Faithful in a Few Things, Part 2

In a post earlier this week, I wrote about the parable of the talents, focusing on the fact that Christ praised the servants who were faithful in just a few things. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy…

Words to Live By, By My Kids

Every week, I assign my two high school juniors an essay or creative writing piece as one of their homeschool assignments. Last week, I asked Aidan and Shae to write their own "words to live by" in free verse form. They were to base their credos on the following words by Abraham Lincoln. I Am…

Take Joy in Your Salvation!

When I read the Bible, I usually study particular words and phrases to clarify the meaning of a passage. But when I noticed this verse several days ago, I soaked up the entire paragraph all at once and enjoyed thinking about it all day - no additional study needed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,…

Father of Lights

As the seasons change, so does the light. At my home across from a cornfield, we’ll soon have flaming sunsets and orange moons, thanks to all the dust from the harvest in the air. Inside, I’ve started enjoying candlelight from spice-scented candles, and I’ve begun turning on lamps in the early evening.  Soon, the nights…

Summer Recap – Ready for Fall and a New Homeschool Year!

This summer has proven to be a season of good things begun and completed in my household. We worked and played hard, and we certainly met our goal of spending more time with each other in the midst of it all. After our home school year concluded at the end of April, we kicked off…

Providential Pruning

This summer, I’ve learned a lot about my favorite pastime, perennial gardening, watching a YouTube channel called Garden Answer. The channel’s cheerful host and gardener extraordinaire, Laura, gives practical advice about gardening in every season. This week, I watched many of Laura’s videos on pruning. Come to find out, different perennials require different levels of…

Appreciating Sunlit Moments

During our recent heat wave, I’ve been taking our chickens a dishpan of fresh water every morning. They have an automatic waterer connected to a hose, but they seem to appreciate that daily drink of fresh, cold water from the dishpan. Their usual squawks and clucks cease as they gather around, dipping their beaks in…

Mixed Bag of Thoughts about Our Mixed-Up Week

Our week has been full of busyness, beginning with celebrating my daughter’s birthday last weekend. Happy fifteenth, dear Shae! (She blogged about her celebration here.)   As well, we attended the county 4-H fair over the course of two days, where my kids’ projects for the year were judged, with happy results. My oldest two will…

Ankle Weights on Chickens

This spring and early summer, an unusual amount of rain fell here in Central Illinois. Rivers were swollen, fields were flooded, and farmers had to delay planting. Even our property on high ground was affected, especially our chicken run, which turned into a chicken wallow, rather than the dusty stretch of bare dirt it usually…

Poetry: After the Snowstorm

I am walking In a pen-and-ink drawing Snow the lustrous linen paper Trees sketched neatly thereupon Sparrows stippling the space between   Then my children Dash onto the scene Coats of turquoise and coral and blue Sleds in other neon hues And brighter than all The incandescent color of laughter   Now I walk In…