Still going strong

Slide down death hill!!

Hello everyone again.  I just thought I would update you on what is going on here.  As usual, I am so glad we are here at this beautiful place. We have had some fun in the last couple of weeks but I want to continue a little on my last blog.  When I left you guys I was lamenting that the cold weather had caused us to go through our supply of wood (hence heat) a little too quick, and that poor Tom was out there almost every other day chopping up our wood.  I just wanted to give this testimony of how great our God is so that is why I'm coming back to that.  I had finished the blog and was pulling up our ROW when I saw that Sean had parked his truck so that I couldn't pull in after him.  I knew there was a major storm coming the next day or so and that we were going to have to move the car for the plow to be able to plow us out.  As I got out of the car (yes I was grumbling a little), I saw a whole lot of wood behind his truck.  I thought to myself, wow, Tom was busy while I was slouching off at the library.  I felt a little bad and then I walked into the basement.  The whole wall next of our stove was filled with wood and there was wood stored in front of the stove.  Sean, Tom and Tasha were bringing in the wood.  Tom told me where the wood had come from (stay with me for a little longer here:)).  I had run into our pastor a week or so previous while buying a new handle for Tom's ax (he goes through them a lot) and had just told him how much time Tom spends on chopping.  Pastor told me that if we ever get into trouble that we should call him and all the guys from church would come and help with the wood chopping.  I assured him that we had enough wood around (10 acres worth), but it was just taking away from building while Tom was chopping.  We agreed that it took time and he shared some horror stories of his childhood chopping wood.  Well, I guess with the storm coming up, he really didn't want us to be chopping and finding ourselves without wood, so him and an elder came and dropped off a lot of dry, hard wood.  I was really thankful and just want to say that, God knows what you are going through, whether you want to believe it or not.  He is not some god that doesn't care what we are going  through down here.  He sent Christ, so that He would know the difficulties we are facing every day,  so that God can sympathize with us.  We are never alone.  It just feels like it because we are so stubborn and want to do things our own way (been there, done that).

There was a lot more.

We weathered the storm better than CT did.  We didn't lose power at all (hahaha) and were nice and toasty.  It was beautiful just to watch the snow coming down.  We got a bit and the next day the kids were all out there having a blast.  The plow had made some impressive mounds and Logan sled down this for a little bit.  Then Sean had the brilliant idea to have a mega sledding (up hill) behind the truck.  They did this for about an hour and you should have heard Logan laughing.  I tried to get a movie out of it but couldn't. Sean and Tasha spent a nice weekend with their cousins last weekend for a concert that was postponed from the weekend of the storm. 

taking a ride on the sled

The rest of us were able to go and find out what Chester had to offer in terms of a winter carnival.  We had a terrific time.  They had two teams of sled dogs and were giving free rides.  It took two hours before we were able to get on the sled and by that time my feet were huge chunks of ice.  But I have to say it was a blast seeing the joy of those dogs when they were told to go.  They were howling when they figured out that it would soon be time to get going.  Very funny.  Unfortunately for Sean, they had to leave before they were able to get on the sled, but I'm sure there will be another time for him to do that.  After the excitement of the sledding (and hot chocolate), Logan and Tom attempted to slide down this rather large hill.  The sled did not want to cooperate with them at all.  So it was a bit of a downer but over all, we had a great day.  I got to defrost my feet once we got home.  The next day brought a cold and headache, but I would do it again.

Since then we actually have lights and plugs that work. I was thrilled when I was able to flip a switch for the first time and "Let there be light"!  It was so much fun.  The wall you see in the picture also now has wood paneling and no longer has the wonderful insulation motive.  So things are moving along.  We just had a couple of great days schooling (thanks Keisha) and are waiting for what is next.

I am glad to notice that the days are getting longer.  The sun is out so much more and we just love that.  I can't believe it is almost March.  Logan is turning 11 in a couple of weeks.  Have a wonderful day, and I say: To God be the glory!

Life continues

Mt. Parking lot

Hello again my dear friends.  I hope you are all staying nice and warm in this cold weather.  The temp was 10 degrees this morning!  Fun, fun.  There are a lot of things going on here as there are everywhere in the world. We got to take a quick trip to CT a few weeks ago and I picked up a wonderful book on the way home.  This book was a real inspiration to me and I want to share a few things God has shown me through that book and His word and how it has affected me.  The book is called "Kisses from Katie" and is written by a young woman who was called to Uganda when she was 17 years old.  She is now in her early 20s.  As I started reading the book, I thought, wow, this is just like my life right now.  This young lady had a burning desire to go to Uganda (of all places) in her senior year of high school.  Her parents reluctantly allowed her to go of the Christmas holiday and it became clear that she had found her home.  She came back after graduation and God has done some amazing things in her.  And it is not the things she is doing that are amazing, although they are amazing too, it is what He is doing in her heart.  She went to Uganda expecting something, but what she got was so different than what she expected.  She came from an upscale area in the states, from wealthy parents who expected her to go to college, have a career and a happy marriage.  What she got is a thriving ministry, and 15 adopted daughters!  But again, more important she allowed God to change her while.  She opened her heart to His wishes, even though she was tired, tired and spent. 

Why am I sharing this with you?  Because at this point in my life I am experiencing the blessings of opening up your heart to God completely, and allowing Him to do what He needs to do, with or without running water, electricity, and bathroom, etc.  I love how she puts it: "I am human, and that means I have emotions.  I can fear, laugh, cry,..."  I like that, but what I have been learning is that even though we are human, we need to watch how we respond to the fear, laughter, and pain/sadness.  If I let the fear take over, I have moved myself out of Christ's loving arms and I have basically told Him that He can't possibly manage to see me through my situation; I am in control, not Him.  I know that He can get me through any situation I am in, but the question is am I letting Him be my Savior?


We were reading Ps 78 the other day and God started to talk to me as I sat down to journal about it (yes I have started to journal but I am not very diligent with it).  What got me in this Psalm was that God gave the Israelites everything they needed while they were in the desert and yet they still complained and lusted for things that God had not provided. That is me over and over again!  I get impatient waiting for God to provide just what He has desired for me.  There is nothing wrong with asking God to provide for somethings, because He delights in giving us things, but when I get dissatisfied with what God is giving me and then going out to get the things He is not providing, there is a problem.

 I do understand why the Israelites wandered.  I only need to allow myself to be distracted for a millisecond and my mind will start to wander down paths I really shouldn't allow it to go.  My job really is to remember Christ's work.  If I start to listen to the deceiver and my mind is distracted, I can redirect it immediately and start to focus on Christ.  Remembering His promises allows me to be steadfast wherever He puts me.  As soon as I realized I'm allowing myself get freaked out I have a choice.  That is to take a deep breath and focus on Him or continue my freaking out.     

When I read this book but Katie Davis I was struck by how God provided everything, and I mean everything for her.  She couldn't do anything for herself, but God provided what she needed, not wanted.  One thing struck me and that was when she traveled back to the states after having adopted some of her daughters.  She had been faced with extreme poverty, with relying on God 100% every waking moment of her day, and when she traveled back to the states, she was overwhelmed with a sense of loss.  She couldn't rely on God the way she had in Uganda because everything was so available.  There is nothing wrong with that and she was able to get through that but I know how she feels.  When we are struggling through the day because there is no water, electricity or bathroom, I have to rely on Christ a lot more than if I could just turn on the switch and voila, light.  I am not saying we should all live in the woods of VT, without water and electricity (I would love the company and so would Natasha:)) but the point God made in my heart was that even though Moses, Abraham, Joseph and a few of the others were extremely rich, they did not depend on their wealth, God still was able to use them because they were willing to let go of their own ideas and allow God to work His perfect will in them.  That is how we are perfected.  We allow God, through Christ and the Holy Spirit, to do whatever He sees fit.  That is how we get joy, peace and love and live perfect lives.

For me, I can't do that in a place where everything is right there available for me right now.  I have to struggle a little bit.  That is why I, personally, feel that this experience is so good for me.  I know that the kids are also being grown.  He is stretching them and molding them into something that will be useful for Him, wherever He sees fit, doing whatever He wants them to do.  For me it is amazing to experience that, even though we still don't have water, indoor plumbing or interior walls, He will give me the strength.  I don't have to worry about wondering if we will have enough wood to make it through the winter.  He already has provided because He knows we need to stay warm.  I don't have to worry if my kids will have a job, because He is guiding their steps even more than I can.

I thank you for your time, that you are spending, reading this.  I hope it helps you in some of the things you are going through, and if not, I hope you can rejoice with me in how God is growing me and maturing me.  And it will give you a chance to better pray for me (I always appreciate that!).

Speaking of growing and maturing, the title of my blog is life continues and that it certainly does.  Every day Tom gets up, starts the stove and does what he does every day.  He chops wood for our fire so we can stay warm.  I used to get so upset because nothing gets done on the house, but really God is providing the wood, the heat and right now that is really important.  He keeps reminding me that the house will be finished.  I feel so bad for Tom because chopping that wood is not easy and his skinny body goes through a lot when he chops the wood.  I am so thankful that God provides and I totally rest in the fact that He is in control, no matter what.  Ahhhh.

My wonderful daughter has been driving me around town a lot.  It is kind of boring, because I haven't had to scream in fear or anything like that.  The other day we were traveling into town and I actually complained

Starting just right

that she was not making this learning thing interesting for me.  The audacity!!  The other day, after a wonderful dusting of snow, we decided to drive around and have her take some pictures.  The dog needed to have a good run and Logan was just itching to get out.  To my, how should I put it, demise, Logan is getting really good at pitching snowballs, even through the window of the Subaru as I am trying to hide from him.

No you don't!

 The day was wonderful because we were able to walk on the ice and have snowball fights and make snow angels.  The dog had a blast!  He ran next to the car and just had such a great time.  We stopped by the new covered bridge and I can see that I will have even greater trouble crossing it, since the tracks are a lot farther apart.  I shudder to think that I will have to cross that thing!  The bridge is beautiful, though.

Logan on ice

Then we put in more windows!!!  YES!  Upstairs is now nice and light up. 

Windows upstairs

Have a wonderful day, everyone.

By the way, the website to Amazina ministries is really good (the young woman who wrote the book).  If you want to check it out, here it is:   http://amazima.org/