Hot, Holy and Humorous

I'm not even going to give excuses or reasons for why I haven't been here in ages, except to say that my Focus was NOT on blogging.  And that's okay.  It might be months before I write again, and that's okay, too.

This past week I discovered a pretty awesome blog, Hot, Holy and Humorous.  I don't remember how exactly I found it, or which post I started with, but eventually I just started at the most recent post and worked my way backwards to the beginning.  Perhaps I should have done it in chronological order, but I didn't, and I don't think it really matters.  I laughed a lot, and did a lot of thinking, too.

J (who is staying anonymous, and I don't blame her) is "a Christian, a wife, a mom, a writer, and a work in progress. I write biblically and bluntly, as if you are all my close girlfriends, about how sex in a Christian marriage can be HOT, HOLY & HUMOROUS!"  I have to say that she does a fabulous job, too.  Thanks, J!

I am pretty happy with the relationship I have with My Man, so I wasn't out looking for advice.  But there's always room for improvement, right?  So even though things are pretty hot already, IMO, doesn't mean they can't get even hotter.  Am I right, or am I right?  Don't worry, I'm not going to delve into any specifics about my relationship and what occurs; I'm pretty sure I'm not called to be that open in public. ;)  But I wanted to share what I found with all 3 of my followers, whoever you may be (and I'm pretty sure My Man is one of them...), in case anything J shares can benefit your marriage.

So anyway, that's been one of my focuses the past few days.

And So I Begin Again

Life has been crazy.  Fun, wonderful, frustrating, sad, joyful...everything life usually is, I guess.  I just haven't been focused on blogging.  But I think I'm ready to begin again.  I hope. 

So what has happened since I last posted?  The best thing is My Man finally joined me and we have been enjoying being a family again!  We're a full-time family, and we love it this way.  What does that mean?  Nobody goes off for hours at a time, day after day, using up their life energy working for someone else.  We work, yes, but at "home" (wherever that may be), together whenever possible.  And NO, I am not sick of being with him night and day :)


The Man Cub is now a toddler, getting into all sorts of mischief, like every mud puddle he can find.  He took his first steps barefooted in the barn.  He is nearly weaned, but I'm not going to force it.  Mornings are his crawl-into-bed-and-take-over-Mommy's-body time.  Of course, Daddy would prefer that to be HIS time to do the same... ;)  ANYWAY, back to the boy.  He isn't talking much yet, in OUR language, but knows several signs and has just the past couple of weeks been attempting to say some words.  He got his first haircut (by ME, naturally) on the New Year, and of course I saved a fuzzy blond curl.  The Man has been so good about setting up a routine for bedtime, and so the Man Cub is usually in bed by 8pm, which is great!  Although, he seems to have a built-in alarm clock for midnight.  And sometimes 2:30 and 4:30 as well, but he's getting better about going back to sleep.  But once he's up after 5, it's into bed for snuggles and milk. 

I have finally been able to use my sewing machine!  Whoohoo!  I haven't made anything for ME yet, too busy making gifts for others, but I'll get around to it eventually.  I also started crocheting again.  I haven't done that in YEARS.  Now I'm temped to buy pretty, soft yarn in all my favorite colors.

We stayed at the farm through the harvest, and then moved on, intending to head somewhere much warmer, thus avoiding "winter".  Well, we weren't too successful at that!  But we are in a good place for the winter, trying to learn new things while working here.  It's cold most days, and there has been snow, but we also get a lot of sunshine, which is a huge blessing!  I grew up where it's pretty much grey cloudy skies from November to May.  I don't know where we'll go after this, but we're not in a hurry; we want to enjoy this.  It is wonderful to be able to see different parts of the country. 

Hope to make it back here soon!

The Desires of My Heart

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  ~ Psalm 37:4 

Today, as I was out in the garden weeding in preparation for planting, it hit me, "I'm exactly where I wanted to be.  God gave me the desires of my heart!"  I cried a little bit when I realized how good God has been to us in this way.

About five years ago my husband and I were seriously talking about selling our house (prices were up then) and buying some farmland for cash somewhere in the Midwest.  "What a wonderful way for our children to grow up!"  we thought.  We dreamed of having a little (or big) farmhouse, a huge garden that would provide for our produce needs throughout the year, an orchard where we would pick fruit, and acres of grassy fields to feed the animals we wanted to own: cows and goats for milking and eating, chickens for eggs and eating, pigs for eating, etc.  Of course we didn't have any real experience with any of that, other than very small-scale.

Life has a way of not turning out how you expect, that's for sure.  What seems like such a simple choice can have unforeseen and far-reaching consequences.  Not only OUR choices, but the choices of others.  We never had the opportunity to sell our house, and so we have no way to afford that dream farm, even though prices are really low now. 

But, as I said at the beginning, I was in the garden weeding.  Me.  In a garden.  Preparing to plant what will provide food for us in the coming months. As I worked, the sounds of the farm life were all around me.  Turkeys, roosters, guinea all competing to see who could be loudest.  Cows in the distance mooing for whatever reason cows moo.  Sheep and goats baa-ing, pigs snuffling.  All of them free to roam and eat the food that God created them to eat. 

And you know the best part of it?  My son was playing in the dirt beside me.  The child that God gave to me is exactly where he should be at this time in his life.

And then I cried because my husband isn't with us.  He is missing out on his son's life, watching him learn and grow, teaching him about man things.  He is missing out on the good, honest work that comes from living on a farm, and is instead stuck in a city full of strangers, trying to extricate himself from all that has entangled him.  He is missing out on eating real food that will help make him healthy and strong.  But I continue to have faith that he will one day be with us again, hopefully never to part. Because my husband is the desire of my heart.

I've heard it said that God works in mysterious ways, and I'm pretty sure that's true, because He sure doesn't tell me what He's up to, or how He's doing it!  None of this surrounding me today is mine.  I don't own any of it, except the few things I brought with me.  None of the responsibility is mine.  I don't have to worry about the prices that the cows will bring, or of the grains that are being planted in the fields, or if the roof gets a leak.  But yet I'm here, reaping the benefits of such a place.  Yes, I'm working for it, but if I were honest (and I do try to be!) I don't do nearly enough.  But I'm learning something new everyday.  I didn't have to start a farm from scratch and learn how to do everything on my own, the hard way; I'm getting to jump into a fully-functioning farm and learn from experts!

Almost none of my life today is what I thought we would have just a few years ago, but I know that God is taking care of us, and is blessing us.  And as I realized today, He does care about those dreams, and can fulfill them in ways we never imagined.

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.  ~ Romans 8:24-25 

Psalm 34

A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.

The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.

The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

Long Time No Write

A month.  It has been One Whole Month since I was last here.  So much for my good intentions to post frequently!  I think I lost my focus...  Well, actually, I've sort of been on vacation, and life just isn't normal on vacation.  Not that my life is normal by most standards.  Sometimes I wish for more "normalcy", but that just doesn't seem to be the path that my life is taking.

So what have I been doing these past 30 days?  Well, I've been eating anything and everything, and it's time to stop.  I haven't been taking walks regularly like I should, so it's time to start.  I've done a bit of hand sewing, which was fun, and I intend to do some more.

My man-cub is the sweetest thing ever and drives me crazy sometimes.  Love him so much!  He wants to walk, no run, but isn't quite ready yet.  He can really zoom around in his walker, and he's a speed-crawler.  He follows me around everywhere, and he panics if I leave the room and he can't see me.  In fact, earlier today I ran upstairs to do something super-quickly, and when I turned around he was nearly halfway up the stairs!   Of course, he can leave the room anytime he wants, but not me! 

My man didn't come on this trip with me, and of course I'm missing him more than words can say.  We talk every day, but it's just not the same as really being there.  Reunions are a wonderful thing, though, no matter how long the separation.  Even if it's only a matter of hours.  And I'm looking forward to wonderful!

I've been mulling over a post since before Easter, but haven't given it serious thought lately.  I need to take some time to focus on that so I can get it put down here.