25th Annual and Bigger Than Ever

Ever since we moved here, we have had an annual bonfire in the fall.

I just realized this is our 25th year!

Our bonfire is going to be bigger than ever too!

The pile is over 10 feet tall and about 25 feet wide!

Joshua, Caleb, and Bethany have raised the possibility of another one late winter/early spring '21.

May the Lord be glorified and His message amplified tonight!

Only the Jawbone

If Samson could slay 1000 Philistines with only the jawbone of an ass, 

think of what God could do with a complete ass. 

-St. John Vianney

Dear Reader, This made me chuckle and also reminded me that God uses what others toss away. I hope it encourages you to know God is able "to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think."

Be a Pleasant Fragrance

 “Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” -Mark Twain

Dear Reader, Regrettably, we've all been heels that have crushed others at some point in our lives. As Christians, we should become committed to trying to be the pleasant fragrance of the violet.

Prayers for Bonfire

Those of you who are evangelistically minded, please pray for Brandon who will be addressing the people in attendance of the bonfire with a few words and prayer. Brandon will stand in for Clint until Clint can get home from work. Ask the Lord to speak through both of them into the hearts of those who need salvation or encouragement. Thank you!

Prayers Please and Some Info

Please pray that if what we are looking at is good for our family, that it will go through. 

Thank you very much for the prayers you lift on behalf of our family and friends.

I've not been able to answer texts from the last 10 days or so. When I get home, it is near bedtime. Everything here is good. Wrapping up some things and starting others. It's a very busy season. I anticipated that and spaced posts out ahead of time for this month for a break. Love to all!

Bonfire

Click image or download to enlarge.

For those driving further, if you get lost or have car trouble, 
call C-Dawg for help.

REMOVED

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Farm Gate will be open at 5:15 p.m.

The rules are very few:

No alcohol or drugs allowed on premises. If discovered, law enforcement will be called to escort you off the property. No exceptions. -
C-Dawg and Mama Asbell

This is a working farm. Due to insurance, you must stay within the designated party boundaries.

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Come to enjoy a bonfire and cookout!

Hang out with friends!

Meet new people!

Have a fun time!

C-Dawg will lead us with a few words and a prayer.

Clint was told he is needed at work until 7 p.m.
Brandon will be leading us in Clint's place.

<>< Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Dress comfortably and appropriately for the weather.

Any questions contact C-Dawg REMOVED

Another Big Day!

Today is Bethany's first day on the job. She texted me at break and told me her first day is going fine. I asked for a selfie, and she looks a little tired. That is probably due to having to drastically change her schedule so she could get up at 5 this morning. She already knows and has a good relationship with a good portion of the managers and workers. Joshua is her trainer today. I know the banter must be entertaining and wish I could hear it. I am happy for my Bethany Boo, but I miss her too. 

Dear Reader, Good mothers pour themselves into their children. All they have goes into rearing and training (godliness). Somehow, we manage to scrape together a little more than our "all" and put that into them too. It's a job that takes us to our limits and stretches us as God's people. Mothering can't be described fully with words. It must be experienced to be understood. Motherhood done well is bittersweet because each thing you teach your child is a step further to their independence, but you do it lovingly and willingly because you want the best for them. Then they are gone and you only get fleeting glimpses of them. As it should be. We train children to be adults, not to stay children. Still, a mother's heart silently weeps a little at the transition. If you can, call your mom today. Your voice is precious music to her. It can turn a bad day into a good one. You have that kind of influence in your mother's life. If she is worth her salt, she'll be glad to hear from you. Love to all!

To fully live the Christian adventure

"Many who accept Christianity have no clue that as soon as they do, they're enlisted in a conflict. A conflict that rages every second of every day. One that competes for our heart, mind, and soul. To fully live the Christian adventure, we have to turn off the TV, stop living in denial, and refuse to participate in the tit for tat, one upmanship lifestyle that society demands we should engage. Christians are called to act differently from their past and differently in response to others." A Warrior's Faith by Robert Vera

Praise!!

Remember Tony? We prayed for him to get into a program and to beat alcoholism? He is 75 days sober! He is doing really well. He attends meetings 3-4 times a week. He is divorcing his long time estranged wife and is looking forward to a future with a Christian woman. God is good!!

Coal Road Queries

Once again, I am getting a lot of questions (5 to 6 a week) about the 4x4 Jeep Trail on Coal Road in VA. 

I think it is open, but do not hold me to it. 

I have not been that way in a couple of years. 

I asked Amanda to check for me when she was nearby recently, but she was unable to go by due to time. 

Another Opportunity?

We weren't expecting something to come our way so quickly, but another opportunity has. We go meet and look over the paperwork tonight. Please keep us in pray for wisdom and discernment. Ask Him to reveal to us all we need to know to see if this is a good thing for our family. Thank you to all who pray for us! Please let us know how we can pray for you and yours. Love to all!

God's Provision

We achieved yet another big first milestone today!

It is a done deal and the ink is drying as I type this!

What an abundance of blessings have rained down on our family in 2020!!

GOD IS GOOD!

We are very thankful!!

Nice Late September Surprise!

Peachicks have always hatched in July on our farm. This was a nice late September surprise! Somehow the peahen kept the little one hidden from us for at least a week based on the pin feathers. We moved both of them to their own pen since the large run they were in is shared by many birds.

Dear Reader, I was having a pretty down day. Heavily burdened for ailing and dying friends, I was trying to work outdoors since that is usually a therapeutic endeavor. Fresh air, sunshine, physical labor, and accomplishing something for the good of my precious family...it usually works to lift my mood. However, I was running into one problem after another with 50% of what I needed to do not being able to be done. I hadn't rested well the night before, so my energy was waning. Add frustration and discouragement on top of my depressed spirit and that's right where I was. Then, on a trip to the house to regroup to see what I could get done, I saw my peahen acting oddly so I stopped to watch her. I found a little brightness in the middle of my dark day! We may not see things happening around us, but God is still working behind the scenes and in places we might not be not expecting. He will reveal to us what we need to know when it is time for us to know. All His ways are good!

Abundant Blessings!

Today is another milestone..another first! God is good!

How to Help the Grieving

For Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness, I am sharing this repost from 10/15/2018: This post has helped a lot of people on both sides of the coin and has been printed as a handout. While overwhelmingly I have had a tremendous amount of kindness and support through my nine stillbirths and miscarriages, there have been some thoughtless things said. 

To the grieving: In the midst of your pain, be gracious towards everyone, even the people who say thoughtless things. It's the higher road. 

Keep in mind that sometimes others are intimidated by the scope of the pain they see in your life and their awkwardness spills over into their words. Other people are just mean, and it shows. "For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45) In both situations, it is right to forgive them. Pray they learn compassion and never know the kind of pain you are experiencing. When they experience a loss, ask God to give them extra measures of comforting and show whatever kindness you can for them. 

My goal is to help others be more aware of the things they say and do towards ALL of those who are grieving whether it be an infant or a grandparent or a divorce or job loss. 

People talk down what they aren't up on. Here's to getting a few more "up on" how to help those who are struggling with grief. -w

Believe me, it's no time for words when the wounds are fresh and bleeding; no time for homilies when the lightning's shaft has smitten, and the man lies stunned and stricken. Then let the comforter be silent; let him sustain by his presence, not by his preaching; by his sympathetic silence, not by his speech. -George C. Lorimer

October 15 is the national day of remembrance for miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss. I've lost nine precious babies to stillbirth and miscarriage. Much of what you read here can be applied more broadly to include other types of loss and pain.

Here is a video from Megan Devine, which a friend recently shared, that shares about what works for those grieving and why other things like "cheering them up" do not. It will better equip you to help the hurting in your life.

When I lost one of my miscarried and stillborn babies, one of the things that helped me the most was someone telling me, "This sucks!!" I knew by their succinct words that they understood my pain. You don't need eloquence to show compassion. Your job isn't to move them to where you want them to be; it's to meet them where they are.

One of the most hurtful things ever said to me, for example, was by a Christian in law who claimed to be pro-life who told me less than 24 hours after the loss of my baby that crying was "feeling sorry for myself." Their words created a lot of pain in my heart. They did not care what I was going through, and their words showed it. Their words suggested I was doing something wrong by mourning my baby. I share this with the goal that others won't say such hurtful things in a woman's time of great pain. It is not helpful, but it is very hurtful. 

Crying is a normal, natural response to loss. Jesus cried in grief too. Would you have said, "It's self pity for you to cry since you are going to raise Lazarus anyway?" Or, would you have shown Him understanding and compassion? Think before you speak. Words hurt and can't be taken back, but they can be forgiven. Be gentle and kind with each other even when you do not understand what the other person is going through.

Please don't add your misplaced expectations to someone else's struggle. You will only burden them further. Acknowledge a person's right to feel as they do. 

If you have had a pregnancy loss, I am praying for you today and offer my friendship. My email is in the header. 

A pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself, 
but a spiritual man is easy on others and hard on himself.
-A.W. Tozer

I had a friend comment:

That person that said that to you COULD NOT be a Christian! They may be a self proclaimed Christian, but if they really had Christ in their heart they could have never said something so cruel and cold! 

My reply: Christians aren't perfect, and we fail each other often. We have to bear with each other in love to keep unity in the church. I have forgiven them completely and have love for them. Grudges lead to bitterness and that's a weed I don't want growing in my life. It's too destructive! I pray for their well being and success of their business daily. Doing that honors Jesus and gives me peace and keeps me growing in Christ. Their words are a good example to show others what not to say to someone because it does not in any way help. It creates another burden on the person. If we claim to be pro-life, but deny a mother the freedom to mourn a pregnancy loss, we really aren't very pro-life. We have to come beside people and meet them where they are in whatever circumstance life throws at them...not drag them along to where we want them to be. I fail people too and am thankful when they forgive me and bear with me in love.

* I have been asked a few times who this person is. If that is your main concern after reading this post, then you are seriously missing the point! 

for the sake of whatever it is that they love more

People hate the truth for the sake of whatever it is that they love more than the truth. They love truth when it shines warmly on them, and hate it when it rebukes them. Saint Augustine

Way to go, Clint and Brandon!

Mid-September, Clint and Brandon successfully took the test to become HAM radio operators. Ham radio is not just a hobby, but it is a valuable service especially during big events.

"It was the ham radio operators who stepped-up to provide emergency communication from the Monacillo Control Station and 23 technical plazas throughout the island. More than 130 local radio amateurs became the only means of communication for many small villages and communities. By September 23^rd, hams were the “eyes and ears” of the island via VHF. They were able to collaborate with the Red Cross and create an incident map that assessed damage, road conditions and other critical information about the island that would be shared with many other assistive agencies." Lessons Learned from Puerto Rico and Hurricane Maria

It is to become a part of the emergency service that is motivating Clint and Brandon. Clint is meeting with local men on the net weekly now. I might get my operators license in the future. Right now, I am 100% behind Clint reaching his goals and building our equipment. Clint is taking the next test soon so he can advance.

Please email the address in the header if you would like Clint's and Brandon's call signs.

Why is Unity Important?

If we want to be strong in Christ and do great things in His name, we have to stop being offended over things that don't really matter in the long run and start uniting and working together to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Since then, I have seen scores of Christians calling for unity so we as the Bride of Christ can be stronger and more effective.

With seeing how close we are to the end times, I can see why the Lord is putting that on hearts. I do not know how much time we have left on this earth, but we need to be working to reach others. 

Our enemy is going to keep waging the war against us to divide and weaken the Body of Christ. We need to pray against it, watch out for it in our own lives, and fight hard in our own hearts to keep him from being successful.

The true success of a church is not measured by the number in attendance, on the membership roll, or by the size of their bank account. The true success of any church is determined by it's unity.

Take note: In Acts 2 they were united with one purpose in one place, THEN The Holy Spirit came into their presence.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Acts 2:1-2

Bethany's Job

This is a follow up to A Big Day for Bethany.

Bethany was told that since she is an Asbell, she is getting a 50 cent an hour raise before she has even started working! Wow! Her new boss said knows she will work well due to her brother's work ethics. 

He also said she will get another $1 once she is able to work more hours. 

Clint spoke with her new boss, whom we have a good relationship with, to make sure he is on the same page as we are regarding Bethany's education. 

Bethany, 17 years old, is in her last semester of college!

I think it is wonderful that Bethany did not have to go looking for a job. God sent the job right to her! God is amazing! 

Her first day is orientation on Monday the 12th.

Big Days

I started this to mark our Monday as a big milestone for our family. I had NO idea the week would turn out as it has!

Monday was a big day for our entire family! A huge goal was reached! 

Tuesday was a big day for Bethany who, without even seeking it, landed her first job!

Wednesday was another "first" accomplishment for the entire family! 

Thursday Caleb was told he is getting a raise and training in Ohio! I'll share more on that later when it happens. Early 2021 is the goal. 

Friday Joshua had a meeting and learned the plans to make him a manager, which were slowed down due to CoVid, are back on track. He has already been training and has run the restaurant on his own a few times. He's done very well! 

God is good!!

Lending a Hand

I don't share much of what we do for others, but this was such a nice encounter that I want to remember it.

As we were driving to our destination for a romantic getaway, I saw a woman and her son, who is a JMU student and friends with other JMU friends of ours, struggling with a boxspring that appeared to have come untied from the roof of her car. I asked Clint if he would mind giving them a hand. Clint hadn't seen them but said he would turn around and see what he could do.

When we arrived, we learned they had recently fell on hard times, were given a free mattress (in the car) and boxspring. They thought a couple of small bungees would hold it to their car for a 30 minute trip. Clint offered to buy them tension straps. He purchased two from a nearby auto parts store. Then, he tied it down, teaching them both how and what to tie loads to as he went. They were both grateful for the straps and the help! Being tired, I stayed in our car, but the lady and her son came to talk with me. Even Maggie, who travels with us, was thanked with lots of pets and sweet words. 

Cue the Antics

the bumpers are touching

If one does it, the rest who come home do it, because putting a smile on a family member's face is a priceless gift to all!

Bonfire Cookout Camping

10/6: We are having an issue getting our front field cut for the bonfire, but Joshua is working on that tomorrow. Once that is cut, we will set a date. We are planning a date to allow as many as possible to come, but it's impossible to accommodate everyone. We will do our best.

9/23: Wow! 32 people have already signed up, so it is a GO! We are holding a family meeting soon to work out the details and come up with a date that allows as many people to come as possible. 

9/21: We are considering a date to do another bonfire, cookout, camping weekend for the 16-26 year olds. Detail will be on the group site. Contact an Asbell and let them know if you are interested. We will have a family meeting on it soon. I posted here because some missed it last time.

Big Day for Bethany!

When two of your older children are such hard working employees that their boss asks if there are any other siblings at home of working age, calls that sibling, and offers them their choice of a job before any interviews. Thanks to Joshua's and Caleb's reputation, Bethany fills out the paperwork today to start her first job.

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.

Proverbs 22:1

let us be calmed and steadied and made patient

"In perplexities- when we cannot tell what to do, when we cannot understand what is going on around us- let us be calmed and steadied and made patient by the thought that what is hidden from us is not hidden from Him." Frances Ridley Havergal

Younger Girls Cooking with Brandon

Brandon invited his three youngest sisters over to cook from his themed cookbooks. He has several. Two of them are a Shire cookbook (LOTR) and a Geek cookbook he won at an IT conference. He let them each pick out some recipes they wanted and then he bought the groceries. Then they spent all day cooking and chatting and joking around with each other. Then they shared the food with the rest of us!

Article: ‘Super Healthy’ College Student Dies of Rare Covid-19 Complications

 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/29/us/college-student-dies-covid.html

‘Super Healthy’ College Student Dies of Rare Covid-19 Complications

Chad Dorrill, a 19-year-old at Appalachian State, recovered from flulike symptoms but then developed neurological problems.

“When he tried to get out of bed,” Mr. Dorrill said, “his legs were not working, and my brother had to carry him to the car and take him to the emergency room. The doctor said it was a one-in-a-million case — that they’d never seen something progress the way it did. It was a Covid complication that rather than attacking his respiratory system attacked his brain.”

Take Your Vitamin D

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960076020302764

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The vitamin D endocrine system have a variety of actions on cells and tissues involved in COVID-19 progression.

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Early calcifediol (25-hydroxyvitamin D) treatment to hospitalized COVID-19 patients significantly reduced intensive care unit admissions-Calcifediol seems to be able to reduce severity of the COVID-19.

•

Calcifediol seems to be able to reduce severity of the disease.

Another Batch of Kombucha

I do not think I have shared about kombucha tea in the blog before. Our family drinks it and enjoys the benefit of the probiotics fermented foods like kombucha adds to our digestive system.

If you have health issues or mood disorders, I strongly recommend that you do the research and learn the benefits of not only kombucha, but other fermented foods/drinks.

I expect to be challenged on the mood disorder part of the above. Do your own research. There are scientific papers supporting this. I'll start you off with this article:

"Scientists have found that gut bacteria produce many other neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, and GABA, which are critical for mood, anxiety, concentration, reward, and motivation. The gut microbiome can cause changes in how our brains react." source

I know some of our readers suffer from SAD (seasonal affective depression), so it is a good time to implement things into the diet and daily living to try to lessen or head that off.

He knows the way that I take

But he knows the way that I take, 

when He has tested me, 

I shall come forth as gold. 

Job 23:10

When suffering comes, do we choose to be changed by it or become victims to it?

Victims complain that life is unfair and cry "Why me?!!" They become bitter and are a drain on others because they offer no wisdom or inspiration.

Those who are transformed by suffering refuse to allow it to hold them back. They learn from it and eagerly share those hard won lessons to encourage others.

Dear Reader, may we learn from the suffering in our lives and come forth from it like gold. While the victorious ending should give us comfort, so should the first line of this verse, "He knows the way that I take." Nothing we are going through is a surprise to our Father.