Summer sort of flew by. Suddenly it is time for school again! How did that happen? I will show you a few pictures of what we worked on, before I dig into some deeper thoughts.
I got chickens for my birthday- a wish for years and years!
Sweet little babies :)
(The big redhead included, haha)
Andy got me 4, then my friend Amanda got me 4 more, just a few weeks younger.
Andy built this chicken coop completely out of recycled things.
The only thing new is the nails. Everything else was part of something else originally, or a scrap piece, not able to be used for it’s original purpose.
I LOVE it, and my amazing man for building it for me.
Only 7 made it all the way to adulthood, but they are loving the coop life so far and will hopefully start laying eggs soon.
Next, we got goats.
This is Peanut.
He is a Pygmy, probably around 10, so getting old. We are his third owners, and he has been well loved and spoiled. He is extremely easy going and fat, lol!
This is Penelope.
She is a Nigerian and is around 3 years old. Like Peanut, she is a people lover. I am hoping to get her some babies… but need to meet someone who can make that happen, haha.
They are both easy going and laid back, obviously loved on and raised more like pets by their prior owners. I can’t promise that I give them attention as often as their prior owners, and there is no pizza served here (which is the story of what was served to Peanut by his original owners!) but I have gotten very attached to them already. We are hoping to add a few more to the flock, after we get a fence put up. For now they have to be leashed or on a run, thus moved often. The fence is coming in just a few weeks!
We also had a bird’s nest with sweet little babies in it, right on the front porch.
I very much enjoy living “in the country”.
Summer was beautiful, and peaceful and calm.
Canaan came home over the 4th of July to get some of his belongings. He was in training almost his entire first year in the military, but is now stationed about 4 hours away and working and living a more normal military life.
Somehow, this is the only picture I took during his visit.
His Grammy sent him home well supplied with candy. :)
Last, but certainly not least, Zion is loving his time at Chick-fil-A.
My mom’s brother and SIL dropped in and surprised him on their way by (from TX!)
He started his Junior year last week. Where does the time go?
My family is strong. Our Jesus is faithful. We are blessed.
There are still many, many questions about what we are doing and how we are going to do it. But over and over (and I have to say it a third time) over again our Jesus gives us what we need, when we need it.
This verse is what God was asking me to remember today.
What He pointed out, repeatedly, was the word ALL.
We want to praise Him for good. We want to celebrate and rejoice if those “mighty works” line up with our ideals and wishes. Sometimes, although amazingly mighty and still His Plan, those “mighty works” are not what we would have wished for.
But ALL is in almost every translation.
The old fashioned KJV says, “I will meditate also of ALL they work”
The more modern Passion Translation says, “I ponder ALL you’ve done, Lord”
The NIV that I grew up with, “I will consider ALL your works”
ALL.
Whether they are what we would have picked or not, ALL.
Be blessed my friends, with hope and faith that overflows onto others around you. Keep smiling, even when it is hard. Keep loving, even when you are tired.
Perhaps pet a goat, or feed some chickens, or weed a garden full of beautiful produce. But choose to enjoy your life!
All of it.
