Soooooo busy.......

I have been so busy since last Monday morning, I don't think I've knit more than 30-40 rows. I've got so much knitting to do, but it seems like there is so little time to do it. (oops, I forgot that I did get to finish the other front side of a baby cardigan on Saturday afternoon-since then, basically nothing!). I've got to get baby knitting, I have all the yarn, but I've got bank paperwork to do and taxes prep. to complete, the h.s. newsletter to finish, and general life to live. I know that it will balance itself out soon.

I have had such a blessed, beautifully exhausting week!! God is so good in working out the details and timing in our life and He SO wants to bless us!!

I have a dear friend in Illinois who's due date was the 21st. We had tried 18 months ago, for the birth of her first son, for me to be there and assist with the labor and birth, but it was not to be. He was being stubborn and I had to get back home, so I spent part of her labor on the phone with her and then drove out the next morning to spend the 1st day with them. This time there just didn't seem to be any good time for me to get out there for a few days, we just couldn't spare the vehicle (4 drivers-2 pickups!!) and so many commitments, I just wasn't getting my hopes up. But, GOD IS SO GOOD!!!

She had been having labor on and off for a couple of weeks. I knew from looking at my schedule that Monday and Tuesday would work, but we weren't in control! I got up Monday and knew that I had to get all caught up with my bookwork and things I neglected while knitting the blessing bag last week. I got busy and the next thing I knew, it was 1:30 and I was still in my p.j's. I hadn't heard from S, which was somewhat unusual for a Monday, but I just figured they were busy and I kept going with the things I needed to get done. (Little did I know, she was nesting away, getting the house all clean.)

My hubby had an overnight load, so when the phone rang at 4:50 am the next morning, I really jumped. It was J, letting me know that S was in labor, but stuck at a 5. I still wasn't sure if I could get out there, one day was already gone. I went back to bed and prayed about it, falling into a fitfull sleep. I figured she would have the baby by 8:00 am anyway, but when I got up, I still hadn't heard from her.

I called hubby to see what he thought I should do. I had to meet him along the interstate when he came through to give him some paperwork, but he felt that the way I wanted to do it would take to long and make me get to Illinois very late and be very tired. I listened to him, got myself ready, packed, called J & S to let them know I was on my way and headed out.

It's a 4 1/2 hour drive, so I really didn't think that I would get there for the birth, but I never heard from J, so I had a little hope. When I got there, J came to the garage and told me to be quiet. I assumed she'd had the baby and everyone was resting, but he said no, he just wanted me to surprise her.

I couldn't believe how good God was and I struggled with feeling really unworthy for the blessing I was about to receive.

She was stuck at a 7.5 at this point, but with a little ******stimulation, things got rolling! It was the most amazing thing to take part in. Having my own babies was wonderful, but you are caught up in what you are feeling, the pain, the desire to hold the baby, you don't get to really experience what is taking place. To watch as S danced that baby down into position during her contractions, to see her tummy change, oh my. It was breathtaking!

We had quite a group of women, as well as J, helping her through the labor. I came to realize that a lot of cultures really have it right, having a group of women in with the laboring mom. We all had a job and instinctively knew what to do. It was a real Titus 2:3-5 experience.

As we watched little JJ's head emerge, a rush of emotions washed over me (not that the adrenaline hadn't already been pumping through my body!). Here was new life. Here was God's handiwork. To see how the body worked, to see and learn about the placenta-I realized that it really takes more faith to believe in evolution!! There is no way that chance could bring about the amazing symmetry of the birth process.

I was able to rearrange things for the next day and stay until late Wednesday afternoon. On the drive home, I again was astounded my God's beauty. I have to drive from Freeport, IL to Dubuque, IA via Hwy 20. It's a gorgeous drive, winter or summer. I was awed by all that I could see-miles and miles! As I went through the most stunning part, "I Can Only Imagine" came on. I was so humbled and awed, God is so good! I feel for all the people who choose not to accept His love and blessing, they truly don't know what they are missing. They think that living for God is a life of bondage, but in reality, it is a life of freedom!!

Please continue to pray from my friend, Sandy, and her family. She is in the final days and it is very difficult, but she knows where she will be as she closes her eyes here, they will open in Heaven!

Also, please pray for a young couple who will begin their married life together tomorrow.

What an awesome past two days!! Meet JJ!

Oh my goodness...God is good!!!

I have just had the most amazing 36 hours or so. I don't have time to really tell all about it right now, I will later, but I was on hand to welcome little JJ into the world and it was awe-inspiring!

What a busy weekend! Ladies Breakfast, bridal shower, supper out with Great-grandma, Daytona 500 party. I'm still tired!

I was glad that I put in the effort to make Kara's bridal blessing bag. She was quite surprised and excited by it. The tradition began with her soon-to-be sister-in-law. I made one for her and all the moms in our group wrote blessings for the couple. We put them in the bag and she carried it with her bouquet on her wedding day. It was a wonderful tradition to begin. I do pray that Kara and the groom will be truly blessed in their new married life.

We really enjoyed the Daytona 500, especially the last 25 laps or so! Very exciting stuff!

I've been knitting on a couple of different scarves, hoping to finish up a couple fo them soon! I have a lot of other ideas and projects in the works, but there aren't enough hours in the day.

We've been having lambs every day for a week. On Friday night, we had a set of quadruplets! That only happens about once out of every 2000 births. They are all doing well. They are all equal sizes and good sized, to boot. We are having to supplement momma's milk, but that's to be expected with four babies. We also had several sets of triplets and twins. Today was a rather emotional day. My 14-year-old son ended up having to pull a lamb. The ewe had given birth to two already, but the foot of the third has been sticking out for over an hour. He had to work for over a half-an-hour to pull the lamb. Of course, it was gone before it was born. It was an emotional afternoon.

I'll try to find time this weekend to explain some of the photos!! Lots to do, places to go, races to watch!!

It looks nice with my wrought-iron cross

A close-up of my surprise birthday gift!

Tiny blessing bag

Kara's bridal blessing bag

and yet, another

Another beaded bag pin

A few of my tatted Valentine's Cards

Okay, so I'm not always a lady...

WorldNetDaily: Revived Sanhedrin discusses Temple

WorldNetDaily: Revived Sanhedrin discusses Temple

The time is drawing near.

Spinning...

And I don't mean yarn! My cold seems to have settled in my inner ear and now I'm dealing with vertigo. Not bad, and Sudafed seems to help, but it's annoying.

I was able to get "Scarf Style" on Saturday night. It has some great patterns in it. I got some bright, fun mohair to make "Misty Gardens" yesterday at my LYS and I ordered some of KnitPicks Alpaca and Shimmer to make Ene's scarf. I couldn't resist the mohair, so it's on the needles, despite several other projects that really should take precedence.

My friend, Sandy, is now in the hospital. Please pray for her family as they release her to the Lord.

Hubby and I had a nice time in the big city Saturday night (yep, Lottie, that's Des Moines-woo hoo!!). Actually, there are a lot of nice places to go and the shopping has gotten much better. We opted for steaks and went to Lonestar. We had a great meal, shared a yummy brownie/ice cream confection, and headed home. We're not night owls, by 9:00 or so, we're pretty much done in!! On Valentine's day, I was able to get away, back to DM, for my own little shopping spree (actually, the truck needed parts). I went to the yarn shop and the big department store for some heavy duty moisturizer. Despite running the humidifier and regularly using moisturizer, this super dry skin of mine remained super dry, so it was time to pull out the big guns and spend some money! I bought everyone a piece of Godiva chocolate, rather than a card, the chocolate tasted much better!!

I didn't post my usual Scripture on Sunday, but I thought I'd get caught up. I really feel that the following passages are extremely relevant for many of the things I've read today while surfing: (emphasis mine!)

2 Tim. 3:1 through 2 Tim. 3:10 (NIV)
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

2 Tim. 4:1 through 2 Tim. 4:5 (NIV)
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

1 Pet. 4:17 (NIV) For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

We need to step up and speak out against the false teachers, the false prophets. We need to be doing that in our own churches, amongst those who call themselves "Christian". Judgment will come and it will begin with the family of God. We have a responsibility to be speaking forth the truth and living it out.

Do you ever?

Do you ever lay in bed at night and compose blog entries? I do. Morning comes, entry forgotten! I know it was brilliant, but now it's gone!

Gone! Gone! Gone!!

Even now, I sit here and try to consider what I want to write. Do I write about my dog, Liberty, who decided she needed out in the middle of the night and due to my strange obsession with my dog, I stayed up waiting for her to want back in. Keep in mind, I live in the country, she is a good sized dog and she barks when she wants back in, but due to the incredible population of coyotes around here, I get all worried! She seemed to be enjoying chasing after something every time I opened the door to try to get her back in, so I finally crawled back into bed. At 3:00 am, she barked. Ugh! I missed a good 2 to 2 1/2 hours of sleep!

We do have a ridiculous amount of coyotes around here. Thursday night, hubby was gone in the truck, I crawled into bed around 11:00 and one howled outside my bedroom window. Sat me straight up! They are ruthless animals. We have a llama to protect our sheep, he gets very shook up when the coyotes start howling. He runs the fenceline and can't stand being seperated from the sheep. Llama's will actually kill coyotes. They throw them down with their strong neck and sit on them to suffocate them. They are natural enemies to any canine, so you have to get them used to your family dog! We used to only hear the coyotes once or twice during the summer, now we hear them year round. We hear them running their litters of pups in the spring and fall. They yip and bark and carry on. So, I don't like the dog out at night, it just bugs me.

I get to make two trips to the big city today. 1st-lunch with my sister-in-law and help her get to the auditorium. The freeway system and area around the auditorium are under construction and it's just a mess, so if you don't drive it frequently, it's easy to get lost. Then back home and a quick trip north for my nephew's basketball game, then back home and back to the big city for supper out with hubby. Since he was stuck in the truck on Thursday night, he actually called and invited me on a Valentines Date! Of course, I accepted!

I'm also hoping to pop into the bookstore and pick up "Scarf Style" by Pam Allen. I want to make something with KnitPicks new angora and there is there perfect scarf in that book and all the online shops seem to be out of the book. I checked Border's inventory from home and they say they have a copy of it, so I'm hoping it will be mine by evening!

Vesuvius!!

Mt. Vesuvius

My next pair of socks will be called Mt. Vesuvius. Why? Conversation starter. People can feel the rumbles, smell the smoke, but refuse to heed the warnings!

'I'm Ready to Die': Fundamentalist Christianity Instills in Millions of American Followers a Depressing-and Dangerous-Nihilism

'I'm Ready to Die': Fundamentalist Christianity Instills in Millions of American Followers a Depressing-and Dangerous-Nihilism

Give me a break!!!

Snow, again...

Hubby is feeling better, although this cold has lingered for him and that's pretty unusual. Dd's infection is clearing up, but she can't get into see the oral surgeon until March 1.

I've been fighting headaches and cold symptoms for a few days. The headache is gone now, but I'm all stuffy! I was able to get all my tatted hearts done and start a simple pillow-something to be working on when I don't (or can't) concentrate.

We watched the Amazing Race finale last night. Wow! I could never do anything like that. My favorite team came in second-Kris and Jon. She is a local girl and I really appreciated their kindness to each other and most everyone they came in contact with. I feel sorry for many of those couples, they don't handle stress very well! I was impressed with a few of them, they seemed to grow as people, hopefully it will play out in their everyday lives.

It snowed here yesterday, so we canceled Bible study for this morning (to many new babies and pregnant moms to risk coming out for an hour or so), so I need to get back to my laundry, take a shower and then I can work on my pillow. I'd like to have it done before Friday so I can take it into the market.

The market is a year-round (hopefully) farmer's market/craft fair that my husbands family and ours take part in. We've been doing "pioneer craft recreations" for a couple of years now, going to schools, fairs, etc., to pass on the crafts of our forebearers and at an art fair last summer we were approached about doing this market. My mother-in-law was thrilled, we could set up semi-permanently and have something to do over the winter, so we decided to try it. It's actually going very well. My father-in-law canes chairs, my mother-in-law weaves rugs, crochets, sews, and knits. I knit a variety of things and tat. My daughter knits. My sister-in-law makes baskets. My grandmother-in-law quilts. My son and nephew make fun little things, as do a couple of my nieces. It seems to be going really well. I've made more money doing this and have felt more motivated about it than any other craft show I've ever done. So, I try to have a couple of projects going for the market all the time. I'm branching out though, the owner has asked me to come in a teach knitting a couple of Saturdays in March. I'm looking forward to that. My mother-in-law was also approached about going to Grinnell College to teach rug weaving. Who knows where all of this will lead? Of course, God does, so we just trust Him!

I am so thankful that I have the Lord who gives me strength, comfort, provision, and all manner of blessing! I'm so tired of government and politics. I'm tired of Christians trying to legislate morality. Jesus didn't come and head straight for the government-no, He went to the people. He taught them about the Kingdom of God, He taught them about repentance, He taught them about mercy, then He told them to share it, make disciples, preach the good news. As people turn their lives over to Him, society changes. We can't change society before their is a heart change. It's like dealing with a rebellious child-the more you tell someone that they have to do something, they more they kick against the goads. There has to be a heart change.

Does that mean I don't think we should stand up for what we believe in, by all means, NO!! Of course we need to point out what is sinful, we need to remind people of God's laws and commands, but without the heart change, we can't expect them to change their ways. And, what would be the point, you can be moral and still be going to hell. Without Jesus Christ, all the morality and law-keeping in the world will not save you.

Is abortion wrong? Absolutely. Is euthanasia wrong? Absolutely. Is homosexuality wrong? Absolutely. Lying? Stealing? Adultery? Sex outside of marriage? Pornography? Drugs? etc., etc., etc.? Of course, but until Jesus Christ fills someones heart, they have no power against these things.

Rom. 6:1 through Rom. 6:23 (NIV)
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,£ that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hubby is sick, fever and everything, and the weather is gorgeous, so he's pretty bummed. Oldest dd went to dentist yesterday and discovered an infected wisdom tooth growing in sideways, so it's off to the oral surgeon this week.

I've been finishing up a bag for felting and working on the tatted hearts.

Please pray for my friend, Sandy. She is now in hospice care and it looks like her home-going is near. Pray for her husband and two sons, as well as parents and other loved ones. She is a peace and is ready, but it is hard to leave behind those she loves. She is fully trusting in the fact that God holds them all in His hands. She has been a blessing and encouragement to all she has come in contact with. Her faith is tremendous.

1 Thess. 4:13 through 1 Thess. 4:18 (NIV)
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

It's hard, but we have hope!

Feeling better!

Yesterday was a yucky migraine day! The clouds were exceptionally low and there was no air movement, so all the gunk going into the atmosphere had nowhere to go and I felt the effects. They even put out an advisory because of the air quality. The sun is finally out now and that has helped tremendously.

We had a set of twin lambs last night, but one didn't make it and the momma pulled the tail off the other. She's doing okay now, but we have to really begin keeping an eye on the ewes-they'll start delivering in earnest now.

I haven't gotten much done in the past two days. I finished a tatted heart and started working on an outfit for my bitty baby. It's an adorable pink cabled sweater, ribbed pants and hat, and socks. It shouldn't take very long. I probably should have waited to start it, with all the other projects that I have going on, but I couldn't resist! My head hurt too much though, and ended up working on my sock.

It's interesting watching the left try to spin their way out of the successful elections in Iraq. Some are beginning to admit they might have to give President Bush some credit.

Psa. 14:1 through Psa. 14:7 (NIV)
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good, not even one.

Will evildoers never learn—those who devour my people as men eat bread
and who do not call on the LORD?

There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous.

You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge.

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Hmmm....

Nothing like Scripture and the truth to get people's ire up!!