Farm Sounds

We have been out at the farm a lot lately, painting like fools. We haven't had a chance to really stop and enjoy it much yet. Last night though on my way out I stopped. The frogs were croaking in the pond, the crickets were chirping: farm sounds. I took the recording below. If you live in the city and haven't been in open spaces lately, have a listen and enjoy. The audio is kind of soft, so you'll have to turn up your volume.

What is God doing?

Sometimes life hurts.  Sometimes we question what God is doing in the midst of this hurt.  I just listened to this excerpt from a sermon from when our pastor had cancer.  I love the truths here presented.

[8] For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. [9] Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.
(2 Corinthians 1:8-9 ESV)

Hymn of the Week--Barocha

Every night when I put Molly to bed I pray a benediction over her.  This is the same prayer that our pastor prays almost every Sunday.  It's the same prayer that Moses prayed over the nation of Israel thousands of years ago and that Jewish people have been praying since.  I love the longitudinal connections.

I heard Michael Card's version of this and loved it.  We sang it at the end of dinner for a couple of weeks.

Hymn of the Week

Barocha

Music by Michael Card

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make his face shine upon you
and give you peace
and give you peace
and give you peace forever

the Lord be gracious to you
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace
and give you peace
and give you peace forever

the Lord bless you and keep you
the Lord make his face shine upon you
and give you peace
and give you peace
and give you peace forever

and give you peace
and give you peace
and give you peace forever

Ankle Update 2

My first day out of my boot at work.  I am so thankful to God for how he has healed my ankle.  This was a terrible time to have an injury like this.  I needed to be able to help around the house and pitch in.  In  God's perfect time he has worked it all out.  Last weekend when all of the work on the Sandra house needed to be done, the doctor told me I was able to ditch the crutches.  This weekend when work will slowly begin on the farm, God has allowed me to have both of my feet back.

I just heard this song on my Slacker station--Much of You.  In my thankfulness, I want to make much of my heavenly father and thank him for the many gifts that he has recently given me.  Healing my ankle seems like a small thing to me.  It isn't though.  He made my body to heal in just the right way, at just the right time.  He protected me from a much worse injury.  Thank you Father for this, my new home, my family, the daily bread that you give me, and most of all for the redemption that I find in your son.

Give the song a listen.  It's a good one.

RIP Nate Dogg!

To all you black and red Blazer lovers and leather Bulls hats wearers and stripes in your hair flaunters:  Regulators, mount up!



Say what up to 2Pac for me!

The Farm

Last year on my birthday Amanda and I were driving together out in the country near our house.  We drove past a beautiful farmhouse that was newly for sale.  We went home and looked it up online.  We were just dreaming.  A month or so later they made a huge price drop.  Another month, another price drop.  We told Shube.  We started the process.

We have been talking about the possibility of buying a place with Amanda's mom or for years.  We've even been close to getting a place before.  The time and the place were not ever right, until now.  This week, we closed on our new farm.  The house is an old one, built in 1914.  There's plenty of work to keep three boys and a grown man busy for years to come.  There will be plenty of work for our girls as well.  The work is exciting though.  The work is one of the main reasons we hoped for a place like this.  Work is a tool to train children in character.  My parents employed this tool all through my growing up.  We have employed this tool already and look forward to its furthering.

We also look forward to the joy that will be shared in a new space.  We hope to welcome many of you in the coming months.  We are thankful to God for leading us in his providence to this point.  We have felt his guidance indisputably through what has been a long and at times somewhat stressful process.

Ankle Update

I had an MRI on Friday.  The doctor called yesterday to tell me that the tears I had in the ligaments were minor and therefor I would not need surgery.  I have put the big boot back on and have begun to put some weight on it.  There's still quite a bit of pain, but it seems like I am at least moving in the right direction.  Thanks to all of you who have been praying for us.  I am thankful to God for this news.