Moving Experience

No pictures no poems no pretty scenes - just me putting on a note from computer at work (my wonderful, stressful overpaid job - yes really!!)
Movers came and most of our "big" stuff is in new place - not in proper/comfortable/decorative place in new place - but available to be placed.
No internet at new house - Skybeam rudely insisted they provided service "OF COURSE" - as the customer disservice agent declared. As soon as installer drove up he said "y'all can't connect from here". :::sigh::::
So clever DH is working on an alternative route to get internet service - hope it works but until it does - y'all have a beautiful holiday week ! I'll be learning my country commute routes and praying for getting our big place on the market and SOLD ASAP!
If I don't comment on your blogs - not being rude just not able to get online much - soon - I hope to be back soon -- Buhlaland is still good - just on the move type good. A skunk visited us the first night at new place -DH and I were out in the garage surveying our domain (or possibly searching for paper plates so we could have some supper!)- apparently we are acceptable new neighbors because he did NOT leave his calling card!

Thanksfilled

Not blogging much- too much going on and attitude not always worth displaying to the world! Word of warning --moving when you are "older" and in midst of medical issues is NOT the old UHaul slogan of Adventures in Moving. BUT - we have professional moving crew coming on Monday the 21st to take all the large pieces we think will fit in new place so are committed now. In midst of a house filled with mess - neighbors (God bless their loving hearts) brought over this pretty fall arrangement - yep - grace is undeserved blessing and we get more than our share!

I can honestly say - I'm thankful for my life - eternal and mortal. The bumps and bruises of my journey make the promises of heaven and the flowers of earth all the sweeter.

DH goes week of the 29th to Dallas for a yea or nay on the transplant (a lung in case you don't recall). We know they are serious - first appointment will be with the "financial office".

At any rate - IF I get a burst of energy and an internet connection - will post a bit next week. We are thankful for nice neighbors in new home area (guy across the street was stringing lights in his trees yesterday - hooray for neighbors who decorate for Christmas!).

On a nonmoving, nonwhining note - it IS good on Buhlaland when we can say Take My Life - broken vessels can be useful in the hands of the Potter. Bless y'all and Happy Thanksgiving!

The Look of Love

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all. What a wonderful holiday - about taking time to express a grateful attitude. We are blessed beyond belief here on Buhlaland, warm house, family upstairs visiting us for the holiday and a new bovine neighbor.

Our delightful neighbors just to the north have longhorned cattle - the big gal is Maggie and her look of love is for her handsome bull calf - Buckaroo. Who loves ya baby?(line from old tv detective show) nobody loves you like your mama.

Thankful - best holiday of the year - giving thanks in all things for that is the will of Jesus Christ in our lives. Be good to yourself today and look deeply into someone's eyes letting them know the look of love.

Kindness -

Be kind to yourself. God thinks you’re worth His kindness. And He’s a good judge of character. Max Lucado

Explanation - this says I wrote it on November 4th - but in reality - I wrote the title and the Max Lucado quote the 4th - then shelved the whole thing until today - November 20th - shameful behavior - I'm a PRO at crastination.







With a theme of self kindness - I am not groveling in guilt or posturing in pain - simply sharing in simplicity.

I am not blogging regularly - whether motivation or hesitation or gestation (oops not that word) or even aggravation - the end result is my 400th blog post is about being kind.

Pondering why it is easy to be kind to total strangers (giving to charities, praying for people unknown to me, supporting children in far off lands) yet often hard to be kind to my self or those dearest to me?
Now don't mistake my statement for a proclamation of being totally sacrificial or never self indulgent -would not be a truth.

I have enough of the old legalism in my system to believe I need to castigate myself for old wrongs, dredge up events which have long since become dusty ancient history or remind myself - you may have done something nice this time - but you KNOW how you are. Well - doubt I'll change all those years of programming but I do know - staying in touch with my internet, blogosphere world is important enough I want to be holding up my end of the deal.

Next week I'm off work (from wonderful job at acupunct's office) and celebrating one of the best holidays of the year. Thanksgiving - yep - I can DO thanksgiving. I'm giving thanks this year for so many gifts - hard to number but I begin with this prayer:



We bless the Lord, the just, the good, who fills our hearts with joy and food; who pours His blessing from the skies, and loads our days with rich supplies.
Isaac Watts

Amen - our rich supplies aren't listed with turkey, yams and butter - we are supplied with what really matters - good beginning to my week of Thanksgiving.

399 blog posts - what a LOT of words - hope some of them have given you hope, peace or at least a smile. We always have the goats on Buhlaland to give us a smile!

Be the Best

If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lives a great street sweeper who did his job well.
Dr. Martin Luther King. December 1956

I read this quotation in a book by Randy Alcorn Safely Home about the persecuted church in China. Love the spirit of King's words - the reality that in doing whatever work is ours to perform be done in a wholehearted and joyful manner brings honor to our labors.

BTW I highly recommend Randy's book and I have a renewed pride in my parttime job doing laundry for our acupuncturist - every job is necessary.

Have a beautiful SonDay - meet a friend or make a new one - we love our friends on Buhlaland and thank God for useful work and the beauty of His created world.

Light

1 John 1:7
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 12:35
Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.

A little light dispels all darkness - I tried to take a picture of our nightblooming flower using "ambient light" but it wasn't enough to see clearly.

Just the tiny flash on my digital camera and you can see every detail.

Knowing the source of light- the key to seeing clearly. Walk in the light -it is good on Buhlaland and when we don't have light from the sun - we always have the Son. Bless y'all.

Babies to teenagers? my Kids!

From January 27th when Crybaby gave birth to Lantana (first born - caramel face and white body) and Fantana (second born - larger doeling with chestnut body and white head markings) to now - the twins have been darlings of our Class of 2010.

Crybaby is the oldest of our does - she is probably approaching 9 or 10 which is nearly old age for a boer/nubian mix. She is an excellent mother - even though recently she was very ill - she keeps her babies close.

Lanny was making big strides in tree climbing but also showing evidence of juvenile rebellion - she and Fanny chew each other's hair at night and it gave Lanny a Mohawk style for several weeks.

The twins like to lay down together -

or explore together.

Goat kids growing up on Buhlaland - it is good to watch healthy babies. Grateful we have pictures along the way, it would be easy to forget tiny bodies learning how to stand on their own legs. Now they run and like to jump up behind me and nip at my pants when I'm in the pen with them!

We have a total of 9 babies this year. Only one other set of twins two weeks old now. Pictures of Amber and Jasper to come.

First Robin

DH walking our pasture fences looking for areas needing repair. He is wearing his portable oxygen tank. Sometimes I let myself be overcome by what the future MIGHT hold for us - and I become sad, afraid, unsure. God knows where we are and what we need - yesterday it was reassurance.

We saw our first robin of the year during our walk yesterday - the sunshine and beauty of God's creation gave me a sense of "all is as it should be". Easy to remove my eyes from the Creator to the mess His creations can make. Grateful for His faithfulness and watch care over us. It is good on Buhlaland - because His eye is on more than sparrows and robins.


Matthew 10:26-33

"So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

Good Intentions Poor Results

First - merry Christmas Eve morning (such a confusing concept - I'm told by my European blog pals they have different words for these days leading up to Christmas, sounds good to me - simpler is better even if it takes more words and y'all know I like my words in quantity!)

The picture is yesterday morning here on Buhlaland - clouds,humidity and temperatures in the 70's . Today's picture would be rainy, turning to snow with a predicted accumulation of 2 inches ! Texas weather - ya gotta love it.

I know I promised recipes - actually made a new one and took pictures - then tasted it and went BLAH! so I thought you probably didn't want a BAD recipe. Have some cooking to do today - a Tres Leches Cake for our BFF's and dinner rolls for neighbors. Not so much cooking for the two of us - going to be a joyously quiet Christmas. Our lives are blessed with the continuing providence and mercy of our Lord. Rather than Jingle Bells this year - we are more in the mood of Mark Lowrey's Mary Did You Know?




If I manage to make something special you can bet I'll be back to post a picture and recipe - there are so many wonderful resources on the internet for good recipes yet I find myself digging in a couple of old cookbooks (how old you ask? one was an award for being president of my 9th grade home ec. club! that is a LONG time ago) and a little box of recipes written (scribbled?) on 3 x 5 notecards. Comfort in what is familiar in a world which at times feels so alien. It is good on Buhland - being content in one's circumstances has become a mission for us - knowing when enough really is enough.

I believe I have posted a short reminder from Chuck Swindoll before but it still touches me - we pray we will have an opportunity to reach out to a sparrow or two - bless y'all
Wishing you a Warm and sharing Christmas
Linda Sue and Skip

"So, this Christmas season I pray that the warmth of the Savior's love will spread itself over you as never before. And that whenever and however possible, you will keep reminding yourself that there are still tiny, shivering sparrows who are too terrified to come in from the cold. Maybe, just maybe, this Christmas, because of something you do or say . . . they will. "Chuck Swindoll

It is autumn on Buhlaland

Tap Tap Tap -- pecking on screen to get attention? anybody in there???

yes we are around - little going on other than day to day life. Cluckers continue to provide 6-8 eggs a day but DH beginning to grumble about the work involved (putting them up at night and now we put a load of sand in the run because they are digging to China in there!) so I'll enjoy them while I can.

On a totally different note - this song has been playing in my head for several days - in my head I sound just like Selah does singing it -- too bad in the physical world I sound more like one of my silly cluckers! Sit back a minute and revel in the wonderful merciful Savior.

All the beauty of the created world and heaven is promised too! It is good on Buhlaland and we are continually amazed by the mercy of our Savior.

Storms or healing rain?

We were facing a day which had a strong potential for difficult life altering storms - or a gentle healing rain. Whichever was brought to us -
we knew storm clouds don't last forever but the Father's love is steadfast and eternal.
Jesus brought a little rainfall to Buhlaland this morning and it felt wonderful. The doctor appointment wasn't the devastating news we had been prepared to hear -our Abba Father once again provided solutions beyond what our limited understanding could predict.
Tonight - it is very good on Buhlaland. We might even get some more precipitation and the spiritual rain storms - they turned out to be showers of blessings!

Wondering why

Here on Buhlaland - we are aware of our blessings, express our gratitude and try to share with others the abundance over which we've been made steward. For a time now - we've struggled with "why is it so HARD?" - to run a business attempting to reflect God's glory, to have a small ministry which effectively reaches those who come across our path, to relate to people in positive ways, to be healthy so we can serve? It all has seemed hard recently. "If only" people weren't so --insert appropriate negative adjective of your choice -. During our devotional time this morning what I read reminded me we have an Abba Father not a cold God who doesn't see our "wronged" hurts. Even in things/people which seem to hinder what we believe we are supposed to be doing - He is working out His plan. Knowing there is a reason - a plan -behind hard times makes for lighter burdens. Not claiming I won't chafe at times even under the lightest of burdens-- but for now - I can record today's lesson so I'll remember to see the lily and know - while it is good on Buhlaland -- it will be glorious in our eternal home
Luke 12:27-28 (New Living Translation)
27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?"


The Way Appointed by Elisabeth Elliot

One aspect of the mystery of God's sovereign will is how the calculated evil of men is not only permitted, but actually becomes a necessary part of the divine plan. We are tempted to think of the wrongs done to us as hindrances, frustrations, interruptions. "What has this got to do with the will of God?" we ask, irritated and, we suppose, justifiably impatient with human interference. But the truth is that both our time and our way are in God's hands--they are "appointed." Surely it is so for all his sons as it was for the Son of Man. When He was on the verge of being "handed over for crucifixion," and betrayed by one of his own disciples, He said, "My appointed time is near....One who has dipped his hand into this bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man is going the way appointed for him" (Mt 26:18, 24 NEB).
Out of the deepest depths of human evil the good God brought salvation--the very salvation of man whose sinfulness killed the Son He sent.
Nothing can reach us, from any source in earth or hell, no matter how evil, which God cannot turn to his own redemptive purpose. Let us be glad that the way is not a game of chance, a mere roll of dice which determines our fortune or calamity--it is a way appointed, and it is appointed for God's eternal glory and our final good.

Last day of first half of this year

177 days until Christmas


233 days until my birthday


183 days until 2010





Yep - sunset on the last day of June - the sixth month of our twelve month year. Is your cup half full or half empty? Have the first six months of 2009 been used wisely, wasted, or a combination of being fruitful and being foolish?

Regrets are truly a big waste of time. Very human to regret and pick at the emotional scabs of your heart but totally useless. Once you've repented, confessed and been forgiven - it is gone - there will still be consequences from our bad choices but we don't have to bring them up repeatedly to ourselves or to the Lord.

SOOOO - how's your year going? It is a little bumpy here on Buhlaland but we are reminded with warm beautiful sunsets, the serenades of cicadas and fresh ripe peaches from a neighbor's tree - it is good - very good.

Don't Give a Fig?

I can't give a fig yet- but it is budding up quite nicely!

A catchy title might make up for no excitement posting. Today was "band the boys" day. Whole process went well - no excessive screaming (from the goats - DH and I almost never scream) and didn't have to cut any bands off due to misplacement (DH has steady hands while I hold the front legs and head of the victim - I mean patient). Picture of Nubiana and her little girl I've been calling Blondie (I'm so blessed original with naming critters it is a gift -perhaps a spiritual gift?) The two kids mock fighting are two little gals - Bubbles is the brunette and the other is "remains to be named" daughter of Castena. The three very alert kids were awakened by a rushing attack from Conan the Destroyer (our very lonely rat terrorist who has become a bit of a bully with the goat babies). Flip and Snicker are the two leaning over our chain link fence to nibble the honeysuckle plant - a big reason I cannot have anything growing on the vast expanse of chain link fence - because goats feel it is their calling in life to defoliate all fence lines. Now I'm sure I've made your day - with my random sillliness - wonderfully quiet Sunday, good church service, tasty brunchy meal here at the house and quiet afternoon (watched White Fang the movie and read a book). I love days like this - if I believed in reincarnation - I'd think I was a cat in a previous life - except for the whole licking yourself and being very flexible thing. It is good on Buhlaland - but you knew that didn't you?

Update

Thank you so much - each of you praying for me. I won't get results of this morning's mammogram for 5-10 business days. I have already gotten the results of prayer. Apparently there is a fund for women in our county to get free screening mammograms - how cool is that? I'd tried several avenues to reduce the out of pocket expenses but they required going into Fort Worth and complicated paperwork resulting in still costing more than $100 and one ranging to nearly$500. I'd gotten frustrated and decided to go to clinic here in town and pay the price. So woo hoo - free is the perfect price!

Beautiful day here on Buhlaland -temperatures supposed to reach in the 70's and truly feels like spring. I'm headed to town to buy containers and soil - time to get garden going! My bok choy seedlings are up and tomato plants are spouting from seed - I'm not great at growing from seed indoors so we'll see what gets strong enough to transplant! The picture is our huge rosemary plant in the yard - blooming! My fingers smell wonderful - I was pulling off some branches and now my hands smell like rosemary (and lavender too - was trimming up the french lavender plant). Life is good - whatever the illnesses and problems are down the road, I have assurance of my eternal destination with pleasant stops along the road. "Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart—Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art;Thou my best thought, by day or by night—Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. —Irish hymn"

I'd appreciate

Dear Bloggity Buddies, acquaintances, and passers by - I would appreciate prayer. Having a mammogram tomorrow for what is probably nothing but right now is a small lump under my left arm. No panic no fear - but I do know I appreciate prayer.

Matthew 6:33-34 (New Living Translation)
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

A Psalm of Thanksgiving

I'm sure the average person feels pretty great this time of year - barring a nasty cold, financial stresses, bad weather, unpleasant people in the malls or whatever obstacle they may think is in the way of their happiness. But those of us who Believe are a chosen people and commanded to give thanks in all things. Some seasons it is easier to be thankful . This December morning my gladness overflows,I realize how blessed I am. My home is safe and cozy with lights glittering on the porch,someone I love is inside the house. Sun is rising and begins to burn off a mist making the world smell fresh and new. When I walk out to the goat pens - the goats look up as if in welcome. It is good - and I'm giving thanks today - it is the right season every season to give thanks.

Psalm 100
A psalm of thanksgiving.

Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness.

Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God!

He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.