Here we are at 2019[who else still remembers Y2K??]! A new year has come!! For some, New Year’s day brings with it mixed emotion of excitement, anticipation, and unknown. “What will this new year hold? How will it turn out? Will I survive it??” ? The memories from the year past flood your mind whether they are memories of joy or sorrow or even mixed emotions of bitter-sweetness. For me, January 1st brings with it extreme excitement that can’t really be described! As I rang in the new year, banging pots and pans with a dozen equally excited humans, The Lord instantly put Romans 12:12 on my heart as I considered the new year ahead,“Rejoicing in hope”! ? As children of the living God, we can confidently enter a new year full of new unknowns REJOICING IN HOPE knowing the Lord is the Author of this year[Jer 29:11-13]! He knows the path we take and has prepared our way[Job 23:10 > Ps 32:8]. We can face the joys and trials, the happiness and sorrow this new year will hold REJOICING IN HOPE knowing the Lord will supply grace[2 Cor 12:9 >James 4:6 ] and strength[Is 41:10] sufficient for whatever we may face. As we serve the GOD OF HOPE[Romans 15:13] we have every reason to continually hope and share the hope we have with the world[1 Peter 3:15]! So, welcome 2019, I am pretty excited to see you here[waves frantically ??‍♀️]! May the Lord fill you with fresh mercy, sufficient grace and strength for every step of the way as I REJOICE IN HOPE. ? To you all who read this, Happy New Year!!! ✨? I pray your 2019 is filled with steadfast hope[Ps 71:14], great joy[Ps 43:4], and continual gladness[Ps 4:7] as you set your heart on seeking our Lord and rejoicing in Hope! “He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him”[Heb 11:6]! That, my friends, is a promise to live by throughout this new year! ?❤️ PLEASE Leave a comment below and let me know what you are looking forward to in 2019 or if you’ve made any New Year’s Resolutions! I would love to hear from YOU!

Now the God of hope fill you with all JOY and PEACE in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.- Romans 15:13

“let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, and my will be lost in thine. “

“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer”
Romans 12:12

Before a new year begins it’s time to share random daily happenings from the last days of November into deep December! ☺️? Believe it or not, I haven’t had a random post since before Thanksgiving day[*Screams*?]! From long work days, to Christmas card crafting,  trips out with the family, warm evening walks, gingerbread house decorating, birthdays celebrated,  and cookie baking, the days have been full and busy and blessed! And The Lord has given strength and grace every step of the way. The verse that has been on my mind these past couple months is from Psalm 18:35, “THOU hast also given me the shield of THY salvation: and THY right hand hath holden me up, and THY gentleness hath made me great.”  Here we are at the end of another year, the Lord has once again shown His faithfulness, shielding us with His salvation and leading + upholding us with the skillfulness of His strong hand! “Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”[Ps 139:10]. ?  So, how about a few[dozen ?] photos of my November & December days?! It is my hope that these photos reveal the Lord’s daily mercies in our lives. Through thick and thin, joys and trails, ups and downs He remains faithful! We are weak yet HE is strong and in Christ alone we find our hope. ♥ So, all that to say, ENJOY!!  ?? I will try to give a little description below the photos!  ??

??‍♀️ QUESTION!!! How was your December?? I would love to hear a favorite highlight from this month a verse the Lord has used to encourage you!!  Would you make my day by leaving a comment below with your answer or just a simple “hellooooo”?! ☺️

“For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”
Isaiah 41:13

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Lots of great work projects completed in the Months of November + December!!↑

A sweet piece of Thanksgiving mail held these scripture verses! Thank you! ↑

Thanksgiving Day Dinner preparation!↑

↑Our 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey trot!?

↑Thanksgiving Day!!

↑ 2 new Lambs joined our herd! :)

↑Warm Days, sunshine, and fun walks with little ladies bless my heart so much!!

↑ Birthdays celebrated and cake enjoyed!! :)

↑ December brought with it lots of Hot Cocoa and fun family  festivity! ❄️☕️

?All hands on deck for family Christmas card construction this year!! ↑

↑Joel & Nathanael were blessed to be able to duck hunt with friend at the coast this December!

↑Family shopping trip into the big city! This girl is all smiles after finding a piece of Coconut Cream Cake. Needless to say, she loves her coconut! ?

↑YES! Even in the midst of family festivity, we continued to daily ship out orders. We are truly thankful for the work the Lord gives us to put our hands to!!

↑Friday nights = pizza nights! I love making pizza ??

Christmas Card Crafting + signing and cookie box making! <3

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^” For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;  A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
Luke 2:30-32

I am here to wish you a very merry and blessed Christmas! ✨❤️ May your hearts be filled to overflowing with JOY and gladness as you celebrate the great gift of Salvation found in Christ Jesus!!

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” 1 John 5:11

“Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:78-79‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Y’all… today is supremely special and I am tremendously excited to blog about it!!? Today I get to celebrate a pretty important event that makes it pretty high up on my list for MOST IMPORTANT day of the year…????*Cue Confetti*?? Today is MICAH’S BIRTHDAY!! ? Known for her breathtaking beauty, sweet spirit, baking + breakfast making abilities[her secret recipe cookies have become quite famous and literally melt in your mouth! No joke ?? ],  eye for design, fabulous fashion, and pretty outstanding calligraphy, Micah is a blessing, encouragement, and inspiration to so many and we get celebrate HER today! Ahem, y’all may be thinking “so much perfection, doesn’t she have any flaws??!!” Yes, just 1. She doesn’t always like to be on time[hence the reason her birthday photoshoot had to be done in record timing to beat the sunset ;] but we are working on that. ?? So now that you know her strengths and weaknesses?, let’s see how one spells MICAH, shall we? ;)

M-Meticulous, Musical[plays the piano like an angel?],Mature[when necessarily ;], Maker of cute and delicious things! ??
I- Industrious, Intuitive, and super Ingenuitive
C- Caring, Considerate, and Cautious[y’all, that can be a really good thing when you’re the oldest sister of so many!?]
A-Active[ha, she can run for over an hour straight. I sat on the porch and watched her the other day! ?], Always-watchful, and Ambitious!
H- Helpful, Hardworking, always-Here for you when you need her!

?Happy Birthday Micah!! You daily bless so many including ME and I am so thankful to the Lord for YOU. ??? May your birthday be filled with some fabulous pancakes, your years many many more, and the days ahead hold exceeding joy as you seek and serve the Lord!!? Y’all, you know you can’t leave without leaving a birthday comment. Make Micah’s birthday extra sweet with a note and a birthday blessing below!! ???

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength”
Isaiah 26:3-4

“May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, And fulfill all your purpose.”
Psalm 20:4

Today is monumental!! It’s a TREMENDOUSLY SPECIAL DAY…. Today is the day of Gideon’s BIRTH!!! ? This handsome gentleman is truly ONE.OF.A.KIND.?  Being a modest fellow that he is, he requested I completely forget to post his birthday blog post but really?! Who forgets this to do that???? ? Y’all, I had to literally threaten to take away his Thanksgiving dinner if he didn’t let me take his birthday pictures. ? Gideon…  kind, thoughtful, super-duper smart, extremely sensitive[yep, it’s true], steady, and really really tall? is celebrating his 21st birthday! ??? Gideon is rugged lumberjack type that is also great in the kitchen can garden and won’t hesitate have a healthy and very witty debate when necessary.  He is an extreme history buff and is currently helping us expand our vocabulary[y’all I am a work in progress].?  Aaaannndd today we get to spend the entire day celebrating HIM! ?????‍♀️?

G. Good lookin’!
I. Intelligent
D. Debonair….”confident, stylish, and charming.” Yep, that pretty well sums Gideon up!
E. Eager to learn, Efficient in his work and wardrobe, and very Energetic when it comes to getting history right!
O. Outgoing! Y’all, he is a man of fewer words than most and wouldn’t mind a little cabin far from civilization, but he is truly one of the most outgoing gentlemen around.
N. No-Nonsensical and extremely neat in his work. It is true!

Happy Birthday Gideon!!!!??? I am soooooo thankful to have you as my little-big brother and daily Super blessed by you! May the days ahead be many and filled to overflowing as you continue to diligently seek + serve the Lord. ??‍♀️ Y’all, don’t wait, LEAVE GIDEON A BIRTHDAY MESSAGE BELOW!!! ↓ And he is looking for Synonyms for amazing so leave your suggestions while you’re at it!! ??

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
Ephesians 6:10-11

“The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”
Psalm 121:8

Tis’ the day of Thanksgiving and the turkey has been roasted and pies baked. Sweet little lady’s crafted their Indian Feather headbands and we’ve all enjoyed good food and fabulous time together. As I count my blessings, I’m thankful to the Lord for you all today!  Wishing you all a very happy and joyous Thanksgiving as you give thank to the Lord! ♥

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”
Col 3:15

 

^” Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!  For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.”
Psalm 107:15-16

Yep, it’s the Eve of Thanksgiving Eve and I have some thanksgivings to share! ??? I am thankful for a cold  wet Sunday walks with two energetic sisters, hay bale jumping, and a whole lot of exploring. For afternoon crafting parties that include extremely creative turkey making and banner hanging. Our house is now filled with Thanksgiving festivity!!??  And for those little things we so easily take for granted. For water to drink,  for every beat of the heart[they say it the average heart beats somewhere around 100,000 times a day], for every breath breathed, for ability to wake up each morning and give the Lord thanks!! For these I am tremendously thankful today! How often do we take these huge blessings for granted and forget to thank the Lord for them? These overlooked blessings/benefits are daily poured upon us by the Lord! “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.” [Ps 68:19]How amazing is that?! I am thankful that the Lord God is the Giver of life. Both physical and spiritual [Job 12:10 »John 1:4]! I am thankful that He is sovereign [I love how Job 42:2 says, “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from Thee.” ]and Trustworthy[Ps 9:10] and True!!?? And these are my random daily thanksgivings on the Eve of Thanksgiving Eve! I would love to hear what YOU are thankful for today. Leave a comment below! Happy Tuesday y’all! ??

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
1 Thes 5:18

“Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”
Psalm 107:8

Fresh air, warm sweaters, strong coffee, sunshine,  full weeks… these are just a few of my thanksgivings! “In EVERYTHING give thanks”. ? Yes, a full week has left me from blogging but I’m still counting my blessings. And here we are less than a week away from Thanksgiving!! Tonight as I sit here after a big week, I’m thankful for God’s mercies which are new every morning(Lam 3:22-23), His faithfulness that reaches to the heavens(Psalm 36:5), and His grace which is sufficient(2 Cor 12:9)!! ☺️❤️ What are you thankful for? Today we enjoyed our annual girl’s Thanksgiving grocery shopping trip! A few photos of the fun we had. It was BUSY but it feels great to have it done!? Have you done your Thanksgiving day grocery shopping yet? Happy weekend and keep on counting your blessings! ?

“Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.”
PSALM 36:5

“I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.”
Psalm 89:1

Saturdays, sisters, and our Shepherd… 3 things I am giving thanks for today! Saturdays here are a day to catch up on house cleaning and all my sisters pitch in to get the job done! I am so thankful for the sisters the Lord has given me! I have 6 to be exact ? and each one is a blessing. ?  I am thankful for mopped floors and cleaned out drawers and completed chores that have gotten done this Saturday. And yes, I am thankful for our Shepherd! The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.[Ps 23:1] ? How is that for an amazing promise?! I can testify to it’s truth!! I am reminded of John 10:11,27-28 tonight where the Lord Jesus Christ says, “ I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.… My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.”  We are told in 1 Peter 2:25, “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.“ Jesus Christ is the GOOD Shepherd of our souls! He leads His people in the path of righteousness for His name sake. ??? Today I am thankful for Saturdays, sisters, and our Good Shepherd!! What are you thanking the Lord for today?

“So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will GIVE THEE THANKS FOREVER: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.”
Psalm 79:13

“Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”
Psalm 100:3-5

Yes, the evening is quickly slipping away but before I find my way to my pillow I wanted to push publish on this post. ? Y’all, I don’t know about you but today I am extremely thankful for The Word of God! His “Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”[Ps 119:105]! ??? God’s Word gives understanding[Ps 119:130],  enlightens the eye[Ps 19:8],  brings joy to the heart[Jer 15:16], convicts, exhorts, and encourages[2 Tim 3:16]. The Word of God is “quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” [Heb 4:12]! As I read Matthew 4:4 I am reminded that The Word of God brings nourishment to our souls “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”  I love how it says in Jeremiah 15:16 “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Are you finding joy in His Word today? Open the pages and soak it up. Make His Word your meditation day and night and you will be that well watered tree spoken of in Psalm 1, “his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Today, on my favorite day of the entire week[y’all, there’s just something so fabulous about Thursdays!] I am thankful for the Word of God!?? Don’t forget, we are counting down thanksgivings together for the month of November. Let me know what you are thankful for today in the comment section  ↓↓ and join me for some thanks-giving-blog-posting fun!  ?

“My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.”
Psalm 119:48

Homemade hot rice bags and an “instant” coffee.  Yes, today I am super thankful for sweet and simple acts of kindness! Ruth heard me mention something about wanting hot stones for my back[y’all, it can get kinked up after a day’s work typing?] and she went to work. The end product? A sweet and super thoughtful act of kindness that really encouraged me way beyond words! ?  Today I am thankful for sweet acts of kindness. Some would call them “simple” but in my opinion, they are pretty powerful! To those who continually show me extreme kindness, I am thankful for you. As I receive kindness from others I am reminded of the lovingkindness of God toward us, ““How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.”[Ps 36:7] God in His unfathomable kindness offers salvation to all who call upon His name[Rom 10:13 »Acts 3:19»John 11:25-27 ]. May we each seek to bless and encourage others with little bits of kindness throughout the day! ?? WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR TODAY? ↓ Comment below and let me know!! ↓

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:4-7

Y’all, we are just about 17 days away from Thanksgiving [if my calculations are correct!]  and the time has come to begin my Blessin’ Countin’ – Thanks Givin’ – blog postin’. ;) It’s the month of Thanksgivng and a month to be thankful for! Giving thanks to the Lord should be a daily continual outpouring of the heart for us all whether it’s the golden month of November or the middle of July. I am reminded of Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the LORD at all times: »HIS PRAISE« shall continually be in my mouth.”  and in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 we are shown the will of God, “In EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”  So, will y’all join me in thanksgiving to the Lord? ?✨ I will be posting random daily thanksgiving for the month of November and I would love for you to join along in the comment section below. Share a Big or small thanksgiving or two or twenty!  The more the merrier!!  ?? Today I grabbed my camera and put on my walking shoes! Autumn walks are a favorite for me. Well, walks in general are a favorite but when it’s an autumn walk filled with the splendor of the season, it’s pretty amazing!  Rich shades of gold, green, and gorgeous blues could be spotted in the trees as they danced in the wind. Cardinals and blue birds perched on the fence singing their sweet songs and fallen leaves lightly crunched under foot! The verses that came to mind  in an instant as I enjoyed my morning autumn walk where Psalm 8:3-4, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” Isn’t it pretty amazing that the Lord God, Creator of the universe,  the One who created such autumn splendor is mindful of us? ? And He loves us so much that “He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.“[John 3:16]. Today I am thankful for Autumn Walks, a God who is mindful of us, and the splendor His creation reveals. What are YOU thankful for today? ♥

“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”
Psalm 107:8

“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.”
Psalm 34:3

“Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.  The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.  His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.”
Psalm 111:1-3

Here we are at the final day of October! What a fabulous fall we have had to date.?? Days have been filled to the brim with lots of work, for some here a lot of school, birthday celebrations [as you can tell from the photos], and for all lots of fun smooshed in between! From early September[errr late August ;)] to the end of October from 100 degree days to frigid[y’all, I am a Texan??] 40 degree weather, the Lord has shown His mercies! From meeting work deadlines to traveling safety and even sustained life on the farm-front, each day has been filled with blessings + benefits aaaaand today I get to blog all about it. ?? Y’all, it’s time for a really random post! How about my Autumn in photos? And tomorrow marks the 1st of November!! Hoping to blog my Thanksgivings leading up to Thanksgiving day here soon so stay tuned.✨? In every month or day or season of life, there is always so much to be thankful for! Hope you are counting your blessings and enjoying your FINAL DAY OF OCTOBER!! ???

“He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.”
Psalm 111:4

Rebekah’s birthday was filled withe excitement!!  With her new camera, she’s officially the house photographer and doing a great job capturing life. ↑??

↑One of our biggest product photoshoots to date happened early September and we are so thankful to the Lord that He allowed it all to come together! ↑???

↑And there is the “inbetween” life! ? House cleaning and bread baking and grocery shopping and card stacking. ???

Emmi’s Birthday was a complete blast! She’s such a little ball of energy!! ? As you can tell, our family makes up quite a sizable birthday party. ↑?

 

For Birthdays here the Birthday person gets to choose an activity[within reason? ] and we have fun doing it together if possible! Ruth chose iceskating. Everyone enjoyed themselves!!?

We all enjoyed celebrating Ruth’s 17th birthday!! It was such a fabulous day. ↑♥

↑↑ East Texas weather has been quite beautiful! One Rain shower moving our direction completely took my breath away with it’s beauty!! How is this for “the heavens declare the glory of God”[Psalm 19:1!!]

↑ As for a farm life update, all is well[Praise the Lord!] We are finally getting the hang of sheep. We’ve even enjoyed Lamb burger and Lamb steak from our first round of Lamb processing over the summer! ??

↑ Mom’s birthday was the final celebration of October! She took the girls out to coffee and we all enjoyed a family dinner at Pizza hut then a Pumpkin cheesecake made by Micah!! ✨? ?

↑ Grandpa C. and Nathanael have been putting in some long hard hours of work to complete a new work station in the Barn! It’s been so fun to watch the progress. ??

Trying out a local diner for the first time! It was a fun breakfast with family. It the french toast gets ????!↑

 

“He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.”
Psalm 111:9-10

Today is a very very special day and one I am pretty excited to celebrate! ??? Today we get to celebrate the years of life the Lord has blessed our mother with. That’s right, TODAY IS MY MOM’S BIRTHDAY!! ??  My mother is truly one of a kind!! She has lived her life serving her family and dedicating herself to where the Lord has called her. For that I am truly grateful! Home-school teacher and advisor, fabulous ice skater, house keeper, laundry doer, pie baker[y’all, there is an apple pie made by her hands baking right now and it smells beyond delicious!], party planner[if you can’t tell, we have a lot to plan?], and all-things-organizer are just a few hats my mom wears. She is always ready to lend a helping hand or listening ear or make a conservation when one needs to be made! She’s truly lovely inside and out and today we get to celebrate the wonderful life God has gifted to her! ?? Without further ado MOM:

M. Meticulous, Motivational, and Motivated!
O. Optimistic, organized, and outgoing
M. best Mother ever! ??

Happiest of birthdays[to date!] to you, MOM! I am so thankful for your faithful service to the Lord and our family.  May this next year be filled to overflowing with rich blessings from the Lord! ??

“With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him My salvation.”
Psalm 91:16

 

“The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
 The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26