Life has been busy on the ranch these days. The Lord graciously blessed us with a Jersey milk cow named, Annabelle. She is a sweet milker and provides the milk we need for a large and growing family! We also have her heifer which the children have named, Hershey's Hope, we will look forward to breeding and then milking her next year. We have a little Holstein bull named Oreo and another Holstein we will no doubt use for our family beef needs. Anytime we add a new farm member to the barn we go through a schedule overhaul! This time has been busy, but richly blessed! Sarah-Grace has learned to make butter and of course Beth-Joy makes our fresh whole wheat bread for us to spread our butter on- what a yummy treat! We have started to included daily cheese making as well as yogurt making to our schedule. I love to teach these skills to my girls while I learn or relearn with them! These are truly precious days!
Joe's work schedule has been unpredictable and yet the Lord's mercy has been abundant and walked us through each moment. He was able to share with a co-worker last week about the Lord and so we continue to pray for the Lord to work in this man's heart. We so desire for the lost to be saved. We remember all to well our own condition without Christ in our lives. We continue to live in the transformation state and eagerly share as the Lord leads.
My parents were here for a visit and have returned back to CA. We all miss them terribly and yet trust that the Lord is using this time away for His purpose. We continue to lay our desires at His feet and trust Him to open doors for them to move here with us soon!
The children are all doing well. Several of the boys had birthday's in the month of October. They are all growing so fast! Christmas is coming, as you all know. My children are excited as children are this time of year. They have been looking through the Vision Forum catalog, writing out lists for grandparents, the boys have been in the barn building gifts, the girls have been busy in the sewing room, and several of the children have taken trips to town for purchases they wanted to make for their siblings. I love seeing their creativity and love toward one another through this process of giving. It is truly precious!
As for me... well, I am still a sinner saved by grace. Who somehow, in His amazing grace, was given the privilege to minister to His people. I delight in all my duties here at home. I continue to guard my time with the children making sure I have time to cuddle, giggle and hear their heart thoughts and dreams. My days are busy. I wake early in the morning, typically around 5:30 am and then go to bed after the last little one has laid their head on their pillow. I was asked to take over as Editor and Publisher for our Kinder Goat Breed Association. This is a project Beth and I have been busy working on. I enjoy working along side my girls! I am also looking forward to working with This Old Schoolhouse who has invited me to write for their "Weebooks". Bekah is a tremendous help in organizing our time in the home so that we have time to share with others and yet do not miss the time to be still and simply enjoy one another. I often tell my girls,
"If you ever find yourself rushed to where you no longer have time to hold your baby, stroke your child's brow, read a story, or simply hear their heart.. you have become too busy! If you can no longer give your husband your full attention, sit in his presence just to be with him, or bake him goodies just because- then you have neglected your true ministry and all is lost! "
It is critical for us as mothers and wives to realize that our ministry at home, to our family, is our greatest ministry of all! If we fail here... nothing else matters! I could not do half of what I do without my girls! Each of them hold a vital role in the home, farm, and ministry management! Because of their faithful service to their daddy and I here at home. Because they have not followed the 'norm' and left the home for a 'real life' we have all been richly blessed!!! They have made an eternal impact on their brothers lives. They take their duties as sisters very seriously and their brothers are all the better because of it! Did you realize if it wasn't for my girls, I wouldn't even be able to write one post online? If it wasn't for my girls, I wouldn't be able to make those calls to check on Sisters in Christ? If it wasn't for my girls, I would haven't all the quite moments I enjoy with my toddlers! Oh, I am blessed by all my children, don't get me wrong, but at this moment my heart is reflecting on how God has rewarded us with these three very special girls!! I pray that the Lord is glorified through these times of sharing with others. Sometimes I am out of breath, other times my body aches, yet my mind is always clear and my JOY is always complete!!!
Well, friends that has been a recap of life here at Covenant Ranch! I enjoyed sharing with you and will look forward to getting all those email questions posted today as well as a Holiday freebie I heard about! May your day be blessed and may you continue to grow in His grace!
With much love,
Mrs. Joseph Wood
You certainly are busy but what a blessings you always have time to encourage ~enjoyed reading your post ~Blessings Heather ;D
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