In some respects I feel I am trying to go in several directions.
October 18 has been set as our son's wedding day. He is marrying a girl named Krista. They are currently in Michigan and are planning for the big event to take place in South Haven at her church.
We are planning to head up that way this coming week to give us a little bit of preparation time before the big day. I have family in that direction as well so hope to spend a bit of time with them while we are up that way.
On another project, I have been working on some music. Those of you who know a little about me have heard me speak of the Passport to Life lesson series. It originally started as a presentation to young people but has since broadened to include older folks as well as youngsters. The first three months of this year we presented the part of the program that teaches about the Bible sanctuary to the little children in our church. I have had the lessons completed for several years. But I have long dreamed of adding the music as well. I have quite a collection of scriptures put to music and am now adding them, in their appropriate places, in the lessons. I also dream of getting them on a CD or tape asap.
A couple of folks who live with us on the farm have been needing transportation on a fairly regular basis so between my hubby and myself we have often been on the go.
My hubby's shoes were getting pretty floppy - soles falling off - so we decided it was time to replace them with 'something better'. As usual there were more expensive versions of 'work boots' but he was able to find one pair that had most of what seems to make for him a good work boot at a quite reasonable price. Thank the Lord.
Yesterday we had our first servings of green beans, swiss chard and beet greens from our fall garden. The green beans were absolutely delicious even without salt. We missed getting in a spring garden but the fall version seems to be doing very well. The deer have been nibbling on some of the green bean leaves but we have ideas that might slow them down some as well.
Last week I was able to find some pansy plants and got them planted in the flower garden area near the big house. I picked up a dozen more yesterday and got them planted in one end of the flower bed next to our house. The tomato 'tree' is slowly dying back after producing possibly hundreds of tomatoes this summer. There might be a dozen or so tomatoes on it yet. But we have been greatly blessed with so many yellow tomatoes from it this year and we praise God.
Our car didn't pass Virginia inspection this year and it appeared we would just have to let it 'set' for a while. When my hubby's brother heard about it he donated over half of the funds needed to get it back on the road again. Thanks to a generous mechanic who also dropped the price some we have it back on the 'road' for which we are grateful. (We still owe some on it but hope to have it paid off by next month.)
It has been amazing to me to see how God has been supplying our needs. With my hubby out of work since January and, at least part of the year more people dependent upon us than previous, we have received aid from a variety of sources which, in some respects has been what I consider almost miraculous. God has blessed. Those blessings may not always be monetary but they are blessings nevertheless.
One sweet blessing has been several 20 cents a pound banana sales. We have frozen quite a few to make 'ice cream' and then we have also been drying some of the bananas. To us the dried bananas are sort of like a candy bar.
Since contracting lymes disease earlier this year I had told my church that I didn't think I could lead out full time with the little children. Well, I am not full time but I do still help quite a bit. Two of the three ladies who accepted the position have not been able to do much of anything so I have been still quite a bit involved. We have gotten one other lady who seems interested who talked with me this weekend. Hope that will ease things a little bit.
Even though we didn't get much of a vegetable garden this year the flower garden has been attempting to outdo last year's performance. The lilies earlier in the summer were so lovely. The wave petunias have made a carpet of purple medium pink and lighter pink. The pink carnation bloomed most of the summer. Celosia volunteers from last year filled in many places that I hadn't even planned for. The one foot tall Zinnia decided to grow a couple feet tall or more and the lovely red blooms along with a few yellow and orange blossoms have been delightful. This fall the button mums have been gorgeous. There are burnt oranges, burnt reds, yellows and purples. As mentioned earlier I am adding pansies for the fall as well. Unless we have a very hard winter the pansies may bloom until it gets hot next summer. As I have walked by the blooms I am reminded again and again that every blooming flower is like an 'I love you' note from Jesus.
One project I have been enjoying very much is that I have been studying Psalm 69 in my quiet times. That is one power packed prophecy of Jesus. I'll share more later.
There are other activities going on as well but for now I need to go get busy with them so will close for this time. Until we meet again may the God of peace be with you.
Bringer or Peace
