Sky Over Contentment Acres

This picture was taken by Emily just a few minutes before posting.

We are surrounded by water, so we frequently see spectacular sunsets.

Pachyderm Scribble

My stress level was high, so I wanted to draw something fun and simple while I listened to upbeat classical music. Elwood, the elephant, was fun to draw.

Silas

https://saintmaryshome.org/donate/ways-to-donate

Silas is currently featured on the giving page. <3 

Brandon's Stay in a Mansion Turned Hotel

Honeywell treats Brandon like a king! He was able to stay in this mansion turned hotel recently. It is called Col Alto and is in Lexington, VA. It is owned by Hampton Inn.

Looking for cuttings or rooted cuttings from Salix Alba (aka White Willow)

If you have cuttings or rooted cuttings to share, please let me know through the email address in the header of this page. I am specifically looking for Salix Alba, but I am open to other varieties. 

Amanda and Joe

Amanda and her Marine, Joe

Joshua Delivers

Clint had been cutting firewood to clear the new space so we can move forward with that project. I had to sit due to the knee injury, but I enjoyed being in nature and spent some time thanking the Lord. Joshua brought both of us smoothies and stayed to talk for a while. Then he brought us back a hot meal!

What I do for sinus and ear infections...

I wrote this for a friend who has an entire family sick with sinus/ear infections. I am not a medical doctor, but I am an experienced certified medicinal herbalist mother of seven who uses natural medicine extensively for our family, pets, and livestock. Use my method at your own risk. My love to all!

"If xxx can handle the sinus rinsing, she can do 1.5 to 2 saline packets (it burns sometimes, but it kills the crud and pulls it out) with 5 drops of tea tree oil (which is antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal). We also use garlic juice which has the same properties. Grapefruit seed extract can also be used. 

If the salt dries her passages out, Xlear makes one with xylitol. That moisturizes the sinuses and the xylitol also has antimicrobial properties. 

It can take a few days of consistent rinsing if the infection has gone on for a while. It also helps reduce the congestion so I can sleep for a while. 

I have children who can not handle the sinus rinsing. They lay face up with their head hanging off the edge of the bed a little, drip drops of the saline + tea tree oil into their sinuses, and let it work its way through. 

We rinse (or do the drip method) 4-5 times a day at first and then keep doing it at least once a day 2-3 days past when we are breathing easier. I never need to use antibiotics for family sinus infections because this always clears them up. 

Garlic juice can be dripped into the ear to help that too. 

I dislike the sinus rinsing. It is abnormal, but it works, so I do it. The more I have done it, the easier it has become."

Another View of Clint's

Clint enjoyed this view for a day while working at the shipyard.
He was not allowed to take a picture of anything in the shipyard, but he could take a picture across the water.

Merry Christ-a-must 2023!

We took this in October while Bethany was here. She spent Christmas with Jeremy, his siblings, and his grandmother.

Merry Christ-a-must!

to our family and friends

near and far, old and new
close and estranged

May the true meaning of Christmas
be apparent in your homes
and your heart!

Another Angle of the Flowers from Amanda

Father, I ask that you bless everyone who stumbles upon this page to be made aware of the great love you have for them. Let them come to believe in Jesus and rejoice in the precious gift that was given to us through Him. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.

Corova

Penny killed it.

Please excuse the mess in our getaway spot.
I had to stay off my knee due to an injury.

This was a feather duster I used to play with Penny for hours. I hobbled my way to the restroom and when I came back, she had grabbed it off the table and destroyed it. I picked up the big feathers and quickly put the feather duster back together with electrical tape. The vacuum cleaner made quick work of the little bits on the carpet. 

The refurbished feather duster with electrical tape is holding up very well so far. In fact, I may reinforce them all that way. I have a couple of boxes of these. (#amazonaffiliate As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) 

These are pretty cheap toys for dogs and cats. They go on sale from time to time for around 60 cents for the individual dusters. That makes them very inexpensive toys for our pets. They will last a good while IF we are quick and put them away somewhere out of reach. If they get a good hold on it and are about to pull it off, we give them a command to let go so the fun can continue. They don't seem to mind. At my home, I use a nice brown feather duster for cleaning. 

Hannah Graduated!!!

Hannah, 14 years old, completed her high school course work yesterday! 

We are very proud of her for working so hard to get it completed early so she can take college courses with Emily this spring!

Please pray for Stephen

December 20, 2023 Stephen went back to TX for another round of vaccines in the clinical trial. He has three blood clots. One is in his lungs and two are in his legs. The doctors will not allow him to fly home, so he is stuck there. His sister flew back home while his wife flew to be with him. They are hoping he can come home on Christmas. Please be praying that the clots will dissolve quickly, for his family to have a good Christmas together, for the hole in his neck to close (Doctors say it will not, but we can plead his case before the Throne of the One for Whom nothing is impossible Matthew 19:26), and that his loving caregivers know just what to say to lighten his mood.

December 5, 2023 His sister called me. They just came back from another round at the clinical trial clinic. The doctors are amazed at how fast his cancer is dying. However, he has a palm-sized hole in his neck that is open all the way down to the blood vessels that run to his brain. The pain level is excruciating because nerves are exposed. He is also having some edema in his legs. Please keep praying for Stephen and his family member who is having a hard time seeing what he is going through. Thank you to all who are praying for my friend and his family. May the Lord rain down blessings upon you for the kindness you have shown him through intercessory prayer.

November 6, 2023: The vaccine is working! The doctors say the cancer is shrinking! PTL! Stephen needs prayers that the cancer will continue shrinking and that there is no medical emergency when it breaks off. The tumor is in an area where there are many major blood vessels, so he could bleed out if it detaches in a bad way. He will continue going to the cancer treatment center every couple of weeks for about six months. May the Lord bless you for the prayers you lift on Stephen's and his family's behalf.

October 18, 2023: Please pray for my friend and brother in Christ Stephen. He is a friend I've known for a long time. He has cancer, and it is bad. He is very tired and in a lot of pain. He is in another state participating in a vaccine trial. Yesterday, they injected a new vaccine into his cancerous areas. The idea is that the body will turn and fight the cancer.

Nativity Scribble

And this is the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. Luke 2:12

"We realize this is strange, but.."

Yesterday, Clint was at a gas station filling up his truck's tank. He was approached by a couple who said, "We know this is very strange, but we are about to board a plane. We can't take these items with us and do not want to throw them in the trash. Would you take them?" They gave him a bottle of wine from Argentina and a brand-new still in the package set of clippers. 

We gave the wine to a close friend to enjoy on a date night. I was just about to order a pair of clippers for Penny, and these will work just fine. I am thankful the Lord provided for our friend and our pet needs through strangers. 

Peppermint Season

A few years ago, I started using peppermint candy for "snow" under my vintage ceramic Christmas trees. My family loves it. They take them by the handful and give them out to coworkers and friends. So far this year, I have purchased four bags of the 600+ count Starlight peppermints from SamsClub. When Emily saw me putting them under the trees this year, she said, "Peppermint season!!" It is worth doing just to get that reaction.

DC Christmas Tree 2023

photo by Caleb

Load Test

Clint gets to have all the fun!

Sometimes they use weights. Other times, they use whatever is at hand.

this is the essence of sin

  "Satan disguises submission to himself under the ruse of personal autonomy. He never asks us to become his servants. Never once did the serpent say to Eve, 'I want to be your Master'. The shift in commitment is never from Christ to evil; it is always from Christ to self. And instead of his will, self-interest now rules, and what I want reigns. And this is the essence of sin." Dennis F. Kinlaw

Selfishness and pride are destructive to both our relationship with Christ and with one another.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4

Scribble I Need to Finish

I painstakingly did this about four or five years ago.

I wasn't sure about making the tires flat, so I waited on that. I want to put bushes behind it and maybe some car part debris around it. I intend to give it to a VW Bug-loving family member.

It is almost impossible to erase mistakes on this canvas board.
I wish I had just made it a b&w drawing on paper or had drawn all of it and painted it afterward.

I was so afraid I'd mess it up, that I set it to the side and never picked it back up.

I just need to get my nerve up to work on it again.

Bethany Love Notes

Bethany left love notes all over our guest cabin for us to find.

Heating Pad Thieves (How I am treating my injured knee at home)

Pretty Penny the Poodle, and Marty the 13.75-year-old rescued Chihuahua who has enjoyed her nearly four years of being free from a crate.

I got up for less than a minute, and these two took the opportunity to steal the heating pad!

I slipped in mud while carrying two cattle panels across a steep ditch earlier this month. My knee grew as big as a softball, but it is responding very well to what I am doing for it. From online medical diagnosis flow charts and talking with my friends who are nurses, I believe I have a torn meniscus. If it was not responding to what I am doing for it, I would go to a doctor for imaging. 

Btw, I am not anti-doctor as some claim. I am anti-germy doctor's offices. Many years ago, I grew very tired of coming home with confirmation of what I had already figured the issue was plus something "extra" that ran through my family. 

I am almost always contacted and asked how I am treating something at home. The following is to answer that question, but remember I am not a medical doctor. With that in the forefront of your mind, this is how I am treating my knee injury at home. I took triple the doses of an OTC joint formula. A doctor shared years ago that this can be done for a week for most people. Two days of that and rest really helped with the pain level. Half of the inflammation is still there, so I am using castor oil spread around the joint wrapped in plastic wrap with a heating pad to reduce it. At night, I use my comfrey salve and wrap it with plastic to keep it from ruining my sheets. I use a heating pad on it for at least an hour at night. I have a vibrating heating knee brace I can wear too. This helps stimulate blood flow which helps speed healing. #amazonaffiliate "As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.” 

Just so ya know, when I took the heating pad back to treat my knee, I was given some very dirty canine looks! :-)

Clint's News (JOB OFFER INFO)

Clint went to work for another company where after training and certification he would be doing inspections on industrial cranes all over the state. Former co-workers and bosses reached out to him multiple times. He was asked to return to work there by several different people in leadership positions. The company made Clint an offer he could not refuse. So, he is going back to work there on the 20th.

Clint really enjoyed seeing the different industrial and military settings. He enjoyed the different work experiences and enjoyed getting to know his boss (Bobby) and co-workers. Clint also enjoyed seeing the different challenges of being a contractor servicing different sites.

******

If you are interested in either of the positions below, please contact me at the email in the header of this page. 

VIRGINIA JOB OFFER: Clint's current boss at the crane company told him that he is welcome to come back there to work any time. If you have electrical skills and would like a company truck (that can also be used for personal use) and would like to get paid from when you leave home until you return home. You will have no tolls, gas, or maintenance expenses on the truck. The pay is fantastic and the benefits are incredible. There are also other positions available. The schedule varies and the hours can be long, but that can be mitigated somewhat. The main office is in Richmond, but you will service industrial equipment (including doors) over a wide area of Virginia. A lot of their clients are around the Richmond area. 

HAMPTON ROADS JOB OFFER: There will be a position available in Norfolk to service cranes at a shipyard soon too. You will commute from your home to Norfolk every day for this job. You will get a company truck with the same perks as above. 

Mushroom: Russula emetica aka The Sickener

I have used mushroom tinctures off and on for 20+ years. I have also been learning to identify the ones that grow near my home. While I do not know a great deal about mycology, I know not to sample these pretty ones. Both the scientific and common names tell you exactly what to expect. Emily found this one in our forest.

Clint's View

These pictures are from Clint's perspective in early Dec.

Soup and Crackers

Bethany was feeling under the weather just before Thanksgiving. Although Jeremy was taking good care of her, I shipped her soup and crackers that were delivered quickly by a natural foods company.

All I know now is partial and incomplete

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

1 Corinthians 13:12

As a parent, you do not always tell a child every detail because the knowledge might be a detriment to them. Likewise, for reasons He knows, Father God has not given us all of the answers. 

I do not allow myself to be pulled into debates over matters that can not definitively be answered on this earth. There's no good sense in being distracted by it since we only have part of the picture. We know exactly what God wants us to know for the purposes only He fully knows. Once we are with God, we will know "everything completely." 

I have peace knowing that the God who intimately made me and knows me, down to the ever-changing number of hairs on my head, knows how to get my attention and communicate with me. If there is information I need to know, the Holy Spirit will direct my attention to where it needs to be. 

Otherwise, I can be at peace knowing that I know exactly what I need to know as I work to keep the main thing the main thing...sharing the Gospel. 

Another Fencing Shot

My Fencing Job

While family members were using the Rammer Jammer (aka t-post driver or post pounder), I struggled to keep ahead on cutting wire to tie the panels to the posts. I got the job because I am the fastest at it. There were two teams installing the fence which made it very fast to get the biggest part of the job done, but it also meant the wire lengths had to be cut quickly to keep up with them.

We do not like the clips that come with the t-posts because they do not hold well. We came up with our own method which has worked exceptionally well for our needs for decades now. We affix each panel to three posts with four wires tying the panel to each post. When I would take a break to rest my hands (we use thick wire and the wire cutters are a little big for my hand) I would help the others move cattle panels and t-posts into place. I cut about 800 wire lengths in one morning.

Please stop apologizing for prayer requests...

"I am sorry and feel so selfish for asking you to pray for this."

Please stop apologizing for prayer requests. If your child came to you with the same situation, would you think they were selfish? You should never feel selfish for asking for prayer. If it matters to you, it matters to our Father and should matter to your brothers and sisters in Christ. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to take everything to Him in prayer.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Fencing

We have purchased nearly 100 cattle panels and have been putting them up. Amanda and Brandon came by to help us for a day which really helped us get a lot done fast. I took a few minutes to enjoy watching Brandon and Amanda work. They do not have to talk to one another. They know just what to do and when to do it to help the other one do their part.

Negotiations have ended...

..in a very good way. That's all I can say right now. Thank you to those who have been praying for our family. More changes ahead, but kind of the same as before, if you can read between the lines. ;-) I'll share more when I am able. It's all good news.

Decorating the Tree

Thanksgiving Day 2023

Christmas Ornaments

I wanted my children to have happy memories of making ornaments and decorating the tree as a family. I realized this year that I have accomplished that goal! There were a couple of hectic years where we did not make ornaments until after Christmas, but we made them as a family every year. This year, I am mailing the items for Bethany to make hers.

When it comes time to decorate the tree, I lay the ornaments out, like you see in the pictures, so they can pick them up and decorate the tree. I love hearing them talk about when we made them.

Kombucha Making Station

My house stays too cool for the kombucha to ferment.

To get around that, I put my 1-gallon glass jars on a continuous-run (no auto shut off) heating pad which is set on low.

I added the thermometers to the jars so I could keep an eye on the temperature.

Flowers from Amanda

Amanda purchased a bundle of flowers, took it home, found more flowers and plants from her yard, and made this for me. She put it in one of her favorite vases. I was touched by her gift of something she loves. I love the vase and have admired it in her home many times. She does not know, but I am going to return the vase to her.

I love having my oldest daughter as a friend and a neighbor. She lives in our neighborhood about two miles away.

No Room for Santa

Since there was no room in the inn for Jesus and so little room for Him in people's hearts today, I try to honor Him by giving no room to Santa in my home. I made this decision as a new mother a few decades ago.

The only Santa I have is one kneeling before the Babe in the manger that my mother-in-law bought me while we were at a craft show. I saw it and told her it was a perfect representation of how I felt about Christmas. She surprised me with it later.

Clint purchased me this very nice nativity many, many years ago. It is my favorite of all of my Christmas decorations.