Flea Market Anyone?

My husband and I are homeless, well practically. BUT we do own a flea market. Is that news to you? It is to us too. We welcome you all to come on in and pick up as many fleas as you can attract before leaving. We would be happy to share the wealth of our abundance. 

To back up a little… we own a dog named Abby, she is a German Shepherd and a real sweet heart if you pass her inspection and criteria. She has one problem, she has fleas (or I should say, had). Now dogs often have fleas and we were not too worried about it. Get some flea stuff and get rid of them, right? At least that’s what I thought. So being a use-the-least-amount-of-chemicals-as-you-can type of person, I decided to use diatomaceous earth which is reported to be a very good flea killer and I have had good success with it in the past. That weekend Patrick and I gave Abby a good long bath, (she hates those) and when she had dried off, I rubbed the DE into her fur. She was completely white and looked quite ridiculous, but hey, at lease she would be rid of the fleas, ha. Since we were about to leave for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that evening  for a week of work, I sprinkled the DE all over our house just in case, of the probability, of fleas residing there. We took Abby with us since we had found a hotel that allowed pets. We left with the happy thought that any fleas in the house would certainly cut themselves on the microscopic razor blade sharpness of the diatomaceous earth and would be no more!

During the week Abby seemed to be quite relieved and feeling much better, so I was very pleased and looked forward to going home and cleaning up the DE all over the floor and being done with it.

……..(Long rabbit trail alert!)…… The Lord has led us to a new job that requires a whole lot of traveling for now. Patrick is building prefab sheds at customers homes, as a subcontractor. He now has a large truck and goose-neck trailer and two employees to work with him. He has to have a DOT (Department of Transportation) number on the truck and in order to drive that with the trailer, he has to have a health certificate. We spend the week in a hotel and come home on the weekends. Traveling is not something we really want to do, but for now this is where the Lord has us and we continue to work towards the goal and vision the Lord has given us of full time ministry.

Because of the way Patrick’s work week went, we ended up heading home on Saturday (9^th) morning around 2:00 am. Patrick was absolutely exhausted from an especially grueling week of work and since we were pulling the goose-neck trailer and I don’t have my health certificate yet, I could not drive for him. So every fifteen to twenty minutes he had to pull over and sleep for fifteen to twenty minutes. We would have slept longer but we had an appointment at 9:00 am that we had to make and which could not be moved. It normally takes about an hour and a half to get to our friends house where we were dropping off the trailer, but it took a whole lot longer than that. Finally we made it and I could take over the driving. By that time I had become very tired and made it only for an hour before having to pull over, but since Patrick had slept for that hour very soundly, he was able to get us to our appointment and we were only a few minutes late. Then we had to get to a Title office to get plates for the truck which were about to expire and come to find out the only one open until noon on Saturday was a good ways away and since we had to leave for Buffalo New York on Sunday there was no other time to get them. So we took off and got there in time to get the plates, praise the Lord! Then our helper, who was riding along with us, told us that the only way he could cash his pay check was at his bank and it was closing at noon…it was quite a long way away! Off we went again and somehow we made it at 12:01 and since they saw him running for the door they let him in. Praise the Lord! Then we still had to drop him off at his home, get our mail and make it to our bank before their 1:00 pm closing time. Whew! ...... (End rabbit trail)…..

We were very thankful to the Lord and relieved when we finally made it home and were ready to get some much needed rest, before getting ready to leave on Sunday for Buffalo NY. I took Grace out of her car seat and was talking to Patrick for a moment as he brought things in from the truck, when I felt something on my leg. Looking down, I saw fleas, what seemed like millions of them, crawling and jumping up my legs!!! I ran out of the house jumping all around brushing them off, it took a little while to get them all off. Patrick grabbed the few things from the house that he had taken in and closed it up. I climbed into the truck and began to cry. It felt like too much, more than I could bear. Yet the Lord was there and He so gently took the burden from us, letting us rest in the knowledge that He knows best and is allowing this for a purpose.

We went to Patrick’s parents who very graciously let us spend the night, feeding us and everything. They are such a blessing to us! Before leaving for Buffalo we bought some house foggers and bombed the house,

chemicals or not we have to get rid of the fleas! We took Abby to our land where she would be safe and cared for. So we went to Buffalo content that the fleas would certainly be dead now.

Home again on the 16^th we walked into the house to check around, I was probably in there for about one minute when I looked down at my feet and saw my white socks turning black with the tiny things, which for some reason now looked larger than they had before! Again I ran out doing the flea dance. Again we stayed at Patrick’s parents, this time until Tuesday night when we left for Buffalo.

Patrick’s Dad helped us get in contact with an exterminator who told Patrick that the reason the fleas look different this time, is because the fogger we used had birth control in it to supposedly kill the eggs and that sometimes causes the fleas to become twice their normal size! He said that he is unable to come do it himself but is sending all the sprays and things that we need to do it ourselves. So…. We will be home next week for a much anticipated break, but we don’t really have a home to go to.

I love being home, I love keeping my home and to have this happen is a great trial for me. Looking through the windows, I can see the rocker, couch, kitchen, etc. all the comforts of what we call home and it makes me cry because I cannot even walk in the door. For some reason the Lord is allowing this to happen, somehow He is using it to shape us more into the image of His Son and He will be glorified. Yet, I must say, it is not fun. Patrick’s family is so sweet and loving to us, I am so thankful to the Lord for them! So many emotions! Yet that must not be my focus, only Jesus. I pray we learn what He wants us to learn through this.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

(Mat 6:19-21)

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

(Heb 13:15)

Praise Him even when we don’t feel like it!!!

Preparing for Home Birth

There is less than three weeks to my due date and I am excited, yet sober about the changes that are soon to take place in our lives. Sober because it is an incredible thing to be given a child to raise by the Lord. This little one knows neither right nor wrong and we as his or her parents will be the ones to lay the foundation for life. How can we raise children that will love and serve the Lord Jesus with all of their hearts? It seems to be a mammoth and impossible task. It IS impossible. For us humans. Yet who is this God that we serve? Is He not the God of the impossible?  Remember when Jesus told His disciples that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to  be saved? “And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”(Mar 10:26-27)

We serve the Almighty God, He who creates our children and chooses to give them to us. He is not up there wondering what will happen if He gives this type of personality to these parents and this to those… He Knows. That is why He does what He does, nothing escapes Him. That is why we can rest in perfect peace knowing that He has designed our children for US to raise, He is very specific. The other day I was reading in Isaiah and thinking about our child when I came across this passage that brought great comfort to me: “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.”(Isa 54:13) “Taught of the Lord”!!! Wow, that brought things into prospective for me. Yes, we do have a great responsibility before the Lord to raise our children in His fear and admonition and we must stay close to the Lord to do that, but ultimately it is the Lord shaping the lives of our Little Ones. I don’t want this to sound like I am saying we don’t work hard at raising them for Him, because we ought to. (If we do not, then that shows that we do not have the fear of the Lord.) Only that it is comforting to know that the Lord IS in control and He can raise up a Godly generation of warriors in spite of our failures as parents.

The “nesting instinct” has hit me in earnest and I can hardly believe the amount of dust and dirt I see everywhere now. I have been busy scrubbing walls, floors, and everything else that I can lay hands on, stopping now and then as a Braxton Hicks comes and then goes. My dear husband is very patient with me as I ask him to pull apart the bed, move the couch and a number of other things that I cannot do myself. He says that he has been through this before with his mother when she was pregnant with his four siblings that came after him. :) I find it hard to be away from home for very long, I just begin to get very tired and “spacey” but the funny thing is that when I get home, I am fine, have energy and am ready to keep going.

Our midwife is coming up for our next appointment and is bringing a birthing pool and birthing kit. Two weeks ago she started me on an herbal supplement called “Blessed Beginnings” which is supposed to help prepare the uterus for labor. She tells us that mothers who have been on it do not have problems with bleeding after the birth and it also seems to cut down on the amount of time spent in labor. I’m certainly all for that! If you would like to know what the ingredients are, just ask, I would be happy to post them if anyone is interested.

Patrick and I are reading the book “Natural Childbirth: The Bradley Way” together and trying to implement the exercises and relaxation techniques it teaches. I have to read it to him because of the incredibly indiscreet pictures, but other than that and the fact that they do not give glory to the Lord, we are enjoying the thoroughness of the book. Has anyone reading this given birth using the Bradley Method? I am very interested to hear your story and what you thought of it. In fact, any mothers with birth stories, tips, things that helped you etc. that you would like to share with me, I would love to hear and learn from you!

A hairbreadth away from Glory?

Yesterday morning my Mom and I, were at the Building For Women in Duluth MN, to plead for the lives of unborn babies (sidewalk counsel) with Jim Tuttle of Pro-Life Ministries of Duluth. I saw a lady walking toward the building, who I figured must be a client. Before I could talk to her or approach her with literature, she snapped open a knife. She waved the point at me saying, "Don't come near me!" I stayed where I was and said, "Please don't kill your baby, fear God." She walked past into the courtyard, so I moved to the fence corner to continue counseling. She then turned around, came up to me and held the point of the knife at my throat! The thought flashed through my mind, "What if she stabs me?" and then, "That's ok." God gave me great peace as I looked into her angry eyes and said, "Fear God. You need to fear God Ma'am." She turned around, and began to walk through the court yard again. My Mom, Sarah, who was standing at the other end of the fence, called out to her, "We love you, and care about you, don't kill your baby." The women turned and waved the knife at her yelling, "I'm certified crazy, that's why I'm doing this!" She then went into the building.

Jim Tuttle called the police and they arrived very quickly, seven squad cars strong. Several went immediately into the building, and shortly came out with the women in handcuffs, she was crying. They interviewed us, had us write reports, and told us that this is a felony offence. My Mom told two of the officers that we feel very sad for the women who did this, and we will be praying for her. One of the officers looked shocked at that.

A local TV newsman showed up and interviewed us. We were able to give glory to God for His protection and testify that God says, "You shall not murder." I explained that we are living in a culture of death, and if they believe it is fine to kill babies in the womb, what would be the difference killing someone out of the womb? He wanted to know if this would change my mind about coming out to talk to the abortion clients. I said "No, not at all! I am excited that God protected me." My Mom told him that we care about the women who did this, forgive her, and want her to know that if she came to Jesus Christ and was saved, God would completely change her.

God allowed this all to happen for a reason, and I greatly desire that His name be glorified through this incident. Our God is worthy to be praised! Psalm 91 was going through my head... "He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust." (Psalms 91:1-2) Praise God for His mercy, not only on me for protection, but also in the fact that this lady still has her baby!

As the police were leaving, a young women ran into the building very quickly. After a few minutes she came out onto the sidewalk, and seemed to be waiting for someone. My Mom talked to her, and she turned out to be the friend of the women who had just been arrested. Not knowing what had just happened, she had come to support her friend, but was told that her friend had left the building quickly. They didn't even tell her why or in what state she had left! So we were able to minister to this women, her name is, Melissa and her friend, who had been arrested is Michelle. My Mom shared the gospel with her, gave her a Bible, and asked if we could visit Michelle in jail. She agreed that it might be possible.

Please pray for these two women. I do forgive Michelle, and pray that she will be saved, she needs Jesus. Only God knows what He will do with this situation, we pray that He will be glorified!


EDITED to add:

Here are some news articles covering the incident:

LifeSiteNews: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/nov/09112603.html

WorldNetDaily: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=117119

LifeNews: http://www.lifenews.com/state4602.html

NorthlandNews: http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/local/72989782.html

The Promises of God

Take hold, oh fainting heart, upon the Key of Promise. Do you think it will break beneath your weight? Fear not! God's honor rests upon keeping His promises, He will not fail to uphold them. Throughout the ages His faithfulness has been proven, His changeless nature shown. The promises of God are not idle words or hopeful fancies, behind them stands the weight of He who spoke the world into existence. What God has promised, He is more than able to fulfill; therefore look up. Dwell not on the greatness of your problems, sink not in the waves of circumstance. Be not consumed by impossibilities, and your own inability. Only look now to the Powerful One, He who delights to do the impossible. See not your great troubles, instead see your Great God. Take up the shield of Faith, it is given for your defense.