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GOOD MORNING~

I think life should be celebrated each and every day. I love my life and I love living.  God created us to be joyful.  He is constantly working in our lives ~ wanting us to do what he created us to do~ Praise Him.

After just coming through a valley longer and darker than any I have ever traveled~ I can say that God wants us to trust Him in everything~ even in death, sickness and broken dreams. My theme for 2012 has been letting go~ trusting God. Trusting is obeying God by what my actions are not by what I say. Then obeying God no matter how I feel. Trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus then to trust and obey.

Understanding that God is Lord over all ~ trusting and obeying will bring joy once again. I am thankful that when life's circumstances bring us sorrow~ He can turn our sorrow into joy.

We need to be women of joy~ that truly is life at its best.



 We had just a little dusting of snow~ so unreal for us here in Missouri. The temps have been more like March around here. Yesterday we were at 65 degrees. Loving it.
Here is one of our "little kittens who lost her mittens" sharing Sadie's water. Maybe we should give her a name~ I think she is going to stay. She has befriended the chickens.
 Drywall is up and the mudding has begun. This will be the family room. It is already looking so nice. We have started to pick out colors and flooring. My Brian has been working hard~ I am blessed.

Today is the first day of Spring Classes for the St. Joseph Homeschool Group. I am excited to be teaching art.  I have 50 art students. It's going to be a  fun ~joyful day.



Have a wonderful day~

Week # 4 Bible Study~1 Peter 2:11-25


What a question? Peter knows that those under the sound of his voice would struggle with this as we do today. In a world that shouts~ stand up for your rights and if you are wronged get even~ how do we live different? The television screams sew if you maybe you can. But Peter gives us a different approach so unlike that of this world's system.  Jesus did not stand up for His rights nor did he get even with those that mistreated Him. 


Peter also urges us to abstain from fleshly lust. To be in this world but not of this world. To let our good works shine for the glory of God~ not to draw favor with God but to let others see a difference in our lives. To obey the laws of man and to live within the boundaries of our authority. 


Peter explains that we are not of this world but are strangers ~ pilgrims just passing through. Our salvation by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ provides us a home in Heaven for all eternity. We have freedom in Christ but Peter warns not to use this freedom unjustly~to do maliciously. 


¹⁶As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.


  We are to give honor to all men~ love our brethren~ honor our authority. Peter goes on the explain that servants are to be subject to their masters. Ouch~ I don't like that very well and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Yet~ Christ used it as an example. He came to this world as a servant. He suffered and was treated unjustly and unfair~he endured grief and suffered wrongly. 


He came as the Lamb of God to be slaughtered. Do you know when a lamb goes to the slaughter it never never makes a sound? That is so very convicting to me. He chose to represent himself as a lamb.


Christ came to take our sins upon Him as they nailed Him to that tree. He suffered and died for my sin and yours.  So that in Him we were made righteous. But it says here that we may live unto righteousness~ being dead to sins. We don't have to live according to this world's rules. We were lost sheep until Christ saved us and now we have a Shepherd.  We are to be different~ we are to follow our Shepherd's example.


 Living Stone Story~
 Taken from 1 Peter Bible Study Leader's Guide Finding Encouragement In Troubling Times


A mother was arrested because she protested the arrest of her bishop. Her five year old daughter, Siao-Mei, was put in her cell with her. When her daughter wept, other prisoners rebuked the mother and the prison director encouraged the mother to renounce Christ so she and her child could go free. In despair, the mother agreed. She was forced to stand on a stage and shout before 10,000 people, "I am no longer a Christian." 


On their way home, her daughter, said, "Mummy, today Jesus is not happy with you." The mother explained, "You wept in prison. I had to say this out of my love for you." The daughter replied, "I promise that if we go to prison again for Jesus I will not weep."  The mother proclaimed her faith in Christ again, both were imprisoned, but this time Siao-Mei did not weep. 


Eyewitness account by Amelio Crotti,
a fellow prisoner in China (1990)


Wow~ what a testimony of such a small child. I want to be as brave as Siao~Mei. This world did not accept my Saviour. They hated Him because He preached a different message. He lived a different life. I love my Jesus and I want to follow in His steps until one day I meet Him face to face. The truth is the only way to live as light in a dark world is by being filled with the Spirit each and every day ~ until we step over into Glory.

I am seeing...  the sun coming up through the fog. It is going to be a warm day here at Farming On Faith. I am enjoying the majesty of the sun.  SO thankful for a spring day in the middle of winter.


The chickens will be at their height in glory~ they will get to sunbathe for sure today.



I am hearing...  Be still my soul ~ HE IS!

I am smelling... cinnamon bread.

I tasted... that cinnamon bread and a yummy grapefruit. I lost a pound and a half this week. Steady and slow wins the race. I am so determined! I know I can~ I know I can!


 
I am feeling... the need for God's help! We got some really terrible news last night from someone very special to us. Just left a really bad taste in my mouth for today. Please pray an unspoken prayer for her.  Sin ~ kills and destroys. But there is hope in Christ.  




Once again I turn and lay it at the feet of Jesus and rest in Him. 




I pray you have a prosperous day~ 

I seem to have brides on my mind lately~ I don't know why. This was such a fun book. I read it last weekend and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning Sunday night until I found out just how it was going to end.

Shay Bradenberger is raising her daughter in Moose Creek, Montana on the ranch where she grew up. She does not have enough energy, time or money to keep things running and she is quickly going under.  Bad luck just seems to follow her.The bank is getting ready to take her ranch. She is praying for a miracle.

It has many twist and turns and I could not figure out just what was going to happen next. She ends up at the Founder's Day wedding reenactment playing the bride to none other than her high school sweetheart who left her high and dry at the alter on their wedding.

You just have to read it to see what happens next. This book had me from the first line. I give this book a 5 star rating. It just seems to put a smile on your face.

This book was provided to me by Band B Media in exchange for my honest review.




 An interview with Denise Hunter ~ the author of The Accidental Bride.

Author Denise Hunter explores the flaw in seeking favor with others Do the opinions of those around us really matter? Should we live our lives based on what others might think? In her latest release,The Accidental Bride (Thomas Nelson), award-winning author Denise Hunter explores these questions as she deftly leads her readers to discover the One whose favor should always be sought.  Skillfully creating a love story that beautifully reflects God’s grace, Hunter uses the pages of The Accidental Bride to bring to light preoccupation with caring what others think. Using complex characters, an enticing backdrop and an almost palpable range of emotion and conflict, Hunter draws her readers to a new awareness of how much more simple life becomes when we aim to please God instead of man. The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter Thomas Nelson/January 3, 2012 ISBN 978-1-59554-802-3 304 pages/trade paper/$15.99 www.ThomasNelson.com www.DeniseHunterbooks.com

In the interview below, Denise Hunter shares more about her latest release. Q: In The Accidental Bride, your main character, Shay is continually concerned with what others might think. Worrying about the opinions of others is a common malady in today’s society. What made you decide to write about it? As you say, it’s so common to be worried about what others think of us. I love that quote by Eleanor Roosevelt, “You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.” So true! Shay needed to realize that it’s God’s opinion that really matters. When we focus on pleasing people, we tend to make poor decisions. Q: This isn’t your first novel based on the cowboy lifestyle. What drew you to this particular lifestyle as the backdrop for your writing? I’m drawn to the rugged appeal of the cowboy lifestyle. Even though I live in a city, I’m a country girl at heart, and I especially love the mountains; that’s why I was drawn to Montana for this series. There’s something simple and beautiful about living off the land that I think appeals to readers right now. Things are tough for so many people—and though the cowboy lifestyle is a hard one—it’s also very organic, a back to our roots kind of thing. Q: The premise of The Accidental Bride is both interesting and unique. What inspired your decision to involve your hero and heroine in an “accidental” marriage? I was watching a TV movie in which the actors were getting married, and I wondered, “What if the actor playing the preacher was an ordained minister? Would the couple be legally married?” Turns out, it’s not quite that simple to become accidentally married. There’s the matter of a marriage license that the pastor has to sign and mail to the proper government agency. So the good news is, it’s not likely to happen to you or anyone you know. But it sure was fun instigating such an event in a novel! Q: Before she could forgive him, Travis had to rebuild Shay’s trust. Is this a necessary step, or do you believe we should forgive even those who may never be trustworthy again? Trust and forgiveness are two different things. Forgiveness is something God commands us to do—regardless of circumstances like whether or not the offender is apologetic or has changed, etc. Trust is different; it’s earned. And unfortunately, it takes a long time to build trust and only one bad decision to wreck it. We forgive the offender, but if he or she doesn’t change, we aren’t required to trust the person again. It’s the offender’s responsibility—if he or she wants to be trusted again—to earn back that trust. Q: As an award-winning romance novelist you are, no-doubt, a role model for many would-be writers. What advice would you give to those who dream of one day being published? What’s an absolute must for a great romance? First of all, I recommend aspiring writers to study and practice. Writing is a craft to be honed, and no matter how much natural talent you have, it takes both of those things to become a good writer. Also, write the book you want to read. If you want to read that kind of book, there will be others who want to read it too. Study the market, not so that you can jump on every trend, but so that you know how your story fits into the market. Join a writers group so you can meet other writers—iron sharpens iron. Once you have a marketable manuscript, go to conferences. The American Christian Writers Conference is the best out there in my opinion (www.acfw.com). At conferences, you will learn from some of the best in the industry and get a chance to pitch your work to agents and editors. E-publishing is becoming huge, but don’t put a sub-par manuscript out there where it will only flounder. Hone the craft, write the best story you can, and learn to re-write. Then hire an editor. Every published author has one for a reason! Getting published can be a long, uphill climb, but persistence pays off.

In this week's study in 1 Peter we see that no matter what others may tell us or what we may have believed we are living stones in Christ that are connected to The Living Stone. That is really amazing. Just as I wrote about in my devotion this morning we all come with some baggage.

I have been a stay at home mom~ homeschooling my children for 21 years. At times I felt unimportant.  I mean cleaning toilets, doing dishes and covering our kitchen table with school books seemed unimportant many days. It sure did not bring home a pay check. Yet~ I knew this was my ministry that God had called me to do. This ministry is coming to an end very quickly and I can honestly say I would not have missed it for the world. Bittersweet!  I am now convinced that God will have a new ministry and a new calling for my life. I am excited to see what he has in store for the next chapter.


In Christ ~ I am a daughter of the King. It says I am a royal priest, a chosen one, part of a holy nation, and a living stone in God's wonderful spiritual house.

Peter addresses this letter to all the New Testament ~ so that includes little ol' me.
We have direct access to God. I am chosen~ set apart and created for His purpose. Now that is something to celebrate.

Through this study I am reminded that my past no longer has power over me. And neither does yours.  In Christ I can overcome.

Every family has both beauty ~ and unfortunately baggage. Think about what blessings or curses  your lineage passed down to you. What family troubles have you seen?

Last night at our monthly Ladies' Meeting~ my old Pastor's wife spoke. (She was my Pastor's wife for 38 years~what a blessing.) She spoke on Woman Power~ the first lady~ Eve. Eve did not know by taking things into her own hands~ influencing her husband~ that she would see her first born son murdered. She lost both her sons ~one to death~ the other had to flee for his life~never to return. We never see where she laid her eyes on him again. What a broken heart the first mother must have had. She lost so much and so have we.  Even the first family had baggage.

My own family has been the same. I was a child of a messy divorce. I am a child of an alcoholic and addict. Yet I am the beneficiary ~ of a family whom met Jesus ~ and He has performed miracles of restoration. Beyond what I can type upon this page.
On my mother's side~in their brokenness~ they saw the need to place their trust in Jesus. Upon my father's side many struggled with addiction~ some placed their trust in Jesus but all faced an early grave. Needless to say I love them all dearly. They were/are human but they are my family.

We spend the first part of our lives struggling to deal with our negative heritage~ and now in the second half of life~ I see we spend the rest of our life trying to undo the things we enacted as a response to who we are and where we came from.

When we choose to live in a state of regret and unforgiveness for those who have done these things to us but that is not living the "abundant" life. I wish I could take back some of the things I spouted off to my parents and my parents-in-law. In my arrogance of thinking I had it all figured out I crushed them so many times with my prideful words.  "I would do this game of life much better."  Each time I am reminded of a foolish statement ~ I apologize again. God forgive me!

Unfinished business at the end of our lives will be passed along to those that follow behind us. That is history repeating itself~ as my grandma so wisely stated a million and one times.

In the Old Testament~ we read that families could be "cursed" generation after generation for doing evil and lacking favor with God. May we never forget that God is the same yesterday~today~ and forever. Yet~ it took only one person to break a family curse and start living anew with God's blessing. On- the- other hand it only took one to come along and lose favor with God to influence others for evil. I see the heartache and horror that the demon in the bottle can bring to a family~ therefore ~ I choose not to take a drink. Who is to say that we can trust all that follow behind to be able to stop at one drink? Why gamble on such a foolish thing?~ I don't want to be a reason for any to stumble over me.

In 2 Kings 23:37~ we read of a man who "did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father had done." Alternately ~ we also see a man who" did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father, not turning to the right or the left" ( 2 Kings 2:22) The result were not the same~ I challenge you to study it.

I am thankful that according to Scriptures ~ when we receive Christ as our Saviour ~ we are born into a new family~ God's family. It is clear that we are captives to our linage here~ but we can be "agents of change."  I say that very humbly~ only with Christ working through us can true change unfold.

My father died last Autumn. There were no unspoken words between us. My father had received Christ as his Saviour but could never overcome his addiction. This will forever break my heart. Because of the nightmare I seen played out before my eyes as a child I ran to Jesus and He picked me up and set my feet on a solid rock. My dad said to me every time we had a serious talk, "Carrie Sue~ you have it figured out. You are going the right way." I would explain that I had nothing figured out just that if I walked as close to Jesus as I could ~He would walk with me as close as He could.  I decided early that I would follow Jesus.

Where I came from ~ I can't change and to be honest with you ~ I don't want to. I love my parents and know they did the very best they could. I would not trade them for anything~ nor would I change who I am and where I came from. God does not make mistakes! Praise God for grace~ we all are going to need much grace before they place us in that wooden box.

But where I am going is up to me. I can choose to focus on the problems from my past or the consequences of those that have come before me ~ but I choose to set my own path straight~ to do more than that. I choose to understand and forgive the sins of  my "fathers."  I have made peace with them and that brings the greatest peace of all.  One day I pray that my children will do the same for me too! You see we try our very best to do the best we can with what we have to do.

I can choose to seek God in all that I do and ask HIs blessings upon my life ~ on my children's lives~ and all that will come after me.

Lord~
Life is but a vapor and soon it will be over~ help me to understand the people who came before me~ and who I am today as a result.  I choose to let go of the things which hold me back~ and search for the beauty in my family inheritance.  Thank you for my parents and all they have taught me. Thank you for making me~ me. Please use me to be a blessing in the lives of my family tree.
In Jesus' Name~ Amen