

Psa 119:59 I thought on my ways, And turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

Psa 119:60 I made haste, and delayed not, To observe thy commandments.

Psa 119:61 The cords of the wicked have wrapped me round; But I have not forgotten thy law.

Psa 119:62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee Because of thy righteous ordinances.

Psa 119:63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, And of them that observe thy precepts.

Psa 119:64 The earth, O Jehovah, is full of thy lovingkindness: Teach me thy statutes.

21-25 Grateful Praises

Sun, 11 May 2008 19:51:34 GMT

21. A handmade card with a generous gift certificate from my Son, Daughter-in-Love and two grandbabies and the HEART that went into it all.

22. A bouquet of fresh field tulips from my Son in Afghanistan and his wife here... made happen when a LOT is going on and in spite of it.

23. Two zucchini plants and two cucumbers hand planted by my 18 year old son's girlfriend with enough insight to start in time so the plants are growing by my birthday! The help of this same son in hanging clothes on the line and making cheese cakes to give my own precious mother on Mother's Day. Hand picked roses (thank you, my girl) to send to my mom and aunt with their sweets to remember my Nanny, Rose... and the roses she used to grow herself.

24. Hand written and decorated note cards from my beautiful daughter ... all tacked happily around my keyboard and desk along with the loveliest of hand made cards.

25. Far from the least, the work of a husband to make my birthday and Mother's Day meaningful by working to exhaustion to have money for some things I've had on my wish list for a long time. His hard work in the yard to rid us of poison oak/ivy, clearing out and helping me get ready for a tiny garden!

The more thanking I write, the more praises to our Lord and Savior for His bounty... the more that come calling to be shared. I pray I can keep up so HE gets all the glory!

Natural & Simple Changes

Tue, 06 May 2008 18:11:04 GMT

We've been making step by step changes for the past several years in how we live. Our situation was brought on by:

* Job loss due to a company closing.

* Learning to survive while building, running, and maintaining a business.

* A growing awareness of the need to care for God's creation --- our land and natural environment and more.

Some of this all started 15-20 years ago when we stopped use of weed killers and such in the yard.

In the past 14 years, we have made these changes:

* No paper towel or paper napkins. We use cleaning rags we either buy in bulk from Sam's or cut from worn out material sources.

* No commercial snacks and/or sodas. We drink water, natural juices, or milk for our cool/cold beverages.

* All natural hand made house cleaners or purchased. Mainly, we are down to what we can make ourselves now.

* No commercial lunch meats. We do eat deli meat and similar items on occasion (mostly when the kids carry their lunches if I don't keep things in order and stocked!) but it is the exception rather than the rule!

* Limiting commercially canned foods to eventually replace all we can with healthier alternatives.

* Making more and more of our breads and baked goods from our kitchen. Eventually, I hope to make all of our baked goods from here but I also don't want us to ever be legalistic. We will eat, make, and purchase as He provides and if that means not applying some of the habits we've learned along the way, so be it! We just have a general approach to most of it and pray for His guidance over all!

* Clothesline use a large part of the year. This is a big one!

* Husband and sons do almost all vehicle maintenances and we all do yard work ourselves. Fix the appliances ourselves if possible. All home repair we can manage is done here... so far, that has been 100% done without hiring someone other than air conditioner/heater work.

There are others but I would rather stop than create even more yawns than I may have already generated :)

This was just prompted with some happiness over the challenge I just posted from Sylvia's blog and seeing others at work in the same direction. Each one of us can make changes from JUST ONE THING to as many as God guides and a difference will be made. Differences that do affect us, do add up, and DO COUNT.

Will you consider praying for God to show you an area to make a change in/with? A habit to break and one to replace it? Let me know how you feel Him leading you!

The Urban Homekeeper's Challenge

Tue, 06 May 2008 16:32:20 GMT

http://www.christianhomekeeper.com