I think that our animals are more organized than we are. I got a camera alert this morning, and when I pulled up the camera I found that the Mama Pig had gotten her gate open and was marching her piglets single-file to... the dog house. So, where was our Great Dane? I pulled up the other camera to find her lounging luxuriously ... in the pig pen. They organized a housing swap!
Adventures
Here we record the adventures that we take as a family, near and far.
Allow me to brag on God and the power of prayer. We needed some clothes for the boys, and they just weren't in the budget. The farm and remodel are kinda hard on clothes. We prayed every day last week, specifically for this need, among others.
So, Sunday, after church at the park, someone randomly came up and asked if we could use some clothes for the boys, which of course we did.
They proceeded to give us several bags of clothes that were EXACTLY the right sizes, much of which appear to be brand new. There were work / play clothes, dress clothes - even a new suit for one of the boys - and more.
I don't think that it was random. I think that it was orchestrated by God in response to specific prayer. Thank you, Lord, and thank you, Random Person who listened to the Lord and met a need!
Every day, we have been gathering as a family to pray for some specific requests. Today, God poured His blessing, and showed us in minute detail that He answers detailed prayer. Over 34 specific prayer requests were answered today, some of which were seemingly small and insignificant, while others were so large that they were beyond our human means, yet God cared about every one of them.
Psalm 68:19, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah."
My son just rescued Woody Woodpecker from some barbed wire. Did you know that woodpeckers sqwack loudly when wrapped in barbed wire?
Featured
A few years back, I won a hatchet-throwing contest at a men's retreat and was awarded this machete. Today, I was very grateful for it, as I used it to kill a rattlesnake that was pestering my kids and animals. I'm super thankful to God for His protection, and let me tell you: it was way more exciting than watching a nature documentary. Boy can those things strike!
First, I cut it in half with my machete. Then we stoned it with large rocks. Then Enoch cut off its head with a shovel. Then we beat it to death some more. Then we drowned it in a bucket of water for five or ten minutes. Then we beat it even more. Now the boys are out digging a deep hole in which to bury its head.
As a preacher, I got so many sermon illustrations out of this experience. For example, when the old serpent (the devil) raises its ugly head in your life or family, you better go after it and MAKE SURE it's really dead. As you wield your machete of Scripture, you can use the tools of honesty, diligence, accountability, and humility to beat the living daylights out of that sin problem!
Best we can tell, it was a Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, which rarely grow above 2.5 feet. This was a big one, though. According to my tape measure, it was 39.5 inches long, and a little more than 3 inches around in the middle. I included a basketball in the picture for comparison.
Featured
God still answers prayer. Within seconds of gathering the family to pray about a specific and urgent need, God answered it precisely in a way that was clearly only God.
Dare to teach your kids that God hears and answers prayer, then live it by praying specifically and watching God work.
Faith = Hearing from God + Believing Him + Obeying Him
This just "goats" to show that new age thinking is a mess.
Also, introducing... KFG - Kentucky Fried Goat!
I'm pretty sure that Gary Chapman was wrong - the five love languages, at least in our home, are Carbs, Protein, Fruits & Veggies, Dairy, and Bacon, but mostly bacon.
#4boys #FamilyOfBoys #FarmWork
It was an adventure of a week. The highlight of the week was going to Cape Flattery, the most northwestern point in the contiguous United States, and somewhere that I've always wanted to go. And no, I didn't see Ma and PA Kettle, though I think I might have seen Guoduck and Crowbar. I also got to see a bear and some other animals in the wild, accidentally explore a rainforest on foot, and visit Friday Harbor on San Juan Island (another place that I've always wanted to go).
I'm so thankful for my wife willing to go pickup a young lady this morning after the church van had already returned. This young lady had changed her mind and decided that she wanted to come to church after all, and after praying about it, we decided to go pick her up, even if that meant coming back in the middle of class. That young lady received Christ as her Saviour this morning, and that eternal decision was more than worth messing up our schedules and class routines. Praise the Lord!
- Exhausted, but Joyful
- Some things for which I am thankful today:
- A Windy Day on the Farm
- Pre-fried Chicken
- There's just somethin' about a boy and his... chicken.
- Crossing the Creeks
- An Adventure of God's Protection and Guidance
- RIP Henrietta
- Sunset
- I Thessalonians 5:6
- Fame
- Fun Memory!
- Stockings
- Cows
- So, we got about 2 1/2 inches today.
- It's a Turkey Soup kinda night!
- Thanksgiving Turkey
- Hot Water Heater
- Cloudy Days
- Meeting People
- Dinner is about to be served... ...by our cleaning and cooking cowboy.
- Flashlights
- I cannot tell a lie... I couldn't cut down this oak tree with this dull hatchet if I wanted to!
- I'm thankful to have a hard-working group of boys to help out and learn a good work ethic!
- There's just somethin' 'bout a boy and his dog...
- And we discovered the boat. Nevermind the little leak...
- There's just something about clothes hanging on the line that makes it feel like home...
- Praise the Lord!
- Good Morning from the Farm
- We got our first chicken for the farm!
- Moving onto a Farm
- Our Adventure on Lassen Trail
- High Desert Museum
- Pastor Brown's Retirement
- Pets
- Ediz Hook, Port Angeles, WA
- The Giant Redwoods
- Tillamook Factory
- Pastor Lydick's Retirement
- The Great Race for a Red Vine...