Update on Prayer Request

We received an email note tonight from the cousin-in-law of our friend who fell. Her surgery was successful, and she has a new hip now. The arm was broken in 4 places, and it is now in a cast. They are going to get her up tomorrow (!) to try and walk, and she should go home in 4 days. Her children have been faithfully with her, and they relay her profuse thanks for all who have been praying for her. She will have a long road of recovery, but the doctors say she is strong and should be able to regain her normal strength. Again, thanks for lifting up this dear sister.

Prayer Request . . .

Our family has been blessed to become friends with another home church of families about 45 minutes from us -- they are precious folks of like precious faith, striving to raise a godly generation to be lights in this old dark world. We love to share times of fellowship together, families enjoying each other.

Saturday was one of those days. The oldest boy in their family planned a surprise birthday party for his mother and invited our family. It was held at the home of a cousin, a dear single mom raising a son to be a man of God. She has sweetly placed herself and her son under the protection of the church and her elder cousin, who watch for their well-being.

It has become a regular thing for the adults and older children to enjoy a friendly volleyball competition when we get together. What fun and great exercise! This dear sister was playing along with everyone else when she tripped and fell in the middle of a game. She was not getting up because of pain, so she was carried in and ministered to by her adult daughter, who works in the medical field. It was decided she would wait until today to visit the clinic and check out the extent of the injuries. So she passed the weekend in great pain and sought medical care today.

Well, she has crushed her hip and will need a total replacement. Her femur is broken and will likely need a pin. And one of her wrists is broken. She will have the hip surgery tomorrow (July 31), be in the hospital 4 days, and be bedridden for months. Please, please pray for her well-being through the surgery, for her speedy recovery, for pain relief, and for God's provision for her every need. Please lift her up -- this has been a totally unexpected turn of events for her -- she is in good health and not nearly as elderly as I am! Pray for her, please.

Faithful Latte' and her new little one

That's a W-H-O-O-O-L-E Lotta Beef!

A few weeks ago, the butcher came to the farm (he has a rolling, refrigerated abattoir) to help Pepper, one of our registered Brangus mamas, fulfill her final task on earth. She had been having trouble giving birth to new babies, so she was destined for the freezer. I hated to see her go, but Mr. Hicks is very gentle, and Pepper was content with her yummy hay when the deed was done, so . . .

Today, Danny and I went to pick up the frozen packages. We brought home 572 pounds of roasts and ground beef. We weren't sure about her tenderness, so we didn't get anything cut into steaks this time. The 3 girls bought 3/4 and we will keep the rest. We are so blessed in this day of factory farms, agrichemicals, and who-knows-what kind of animal diseases to be able to raise our own beef and know what it was fed, who it has associated with, and how it was slaughtered.

On the way home, we stopped at a large farmers' market and picked up several cases of fresh produce: corn, tomatoes, peaches, zucchini, watermelons and cantaloupe. How grateful we are to be able to learn from the ant and provide our food in the summer and gather when the time is appropriate for harvest. We'll have some good fresh produce for a while and put some up for later.

We had two babies born this spring to help replenish the herd. Mocha, one of the heifers, had her first little bull, and Latte', the little mixed breed we didn't hold much hope for, had a sweet little brown and white heifer. Latte' has become a very trustworthy and gentle mama, to our pleasant surprise.

We sold Chip the BIG bull to a friend, and we will be getting a bull from him when it gets big enough. So there will be some new bloodlines on the farm. Thank you, Lord, for the way Your plan works -- You faithfully provide "food convenient" for us, day by day. Thank you, faithful Father.

"The Girls . . ."

L to R: Mama, Katie with Samuel, Beth with Emma Jane, and Molly with William. What fun!

Yesterday, “The Girls” and I went out for the afternoon. We go out every year, between Molly and Katie’s birthdays. It’s a little midsummer treat for hardworking homeschooling mothers and their mother, and it makes everyone feel special! This year, all three moms took their youngest, so we had babytime, too!

We went to the Magnolia Room in a small town nearby and had a lovely lunch in a room of our own (getting there after 2:00 helps). The food was so good, the iced tea refreshing, and the mini-dessert trays were so yummy.

We spent time just talking and fellowshipping, like mothers and daughters love to do. It was also a good time for planning Callie’s 16th birthday tea, which is Granddaddy’s and Grandmother’s gift to each 16 year old young lady. Kitty had a “high tea” in a tea room, Sarah Beth had a Civil War-era tea, and this year Callie and Gracie will be the guests of honor at their teas. Callie has decided she would like a simple, 1950’s-style garden party, with hats and gloves. She wants real food and wants to play croquet in their back yard. Molly is our family green thumb, so their garden is the prettiest around. It has been so much fun planning, and I am sure we’ll have a memorable time.

Then we went to a local antiques and collectibles store, where bargains abounded. I was able to get some gloves (to add to my collection) and appropriate hats to refresh with silk flowers. Also, there were several nice cut glass serving pieces and pitchers, which will come in handy. And the prizes were the classic old carry-on cases – you know, those boxy pieces about 14” x 12” x 9”, with the mirror inside the lid and the handle on the top. I love them and hope to clean them up and use them for storing CD cases from Vision Forum. The colors will look nice in the living room bookshelves.

It was HOT! And STEAMY! The babies did okay, but it was not easy for them to be their sweet selves when the shop’s AC barely kept up with the sunshine. But it was a sweet day with my “Girls” which I look forward to every summer. What wonderful memories for a mother! Thank you, Lord, for my darling daughters – the perfect nurturers for the next generation of faithful children.

Thirty-seven years ago today . . .

Katie and her mama with baby Samuel at the Cold Stone Creamery in Williamsburg. We love our Katie-bug!

. . . our baby girl was born. She isn’t the baby in our family by birth order, but she was definitely the baby when the children were young. From the start, things were different with Katie. We went through child-birth classes at the Catholic hospital in Indianapolis, because Danny wanted to be there this time. When the time came, Katie decided to get there in a hurry, and it was the easiest birth for me, thank God!

She was my little friend – she loved being on Mama’s shoulder and snuggling. She was a little rascal growing up, to which her older sisters can attest! They get the grandchildren laughing to tears by telling about the times when she would pester them, they would chase and catch her, tickle her to teach her a lesson, then feel so sorry for her pitiful little self and let her go – only to have her turn right around and do the same thing and run away laughing her head off! Hey, she just wanted a little attention!

After being somewhat of a tomboy and her brother’s buddy, she grew into a beautiful young woman of God, found the only man who could ever conquer her, and is raising a wonderful family of 8 children – 7 strong young men (well, Samuel is only 1, but he is certainly a man in the making!) and Princess Rachel.

Happy Birthday, Katie! God knew exactly what He was doing when he put you in our family! He knew exactly who needed all those boys, and that unique little girl! He knew exactly the man for you – and we love you with all our hearts. May the Lord richly bless you as you walk out His plan for you. Thank you, Lord, for Katie-bug.

Twenty Years ago today . . .

It was twenty years ago today when our sweet baby, our oldest daughter Beth, married the wonderful man the Lord sent into her life, the answer to her prayers, Eddie Discher. It was the beginning of a grand adventure for her and a rapidly changing new season for us, her parents. What a blessing it has been to watch them grow together and in the Lord over these years! We could not have planned it any more perfectly than our Heavenly Father did.

And now, with six precious daughters of their own (as well as one princely young man), Eddie will be the one guarding their hearts and praying for a godly man for each of them, just as we did for him. Thank you, Lord for this beautiful picture of families, of relationships based on your Word. May they be clearly seen by the world around them.

Old Paths . . .Long, very long

A friend sent me this recently, and it caused me to ponder Jeremiah 6:16 (again – it’s one of my favorite “wake up” verses). Everything it says isn’t straight out of the Word (I for one do not believe America would be just fine if we got prayer and Bible reading back in the “public” schools), but it is very evocative of the good childhood I had in a different America. Keep going if you are interested in some rambling thoughts on this subject!

“THE OLD PATHS I liked the old paths,
when Moms were at home. Dads were at work. Brothers went into the army. And sisters got married before having children!

Crime did not pay; Hard work did; And people knew the difference.

Moms could cook; Dads would work; Children would behave.

Husbands were loving;Wives were supportive;And children were polite.

Women wore the jewelry; And Men wore the pants. Women looked like ladies; Men looked like gentlemen; And children looked decent.

People loved the truth,And hated a lie;They came to church to get in, Not to get out!

Hymns sounded Godly; Sermons sounded helpful; Rejoicing sounded normal; And crying sounded sincere.

Cursing was wicked; Drugs were for illness; And divorce was unthinkable.

The flag was honored; America was beautiful; And God was welcome! We read the Bible in public; Prayed in school; And preached from house to house

To be called an American was worth dying for; To be called a Christian was worth living for; To be called a traitor was a shame!

Preachers preached because they had a message; And Christians rejoiced because they had the victory! Preachers preached from the Bible; Singers sang from the heart; And sinners turned to the Lord to be saved!

A new birth meant a new life;Salvation meant a changed life;Following Christ led to eternal life.

Being a preacher meant you proclaimed the word of God; Being a deacon meant you would serve the Lord; Being a Christian meant you would live for Jesus; And being a sinner meant someone was praying for you!

Laws were based on the Bible; Homes read the Bible; And churches taught the Bible.

God was worshiped;Christ was exalted; And the Holy Spirit was respected..

Church was where you found Christians on the Lord's day, rather than in the garden, on the creek bank, on the golf course, Or being entertained somewhere else.I still like the old paths the best!”

What a simpler time that was! Many factors have gone into making lives today so much more complex, but I think we will do well to place our focus on the people of God, His Church. What a difference today than when I was a child! Today, God’s people think like the world, so it is no wonder they act like the world and make life-altering decisions like the world. They need rest for their sad souls.

I talk to mothers who just don’t know what is happening with their children and who desperately want to do something to change the direction their family is traveling. They know in their souls that something is wrong. Sometimes, I think they avert their eyes or their minds, hoping it will all go away if they “just do the best they can”.

Jeremiah 6:16 has God’s answer for his restly people. His Word always holds the answer. “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” WHAT??

He tells us how to find rest for our souls – it is pretty obvious, right there in black and white. STAND in the ways and SEE -– take a good hard look at the life choices in front of you. That means taking some time for proactive thought and action, meditation, focus on the situation. Turn off the “Babylon box”, iphone, or laptop. Pray fervently and ask for the old paths. We cannot just hope. We cannot expect some expert to come along and perform a miracle. We cannot just wait for “the old ways” to fall down like fairy-dust on our family. Proactive prayer is needed.

ASK. It is hard to ask for something that will restrain the flesh and require real change. Then there is the next imperative verb -– WALK. When the Lord shows us the good way of the old paths, it requires obedience and consistency, dependence on His empowering strength, to WALK. Then there we will find rest to our souls. The sweet rest of surrender to His best way for us and our families.

Oh, my, but what was the reply of the people of God in Jeremiah? And I am afraid it is the reply of much of the Church today. Let’s talk about that in another post. This one is L-O-N-G! God, help us to see what You are trying to open our eyes to see this day!

(I cannot seem to get the "title" bar to work -- I would have titled this "Here is Love")


This is Mary. Mary works hard at the violin. And the fiddle. Yes, Mary takes and plays classical violin, and she also likes to "fiddle". She experiments with harmonies and is getting pretty good at it! Right now, she isn't first fiddle in the cousins' group, but she is working hard at getting there, and she is featured in a couple of songs they regularly perform.

Mary's biggest hang-up is being shy about her talent -- she would rather work in the background, just basking in being part of the group. But we are so blessed that she is starting to share her talents out front. Today, there was no special music for the church service, so her mother and I asked her if she would consider playing something she has been working on. She started to hesitate, but then she took the plunge and said, "Yes ma'am." Gracie agreed to play harmony mandolin in the background, and I told her I would accompany her on the piano. She chose to play "Here Is Love", a beautiful mountain song about the Savior's love for us, wide as an ocean, and His mercy and perfect justice. The Lord used that song to bless so many, including her grandmother.

Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to participate with another generation, line by line, precept by precept, here a little, there a little, going through the incremental steps of growing in grace. Thank you for sweet Mary and the molding and refining you are doing in her life. What a precious treasure, these times!

"Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations..."

Playing dominoes at the kitchen table with Uncle Robert. Is it time to eat yet??

What a day! The family was coming over at 2 to begin the Independence Day festivities, with the meal to be at 4, so Kitty and Sarah came over to help Grandmama get everything ready. What capable young ladies! They are thinking way ahead of me, not only in ordinary tasks like sweeping the floor, but in creative endeavors like pulling together patriotic centerpieces from bits and pieces here and there.

As the meal was winding down, different ones were sharing thoughts and quotes from godly founders. We particularly like this one from John Adams:
“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”

We felt compelled to fulfill President Adams’ desires:
We had prayer and other acts of solemn acts of devotion
The children paraded and put on sweet little shews
There were games and sports indoors and out
Guns were part of a little adventure in the woods
The dinner bell loudly proclaimed when dinner was ready
Granddaddy and Uncle Chris dazzled us with illuminations out in front
of the grove

The only thing we didn’t get to was the bonfire. It was hot enough today. We took a few minutes to record more on the children’s CD, and their mothers (my daughters) joined them on “I’ll Fly Away”. Uncle Robert is leaving on business soon, so we are getting as much recording done as possible, since he is our “sound man”.

What a blessing to spend the day reinforcing the good things God has given us and shown us about His providential hand on our country! God bless America – God save America. Thank you, Lord, for our country.

It must be said, the food was great,
Barbeque fare, a too-full plate.
Banana pudding, canteloupe,
Brownies, too! I just can’t cope!
Building memories once again
All a part of God’s great plan.
They’ve all gone home and we are blest,
Now it’s time to get some rest!