The Sneakiest of Sneak Peaks

If that title didn't grab your attention... well, then I pretty much stink at titles- which we all know I do anyway. =D

So, I couldn't decide if I should call this a 'sneak peak' or not... it isn't really, but sort of is.... confusing, yes??

Well, I'm going to give a very brief 'sneak peak' into something I've been working on. I don't have a video or pictures to upload- yet. So, I'll just grab some of my inspiration photos off of Pinterest (Yes, I went and got an account... shame on me). ;-)

 

*None of these are my own photos. All taken off of Pinterest*

I'm hoping to get some actual photos of our projects up later on but we'll see how that goes (as we all know I'm awful about putting up photos... ). ;-)

Country Girl Through and Through...

I'm the kind of girl who likes to walk in the mud without shoes. 

I'm the kind of girl who really prefers the country scenery to a movie anytime. 

I'm the kind of girl who thinks that a little dirt won't hurt. 

I'm the kind of girl who thinks that simpler is better. 

I'm the kind of girl who prefers worshipping the Lord out in His own creation instead of some fancy, fitted up cathedral. 

I like my tea sweet, my boots worn, my old trucks,

 and my britches stained. 

I like my horse rides, my country views, and my starry nights. 

*************

It may sound terribly romantic, but all of the above is true. I was chuckling to myself as I was checking out a few things on Pinterest. People seem to have this view that being 'country' makes you cuter, better, or something. I only wish I could show them what I look like after a long day of working cows or building fence... dirt and sweat don't mix to make something pretty. Just sayin'.
   They also seem to have an idea that country basically means you go around in a fresh, white dress, cowgirl boots, picking flowers and putting them in the basket that's swingin' from your arms... oh, and that you pose for photos so everyone else can get a glimpse of this perfect country life.

Well, I'm here to put all those ideas to rest. Pretty much none of them are true. That's the sort of romantic country that people experience for a day or two on vacation. It isn't the real thing, though. Don't get me wrong, we do have our fun, but there's usually more work than fun.  We still clean house just like everyone else, we still have meals that pretty much look like everyone else's, and we don't have that romantic porch with the wooden swing at the end (not that some country folks do).

In short, it really isn't all it's cracked up to be... and yet it is. There is something about living out in the open spaces, ridin' horses, checking fence, and driving the old feed truck. Yeah, I guess it is pretty 'romantic', in it's own way. Country living isn't fun and games, and it certainly isn't photo worthy in 9 out of 10 cases. When you're covered in cow, um, patties, wipin' sweat from your face, and wishing the wind would stop blowing dirt in your eyes, it most certainly doesn't feel "romantically country"; and it most certainly doesn't feel 'romantic' when you watch a newborn calf die after you've spent the night trying to nurse it.

So where in the world did we get this idea that country living was so great and romantic? Discontentment, perhaps? All the folks that I see pinning 'romantic country' photos tend to be city, or slightly outside the city, folks. Not that it's wrong to pin cute photos and whatnot, but I think it's wrong to give ourselves this picture in our mind of something that doesn't exactly exist. Sure there are places that have picturesque scenery, and cute farm animals, but that doesn't mean that they exist for real everywhere.

I don't want to accuse people of being discontent. I'm not the judge of a person's heart. However, it has been a good lesson to me on many subjects. I should be content with what I have and not scheme up this idea of what it should or will be like. I could pretty much apply that to everything in my life right now...
Relationships, marriage, homeschooling, being a mom, book publishing, etc, etc. Just about anything. It's easy for us to get caught up in this romantic idea of how any of those things should look.  I tend to think that relationships will be like those in the Jane Austen movies. Friends can tell each other anything, sisters have the closest relationships.... but who am I kidding? It isn't perfect, and it never will be.

What about marriage? I sometimes catch myself thinking about the wonderful things that come with marriage (taking care of your own home, romantic 'dinner for two', moonlight walks, fresh flowers from your husband, etc). However, it will more than likely hurt me if I ever get married and have these views stuck in my head. I know that marriage can have those wonderful aspects, but I can't expect it to be like that all the time either. There will be the hard days of feeling utterly exhausted after you've been up with the baby all night. Days of washing dirty laundry all afternoon only to find another basket that was hiding away in the closet. The day when you realize that there is something your spouse does that really annoys you (and vice versa for your husband!).  If I only think that it will be romantic and flowers and loving words, then I'm likely to hit a very hard wall  later in my marriage when the 'honeymoon is over'. (Don't get me wrong, there could be those things, but I can't expect them 24/7).

I used to have this notion that I would be a famous author, be on Oprah, go on the Morning Show, and hit New York's Top Selling Book of all time. But, those expectations are dangerous. Dangerous because it caused me to be discontent with anything else. Very discontent. So much so that I pretty much went against what God wanted me to do.

The other day when I was taking a walk and having a 'talk' with God, I was praying for some certain things in my life. Things that I really wanted to have happen. I felt like He gave me a very clear answer. Until I was content with my life and HIS plans, my plans would never match up to His and we would constantly be wrestling over the issue. My heart has many desires, but that doesn't mean all of them will come true. Instead of pining away for things that I wish would happen, I should keep my focus on God's will for my life and what I can do to bless or help others. As soon as we get these selfish ideas and wishes into our heads and begin to listen to them instead of God, we are headed down a very dangerous path.

Discontentment is a worm that can eat at anyone about anything. I certainly don't want it to get a hold of me!!

So, for all those folks who think country living is romantic, well... I'd say to just look around you and find the 'romantic' things that are in your life right now. Because I could list off a whole bunch of things that aren't romantic about the country! :-) Every life can be good if you choose to make it so, or it can be drab 'compared to' other places. Your choice.

Happy Birthday, Caleb!!

13 years ago today, a miracle happened. The miracle of my baby brother being born. Most of you don't know his story, so I figured that it would be fitting to share it on his birthday.

(Celebrating his 6th birthday- I think- at the CO zoo)

Mom and Dad first found out about what a difficult pregnancy it was going to be with Caleb when they went in to check up. The baby had O positive blood and Mom had A negative... not a good combination. In fact, such a bad one that Mom's body viewed Caleb as a threat and was doing everything possible to get rid of him. His is a rare case, too. So rare, in fact, that everyone knew about it and if they ever saw mom they knew exactly who she was. I believe the statistics for something like this is 1 out of 10. (don't quote me on that, though.)

11 weeks before Caleb's due date, mom went in for another check up. These were frequent as they needed to give blood to Caleb often. My "Aunt" Marie was the one who donated blood for Caleb (thus why we call her 'Aunt'). :-) She was so sweet to everyone involved in this ordeal and didn't mind donating one bit.

I should explain how Caleb received blood infusions, for those that don't know. The doctor has to take an extremely long needle and try to hit the vein in the umbilical cord. There is also an artery (possibly more than one, but I don't know those details) on the cord, but you have to avoid hitting that. Dad said the procedure looked like he was trying to stab a spaghetti noodle in a bowl full of water with a tiny needle (I tried that once... trust me, it's hard!).

Well, on this particular check up/blood infusion, the Dr., ended up hitting the artery and not the vein on the umbilical cord. Mom and Dad watched as his heart beat sped up suddenly, then just stopped. Having had 3 other children who were emergency C-Sections, Dad knew he needed to get out of the way. He kissed mom on the forehead, told her he loved her, and ran out the door. Praying for the safety of his wife and child were next on his list.

(Manning the gate while working cows)

Mom didn't know what was going on. The nurses seemed to suddenly jump into action as they prepared to get the baby out. A call went through the hospital to get certain nurses into the operating room. They gave mom the 'knock out medicine' and began preparing for yet another emergency C-Section.

Here's where we get to see God's amazing hand in all of this (of course, we know He was protecting Caleb the entire time he was in the womb, but here is where His hand was most visible). There had to be two of these particular surgeons present at the operation for these rare pregnancies/babies like Caleb. Well, it just 'so happened' that the first one (which was the one that mom and dad had most contact with) was already there, of course, but the second, who usually resided in another state, also 'happened' to be there at the hospital. So they were able to do surgery on Mom right away without waiting. It also just so "happened" that one nurse was walking down the hall on her way to help out when another nurse came up and asked, "Hey, where are you headed?" The first nurse explained that she was on her way to the "RH" baby (as he was known in the hospital). The second nurse decided she'd join her friend and they headed up to the operating room.

The surgeons had Caleb out in 8 minutes. The two nurses who came in did CPR on him (one holding him, the other doing the CPR) as they ran him down to the NICU. If they had gotten Caleb out in 10 minutes, he would have had severe brain damage. If it has been 12, Caleb would have died.

Caleb was in the hospital for 56 days on oxygen tubes, feeding tubes, and everything else imaginable. We weren't allowed to hold him until after he came home. I remember the first time I even got to see him (which was several days after they got him out). I was so excited, and nervous. Would I like him? What would he look like? Was he a nice baby? Well, in the words of my brother, Josh (who got to see him first, I might add), "He's kind of fuzzy. He looks like a kitten with no tail." Well, after first glance, I knew that my new baby brother had stolen my heart. I just couldn't wait until the time that I got to hold him.

Now, I look at him as he is getting ready for his special birthday with Dad and Mom. 13 is the big number in our household, because it's considered the 'hood' year (ya know, woman'hood', man'hood'.) I look at him and I see a young man who has grown up so much. A young man who has matured in the last year to such a degree as to astonish me exceedingly. Well, perhaps not astonish, but it has certainly been a joy to watch. He is such a wonderful brother and friend to me. He's extremely tender and caring and always has a hug for me whenever I need (or seem to need) one. He's very forgiving of all of his sister's faults and has an awesome sense of humor and great wit.



I love you tons and tons, Caleb!!! I don't know what I would do without you and I praise the Lord that He protected you and gave you to us. :-)


(I promise to come back and post pictures from their evening and his birthday morning at a later time). :-)

What Makes a Good Father?

When I was younger, I used to think my daddy really wasn't all that great. I mean, he disciplined me when I did something wrong, was always gone during the day, etc. I mean, I remember that I loved him, but I don't think I ever really appreciated him. It wasn't until I got older that I realized just how much he did for our family. 

I remember something that we always loved to do. When we saw daddy walking up to the house from the car, we all became ecstatic. "DADDY!!!!" We would all shout as he walked in the door. Arms and legs flying, we'd all try to hug him at the same time, nearly knocking him over. It was a ritual, almost, and something that I loved to do. I also remember that I was going to marry daddy when I was younger. I just knew it. He was the most wonderful man I knew (though I might not have appreciated everything he did). 

It takes a good father to change a baby's nasty diaper when he knows his wife is tired. He snuggles with that baby, feeds it in the middle of the night to give mom some extra rest, and realizes that that little baby's future is in his hands (in a sense). He has to raise it and take care of it and provide a loving home for it. 

There's a lot of pressure on dads. They have to provide shelter for their families, make money so we can eat and not starve, put clothes on his children's backs, and also provide protection. 

My dad does all of these things. We've always had a roof over our heads and a warm bed at night. We've never gone hungry. We've always had good clothing to wear, and we've always felt protected. My dad has done so much for us and continues to do so to this very day. He still wakes up early and drives and hour and a half to work. He works on paperwork, deals with customers, drives out to check out properties, etc. All that can be boring and stressful, yet he does it again and again all because he wants to provide for us. 

I have never felt unprotected in my home. On days when I feel upset or lonely, I simply have to go and lean on my daddy. When he wraps his strong arms around me in a hug, I feel warm, safe, and secure. I know that I have someone watching out for me, protecting me, loving me. 

One of the things I admire most about my daddy is his teachable spirit. He studies God's word so that he knows how to better himself for/in Christ. He wasn't just a 'hey, I gave my life to Christ, I'll keep on living the same way I did before' guy. He was a 'take action and move on' kind of a guy. He became a Christian and searched for ways to continue to grow in Christ. He still does to this day. He wants to become a better man, and he's not afraid to admit that he's not perfect. 

I also admire how he treats my mom. They are best friends. I love watching them tease and joke around with one another. I also love to see the tender looks he gives her, or the joy on his face when they laugh at something together. I love seeing how he cares for her in every way he knows how. However, the best thing with their marriage is seeing the difficult times. That sounds odd, but I love to see how they work it out. How my dad learns he did something wrong and works to change it. It makes me pray that I find a man like him someday to marry. I know God has a man for me (or I certainly hope so!), but I pray that he will be like my daddy in some of these qualities. 

Over the years, I've come to realize that my daddy was given to me to give me that 'man love' until my husband comes along. There is something so beautiful about a Father/Daughter relationship. I treasure every moment I get with my dad. When I'm able to spend lots of time with him, my heart tends to not 'sigh' over boys so much. I appreciate how my dad knows this and strives to make sure that we have time together on a regular basis, even if it's just riding in the car while we work cows. He's even willing to stay up all hours of the night talking with me about issues that I'm concerned about. Those are things I treasure. 

It also takes a good father to set an example for his children. It's hard to do because we are all sinners and have fallen short of the Glory of God... but, sometimes the failings ARE the best examples because we get to see how he handles those failings and what he does about it. I learn a lot when they don't fail, but I sometimes learn more when they do because they have taught me to get up, dust off, and keep moving on. 

I've appreciated how my dad loves me so much, he wants to protect me from all hurt. He knows he can't completely, but he does his best to shield me from the worst. He also knows that I want to save myself for my husband, and he encourages me by helping me make good clothing choices that don't show off my body, or too much skin. He also helps me by telling me how I need to behave around young men so I don't lead any astray and what I need to do if someone seems to 'like' me. He loves me enough to help me in those areas and shows me that he cares about it. My heart always aches for girls that I see when shopping or running errands that don't seem to have caring fathers. They don't show interest while eating lunch together, and they don't seem to take their fatherly role seriously when it comes to protecting their daughters. It makes me appreciate my father even more. 

My daddy isn't afraid to give me instructions, whether it be about how to engage people in conversation, or telling me how to drive properly. He loves me enough to do that, even if it seems hard at times (like telling me 'no' if I ask for something that he knows might not be a wise choice). 

I appreciate and love my daddy so much. I honestly couldn't ask for another. He isn't perfect, but it's through those short-comings that I see a real man and a good example for me to walk with Christ. 

I love you, dad, and I really don't know what I would do without you. :-) Love, Sarah

P.S. Sorry this is a bit 'rambling'.... just sharing my thoughts and appreciations for a wonderful man in my life. :-) 

Are We in Danger of a Second Crusades? ~Guest Post

Hello everyone! I'm very excited to share this article with you that a friend of mine wrote. I thought that he made several good points with this and just couldn't resist passing it on. So, without further ado, Mitchell's article!




The Crusades; a subject that most are at lease familiar with.  The term Crusades generally refers to the series of wars that were fought by western European countries against those in Asia Minor between 1095 and 1291.  In these wars, Christian countries in Europe were convinced that through the sword they could bring the truth to Asian countries.  I know for the history buffs among us, this is an overly simplistic view of the Crusades.

However, it is enough for me to continue with the original question.

One of the most popular mission fields in this country right now is the Internet.  It is extremely easy to log onto social media sites and find people who disagree with you.  Combine this with the fact that we have a generation of youth that have been raised to be strong in their faith and confident in their views, and we have a power that the world will soon be forced to reckon with.  However, this is a dangerous place to be, in my opinion.  When one studies the effects of the Crusades, it becomes apparent that it is impossible to convince people they are lacking the truth with violence.   In Asia, the native people would see the invaders come in and kill those who would not convert, and would be further convinced they (the natives) were right in their thinking.

What does this have to do with what we are facing today?  I believe that the Internet is a dangerous evangelism tool.  In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 we find the familiar passage of Paul as he speaks about becoming all things to all men.  Many people have a hard time understanding what this passage means, but after some research I believe that its meaning is very simple. Paul is suggesting that he alters his behavior to match those he is in

contact with.  He specifically references becoming a Jew when he is with Jews.  This means that he would not do things that would offend their sensitivities as Jews.  Does this mean that he abandons his Christian faith?  Absolutely not!  As a matter of fact, this action allows him to

fulfill the ultimate requirement in Christianity: Love.  In order to love people who disagree with you, you must be able to overlook their differences.  You must be able to see them as a child of God, and not as an enemy.  It cannot be said any better than the old saying: “Love the sinner, hate the sin.”  In order to love someone, you must have a personal relationship with that person.  It is impossible to develop a personal relationship with a stranger through the Internet.  Therefore, it is impossible to love a person well enough for them to accept your criticism of their lifestyle.

It is much easier to share your faith with strangers while you sit behind your keyboard.  Likewise, it is  much harder to demonstrate love to people, since words typed out online cannot carry empathy or emotion.  I have come to the conclusion that in order to share the good news, we must go out into the world and make disciples.

I have long suspected that people are turned off by Internet evangelism, but it was confirmed for me when I ran into a person that I would classify as “dying to be Christian.” This person read the Bible and understood what it said, for the most part.  However, she had an errant view on a particular doctrinal issue which, in her zeal to share her faith, she posted on her Facebook page.  She was then attacked viciously and without mercy by other “Christians” trying to root out heresy - to stick with the Crusades analogy.  Several years later, she meets me and I claim to be Christian.  Immediately the conversation becomes very tense and she informs me that Christians are the biggest hypocrites in the world.  Under the

circumstances, I was forced to agree with her. You cannot approach unbelievers without love and call yourself a Christian.  It is impossible to love people wirelessly, and it is impossible to evangelize without love.

In my assessment, our generation is in danger of committing the atrocities of a second Crusade if we continue to take our Faith online.  There is a reason that Jesus said to “go out into the world and make disciples.”  This reason is, face to face communication is the only way one can build the relationship necessary for evangelism.  So I challenge you to “go out” and love.  It is through love, not well reasoned arguments, that we are given the chance to address a hurting world.

Happy Mother's Day!!

I know there are so many arguments out there about who has the best mom or dad on these certain holidays. Well, I'm here to stop all those and let you know that it's no use arguing any more because *I* have the best mom ever!!! =D However, I'm sure that will still be a debatable subject.

The honest truth is that, although my mother may not be the best out there (depending on who's list your comparing her to), she is still one amazing woman. I couldn't ask for anyone better. Honestly, I couldn't.

So, in honor of the year, I decided I would list 13 things that I love best about my Mama (though it will be hard to contain them to just that many!).

1.  She loves God more than anything else in this world and strives daily to show that love to us children to encourage us in our own love for Christ.

2.  She has a great sense of humor. She can honestly keep us laughing all day long (or keep herself laughing, whichever the case may be).

3.    She's not afraid to make fun of herself for goof ups. She has learned to just laugh at little mistakes instead of making them into a big deal. (no use crying over spilled milk, eh?)

4.   She has great people skills. I honestly don't know another person who can draw strangers into a conversation better than my mom. I admire that in her SO much and only wish that someday I'll be able to do the same. Not only that, but she knows exactly what to say at the right moment if she needs to cheer a person up, or offer words of comfort when the rest of us are at a loss for words.

5.   She has compassion towards others, even when its hard.

6.   She makes amazing food. Our family enjoys meals together, and those meals just wouldn't be the same without good food!

7.   She is ready to admit her faults and work on changing. It's so difficult to admit when we are wrong, but seeing my mother ask my youngest brother for forgiveness when she wronged him in some way is one of the best things I've seen. I admire that in her so much, since I'm one to try to make excuses instead of just saying, "You know what, I was wrong and I'm sorry for it,"...

8.  I've had several people ask me, "What is it like, living with your mom?" Well, the answer is that she keeps us entertained. This goes back to that 'great sense of humor'. There is never a boring day in the house (unless mom is gone).

9.  She has a heart for children. I know there are some moms out in the world who maybe don't appreciate their 'mom job' and instead prefer their careers. Well, my mom enjoys both. ;-) As Homemaking is her 'career', in a sense, being a mom just seems to go hand in hand with that. Mama is very content with her life as a mother, help-meet, and example to us.


10.  She's a great listener. I don't know how many times I've poured out my heart to Mama. So many different subjects have been the center of the conversation between us. She always has some sound wisdom or advice to impart to me on these occasions, and I always appreciate them (though sometimes it takes me a while to, depending on what the conversation was about).

11.  She loves us enough to disciple each of us. You've got to have a lot of love to want to really help someone out, and it also takes a lot of courage to go up to someone and tell them when they are in the wrong. I also know (from what mom has told me) that it is tough for parents to see their children suffering. Such a confusing bind, yet Mama always seems to handle it with grace. Although the lessons can sometimes be painful, I always know she is doing it out of love because she wants be to become a better person- even if that means she has to deal with me being grumpy for a while afterwards. ;-)

12.  She takes joy in the simple things of life. Whether it be a flower blooming, or a new chick that has hatched, Mama always has a smile and happy 'squeal' of sorts to show her enthusiasm. She definitely knows how to 'stop and smell the roses'.

13.  Last, but certainly not the least, she is more than a mother to me. She is a friend, confidant, and mentor. She has allowed me to grow up into a young woman beside her and I have the honor and privilege to know that I am one of her closest friends.

Mama, it is truly an honor and blessing for me to be able to call you by that name. I feel so proud to be your daughter and couldn't wish for a different mother. Thank you for setting an example before me and for always being there for me, no matter what. I love you!!


Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there. Although we have this day set aside to remember, may we never forget what our mother's do for us on the other 364 days of the year. :-)

(Sorry for the lack of pictures... mom is also very good at evading the camera. These were taken on our Vacation to California this past Nov.)

Happy Fibonacci Day!!

I think this is a pretty cool day, and it will only happen every so often (maybe only today in the entire history of the world, but I haven't sat down to do the math for it, so yeah.) ;-)

If you don't know anything about the Fibonacci numbers, then you definitely want to watch the video below. It gives me goosebumps just watching it. What an amazing Creator we have!!! =D


Enjoy!!!!

Book Orders- Let me know if your interested!

Hello! I'm going to be placing an order for my book soon, and if you get on the list, I'll order one (or more) for you, too! I'm offering a bit of a discount, so you don't want to miss out. :-)

Check out the details HERE.

Also, even if you might not be interested, I'd still appreciate if you'd pass the word around. :-)

Thanks!!! I plan on posting some 'real posts' soon. Just been a tad busy with cattle work and all that. :-) Some exciting news on the side, though, is that my sister and I will have a very short job working at a flower shop! Some friends we know own a floral shop and were needing extra hands for this week (since it's Mother's Day). So, we'll be working tomorrow and Thursday. I think it will be fun. :-) Course, I could change my mind later, but who knows. I'm looking forward to it all the same. =D

I hope you are having a blessed week!!!

The Long Lost Blogger Has Returned!

Dear me, dear me! It has been a rather long time since I've blogged on here. Lots and lots of things going on lately. :-) 

First, as some of you might have known, I was teaming up with another local author (and friend!), Alicia Willis, to sell books at our Home school convention. Both she and I sold out, which was fantastic! The Lord really blessed us and we continue to pray that others will be blessed with the books. :-)  Alicia's book is "To Birmingham Castle". You can pretty much find it anywhere that books are sold. My book is "On Grandpa's Knee". My pen name is 'Sarah Elizabeth'. ;-) My book is available on a few places, but it is still be expanded. :-)   You can read more about the convention and see pictures HERE.

Before the convention, our family had been working like crazy to build a new set of corrals up on one of our pastures. Because of where we placed it, it opens to 3 different pastures, which will make it so much nicer for working cows this spring/summer. That was quite a project and took up most of our time. When dad was home on the weekend, we were out there shoveling, tamping, measuring, leveling, etc. During the week we tried to get a few things done, but for the most part we still needed dad on the tractor to lift heavy poles and pieces of fence. During all that, though, we were still calving, so the boys were going out every day to feed and tag. 

Right after convention, we had our 5th drama performance. It was wonderful and, since we had a terrible dress rehearsal, the performances went very well. :-) Our audiences were great and laughed at the jokes. That may seem funny that I mention it, but if you've ever acted on stage, you know what I mean. The actors feed off of the energy given by the crowd. If you're doing a comedy and no one is laughing, then it becomes very draining because the actors start wondering why. Should they ham it up more? Did they say that line wrong? And it all goes down hill from there. So, it's great when we get an audience that will laugh. Thankfully, both nights we were given just that. :-) It was also fun to see family and friends- especially ones that come from long distances. Means a lot to us. :-) 

So, now that we've got most of that past us, we can focus on working cows for A-I season. After getting my wrist smashed twice by cows, it's a wonder it isn't broken... but I think that it is just another thing that I can add to my thankful list. God has been very good to us this season and we feel very blessed. :-) 

What have y'all been up to? I'd love to hear how everyone has been doing. :-) 

I hope to have some more posts up again and some rather exciting news to tell as well! (hey, that rhymed!)