This is the season that several years ago, changed our lives forever. To be more precise, it was hindsight during the aftermath of this season that spurred our changing. In the midst of looking back over that recent ‘celebration’ of Christmas, we were led to go back to square one and determine the exact nature […]

Thanksgiving is upon us, and we love to get together with our extended family and feast, feast, feast. It is a great time for us to get together without the tension that can be a part of celebrations with relatives that are not believers. Somehow, the thankfulness that wells up in hearts on this day […]

We are in the midst of the biblical Feast of Tabernacles, and have been sharing with friends some photos of our celebrations! We wanted to share with you as well, and invite you to share stories of your celebrations on your blog or in the comments below. If you post about this, please add pictures […]

The feast days of YHWH often leave me with profound lessons about the Messiah and insight into His plans for us. This year, however, my lessons from Yom Teruah (Rosh Hashana) were of a more practical nature.
My currently having nine sick children and one very sick husband compel me to offer this advice. On the […]

We recently have acquired an Indoor Village in the kitchen, courtesy of Mr. Visionary’s installing new cabinets. When I was unable to locate several of the older children this afternoon, I found them cozied up inside working on assignments.

So, is this “school”? Umm…an emphatic, “No”. (At least it isn’t like anything I ever saw in […]

It really is freeing. Getting rid of all our superfluous stuff makes the days run smoother and creates a peace in me that is addictive. After a season of thorough decluttering, I want to always live like this! Without the follow-up step to decluttering ~ that of keeping the stuff out ~ I […]

It is bittersweet at the end of the sabbath each week. We are so grateful for a day to rest physically and spiritually, to enjoy sweet fellowship with Father, and to love on each other, that we never want it to end. And yet…there is still a work to do, and we desire to […]

As we were re-assessing the boys’ belongings in their room this morning I heard The Engineer say this as he was picking up approximately 2000 colored pencils that had been dumped on the floor:
“Hey Mom, I want to do what your friend in the covered wagons was doing. I want to say, ‘Is this a […]

He said to do it. He even blessed it. Back before the Fall and before the Law, He told us to do it. His doing it Himself convinced me that it was something I should be doing. Yet I struggle with observing the Sabbath.  There is a battle storming between my flesh and spirit…
 
Rationally I […]

Tevye once said in Fiddler On The Roof, “And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: tradition!” I know little (Ok, none) about fiddling on the roof, especially eight months pregnant, but I’ll agree that tradition can be a good thing.
Our children started conniving about planning this […]

When Mr. Visionary and I retired last night, we found this notecard on our pillows. I wonder if it has anything to do with our 16th Anniversary on Friday?

 
 
Tradition is that the children prepare “all by themselves” a fancy dinner and dessert for Mr. Visionary and The Mommy and serve us in our room. There […]

Dear Dad,
 
I want to tell you this Father’s Day about some of your qualities.
 
You are patient: thank you for teaching me how to drive the little tractor.
 
And you are peaceful: Like when the cops said they could take Mom away.
 
And you are kind: You are so kind in helping us build the tree house. […]

Father’s Day, 2006
Dear Father,
 
Greetings in Jesus’ dear name. I like how the other day you told me how I was getting big and tall. I felt proud.
 
I reallly like how you take me out to breakfast, lunch and dinner, and spoil me with junk food.
 
I really like how you talk to me and chat. I […]

Dear Dad,

I like it how we shoot the BB gun together and work on the tree house together, because I like spending time with you.

I like it when you take me out to run errands with you. You are a good tree-climbing teacher.

Thank you for teaching me how to play football […]

Dear Dad,

Happy Father’s Day!

I like it that I get to go milking with you. I like climbing on the stall doors in the barn and watching you milk Millie.

I love our wrestling fights especially when we use pillows. You make Family Night so much fun.

I like to ride bikes together. […]

Dear Dad,
 
I like you because you are so nice and you love me. You wrestle and have pillow fights with us, and you are lots of fun.
 
Some other stuff I love about you is that you ride me on the tractor, and you carry me when I am tired. I like wearing my working boots […]

I used Mommy’s Yipstick to put kisses all over your picture.