Sunday, March 4, 2018

Spring is Coming~~And an Update


Spring is coming! Oh, how glad I am! The bitter cold winds have softened and my children and I have been able to be outside a little more over the past few days. We were starting to feel cooped up in the house. I love the cozy feeling of winter, but there is nothing like the beautiful new springtime to refresh the heart. 

I joked with my Mom the other day that I would stay outside all day if I could . . .  I love the nearness of God's creation and the freedom of moving beneath Christ's great expanse of sky. I love walking through the paths around our home and thinking of what life may have been like here a hundred years ago. I love smelling the fresh new scents that are rising from the ground, always reminding me of the newness of life in Christ Jesus. 

The other day, I bought some new laundry line; oh, what a thrill! :-) I will wear stiff clothes forever if it means that they can dry under the beautiful blue sky :-). Sometimes, I will admit, I prefer a softer towel, but that is the price one must pay ;-). 

My kids are in their glory playing in the field and pretending that they are Mary and Laura from the Little House on the Prairie series (we read some of the chapter books over the winter). Poor Elisha; he has to play a girl's part, but at least Laura was a tomboy ;-). 

Lately, I've been burning a lot of wood and trying to clean up around our home. I always enjoy the way things look when they are neat and freshly raked, so this has  been a great enjoyment to me of late. :-)

My husband broke three ribs the other week and injured his knee, so that has been challenging for him, but thankfully he is feeling a little better now and able to get around a little more. I know that he is feeling better as he is starting to "argue" with me again over who gets to burn the scrap wood! (he loves a good fire). 

We are looking forward to planting a garden this year and my kids and I have our seeds ready. I used to grow a lot of herbs (easy to grow ;-)) but have never done much with vegetables, so we'll see how it goes. Thankfully, my sister and her husband have had a wonderful garden, and so I can ask them for advice :-) as well as my Pastor's wife, who has a beautiful garden :-). 

My heart is bursting to see the first flowers of spring come out of the ground and paint the yard with beauty and hope. Last year, we planted daffodils before the harsh cold set in and I am hopeful for their arrival this spring. The owners of our home before us planted many beautiful flowers, so it is a real delight to see what has sprung and what will spring out of the ground as it warms up. Last year, I was delighted by rhubarb and we made a couple of pies!


One of my furry friends :-)


Hollyhocks from last spring/summer
I am excited for my animal friends to return  . . . :-), especially my friend the toad, who I hope made it through the winter. The only "friends" who I hope will find residence elsewhere are the flies and the mice. We live next to a beef farm and the flies can really keep us busy trying to get rid of them! And we are working on plugging up all the holes in our old farmhouse, as I like little mice (they remind me of Beatrix Potter's stories :-)) but they cannot take residence again in my boot ;-). My daughter found a stash of corn in one of my boots this past winter--a little mouse must have thought that it was a cozy place to live! And wouldn't you, too, if you were a mouse? ;-) 

I've been planning how to fix up our attic as a place where guests may stay and my heart has been full for excitement for this project. It will be the first step, the Lord willing, in having a set-apart place for people to stay directly related to the ministry that the Lord has called us to here. Please continue to keep my husband and I and our family in your prayers --I believe that the Lord is going to do His perfect work here, in His time and that we will taste of the fruit of His goodness as we wait upon Him. He has shown me over and over this past winter that He will provide for us, that He will take care of our needs, and that He loves to show His power where there is no human way or answer. 

A sweet bird on one of our fenceposts

Last year, I saw the fulfillment of His promise and calling to me 17 years ago . . . I am waiting in hope for how He will continue to work in this place, and I hope to share updates this year as He leads and provides for us. I am still amazed as I look back at how His hand has worked in every little detail--He is the God of details--even in granting me the desire of my heart in preparing a home for us that reminds me of my beloved New England. And yet, my home is in Heaven with Him and He ever reminds me that this is a very temporary place. But I want this temporary place to be a reflection of His grace and glory--and that He would use it to bring rest and refreshing and lead souls to Himself. This is my prayer. And that He would use a weak vessel--strong through Him-- without great human resources to bring glory to Himself--I pray that He will. And the glory is His alone. May the Lord fulfill His vision for this place and ever keep me undistracted and focused upon Him. I covet your prayers, dear friends. 



I pray that each of you will find great rest and peace through our great God as we enter into this beautiful season of resurrection. May His joy dwell in your hearts through faith and may you press on to pursue Him in all that you do. 

A rainbow in the field across from our home



You might find me on these link-ups:

Inspire Me MondayLiteracy Musing MondaysThe Modest MomRaising Homemakers, Classical HomemakingA Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries,  Testimony TuesdayTell His Story, Messy Marriage,  Imparting Grace, Thought Provoking ThursdaySoul SurvivalGood Morning MondaysThe Weekend BrewCounting My BlessingsThe HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link UpGrace and Truth LinkupFaith Filled FridaySHINE Blog HopRaRaLinkupWord of God SpeakBooknificent ThursdayLiving Proverbs 31Coffee For Your Heart Weekly LinkUpYou're the Star Blog HopHomesteader HopFresh Market FridayHeart Encouragement Thursday Sitting Among Friends Blog PartyFabulous Warm Heart PartyOh My Heartsie Girls Wonderful Wednesday LinkupWriter Wednesday Tea and Word

10 comments:

  1. I'm looking forward to spring too, Rebekah ... it's been a long, hard winter. Your pictures are lovely and your excitement for what lies ahead is contagious! So glad to be your neighbor this week at Purposeful Faith ...

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  2. Love your pictures. My daffodils are already blooming, and all the Bradford Pear Trees around the neighborhood are white. I love this time of the year - not the storms - but everything else about it.

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  3. Beautiful plans for a beautiful time of the year. I hope your husband continues to heal. Thanks for linking up with us at the #LMMLinkup.

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  4. Hi Rebekah, so glad I found your blog today through the Tea and Word linkup. :) What a delightful glimpse into your life. You make me want to dry my clothes on a line! :) Glad your hubby is recovering, and I hope Spring comes soon for you.

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  5. Such a sweet post to read when I am waiting for the Nor'Easter to dump snow on us yet again today :) I am ready for spring and all God has for us in the days ahead! Blessings!

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  6. It was nice to read your update. :) My kids and I also read the Little House books while it's cold outside. I'm quite tired of snow, myself, and ready for spring!! We are still praying for a move and a homestead to sustain us, so as I pray for your family, might you pray for ours? Thank you. :)

    I was sorry to hear about your husband, but very grateful to read that he is okay and healing well. Hopefully he will be good as new very soon. :)

    I don't use a dryer...I'm like you. I will just deal with stiff clothing. There's nothing like line-dried clothes. In the winter or on rainy days, I just use clothes racks inside. It sure saves a lot of money!

    Glad to hear you are enjoying your little place on Earth. :)

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  7. Hi from your neighbor at Faith on Fire. Spring is coming, and I am looking forward to it very much also. It is so amazing and wonderful the way the Lord satisfies our desires with His best answers to our prayers. What a loving and personal God we have. I pray that your gardens are fruitful, that your husband continues to heal and that all you do is for His glory as you seek to please Him. Sweet blessings!

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  8. Continued from above- I visited you from Faith on Fire/Lyli Dunbar, I think I had the wrong name for the link up.

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  9. I enjoyed your post so much that I selected it as my favorite the #LMMLinkup this week. I hope you will continue to visit us often. ;)

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  10. Hi Bekki, I LOVE reading about your life in Wisconsin! Praising God for how He continues to bless your home and your ministry. I will certainly continue to lift you all up in prayer.

    Miss you dear friend.

    Sending you much love,

    Karen

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