Romance Can Last

My husband and I will be celebrating our 33rd anniversary in just a few days and we've both been sneaking around. One of my girlfriends has been really "hinting" in non hinty ways all about what he's been doing. Actually she's just enjoying the fact that she knows what he's up to and I do NOT. When I was younger I would have pumped her for information, but today I'm looking forward to his surprise. I am working on his. I have one gift wrapped, his card made and am looking for more goodies to surprise him with.

After 33 years I can tell you that romance is alive and well and living in our hearts and in our home. My husband is so far ahead of me on the romance scale. IF we were keeping a list and competing he's have won long ago. I can also tell you we've had to work hard at our marriage. Marrying is like blending two colors of paint, but there is always someone who doesn't like the idea of two being one and will put himself in the way of success. Should a couple divorce the colors are somewhat blended so no one goes away without a part of the other person rooted in his/her soul. Comparisons will always be made and memories will be in the background influencing every action.

I love scrapbooking and my husband knows it. He visits a huge scrapbook store every time he goes on a mission trip. He has lists he fills and then brings to me. He also visits a particular tourist trap during his trips. He looks for gifts for me all the time. We aren't materially motivated people, but the little gifts we get for one another are just reflections of our love for one another. I on the other hand am always listening to hubby for tools he needs and wants. He has difficulty buying tools for himself, but I do NOT. I love thinking back to the first time we had a nice chunk of change in the bank. I went crazy buying him Craftsman tools and hiding them at a friend's house. I still remember the look on my husband's face as he saw all the huge power tools wrapped in paper with big huge bows on them. He was flabbergasted as he opened each one. My friends delighted in watching him as well. It was a great time for all.

We have a farm and each of us will take turns doing the early morning chores. There are days when I just don't want to move and he does it. There are days I can tell he needs to sleep in and I will get up and brave the cold to feed our animals and release the chickens to peck their happy way through the day.

Love isn't all about sex, though sex is a part of married love. Sex becomes less and less a part of life in older people's life. If it holds too big a place problems can develop. The human body changes and has times of weakness. Having unreal expectations about a partner can cause imbalance. Dealing with unreal appetites is also a part of marriage. Open communication is work. Transparency is a must for a long lived marriage. It is NOT impossible to be open and transparent, but it requires sacrifice of self. Marriage requires sacrifice of self. Hubby and I are blessed to have come to a place where we decided to work for the team of our marriage rather than fight for individual wants. We are a team and we are team players. Romance in marriage is about being for the team. Sometimes you're a player and sometimes you're a cheer leader, last of all sometimes you need a referee and sometimes you need a coach. Being open to that is a biggie.

I find it funny that I am using sports analogies as we aren't big sports people. I just realized that it applies in understanding marriage. Our team colors are yellow and red! How funny. I never realized we had "colors" until this moment. Hubby loves yellow so I use it in decor and when I want to demonstrate my love of him. I love red and hubby uses it to do the same for me. Our team motto, "Love never fails".

Romance is alive and well, but it takes work on BOTH sides of the cake. One can never make demands of the other partner, but must be willing to give 100% knowing that whatever is given will be received.

I'm looking forward to another few decades with my husband. He's my own personal man and I love him deeply. I need him and he needs me. We make an unbeatable team. We only play against the one who would try to separate us. We have God as our referee and coach and our "Ketubah" is the entire bible. We work for each other and look for opportunities to go the extra yard.

It's amazing how quickly 33 years have passed, it only seems like yesterday I say my man for the first time. I know when I see his silver hair that time has passed. I'm thrilled to see what's ahead.

Come grow old with me, the best is yet to be.

Happy 33rd Anniversary babe.

Love ya,

Cerise

Girl Fun

Last night was a lot of fun. We had standing room only and the store was humming with activity. Our guest speaker had to beg absense as she had a band concert rehersal she had forgotten. We were sad she missed out, but we carried on and had a fairly fun time of it.



I made gingerbread cookies and a gingerbread house as a door prize. Ann C took the cookie house home and each gal took a cookie home as my gift. We aren't allowed to have refreshments, but I wrapped the cookies and notified management that they were "gifts"!



The girls each made at least two art trading cards. I know it's hard to be creative on demand, but with a little encouragement they all made tiny reflections of their individual artsy selves on a card. The real fun came when they traded their cards.



Melinda B won the stamp and Debi S won the gift tags. Ammie brought her "Embellish Your Story" goodies and we each bought from her after the meeting. We missed several gals due to conflicting schedules and hope to see them next month.

We discussed January's tentative meeting subject (digital scrapbooking) and our guest speaker. I stayed after with one of the gals and had a nice warm Chai at the Barnes & Noble cafe. Great evening!

Duck Dodging

The air was brisk this morning, but nothing compared to the past few days. My routine is pretty much set in cement or should I say caliche being that I live in West Texas. I've been doing this for over two years now and I've become almost nonchalant about it. In the beginning, the naying of the goats, the quacking of the ducks, the crowing of the roosters made me panicky and I'd rush through it all. Of course in the beginning we had baby goats, bottle fed goats and their pleas would drive me to distraction. Now they all can scream and I'm OK with it. Those bottle fed goats are big burly guys who want to play rough with me. I now also carry a broom handle or pinata bat when I go out to the field with them. (For those of you who read that last sentence and are wondering, remember I live in West Texas and pinata bats are real things. No they aren't mammalian, but simply a carved and colorfully painted bat used to break pinatas or bean goats who want to jump on you.)

Buddy and Pal are now adult male goats. Their mama's owner needed goats milk for her show lambs and I ignorantly and I must admit stupidly volunteered to take ONE baby goat and bottle feed it. Of course when the blessed event happened there were two goats and the other taker backed out. So I figured (again ignorantly and stupidly) two goats would be as easy as one. I'm going to be up anyway feeding one. What I didn't know was that Buddy would be easy as pie and Pal had a weak constitution and everything but goat's milk would go straight through him. I won't even divulge the amount of money spent keeping him alive. But he's a lover and well worth the expense. I had NO idea how expensive animal rearing or garden keeping was back in the beginning. I now have a clue.

This morning I did my rounds and then talked to my ducks "Beaker and Squeaker". They let me know they were ready for fresh water in their pool. So I obliged my two Blue Swedish ducks and filled their pool. I sat on one of our heavy aluminum chairs as they discovered just what I was up to. First they sipped the water in the pool. Next they dunked their heads as if to see what was in the bottom. (Like it's changed since the first time I ever filled their pool.) Beaker is the alpha male of the two. He made his inspection and then climbed the cinder block to get into the pool. He swam a couple of laps and then watched as Squeaker dunked his head in the waterfall flowing from the pool. They love to do some sort of sand filtering routine when I fill their pools. It's weird, but knowing that chickens have crops full of grit in order to digest their hard cracked corn, I figure ducks must need sand. After a little sifting Squeaker made his way into the pool. He too did a few laps and then the preening routine began. They dunk under the water with a sort of wave motion. Then they swim laps really fast. They alternately dunk under and swim laps as fast as they can. This rounding motion causes a whirlpool and water goes everywhere. When through they do a tandem sort of bugling and squeak noise, throwing their heads back and then they quack, quack, quack. I know they are happy, but what they are saying only duck whispers know. The watery mess quickly spread onto the ground and approached where I was sitting some three feet away. It was time to turn the water off and return to my other duties. It's fun to watch their ritual, but life does go on and it was time to dodge the happy ducks.

I also love my chickens. I did what my sister lovingly refers to as the "Elmira mommy" thing with two hens this morning. I grabbed for one (I think it was Bingo; an Auracauna) to cuddle her. She was so freaked out she ran circles around the chicken house. There were only two hens in the house and I had shut the door so she had nowhere to go. She's on the end of her molting stage so she isn't flying too well these days. I eventually caught her and she flailed while I calmed her. I don't consider myself a chicken whisperer, but that didn't stop me from whispering in her ear, "It's OK baby". I cuddled and talked to her for a while and then eyed "Chicklet" on the shower curtain rod. We have shower curtains to divide the chicken area from the water well pump area. The chickens have claimed the rod as a roosting post. She has been "Elmira Mommied" many times before so she knew what was coming. I still had to grab her legs to get her and prevent her from flying into a wall and hurting herself. She screamed bloody murder, but it did her no good. I held her anyway. After I got my "chicken fix" I went in and here I am. I just love the peaceful nature of living in the country. Actually I only live ten miles from town in a smaller town, but it feels wayyyyy more country-esk than anywhere I lived in California.

I'd like to think of our life here as "Green Acres 101". I don't know much about farming, but what I do know I put to use. I actually have 42 pets that we feed. We've actually eaten two of our hens and umpteen eggs from our chickens. We plan on butchering "Lunch" and "Dinner" this month. It isn't easy to butcher animals you've loved and fed, but it's a sin to me to not eat what you've butchered so I'm forcing myself to get past it all.

I don't get to be farmer gal nearly as often as I'd like. Hubby is forced to take up my slack when I'm too busy with the financial end of living or some other endeavor. We're a team and we tag team whenever we must. That's what I like about being married to my best friend. When I'm too busy he dodges the ducks for me. I'll have to post the video of them trying to get him. It's a hilarious game they play with him. Love me some ducks. Next year we hope to find a couple she ducks for our boys. They are desperate for duck women. If anyone knows of a good duck dating service, please let me know. I am not opposed to mail order duck brides.

Granny Farmer Gal Tells All

The air was brisk but not uncomfortable this morning. My two drakes met me at the feeder awaiting their turn to eat. They are first on my list of, "To dos" each morning. It's funny how you settle into a routine when you work on a farm. When I first realized how many lives I was caring for I used to get panicky. The animals all "talk" to you in the morning. It's as if they are saying, "Me first mom." Of course they are just making noise because their bellies are roaring. They will actually "talk" to me anytime I go out the front door. Rather like Pavlov's critters mine act upon the sound of the front door opening. Now they even react to my voice. There were times in the early days of having a farm that I would feel rushed at their voices, but like a mother with too much to do I can now pretty much ignore their pleas and get to each one in his/her turn.

As I mentioned the ducks are first. My duck boyz get some wild bird seed as well as chicken feed. I have a funny little cactus bird feeder. His sombrero holds a trough of bird seed. The ducks get first dibs and then my single yard rooster "Rosie" gets what they don't eat. When he's through the wild birds get their turn at it. After I feed the ducks I go to the greenhouse and let out Rosie and whoever has managed to sneak in with him during the night. We have an "official" hen house that most of the chickens sleep in, but occasionally Rosie's little sister or some other hen decide to spend the night at the local clear walled motel. Don't ask me what they are doing, I don't want to know. So out they come and they get fed "scratch" and chicken feed. My normal order is to head to the "official" hen house and let my two roosters Chipper and Piper out along with an undetermined number of hens. Most are Rhode Island Reds, but we also have five Auracaunas. The RIRs don't have official names except Azzie and Chicklet. When they were tiny I could tell who was who, but now they blend in with all the other red hens. The Auracaunas are named Princess, Amelia (first one to fly), Norma Jeana, Waddles (waddles because she broke her toe as a chick), and Bingo. I named Waddles and Chicklet. The kids from our Wednesday night bible study named the rest. Oh yes, their dad named Norma Jeana. She is such a weird color; almost lavender.

We love our chickens. I especially love Rosie and Princess. Rosie is the biggest chicken, pardon the pun, I've ever met. He will run to the feeder during the day because he knows I'm apt to fill it. He will also run to the fence when I come out hoping for tomatoes or some other goodie. BUT if I come in the yard he runs as far and as fast away as he can. He's a big coward when it comes to mom. Princess follows me everywhere. She will jump on the gate when I am in the yard and just start talking. She reminds me of a lady that used to live behind my grandma. Mrs. Louis was her name. She loved to talk. She would talk your ear off if it possible. She had a gate she shared with grandma. Their lots were back to back and you could count on her coming to the fence if you were out in grandma's yard. I remember her house smelling funny. I don't remember the smell, but it was "off" is what I do remember. My grandma's house had a warm food smell all the time. Whether fried chicken or cooling pies it was a homey smell. Anyway, Princess and her chickeny ways really remind me of Mrs. Louis.

After I release and feed the majority of chickens I head to our Cornish chickens. I'm sure you're making the same mistake I made when I ordered these guys. I figured they were tiny and cute because I'd eaten "Cornish game hens". Not so. These are Cornish chickens, not game hens. These guys (and gals) have legs like logs and are not tiny in any way. Roodles my Cornish rooster is a fighting cock. He thinks he owns the world and is VERY protective of his harem. He has five hens (two of which are his daughters). He loves attacking whatever comes near his domain. We find head pecked finches in varying degrees of paralysis in his yard. They have attempted to steal his food and he has pecked their little heads. You don't want to mess with Roodles. I used to go fetch eggs and even go in the yard and do whatever needed done. Now it waits for hubby to get done. I don't like tangling with Roodles. My husband theorizes that he is so tough because they did a horrific job of clipping his wings. He has sore nub at the end of what used to be one of his wings. It looks nasty and sore to me. If it hurts as much as it looks it is no wonder he's aggressive. Poor guy. For this reason my husband babies and plays with him. He delights in picking him up and talking to him like he was his best pal. He has suffered the consequences of Roodles anger at this gesture, but it hasn't stopped him yet.

Once I get the chickens fed and watered I return to our yard and get sweet feed for the goats. We don't give them much, but they expect it like the elderly expect their social security. The line up of boys goes in order of their arrival on the farm; Billie and Bartie are my Nigerian Pygmy goats and were first to join our family. They came as lawnmowers for our 2 acres of weeds. One day we came home to find Bartie outside the gate (this is still a mystery) and three strange goats in our field. Two of the strangers were very tall and white, one was short and white. We learned that the tall guys were neutered Saanens. They were given the names Pinkie and Brain (for obvious reasons.) The small guy we named Freddie. We learned his name was Stubborn, but I don't need a goat with that temperament so we changed it to something more friendly. He was terrified of humans when he first arrived, but given time and lots of love my husband gets to scratch him on the head from time to time. Our former neighbors had a goat named Ellie May. She was a Saanen, Alpine and Nubian cross and when she was pregnant the neighbors asked if we wouldn't like a kid from her. They wanted her for her milk and planned on farming out her kids. I figured I could bottle feed a single baby goat. (Wow was I a sucker.) Buddy and Pal were born in March a year and a half ago. We watched them enter the world and took on the job of raising them both on bottles. I guess the rest of the world was smarter than us as the others who said they wanted one backed out.

I must share that it was the hardest thing I've ever done. Buddy took to fake goat milk like a trouper, but Pal was much more sensitive to it and almost immediately had the scours. That was pure hell. I eventually (after weeks and months) worked out a formula. I borrowed some of his mother's milk and mixed it with the formula. That didn't work. I came up with a very expensive formula of canned goats milk and whole milk that he could tolerate. He took a lot of work to keep alive. He's quite healthy now, but he has the weirdest shape of any goat I've ever seen. If their is a nerdy goat in the encyclopedia of animals I believe Pal could be the poster child. He walks like a dweeb and acts like the strange child he is. He's a lover of lovers and my husband babies him something ferocious.

We then were given "Lucy". Lucy is a Boer goat. She was only six months old when we got her. I really didn't notice how small she was until I was scrapbooking my animals. Her pictures when she first came into our yard show a tiny little girl with little bitty horns and a tiny body. She has filled out very nicely. She had triplets this March. I prayed like the dickens that she would be able to nurse all three. She was a superb mom and all three of her kids are healthy. We only named her female kid. Yael (goat in Hebrew) shows the Alpine goat coloration she got from her grandma Ellie May. Her head is brown and black and has the typical Alpine coloring. She's a brat of a female and is jumpy. The boys have no names for obvious reasons. They look just like their creamy uncle Pal. Their dad Buddy throws them around like so much trash when he's in the corral for breeding.

The last goat on the rolls is "Gracie". She is "supposed" to be a registered show goat. We paid $30.00 for her. She has bent horns and weird coloration. I highly doubt she was shown anywhere but in her owner's minds. She is skittish as if never handled by humans. (Another sign to me that she was never shown.) Show goats are cleaned, brushed, pampered and not afraid of humans. This goat won't let you come near her enough to even pet her let alone anything you'd have to do to show her. She was bred this year so we will see what sort of mom she is.

Getting across the field to feed and water the moms and babies is always a gamble. I always carry some sort of stick or broom to beat off greedy or cuddly goats. I may have to drag a wagon with hay or feed across the field. If the boys see me doing this and have already gone through their sweet feed I can be in danger of being mobbed and smashed. My biggest Saanen Pinkie can get down right wild if he thinks someone else is getting his "fair share" of anything. He tried to "play" with me this morning on my way back to the house. You do NOT want a 250-300 pound goat with very long horns "playing" any sort of game with you. I shouted "NO" with as much gusto as I could muster and waved my old red broom handle at him. He did his little head turn (this normally causes me to give him more pecans or carrots), but I was not in any sort of mood to play with Mr. Cutie Pants. He watched me walk (VERY FAST) towards the chicken yard. He just stood looking disappointed as I got farther and farther away. (AND CLOSER TO SAFETY!)

One would think that was all I had to do, but as soon as I got in the house my cat and dog decide it's time for their third or fourth goodies. My husband and I use goodies to reward our dog for going potty outside and cat for coming in. Animals are much smarter than most humans given them credit for. It wasn't a month before our dog realized she could just go out and come in and get a goodie. The cat learned it immediately. I guess she had been watching the dog practice this form of deceit for years. She used to be an inside only cat, but after her retarded brother Joker died she was allowed to enjoy the pleasures of farm living.

There are days when I'd like to throttle Freckles. She goes in and out every few moments. I quit giving her goodies for every meow. My animals learn just how far they can push me and they basically give up on tricking me into feeding them junk food. My husband on the other hand is more patient and actually admires their efforts. He's a complete softy.

So here it is hours after I've fed them all. I myself have yet to eat. I am just now finishing a cup of tepid tea and thinking about napping. I was up at 5:00AM and everyone is full but me. I love every bit of it. (I say this now that everyone is cared for, but when I first am awakened by a barking dog who wants out before the crack of dawn it's another thing.)

We aren't really farmers. I hate the idea of eating my chickens (which I have done). I have to cover the taste of eggs up with chili and cheese. I know that when hubby butchers the goats I will be a mess mentally. We are basically owners of around 42 pets. We can afford to feed them, but it's silly. I've learned loads of lessons because of this adventure, but I'm still terrified when one turns up sick. I rush around like a proverbial chicken with her head cut off. (I've experienced this in real life so I know what I'm talking about.) It's hard to have animals. They are a huge responsibility. They need more than just food and shelter. We've rescued animals all through our marriage and those who didn't receive love and attention are a mess. When you love and care for animals you are connected to them in ways words can't describe. The thought of eating my animals is just plain hard. It's so much easier to go buy meat all processed and packaged for my convenience. Why that personal connection or soulish tie isn't there I just don't know.

I've yammered on way too long. I have other things to do today. My work goes on before me and just because the morning is half over, the chores are NOT.

A New Toy

I really enjoy having computers and use my laptop almost all through every day. Occasionally I just stop in my tracks and turn it off and just say, "Enough". While returning from a conference in Salt Lake City, Utah I sat next to a published author. She was typing on a weird keyboard looking thing. I had to ask, "What is that?" She told me it was an Alphasmart Neo. She said it took AA batteries and she wrote her romance novels on it. I love to write, but having to lug a laptop and then make sure it's either plugged in or has a full charge can be irritating. Well this past week I went searching for more information and found that an older version, the Alphasmart 3000 could be had on eBay for a song, so I began watching the bids and checking out more information about the little darlings.

I am now the happy owner of an Alphasmart 3000. Hubby removed the dead rechargeable battery and we replaced it with three copper topped AA batteries. I have been writing on it for a couple days now and just think it is marvelous. I can take it anywhere. It holds a long charge as it's nothing but simple text. I can plug it into my computer (you really need a USB printer cable) and open a Word document and then I press SEND and voila, it sends it to a word document. It has eight files and I think I remember it hold 100 pages of text in each file. It takes cheap batteries and even the battery that stores the text you're saving is an easy find and cheap replacement. I didn't even have to have software. I have both Macs and PCs, but used my Vista laptop and it installed a driver that let me receive the text from the Alphasmart!

I love finding technology that is user friendly and this one really is.

Quiet Friday

I'm sitting here at the computer reflecting on my week. Hubby has gone to the post office with our pooch and I'm trying to motivate myself to get busy. I know I'm tired, but I wanted to do so much today. Yesterday was a wonderful day, but just a little too full. We went to lunch with some a sister and brother in the Lord. We also shopped for just a couple goodies for a CROP I'm going to and then I continuing preparing for the bible study I do each Thursday evening. After I ministered last night I returned to pick up my hubby from a house where he ministers each Thursday. I ended up staying another hour and a half and played with the kiddos and visited with the wife.

I've been doing a lot of intercession this week and plan to add this as a regular part of my spiritual life. This past week I prayed for all my friends who suffer from MS, fibromyalgia, and lupus. I put a post on Facebook that I was taking prayer requests and was amazed at the numbers of women suffering from these afflictions. I got various other requests, but as I focus on these areas I see that I am not alone.

I'm seeking the will of the Father for my intercession this next week, but will continue with these three maladies until I hear from Him exactly where to go next. It's a challenge to pray for others for prolonged periods of time, but I have such a burden for it that I can't stop praying. The body of Messiah is in great need these days and my heart is heavy for them. Deception is everywhere and it seems that people either neglect faith completely, pick religion where they try to keep the law to be righteous or pick way out false religion. We need to see the power in the faith towards God through His choice of Messiah.

So here I am praying and standing.

Blessings come for those who play.

Cerise

Sunday Funnies

OK, so this post has nothing to do with the Sunday Funny papers. I don't even get the paper. When I paid to have it delivered on Sundays I rarely got it. It ended up being frustrating. The only reason I entitled this blog that is because I'm thinking of reminiscing about bygone times. I remember my folks getting the Oakland Tribune and the ONLY thing I ever paid any attention to was the Sunday funnies. Mom did the crossword and dad read all the "boring" news. I remember the yucky sensation I got when I touched a newspaper. I thought to myself, "WHY would anyone make the paper feel so terrible?" I now understand that papers are made of rags and wood pulp. Recycling has always been the way of the daily and weekly papers.

Today I head over to my scrapbook space and work on the other side of my space. I'm really determined to make the space a working space and not just a storage space. I am also working on the kid's classroom. I may purge the little kid stuff to donate to a certain sister who is in the process of starting a daycare in far away Wyoming. We'll see if she wants any of it.

So I'm going to eat lunch and then head over. I've taken care of the farm animals and my dog and cat. I've talked to my friend in Belarus and I have run out of excuses to stay here. Time to get my fanny in gear and get some more work done. I will probably clean up my message board. It's covered with photos of my mom and dad from the past. I love looking at them as I have many good memories I've been focusing on. Oh my kid and her babes are there too. I miss them so much. Words can't even express how much.

Well, off to work I go. It's been a good morning and I'm looking forward to a good afternoon as well.

See you in the funny papers.

Friday Fun

I have a fun day planned. It's one of my "kid's" birthday today and I'm headed over to my scrapbook office to make him a handmade card. Then after that I plan to go to his home, give him his gift and celebrate his special day. Once he has opened his present, blown a noise maker, eaten cake, laughed and played I will head to another friend's home to pick her up. We will then head to some undisclosed location and eat lunch. I am confident we too will laugh, play, talk and share each others company and then head out for some serious shopping.

It's a lovely day, the farm critters have all been fed and watered, my chores are done, the bills are paid and it's a great day for loving on some special people. Thanks Father for being so generous with us and giving us this great day.

Off to the playground.

Reese

PS. I failed to mention the picture is of three of my favorite people. I pray for them all through my day.

Hubby Time

Today was another good day. I had intended to work on cleaning, organizing and playing in my scrapbook space, but when I realized hubby had plans of cleaning out my former scrapbook shed I ditched my plans. I know his heart and he would have put EVERYTHING in boxes, including the trash. So I dumped about 75% of the old paper, boxes, stuff, scraps and things I knew would just collect in corners in my new space. "Chilly's Shed" will soon be "Reese's Wash House".

We live pretty modestly. Though we have two houses, we live in one that is only 550 sq. ft. In it is a bathroom, bedroom, family room, kitchen, dining room and laundry room. It's rather like living in an apartment in New York City except its style is 50s Tex-Mex. My family room furniture is from 1954. It has wagon wheels and a lovely fiesta stripe upholstery in place of the old turquoise vinyl with the horse head!

I love bright colors (hey I'm half Swedish) so the walls in the major part of the house are mustard yellow. My hubby's favorite color is yellow. Mine is red. I have shades of red laced all through the majority of the house. The bathroom is very different; stainless steel, pressed tin, shades of gray, blue and brown with a sea and nautical theme. It is very masculine with hints of filigree and fancy thrown in for my comfort. We call our place our "honeymoon cottage". It's lived and loved in!

Anyway, the laundry and water heater are going to be moved into the wash house making room for cupboards and storage. Then after everything gets moved out, we get to tile the floor in the family room and dining/kitchen area! Yay!!! We've had the tile quite a while. We recently bought the thin set, grout and tile saw to finish the job. We're rather in a hurry to get things done so we can floor it before the really cold weather sets in. Otherwise we're looking at next year.

After we got our "have tos" done we had lunch at the hamburger place you wish would change its name, "Fuddruckers". I had coupons from the fair so we enjoyed a nice savings and some tasty beef for our lunch. We then attempted to find homes for some of my recently purged wardrobe. Goodwill and Salvation Army wouldn't take clothing. Hubby went searching for another place he knew about and ended up at another Salvation Army that would take them. It's sad that laws and government regulations have made it so hard to help the poor. Sign of the biblical times we live in. John you sure were right on in your prophecy!

I came home and dug out a new book I'd been reading. I knew I'd finish it today which didn't make me very happy. Reading as fast as I do can be a bummer. I've got a few pages left so I'm making myself NOT read it until right before bed. I don't indulge in fiction very often, but really enjoy a good mystery sans gore.

I later went out and treated my chickens to their afternoon snacks and picked up a few eggs. My chickens aren't laying well as they are in different stages of molting. One chicken who has looked almost naked is covered with hard little spikes; the precursors to feathers. I can't imagine how painful it is to have a feather come piercing through your skin. Ouch!

It has been a good day. Hubby went and got salad and pizza for dinner. I'm making chocolate mousse for dessert. Next we'll sit out and watch the sun set, play with our goat boyz and chase our ducks around the little yard. It will be another blessed day. It started out one way, but with a little adjustment it has become something completely different and fun.

Octoberfest Memories

My husband and I were in Fredericksburg, Texas this past weekend and had SUCH a lovely time. We each had traditional German costumes and planned to really be a part of this great event. This year was their 30th anniversary and they had their actual FIRST parade. It was a very petite parade, but a parade nonetheless. We both looked away for a moment when someone offered to take our picture and it was over. Perhaps next year it will be twice as big and last an actual block.

We stayed at a bed and breakfast and were so blessed by our temporary home. It had a queen sized bed in a nook, a loft for kids (I actually climbed up the ladder and snapped some pictures of hubby from on high), a little fridge, microwave, TV with family oriented DVDs, a large bathroom with footed claw tub and a washroom with washer/dryer and ironing board. The breakfast part of our stay was a disappointment, but we visited "Hill Country Donuts and Kolaches" twice and were completely satisfied.

Our first stop upon arriving in Fredericksburg was Dooley's 5,10 and 25 cent store. We love this eclectic store full of everything a traditional dime store might have. I found some pristine white lace knee highs that were perfect in finishing off my German ensemble. I also found a huge croaking rubber bull frog for a young friend of mine. She was quite happy that I decided it was the perfect gift for her.

After watching the parade we bought our three day wrist band passes and ventured into the MarktPlatz. The smell of German food was thick in the air. The first smell that met our olfactory glands (noses for those you want to know) was a nutty cinnamony smell. They were roasting and caramelizing all sorts of yummy nuts just as you entered the area. Yummo! When we came to a fork in the path we were met with a humongous stein of King Kong proportions. Jeff of course needed a picture next to the massive mug of multitudinous size so I obliged his whim. This was after all, the beginning of our first adventure into Octoberfest land. What adventure would be complete if the gigantic globe of a container had been omitted?

It seems that most people were wearing the traditional garb of the US; flip flops, shorts and logo Ts. We had decided to steep ourselves in the party atmosphere so most folks assumed we were part of the working or entertaining crowd. We got our pictures taken by loads of folks. There was one really great perk to my wearing a German dirndl and hubby wearing lederhosen and that was when we were in line for food or drink tickets. The ladies in charge of the ticket booths would come to us and give us tickets. Jeff thought they just liked him and that he had favor of God, but the last day when we didn't wear our outfits we did NOT get such favor. We will never attend Octoberfest without our German get ups again.

We enjoyed German music, food, dancing, laughter, Czech music and dancing. There were booths with food, artistry and souvenirs. There was a special area for kids called the Kinderhall. There were face painters and games geared for the young and young at heart. There was a lady who did very nice caricatures, but they were pricey for my budget so we just enjoyed her craftsmanship. The vendors had amazing items for sale. One could even purchase actual German clothing and steins inside the vendor tent.

I loved the oompah pah bands, the swing band, the polka bands and all the dancing. I have almost memorized the chicken dance now. (Thanks Patti, I did remember the dance). They must have danced it almost 20 times during the three days we were there.

We did lots of other things as well while in Fredericksburg. The shops there are so much fun and even just sitting on a bench and watching people is fun in this quaint German town. I love the architecture and the decor. I love nothing better than seeing lace curtains. Our final blessing was having dinner at Lindenbaum restaurant. I had Jaeger schnitzel and Jeff had goulash. Yummo deluxe. The waiter knew what I wanted before I could spit out the word Jaeger. I told him I'd been dreaming of what I was going to have and that I didn't even need a menu. He then proceeded to tell me what I wanted!

All and all it was an amazing three days of fun all wrapped up in strudel and bratwurst. I can't tell you how yummy a time we had. I even got to play a couple accordions at the town's music store. It just couldn't have gotten any better if I'd been German myself.

If you get a chance to go next year I know you'll have a good time.

365 Prophesies Fulfilled by Yeshua/Jesus

365 Messianic Prophecies

The following is a list of prophecies in the Torah scriptures that Jesus fulfilled.

1. Genesis 3:15.....Seed of a woman (virgin birth).....Luke 1:35, Matthew 1:18-20
2. Genesis 3:15.....He will bruise Satan's head.....Hebrews 2:14, 1 John 3:18
3. Genesis 5:24....The bodily ascension to heaven illustrated....Mark 6:19
4. Genesis 9:26-27...The God of Shem will be the Son of Shem...Luke 3:36
5. Genesis 12:3...As Abraham's seed, will bless all nations...Acts 3:25,26
6. Genesis 12:7...The The Promise made made to Abraham's Seed...Galatians 3:16
7. Genesis 14:18...A priest after Melchizedek...Hebrews 6:20
8. Genesis 14:18........A King also........Hebrews 7:2
9. Genesis 14:18...The Last Supper foreshadowed...Matthew 26:26-29
10. Genesis 17:19.......The Seed of Isaac.......Romans. 9:7
11. Genesis 21:12 …Seed of Isaac…Romans 9:7, Hebrews 11:18
12. Genesis 22:8...The Lamb of God promised...John 1:29
13. Genesis 22:18...As Isaac's seed, will bless all nations...Galatians 3:16
14. Genesis26:2-5..The Seed of Isaac promised as the Redeemer..Hebrews11:18
15. Genesis 49:10...The time of His coming...Luke 2:1-7; Galatians 4:4
16. Genesis 49:10.......The Seed of Judah.......Luke 3:33
17. Genesis 49:10......Called Shiloh or One Sent......John 17:3
18. Genesis 49:10...To come before Judah lost identity...John 11:47-52
19. Genesis 49:10...To Him shall the obedience of the people be...John 10:16
20. Exodus 3:13,14........The Great "I Am".......John 4:26
21. Exodus 12:5...A Lamb without blemish...1 Pet. 1:19
22. Exodus 12:13...The blood of the Lamb saves Romans wrath...Romans. 5:8
23. Exodus 12:21-27...Christ is our Passover...1 Corinthians 5;7
24. Exodus 12:46...Not a bone of the Lamb to be broken...John 19:31-36
25. Exodus 13:2…Blessing to first born son…Luke 2:23
26. Exodus 15:2...His exaltation predicted as Yeshua...Acts 7:55,56
27. Exodus 15:11...His Character-Holiness...Luke 1:35; Acts 4:27
28. Exodus 17:6...The Spiritual Rock of Israel...1 Corinthians 10;4
29. Exodus 33:19...His Character-Merciful...Luke 1:72
30. Leviticus14:11...The leper cleansed-Sign to priesthood..Luke5:12-14; Acts 6:7
31. Leviticus16:15-17...Prefigures Christ's once-for-all death...Hebrews 9:7-14
32. Leviticus16:27...Suffering outside the Camp...Matthew 27:33; Hebrews 13:11, 12
33. Leviticus17:11...The Blood-the life of the flesh...Matthew 26;28; Mark 10:45
34. Leviticus17:11...It is the blood that makes atonement...1 John 3:14-18
35. Leviticus23:36-37...The Drink-offering: "If any man thirst." ..John 19:31-36
36. Numbers 9:12...Not a bone of Him broken...John 19:31-36
37. Numbers 21:9...The serpent on a pole-Christ lifted up...John 3:14-18
38. Numbers 24:8… Flight to Egypt…Matthew 2:14
39. Numbers 24:17...Time: "I shall see him, but not now."...Galatians 4:4
40. Numbers 24:17-19…A star out of Jacob…Matthew 2:2, Luke 1:33,78, Revelation 22:16
41. Deuteronomy 18:15..."This is of a truth that prophet."...John 6:14
42. Deuteronomy 18:15-16..."Had ye believed Moses, ye would believe me."...John 5:45-47
43. Deuteronomy 18:18...Sent by the Father to speak His word...John 8:28, 29
44. Deuteronomy 18:19...Whoever will not hear must bear his sin...John 12:15
45. Deuteronomy 21:13-23…As a prophet…John 6:14; 7:40, Acts 3:22,23
46. Deuteronomy 21:23...Cursed is he that hangs on a tree...Galatians 3:10-13
47. Ruth 4:4-9...Christ, our kinsman, has redeemed us...Ephesians 1:3-7
48. 1 Samuel 2:10...Shall be an anointed King to the Lord...Matthew 28:18; John 12:15
49. 2 Samuel 7:12...David's Seed...Matthew 1:1
50. 2 Samuel 7:14a...The Son of God... Luke 1:32
51. 2 Samuel 7:16...David's house established forever...Luke 3:31; Rev. 22:16
52. 2 Samuel 23:2-4…would be the “Rock”…1 Corinthians 10:4
53. 2 Samuel 23:2-4…would be as the “light of the morning”…Revelation 22:16
54. 2 Kings 2:11...The bodily ascension to heaven illustrated...Luke 24:51
55. 1 Chronicles 17:11...David's Seed...Matthew 1:1; 9:27
56. 1 Chronicles 17:12, 13a...To reign on David's throne forever...Luke 1:32, 33
57. 1 Chronicles 17:13a..."I will be His Father, He...my Son."...Hebrews 1:5
58. Job 19:23-27...The Resurrection predicted...John 5:24-29
59. Psalms 2:1-3...The enmity of kings foreordained...Acts 4:25-28
60. Psalms 2:2...To own the title, Anointed (Christ)...Acts 2:36
61. Psalms 2:6...His Character-Holiness...John 8:46; Rev. 3:7
62. Psalms 2:6...To own the title King...Matthew 2:2
63. Psalms 2:7...Declared the Beloved Son...Matthew 3:17
64. Psalms 2:7, 8...The Crucifixion and Resurrection intimated...Acts 13:29-33
65. Psalms 2:12...Life comes through faith in Him...John 20:31
66. Psalms 8:2...The mouths of babes perfect His praise...Matthew 21:16
67. Psalms 8:5, 6...His humiliation and exaltation...Luke 24:50-53; 1 Corinthians 15:27
68. Psalms 16:10...Was not to see corruption...Acts 2:31
69. Psalms 16:9-11...Was to arise from the dead...John 20:9
70. Psalms 17;15...The resurrection predicted...Luke 24:6
71. Psalms 22:1...Forsaken because of sins of others...2 Corinthians 5:21
72. Psalms 22:1...Words spoken from Calvary, "My God..." Mark 15:34
73. Psalms 22:2...Darkness upon Calvary...Matthew 27:45
74. Psalms 22:7...They shoot out the lip and shake the head...Matthew 27:39
75. Psalms 22:8.." He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him "...Matthew 27:43
76. Psalms 22:9......Born the Savior......Luke 2:7
77. Psalms 22:14...Died of a broken (ruptured) heart...John 19:34
78. Psalms 22:14,15...Suffered agony on Calvary...Mark 15:34-37
79. Psalms 22:15........He thirsted........John 19:28
80. Psalms 22:16...They pierced His hands and His feet....John 19:34,37;20:27
81. Psalms 22:17,18...Stripped Him before the stares of men...Luke 23:34,35
82. Psalms 22:18.....They parted His garments.....John 19:23,24
83. Psalms 22:20,21...He committed Himself to God...Luke23:46
84. Psalms 22:20,21..Satanic power bruising the Redeemer's heel.. Hebrews 2:14
85. Psalms 22:22.....His Resurrection declared.....John 20:17
86. Psalms 22:27...He shall be the governor of the nations...Col 1:16
87. Psalms 22:31......"It is finished"......John 19:30
88. Psalms 23:1...."I am the Good Shepherd"....John 10:11
89. Psalms 24:3......His exaltation predicted......Acts 1:11; Phil. 2:9
90. Psalms 27:12…Accused by false witnesses…Matthew 26:60,61, Mark 14:57,58
91. Psalms 30:3......His resurrection predicted......Acts 2:32
92. Psalms 31:5..."Into thy hands I commit my spirit"...Luke 23:46
93. Psalms 31:11...His acquaintances fled from Him...Mark 14:50
94. Psalms 31:13...They took counsel to put Him to death...John 11:53
95. Psalms 31:14,15..." He trusted in God, let Him deliver him"...Matthew 27:43
96. Psalms 34:20.....Not a bone of Him broken.....John 19:31-36
97. Psalms 35:11....False witnesses rose up against Him....Matthew 26:59
98. Psalms 35:19...He was hated without a cause...John 15:25
99. Psalms 38:11.....His friends stood afar off.....Luke 23:49
100. Psalms 40:2-5...The joy of His resurrection predicted...John 20:20
101. Psalms 40:6-8....His delight-the will of the Father....John 4:34
102. Psalms 40:9....He was to preach the Righteousness in Israel....Matthew 4:17
103. Psalms 40:14...Confronted by adversaries in the Garden...John
104. Psalms 41:9.....Betrayed by a familiar friend.....John 13:18
105. Psalms 45:2...Words of Grace come from His lips.. Luke 4:22
106. Psalms 45:6...To own the title, God or Elohim...Hebrews 1:8
107. Psalms 45:7...A special anointing by the Holy Spirit...Matthew3:16; Hebrews1:9
108. Psalms 45:7,8...Called the Christ (Messiah or Anointed)...Luke 2:11
109. Psalms 49-15…His Resurrection…Acts 2:27; 13:35, Mark 16:6
110. Psalms 55:12-14...Betrayed by a friend, not an enemy...John 13:18
111. Psalms 55:15...Unrepentant death of the Betrayer...Matthew 27:3-5; Acts 1:16-19
112. Psalms 68:18...To give gifts to men...Ephesians 4:7-16
113. Psalms 68:18...Ascended into Heaven...Luke 24:51
114. Psalms 69:4...Hated without a cause...John 15:25
115. Psalms 69:8...A stranger to own brethren...Luke 8;20,21
116. Psalms 69:9...Zealous for the Lord's House...John 2:17
117. Psalms 69:14-20...Messiah's anguish of soul before crucifixion...Matthew 26:36-45
118. Psalms 69:20..."My soul is exceeding sorrowful."...Matthew 26:38
119. Psalms 69:21...Given vinegar in thirst...Matthew 27:34
120. Psalms 69:26...The Savior given and smitten by God...John 17:4; 18:11
121. Psalms 72:10,11...Great persons were to visit Him...Matthew 2:1-11
122. Psalms 72:16...The corn of wheat to fall into the Ground...John 12:24
123. Psalms 72:17...His name, Yinon, will produce offspring...John 1:12,13
124. Psalms 72:17...All nations shall be blessed by Him...Acts 2:11,12,41
125. Psalms 78:1.2...He would teach in parables...Matthew 13:34-35
126. Psalms 78:2b...To speak the Wisdom of God with authority...Matthew 7:29
127. Psalms 88:8...They stood afar off and watched...Luke 23:49
128. Psalms 89:26...Messiah will call God His Father...Matthew 11:27
129. Psalms 89:27...Emmanuel to be higher than earthly kings...Luke 1:32,33
130. Psalms 89:35-37...David's Seed, throne, kingdom endure forever...Luke 1:32,33
131. Psalms 89:36-37...His character-Faithfulness...Rev. 1:5
132. Psalms 90:2...He is from everlasting (Micah 5:2)...John 1:1
133. Psalms 91:11,12...Identified as Messianic; used to tempt Christ...Luke 4;10,11
134. Psalms 97:9...His exaltation predicted...Acts 1:11;Ephesians 1:20
135. Psalms 100:5...His character-Goodness...Matthew 19:16,17
136. Psalms 102:1-11...The Suffering and Reproach of Calvary...John 21:16-30
137. Psalms 102:16…Son of Man comes in Glory…Luke 21:24
Revelation 12:5-10
138. Psalms 102:25-27...Messiah is the Preexistent Son...Hebrews 1:10-12
139. Psalms 109:4…Prays for His enemies…Luke 23:34
140. Psalms 109:7,8…Another to succeed Judas…Acts 1:16-20
141. Psalms 109:25...Ridiculed...Matthew 27:39
142. Psalms 110:1...Son of David...Matthew 22:43
143. Psalms 110:1...To ascend to the right-hand of the Father...Mark16:19
144. Psalms 110:1...David's son called Lord...Matthew 22:44,45
145. Psalms 110:4...A priest after Melchizedek's order...Hebrews 6:20
146. Psalms 112:4...His character-Compassionate, Gracious, et al... Matthew 9;36
147. Psalms 118:17,18...Messiah's Resurrection assured...Luke 24:5-7;1 Corinthians 15:20
148. Psalms 118:22,23...The rejected stone is Head of the corner...Matthew 21:42,43
149. Psalms 118:26a...The Blessed One presented to Israel...Matthew 21:9
150. Psalms 118:26b...To come while Temple standing...Matthew 21;12-15
151. Psalms 132:11...The Seed of David (the fruit of His Body)...Luke 1:32
152. Psalms 138:1-6...The supremacy of David's Seed amazes kings... Matthew 2:2-6
153. Psalms 147:3,6...The earthly ministry of Christ described...Luke 4:18
154. Psalms 1:23...He will send the Spirit of God... John 16;7
155. Proverbs 8:22-23…The Messiah would be from everlasting…John 17:5
156. Proverbs 30:4…Declared to be the Son of God…John 3:13, Romans 1:2-4, 10:6-9, 2 Peter 1:17
157. Song of Solomon 5:16...The altogether lovely One...John 1:17
158. Isaiah 2:2-4…Repentance for the nations…Luke 24:47
159. Isaiah 4:2…Messiah reigning
160. Isaiah 5:1-6…Son of God’s vineyard: a parable of judgment
161. Isaiah 6:1...When Isaiah saw His glory... John 12:40-41
162. Isaiah 6:9-10...Parables fall on deaf ears...Matthew 13:13-15
163. Isaiah 6:9-12...Blinded to Christ and deaf to His words...Acts 28:23-29
164. Isaiah 7:14...To be born of a virgin...Luke 1:35
165. Isaiah 7:14...To be Emmanuel-God with us... Matthew 1:18-23
166. Isaiah 8:8...Called Emmanuel...Matthew 28:20
167. Isaiah 8:14...A stone of stumbling, a Rock of offense... 1 Pet. 2:8
168. Isaiah 9:1,2...His ministry to begin in Galilee...Matthew 4:12-17
169. Isaiah 9:6...A child born-Humanity...Luke 1:31
170. Isaiah 9:6...A Son given-Deity...Luke 1:32; John 1;14; 1 Tim. 3:16
171. Isaiah 9:6...Declared to be the Son of God with power... Romans. 1:3,4
172. Isaiah 9:6...The Wonderful One, Peleh...Luke 4:22
173. Isaiah 9:6...The Counselor, Yaatz...Matthew 13:54
174. Isaiah 9:6...The Mighty God, El Gibor...Matthew 11:20
175. Isaiah 9:6...The Everlasting Father, Avi Adth...John 8:58
176. Isaiah 9:6...The Prince of Peace, Sar Shalom...John . 16:33
177. Isaiah 9:7...To establish an everlasting kingdom...Luke 1:32-33
178. Isaiah 9:7...His Character-Just...John 5:30
179. Isaiah 9:7...No end to his Government, Throne, and Peace...Luke 1:32-33
180. Isaiah 11:1...Called a Nazarene-the Branch, Netzer...Matthew 2:23
181. Isaiah 11:1...A rod out of Jesse-Son of Jesse...Luke 3:23,32
182. Isaiah 11:2...The anointed One by the Spirit...Matthew 3;16,17
183. Isaiah 11:2...His Character-Wisdom, Understanding, et al....John 4:4-26
184. Isaiah 11:4...His Character-Truth...John 14:6
185. Isaiah 11:10...The Gentiles seek Him...John 12:18-21
186. Isaiah 12:2...Called Jesus-Yeshua (salvation)...Matthew 1:21
187. Isaiah 16:4,5…Reigning in mercy…Luke 1:31-33
188. Isaiah 22:21-25…Peg in a sure place…Revelation 3:7
189. Isaiah 25:8...The Resurrection predicted...I Corinthians 15:54
190. Isaiah 26:19...His power of Resurrection predicted...John 11:43,44
191. Isaiah 28:16...The Messiah is the precious corner stone...Acts 4:11,12
192. Isaiah 29:13...He indicated hypocritical obedience to His Word...Matthew 15:7-9
193. Isaiah 29:14...The wise are confounded by the Word...I Corinthians 1:18-31
194. Isaiah 32:2...A Refuge-A man shall be a hiding place...Matthew 23:37
195. Isaiah 33:22…Son of the Highest…Luke 1:32; 1 Timothy 1:17 6:15
196. Isaiah 35:4...He will come and save you...Matthew 1:21
197. Isaiah 35:5...To have a ministry of miracles...Matthew 11:4-6
198. Isaiah 40:3,4...Preceded by forerunner...John 1:23
199. Isaiah 40:9..."Behold your God."...John 1:36;19:14
200. Isaiah 40:11...A shepherd-compassionate life-giver...John 10:10-18
201. Isaiah 42:1-4...The Servant-as a faithful, patient redeemer... Matthew12:18-21
202. Isaiah 42:2...Meek and lowly... Matthew 11:28-30
203. Isaiah 42:3...He brings hope for the hopeless... John 4
204. Isaiah 42:4...The nations shall wait on His teachings... John 12:20-26
205. Isaiah 42:6...The Light (salvation) of the Gentiles...Luke 2:32
206. Isaiah 42:1,6...His is a Worldwide compassion... Matthew 28:19,20
207. Isaiah 42:7...Blind eyes opened... John 9:25-38
208. Isaiah 42:13-25…Messiah’s actions at His second coming…Revelation
209. Isaiah 43:11...He is the only Savior... Acts 4:12
210. Isaiah 44:3...He will send the Spirit of God... John 16:7,13
211. Isaiah 45:23...He will be the Judge... John 5:22;Romans. 14:11
212. Isaiah 48:12...The First and the Last...John 1:30;Rev. 1:8,17
213. Isaiah 48:17...He came as a Teacher...John 3:2
214. Isaiah 49:1...Called from the womb-His humanity...Matthew 1:18
215. Isaiah 49:5...A Servant from the womb...Luke 1:31;Phil. 2:7
216. Isaiah 49:6...He is Salvation for Israel...Luke 2:29-32
217. Isaiah 49:6...He is the Light of the Gentiles...Acts 13:47
218. Isaiah 49:6...He is Salvation unto the ends of the earth... Acts 15:7-18
219. Isaiah 49:7...He is despised of the Nation... John 8:48-49
220. Isaiah 50:3...Heaven is clothed in black at His humiliation... Luke 23:44,45
221. Isaiah 50:4...He is a learned counselor for the weary... Matthew 11:28,29
222. Isaiah 50:5...The Servant bound willingly to obedience... Matthew 26:39
223. Isaiah 50:6a..."I gave my back to the smiters."... Matthew 27:26
224. Isaiah 50:6b...He was smitten on the cheeks... Matthew 26:67
225. Isaiah 50:6c...He was spat upon... Matthew 27:30
226. Isaiah 52:4-5…Suffered vicariously…Mark 15:3,4,27,28; Luke 23:1-25,32-34
227. Isaiah 52:7...To publish good tidings of peace... Luke 4:14,15
228. Isaiah 52:13...The Servant exalted...Acts 1:8-11; Ephesians 1:19-22
229. Isaiah 52:13...Behold, My Servant... Matthew 17:5; Phil. 2:5-8
230. Isaiah 52:14...The Servant shockingly abused... Luke 18:31-34; Matthew 26:67,68
231. Isaiah 52:15...Nations startled by message of the Servant... Romans. 15:18-21
232. Isaiah 52:15...His blood shed to make atonement for all... Rev. 1:5
233. Isaiah 53:1...His people would not believe Him... John 12:37-38
234. Isaiah 53:2a...He would grow up in a poor family.... Luke 2:7
235. Isaiah 53:2b...Appearance of an ordinary man... Phil. 2:7-8
236. Isaiah 53:3a...Despised.... Luke 4:28-29
237. Isaiah 53:3b...Rejected... Matthew 27:21-23
238. Isaiah 53:3c...Great sorrow and grief... Luke 19:41-42
239. Isaiah 53:3d...Men hide from being associated with Him... Mark 14:50-52
240. Isaiah 53:4a...He would have a healing ministry... Luke 6:17-19
241. Isaiah 53:4b...He would bear the sins of the world... 1 Pet. 2:24
242. Isaiah 53:4c...Thought to be cursed by God... Matthew 27:41-43
243. Isaiah 53:5a...Bears penalty for mankind's transgressions... Luke 23:33
244. Isaiah 53:5b...His sacrifice would provide peace between man and God... Col. 1:20
245. Isaiah 53:5c...His back would be whipped... Matthew 27:26
246. Isaiah 53:6a...He would be the sin-bearer for all mankind...Galatians 1:4
247. Isaiah 53:6b...God's will that He bear sin for all mankind... 1 John 4:10
248. Isaiah 53:7a...Oppressed and afflicted... Matthew 27:27-31
249. Isaiah 53:7b...Silent before his accusers... Matthew 27:12-14
250. Isaiah 53:7c...Sacrificial lamb... John 1:29
251. Isaiah 53:8a...Confined and persecuted... Matthew 26:47-27:31
252. Isaiah 53:8b...He would be judged... John 18:13-22
253. Isaiah 53:8c...Killed.... Matthew 27:35
254. Isaiah 53:8d...Dies for the sins of the world... 1 John 2:2
255. Isaiah 53:9a...Buried in a rich man's grave... Matthew 27:57
256. Isaiah 53:9b...Innocent and had done no violence... Mark 15:3
257. Isaiah 53:9c...No deceit in his mouth... John 18:38
258. Isaiah 53:10a...God's will that He die for mankind... John 18:11
259. Isaiah 53:10b...An offering for sin... Matthew 20:28
260. Isaiah 53:10c...Resurrected and live forever.... Mark 16:16
261. Isaiah 53:10d...He would prosper... John 17:1-5
262. Isaiah 53:11a...God fully satisfied with His suffering... John 12:27
263. Isaiah 53:11b...God's servant... Romans. 5:18-19
264. Isaiah 53:11c...He would justify man before God... Romans. 5:8-9
265. Isaiah 53:11d...The sin-bearer for all mankind... Hebrews 9:28
266. Isaiah 53:12a...Exalted by God because of his sacrifice... Matthew 28:18
267. Isaiah 53:12b...He would give up his life to save mankind... Luke 23:46
268. Isaiah 53:12c...Grouped with criminals... Luke 23:32
269. Isaiah 53:12d...Sin-bearer for all mankind... 2 Corinthians 5:21
270. Isaiah 53:12e...Intercede to God in behalf of mankind... Luke 23:34
271. Isaiah 55:1…Every one come who is thirsty…New Testament
272. Isaiah 55:3...Resurrected by God... Acts 13:34
273. Isaiah 55:4...A witness... John 18:37
274. Isaiah 55:5…Foreign nations come to God…Acts
275. Isaiah 59:15-16a...He would come to provide salvation... John 6:40
276. Isaiah 59:15-16b...Intercessor between man and God... Matthew 10:32
277. Isaiah 59:20...He would come to Zion as their Redeemer... Luke 2:38
278. Isaiah 60:1-3…Nations walk in the light…Luke 2:32
279. Isaiah 61:1-2a...The Spirit of God upon him... Matthew 3:16-17
280. Isaiah 61:1-2b...The Messiah would preach the good news... Luke 4:17-21
281. Isaiah 61:1-2c...Provide freedom from the bondage of sin and death... John 8:31-32
282. Isaiah 61:1-2...Proclaim a period of grace... John 5:24
283. Isaiah 62:1-2…Called by an new name…Luke 2:32, Revelation 3:12
284. Isaiah 62:11…Thy King Cometh, Entered Jerusalem on Colt…Matthew 21:7
285. Isaiah 63:1-3…A vesture dipped in blood…Revelation 19:13
286. Isaiah 63:8,9…Afflicted with the afflicted…Matthew 25:34-40
287. Isaiah 65:9…The elect shall inherit…Romans 11 5-7, Hebrews 7:14, Revelation 5:5
288. Isaiah 65:17-25…New heaven/New Earth…2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1
289. Isaiah 66:18-19…All nations come to God…New Testament
290. Jeremiah23:5-6a...Descendant of David...Luke 3:23-31
291. Jeremiah 23:5-6b...The Messiah would be God... John 13:13
292. Jeremiah 23:5-6c...The Messiah would be both God and Man... 1 Tim. 3:16
293. Jeremiah 30:9…Born a King…John 18:37, Revelation 1:5
294. Jeremiah 31:15…Massacre of infants…Matthew 2:16-18
295. Jeremiah 31:22...Born of a virgin... Matthew 1:18-20
296. Jeremiah 31:31...The Messiah would be the new covenant... Matthew 26:28
297. Jeremiah 33:14-15...Descendant of David... Luke 3:23-31
298. Ezekiel17:22-24...Descendant of David... Luke 3:23-31
299. Ezekiel 21:26,27…The humble exalted…Luke 1:52
300. Ezekiel34:23-24...Descendant of David... Matthew 1:1
301. Daniel 2:34-35...Stone cut without hands...Acts 4:10-12
302. Daniel 2:44,45...His Kingdom Triumphant...Luke 1:33, 1 Corinthians 15:24, Revelation 11:15
303. Dan. 7:13-14a...He would ascend into heaven... Acts 1:9-11
304. Dan. 7:13-14b...Highly exalted... Ephesians 1:20-22
305. Dan. 7:13-14c...His dominion would be everlasting... Luke 1:31-33
306. Daniel 7:27...Kingdom for the Saints...Luke 1:33, 1 Corinthians 15:24, Revelation 11:15
307. Dan. 9:24a...To make an end to sins... Galatians 1:3-5
308. Dan. 9:24b...He would be holy... Luke 1:35
309. Dan. 9:25...Announced to his people 483 years, to the exact day, after the decree to rebuild the city of Jerusalem... John 12:12-13
310. Dan. 9:26a...Killed... Matthew 27:35
311. Dan. 9:26b...Die for the sins of the world... Hebrews 2:9
312. Dan. 9:26c...Killed before the destruction of the temple... Matthew 27:50-51
313. Dan. 10:5-6...Messiah in a glorified state... Rev. 1:13-16
314. Hosea 3:5...Israel restored...John 18:37, Romans 11:25-27
315. Hosea 11:1, Numbers 24:8...Flight to Egypt...Matthew 2:14
316. Hosea 13:14...He would defeat death... 1 Corinthians 15:55-57
317. Joel 2:28-32...Promise of the Spirit...Acts 2:17-21, Romans 10:13
318. Joel 2:32...Offer salvation to all mankind... Romans. 10:12-13
319. Micah 2:12-13...Israel Regathered...John 10:14,26
320. Micah 4:1-8...The Kingdom established - place of Birth Bethlehem...Luke 1:33, Matthew 2:1, Luke 2:4,10,11
321. Micah 5:2a...Born in Bethlehem... Matthew 2:1-2
322. Micah 5:2b...God's servant... John 15:10
323. Micah 5:2c...from everlasting... John 8:58
324. Haggai 2:6-9...He would visit the second Temple... Luke 2:27-32
325. Haggai 2:23...Descendant of Zerubbabel... Luke 3:23-27
326. Joel 2:28-32...Promise of the Spirit...Acts 2:17-21, Romans 10:13
327. Amos 8:9...The Sun Darkened...Matthew 24:29, Acts 2:20, Revelation 6:12
328. Amos 9:11-12...Restoration of tabernacle...Acts 14:16-18
329. Habakkuk 2:14...Earth filled with knowledge of the glory of the Lord...Romans 11:26, Revelation 21:23-26
330. Zechariah 2:10-13...The Lamb on the Throne...Revelation 5:13, 6:9, 21:24
331. Zechariah 3:8...God's servant... John 17:4
332. Zechariah 6:12-13...Priest and King... Hebrews 8:1
333. Zechariah 9:9a...Greeted with rejoicing in Jerusalem... Matthew 21:8-10
334. Zechariah 9:9b...Beheld as King... John 12:12-13
335. Zechariah 9:9c...The Messiah would be just... John 5:30
336. Zechariah 9:9d...The Messiah would bring salvation... Luke 19:10
337. Zechariah 9:9e...The Messiah would be humble... Matthew 11:29
338. Zechariah 9:9f...Presented to Jerusalem riding on a donkey... Matthew 21:6-9
339. Zechariah 10:4...The cornerstone... Ephesians 2:20
340. Zechariah 11:4-6a...At His coming, Israel to have unfit leaders... Matthew 23:1-4
341. Zechariah 11:4-6b...Rejection causes God to remove His protection.. Luke 19:41-44
342. Zechariah 11:4-6c...Rejected in favor of another king... John 19:13-15
343. Zechariah 11:7...Ministry to "poor," the believing remnant... Matthew 9:35-36
344. Zechariah 11:8a...Unbelief forces Messiah to reject them... Matthew 23:33
345. Zechariah 11:8b...Despised... Matthew 27:20
346. Zechariah 11:9...Stops ministering to the those who rejected Him... Matthew 13:10-11
347. Zechariah 11:10-11a...Rejection causes God to remove protection... Luke 19:41-44
348. Zechariah 11:10-11b...The Messiah would be God... John 14:7
349. Zechariah 11:12-13a...Betrayed for thirty pieces of silver... Matthew 26:14-15
350. Zechariah 11:12-13b...Rejected... Matthew 26:14-15
351. Zechariah 11:12-13c...Thirty pieces of silver thrown into the house of the Lord... Matthew 27:3-5
352. Zechariah 11:12-13d...The Messiah would be God... John 12:45
353. Zechariah 12:10a...The Messiah's body would be pierced... John 19:34-37
354. Zechariah 12:10b...The Messiah would be both God and man... John 10:30
355. Zechariah 12:10c...The Messiah would be rejected... John 1:11
356. Zechariah 13:7a...God's will He die for mankind... John 18:11
357. Zechariah 13:7b...A violent death... Matthew 27:35
358. Zechariah 13:7c...Both God and man.. John 14:9
359. Zechariah 13:7d...Israel scattered as a result of rejecting Him... Matthew 26:31-56
360. Malachi 3:1a...Messenger to prepare the way for Messiah... Matthew 11:10
361. Malachi 3:1b...Sudden appearance at the temple... Mark 11:15-16
362. Malachi 3:1c...Messenger of the new covenant... Luke 4:43
363. Malachi 3:3...Our Sins Are Purged...Luke 1:78, John 1:9; 12:46, 2 Peter 1:19, Revelation 2:28; 19:11-16; 22:16
364. Malachi 4:5...Forerunner in the spirit of Elijah... Matthew 3:1-2
365. Malachi 4:6...Forerunner would turn many to righteousness... Luke 1:16-17


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Octoberfest Music

Hill country musical fusion. The Eklectic Swing Trio. Something old, something notso new, and something blue and humorous.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Oktoberfest Tag Zwei

Here is hubby all dressed to play...



Here are a few of our closest strangers who may be friends.

Wir lieben Oktoberfest!!!

Here I am waiting for the festivities to begin!


My man looking cool!!!

On Your Mark, Get Set.....

Hubby and I are preparing for a little R & R get away. I so love "playing" with my husband. This year we decided to celebrate Octoberfest in the hill country of Texas. I decided I needed a drindl (traditional German garb for women) so started hunting for one my size. After seeing the price of the little darlings I decided to make one. Then after I finally found a pattern that appeared to fit I found a friend who tailors and make clothing sought out her help. She said, "yes" and we were off. I chose coordinating "clown" fabrics for the dress so that I could use it again when I got home! It's so adorable. Friends who can help and are willing to do so are so rare! What a blessing.

During all this fun I noticed hubby scanning the computer. Now mind you he does check email from time to time and writes articles for our ministry newsletter, but on the whole unless he has car issues he doesn't spend a great deal of time online. There was something different in his countenance while he surfed the web. I came over to where the laptop was set up and noticed he was on eBay looking for lederhosen (the traditional German garb for men). Boy was I surprised!!! I said, "Who are you and what have you done to my husband?" He was looking in earnest at them, but he just couldn't make himself press the "Commit to buy" button. Lederhosen are made of leather and are quite pricey! So just as it is with most of the larger purchases, I pressed the "Commit to buy" and the rest was downhill. He ordered a special shirt. Then he went to a local department store and bought knee highs in bright green. He had me find a traditional green fedora with the German accoutrement and order it. We ordered steins and now it's just a matter of a few days and we'll be off.

Oh I almost forgot. When I was looking for a hotel to stay at he said, "Find a B & B"! I'm still surprised at that one. So I found a tiny B & B cabin! Yay!!! The most exciting thing is that it has a tub. No more saying, "Calgon, take me away" in vain! I can actually buy bubble bath and use it! The idea of a couple nice long soaks in a tub is very soothing and yet exciting at the same time.

Last but not least I've collected everything I need to scrapbook the adventure. I have the album, paper, some embellishments and will put together a scrap kit this afternoon. I will take our little portable printer and print the pictures each evening. I don't know if I'll get any of it done while on the vacation, but I'll have what I need should the opportunity arise!

Oh, I almost forgot. I've been dreaming of German food too. I love jager schnitzel and wiener schnitzel and the "Lindenbaum" restaurant makes the best of both. I know there will be fun "oompah" bands, dancers, arts and crafts and so many other things to see and do. I can hardly wait.

It's almost time and I know both hubby and I are ready for this little trip.

Heralds Herald

God is the supreme gifter. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him. Everything we see was created by Him and given to us. His gifts are blessings or empowerments so we can accomplish His will.

As a herald I was created to herald whatever He wants heralded. To herald is to publish or proclaim. He wants His good news proclaimed. He has gifted me with many gifts in order to be effective in my heralding. I simply can not help but proclaim what He says to me.

It is challenging when folks either do not want to hear, are afraid of what is being said or are offended at the truth. I am tempted to be silent as far as the uninterested are concerned, but that isn't how God wants it done. He said "Go ye into ALL the world and preach the good news to every creature." I personally would give them just what they want...silence. Nevertheless, not my plan or way, but His.

The good news? That He loved the world so much that He gave (again with the giving) His only begotten Son. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life. Sounds like a good deal to me, but millions are not taking it. Deal or no deal? It's up to each individual. To believe is to receive.

Blind Man Walking

Our bathroom nightlight is dead so it's become a challenge to find my way in the darkness each night. I was thinking about how most people walk in the darkness without God's will or ways in mind. His word tells us, "The entrance of His word brings light". I know personally when I have a real problem I can always go to Him and He promises to be with me in trouble. If I take the time to seek His will (in His word) He ALWAYS gives me an answer.

When you are blind you grow accustomed to the darkness. You begin to learn your dark environment and even grow "comfortable" with it. I would imagine you avoid new places and situations that require sight. You use your crutch in place of your eyes.

God sent Yeshua/Jesus to give sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf.Some say and believe that God is a crutch, but those are mockers and scorners. The fool says, "there is no God". Some choose to close their ears and eyes to God. I like being able to hear His voice and see the path ahead. May I never grow accustomed to darkness or silence. In all your ways acknowlege Him and He will direct your path!

All's Fair

It's the last day of the Permian Basin Fair and I've had a blast. I've met a load of wonderful people and made a bunch of cards. I've even had help from two young gals whose dad is demonstrating at the gem and mineral booth across from me.

I also had an opportunity to get to know my fellow Stampin Up rep, Donna Stanco! She's a sweet gal with loads of talent.




What a blessing to be chosen as a "Featured Artist". I thought I would demo a couple of times, but was given a booth for the entire fair.

Each day we have loaded and unloaded my art supplies in my trolley carts. Then we load up one of the three yellow wagons and so the day starts and ends. In just a few short hours it will be over. Tomorrow I will come pick up my artwork and ribbons. So fun!


I'm hoping to inspire my fellow PB & J gals to submit next year.

Fort Worth Fun

Time passes amazingly quick. A week ago Thursday I drove from Gardendale to Fort Worth for a Stampin Up Regional meeting. I don't love driving, but with a couple teaching CDs that hubby made and a new country gospel instrumental CD from Cracker Barrel I was set. I stopped in Abilene at their Cracker Barrel for lunch and before I knew it I had made my way to the hotel. I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express which was a very nice hotel (all but their continental breakfast.) the staff was wonderful. I watched "dumb tv", ate yummy Chinese food that was delivered to the hotel, and vegged.

Friday morning I packed up my stuff, drove to the Fort Worth Convention Center and then to a close by valet parking garage. It was a strange sensation to surrender my car keys to complete strangers!!!

I walked a couple blocks (craft tote in hand) and found my Stampin Up people. I had a great time meeting more fellow reps, crafting, reinforcing business skills and getting away from all the routine of the farm.

Shelli Gardner was there and during a lull in the schedule she posed for snapshots. I used my cell (why didn't I use my camera?) and had a gal snap our picture.




I am enjoying this part of my life. I have so many wonderful girlfriends I am amazed. God has really blessed Jeff and I.

Afternoon Snooze

Ok I admit it. I love naps! There is nothing as refreshing as a power nap to finish the day off with "Vim" and "Vigor"! I personally have never met either, but without an occasional nap I wouldn't be able to be as artsy as I am.

I took a lovely nap this afternoon so now I can face a full evening of artistic endeavors.

My husband is not allowed to nap except in extreme situations. He also is not allowed whiskey or to fraternize with used car salesmen as all three have the same effect on him. (He is Cherokee, Lakota Sioux and Irish) Need I say more?

Naps are great for toddlers, wonderful for grannies and nit so great for certain husbands. I'm fired up for an evening of fun because I had mine!

Friday Artsy Fartsy Fun

How many of us get to take a day and set up art supplies and play AND meet people of like ilk? Tonight is the second to the last day at the 2010 Permian Basin Fair in Odessa, Texas. I was gifted with a booth of my very own at the fair. I set up my artsy fartsy supplies and play while people watch.

I'm not intimidated by people watching me create. If what I make stinks I simply file it in the trash. If it works I put it out for folks to see. I guess I have the attitude that it's just paper and paper is pretty temporary. Why sweat the small stuff or the temporal stuff?

I have a full day tomorrow of playing artist in public (again at the fair) and then it's back to "normal". What is normal for me? I don't have a real regular routine. I have 12 goats, 24 or so chickens (they hide so I haven't had a true count for a while), 2 ducks and cat and a dog. My husband takes the morning feeding shift sometimes and I take it others. He comes and goes as he is a "circuit riding preacher/missionary" so he leaves at different times to travel around his "circuit". When hubby is gone I care for the critters 24/7, when he is home he cares for them and I get my exercise by walking the farm and moving bales of hay or cleaning the chicken house.

It's the end of summer and I'm thrilled. I really dislike hot and Texas is hot during the summer.
I'm looking forward to fall as the temperature drops and life outside is more bearable.

I'm headed to town to play and then prep for more play tonight. It's going to be a good Friday. I see myself making cute owl cards tonight and maybe a bookmark or two. I know two little girls whose daddy has a booth. They get bored just sitting watching him, so they'll be over wanting to play with the artsy fartsy supplies as well. Should be fun times. Perhaps if I bring extra chairs more people will sit down and play with us.