Deer and fish

I was working in the office and looked out the window. This is what I saw next to one of our ponds:















On the pond closer to the house, there are lots of ripples from fish jumping. We had two ducks this morning and then two Canadian geese. The grass is green, the leaves are emerging on the trees and our beets, onions, and spinach are coming up in the garden. Love it, love it, love it.

I am going to the Iowa SCBWI conference on Saturday and Sunday. That is after I help my husband with some planting. He says I might be using a new piece of equipment, a Salford, to cultivate a field. Yikes! Guess I will just embrace change and enjoy a new experience.

I'm working on a scrapbook project that I want to get done soon and I have to print a copy of the nonfiction book I wrote. I'm taking the copy to the conference to work on.

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." Psalm 42:1

Bunk bed

My 3 y.o. loves dressing up just to play.

My husband made a queen over queen bunk bed out of pine for one of our guestrooms. I helped varnish it. He put it on wheels so we can move it around if needed. It looks great!

It takes up a lot of the room --- but a lot less than when we had three mattresses spread out for my sister-in-law and her family!

We may be able to start planting corn this week. We have almost 30 calves already. However, none of the heifers (first year for calving) have had any calves yet. There are 20 heifers, I think. It will be hard on my husband if the heifers start calving while he is out in the field planting. He normally "helps" a heifer have it's calf - and also ensures it's not having problems with the delivery.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

"He Is"

I can't think of a better post during the Easter season than to describe who God is. There's a song by Aaron Jeoffrey (father/son duo) called "He Is" It's the best description I've found.

Here's a YouTube link to a dramatic version of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efi4c2UqMDg&feature=related

You can also find a link of Aaron Jeoffrey themselves singing it on YouTube.

Here are the lyrics:

He Is
In Genesis, He's the breath of life
In Exodus, the Passover Lamb
In Leviticus, He's our High Priest
Numbers, The fire by night
Deuteronomy, He's Moses' voice
In Joshua, He is salvation's choice
Judges, law giver
In Ruth, the kinsmen-redeemer
First and second Samuel, our trusted prophet
In Kings and Chronicles, He's sovereign

Ezra, true and faithful scribe
Nehemiah, He's the rebuilder of broken walls and lives
In Esther, He's Mordecai's courage
In Job, the timeless redeemer
In Psalms, He is our morning song

In Proverbs, wisdom's cry
Ecclesiastes, the time and season
In the Song of Solomon, He is the lover's dream

He is, He is, HE IS!

In Isaiah, He's Prince of Peace
Jeremiah, the weeping prophet
In Lamentations, the cry for Israel
Ezekiel, He's the call from sin
In Daniel, the stranger in the fire

In Hosea, He is forever faithful
In Joel, He's the Spirits power
In Amos, the arms that carry us
In Obadiah, He's the Lord our Savior
In Jonah, He's the great missionary

In Micah, the promise of peace
In Nahum, He is our strength and our shield
In Habakkuk and Zephaniah, He's pleading for revival
In Haggai, He restores a lost heritage
In Zechariah, our fountain

In Malachi, He is the son of righteousness rising with healing in His wings

He is, He is, HE IS!

In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, He is God, Man, Messiah
In the book of Acts, He is fire from heaven
In Romans, He's the grace of God
In Corinthians, the power of love
In Galatians, He is freedom from the curse of sin

Ephesians, our glorious treasure
Philippians, the servants heart
In Colossians, He's the Godhead Trinity
Thessalonians, our coming King
In Timothy, Titus, Philemon He's our mediator and our faithful Pastor

In Hebrews, the everlasting covenant
In James, the one who heals the sick.
In First and Second Peter, he is our Shepherd
In John and in Jude, He is the lover coming for His bride
In the Revelation, He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords

He is, He is, HE IS!

The prince of peace
The Son of man
The Lamb of God
The great I AM

He's the alpha and omega
Our God and our Savior
He is Jesus Christ the Lord
and when time is no more
He is, HE IS!

Calves

Calving season has been going hot and heavy. We had twin calves one day. There were two calves this morning. One day, we had four calves. (Well, the cows had the calves!)

None of the heifers (we consider a heifer a cow that either hasn't had a calf before or who's had only one.) They are in a separate field so husband can put them in a shed and help them get the calf out.

We've had nice green grass for a week or so. Then, this past weekend, we had crazy weather: snow, sleet, rain, ice pellets, etc. Sometimes all at once. It's all but gone now.

I saw four pheasants along the road when I drove 17 y.o. to Kansas City on Friday. Also saw, turkeys, deer, several cranes (the bird type), a muskrat, a yellow bird (oriole?), buzzards, etc. I love spring!

Easter is less than two weeks away! Jesus was the sacrificial lamb who takes away sins once and for ALL (who ask Him to be the Lord and Savior of their lives). Through Him, we have an advocate with the Father.

I listened to several good sermons and talk shows on the way to and from Kansas City. One woman talked of the Bible verse, "if you have the faith of a mustard seed...", and that she had prayed but her 4 y.o. daughter still died of cancer. The host of the show pointed out that the "faith preachers" say that the Bible mandates God do what we pray for. However, (as the host pointed out) - they don't take into consideration Jesus' own experience/words. In the garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus knew in just a short time he would be crucified, he cried out to God, "if it be Your will let this cup pass from me." But, and this is an important exception, Jesus said, "But not my will, by thine be done." In other words, yes, we are to ask and pray for what is in our hearts. However, God's will may be for that person to be in heaven with Him or in other circumstances, for your prayer to be answered differently than you've asked.

Make sure your faith is in God and not in your own faith.

Spring

This past week, husband and I were out separating the cows and heifers to different pastures. We saw lots of robins - they must have been migrating. We also saw the first calf of the year - it was a few days early. Spring has sprung.

My work in progress goes quickly one day (research wise) and at a stand-still other days. It's frustrating when I can't find the information I'm looking for - especially when I have the exact newspaper article title, author and date!

Family and farm are doing fine - just busy with spring and homeschooling. Hence, the less than normal blogging.

The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness faithfulness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22 from memory - so it might not be word for word.)

Research, research, research

I have been doing a lot of research for the non-fiction children's biography I'm writing. It's a lot of fun, but sometimes I can get pulled on a wild goose chase and end up wasting my time. I've found several really good sources in the last couple of days and they are sending me information that will help.

I've written an outline, introduction and the first three chapters - about 7 chapters to go. This is just the yucky first draft - it will most likely change quite a bit when it's finished.

Husband is making a new computer desk. He's almost done with the construction part of it. He is awesome!

James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Writing scholarship

I applied for two different writing scholarships. I found out last week that I was chosen for one of them so far. It is in Estes Park, CO in May. I am really excited to have gotten it.

I submitted a non-fiction article to a children's magazine. Now, I am working on the research to make the same subject into a picture book/biography. I was blessed to be sent a self-published book by the great-nephew of the man I'm writing about. Once I read the book, I researched a different way and found out even more information. I pretty much have an rough outline of what I want to write and I hope to get it done in the next week or so. I am submitting it for a possible year-long mentorship program for a non-fiction children's book. I admire the woman who will be the "mentor". She has done a lot of non-fiction work and is great with research.

Proverbs 16:3-9 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. The LORD works out everything for his own ends— even the wicked for a day of disaster. The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil. When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him. Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice. In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.