Evergreen Easter

                                        Although  COVID-19 has disrupted our normal way
                                                   of living down on the Arkansas dairy farm,
                                      what hasn't changed is our Hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.
                                                         

He Lives

He lives, He lives!

Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me

along life's narrow way.

He lives, He lives, 

salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives?

He lives within my heart.

--Alfred H. Ackley

From down on the dairy farm,

Happy Easter!

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

I've had a lot of thinking time this week while sitting in the

 hospital  with my Mother who is battling pneumonia. 

It's moments or events like these when  you realize what is important

 may be different than what was on the daily schedule.

I'm thankful that I live in a community with state of the art medical

facilities, dedicated nurses and skilled doctors ,

for the beauty of the Christmas season,

                                                                           
                                         for my family that have taken over my farm duties
                                                while I have been taking care of Mother,

                                                                                 and
                                                    for the extended family and sweet friends
                                              that have lifted us up in prayers and offers of help.
                                             
                                          --------------------------------------------------------------

                                              Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything
                                           give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
                                                                                               I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

                                                           Everything changes with time.

                        In 1962 when my Aunt Alice graduated from Sparks School of Nursing

                                in Ft. Smith, a nurse dressed in a starched white uniform dress, 

                             white shoes and stockings, a crisp white hat and a warm wool cape.

                                    How long since you've seen a nurse dressed like that?

                              Although the dress code changed in the more than fifty year 

                                                     nursing career of my Aunt Alice,

                                   her passion to care for and about others never changed.

Aunt Alice celebrated her birthday at the feet of Jesus on December 2.

In a moment, everything changed and yet, faith and family remain steadfast. 

       

                                            I'm thankful for the sweet relationship I had with
                                           Aunt Alice and for the impact she had on my life.
                                                         
                                     
                                           
                                         
                                               
             
                                                             
                                         
                                             

Promises for 2017

It's a clean slate and I'm looking forward to a new year that for me 

is guided by my faith in Jesus Christ. I already know it will be a great year

 based on these faith promises. 

These are just a few of the promises for 2017:

" For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord,

 "Plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope."

                                                      ---Jeremiah 29:11

"And my God shall supply all your needs according

 to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

                                                                                         --Philippians 4:19

                                    "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give
                                        thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
                                                                                        --I Thessalonians 5:16-18

                                       From down on the dairy farm, from my family to yours,

                                                          Happy New Year!

Faith of a Farmer

I never cease to be amazed by the faith of a farmer as I watch the planter 

moving back and forth across every field.  

Other than an unexpected downpour, nothing stops the planting process. If the machinery breaks, you fix it. If you miss lunch, your wife brings it to you in the field.  If employees don't show up for work, the planting is delayed until all our cows are fed and cared for, but the planting is going to continue as planned.

It may even continue into the darkness if needed. Thank goodness for tractors with lights!

Although the look of the family farm and the technologies have changed, the same values of caring for the land and animals still exist. In fact, 97 percent of U.S. dairy farms are family owned and operated, often by multiple generations of the family.

It's the dreams and determination of a farmer in combination with faith  that provides

 the food on our table and milk in the refrigerator.