Green Beans Galore!

• Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
  James 3:18

Great Uncle Jim

Please pray for Bethany's and Winter's safety.

Chicago CTA riders on high alert as violence surges on Red Line

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3OVh0YBVps

Bethany has to ride this for half an hour each way to get to work. She often gets off very late at night. God is God anywhere, even in the big city, and can protect her. Thank you for any prayers you lift on behalf of Bethany and her friend, Winter.

Back to Bowling with Bethany

Clint's Step Father Tom Nichols

We wanted to give Tom's immediate family time to mourn in private, so Clint and I waited before posting this.

Clint's step-father Fmr Suffolk FD Battalion Chief Tom Nichols has passed away. Please pray for his wife Carolyn, children, stepchildren, many grandchildren, and other loved ones. 

https://www.parrfuneralhome.com/obituary/william-tom-nichols-sr

Three Asbells in a Pod

Aunt Elisabeth LOVED Emily and Hannah! 

Those three had so much fun together!

Puttying Around with Knives

Doing something new with drywall, I am teaching myself as I go.

Don't be afraid to...

TRY!!!

Food poisoning made me thankful all over again...

I contracted food poisoning from frozen strawberries. I was extremely violently ill for several hours. Poor Clint was beside himself! After I had forcefully vomited the 20th time, I could no longer stand up to get to the bathroom. We had to keep the trashcan beside where I was resting in the bed. The experience was easier than when I was carrying babies and had severe hyperemesis gravidarum, but it was still a miserable experience with some lingering effects.

I am thankful for the food poisoning. 

The experience was so torturous that I reflected back on my pregnancies. At one point, Clint and I thought my throat had torn along the same tear (Mallory Wiess tear) I had during my pregnancies which was a bit scary. That bleeding can continue the cycle of vomiting and can be a bit hard to stop. BUT, it was good to reminisce about what I had been through to bring my children into the world. 

Two days later: 

My stomach is better, but it is still touchy. I am very careful about what I ingest.

My throat is raw, and I can barely speak.

My abdomen is so sore I still can't move without wincing. I am going to go exercise in the pool later today to see if I can work the soreness out of my body. 

It took me 24 hours of electrolytes to get my body to feel almost back to normal. I'm still not quite right, but those who know me well know I am never "quite right." :-) 

All I have been able to think about is "HOW did I survive this day in and day out for months at a time over and over for years of my life?" 

I have only one answer. 

"Because of Jesus!"

Dear Reader, I am so thankful for the strength and determination He abundantly supplied to enable me to have my children..both the living and the ones with Him. Today at 53 years old, nine years since I have carried a baby in my womb, I stand renewed with amazement at what He brought me through to give me the blessing of my children. I could not have done that on my own. It was Jesus! What difficult experiences have you looked back on and have been thankful for God carrying you through?

Joking: Athletes, if you want to impress me, get your body into condition to not be sore after throwing up 20+ times a day. I was there in my younger years. It would hurt for the first couple of weeks of pregnancy, and then my muscles were good to go. Vomiting repeatedly is a rough workout, and I am feeling it today.

Seriously: If you have hyperemesis gravidarum, I am praying for you and your baby. It's a tough battle. If you need a friend and prayer warrior, please email me at the email in the header.

Around Here

In his new role as maintenance supervisor, Clint is dealing with a lot of issues that were neglected for far too long. He is doing an excellent job at taming the beast. Everyone is joking that he will soon take over the only position above him.. plant manager. He says he doesn't want that job, but he said the same about the job he has now. :-)

Clint and I were able to get away for 5 days and six nights this month. That was a nice break! 

I am home at least 3-4 days each week. The commitment I have right now will run until the end of winter or spring of next year. It might end sooner, but I am hoping no longer than that. I am considering selling a lot of my leftover inventory online in a year or two. 

Brandon is currently at home downsizing. He is either going to rent his home or sell it. His livestock will come to our farm. We will also take care of his pets. Courage, his new dog, is going to a new home since Brandon will not be around enough for him to train it. He is looking into living in a RV on our place or renting a room from Amanda for when he is home. He will be traveling at least 75% of the time, but this is an unequalled opportunity for Brandon to bank some money.

Amanda is LOVING her hybrid RAV4. She custom ordered it and had to wait for it to be built and shipped. She was notified when it arrived on the docks and again when it was at the dealer. She drove to the dealership that night to look at her new baby. It is a nice and peppy little ride. I have pictures of it and will try to add one to this post soon. She worked hard and put down $20k on the car. She will have it paid off in no time.

Joshua is enjoying the new job. He is doing inspections of special ordered RVs before the customer takes possession of them. Some of these units are in the $800k range, and the customers fly across the country to pick them up.

Caleb has a new girlfriend. :-) She seems to be a nice girl.

Bethany is doing well in her job in Chicago. She received a gift of furniture from Clint and I this week and has been busy putting it together. We've been having food shipped directly to her apartment from Sams which is a nice benefit of our business membership.

Emily is moving along in her high school course. She is enjoying daily swims in our pool with Hannah.

Hannah and Emily went to a birthday party and won a water battle. The other team was left dripping wet, and Emily and Hannah were still mostly dry. Joshua was quite proud of his sisters' performance!

Our garden is producing quite a bit. I am freezing the tomatoes so I can preserve them later when it isn't so hot. We are enjoying the daily fresh fruits and vegetables.

If we have not heard from you in a while, or even if we have, please use the email in the header and tell us about you! 

I've Seen This Happen in My Life Multiple Times

If you submit yourself to God's will, He will not only vindicate you but He will expose your enemy's dishonesty and devious plans against you. I have seen this happen in my life multiple times.

We can rest easy as long as we stay under His wing. We don't have to be perfect in our obedience, but we do need to be sincere in our surrender.

Dear reader, in what areas and how can you surrender more of yourself to be obedient to the Most High God?

They are really "coming in!"

San Marzano tomatoes, known as the Lamborghini of canned tomatoes, can be pricey, especially when cooking a meal for our family of nine. I decided to start 100 plants from seed so I can make my own! We are getting a "big mess" of them (as my grandmother Elsie would say) every couple of days. I am freezing them for now and will process them when it is cooler.

Hannah rides too!

Love wins every time!!

We are praising God for newly restored relationships with old friends! satan got in and did some nasty work, but continual prayer, overwhelming love, and consistent communication burst down the barriers to shine a light on Clint's and my true intentions and heart for the other people. God's ways work!! Please rejoice with us!!

this great job God created them to fulfill

"I believe that if Moms understood how strategic their roles were in the battle for the hearts and minds of the next generation, they would grow in excitement about this great job God created them to fulfill." - Sally Clarkson

A great day with the great aunt and uncle

Clint's uncle treated our Ford Mustang-loving Emily to a fun ride on her 15th birthday.
It made her day!! Hannah got to go for a ride too!

Uncle Jim and Aunt Elisabeth also gave Emily a gift to hang on the wall of her bedroom.

Yay for Brandon and Bethany!!!

Brandon finished his first job in his new position a week early. He is on his way home from TN today! 

Please keep him in prayer as he travels and as he makes decisions regarding his home, belongings, livestock, and pets. Our family dynamics have changed a lot in the last month, but there are still more changes ahead.

*****

Bethany had only worked two weeks in her new job when she was approached about a leadership position. We are very proud of her! She is hoping to come home to visit in a couple of months. We are hoping Winter can come also.

Stubborn Stain on Shower Base Pan

I was hired to clean the floor of a shower that had a long, dark stain that the homeowner had battled for years. I think the stain came from chemicals leeching off some of the metallic color on the shower wand's hose.

I tried all kinds of cleaners including oven cleaner to remove it. Nothing worked. I finally solved the problem by wet sanding using a drywall sanding block. Wendy for the win!!!

(I'm a participant in the Amazon associate program which means I'll earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you buy through some of the links on this website, in which case I thank you. #amazonaffiliate)

Place Jesus over Self

 The Spiritual Saint

That I may know Him. PHILIPPIANS 3:10

The initiative of the saint is not towards self-realisation, but towards knowing Jesus Christ. The spiritual saint never believes circumstances to be haphazard, or thinks of his life as secular and sacred; he sees everything he is dumped down in as the means of securing the knowledge of Jesus Christ. There is a reckless abandonment about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we shall realize Jesus Christ in every domain of life, and He will bring us back to the same point again and again until we do. Self-realisation leads to the enthronement of work; whereas the saint enthrones Jesus Christ in his work. Whether it be eating or drinking or washing disciples’ feet, whatever it is, we have to take the initiative of realizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our actual life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realised His relationship to the Father even in the most menial work. “Jesus knowing…that He was come from God, and went to God;…took a towel,…and began to wash the disciples’ feet.”

The aim of the spiritual saint is “that I may know Him.” Do I know Him where I am to-day? If not, I am failing Him. I am here not to realise myself, but to know Jesus. In Christian work the initiative is too often the realisation that something has to be done and I must do it. That is never the attitude of the spiritual saint, his aim is to secure the realisation of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances he is in. -My Utmost for His Highest © 1992 by Oswald Chambers Publications Association Our Daily Bread Ministries

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Rolling with the Captain

We found Captain America waiting for us at the base of a tree at the first spot where we pulled over and camped near the Olson Tower. We couldn't leave him way out in the middle of nowhere, so we let him ride along. Before we knew it, he was leading the expedition from the antenna of the truck. He rolls with us now. He took a beating from the mountain laurels on some of the trails, but he hung in there like the superhero he is.

Nom Nom

First picking yielded about 8 cups of wild blackberries...and we had to stop due to time.
The harvest will be excellent this year!

What EDC do you recommend?

What EDC (every day carry knife) do you recommend?

I have a Buck and a Kershaw I like and use a lot. Both are made in the USA. They have held up to a lot of abuse. I love taking them on camping/hiking/off-roading trips. 

For general things around my home and farm, I use a really cheap knife I bought off of Amazon. It's great for cutting baling twine, opening packages, cutting through stubborn woody plants, whittling down a twig for marshmallows, cutting through tubing, etc. "Lockback Knife Laser Engraved" 

If I lose it in a field, I don't cry over it like I would the nicer knives. I've had two I've used for five years, and they are still going strong. I've received a lot of use out of the $12 (each) investment. No one wants to steal them because they say "Wild Thing" on them. LOL!

#AmazonAffiliate I earn a very tiny commission should one purchase from the links above.

Hydrating Enemas for Dehydration

I'm just sharing the knowledge in case it helps someone else down the road. I was a severe hyperemesis gravidarum patient for 14 pregnancies. There were some really nasty things going around in hospitals during some of that time. Through a nurse, I learned about hydrating enemas which were used before the invention of IVs. My husband would give those to me to help me stay out of the hospital, and they worked very well. It was much faster than a trip to the hospital. I was able to crush and dissolve the anti-emetic pill and put it in the electrolyte solution. While I know how to start an IV, I would do the hydrating enema first for most dehydration cases.

Asiatic Dayflower

This plant is known for its three-petaled blue flower.

I have been asked to do more posts about foraging and herbal medicine, but I can't find time to do a very detailed post. Maybe this will work for those of you interested in learning:

The Asiatic Dayflower is edible and medicinal. The medicinal properties are: anti-inflammatory, depurative, diuretic, and febrifuge. It is often used for colds and flus, gargles, inflamed skin rashes, etc.

I do not have the time to expound upon the many applications in detail, but the knowledge is readily available should one desire to seek it out.

Dear Reader, Many people spend money to spray toxic (to their own bodies) substances on these "weeds" and then turn around and spend more money to purchase similar foods and medicines off of a shelf. I prefer to use what God has provided in abundance right at my feet.

Computer

My laptop is working again. Clint brought home his computer repair tool kit and worked wonders on it. 

However when I got up to use it this morning, the touchpad was misbehaving. Clint is going to look at that later. If it does not work, I will just get a mouse. 

I am not home. I am helping a friend install the kitchen that I designed for them. I am also helping organize and paint. There is barely enough time to do the job.  So I am not responding to texts or returning calls until we are finished. My love to all!

Highland Park Fourth of July Parade Shooting

There has been great concern over Bethany. Yes, she was in the vicinity, but she did not attend the parade. She is safe. Thank you very much for the concern and prayers. Please join us in prayer for the loved ones who did not get good news yesterday. 

When I read the news about the parade, I was immediately concerned for my daughter and her roommate. I knocked my computer off of a small folding table. Coffee spilled on it. The computer is not working today. Clint is going to take a look at it later. I may have lost my hard drive. My love to all!

Washed Out

Canyon Rim Road was washed out. It is crossable and was the most challenging part of the trail by far. However, we were alone and had not seen another truck in well over 24 hours. For a while, Clint and I argued with Captain America* who said the responsible thing two parents of seven would do is turn around so they could make their phone check-in on time. Fearing our children would unleash the state troopers and park rangers if we were out of touch too long, we did the smart thing. We're going back to do the crazy thing later...with friends with trucks. *I'll tell you about Captain America soon. He rolls with us now! 😎

HAPPY 4th of July!

 HAPPY 4th of July!

to our family and friends

near and far, 

old and new,

close and estranged

from The Asbell Family!

Our family will be celebrating the 4th surrounded by the beauty of the East River.
We will be celebrating with grateful hearts!

Thank You Father for making us American citizens and giving us the freedom, privileges, and responsibility you have blessed upon us!
May we conduct ourselves as worthy servants and bring YOU glory!

A Simple and Effective Way to Pray for Difficult People

This post goes with: Some of the Ways Our Family Prays for Our Enemies

This was included in a series of talks I gave to a group in the last few weeks: 

Enemy comes from the Latin word inimicus which comes from in meaning not and amicus meaning friend. Friend means someone with whom you have a mutual affection. The basic definition of enemy is "not a friend." The opposite of affection is indifference, disinterest, dislike, hatred, animosity, etc. A person who exhibits these qualities or works against your good is not a friend. That means they are an inimicus or enemy. 

God commands us to pray for our enemies which is hard enough. He also commands us to love them. I want to have integrity in my Christian walk and honor God as I try to fulfill this command to love and to pray. When I was a young wife, I did a study on enemies and asked the Lord how could I pray for my enemies with real godly love? As I attempted to reign in the feelings in that flesh vs spirit battle, how could I be certain that I was genuinely praying with love?

The answer was very simple... Whenever I pray for myself or my family, I include them and their family too. I pray for them the very same things I ask God to give me and my family because if I want it for myself/my family, then I know I am asking it out of love for them. It's genuine, easy, and after a while almost effortless. It becomes second nature to include them as I pray my way through my day.

If I ask the Lord to help me get through a difficult day, I pray the same for them. "Father, this day has gone from bad to worse. I am asking for your help in giving me strength and a renewed spirit as I move forward. I ask you to bless XXXXXX with the same on their hard days, because even though we don't get along right now, I don't want them to have to struggle this hard." Any prayer I lift up for myself, I lift up at the same time for them too. When I am doing this for them, I am covering them in prayer, like I would someone close to me, all day long with a right attitude. 

I've been doing this for many years, and it really helps me make that heart change from offended by them to forgiving and caring for them quicker and easier. Granted, at first, I am often praying out of obedience rather than feelings, but as I obey in this, my heart softens and changes. I submit to God's authority over my life with obedience, then He does a work in my heart.

If someone shares news of them, I feel like God is gifting me knowledge of another way I can obey by praying for them. If it is something good, I praise the Lord for it. It it is something sad or bad, I pray for their well-being through the storm. If I know of something they struggle with like a health issue, I add that to my prayer list also. 

Here's an invigorating truth:

If the other person is a sincere, dedicated Christian, they are probably praying for you just as hard as you are praying for them. Maybe they are praying harder! If two Christians are at odds but both are being obedient to pray for and show love to each other on that deeper level, it becomes 

a beautiful work of mutual grace and love 

that leads to restoration and unity. Both hearts are changed, and both lives are blessed by the other person's sincere prayers. It's another example of beauty from ashes.

Life is full of speed bumps, detours, and obstacles. It's hard to navigate through some situations. We often react with emotion and pride rather than looking at the situation factually with understanding from the other person's viewpoint. We are selfish and want our way even if that isn't what God wants from us. We also have an enemy who is working hard against us in our families and the church. God made us a diverse people and gave us different life experiences and temperaments. When you weigh these factors, it is natural that we will have challenges in relating to one another. 

Sometimes it is simply a dislike of the person that needs to be addressed in our hearts since we are called to love and esteem each other higher than ourselves. When that happens, we can ask God to help us learn things about that person that we can admire, appreciate, and respect. Other times, the situation is created by sinful ways of relating to each other. Sometimes, it is a misunderstanding or misconception. Many times, it is because we call our half hearted attempts at forgiving as successful when they are not. If we can not be polite and welcoming to each other, we have not honored God by truly forgiving in a way that changes us or our heart towards the person. We are also rebellious and make a lot of excuses.

That we have problems getting along with each other comes as no surprise to our all knowing Father. He even uses our disputes and our reconciliations for our good and His glory. He tells us to love the people who are showing us animosity and pray for them. While I believe we should look for other ways as well, we can obey God's commands to love and pray with very sincere prayers. All of His ways are good!

But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 
Luke 6:27 

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 
Matthew 5:44-48 

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 
I John 4:7