Our Nephew Jed's Outdoor Wedding

Last Saturday was my nephew Jed's wedding to Rosalie Meadows. 

They had a John Deere themed outdoor wedding in West Virginia.

This cart behind the tractor, as I understand it, was built by Rosalie's grandfather just before the wedding on those terribly rainy days.

He also put together a huge motored icecream maker on the cart, which was the highlight of the rehearsal evening for the men and boys.

I'll probably post some rehearsal pics later, but let's get right to brass tax.

Here is Jed bringing his mother, Anita, down the aisle.

The miniature bride is flower girl all in one!

 Of course, I was also watching our son Sam, a groomsman, of whom we were so proud also that day. 

It's the first time any of our children have been involved in a wedding, except for one when Crystal was small.

Bride on her father's arm.

My brother Elon, Jed's dad, was officiating minister.

Giving the bride away. I loved how the groomsmen all had their hats over their heart, which I didn't notice at the moment till I saw the picture.

The bride picked two roses out of her bouquet, and bride and groom gave the roses, along with hugs, to their mothers. I thought that was so sweet.

My brother Gabriel offered the wedding prayer.

The bride and groom knelt on a varnished half of a log--West Virginia style!

Jed surprised us by sweeping his new wife off her feet and carrying her back the aisle!

Sam did a fine job of escorting his cousin Amaris, 

and cousin David is actually letting poor Pearl take his arm. (Those two tease each other unmercifully!)

The couple under the arch.
I loved the yellow flowers on her train.

Saying goodbye to bachelor days!

(Or is it hello to the sweet new bride?)

I hope to add more pictures later.

Flooded Basements and Mondays--and You Don't Have to Wait for Joy

Yes, it's one of those Mondays.
But you don't have to wait till everything is perfect for joy.
I just got in from hanging one load of laundry, and in a couple minutes the next load will be ready.
In between, I'm hunting for a library book that we received notice of, that it is 4 weeks overdue and $16 has been billed to my account for this lost book.

Amazingly, after sorting through four or five shelves of children's books, I found the book!
Then I discovered that jumper of my littlest daughter, that got splattered with candlewax when she blew out the candle a few days ago.
It's been hanging over the back of a chair in the livingroom.
I iron the wax out of it onto a paper towel, and then heat a pan of water to dip it into to displace the rest of the wax.
Amazingly, that works!
And amazingly, I don't have to do school today because last week we almost finished.
Last spelling test, last everything!
Thanks to  multitasking--ironing and giving spelling tests or listening to science or history lessons at the same time. 

 Every time I go down to the basement to collect more dirty laundry or take books back down,
there is the roar of the fan trying to dry out the carpet that got flooded when the sump pump pipe came apart and sprayed all over,
and there is the musty smell that won't be gone for days.
Then Timmy comes with the announcement that Rose forgot that the outdoor spigot was leaking into the garage and crawlspace.
Amazingly, he caught it before the water flooded into the rest of the basement!
 

I write one errand after another on a list of paper--things to accomplish and purchase before we head off for my nephew's wedding in West Virginia.

Like more chick feed and more hay for the critters.

But "no one in Christ ever has to wait for joy," wrote a contributor to DesiringGod. 

We may have to wade through difficult Mondays, or Fridays, or Sundays. 

We may have to wade through floods or fires or hay stacks or horse pens or snow drifts.

But we don't have to wait for joy.
Because He is our joy.

Never Dreamed My Son Would Be a Fireman

Our son Sam is growing up.

I never dreamed he'd be a fireman!

Before he was even born, Jonathan and I dedicated him to the Lord.

I dreamed of our firstborn son being a preacher.

Then we read in my preacher brother Hoshea's newsletters from North Dakota,

about his expanding ministry as he and his son both have become volunteer firemen, on top of his ministry in prison, nursing home, mechanics shop, and churches where he fills in. 

I said something to Sam about the possibility of this kind of volunteer work as a fireman like his uncle and cousin were doing--

little dreaming he would take me seriously!

The next thing I know, a few weeks later, Sam is talking to his father about the first meeting Sam attended the night before at the local fire station!

I was thrilled!

It was just so Sam!

He just isn't made out to be a preacher (though I really believe he could do it!)

but he is great with learning all kinds of skills and helping his father,

and he has just the right personality for a fireman,

someone who isn't afraid of challenge and excitement, and even danger,

yet who is calm and has a caring heart.

On our way home from helping friends pack to move a couple weeks ago, we visited the fire station, and the leiutenant showed us all around.

That was the first night Sam had to take a turn staying overnight at the fire station so we were with him when the lieutenant showed him the bunkhouse, which was part of the garage for the smaller emergency vehicles. Two or three firemen stay overnight every night so that they can get a head start in emergencies. Sam stays once a week now, and spends another evening a week in training as a "proby."

The lieutenant told us about his superior who once stood helplessly outside a house where three children burned to death.

And Sam has no end of stories now about such things as a woman in the area who calls in acting suicidal and then gets mad at the firemen when they come to help!!

Or of a horse falling into some windowwell and kicking through the glass and cutting itself,

and someone from the Humane Society telling the firemen they have to wait to rescue the horse till it could be tranquilized.

The head fireman told her to leave and she demanded, "Do you know who I am?"

"Yes," he said. "You are the woman who is about to leave!!!"

And he and the other fireman escorted her off so they could rescue the poor horse sooner rather than later.

 When the lieutenant was telling us about the safety measures they take,

I wondered why I hadn't thought to worry about poor Sam being in danger.

Maybe I worry about things that will never happen,

and don't worry about things that will!

There--I just came up with this new worry to worry about!

No, seriously, what Sam has chosen to do for the time being is just so the right thing to do,

and I am content.

He has given his heart and life to the Lord and so he is safe.

Lord, I gave my son to You.

I thought maybe he would be a preacher,

but if instead he is a volunteer fireman who will probably help more diabetic and heart attack and accident victims than preachers will, that is so okay with me.

Someday down the road, he may be there to rescue a suicide attempter, and tell them there is hope in Christ.

He may be there to help an injured person out of a car after an accident, and speak comforting words, or pray with them as they wait for an ambulance.

He may be there with someone's last breath, and be able to lead them in prayer.

He is in Your hands, Lord! My hands release him to you, though I hold him tightly in my mother heart.

The Suicidal Hen--"Weep, but Then Wash Your Face"

A couple days ago as we were about to back out the driveway, Jonathan looked in his mirror and saw tail feathers sticking out from under the van by the tire!

We jumped out to investigate and discovered a chicken sitting there.

Had we backed up as we were within a second or two of doing, we would have had chicken squashed pie! 

Someone teased that the hen was suicidal!

The children told us that this particular hen is at the bottom of the pecking order.

Every last rooster and other hens are continually pecking at her.

She has to find places of refuge under the vehicles or trailers or other spots.

She doesn't fight, just huddles. 

Just bears the constant pecking.

And hangs out with her one and only friend--the one-eyed rooster!

 When I asked how the rooster lost his eye, Jonathan figured it got in a fight with the other roosters sometime back.

So now, the one-eyed rooster and the lowly little hen hang out together in our yard where the fence protects them, or else find refuge under vehicles--or on our porch--or other strange places!
Sunday night, the hen perched on our porch swing and tried to get into our house via the window!

Poor little lowly, helpless hen!
It seemed almost human--helpless and rather stupid in its frailty, looking through the window and flapping up to it, seeing warmth and safety inside, just wanting a safe place to be.
 Sometimes we can get to feeling just like that--
suffering helplessly with others' control issues and pecking orders,
feeling like our only refuge is in strange and unusual places that we wouldn't normally frequent--
or just inside your loving home with your one-eyed rooster!
If you can relate, maybe these thoughts from

 DesiringGod by Vaneetha Risner, will minister:

 "We who are sometimes too guarded about our pain, because it seems more spiritual, need to shed tears..."

 

But then,, she wrote, "After I have wept and grieved, I wash my face. I don’t just dry my tears. I take a warm cloth and wipe the salty streaks from my cheeks. I let the soothing warmth move across my skin. Then I splash cool water on my face to refresh me, redirect my thoughts, and fix my eyes on the Lord. Only then can I move on.

"This is a deliberate act, a choice I make to refocus." (italics mine)

"When I refocus, I take my eyes off my problems, and shift them onto the Lord — and I choose to trust him. Trust him even when my situation looks black. Trust him that he is working for my good. Trust him that he knows what is best...

"Finally, I am called to embrace the life I have...  Embracing means gladly receiving and even welcoming whatever the Lord gives me, even when it wasn’t in my plans..."

"God is doing something beautiful."

 ******

from: http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/embrace-the-life-you-have?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Desiring%20God&utm_content=Daily%20Desiring%20God+CID_0a8fc8ac669cd5951b94f181bd2ee80a&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor&utm_term=Embrace%20the%20Life%20You%20Have

My Sister Kezia's Four Children Dedicated on Mother's Day

My beautiful youngest sister Kezia sent us family a few pictures of her Mother's Day.
Chris and Kezia's four children were all dedicated today.

Josiah is her youngest, 8 weeks old.

Elizabeth with Matthew and the baby.

Lydia now sitting beside big sister.
Don't you love those feet and toes???

And here below Jonathan took a picture of me and our six children.
He had bought me this lovely orchid corsage which I pinned onto my new jacket that I had found at the goodwill!
I also had a "new" skirt from the goodwill and a top I borrowed from one of my daughters to get it to match the skirt.
It's nice that all three of us are pretty close to the same size!
And can you believe that I have actually gained about 12 pounds in the last few months?
I've been taking probiotics which have improved my digestion, and I've been able to eat more than a bird's meal, for one thing.

Hannah was having a pouty time because Timmy had done something to her,
and Danny was grouchy about taking a picture.
So, here is a behind the scenes picture proving how imperfect we are--even on Mother's Day!

Me and my sweetheart on Mother's Day.
After all, I wouldn't be a mother without him!!!! :)

Yesterday while Jonathan and the four older children went four-wheeling with Justin and Melanie and Mariah Stanton,
the little ones and I went to the nearby park to fish at the lake.
Danny and Hannah rushed off as soon as we got there, and before I had even gotten out of the car, Danny came flying back so excited, because he caught a fish only 30 seconds after casting his line!
Here it is!

They had such a good time, and caught about 7 fish.

I took a couple projects to do while they fished, and we cleaned house together after we got back home.

Timmy is raising quail.
He hatched several from eggs.

He learned that quail eggs are extremely nutritious, and that people will pay a lot for quail eggs.

He is learning a lot!

A bee in the budding austree.

Love this picture of one of our young chickens by the daffodils a few weeks ago.

The daffodils are all done now, and I need to plant some fresh annuals.

I bought some on clearance at Lowes last week.