A Must Read Blog Post

June over at A Wise Woman Builds Her Home has a beautiful post from this past week about many different ways to disciple to your children. Her blog has always been an inspiration to me. I hope you enjoy her post as much as I did. Blessings from the farm, Kat

Read June's Post here

A Christian Seder? Really!?

Recently we were invited to partake in a "Christian" Seder. For those who don't know a Seder is a Jewish Passover celebration. It is the Old Testament Passover that they are celebrating where the Israelites were spared the wrath of God upon the Egyptians and liberated from Egypt. My question is how do you Christianize this when Jesus Christ is our Passover? Should you even try? There seems to be a huge movement within Christianity to Judaize Christianity. I simply don't see how mixing the two is possible since one denies the very essence of the other. It seems to me that by Judaizing Christianity is to deny all that Christ taught us and all that he sacrificed for. In the Old Testament we see a huge list of do's and don'ts (Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Apparently it was impossible to achieve salvation by following these numerous laws. Therefore enters Salvation by Grace...Jesus Christ. Salvation comes by the grace and sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, not by following an immense set of rules. We failed at following the rules and we still fail at following the rules. Christ said in Mathew 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. And so to me putting the new wine of Christianity into the old bottles of Judaism will lead to destruction of the vessel (person). As of late, Christianity seems to be infatuated with all things Jewish. Maybe they need to take a step back and become infatuated with Jesus Christ instead. A Christian Seder? Really?! What an insult to Christ's sacrifice for us! Blessings, Kat

How Do you Know God Exists?

This was the question presented to me by my oldest a week or so ago? I was a little shocked to say the least. We talk about God and Jesus on a regular daily basis in this house. We surround our children with godly people, we have taken them to church and the extra classes that she attends as part of our homeschool curriculum are taught by godly women who talk about God in class and attended by churchgoing Christian children. So where did this question come from, but more importantly how do I answer in such a way that she will believe wholeheartedly what I am saying. What I say or don't say right now will make a huge impact on her faith or lack of faith. Nothing like being put on the spot. Since this is not a question that I ever had myself I had to think, say a very quick prayer and this is what I told her. When I was a small child one Sunday morning my Grandaddy took me to a special spot on the creek deep in the woods while my Grandmother faithfully went to church. As we were sitting on huge boulders overlooking the running water waiting to see if a deer would come to drink I asked my Grandaddy why he didn't go to church. He told me that God was with us on that creek bank more than He was in that church building. I won't go into the goings on that he was talking about at the church because he didn't at the time. He said be still and quiet and you will hear the workings of God and see the workings of God and know that He is here. I did, as still and quiet as a 6 year old could be. He then said when you hear the birds sing it is God who has given them song. When you see the water rushing it is God who put the water there to begin with. When you hear and feel the wind rustling through the leaves on the trees it is the breath of God surrounding you. None of this is possible without Him and it exists so that you know He is always here wherever you are whether or not you think you need Him. When I was much older, I went through some tough times. I thought my family had abandoned me and essentially part of them had. I changed colleges and the college that I was going to was close to my grandparents and so in order to save money I lived with them. My grandmother was not a nice woman and didn't approve of my work schedule and so she threw me out of the house. Without going into details I wound up living in my car and sleeping many nights in an empty horse stall on a horse blanket at the barn that I worked at. I stopped all contact with everyone because I was angry and hurt. I became a ghost for a little while at least. For 7 months I spent my days simply trying to survive. I got paid by the barn basically on commission so I made very little. My grandmother had called my real job so many times that I had lost that job. I couldn't afford school so I stopped going once the quarter ended. The other trainer at the barn was stealing from me and since I would lose my job if the owner found out I was sleeping there I could say nothing. I didn't want to go on like that but I didn't know what to do. But God knew what to do. He forced the connection back with my family. To make a long story short I was arrested and when I called a friend to help me, he called my Dad who just happened to be in town (trying to find me). My Dad came and got me and after my court date (all charges dismissed) took me home to my Mama. My life got back on track and I realized that the whole time I was in the wind they were trying to find me. I realized how many people were worried about me and trying to find me. Some people I had only met one time, but God made them remember and they prayed for my well being. Had God not intervened and forced me to stay put where someone could come and get me I don't know what would have happened to me. There have been many times that God has been there between now and then but remember last summer when we were low on meat and I was worried because we were low on money too. I kept saying everytime I opened the freezer that we weren't going to make it to deer season. But everytime I opened the freezer there was meat. Each time I would count the packages and we would have maybe 6 or 7 meals left, but the meat was always there. Someway, somehow we never completely ran out. We didn't have an abundance but it was there and after months of this deer season came and the rabbits started producing again and the pigs were ready to process. We made it with meat to sustain us only by the grace of God because I don't know how those 6 or 7 packages lasted us for months on end. But I do know the meat was always there and it never ran completely out. Then there was the time that you were little and remember when I went crazy. I was sick and the doctors were telling me I wasn't. I wanted to die. I couldn't function anymore and everything in my life was draining because I was drained to begin with. I thought about ending my life several times during that period. But each and every day God gave me the courage to keep going and then to change things so that I could get well again. I didn't have that courage. I wanted to die, but each time I was going to do something to stop all the pain and exhaustion something stopped me. I can only say that something was God because no one else knew the struggle that I was going through. Even now, I struggle with pain and exhaustion but I run a farm. I do more than many able bodied men are able to do, but I am never crippled by my infirmities. Each and every day God gives me the strength to do what I need to do and as a result we are blessed with an abundance of food. I never thought I would be able to homeschool, it just isn't in my personality but here we are. We have a close tight and loving family in a world that doesn't see family as important and most parents are divorced. I can only say all of this is because of God's blessings because I have been in the world and it is not a friendly place. I have been abandoned, turned on and hated by friends and family members many times. But each and every time I knew that God had to be with me because I managed to get through it and overcome it. I never could have done that on my own, I simply don't have that sort of courage. Whenever things is my life are just completely impossible, God makes something possible. It might not be exactly the way that I envisioned it or even wanted it but God makes things possible in an impossible world. In fact this has happened so many times in my life that I simply don't question anymore because I don't have the foresight that He has. I know in the end it will work out no matter how impossible it may seem. We live on this farm even though our move here was impossible. It seemed impossible when Daddy was out of work for us to keep going, or even to keep living here. But we did and we had the courage to simply have faith and face each and every day as it came. The impossible worked out to be possible and that only happens because of the grace and goodness of God. Humans simply don't have that kind of power. And so that is what I told her. I couldn't have made it this far in life without the grace of God so He has to exist because I couldn't and can't do it alone. Many blessings to you all, Kat

The Dilemma of Christmas

A few years ago this holiday became a dilemma for me and our family. Steeped in pagan tradition and worship, I began to wonder if truly this was something that a Christian should participate in. Understanding that it really wasn't about celebrating the birth of Christ (which the early church did not do, nor are we commanded to do)and that it was a pagan holiday and all the trimmings and trappings had everything to do with ancient pagan religions put me in a tailspin. There is a passage in the old testament, can't think of it exactly right now, in which one of the old kings was losing revenue during one of the old testament holy days because his subjects were going to other cities during that time. So he erected some statues and called the problem solved by telling them that they could now celebrate those holy days in his kingdom and worship God with those statues. Well, God destroyed those statues saying that you cannot worship Him with false images. Then there is the 2nd commandment: Ex. 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Seems pretty clear about graven images. But then: Ex. 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. I have never bowed down nor served any of the "images" of Christmas. Back to the people of that kingdom....they were worshiping those images as if they were God. And then we all know the story of the golden calf. Again, the Israelites were worshiping the calf as if it were God. So, our family started weaning ourselves off of Christmas. It was not easy and still, the struggle and dilemma remained year after year. Many of my decorations did not come out and for the past two years we have not had a tree. I should have felt right about our decision, but for some reason I have fretted over it every year. This year it has weighed heavily on me all year long. I want to do the right thing and I want to bring my children up in the way that they should go. However, I am afraid that making life so rigid and taking away what they see as joyful and fun will only drive them in the opposite direction. I saw this so many times in college from girls who came from very strict homes. They went wild and completely rejected everything their parents tried to teach. Jesus Christ taught with compassion and He expected the same from His disciples. Maybe there is something there for me to learn. Maybe He did so because teaching with rigidity would only drive His sheep further from Him rather than bring them to hear His message. In other words, if I am so busy being rigid and stuck in what I think needs to be done and denying what my children enjoy and love (not talking generalities here, so don't go there) then maybe I am actually doing the opposite of what I want. Like the Old Testament covenants and the 5 million laws of Leviticus, rigidity is impossible to keep. Maybe God understood that and intentionally set up the Israelites for failure because if they kept the law perfectly they would have had no need for Jesus Christ. At least that is my thinking. Then I had a conversation with a friend of mine who had been going through the same thing. She had a talk with her Dad. Without going into the whole conversation he questioned her by asking if by having a Christmas tree was she worshiping that tree? Was she expecting great fertility by having the tree in her home? Or did she just simply enjoy the beauty of such a decoration? He went on to ask the same question about other pagan symbols of the holiday and her answer was always no. So his point was that if one didn't think of those things as spiritual or holy, then were they anything more than any other decoration in her home. Hmmmm...Ex. 20:5 comes to mind. Maybe he is right. I have little sculptures and all sorts of such things all over my home and I suppose that I could think of any one of them in a holy/religious manner if I so chose, but I don't because only Jesus Christ is Holy to me. It is His gift that I hold dear and it has always been His gift that was the most precious and most talked about in our home at Christmas. If I want to rid my family of everything that at one time was considered holy by some group or another then I would need to cut down every oak tree on my farm because they were once holy to the Druids. Now that would be ridiculous. I don't regard them as holy, I regard them as beautiful but there is simply no spiritual nor religious significance to them. I can take that same power from the symbols and rituals of Christmas and any other pagan holiday as well. I have to say thanks to my friend's Dad. He is far wiser than he knows. Christmas will come back into our home. I am glad because it was always my favorite holiday simply because of the joy that abounds at that time of year and the memories associated with people now long gone from my life. My girls will be happy that they can once again trudge through the woods to pick out the perfect tree with their Dad like I did with mine. Special memories will be made and I don't think that God has anything against that. The truth of the matter is that whether or not it truly was the time of Christ's birth or whether or not it was to be celebrated or not, it is the gift that He gave that we should celebrate, remember, and be thankful for. If that gift isn't enough to have joy about and focus on then I don't know what is. For me and mine we will be joyful and thankful. Blessings, Kat

Death and Funerals

My death is something that I don't often think about. Let's face it...it isn't the most pleasant subject. However, on occasion when death comes into a conversation then my own becomes a focus of mine for a bit of time. Both my mother in law and my father knew what they wanted done with their remains. My Dad wanted to be buried in the same cemetary with several generations of his family. We honored those wishes. My mother in law had already planned and paid for her's. She wanted to be cremated and her ashes spread at sea. Those wishes were honored as well. I can't decide. I have read many things that give relatively good evidence that a Christian should not be cremated. However, I don't want to be buried in any cemetary that I can think of. I have family scattered in different cemetaries in different states and cities and there is none of those where I want to be interred. I really think that I want to be cremated and my ashes scattered over the farm that I love. My heart and soul has been tied to the land for so long. It's like that bond was there before my birth. However, I don't want my last thing on this earth to be something displeasing to God. But the thought of being placed in a cemetary that I don't know and have no emotional ties to really bothers me. I know in the end it won't really matter as I don't plan on hanging around to find out where they stick my body, but for some reason right now it does matter. Hopefully the Lord will see fit to lead me to a concrete decision before I kick the bucket. So what do you think or do you even think about it? It isn't the most pleasant of subjects and I certainly wouldn't blame anyone for not thinking about it. Anyone, just some morbid musings on my part to start the day! LOL! Blessings, Kat

The Legacy

I got to thinking the other day about all the things that I recall on a daily basis that I have gleaned from family elders over the years. Thinking about that got me to thinking about what I am leaving behind for my children and grandchildren. In other words what legacy am I giving them. I am not talking about material things for those things are temporary and life has a way of taking them away. The legacy I am talking about is what am I giving them that can never go away for as long as they choose to hold on to it. So here are the things that I pray that I am leaving my children with as their legacy.

Faith- I pray everyday that I am teaching and showing my children that God and His abundance is glorious and everlasting. I pray that they understand that His graciousness and courage can get them through any of the trials and tribulations that life brings. I hope that they learn from me that true peace only comes from the love of Jesus Christ.

Love- I pray that I am leaving teaching my children that they are loved and how to love unconditionally. There is such joy in loving someone else, just as there is such joy in being loved. Saying I love you is a big deal in our house and is done on a regular basis. I pray that my girls never forget how much and how deeply I love them.

Tenacity- I pray that my girls learn how to be tenacious. To go after their dreams and not to ever let anyone else tell them they can't do something.

Wisdom- I know much of this comes with age, but the more I think about it..it is age that gives us the clarity to understand the wisdom that came from those before us. I pray that my children gain this clarity to see and understand the wisdom that they are being given.

Skills- I pray that my children always know how to take care of their basic needs. That if time gets tough they can grow a garden and raise some rabbits for meat. I pray that they learn the skills of cooking good wholesome foods and making ends meet. I pray that they learn how to survive and thrive no matter what life throws at them.

Education- I pray that my children never stop in their desire to learn and that they develop a love for knowledge. No matter how old you are or how many years they have been away from formal "education" there is always something to learn. I pray that they understand that sometimes it is fun to learn something just to see if you can.

This is the legacy that I want my children to treasure and hold on to. Material things pass away if they were ever there to begin with. I know in my own family history wealth and land have been had and lost time and again. Many times my ancestors started over with very very little. However, the legacy can't be lost and can't be taken away. It is something that will stay with them as long as they choose to hold it dear. I pray that they do and I pray that I pass it on to them. Have you ever thought about what legacy you are leaving behind? Blessings, Kat

A Call to Anguish

This is such a moving video and applies so truly to our lives right now. We are making a major step out of the world and away from worldly things. In doing so, we have suffered much grief from family and much grief within ourselves as we give up and put away things of this world. However, this is an inspiring message. May God bless you all in your journeys.

Halloween? Really? Response to a Comment

I felt my response would be too lengthy to post in the comment section under the post Halloween? Really? so I will post the comment and post here so that everyone can understand.

Here is the comment that I received:

Tracy said...

"Actually, that's not true. Halloween is falsely attributed to the Druids. It's actually an old world, pre-christianity celebration of the new year. In the 900s the catholic church completed for followers and redubbed November first as All Saints Day, making Oct 31 All Hallows Eve, Hallow meaning holy. Priests would go door to door asking for cake and prayers. Kind of a medieval mission to spread the word of God. It is said that if a house refused the occupants were threatened or curse. I am not sure if this is true. The only information I have read about the Druid involvement in Halloween is from Christain sources, not historical unbiased ones. I think many holidays and observances have changed through the centuries, even Christmas was once a winter solstace festival that slowly grew to become christmas as the popularity of Christianity grew across Europe. Don't judge others so harshly. Halloween can be a time of fun and playing dress up. If you don't want to participate fine, but please stop spreading false history lessons."

Tracy, first I would like to address that you think I am judging. I am certainly not judging anyone who has or will participate in this particular festival. What I am doing is judging the festival and the dark meaning behind it. I also wanted to make it clear in my post that stepping away from the things of this world is not an easy task. This so that others who are in the same place in their journey can understand that they are not alone. What feast and celebrations one chooses to celebrate is a personal matter that exists between them and God. However, it is nice to know sometimes that you are not alone and you are not crazy and you are not a fanatic. That was my purpose.

Now, I would like to address the history lesson behind this festival and upon whose authority I have relied upon. The druids and wicca do pre-date Christianity, so I am not sure where you find fault with that. However, it was not a celebration of the new year. That celebration was December 25th, the birthdate of Tamuz the son-husband of the goddess Ishtar, which dates back to Babylonian times. But that is a "whole nother can of worms" that I won't get into here. Yes, the church renamed and tried to "Christianize" a pagan religion. That is no surprise since they did the same with christmas (pagan winter solstice festival honoring the birth of Tamuz the son of the son god Baal) and easter (worship of the goddess Ishtar/Astarte, the goddess of fertility). Just because the church does something doesn't mean that it is ok with God.

Jeremiah 10:1,2 Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

Deut 12:29: When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
30: Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
31: Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
32: What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

1 Cor. 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

Now as to the sources of the history. Yes, most of them are Christian and since you feel they are biased I will not even give them here. However, Pastor David J. Meyer of Last Trumpet Ministries, I consider an authority on the matter. You see he was not always a Christian, in fact he comes from a long line of witches. He himself was quite a strong witch and astrologer. This history of halloween was his history, his family's history. They lived it in our modern world. So please take the time to read his articles on halloween/samhain...here and here.

Tracy, you say that many holidays and observances have changed over the years. I agree that in man's eye they have and certainly no longer have the meaning that they once did. However, it is not man's view that I am concerned with. For my family, it is God's view and His opinion of these things remains constant. While most view halloween as just a time to have some fun and dress up, there are darker forces at work whether one participates or not. Otherwise, Anton Lavey the author of the satanic bible would not have written that halloween was satanists second most important holiday.

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Romans 13:11-14 ...now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

1 Thess. 5:5-8 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

Again I say that what a person chooses to do is between them and God. My only purpose is to shed Light on a dark holiday that belongs not to God. Blessings on your journey, Kat

Halloween? Really?

I grew up in the Christian church and I also grew up trick or treating each Halloween until I was old enough that it was acceptable anymore. No one ever question whether or not this bit of "fun" should be something that Christians take part in. Several years ago when I started to question many things that the traditional church said was ok, I came across the true story of halloween. I was appalled and disgusted. That first year of my discovery I tried weakly to find ways out of the holiday, but my attempt was to no avail and I caved under the pressure from family and friends. Last year I stood my ground and we did not participate nor will we participate this year. Let's look at the facts of Halloween and then a short video that describes many of them.
1. Halloween was originally Samhain, the time of the year when the veil between the spirit world and this world is thin, allowing the dead to once again walk among us. It is also the time considered by witches to be the most powerful time of year.
2. Villagers would wear "costumes" on All Hallow's Eve because it confused the dead and caused them to leave them alone.
3. As evening approached, Druid priests would carry sickles and celtic crosses and drag a dead slave through the village. They approached each house saying "Trick or treat". The house must give them a girl or woman and if they refused then blood was taken from the dead slave and a hexagram drawn on the house while the druids invoked the "horned hunter of the night" to kill someone in the house. If the house relinquished the "treat" then a jack-o-lantern was placed at the door of the house.
4. The girls given to the Druid priests were later taken into a field raped and murdered and thrown onto bonefires (modern day bonfires) as a sacrifice to their god, the horned hunter of the night.
5. During later times, the villagers would put a carved jack-o-lantern at their door lit with a candle made of human tallow to keep the Druid priests from stopping at their door.
6. The Druids also played games that we are familiar with like bobbing for apples. The apple is sacred to witches and paganists because when you cut it crosswise it reveals a pentagram in the center.

Dressing up in costumes to parade through the streets, demanding treats from each house, jack-o-lanterns, skulls, devils, and pagan rituals....hasn't changed much over time has it.

And then the one thing we hear the most from the Christian community as they bring this abomination into the house of the Lord our God, Jehovah...that's not what it means to me!

However, as Christians we must look further than ourselves and our fleshly desires. We must ask...What does this mean to God?

Let's find out:
Leviticus 19:31 - "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God."

Isaiah 29:1-16 - God's judgment fell upon Jerusalem because of witchcraft.

Deut. 18:10-14, “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12“For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God will drive them out before you. 13“You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. 14“For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.

2 Kings 21:6, "And he made his son pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and used divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord provoking Him to anger." (see also 2 Chron. 33:6)

Isaiah 47:12-14, “Stand fast now in your spells and in your many sorceries with which you have labored from your youth; Perhaps you will be able to profit, perhaps you may cause trembling. 13You are wearied with your many counsels;
Let now the astrologers, those who prophesy by the stars, those who predict by the new moons, stand up and save you from what will come upon you. 14“Behold, they have become like stubble, fire burns them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame; there will be no coal to warm by, nor a fire to sit before!"

Lev. 20:6, ‘As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people."

So what we should be asking ourselves as Christians is not how we view what is of this world, but how God views the things of this world and would this particular bit of "fun" be seen as harmless and innocent in His eyes. How would He view us as parents, commissioned to train up a child in the way they should go, training up His children to follow in the ways of darkness instead of light? I don't think He would view it as harmless. As for me and mine, we will bake cookies and sing songs in praise of God that night. Blessings from the farm.

The Perfect Storm?

Wow, what a forecast for the year. Clothing prices going up due to "skyrocketing" cotton prices. Food going up due to freezes, droughts, floods, and other reasons for bad harvests. The middle east especially is in a tizzy and much of it due to rising food costs which for them are already well over 50% of their income. Is this going to be the year of the perfect storm that truly wakes up the sleeping sheep in America? Someone mentioned the other day in a forum that I read that collapse IS happening here just very slowly. One business closes today, one house is foreclosed on tomorrow, one more person loses a job, etc. etc. Are we headed in the same direction as Argentina where one buggy of food from poorly stocked grocery shelves costs over 1400 pesos and the average monthly income is 250 pesos? We have had it so easy here for so long, yet we are no longer the formidable empire that we once were. In fact we are quickly becoming the laughing stock of the world and what happens when that world will no longer support us? What will Americans do? Will we pull up our bootstraps and dig in to start over in a new direction? Or will we cry and whine in the streets that no one is coming to our rescue? As for me and mine we will pull up our bootstraps and I suspect that there are many more out there just like us. I don't write this post to send anyone into a panic or to even be depressing. What I am trying to point out is that many times we need to take a good hard look at ourselves and our lives to re-evaluate what we do now and what we can do in the future. The time to do that is when things are relatively comfortable. I know many times I have been told that because I think of these types of things that I have no faith in God and His provisions. I have all faith in God. I have faith that He has given me enough warning of what is to come, so that I can be prepared. God absolutely positively does provide everything we need, but there has to be a little bit of effort on our part as well. Like the old joke about the man on his roof after a big flood. A guy in a rowboat comes by and he refuses to get in, then as the waters continue to rise a guy in a canoe comes by and he refuses again. Then the waters are washing over the roof and a guy in a motorboat comes by and he refuses again. Each time he says "God will save me". Then he gets to heaven and asks God why He didn't save him as he had such strong faith. God's reply, "I sent 3 boats, what more did you want?" Indeed we all have to make a little effort and grab onto what God has provided, which are the signs that bad times are coming. We need to make the effort to prepare ourselves mentally, spiritually and physically. Seeing the signs that some tough times are coming makes me sit down and reflect on the skills that I have and the skills that I should have. What more can I do to live without some things that truly aren't needed? What effort is required of me to live with what God has provided? Take this time to ask this of yourselves. It is a good time to reflect on our lives. Blessings from the farm, Kat

Halloween...another step away from worldly things

As many of you know we as a family have been on a journey. Our journey has been a closer walk with God through His son our Savior Jesus Christ. Our journey has taken on many aspects from homeschooling, to homesteading and so many things in between. Each year we learn something new as the Lord takes us on this journey. A couple of years ago we began to learn the deeper darker secrets of this celebration now called Halloween. Last year we learned even more and even though felt convicted to have nothing more to do with it, struggled and failed to separate ourselves from this "worldly" event. It is difficult to struggle with the world especially those in the world that you dearly love. This year our convictions were stronger and this year we will stand together in our determination to not participate in Halloween. Not only have our convictions been stronger but God's presence and help with our struggle is so much more evident this year. There has been no grief from other members of the family, even my oldest daughter said that she felt this was right and had no problem with it and would help teach the little one. I don't write this to judge anyone. I simply want others struggling with their convictions to know that they are not alone. Prayer is a powerful tool and the Lord is so good to help ease our struggles when we are earnestly reaching toward the path that He has laid for us. Believe me, this has been a spiritual struggle for my husband and I. We grew up celebrating this holiday and faithfully dressed up our oldest and took her trick or treating. The journey is not always easy and not always the most pleasant, but in the end it is always rewarding. Since the children have so willingly understood (Thank you Lord), they did get to go to the store and pick out their favorite candy. I know, not so healthy! But, I figured they were sacrificing quite a bit and so I could sacrifice just a little. Anyway, for anyone else on their journey who would like to understand just what it is that this "fun" little night is all about here is a video and then a link to two articles that you might find helpful and interesting. May the Lord our God bless you and keep you, Kat
Halloween and the Forces of Darkness
Halloween and the Occult

Evenings with Victoria Botkin

I just discovered that Victoria Botkin is having a women's talk online. For those who don't know the Botkin family, they are truly amazing, inspiring, and definitely inspirational. Their daughters have grown into wonderful young Christian women, seeking to please the Lord in their lives. My oldest daughter and I are reading their book, "So Much More", together now. It was written by the Botkin sisters several years ago when they were teens and written for young teen girls. However, I have found that it is something the whole family can get something out of. There is a registration fee for Victoria's sessions, but I feel that the cost is reasonable and the information invaluable. I know as a mother struggling to raise my daughters to serve the Lord in a world that seems to hate our Lord and Savior I need all the help, advise, and encouragement I can get. Victoria Botkin has been there, done that, and succeeded. There are also some very great articles available online at the website. I encourage all mothers of both sons and daughters to take a look here for more information about Victoria Botkin's Session for Women. God bless, Kat

God's Order and the Seasons

God has placed an order and timing into everything. That order can be seen in the seasons as well. God commanded that we rest on the 7th day and the 7th year. But what about all those days, weeks, months and years in between? Don't we get a break sometime? Why yes, Virginia, we most certainly do. Let's take a look at nature and God's seasons to find that break from our toiling and our labor. Now remember I also look at everything from an agricultural standpoint because well....that is our life. In the Spring it is time to plant and reawaken the earth from it's winter slumber. Spring is full of planting and cleaning up from the winter winds. Spring is also a time of birth on the farm seeing the birth of calves, lambs, kids and what have you. So spring is a busy season in the expectation of the fall harvest. It is a time for cleaning up and making new again what once looked so desolate and dead. Then we move into summer which is a time of maintenance on our farm at least. Maintain the garden, repair buildings, maintain fences and pastures. It is also a time to begin to think about winter once again as we cut trees to be used for firewood. So with spring and summer time is busy and we bustle about as the harvest begins to roll in with late summer and we begin to think of winter coming once again. Like the ant our days are not spent lazing about, but in hard labor and preparation for the season that is to come. As we move into fall our labor picks up pace with the cooler weather, the harvest full on, and the threat of a bitter winter wind looming in our minds. There is usually much to be done on a farm in the fall. Projects to be finished and put away, feed and bedding for the animals to be put away and things to be done to make sure that they survive the coming winter cold in some comfort. Our livestock is the backbone of their lives and their needs are met before ours. It is a vast responsibility that a stockman carries on his shoulders. The animals give their lives into our hands completely much in the same way that we give our lives to God's hands completely. Their needs come before ours and we must see to their needs, their care, and their well being in much the same way that God Almighty sees to ours. Notice, I said "needs", for there is a vast difference between needs and wants. I am sure that my goats would love me forever if I gave them unlimited access to their grain barrel, however their needs are truly much smaller and healthier for them. So in fall we are busy seeing that our animals needs will be met when nature closes her buffet line and old man winter is whistling across the fields and into the barn. The animals have food to last the winter and warm bedding to snuggle down into. Then winter rolls in with a cold biting wind and guess what, it is our season of rest. It is a time to hunker down and wait for the first signs of spring. Winter is our 7th day and 7th year rolled into each full year so that we can rest our weary bodies and our minds from the labors of the year. There is a song that we sing with our children and the first line of the song is "Be still and know that I am God". Well, winter is our time to be still and know that He is God and He is Glorious. There is nothing that we can accomplish without His hand being on it, in it and around it. As I reach into the cupboard to get that can of apples that I so lovingly put up, it has His hand stamped all over it for without God's grace that apple tree would not have grown. We can do nothing without Him. it is by His grace that He has given us creatures to provide our needs for nutrition, clothing, transportation and companionship. So this winter, I plan to "Be still" for a bit and get to know my Lord and Saviour a bit more. It will be a time to wonder at the Glory of it all and a time for thanksgiving that He has given us all that He has given so freely. The time is coming for a break from our labors (a much needed one I must say), a time for quiet activities and time to be still and know our God. God bless!

Are You Hiding?

Sometimes life can get tedious and exhausting. I know it can for myself as I speed through the day homeschooling, working in the garden, preparing the harvest, feeding the livestock, caring for the home, running errands, chasing a toddler, and the myriad of other things that I do in a days time. Many times it can be overwhelming and I know other women feel this way. Sometimes it would be nice to "hide". So where do women like me "hide" from their feelings of being overwhelmed? Television, the internet and books. Hmmmmm....hiding might not be such a good thing. Where should women turn when those feelings of being overwhelmed and exhausted come up? God's word, The Holy Bible, of course! Instead of being a place where we women can hide from life, it is a source of inspiration and strength. God's word gives us the courage to face what we must and accept the challenges ahead. It is a place to renew the joy in our lives when it seems as if the joy has slipped out the door. We women tend to find all the wrong places to hide from our fears and anxieties instead of finding a place to learn how to deal with them. Hiding is no good and does nothing more than compound the problem. Once someone starts to hide from their worries then those worries get bigger and bigger. God is our strength in a world that just wants to zap every ounce of strength that we have. He is our sunshine and the silver lining! Rise each morning with the Word of God and close each day with the Word of God. We should put away our hiding places and instead gather our strength and encouragement to face our many challenges. Living the life of a godly woman is tough and it becomes even tougher when we "hide". Spending your days on the computer or caught up in frivolous tv shows or even those hideous make believe romance novels is never going to be a source of strength and you will never gain courage. In fact these things simply separate us from the one thing we should never be separate from, the Word of God. The more separated we get then the more we wish to "hide". So to all those tempted to hide, and yes sometimes even myself, I encourage you to close up your hiding places and gather your courage with God Almighty. May God bless you in your journey!

Attitude and the Superiority Complex

Many times as a Christian it becomes very easy to fall into a trap. What is this trap? It is the trap of a superiority complex, especially against our own faith. I know I have fallen into this trap myself. It is the trap in which we become judgemental, placing ourselves in the position reserved for God almighty instead of being the humble servants that we should be. It has become very easy in this world to judge the sinners of the world. Remember, I said sinners not sins. It is the sins of the world that we should judge and stand against, but the only way we can do this is to humbly teach the sinners. Instead, we tend to judge both the sin and the sinner and forget to teach the sinner why/how they are sinning and what the repercussions are. We must remember that we have one simple role, to serve the will of God. Our role and our place is not to judge others for their wrongdoings but to teach them about the will of God. This goes for other Christians as well. We must remember that everyone is on their own path with God and in their own stage of learning about His will and His word. Some don't know it at all, some are just hearing it, others are into the milk of the Word and yet others have bitten off a good chunk of meat. Not all of us are at the same stage and point. Our purpose is to learn and grow and share our learning and growth with others...ie. serve the will of God. So, I challenge us all to examine ourselves against the Word of God, reproach ourselves with the word of God, stop judging, and start teaching. The world hates Christianity for two reasons: it requires them to change and sacrifice, and because of the hateful judgementalism trap that many of us fall into. Don't fall into that trap because to take the place of God as the Judge is to condemn ourselves to the same fate as those who reject Him. Becoming the judge is the golden calf for this generation of the house of Israel. That is the end of my lecture for the morning, but I did feel the need to say this because I have seen it more and more lately. May God be with you today on your journey.

Being a Proverbs 31 Wife: Part 3

Let's continue with our Proverbs 31 study.

Prov. 31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

Ladies, it is our duty as keepers of the home to see that our home is prepared for whatever might come. In this verse God uses inclement weather, but the event could be anything. In today's economic times it could very well be job loss. Let me use ourselves for example. My husband recently hurt his back and at his return to the doctor Monday and attempt to go back to work he was told that he is out of work for the next month until his back has fully healed and he can return to his regular duties at work. Now, his employer does have a policy that will pay him a portion of his wages while he is out of work, but this portion will cover our health insurance premiums and not much else. We have food and the living expenses are paid. I have a small nest egg that I keep for emergencies. If I had not planned for this then my children would not eat or I would have to go to family and friends for food. Are you prepared for something like this? As a proverbs 31 wife you should be, it is your duty.

vs.22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

Ladies this verse is about appropriate dress and dressing nicely. Husbands don't like to come home to women who haven't even gotten out of their pajamas or always run around in sloppy sweats. Dress like a woman, dress modestly, and look nice for your husband. No I am not saying that you have to look like a movie star, but at least fix your hair in the morning and dress neat and tidy. It will go a long way toward your husband (who is very visual in nature) enjoying coming home to his wife.

vs.23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

I know this verse is more about our husbands. God here is talking about men who behave and act with honor. An honorable woman should not be unequally yoked to a man without honor and respect. Does your husband behave with honor, do you help to guide him? Is he respected as a man in the community? Many women find frustration in their marriage and this can often be attributed to the fact that they have been unequally yoked with a man who does not gain this respect or level of honor. Be wise in your choice of husband ladies, and be wise in your guidance of him.

vs. 24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

So for those who say that the Bible is anti working women, that is not so. A Proverbs 31 wife indeed works, but she works with her hands and contributes to the family in earnings that way. Women of days past often had their "butter and egg" money saved away to help in hard times. Butter and eggs were usually what women had extra that they could sell. Women in days past also did some things such as sewing for the community. So ladies yes you can work and earn your own money, but your main duty is to the family. The working comes from things made yourself or extras that your self-sufficient lifestyle produces.

vs. 25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

Women of the south have always been known for their strength of character, their ability to get through whatever life can throw at them and to land on their feet without losing their honor and grace. Very often when life's tribulations hit is the strength of the woman that will strengthen the family. Our husbands need our strength because when tragedy strikes they often feel helpless and less of a man. Our strength gives them the courage that they need to make it through tough times. Our children need our strength to know that their lives are not going to fall apart and that they are secure in their home and family. The honour of a woman will see that the morals and values according to God are not compromised and that the family no matter what life throws at them will continue to live in a godly manner. Ladies live their lives with strength and honour and support their family with those traits.

vs. 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Ladies, think before you speak. Are you speaking from the wisdom of God or the beliefs of the world? Are you teaching your children in the ways of the Lord or the ways of the world? Do we speak with a kind tongue or do we rip apart with our words. Be cautious of how you speak and what you say. The Lord is watching.

vs. 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Ladies, another verse about taking care of our household. We are to prepare for what might happen and care for daily needs. The old saying that a woman's work is never done certainly applies and a woman properly taking care of her home and family has no worry about idle hands. Being a stay at home wife and mother does not mean that you have time to sit on the computer all day or watch television all day. There is much to be done in the care of the family. Idle hands are the devil's playground so make sure that your hands are not idle.

That will be all for today. I will continue and finish up soon. God bless you all in your journey.

Working on Sunday and the Sabbath

Most Christians consider Sunday the Sabbath and are strict in adhering to that day of rest. Technically though Saturday is the 7th day of the week and should be considered the sabbath. If I remember correctly, the Sabbath was changed by the Catholic Church to Sunday. Some Christians are very strict about observing the Sabbath on a certain day of the week and I think by focusing so much on which day of the week they are missing the point to some extent. The point is to rest, if God can rest from his labors then so can the rest of the world. Yesterday, Saturday we took our day of rest. It was a busy week, my husband is bed/couch ridden at the moment, and I was exhausted. None of us even got out of our pj's yesterday, and leftovers were heated up to eat. So yes, I am working on Sunday because I took my day of rest on Saturday. There are many Christians that just cannot get around working on Sunday either. When I was in the restaurant business I was called to work on Sunday, just as many others are. However, the point of the Sabbath is to rest one day a week. This is good for your health, both physical and mental and I think this is the real point that God was trying to impart to His people when commanding them to keep the Sabbath. I personally don't think it matters which day that you observe the Sabbath as long as you do take that day of rest and reflect on God's blessings and grace. So no, I don't feel guilty for working on Sunday because I rested on Saturday. I do feel bad that we missed church, but my husband needed someone to take care of him and we just could not leave him alone. For those days Pastor John Weaver's Sermons are indeed a blessing. Enjoy the day and may God bless you and keep you!

What is Biblical Agrarianism

The other day I was talking to someone about the move back to Biblical Agrarianism that is taking place among Christians across the country. They didn't understand what I was talking about because today when most people think of farming they think of the vast commercial farms across the country. Their response was oh you can't possible farm for a living. Well, no not right now and maybe not ever. That is not our purpose nor our goal. What is Biblical agrarianism? It is a return to the order and plan of God. You see when God placed Adam in the garden of Eden, Adam was to keep and dress the garden. After the fall Adam was sent forth from the garden to "till the ground from whence he was taken". So God's order was for Adam and his descendants to be tiller's of the ground, or simply farmers. Why? Was it to make billions of dollars and ship food all around the world? No, it was to provide for their own needs, work with their own hands and by the sweat of their own brow. This was the beginning of God's order and God's order continued through agrarian ventures from there. Living according to God's order calls us to be seperate from the idustrialist, consumer driven world. So those of us in this move towards a more Biblically ordered life are stepping outside of society, outside of mainstream, and outside of man's traditions. We are going back to the order of God. In understanding that we are the descendants of the House of Israel, we see throughout history how the tribes kept to the agrarian life up until the past couple of hundred years. We do get quite a bit of criticism and skepticism, which is to be expected from those who don't understand and are still totally dependant on the industrialist consumer life. However, we have the peace and the happiness to keep us going when the world ridicules and mocks. Like the homesteaders and farmers of old we are planting seeds for future generations, giving something to the future rather than the traditional idea of living in the now off of the future generations. What modern industrialism has done is to steal the future of the children and grandchildren. Biblical agrarianism is giving something back. Jesus Christ taught us that we are to be in the world, but not of the world and those following the order of God are doing just that. May God bless you in your journey.

Being a Proverbs 31 Wife Part 1

Proverbs 31 is one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible. In this chapter of Proverbs God shares His wisdom and guidance about the kind of wife I am to be and the duties that I am to have. So I thought I would break this up and write a series of posts about being a Proverbs 31 wife.

Proverbs 31
vs 10:Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
vs 11:The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

To our husbands a good and virtuous woman is a priceless treasure. This seems to be something that has been lost in recent generations. It used to be that men/husbands readily showed that the one thing they treasured most was their wife. Men of old would give their life in protection of their wife. No man was more fierce than when his wife was insulted or violated or harmed. She was priceless. This reminds me of an episode of Little House on the Prairie. In this episode another man is making rude insinuations to Caroline and when she attempts to walk away from him, he grabs her arm. She does get away and is very upset over the whole incident. When Charles finds out about this he is furious because his wife was treated this way. Charles confronts the man and this confrontation escalates into a fist fight. Charles unfortunately gets beat up pretty badly. The whole point of this is that Charles so valued his wife that his only concern was to defend her. He gave absolutely no regard to his own well being. And this brings us to the next verse which explains why a man treasures his wife so. It is because she has his heart. Her most valuable possession is the heart of her husband and because a virtuous woman holds her husbands heart and values her husbands heart then no spoil (other woman) can touch him. In recent generations it seems as if infidelity has become a pandemic that has spread like wildfire across our country. Even television shows are full of it with so and so cheating on so and so and then vice versa. Why is this? Because so many women have stopped being virtuous. You see mainstream society has filled women's heads so much with the bulldooey that they need to be like men that they no longer care for the virtues of womanhood. They seek careers and independance from those things which women always in the past held dear, like family children and their husband. At one time in history a woman guarded her reputation, nowadays women do not care about reputation. If fact, the world seems to care very little about reputations of women. It has become so mainstream for women to behave like men...drinking in bars, fighting with other women, sleeping around. So as a result women are no longer virtuous and a non virtuous woman cannot hold her husband's heart. Therefore he is tempted to be spoiled. So what we ladies need to think about is our virtuousness now. Do we consider how our dress might affect our virtue? Do we consider how our friendships might affect our virtue? Do we consider how our attitude might affect our virtue? Do we consider how our language and way that we conduct ourselves might affect our virtue? If we do not consider our virtue, then our husband's won't consider it either.

vs. 12: She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

One thing I have discovered is that our husbands need constant reassurance and ego boosters, especially in their younger years. If we ladies are complaining about them and to them then we are doing evil to our husbands. We are tearing them down instead of lifting them up. Our husbands never really stop "courting" us or trying to impress us with their prowess. It is just that we wives stop seeing this. Instead we focus on their faults or their shortcomings and in doing so we stop doing him good and instead are doing him evil. Not only that but we do ourselves evil as well because this man will eventually start seeking some other means to boost his ego. Now this does not always mean another woman, but it could mean that work becomes more important than home. Our husbands need to know that what their efforts to impress us ladies do not go unnoticed, they need that ego boost. So we should do them good and be supportive and vocalize our pride in their efforts.

vs. 13: She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

As men were commisioned to til the soil, women were commissioned to make use of that effort. You see this is an example of the further strengthening of the marriage bond, the covenant with God. We ladies work as hard as our husbands and I think modern day women have forgotten this. So many stay at home wives, do nothing. They go to lunch and go shopping and flit here and there during the day. They hire someone to clean their home and put the children in daycare. There is no intertwining with the work of their husband. The bond is broken. Wives in olden days cooked and cleaned, they sewed and tended the children. If their husband was a businessman then his wife saw to it that business associates were entertained in their home. The two worked together. This always reminds me of an old saying that I have heard all my life "Idle hands make for the devil's playground". Too many women nowadays have idle hands and so they seek their happiness outside of their marriage. So many women are unhappy with their marriage and turn to shopping and other forms of satisfaction and it is all due to the fact that there hands are idle.

vs.14: She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

Well, this reminds me of another old saying, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach". This is so true. Men like food and they especially like food that is prepared by the woman that they have entrusted their heart to. So ladies, when we stop bringing our food to our men then we are failing in our duty as wives. In today's world of fast food and restaurants it is all too common to find wives who do not ever cook. It is fine to go out once in a while and take a break from the kitchen, but it is our food at home that makes our husbands happiest. It is our food lovingly prepared with our hands that brings them fulfillment. It is their satisfaction that gives us as women pride in what we do and satisfaction with ourselves.

So tomorrow I will continue with more of Proverbs 31. God bless and take care.

Lent

We are now in the season of Lent. It actually started this past Wednesday. It is the remembrance of the 40 days that Christ spent in the wilderness. It is a time usually of self sacrifice, penitance, and a renewal of our commitment to God. Catholics usually forgo all meat except fish for the 40 days of Lent. We Episcopalians are allowed to choose how we spend Lent. Some of us give something up and some of us don't. One of my big vices is not drinking enough water. I drink a lot of sweet tea during the day. So, I have given up sweet tea and will be drinking water instead. Lent is not just a time for us to sacrifice, it is also a time to reflect on our relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ. Are we as close as we should be? Am I living according to His example? Just a couple things to ask ourselves. Sometimes Lent is a good time to start a habit, such as daily Bible reading. Getting up a few minutes early can give us some quiet time for reflection and growth in our personal spriritual walk with God. So reflect this Lenten season on the sacrifices made for you and where you can grow in your walk with God. Whether this growth comes from sacrificing something you love, or giving some extra time to be with God that is up to you individually. We all need to grow in different ways and in different areas of our life. The importance of Lent comes from knowing that growth is still needed and learning is not yet finished. May God bless you in your journey today and may this Lenten season bring you closer to our Savior.