God's Faithfulness!

There is nothing more thrilling than following the Holy Spirit’s prompting . . . .
. . . And being an overcomer, by God’s grace and strength!

Psalm 44:3-6 “For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword,
Nor did their own arm save them.
But it was Your right hand
Your arm,
And the light of Your countenance
Because You favored them.

You are my King,
O God,
Command victories for Jacob
Through You we will push down our enemies;
Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us.
For I will not trust in my bow,
Nor shall my sword save me
But You have saved us from our enemies!

Yes, “I can do all things through Christ who give me strength!”

Let’s just say that I often feel like Moses in that I have troubles in communicating with eloquence. I tend to be blunt and abrupt. But God ( and my husband – hey, they come in handy for a lot of things!) ) has been teaching me in this area.

But today I testify of God’s faithfulness . . . As He said to Moses,

Exodus 4:11a “Who hath made man’s mouth?
Or, who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing or the blind?
Have not I, the Lord?
Now therefore,
Go,
And I will be with your mouth
And teach you what you shall say.”

So today still rang true. Yesterday, today and forever, God is the same. God is faithful!!!

Harvest Time

"If I simply gave you things, how would you appreciate them . . ."

I love harvesting from the garden . . . I like to spend time out there in the cool of the day, in the hot afternoon. There's a certain satisfaction of pulling those weeds! . . . picking tomatoes, cuting dill heads, pulling beets, watching my pumpkins turn orange, etc.

I think I inherited this from my mom.

Yeah, this is a wonderful time . . . Thank-You, God, for a bountiful crop!

The Savior's Words

If you never felt pain,

How would you know that

I'm a Healer?

If you never went through bondage,

How would you know that I'm a Deliverer?

If you never had a trial,

How could you call yourself an overcomer?

If you never felt sadness,

How would you know that I am a Comforter?

If you never made a mistake,

How would you know that I am forgiving?

If you never were in trouble,

How would you know that I will come to your rescue?

If you never had any problems,

How would you know that I can solve them?

If you never had any suffering,

how would you know what I went through?

If you never went through fire,

How would you become pure?

If I simply gave you things,

How would you appreciate them?

If I never corrected you,

How would you know that I love you?

If you had all power,

How would you lean on Me?

If your life was perfect,

What would you need Me for?

Today

Today I think, “There is a time for everything.” Really? Homeschool with all my little ones underfoot?” I guess we’ll see. But here is a sample of how things went today.

After breakfast the boys clear the table and load up the dishwasher while I hang out laundry. Loraine and Wayne come out to help. I put finish putting shoes on these two. I go in and check up on the progress of the table getting clean. Not good. So I remind them of their responsibility. Go back out to hang up wash. Wayne drops things over the deck. I send Loraine down to fetch them. Next we haul Wayne inside for a diaper change. Then back out.

I want to have the house somewhat “picked up” before we sit down. So everyone helps pick up things, some cheerful, some not so cheerfull. So we have a “board meeting” about this.

Bible memory and Bible story commence while the 1 and 2 year olds are supposed to stay on their blanket. Then I send those blanket sitters outside with Jeremiah while I do math flashcards with Japheth. Japheth being mathed out goes for a break also.

Cries then are heard from the cradle, time to feed Jaden and change his pamper and put on a clean set of clothes. Then he’s good for awhile in the jumper.

Today I needed to do up a small batch of tomatoes, so I opted for tomato juice. The boys love to help crack. So I told Japheth after some reading he could help me with that. While he read two pages I worked on learning how to make oval rugs. Then it needed more concentration than I was able to give while helping Japheth Jr. along with his review words. So off to the kitchen we headed. Japheth did half, then I called Jeremiah in for his turn. He would be put out if I finished it myself!

Reading again commenced this time on the kitchen counter where I could kinda see his book as I washed up the breakfast pans and then the rest of the tomato strainer things. Jeremiah unloaded the dishwasher after the tomatoes were all fed through.

Loraine came in and I rewarded her with a bubble gum for staying dry, and sent one with her for Wayne. Jeremiah then got one for cheerfully staying at his kitchen duties! Japheth complained because he didn’t get any . . . . and the reason he didn’t was because he complained about the amount of pages he had to read this morning.

Finally words all done and everyone is outside playing in the sandbox and enjoying the beautiful weather while Jaden gets his dinner. I thought I should be giving him lessons on keeping his hands out of his mouth while I’m trying to put in reddish brown goo (sweet potatoes with a bit of baby cereal and some applesauce mixed in), but I let it pass .

Time for Jeremiah's addition.

Gathering up the three youngest in the stroller, I head down the lane for the mailbox

Lunch time of leftovers . . And what do you know, someone isn’t very fond of something on his plate but requests a duplicate of yesterdays competition. Whoever cleans up the soup first gets a sticker. And wouln’t you know the same person lost . . . again . . . and the tears flowed just as freely . . . again.

Whups . . . Loraine's wet. I put a pamper on her in preparation for naptime . . . but a few minutes later I find her messing with her pamper that's loaded! She's been taking them off and trying to wipe herself and then putting her underwear on.

Whew! Jaden made it without sleeping over lunch time and Wayne made it without a late morning nap! . . . Something to praise the Lord about. Just maybe today I can have nap! (But I’ve learned to not count my chicks till they’ve hatched)

And so the day goes on . . .

Thankfulness - Part III

This morning I was listening to a cd and these words stuck out,
“Give it all, give it all to Jesus and He will turn your sorrow into joy. He never said we’d only see sunshine, He never said there’d be no rain. He only promised a heart full of singing, about the very things that once brought pain. So give them all to Jesus and He will turn your sorrow into joy!”

. . . and another song, “Hidden valleys will make the heart strong . . .hidden valleys turn shepherds to Kings”

So how does God go about bring a heart change? . . . How does it happen that our hearts soften and we let God mold it into what He desires?

I just know that we can’t get away from . . . He doesn’t give up on us! Praise the Lord!

“Whither shall I do from Thy Spirit?
Or whither shall I flee from Thy prescence?
If I ascend up into heaven Thou art there,
If I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there.
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:7-10


He “compasseth” our paths and keeps bringing us back to what He desires to do in us until we yield or harden ourselves . . .

“Thou copasseth my path and my lying down,
and art aquainted with all my ways . . .
Thou hast set me behind and before
And laid thy hand upon me . . . “ Psalm 139:3-6

God is so good to relentlessly love and chasten us until
“My stubborn will at last had yielded, I would be thine and thine alone . . .”

And so today I praise Him for pursing me in love, for this particular pruning in my life, for chastening me as a daughter . . .

Hebrews 12:7 “If ye endure chasting, God dealeth with you as with sons;
for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?


God is good, He has put gladness in my heart . . . and my heart doth dwell in safety!

. . for “Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, for Thou, Lord, makest me dwell in safety.” Psalm 3:7-8"

Thankfulness - Part II

II Corinthians 4:1-7 “ . . .We do not lose heart, but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God . . . For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.”

In continuing on with my story . . .

The intenseness of my struggle you may never know . . . . but my flesh was battling hard as could be (Satan was trying to devour my soul). My love for Japheth, my fiancé, was tested . . . what would he do if I refused to hear his concerns. No, I just couldn’t think that far. . .
Yet would I humble myself and come back under the authority I had left? For days I cried and wept . . . my life hung in the balance. What would be my choice?

Romans 8:8- “For they that are in the flesh do mind the things of the flesh . . . So they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,
He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you . . .
For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die;
but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons (daughters) of God.”

Finally the time came . . . when I yielded. God’s still small voice mattered to me more than anything (Then why did I struggle so long?) . . . and the voice of Japheth was something to consider was it not? . . . and my Dad’s . . . and my Father-in-law-to-be.

(I know I’ve posted this recently, but here this is again now in its own context.)

The Testing

The testing, the fire burns hot at my feet.
Will I go under? Will I be beat?
By the evil that's out to suck in my soul,
BUT NO! THERE'S A GOD WHO IS IN CONTROL!
I have but to ask, His power is there.
He's wanting and longing to release it by prayer.
I've asked Him –
He's faithful and true!
He knows what's best and always will do . . .
Even though the pruning and chastening brings pain.
For each loss and heartache is exchanged by rich gain.
There's joy that follows sorrow -
God is there for each tomorrow.
I asked for courage to face the test,
Not run . . . or hide from what really is best.
But turn toward the battle and fight,
For the Lord in His strength and His might.
I asked for His blood, to rid my soul of its sin and its strife.
The sin that stains my heart and my life,
Can be washed and renewed -
Though scars bring remorse . . . it reminds me again,
Of what He's forgiven and cleansed from within.
He's promised to bless and repay -
The years the locasts have eaten away.
Who else can give all that I wonder?
My God is a God of strength and thunder!
I'm glad to place my life in His hands, . . . .
And rejoice when thorns almost break my song . . .
I rest in His care - I ask nothing more
Than His cleansing power and grace to restore.
He's given me all my hearts desire.
He's given it though through testing and fire.
It's worth all the pain, the heart-wrenching cries.
My soul is united to Him in the skies.
I'm going Home to Heaven above.
I can't wait to experience all of His love.
The look in His eyes, the loving smile on His face,
The warmth of His forgiveness and mercy and grace.
He's acquainted with sorrow and tears and grief;
He knows how to still my heart and bring relief.
My Savior, My Lord, and My King
HE IS WORTH EVERYTHING!
And to Him I come, just as I am -
Sinful and wicked, worn as a lamb.
Unable to save from the dreadful fall.
But He's sought me and bought me, He gave His all!
I'm listening for that great trumpeter call.
For the day the Father will give the word,
Then to all that call will be heard.
Some will go upward and others will perish
But not those who love Jesus and cherish -
All that He's done and all He can do,
I thank Him, My LORD, My Father too.
But I can't . . . express it enough . . .
To tell you the love that overflows my heart
With the joy of knowing we won't be apart.
The Bride and the Groom united will be . . .
AND LIVE IN HEAVEN ETERNALLY!
MY GOD REIGNS SUPREME!
- Written by Aimee Loraine Beery in August 2000 exactly six years ago

So . . . I talked with Dad . . . and he affirmed my decision to rejoin our church ( I had withdrawn my membership and currently wasn’t accountable anywhere.)

Hebrews 10:24-25” And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Hebrews 3:12 “ Beware brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
But exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

Then the time came when I stood before the McGaheysville congregation . . . and verbally expressed that I would like to be taken back in. I’m not sure what all I said but I do recall saying somewhere in there (I wanted to be honest.) that I know this is the right thing to do, God is asking this of me, but my heart is having a hard time following after.

(I guess this is the end of chapter two . . . I was going to finish it all but my husband said it ended too abruptly and I can’t seem to find the words to “fix” that problem . . . this still isn’t the end of the story.)

Thankfulness for God Working in my Heart!

How does God work in a heart? How does He bring about change in my innermost being? I only know He’s at work in the very core of my soul.

For years I’ve been praying for God to turn a certain pile of ashes in my life into something beautiful . . . But I think deep down I’ve avoided the happening of that very thing . . . because in order for God to do this work I have to “bring it to the light”

“This is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
“For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But He that doeth truth, cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they were wrought in God.” John 3:18-20


I guess I am very ashamed of this particular ash pile. I’ve just wanted to cover those ashes and hide them, not expose them. Maybe also because I didn’t fully realize or know how deeply they contradicted God’s character . . .

. . . But I have gathered strength once again from my dear husband’s example. Every time he shares the story or stories of how God made something lovely come out of some shameful past, I cry . . . some for the wonderful working of God in his life and some for my own life and this pile of ashes that is still there.

I long to see the redeeming work of God there . . .yet what holds me back?

And so today I take a step forward toward that goal . . . I have something to share with you . . .

How do you know when you are deceived? How do you know when you’ve sinned? Well, there is the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart, there is God’s Word that speaks to us, and there is the family of God here on this earth to help us stay on the narrow way. Sometimes our wrongdoing comes to us though God’s Spirit and sometimes it’s through reading the word that “quickens” us and sometimes it’s a brother or sister that jolts us with the reality in which we are living.

And, so it was my-husband-to-be that jolted me out of my deceived state . . and I sensed the Spirit and God’s word saying “It is true . . . Repent ye” Did God know before hand how hard this would be for me? Of course, he did! I often wonder if that is why God led our courtship the way He did . . . As (if) He knew what it would take to get me to repent of my ways.

I fell short of the grace of God and some roots of bitterness sprung up and I became critical of my parents and my church.

My heart was beginning to wax hard and unsubmissive to my authorities . . .I knew what was better . . . I would go my own way . . . and yet I thought I was following the Lord with all my heart, I thought I was closer to Him than ever before . . .

Hebrews 12:15 “Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God
lest any root of bitterness springing up cause you trouble,
and by this many become defiled.
Lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau,
who for one morsel of food sold his birthright
For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing,
was rejected, for he found no place for repentance,
though he sought it diligently with tears . . .
For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched . . .
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumberable company of angels,
to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven,
to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant,
and the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Hebrews 13:17 “ Obey those who rule over you and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”

Ephesians 6:1-3 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well with you . . . “

I “wanted to inherit the blessing” but even though “I sought it diligently with tears” there was none . . . . until I brought myself to repent. (To be continued, I think)

Our Baby

Hello from Jaden!
































with Auntie Juanita

Our "Thai" Boy

Wayne - our 1 year old

Our Girlie

Loraine Rose - 2 years old

















Papa picked this one.

Kindergarten Class

Jeremiah Frank - almost four years old . . .

He's been so anxious for his birthday. Earlier I told him that he has to wait till the leaves turn brown, well he went out and found one. "Now it is my birthday?" I had to inform him of the sad news that almost all the other leaves were still green and he had awile to wait yet.

Anway it's getting closer - September 4th

My First Grader

Our son is enrolled in Lakewood Christian Academy. (This is the name we choose for our homeschool)

I now have a first grader! . . . He's growing up!

Actually I've been teaching him how to read for awhile here and there. We are into words with two vowels now, and just starting math facts.

It's fun watching them learn and comprehend.

I'm Not Sorry

It is a sad time . . . grieving over your sin.  I watched out the window as my three oldest trudged down the path single file to Grandma’s house tears streaking their dirt smeared faces. Their mission to say “I’m sorry” lay before them (I caught them out in the garden picking Grandma’s tomatoes without permission.  They had asked permission to go hoe and use the garden rake.  Somewhere they strayed and  . . . the result was not a happy one.)

But I will not be sorry I’ve trained my children after God’s standard of living.

My Violet Project

I know it's a bit warm to be crocheting but . . . Actually I've been working on this while I listen to Japheth Jr.'s words. That way I get less frustrated at how long he takes. Sometimes he thinks he has to know what each word means and thinks up other ways the word is used or tell me stories that that word brought to mind, and I just want to get on with the next word. This is a patience helper.

I didn't take it to the tea. I didn't go. Instead I was cleaning and making rasberry pies and catching up from getting a batch of corn done up the day before. I did want to go but . . . I was being a"Keeper at Home" cause I felt my house and family needed it more than a ladies tea. Someday I will have more time to do things like that.

Someday I hope to have a little Violet.