A Week on the Ranch {Spring 2013 Edition}

I really have no excuse for not getting any blog posts out sooner but, as I had planned to do a post on what life is like on our farm and ranch during the various seasons, now seems as good a time as any!

Sunday, March 10th

We've had some sick kids the last few days, so we let them sleep in and then worshiped at home.  While I love gathering with a multitude of brethren, I also appreciate the decision we made a few years ago that when one or more of us needs to stay home due to illness (ours or our children) or any other reason, then we would all stay home and worship.

Doesn't that seem so common-sensical when you think about it?  How many times I have rushed about all morning helping to get everyone out the door and then stayed home with a sick child or a newborn.  Then, I would trade The Cowboy places and leave him home in the evening while I went to evening services.  Who needs our encouragement and fellowship more, in such a situation, than our own family members?  (More on what our home worship looks like in those instances in a future post.)

Some of the folks at the Redeemer House get together.

In the afternoon we are blessed to get to spend several hours with families associated with Redeemer House Orphanage in Jinja, Uganda.  Kathy Vaughan, who founded the children's home, was in the states for a bit and many of the families who have been blessed by her work came together for fellowship and love.   We are blessed to be a part of it.

Jaja Kathy and 9 children who have come from her home in Uganda, to a number of loving homes in a little bitty farming community in Oregon.

We stumbled to our van well after the host family had started cleaning up - just in time for one of our Littles to cough herself into vomiting.  Life in a house of Littles.  Once we get home, I throw the clothes in the laundry and the child in the tub for a quick bath before teeth brushing and bed.

Life is so very good.

Monday, March 11th

The Cowboy took some horses out to a nearby butte.  He spent the time collecting much needed wet saddle blankets while the kids and I spent our Monday in the usual way: catching up from Sunday.  We really try to not do anything but what is necessary on Sunday - which requires a lot of catch up on Monday.  Since the children have been sick and are still a bit clingy, this took longer than usual.

Every day, we have the same outside chores:  Morning and evening, The Cowboy feeds (and checks waters for) the cows and the horses - and the dog.  All of those critters are instrumental to his work and he knows what work they have been doing - and what work they will be doing - and feeds accordingly.  Mornings and evenings, I feed and water "small animals" - which, right now, consists of chickens, ducks, cats and pigs.  I also clean corrals.  Midday I go out and feed and water the pigs again and then let out all of the chickens and ducks and collect eggs.



Pig walking is a chore nearly everyone loves.  Except when the pigs don't want to return....

Tuesday, March 12th

The weather has turned nicer and Clint and his Tuesday clients met up on the butte to get some good outside time on their horses.

The kids and I ran errands in town and worked on some dejunking projects.  We managed to get some time with the kids' pony, Sugar - and I managed to work on our business newsletter.  Winter is the only time that is remotely slow for us, and things are surely ratcheting up right now!

Deciding who gets to hold the lead rope is usually a challenge.  This day, they all did it together.

Wednesday, March 13th

Another beautiful day - for March.  We had a change of plans with the newsletter, so I hustled to get out an interim flyer advertising The Cowboy's spring clinics and classes.  I didn't get as much dejunking done as I wanted to but the kids did get more time on Sugar and the flyer went out.

I chalk that up as a success.



Big sister is old enough to lead little sister on Sugar as long as she has supervision.

Thursday, March 14th

The Cowboy arranged for several lessons in a neighboring town so after chores and breakfast, he was gone for the day.

I spend time fielding inquiries into the various clinics and classes, then load up my sewing machine and the kids for a trip to my in-laws' house.  My mother-in-law is helping with the Clothespin Apron Project and we decided to sew together.  I pick up lunch on the way and then we spent a relaxing several hours sewing, watching the kids jump on the trampoline, and watching my mother-in-law help a friend with a horse.

As usual, any time I leave the house during the day, we rushed back home for afternoon chores before dark.

Friday, March 15th

The little girls aren't feeling well again and we had a restless night with both of them.  My kids are such good sleepers that I've become quite spoiled.  Although this had become somewhat common with this cold, it was still unusual to have them wake so much.

The boys burned parts of the front pasture today (which helps get good growth as Spring gets wetter) and the girls helped me in the house.  Eventually, I couldn't stand it any longer and we meandered out to at least enjoy the view.  Burning fields is one of my favorite ranch chores.



The far pasture is burned and horses Ace and Rush find the whole experience uninteresting.

After we got the youngest down for a nap and the others set up with lunch and a movie, The Cowboy and I got away for a sweet lunch date.  We have been trying to find time for a dinner date (which happens every 3 to 6 months for us) and it just wasn't happening - so we settled for a sweet 45 minute escape - and took a sample of eggs to the local restaurant to see if they'd be interested in pastured eggs.

The youngest Little wanted to help with chores and insisted on wearing the bonnet Aunt Melissa sent her for Christmas.

Friday evenings we usually try to watch a movie as a family, but we were just too tired after our long night and we all hit the hay pretty early.

Saturday, March 16th

About a week prior, we learned we would be having a very exciting guest on Saturday.  The founder of one of our favorite organizations, Every Orphan's Hope, happened to be in the state and wanted to stop by.  What a glorious time of fellowship and friendship.  We got to learn so much more about Every Orphan's Hope - and we even got to video tape a message to send to our sponsored kids.  (I will be highlighting this organization in a coming post.  We are so impressed with their work - and their hearts for Jesus as they go about doing this wonderful work.)

Gary Schneider, of Every Orphan's Hope, videotaping the kids - to show to our sponsored children in Zambia.

Saturday nights are spent preparing for Sunday, but this Saturday was not as busy as most.  One Sunday a month we get together with another family for worship.  This month we were at their home, so I had very little to do.  On these days, we worship whenever it works for all of us (usually around 11), share a meal and hang out for the day.  It is one of my favorite days of the month and Saturday night we were all glad to know that tomorrow would be one of our extra special Sundays.

There you have it - the down and dirty on a random Spring week on the ranch.

Fundraiser Friday Post - on Sunday!

Fundraiser Fridays are the posts I put up on Fridays {sometimes} to make you aware of opportunities for you to help adopting parents raise money to complete their adoptions.

Participating in adoptions is one way you can answer God's call in your life to care for the orphan and the widow.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.  (James 1:27)

And, as Christians, we are to bear one another's burdens. 

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

While this is normally a Friday offering, after watching this, you can see why I just couldn't wait until Friday!  (If you make me cry and throw my hands up praising a HUGE God, then your story can be posted any time!)

Go.  Check out Harvey & Linda Eckstein's blog.  And, then be a part of the huge plan God has for the Ecksteins and their son here.

 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
 For the body does not consist of one member but of many.   If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.  (1 Corinthians12:12-14; 26)

God is working.  How awesome to get to be a part of what He is doing!

Updates, Fundraising Friday and a Hodge Podge of a Post

First and foremost, I just want to say that you ladies just bring me to my knees in praise and celebration.  Not only did every mama from Zambia get matched with a woman here in the United States, but two mamas will get an extra pen pal (and there was even more response than that - ladies who will wait for the next opportunity).  Here where we can get on the Internet and find all of the support and encouragement we could need, it's hard to imagine what it will mean to a mama in Zambia to connect with a woman here.  I am giddy thinking about what a blessing 26 women will be to one another!  Thank you.  Thank you not just for signing up to be a special blessing to a mama in Africa - but thank you for the blessing you are to me as I watch women step out in love of our God and love of women who are also stepping out in love of that same God.

The blessing that is the Body of Christ just amazes me.



Bug is always eager to help.  Here we are getting the packets ready for the lovely women who volunteered for our latest project!

Interesting tidbits: 

Our youngest participant is almost 9.  Our oldest shall not be named.  :)

Women are participating from right here near me in the Pacific Northwest - all the way to South Dakota, Oklahoma and even Indiana!

I know only 8 of the participants personally; 6 I have never met.  (But know that I am praying for each and every one of you - and your mamas.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's been since Christmas time that I did a Fundraising Friday post, so this is well past due. 

I would like you to meet Princess Sadie.

Princess Sadie is a beautiful late-term abortion survivor from Ghana.  When her biological mother learned that she had Hydrocephalus, the decision was made to "terminate the pregnancy."  But God had big plans for Princess Sadie and she was born alive and named Princess by those who rescued this beautiful baby.  (If you know anything about our family in real life, you can understand why Sadie Mae Beute is especially precious to us - because WE have a Sadie Mae!)

I couldn't tell you her story any better than than Anita Gillispie does at her blog:

"A Fairy Tale usually begins with the words, "Once upon a time", ends with, "happily ever after" and is filled with all sorts of things that don't happen in real life. I want to share with you a real life Fairy Tale that begins with, "Once upon a time", ends with, "happily ever after" and is filled with all sorts of things that don't usually happen in real life but because the Author of this story is God, well, anything can happen.

This story is about a princess, no really, her name is Princess. She was born in Ghana, West Africa after surviving a late-term abortion. There was an heroic rescue and she was given the name, Princess. Through a series of extraordinary events, Princess was adopted by a family in a far-off land and she became, Sadie Mae Beute. Now, our princess' new family didn't know it at the time but the name they chose for their precious new daughter actually means, Princess. I told you anything was possible in this kind of Fairy Tale!

So Princess Sadie made the long journey to her new home and began her "happily ever after" with her new family, her forever family. Sadie's story has been full of ups and downs and twists and turns. It's not been easy but I can tell you it's beautiful. You can read all about Princess Sadie and her precious family on their blog at www.beutebunch.blogspot.com. I think you'll find it to be beautifully and honestly written. Because of Sadie's special needs she will soon be using a wheelchair which will not fit into her family's current vehicle. The reality is that vehicles with wheelchair lifts are very expensive. This dear family is a long way off from affording this type of purchase but their precious daughter will begin life with her wheelchair already this March.

 

This is where we come in! I believe that during the month of February we can reach 4,000 people who are willing to give just $5 toward the cost of a "chariot" for Princess Sadie. Sounds almost impossible, I know, until you remember Who is writing this Fairy Tale! With God, all things are possible!

 

Please take a moment to read Sadie's story, donate $5 and then share this opportunity with your friends. Sadie's Chariot Fund, an account at Chemical Bank has been set up for receiving donations. You can drop off or mail donations to 5980 Lake Michigan Drive, Allendale, MI 49401. Checks can be made out to Audrey Beute and/or Sarah Butterfield. Please write "Sadie's Chariot Fund" on any donation so that it will be deposited appropriately. Thank you in advance from the bottom of my heart!! Now, let's take Princess Sadie VIRAL:)"
 

 

So...if you are interested in helping Princess Sadie and the Beute family get a van (or a chariot) to tote beautiful Princess Sadie in, please go here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It's getting to that time of the year on the ranch.  Time to start promoting The Cowboy's clinics and classes.  Time to cull some chickens and find more egg customers.  Time to get the house in shape because we will be nearly living outside when the irrigation water comes on and the garden is planted.  Time to weed out the clothes that are too small.  Time to build some cold frames.  Time to decide whether or not it's crazy to order chicks this year.  (And to determine whether or not, should I choose not to mail-order chicks, I'll just end up buying them at the feed store anyway.)  Time to order replacement seeds for the garden.  Time to schedule some much needed clean up before The Cowboy's training season starts.

Whoever coined the phrase, "the calm before the storm" failed to mention the mini-tornado before the storm. 

But isn't that when God shines brightest - in a storm?  Every year for the Farm School seems crazier than the last.  And every year, God is bigger than last year. 

I once read of missionaries who were taken hostage in South America and endured much before their rescue.  Later, they met to talk about what a blessing it was to be...hostages.

Yep.  To have been hostages was a blessing to them.  Because God was so big - and they were so close to Him during that time.  (Of course, God's size never changes - but our vision of Him certainly does, doesn't it?)

So, this pre-storm season you know what I'm praying for? 

I'm praying for a storm. 

I'm praying for more of a wild, crazy God-storm that leaves my flesh battered, my spirit breathless, and my eyes firmly fixed on the only anchor in any storm.

You may hate me for this - but I am praying the same for you.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
(Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)

An Opportunity to Bless

Last fall, our family discovered Every Orphan's Hope.  And a love affair began.

We just love these people.  We love the people in Texas who let God get a hold of their hearts so they could make this ministry happen.  We love the beautiful hands and feet on the ground in Zambia that make this ministry work day in and day out. 

There is also a special place in our hearts for these mamas.

Two of these women are blessed with husbands.  The other 10 are widows.  Twelve women who have answered the call to die to themselves daily and raise 8 beautiful children a piece - nearly 100 in all - for Jesus.

Ladies, we have an incredible opportunity here.  We have an opportunity to come along beside women across the globe from us and love them.  Love them, encourage them, pray for them, befriend them, and support them.



Seven of the mamas wrapping up their regular Bible study time.

Here is how we will start.  How it goes from there is up to you:

The idea began with clothespin aprons.  As a clothes hanging mama, I know I find my clothespin apron to be invaluable.  I started thinking about those mama in the hot Zambian sun, hanging clothes for 8 precious souls and I thought, "it would be nice to bless a mama with a clothespin apron."

Of course, you cannot bless just one - there are 12 of them.  And, while a clothespin apron is a blessing, how much more so a prayer warrior for a friend?




Mama Juliet preparing lunch

So, twelve lucky ladies will get to bless 12 lucky ladies with:

A clothespin apron (I can send you a pattern, you can use your own pattern, or you can purchase one)
Clothespins
Specific prayer - as these women have provided us with their prayer requests
A relationship as a prayer warrior and a pen pal

If you decide to sign up to be a part of this special opportunity, here is how it will work.

Please leave a comment with the name of the mama you would like to bless and your address so I can mail you a packet with a copy of the clothespin apron I use, a picture of your mama with her family, and your mama's prayer list.  The comments are moderated so I will get your information, but it will not post to the blog.  Please also leave your second choice in case the first one has already been chosen.

Mama Anna making lunch.

I will need your apron, clothespins, and letter (and anything else you choose to send to your mama or her house) by March 18th.  Your special gift will arrive in Zambia the first or second week of April!

Who is in?  Who wants to let Jesus have a little more of you...and you a little more of Him?

**UPDATE all of the mamas have been spoken for, but if you'd still like to connect with a mama, let me know - EVERY mama needs all of the support she can get!:
 
Mama Ellen for Melisse
Mama Loveness for Nancy
Mama Mary for Jenny
Mama Anna for Linda
Mama Juliet for Desi
Mama Christine for Melissa
Mama Jane for my sweet mother-in-love!
Mama Sarah for Kris
Mama Josephine for Brandy
Mama Florence for Casey
Mama Theresa for Shawn
Mama Elizabeth for Marlene

THANK YOU, ladies!

Making Hay While the Sun Shines

Or at least cleaning out stinky pig pens and musty chicken tractors.

With such fine weather for February, I haven't lined up a blog post.  I do have one coming up about some great love affairs, more Myth Busting, an opportunity for you to help widow women raising orphans in Zambia, and an idea I need to pitch to friends for a some farm posts. It's just been so nice - and there has been so much to do - that I haven't taken the time to get the posts ready.

However, since the neighbor spotted a cougar on her property, I'm waiting until daylight to do my chores these days, so I thought I'd share some pictures the kids and I took yesterday...followed by some links.

Our newest roo.  I call him "Red."  The Cowboy calls him "Mr. Fancy Pants".  He is a "Blue Laced Red Wyandotte."

Playing in the stock run on our way back from checking the mail.

Mr. Fancy Pants with some of his girls and a couple of ducks.  I figure if you need fancy looking chickens, the rooster will have to do.  I want hens who are good layers - regardless of what they look like.  These are Barred Rocks.

The ducks were ecstatic to see the stock run!

Ever wonder about chicken reproduction?  (If you eat eggs, you must have wondered at some point!)  Here is a fabulous post from Lally Broch Farm on The Birds and Bees...Chicken Style.

I should have gotten cold frames built last fall, but I didn't - so I bookmarked this post from Bepa's Garden for inspiration.

Because we have a broody hen - and one we know will go broody, I needed a better idea than last year's to house them for hatching their chicks.  This DIY mobile broody box from Mother Earth News has possibilities.  And this article (from the Modern Homestead) on hatching your own is very helpful.

And, if you have nothing to do but pine over heirloom tomatoes (and other vegetables - and even flowers), you must check out my favorite seed source.  When the Baker Creek seed catalog comes, the kids and I pore over it for hours. 

More blog posts soon - in the meantime, I hope you're enjoying wonderful weather where you are too!

Aunt Tiff's Spectacular Birthday Cake

Last summer was a crazy time for our family.  The above picture of my sister was taken 2 days before she almost died in a horrible car accident.

Fast forward 4 months - after days in ICU and then the Orthopedic Floor of our local hospital - and I knew I wanted to make a very special birthday cake to celebrate 2 things about which her doctors were amazed:  That my sister survived the accident at all, and that she still has her arm (which was almost torn off as she was ejected from her car).

The good news:  This cake is delicious.  It is also quick and very easy.

The bad news:  While I am sure that it can be made just as well from scratch, I actually doctored up a cake mix for this one.

Thanks to Pinterest, the decoration was easy: after frosting the cake, I just put Kit Kat bars around it, and filled the top with M & Ms.

Here is how I made it:

Aunt Tiff's Spectacular Birthday Cake

Ingredients:

1 (18 1/4 ounce) package devil's food cake mix

1 (4 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

chocolate frosting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans.
3. Dust with flour and tap out the excess; set pans aside.
4. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl.
5. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.
6. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
7. On medium low speed, continue to blend for 2-3 minutes more.
8. The batter will be very thick and should look well combined.
9. Pour batter into prepared pans and smooth it out.
10. Bake for 27-32 minutes
11. Allow to cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
12. Prepare frosting.
13. When cake is cool, frost.

 

This past summer, one of my uncles died at 60 years old.  My sister was in that horrific accident, and one of my aunt's suffered a massive stroke.  Take every opportunity you can to let the people you love know it - and celebrate life every chance you get!

 

{Printable Recipe}

 

Myth Busting Baptism {Part 2}

In Part 1 of this series on Myth Busting, I presented a number of Scriptures on baptism.

Here I would like to address common questions or reasons people have had for not taking the Scriptures on baptism at face value.

The Thief on the Cross Wasn't Baptized.

One of the most common arguments against accepting the Scriptural presentation of baptism is that the "Thief on the Cross" was not baptized.

As I pointed out in Part 1, Christian baptism was instituted after Jesus' death, burial and resurrection.  In Romans 6, Paul points out that when we are baptized we are buried with Jesus in His death:

 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

(Romans 6:3-4 ESV)

Christian baptism was not instituted during the thief in question's lifetime - so baptism wasn't an option for him.  (Notice that Jesus told more than one person their sins were forgiven (Matthew 9, Mark 2, Luke 5, Luke 7, for example).)

What about Romans 10:9-10?

If you read the comment section on Part 1, you will have already seen this answer.

Romans 10: 9 & 10 are not a complete prescription for salvation any more than Acts 2:38 is.  Not only did Paul tell the Romans just 4 chapters prior that it was through baptism that they were buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life.  This same Paul is also the same writer who said that we are clothed in Christ via baptism (Galatians 3:27) and that it is in baptism that our "body of flesh" is cut off (Colossians 2:11).  No, we are expected to take all of the Scriptures on salvation together - not just pick one or two and declare those the end of the story.

Notice in Mark 16:16 we read that Jesus said that he who believes and is baptized shall be saved.  He makes no mention of repentance or confession.  On Pentecost Peter said to "repent and be baptized."  He made no mention of belief or confession.  Ananias told Paul to arise and be baptized, calling on the name of the Lord.  He made no mention of belief or repentance.  We are to take all of the Scriptures on salvation together to determine God's will in this area.


But isn't Baptism a Work?

Is believing a work?  Is repenting a work?  Is confessing a work?  Why not?

Scripture says that works one would do to "earn" salvation result in boasting: Romans 4:2, Romans 3:27, Ephesians 2:8-9.  Scripture also says that these types of unbiblical works eliminate one's need for God: Ephesians 2:8, Galatians 2:21, 2 Timothy 1:9, and Titus 3:5.

Does baptism fit these descriptions of works that God condemns?  Does believing?  Does repenting?  Does confessing?

Many people were baptized in the New Testament record and yet none boast of having saved themselves by so doing.  Not only does baptism not eliminate the need for God, it relies on Jesus' death on the cross (Paul says that we are baptized into Jesus' death and raised with Him).  Most importantly, it is part of God's plan for salvation - so it relies entirely on Him.

If We Have to Do Something, Then Christ's Work Was Insufficient.

Again, people who claim this do believe you must believe, repent and confess - it is merely at baptism that they draw a line.  This is an inconsistent application of what they claim to believe.

Let's use a parable to better understand this idea of Christ's work beign insufficient if we have to do anything:  If your husband's employer bought you and your husband an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii (rumor has it that some bosses do that - but I've never had one), that would be a wonderful gift, right?  Would you claim that it wasn't a gift if you had to get yourself to the airport?  Isn't packing your bags and finding a housesitter a "work"?  If you have to find a housesitter, pack your bags and get to the airport does that mean that your boss didn't give your family a gift after all?  Of course not.  The fact that you have to unwrap a present in no way means you've "earned" the gift or that the giver's gift was insufficient.

Household Baptism

On a somewhat related note, I received feedback from ladies who are under the impression that the references, in Scripture, to whole households being baptized indicated that infants and even servants are appropriate subjects of baptism.  (Examples of households being baptized: Acts 11.14; Acts 16.15; Acts 16.33; and 1 Corinthians 1.16.)

First, it is important to note that we have no example of infants being baptized in Scripture.  It would be unwise to develop a doctrine based on an assumption that these households had infants in them. 

Further, it would be inappropriate to do so in direct contradiction of Scripture which says that baptism follows hearing, believing, repenting and confessing.

Jesus said that "he who believes and is baptized shall be saved."  Obviously, infants are incapable of belief.

Peter said, "repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins."  Obviously, infants are incapable of repentance.  (Further, they are in no need of repentance - see Myth Busting the Doctrine of Original Sin for more information. Additionally, Jesus, Himself, said that the Kingdom of God belongs to children - which would indicate that they had no need for baptism.)

Ananias said, "Arise and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord."  Obviously, infants cannot arise - nor can they call on the name of the Lord.

Obviously, Scripture does not teach the baptizing of infants. 

Summary:

What we can see is that, over time, man has distorted a very simple teaching on baptism.

Proper subject:   Scripture tells us that the appropriate candidate for baptism is a sinner who has heard and believed the gospel.  This person has repented of their sins and is willing to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. 

Purpose: Scripture further tells us that baptism is for the remission of sins.  It tells us that when we submit to baptism we are buried in Christ (and clothed in Him) and raised to walk in newness of life.  (Some denominations would call that "regeneration.")  We also know, from Scripture, that baptism is the point at which God cleanses us of our sins and removes our "body of flesh."  Scripture also tells us that we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit when we are baptized.

Timing: Given all of this, it shouldn't be surprising that every example of baptism takes place immediately upon the person's belief and repentance - and the one case in which it didn't (Paul's conversion), the Lord's messenger chastised the believer for delaying.


{Part one - and other Myth Busting topics - can be found here.}