Life on PatchWork Acres

I have opened a small home business, painting on pallet wood and other crafts and wood work....With winter coming on and the milking slowing down...I have a little time on my hands some days.With the long evenings it gives me time to design and dream a little....Just thought I would share a little of what is going on these days. If you want to see some of the things going on in the shop just check out....www.facebook.com/CraftBlessings ...The name of the business is PatchWork Blessings. Come check it out!!!

As I was milking this morning my mind was wondering.....How so often in life we have tribulations and valleys,stumbling blocks that seem to be in our way of growing and spreading our wings.   But what if instead of looking at them as always trials and negative things,Why not say "Lord what is it I can learn and take with me that I couldn't learn any time else.....what if every trial was like a board and we just picked it up, and every temptation was like a nail and we got to keep it when we were victorious...but then I thought my, my, before long I would be so burdened down with all my nails and boards I couldn't move...but then God reminded me in my ramblings, that He will carry my burdens...But I don't wont to forget everything I learned thru this I kinda argued with him....he gently reminded me that  wont because I will need them...because every trial that we allow him to teach us some thing instead of me kicking and screaming...I was gathering valuable things that...

      I was out choring tonight and was headed for the garden to pick beans....I noticed a patch of weeds and thought of the fact that they needed pulling but I just don't have time...I stopped thinking ,you know if I get them while they are small it wont take as long...and just because I ignore them it will not make go away....so I stopped and pulled them...it didn't take long, not because there wasn't many...there was a lot...but they were small....my mind started wondering...and I began pondering on this....weeds like sins if not taken care of immediately while they are small...can take tremendous hold in my life....yes...My hands went back to the task of weeding but I kept pondering the thought.....If I mulch them heavy I wont have to weed this area for rest of summer....then my mind again went to the weeds of our lives....mulching with Gods Word would do the same in my spiritual life....the more of Gods Word I dig in and apply the less weeds will come up...and when t...

Another blessed day here on PatchWork Acres....Dehydrator full of zucchini squash, some cubed and some grated.....thinking this will be a nice addition to add to recipes...a handful into soups ,and chicken and dressing....also have a canner going full of green beans...yes the garden in producing full blast....I also have an incubator full of eggs and they are busily chirping and hatching....sounds kinda hectic here....    and I was feeling stretched thin...but I got to thinking...This is the day the Lord hath made...I WILL rejoice and be glad in it....Rejoicing is a choice....I can look at the things around me and drown or I can keep my focus on Jesus and choose thankfulness instead....When I choose to be thankful and yes even make myself Praise the Lord...I can actually feel the tenseness drain from my body.....I am glad that I have a heavenly Father that cares....I know if he sees every sparrow that falls...and he knows even how many hairs I have on my head..( and how many ...

Hi...we are in the process of getting my shop ready to open. God has blessed us tremendously .   When going thru some old wood patterns I came across some of my moms patterns and her hand written notes on them....Well my Mom was killed in a car accident 25 years ago this year....she and I worked together on projects and crafts 5 days a week....So it left a big hole in my life and creativity...and life and children came along....But this year I had felt a deep nudging to again dig out my scroll saw and pick up my brushes....then I came across these wood patterns with her notes...I felt sad and yet hugged,at the same time....if you know what I mean.....but that wasn't the end. I went to visit my dad whom had fallen and broke a hip....He wanted to know everything I have been up to...well I told him about starting my shop up again...He was excited....he asked if I had a band saw yet, I told him no but that was our next purchase that we just hadn't gotten there yet.....He said tha...

I love to garden...Its something that makes me thrive...to run warm ,fresh dirt between my fingers, to see tiny green shoots shooting up in the bright dewy morning...the smell of fresh plowed earth....I love it all.   Well this spring when everything was coming up and blooming,I saw I had a new vine.It was growing up out of a barrel ,climbing my archway.It was lushes and green.I had planted different plants the year before so I thought this must have come back from one of those.It was strangly familiar but yet I couldn't quite put my finger on it.I plant lots of different flowers, so I wasn't to concerned, beside it was very healthy ,green and climbing vigorously...I put up support for the green shiny leaves,trained it so it would climb just right around a hanging lamp, so it would show its best self...and waited on the blooms...envisioning all the beautiful colors....I waited ,waited and w.a.i.t.e.d...It climbed and I watered..it spread and I watered...it moved to the tree ab...

 ....Several years ago I had two adorable little boys I took care of during the day while their Moms worked. I know,I know , you are probably wondering why?Why give up my freedom,quietness and clean house to take care of some else's children when mine were grown, When I could finally follow my dreams.....    Well as my children finished their home school years and moved on....they all would get up mornings and go to work...my house would empty...really empty...no giggles,no reading out loud..doing school..watching as a new concept was learned...no little voices yelling Mom watch me.... Sure my children still laughed...but it was much deeper  and their toys bigger...parked in the driveway instead of my living room floor ...and mornings it was  a good-by and I love you as they headed of to jobs...big grown men jobs....and my house would settle into quietness.........     But what I missed was childish laughter,childish dreams,,,wearing of flowers in m...