Update of Dave...

Well, after much concern and worry we still have no idea what is plaguing my dear husband. I can tell you that the boils and blisters have now "melted" into red blotches and patches. He is not in any kind of pain and they don't itch...strange but true. The Dr. still has absolutely no idea what this was and his best guess is that at first he did have blood poising and then he had a sever allergic reaction to the first set of antibiotics that he was on...weird!

"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, your rod and staff shall comfort me" - you've all heard this verse...we have also - but it means so much more now!

As I was pondering the events of the last week this verse came to me and it struck me that we had walked through the shadow of death valley...but that the Lord put his "rods and staffs" around us to comfort us...can you guess what I think those rods and staffs were? YOU, all of you who prayed and encouraged and held us up when we felt like that we had been forgotten, all of you who held fast to the promises of the Lord, all of you who prayed with out ceasing...YOU were the rod and the staff that comforted us as we walked through that dark and dreary shadow of death...thank you for being the rod and staff for us - thank you a million times!

May the Lord continue to use each and every one of us as rods and staffs for there are many walking in the shadows of death and need comfort!

Hugs and until next time - God Bless!

For anyone who has been reading our blog you can see that we are going through some trying times. It was a really strange experience to feel like I was leaving my wife and family, for we feared that MRSE had not responded to the medicine I was given to fight it. Even stranger, I was under the impression that I was only days away of having that great mystery in my life answered. God why have we not seen your power in our lives? Were did we miss up that we never became the people I see promised and talked about in the New Testament. Where were the people with power from on high? Where was the greater things that we can do than Jesus because He went to the Father? Where was the say to this mountain go into the sea and into the sea it goes?

For me my struggle with this skin issue is more than simply asking God to heal me. As much as I would like God to supernaturally heal me, I want His Holy Spirit. I prayed the morning I was to go to the hospital most earnestly. I prayed for healing but I also sought God for His Holy Spirit as I have so many times.

I find it odd that the thing we can fake as from the Holy Spirit. In plenty we find those things in church. We can fake speaking in tongues. We can fake words of knowledge and prophecy. In some churches we have these things in abundance. I am not saying they are fake, but in sharp contrast we do not have in abundance or at all those things we can not fake from the Holy Spirit. Where is the power from on high? We can’t fake a life long cripple being healed or the autistic child being restored to his right mind. How many demons has the average church cast out? How many of us can ask the Father anything as Jesus says and the Father will do it for us? Let alone skipping stones in the ocean with the mountains.

My prayer to God has been that I feel like Cain. For even Cain knew what the consequences of killing his brother was. It wasn’t that someone might kill him. Cain said his punishment was too much because he would be cast out of the presence of the Lord. In my life I do not have the presence of the Lord as I read is available for New Testament believers. So my prayer is that the Lord would not cast me out of His presence. I believe that God has had His Holy Spirit on me, but I don’t see the evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit in me.

Many may be taken back by my comment and say that I should have more faith. But I am still left with a life that doesn’t match up to that which was promised to the believer. I can no longer sweep this under the rug.

My prayers are constantly asking God if He is no longer able to trust anyone with His Holy Spirit, for I only see those things we can fake and not those things we can not in peoples lives including my own.

My prayers are constantly asking God if it is possible for a man of today to walk with God as Enoch. Can a man be such a man for God to call him a friend as God did for Abraham? What about Samuel, David, Daniel, Jeremiah, Elijah, Ezekiel, Paul, Peter, John or how about Stephen a man filled with the Holy Spirit and who did miracles? Can a man in our time be a man who can be above average like those men? Scripture mentions and almost makes it a given of believers.

My prayer has been for many years not to see an angel or have a visitation from the Lord. Nor do I want to die and go to heaven for 30 minutes and come back all fired up because I saw heaven. I want to be what scripture says I can be because I believed God’s Word and put my faith in God’s promises. I want to be the man I read about in Scripture that seams to be missing in our churches today. But at last I know I am only suffering from grandiosity. I actually think that God could make me that kind of man someday and use me in a great way for His Church.

Joy Comes In The Morning...or Late Evening...

You'll remember the heartbreak we had a few days before Christmas as we lost our first calf.

Since then it seems as though we have been tested, like Job.

This last week we have been in constant fear of Dave's life....what started out as a simple infection in his finger spread like wild fire - he is now covered in boils and blisters all over his harm, back, neck other arm and his torso and they don't seem to be ceasing...the antibiotics are not stopping it! We were very fearful that he was dying of MRSA.

Our local Dr. could not figure out what was wrong with him - said it was strange and unusual but he would treat him for MRSA.

Friday night we decided that we should go to the ER as the sores were aggressive and growing fast - my heart was torn in two - I was not prepared to say good bye to the love of my life....and the thought of raising my children without their daddy was more than I could imagine...

Joy filled our hearts after THREE ER doctors came to look at him and said..." we just don't know what this is....you have us puzzled as it looks like MRSA but its not acting like MRSA...it's acting like so many things wrapped into one...BUT WE ARE SENDING YOU HOME AS WE ALL AGREE THAT YOUR LIFE IS NOT IN DANGER...keep taking the meds and get to a dermatologist asap"... The main doctor kept apologizing for not knowing what was going on - she will never know what relief and joy we felt as we heard the words "not life threatening"...thank you Lord...beginning of our joy and hope restored...and a nice end to my birthday - knowing that he will be around next year as I will be "20"...shhhhh I mean "40"....

We are home and still struggling with why...friends have put it into focus for me - I've been reminded of and have memorized James 5:15-16 and have recited "God has not Left you" over and over and have been reminded that there is war in heaven and sometimes the messenger can not get through to Gods people like for Daniel.

It makes me realize that we need to be steadfast - in season and out of season - the Lord was serious about this! It reminded me that life is short and we need to be of purpose and prayer...so many actually die without hearing the true gospel...so many don't believe that Satan is crouching around every corner looking to see whom he can devour, shake of course, and steal the joy that was once there...people of God "Hold Fast" and preach the Word of the Lord.

Please continue to pray for my husbands healing...I miss his hugs and so do the children - we still have no idea if it's contagious so we are being careful...

Okay now comes the part we are praising the Lord for....because joy really does come in the morning - we are filled with it this morning as we think about our newest member "Dutchess". She was born last night and is the cutest thing you ever saw...full of life and happiness!

Labor was difficult for Rosie...Dave had to help pull the calf out - but both mom and baby are fine and we even milked Rosie for the first time this morning...phew Dave got a workout there...Ropes are a marvelous invention! You see a cow produces 10 more milk than a calf will ever drink...can you imagine that? Poor Rosie was very very very full...and not very happy to being pulled away from her calf. But once she realized the rope was her "friend" and that it lead to snacks, she held still long enough for the milk machine to do its job...

Meet Dutchess...and praise the Lord for his goodness to us...No that is not Rosie the mom...that happens to be Ruthie who is very very very protective of this new calf...she actually lead us to the birthing "room" in a thicket of trees...she would not leave Rosie's side and stood over Dave watching, nudging, mooing...it was sweet! We call her "Auntie Ruthie" now.

skooooooooo

Well, this is a delightful day for sure. I've relaxed so much and am not so stressed about "perfection", so much so that I can really enjoy this precious moment in time...time that will be gone all too soon...

Little Man loves and often asks to please "do skooooooo"...A dear friend of mine encouraged me to visit this wonderful web-site and try these age appropriate, downloadable, FREE, "tot-school" lapbooks.
If you google "tot-school" - you'll find http://www.totschoolbycarisa.com/ - This blog has really interesting insights on schooling tots and some great lapbooking ideas as well as lapbooks ready to print!
Enjoy...

Rain Drops Keep Falling....

Rain - you'd think that my children, being used to Northwest weather would not be so excited about the rain that is falling...but alas they are!

Probably not because it's raining but because of how much it is raining and it is leaving huge puddles to wade in...they are having a "splash" of a time...and it's better than watching a movie on a rainy day...

Thanks for stopping by...enjoy the rain - it won't last right?

Burgermeister Meisterburger lives!!!! by Oliver

Remember this guy? He is the guy who makes a stupid law and outlaws toys. He is the Burgermeister Meisterburger from the Christmas special "Santa Clause is coming to Town". I remember watching this show as a little kid and recognizing a dumb law when I saw it. I knew it was a dumb law to out law toys.

Well in the show the Burgermeisters pass away and people move on. But in reality our Burgermeistes are just now making themselves known.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 is a US law signed on August 14, 2008 by President George W. Bush. The legislative bill was known as HR 4040, sponsored by Congressman Bobby Rush.[1] The law—public law 110-314—increases the budget of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), imposes new testing and documentation requirements, and sets new acceptable levels of several substances. It imposes new requirements on manufacturers of apparel, shoes, personal care products, accessories and jewelry, home furnishings, bedding, toys, electronics and video games, books, school supplies, educational materials and science kits. The Act also increases fines and specifies jail time for some violations.

Under this new law it will be a felon to sell any children's new or used clothing or toys without a certificate they are lead free! That is right. Second hand stores are saying this will put them out of business. Small companies who make children's clothes are saying they can't afford the $50,000 to have their products certified. Retailers are already calling 2009 the year of bankruptcies. Now lets just make it more difficult with a stupid law.

Take a nice look at our new Bergermeister Meisterberger. It will be more difficult for struggling Americans to clothe their children and give them toys. Especially the less expensive second hand items. Another fine example of Democrat taking care of us little people. Will Bobby remember to go after garage sales next? Stay tuned.

Here is a link with some comments and the link from there for the original story. http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?t=317394

Garlic...Wonderful Garlic

Garlic has so many benefits - except one...the after odor. But we were treated today to a yummie dish that included lots of garlic.

We were delighted to discover that there is hope for America...there may not be many families who love the Lord and who are striving to raise Godly men and women...but when you meet one there is hope restored and joy filled!

We got more acquainted today with a family who are saying "no" to the worlds ideals and views and saying "yes" to scripture and raising "plants and pillars" fit for the Lord....It was refreshing to be sure!

Here's one of the side dishes she made us:

Small Whole Potatoes - put into a baking pan, sprinkle salt and drizzle with olive oil or butter(she used butter) - cook at 350 till potatoes are almost done, 45 minutes, then add whole garlic cloves and cook for another 20-30 minutes...my oh my this was delicious...the garlic with a bite of roasted potato was wonderful!

I liked this so much that I made it for our dinner meal...yum!

Thanks for stopping by...till next time! Be encouraged - read your Word!