We're still here

  Yes, yes, I know it has been a while since I last blogged- I do try to update once a week, but this time it has been more like 2 or 3 weeks. We are still here, still serving, living, & enjoying it. It looks like we'll stay put for the next month since we made 2 trips to Lanc. in Aug. The first trip was our usual once a month visit, the 2nd was for the baptism service. One can only travel back & forth so often until you say "That's it, I'm staying put for a while". So for Sept.- no planned trip to Lanc.
  What have we been up to?? I have got the kids back in school- so that's my morning. From 8 or 8:30 to 12:30 I try to juggle- teaching Shay & Matt, doing laundry, checkin emails etc., & keeping my 1 yr. old and 3 yr. old happy. When I do get time for myself, there's household chores to do & Haft responsibilities- so really there is no "me" time. Oh well- I love my job & my family,  so it's a win win.
  Dutch has been busy skidding, cutting, & stacking logs. He has been doing some small repair jobs on the Shepherd's Cottage (one of the houses here), as well as helping Gregg with the grounds keeping (mostly weed-eating).
  Dutch & I have been meeting weekly w/ Bruce & Joan for "coaching sessions". Trying to find our "life purpose", what we were really created to do/be for God. We have to set goals & all that good stuff. It's been exciting & difficult. We are not the "planning" kind of people, so putting plans on paper & then acting on them is not easy for us. Ideas & talking are one thing, "doing" & carrying them out is another.
  On the fun side- we went to Willaimsport w/ my sister Sue & her family on the 22nd. It just happened that the Little League World Series was taking place that week, so we watched a couple games while we were there!! And this week is the Sullivan Co. fair- so I guess we'll go do what everyone else in Sullivan Co. is doing, we'll hang out at the fair one evening or maybe two.

We kNEED Jesus

  OK I think the Lord is speaking!! My last blog tells the details of how I ended up with a knee/leg injury that now causes me to hobble around. As of yesterday Dutch was also injured in his left knee & now he too hobbles. So the misspelled "kNEED" in the title was intentional. I told Dutch that the Lord is speaking to us, reminding us how much we NEED Him, He's also reminding us how important it is to pray & ask for protection every day. So while we're being convicted of the fact we need to be on our knees more, we are acutely aware of how painful that is since neither one of us can kneel too well!!
  Perhaps I should explain his injury- in short it goes something like this: He cut his knee with the chain saw while cutting some branches off of the tops of trees that he was cleaning up to be used for firewood. Praise the Lord it was not very deep, but it's located right on his knee cap which makes walking & bending it a bit of a problem. While Dutch puts rubbing alcohol & cleansing agents on his knee, I sit there bending mine doing "therapy". Our kids are a little "put off" by our injuries- Madison commented that he thought this year was a "faith journey", and I suppose to him that meant nothing like this would happen. I tried to explain that a "faith journey" does NOT mean that everything goes exactly as we plan, but that we choose to trust God through whatever we face. So once again we use life experiences to teach our children about God & what we believe about His Sovereignty!! And once we again we as adults learn the importance of putting our trust in someone other than ourselves. God is GOOD & we NEED Him!!!

Crazy Dog

  So far my week in Lancaster has NOT gone as planned, and it has to do with our our choc. Lab Snickers. I never dreamt she was capable of doing physical harm to me. Here's the story: on Mon. evening when Dutch was ready to put Snickers back in her dog shed, he whistled & she came running full speed toward him. Dutch & the dog have a playful thing between them where Dutch acts like he's going to get Snickers & she runs away from him. Well in one quick, playful second Snickers swerved away from Dutch & plowed right into me from the front & jams my knee back. I crumbled down in pain, feeling certain that if I would try to lift my leg it would flop, I thought for sure something "popped". I lay there for a bit catching my breath & then Dutch helped me to sit up. I sat there & looked at Dutch, then said "I'm gonna pass out". The next thing I remember is the cold water they splashed on my face to wake me from my stupor. They helped me get inside where it was nice & cool, & I laid down on the couch.
  I don't think there are any broken bones, BUT ever since Mon. nite- my knee area is very sore, I hobble around, my whole lower left leg is swollen... & doing the things I had planned to do here this week is no easy task. BUT praise the Lord it feels better everyday, I can put weight on the leg w/o pain & God is healing all the things that were stretched, pulled or maybe even torn. My chiropractor suggested that I have it checked out at the orthopedics, which I had scheduled an appt. with, but I cancelled the appt. for now, praying that God will heal it & I won't need to have it x-rayed & I won't need any type of surgery. Let's just say spending time or money in a Drs office is NOT what I like to do, (though I realize that is necessary at times). Dutch & I agreed to cancel the appt., so I feel good about the decision. And I'm asking everyone who reads this blog to PRAY for complete healing for my knee.

Project Update & Role Change

  It's a wrap!! Dutch wrapped up his "new office for Bruce" project a little over a week ago. The 2nd floor of the barn looks almost completely different than it did when we came here. He did an amazing job!! His next remodeling project WAS going to be a big undertaking- remodeling the kitchen, BUT this project has been put on hold & Mr. Dutch is now officially a "Maintenance Man". With the Coleman's leaving this month, someone will need to step in for a time & do some outside work, & stock the wood shed for the winter. So Dutch's new role, for now, will be to fill that position. Any folks in Lancaster (or elsewhere) looking to volunteer their time?? Dutch could probably put you to work cutting wood, or organizing the new shop, or, or... well let's just say we'd love to have you come & give us a hand shapin' some things up outside here!!
  Although Dutch thoroughly enjoyed the remodeling work he was doing in the barn, he welcomes the change of pace & scenery that this position brings. After spending most of his time indoors the first half of this year, he now gets to work outside for a change. The other cool part about this is that this will provide more opportunity for the kids to work alongside Dutch, which is what I hoped would happen this year. And speaking of this year, I can't believe it's August already- who would have dreamed that time would go so fast here. We have enjoyed so much about this year & are so grateful we got to experience it. It is, of course, hard to see the Colemans leave, but we are praying that the Lord will send another family to take their place. We realize too that when it's time for us to pack & leave here it will be a hard good-bye. We have made many new friends, & will have reasons to come back & visit (or maybe retire here) Ha. We look forward to all that God has planned for us as we finish out here & pursue His will for our lives.

The Swimming Hole

  Today after lunch we took the opportunity to go w/ Bruce & Joan and their daughter Amy Zorrilla & her family to an area in the Loyalsock creek that they like to swim in. Amy & Andres are staying at the Haft for 3 weeks, they're on furlough from Honduras where they are stationed with MCC. We have enjoyed interacting with the Zorrillas & our children have enjoyed spending time with their daughters Beatrice (13) & Abigail (9). Beatrice loves kids so she has bonded with MaKayla & Gabby. So when they invited us to go on a little outing, we readily agreed. They took us to a spot that they frequent, it's an area in World's End State Park- an area away from most of the other people. It was great, it was deep enough for the adults to swim and enjoy themselves, yet there were shallow areas for the smaller kids. It wasn't exactly the beach or the nice clean swimming pool that I'm used to swimming in, but it was cool, wet and a new experience for the kids. I love the idea of being creative, & using the resources you have where ever you're at- we don't have a pool close by so we use the next best thing we can find. The added benefit of a place like this in the creek is the fact that you can enjoy the beauty of nature while you're swimming. This swimming area is situated at the bottom of the mountain so we were surrounded by trees & rocks. And Madison was standing beside Dutch admiring his surroundings when he commented, "How can anyone think there is no God"?? I think he was in awe of nature & he saw God's handiwork in it. The Bible says when it comes to the Kingdom we need to "become as a child" & I understand why- they have a simple way of looking at things. Oh that we would keep a simplistic outlook on life!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everything Matters

  Paul & Leslie, a pastor & his wife that were here for a week Sabbatical, asked to have a word with the on-site team before they left here on Sat. morning. So we gathered in the "newly renovated lounge (thanks to Dutch)"- & Paul thanked each one of us for the part we play here. He said not only did they have a time of refreshing in their quiet times here, but also watching each one of us participate & work together was refreshing to them. And that is so encouraging to hear, because we all play a different part here- some people mow the grass, some people do construction, some people do counseling, etc. etc. So to hear Paul say that he was touched not only by the counseling they received here, but by all of us doing our part including Dutch & Madison workin along side each other- that was a tremendous boost to keep on with the everyday little things that God calls each one of us to!!!! That means that we're ALL important even the "little" things have significance. We don't just minister to people through preaching, counseling or witnessing- we can be a blessing in a lot of ways. This can be applied to life in general- people are watching, and our lives can be a testimony in every way. Our lives in action speak far louder than anything we could ever say, & the things that seem like "little" things to us might impact people in a big way. Don't ever think that being a mom is a "small" job, the way we raise our children, & handle them speaks to people. In other words, there are no "small" areas when you're a christian- every thing matters, our attitudes, & actions need to be in line at all times. Trust me I'll be the first to admit that when I'm alone with my kids, they see a side of me that I'd rather that nobody else see. Sometimes I snap & lose my temper, but sometime that will show up in my kids when they're in public & they get upset at some other kid & they show their temper. Well, no denying it, they learned it from me. So in all reality we can't drop our guard, we make impressions on people 24/7.  It's important that we make the effort to make good impressions & do everything with a good attitude no matter what the job is that we're doing.

A Conversation w/ My Kids

  Don't you love the stuff that kids come up with?? I was sitting down w/ my kids at breakfast this morning & we were chatting. The conversation was about "free" stuff- like magazines that we get in the mail for free aren't REALLY free because the advertisers pay to put an ad in them & that's how we get them for free. What we were discussing was that nothing like that is really FREE, someone always pays for it some way or another. So Madison pipes up & says, "People just don't have willing hearts now days, everything is about money".
  Then ShaLyn quips, "But Madison you NEED money to live, you have to have SOME money".
  And Madison comes back with, "Well not the way I see it. You can live off the land!!!"
  To which ShaLyn replies, "What are you gonna wipe your butt with"??
  I was sitting there smirking. What an interesting conversation. I love to hear how my kids see things. Their ideas & view points are priceless. Kids hear their parents talking, then they process these things in their little minds- then when it comes out their mouth it is amazing what they come up with. This mornings conversation continued but I can't remember all the details, but Madison did eventually agree that you need a little money to get equipped to live off the land, for instance, he said, "You would need to BUY fishing lines to catch the fish that you're gonna eat". And we discussed ShaLyn's question & decided that leaves would work for the wiping part as long as they're not poisonious!!!
  I write all this to say- I'm encouraging you to take a moment to have a chat with your kids & LISTEN to what they've got churning in their little minds. They might have a "word" for you. They may have dreams, plans & ideas for their future that you have no clue about. Their minds have a lot of info in them, tap in & see what's on their hearts. Take time with your kids today!!!!