Living your Best Redneck Life

In some ways, our vacation grew up a bit this year.  Grandma and Grandpa brought the Ranger up to the cabin.  We may have had a little bit of fun.  

We thought you'd enjoy the views.  

Blossom1 and Blossom2 are fabulous drivers!

Absorbed

We're back from vacation and have jumped right back into everyday life.  It was so lovely to rest easy and take a break from the things that weigh on our minds and bodies day in and day out.  

I spent time curled up on the couch, or on the porch, or by the creek, being quiet and letting God speak to me.  It is easier at the cabin, I will say that.  But, He is always faithful to give me the words that I need to go into a day and grip His grace closely.  

"Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions."  

1 Corinthians 7:30, NLT

The word "absorbed" is what really stuck out to me.  

Lord, 

I don't want to be absorbed by the things and occurrences of this world.  

The only way for this to be accomplished in my life is to be ABSORBED in Jesus.  When I'm totally absorbed, the other stuff falls by the wayside.  

I don't deny that bad things and good things happen and that I have material possessions.  In fact, I have many very practical ties to this everyday world.  

My heart cries out for all of those things to be in their proper place, never usurping that hallowed position where my Lord belongs.  Everything else that falls under Him is filtered through the lens of loving Him and serving Him.

May I be totally absorbed in Jesus.

Mornings are Magical

 Gorgeous summer mornings will be giving way to chilly autumn mornings.

I can feel the change in the air.  I don't know if I'm ready for it, but we'll embrace it.  That breeds the most contentment in me anyway.

I'm looking forward to more walks again.  For the past week or so, all our walking was back and forth between Fair events and the stall and the Fair office and such.  I bet I walked 5-8 miles every day. It was such a fabulous-exhausting-satisfying-incredible week though, chock full of fantastic opportunities to grow and to love people.

I'm so thankful!

Binney will be happy to be back to experiencing magical mornings again though..

Moments of Peace

Mamas, we are so busy.

So, so, SO busy.  

Let us embrace the moments of peace amidst the lives we lead.  

During Fair week, the moments of peace hit me at the weirdest times.  

I've said before that my happy place during Fair week is, ironically, at the Gaga pit.  At the end of the day, I collapse on the bench and breathe.  

God speaks to me when I stop.  

It doesn't have to be in my favorite chair at home or on my porch swing.  I saw neither of these all last week.

Sometimes it was walking down from the horse stall we called headquarters all week.  

Sometimes it was at my favorite bench behind the small animal barn.  

It struck me that God speaks when I stop the noise and I listen.  

Those moments of clarity sustain us, mamas.  

They're worth far more anything else that energizes.  

"Man shall not live by bread alone... but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."

 

That Tie Dye Tradition

Do you ever feel the pressure to keep ALLLL the traditions alive?  

Every Wednesday at the Fair is milkshake day.  You buy a milkshake, you get a free t-shirt.

Then, at the end of the week, you tie-dye.  At least, that's what we do.

I tend to want to go big on every single thing.  I wanted to make tie-dye a huge thing for allllllll the kids in the barn.  

I didn't.  Not yet... not this year.... but some day....

Instead, I added one tie-dye kit to the grocery pickup and when the poultry show was over, we told whoever was in the barn to go grab their t-shirts and we tie-dyed.  (I didn't get a pic of everyone's shirts though, just those in our family unit.) 

And you know what?  The Blossoms were thrilled, because they tie-dyed their t-shirts, just like we always do.  

That makes my heart happy.