Tradition

At our house, we have a plenty of girly toys! We have this doll stroller that does actually have a doll in it from time to time, but traditionally, each of the girls has had their turn in it... We didn't want to leave Lara out, now did we?!

She seemed to like it quite well! Big brother Alex had to take her for a spin too!
Check out the blue eyes... so far they seem to be staying that way and we are all cheering! She is the only one in the Mast/Isaac line so far, that's hanging on to those baby-blues!

Don't you just love babies little legs..feet...toes...
Actually the whole package is rather nice, I'd say!

Belated Memorial Day Moments

I will here confess why I like a parade...
Forget the floats, cheesy or otherwise...
Forget the fancy cars, old tractors, big trucks, high-stepping horses, etc...
I'm there for the marching bands!
There was a small parade in Nashville (Ohio), just down the road from home. We never miss it. Probably for various reasons...

Every time I hear or see a marching band, I have to fight back tears... They make me feel so emotional! No, I never was in one, it's not due to fond memories or nostalgia... All I know to say is they effect me, like a hint of things to come...
Togetherness...in a big way...
Harmony...like we never heard yet...
Oneness...
Proclaiming...
Exulting...
Lifting high...
I go to parades and wait for the marching bands...for a foretaste.
I go home and let God do business in my life in order to experience the reality of that fellowship in an ever-widening circle.
HOLY! HOLY! HOLY!

My girls will tell you, without hesitation, that they like parades because of the candy that people throw...

I was very pleased to watch, as Damaris retrieved the loot that was out in the street, to see that she brought it back and distributed it amongst themselves. No squabbles, just seeing who wanted what... their own little picture of harmony. It just added to my already "emotional" state. Thank you, Lord God, for the blessings they are! I am forever in Your debt for all Your goodness to me!

This little fellow was so cute, I couldn't leave him out!

Under His Wings

Don't you just love it when you find yourself humming a song over and over, and finally realize that you are doing it and think about why is it sticking, and where did I hear this, etc.?
Well, tonight the one I found myself singing in the shower is this one:

Under His wings I am safely abiding;

Though the night deepens and tempests are wild,

Still I can trust Him; I know He will keep me;

He has redeemed me and I am His child.

Chorus:

Under His wings, under His wings,

Who from His love can sever?

Under His wings my soul shall abide,

Safely abide forever.

Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!

How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!

Often when earth has no balm for my healing,

There I find comfort, and there I am blest.

Under His wings, O what precious enjoyment!

There will I hide till life's trials are o'er;

Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me;

Resting in Jesus I'm safe evermore.

Which brings me to an account I read some years back that I clipped and kept where I reread it from time to time...

"An article in National Geografic several years ago provided a penetrating picture of God's wings. After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree.

Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he gently struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had ushered her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise. She could have flown to safety but refused to abandon her babies. When the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast. Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings would live.

"He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge." (Psalm 91:4)"

Who from His love can sever?!

He says, "How often would I have gathered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not."

What have we got to lose? Independence? It's not all it's cracked up to be... (The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. It is not within a man to direct his steps...)

Take cover under His wings and you will find it a place of refuge.

New Mown Hay

Haying season is upon us! The corn is not yet all in the ground. Abe has been putting in long days...It has finally dried up enough to work the fields down.

One of the frequent poses I see my hubby in...completely natural to have the cell phone to his ear!!! He has had quite a challenge to coordinate everything, needing to be in two or three places at once. Thank God for cell phones!
He said a few days ago he was thinking on the verse that says:
"In Him we live, and move, and have our being."
It's good exercise right now to let go of what seems like it has to get done, to do the thing in front of you and trust God to be the Coordinator. Who sends the sun and the rain, again, after all?!?

Have you ever smelled fresh sun-dried hay?!? I wish there was a way to do a scratch and sniff for those of you who haven't! This is one of the aromas that makes me treasure my sense of smell!

Future hay-makers... yeah...girls can be farmers too! I have taken my turn at raking and baling hay in times past , sometimes with a baby on my back. Abe used to have a car seat bolted on one of his tractors too! Lately, with four, it seems I mostly shuttle Abe from a field back to his truck, and bring supper...etc.

By the way... our whole family still fits on one 4-wheeler, but it's pretty loaded down!

Sweet will be the flower!

For some reason when I saw this the other day, a line of a song came to mind...
"The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower."
I have noticed before that ants seem to like peonies. They are waiting in anticipation...
I have to think, there are many times in life when it is hard to wait, to trust and believe that "sweet will be the flower". We would like to help God "unfold the rose". In the same way that it will permanently damage a butterfly if you try to help it out of it's cocoon, it ruins the true beauty of the rose.

I ran across this verse the other day, and I have been savoring it.
Hosea 12:6
"So you, by the help of your God, return; Observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God continually."
He does not leave us to struggle alone.

"O, magnify the Lord with me. Let us exalt His name together."

Congratulations to the new Mama!

Until very recently, "Fluffy" was a "he".
As one of many kittens I had in mind this one was a "he". I never bothered to confirm if my memory was accurate or not... he got fatter and fatter recently and seemed to lay around a lot. One day, my niece LaCaysha informed me he's a "she"!
Being very tame and liking the garage, and sneaking into the house whenever possible, we were hoping this batch of kittens would be found early on. You see, we have another mother that has hers hidden very well! Weeks go by and we still can't find them! She's smart because we live in the woods and racoon are on the prowl.
Yesterday morning I stepped out the door and was just standing there when I noticed quite loud purring, like you would hear when a cat is right at your feet. Sure enough, just a few few feet away in the corner behind a bucket was Fluffy with kittens! I roused Damaris who then roused the rest of the girls.
We determined there were at least two...no, four! "Goody, one for each, they said!"
While they were watching, here came another one!


The girls can't remember ever seeing kittens this small! They are usually hidden too long and are then also very hard to tame.

The girls already have decided whose is whose and they have been graced with names. It's interesting to see how there is an immediate attraction to a certain one.
I am not particularly excited about what we will do with all these cats when they are grown. We have four right now, plus a hidden batch + the new five, which equals too many!
But...every little girl needs to experience kittens, as much as possible. There will be a way.

Believe It or Not!

This afternoon I was remembering bits from a song I learned years ago from my friend Faith (who is now my sister-in-law!). It had a huge impact on me then, as a single girl with a very unknown future ahead. I was told the author of the song went blind, and this was written out of that experience.
We are pretty much blind when it comes to knowing the future. Our only hope and security lies in knowing God, His love toward us, and choosing to believe in and rest in, Him. The truth in this song has never failed me.

Believe it for yourself and see what happens!

Oh, Rejoice In The Lord

God never moves without purpose or plan

When trying His servant or molding a man

Give thanks to the Lord, though your testing seems long

In darkness, He giveth a song.

Chorus:

Oh, rejoice in the Lord, He makes no mistake

He knoweth the end of each path that I take

For when I am tried and purified

I shall come forth as gold.

I could not see through the shadows ahead

So I looked to the face of my Saviour instead

I bowed to the will of the Master that day

Then peace came and tears fled away.

Now I can see testing comes from above

God strengthens His children and purges in love

My Father knows best, so I'll trust in His care

Through purging more fruit I will bear.