I've got about five books on the go right now. I remember someone asking why I didn't finish one before starting another. My biggest reason is that I usually have quite different books on the go and I'll pick up and read whichever I'm in the 'mood' for. Today I picked up "Cries of the Heart" by Ravi Zacharias because I want something a little more thought provoking than some of the fiction I'm also reading. And as I found my place, I was drawn to this discussion of joy:

Joy is....contentment in being and is not dependent on just doing. That kind of attitude in life finds rest in the ordinary without the restlessness that awaits the extraordinary...But life joyfully lived....enables us to exult in the commonplace things of life.

That explains exactly how I feel - so incredibly blessed by God even though to some, my life may not look too exciting. Just the fact that I live in rural Saskatchewan instead of somewhere more exciting. The fact that I'm a stay-at-home Mom of two active preschool boys. It explains the intense pleasure I get out of getting a new lawn mower or of walking around the yard and inspecting my trees and flowers. It explains why I really don't care if I go on some exotic vacation. Or whether we build a house in five years or fifteen or at all. Or even little things like if I get a chance to go to a spa for some pampering. I love my ordinary life! Some may think that Tales of a Farmwife must be the stories of a country bumpkin but I know the truth. I'm the daughter of the King of Kings and there is nothing on earth that can top that! So to quote Maria, a fellow blogger at My Heart, God's Home - Joy to you today!!

Here's my dirty Paxton. He just loved playing in the mud when Ladger was watering my trees this summer! 

I already mentioned that I really enjoyed church on Sunday but I didn't talk about the rest of that day. I got out to the parking lot and my lights had been on for the entire service. One of the boys must have pushed the light button before we got out of the car and I didn't notice as I had my hands more than full with the two boys. But I got in and it started and was no problem ....until we went 8 miles and just as I went to turn the corner from the highway unto our road, the car died and it was all I could do to make the turn and pull the car over to the side of the road. I went in to use the phone and met those folks for the first time. Of course I couldn't reach Ladger (figured he wouldn't bother turning on his cell phone) so I called a neighbor who graciously came by and drove us home. She and her two boys came in for awhile and we had a nice visit. Then as she was leaving, I looked around and couldn't see Paxton anywhere (just saw him a second ago). So as she drove away I went running over to Ladger's parents to find him and had to make a big loop before I finally spotted him. (It's always a concern with grain trucks coming to the yard all day). After than, I finally got in touch with Ladger and he suggested I tell his dad about the car and go bring it home. Well when I went over, Ladger's dad was shoveling lentils under the bin. Someone forgot to close the bottom of the bin and so when he was unloading his lentils into the bin, they poured out underneath in a large pile. So I went for another shovel and got busy. We just about got it all cleaned up when Ladger came home that evening. By then it was dark and Ladger was worried that someone would schmuck into the car. So we went to get the car but no one thought to check if the booster cables were along. We got there and the car started and went for about a mile and then stopped again. So we pushed the car into the ditch and went back home again for the cables. Finally after all that, we were finally able to drive that car home and into the shop. And soon after that I dropped into bed.

What a blessing to be able to sit through an entire message with my Bible in my lap; pen and paper ready for notes. I really appreciate all the great care-givers who work with my children. The message text was Matthew 10 and the verse that jumped out at me right away was verse 34:

Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! No, I came to bring a sword." (Jesus' words, NLT)

Pastor John talked of the disillusionment that many have of Jesus Christ - that he had a message of peace for the world. He did not come to bring peace into a system and society that rejects Him. He came to bring peace into the world through His Kingdom. Pastor John gave us the example of a mother's love for her baby. Anyone who jeopardizes the baby does not face peace from the mother. God loves us so much that there is no price He wouldn't be willing to pay to redeem us (In fact He did pay it on the cross). He did not come with a message of peace apart from His Kingdom. But there is no peace between His Kingdom and the
ways of this world. I've been thinking about this very issue in the last couple of days as I've been reading a blog "The Poor You Will Always
Have With You". The author is looking at the issue of "The Poor" in light of Christianity and politics. He linked an interview with former
President Jimmy Carter on some of his thoughts :

First of all, we worship the prince of peace, not war. And those of us who have advocated for the resolution of international conflict in a peaceful fashion are looked upon as being unpatriotic, branded that way by right-wing religious groups, the Bush administration, and other Republicans.

The Peace of God is not some "mamby-pamby ,feel-good,get along with everyone while ignoring Truth" kind of thing. So many issues are at stake when we vote. I pray that the Christians in America have discernment when they make their choice at the ballots.

On another topic entirely but one that is so important: check out Carol's Storybook for an excellent summary of the dangerous philosophy that has led to many horrors, including the holocaust, slavery and abortion. History should teach us that when we refuse to recognize the 'personhood' of any group of people, the results are catastrophic. They are no less with the refusal to recognize the personhood of those who are unborn.

By the way, here's what former President Jimmy Carter had to say about the question on abortion (taken from the same source):

What about abortion? How would you speak to moderate evangelicals who withhold support for Democratic candidates on that single issue?

This was an issue that I had to face when I was campaigning 25 years ago. I have always been against abortion; it’s not possible for me in my own concept of Christ to believe that Jesus would favor abortion. But at the same time, I have supported the Supreme Court ruling of our country as the law of the land. And the present arrangement, whereby a woman is authorized to have an abortion in the first trimester of the pregnancy, or when the pregnancy is caused by rape or incest -- these are the things that moderates who have beliefs like mine can accept as the present circumstances in our country. The liberality of abortion is anointed by the laws of our country, including the ultimate ruling of the Supreme Court.

No More Peas!

Today we will finish combining peas, if all goes well! That is worth a celebration in itself because it seems to have taken forever to get here. Now we have about 700 acres of lentils and 700 of durum yet to go.

So much for school - Rory got up, got dressed, ate breakfast (sort of), did a couple of pages in his workbook and had his shoes on before I realized his intent to go with Ladger this morning. How could I say no?

So it's just Paxton and me this morning and he's fighting with my shoe right now. This is quite the stage - he's not talking, just meows and says, "boo". But he does get very frustrated and is crying half the time just because he can't do something he's trying to do. I have no idea what he wants to do with my shoe but he is frustrated with it, that's for sure!

Yesterday he put some major dents in our dining room table with a pair of pliers ( I don't even know where he found them - Ladger left them somewhere, I'm guessing). I was outside cleaning windows or I would have heard the banging. I'm so glad we hadn't put a lot of money into good furniture before the kids were born and we probably won't until the kids are grown up either.

Today is beautiful!! I took out lunch for our hungry crew and am now back and enjoying the boys' naptime. As soon as I'm through here, I think I'll get the dishes done and then start on cleaning windows. Maybe if I'm really efficient, I can get the whole works done - inside and out!



Rory's schooling has not been up to full speed - at least not the book work. But we manage a little math every morning and usually a little phonics in the evening. But despite the fact we spend very little time at it, he has learned to write all his numbers this summer and is now working on numbers up to 100. We took a little break from the phonics for a few weeks and now that we're back at it, we need to review a bit to get back up to speed but it's neat to see how much he has retained. He knows most of the letters and the sounds they make including the short vowels. We're busy learning how to put sounds together to make words.

It rained Sunday night and again a little on Monday and so combining was on hold for a few days. Yesterday, Ladger did get one field finished but then it started to rain again. The neat thing was that our friends from Calgary had their Mom visiting from Sydney, Australia and she was able to go in the combine for a few rounds. I didn't get to meet her as I was home which is too bad. Our friends are planning to move to Australia eventually and maybe someday Ladger and I'll go visit over there or down under or whatever you want to call it!

Ladger started mowing our lawn this morning but then he couldn't finish as a semi came by to pick up some chickpeas. So I took Paxton along and finished it up this afternoon. Paxton was thrilled! Now I need to get at the laundry. I did a load the other day and the boys opened the dryer and emptied it all over the kitchen while I was preparing music for a student that was coming later that day. It was worth it at the time to have the two of them so well occupied but now I have a big pile of clothes to work through (I ended up collecting them and dumping them in our room just for a quick way to clean up the kitchen). Well, here I go....

This morning I went to town and was exhausted by the time I got back. Mind you, I could have slept another hour or two this morning if it were not for my alarm clock (Paxton). So I get up and bring him into bed with us but it's non-stop wiggles and giggles until I couldn't sleep anymore if I tried. Then I got the boys ready for town and quickly pulled together my things to pay bills in town and get groceries for the week. I did manage to get ready last night even though Paxton peed on some invoices I was working through (I was airing out his bottom as he's been struggling with a diaper rash and made the mistake of working on the floor). I let Rory hand over the cheque as I'm paying bills for the farm and he gets a real kick out of talking to the 'guys'. He sits up on the stool at one counter, hands over the cheque and announces, "I'm paying bills." Then he sees a picture of a combine similar to ours and starts explaining what it does. The guy thinks Rory should be in school until Rory tells him he is almost to four. Anyway, we made it back and now both boys are napping and then it is on to AWANA tonight.

Reflections

I just came across this quote by Saint Augustine:

"There can be only two basic loves,

the love of God unto the forgetfulness of self,

or the love of self unto the forgetfulness of God."

I've been doing a lot of thinking and preparing for leading worship in November and this quote summarizes exactly how I've felt when I've felt God moving in our worship; a true forgetfulness of self. It's how I can play, sing and lead worship without a thought to how I sound or whether I make mistakes, etc. This is one reason why I bought "Soultalk" by Larry Crabb (where I read St Augustine's quote): I want to be able to worship God wholeheartedly and be able to lead others to do the same. I desire to be used by God in a powerful way and though I suffer my share of self-doubt, the truth is that the power of God lives in me through the Holy Spirit already. I need to learn how to be a vessel that God can use; how to empty me of 'self' so that God can fill me up and use me for His glory. So I'm on a spiritual quest. I love the song "The Heart of Worship" by Matt Redman.

When the music fades, all is stripped away, and I simply come.

Longing just to bring something that's of worth, that will bless your heart.

I'll bring you more than a song, for a song in itself is not what you have required.

You search much deeper within, through the way things appear; you're looking into my heart.

I'm coming back to the heart of worship

And it's all about you, all about you, Jesus.

I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it,

When it's all about you, all about you, Jesus.

Do you ever wish for a break from being a Mom - even for a second? I had one of those moments when my good friend was telling me all about having her new baby and Rory opens Paxton's new playdough toy which I wouldn't have allowed but overlooked until he opened the little cans of playdough and I had to take them away (He had gotten his own set and didn't need to get into Paxton's). Then he heard a grain truck come onto the yard and wanted to go in the worst way. I had to get off the phone because I needed to explain to him that he could go with a truck later; after dinner and a bit of school. It wasn't that he was being so bad, he just needed my attention and I was so enjoying my conversation with Carol. Actually, perhaps it was lucky for her phone bill because I would have liked to talk lots more. By the way, check out her site to see their newest addition to the family, Lincoln Montgomery

It's such a beautiful morning and I've been in the garden picking all the onions and reflecting on my blessings! I went over to see Ladger and Rory off and as they started, the plane we hired to spray our wheat was flying closeby so Paxton and I watched for awhile - our own personal air show. The sun is shining and the crops have been coming off with excellent quality and yield. We have a risk of frost every night but so far God has protected us from it by sending clouds or wind and so far we have suffered no damage. We are spraying our wheat crop because it's just about mature but we want to help it along a bit so that the frost that is sure to come one of these nights may not wreak havoc with it before we can get it off the field. Major issues have been raised about GMO products but seriously I would rather have a GMO product that's been given extra frost tolerance than to have to spray it with chemicals to achieve the same end. There's a lot of good can be done with genetic modification that most people don't realize - reduction in chemicals used is a big one.
Sorry about the rabbit trail. Anyway, our garden is still yielding fresh, new peas and so Paxton and I had a nice little snack out there. And then I come into my kitchen and the mess is unbelievable!! Rory and Paxton found some shredded paper used as packing in a box I received yesterday in the mail. It is now everywhere. They had such fun with it but I had forgotten what a mess I have to clean up until I stepped inside. So instead of doing that I stepped over the mess and came here to write about it instead. Blogging is the procrastinator's best friend :-)

Did you know that "Canada is the only country in the western world with no criminal laws regulating or prohibiting abortion. This study reveals the scope of this vile practice in Canada." ?

I must be nuts! I don't when I 'm going to have the time to do all this reading that I have lined up for myself. As I resolve to read as many George MacDonald books as I can find, I go to town and buy two other books. One is Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" (817 pages) and the other is Larry Crabb's "Soul Talk". On top of that I spend a lot of time reading my NLT bible lately using the guide "Cover to Cover" by Selwyn Hughes and Trevor J Partridge which is a chronological plan to read the Bible in a year. I finished Job and am almost done with Genesis and enjoying it thoroughly!

I remember Shakespeare in high school and how a whole series of things would go wrong and end up in deep tragedy or a funny comedy of errors. Well Sunday's lunch was that kind of 'comedy of errors' for me. I made chili and had it simmering away in a crock pot all morning. I took it to the field along with my barbecue to cook some hot dogs to make chili dogs. Well I set up the barbecue and ...nothing. So I figured the propane tank was empty. No problem. I had another full tank along for just such a problem. So I hooked it up and tried again only my lighter was out of gas. No problem. I had stuck a matchbox in the glove compartment of the half ton for just that situation. I remember shaking the box when I put it there and thought there were at least a few matches in there. Well I opened the box and there were only two and one of them had been lit before. So I just had one match. So I lit it but the wind blew it out before it lit the barbecue. The only other thing I could think of was the cigarette lighter but I just couldn't get a little fire going properly because it was so windy. So I gave up and was thankful I had a pot of hot chili along - that and hot dog buns was going to be lunch (and I had made squares too). So I got Ladger's parents set up with drinks and dinner plates in their truck and I get into the halfton to eat with Ladger and the boys and Ladger says, "The chili tastes sour". "Sour? How can chili taste sour?", I reply and took a bite and to my dismay it was just as Ladger said, hot and sour at the same time. Very strange. Maybe it was the seasoning I used (I usually do my own spices but thought I'd use a bought seasoning packet instead). So I'm mortified thinking Ladger's parents are going to starve that day. But the two of them licked their plates clean and said they enjoyed it. Either they're being very kind or their tastebuds aren't real sensitive these days. Yesterday I went to town and bought another lighter plus lots of matches (these are even waterproof). Maybe I can avoid a similar calamity in the future.


Yesterday, I took Paxton to the doctor to check out his rash and sure enough it was eczema as I had suspected so now he has some cream to treat it. But I thought I was going to be a zombie by the time I finally got in to see the doctor. Our appointment was for 4:30 pm and we were on time but didn't get called in to until close to 5:30 pm. Picture me and two active boys and all the other patients as adults (some seniors). Picture the one year old heading off on a run to the nurses' station and while I'm getting him, the three year old takes it as license to run wild around the room. The two of them were enjoying themselves immensely and I thought I wasn't going to make it. Finally, I got them rounded up and settled 'quietly' to look through the Sears WishBook. That's a big book - it should have taken a little while right? Well in no time at all, Paxton decides to run off again, and again while I'm chasing him down, Rory goes zooming around the room again - this time not noticing that the bag of candy he is holding is ripped and candies are falling as he goes. I ended up taking them both to the washroom and having a 'little chat' with Rory. Finally he agrees to act better and we go back in to discover our name had been called while we were 'out'. Finally we got to the room and Rory hopped up on the bed to show the doctor his 'owie' and I got Paxton stripped of his pants to show the doctor his rash. The doctor loves kids and got a kick out of Rory. Rory spotted a cardboard tube in the trash and asked the doctor for it. He said it was an auger part. So I get home and Ladger got home about 9 pm and I thought that was great as I was beat. Just when I was enjoying the thought of letting Ladger finish putting the boys to bed while I could go read and relax, Ladger's dad calls and says we should bring the sprayer home in case it freezes. So off he went and wasn't back until after 10 pm. So my hopes for relaxation were gone like that. Maybe today will be a little smoother :-)

I have my front door wide open as my two 'angels' are in the sandbox and since I can't see them from here I want to be sure to hear them which I have a couple of times since I sat down to write a quick blurb. The extra flies in the house will just have to be 'vacuumed' up. I use my little hand vac that Ladger got me for my birthday and it actually works quite well :-).
Yesterday, we finished combining the land close to home and Ladger is moving to the pieces that are further away. We still have a number of acres of peas to finish up. And then it's on to lentils.
Harvest has done one thing: Rory is on the field with Dad and Grandpa several hours a day and so I have quite a bit of one-on-one time with Paxton. We've been able to take nice walks out to the stream to throw rocks and watch ducks; let him take the steering wheel when we're driving around in the field with the half-ton; and cuddle lots uninterrupted.
I had to go quickly and run and check the boys - too quiet! They're actually playing well together and right where they should be which is quite something as they can hear the combine and trucks next door.
Today I'm making lunch again. Yesterday was lasagna. Today is chili and cheese dogs. I'm making the chili right now and I should think about something to make up for dessert. I pack a separate cooler for Ladger's folks and for ourselves. Yesterday Ladger's dad said they wouldn't have to eat for a week and his mom later said that she felt like a queen getting lunch made for her. Isn't it just the best motivator to hear words of appreciation like that? By the way, for a certain brother who may read this: I remember the hot chili you used to like making - I won't be attempting anything like that or no one would be able to eat :-)
Just before I could post this message Rory came running in. "The tractor's in the tree! The tractor's in the tree! Come on!" So I went to see that he has all his toys stuck in the lilac hedge. And one tractor was beyond his reach. Quite the impressive looking hedge now :-)

Yesterday I finished reading "The Marquis' Secret" by George MacDonald (the sequel to "The Fisherman's Lady" which I finished a few days ago). I remember reading "The Fisherman's Lady" in high school and not really enjoying it as much as I did now. Once I finish reading as many of George MacDonald's works as I find then I 'll think I'll start reading C.S. Lewis again. I've read some of his works but not all of them. That should keep me busy for awhile.
Ladger has only a few acres to spray this morning and then it's back to combining as long as the weather holds (chances of showers are forecast). So I think that means I'll be taking a meal out at noon. The hard thing about meals is being flexible should plans change and all of a sudden, Ladger is home for lunch or needs a pack lunch to eat on the go instead of the meal I've planned for him and his folks. It keeps life interesting to say the least. But it looks like today might be nice for a barbecue so I'll put my half-made lasagna together and pop it into my overfull freezer somehow. I don't want to 'waste' casseroles on the nice days when I can be grilling chicken or steaks instead.
Note: Sure enough I didn't know what I was doing for lunch until about 11:30 am and Ladger ended up eating at home. Talk about switching gears.
I'm debating whether I should take Paxton to the clinic one of these days. He has a rash on the back of both legs that is red and dry (and itchy). I've been putting on all kinds of moisturizing lotions but I haven't seen an improvement yet. It might help to get a proper diagnosis and treatment.

There are sprinkles of rain on the window and the combine is not moving. I imagine Ladger will be home any time now. Rain is forecast for the next few days so we might be having a 'harvest break'. Yep, I'm right - I can see both grain trucks heading home right now. Maybe this evening, Ladger and I'll catch up with McLeod's Daughters - our hands-down favorite TV program. It's a drama about farmers in Australia and it's amazingly realistic for a show. Older shows are shown every day on the channel named ONE and so I've been taping them all so Ladger wouldn't miss any.

Paxton just loves playing with balls, rocks, potatoes ; anything round will do. What a funny guy these days. He reminds me of a little bear cub ; he growls and wrestles constantly. He isn't saying any words yet but we're in no hurry - the growls are so cute. He didn't take a nap earlier when Rory was sleeping so I just put him down for another try a few minutes ago, when along came Rory and got my bear cub growling again. They sure do enjoy playing together.

Frost won't be a problem if it is cloudy or windy.

This was a new thing I learned when I married a farmer. Last night was really cold but was windy and so we were OK. But as I sit here this evening, the skies are clear and there's hardly a breeze. I would be surprised if we don't get frost and so I'm feeling a little blue. It's hard to see a beautiful crop be damaged with absolutely no way to do a thing about it, except pray. I do know that God will take care of us regardless of how things turn out but it doesn't mean that it isn't a little disheartening at times.

I got a little sample of perfume (Mary Kay's Elige) at our splurge party a few days ago and Rory took a little sniff and said, "I know what that's for. It's for killing gophers; they smell stinky stuff and fall over and hurt themselves." Actually I have it on right now and I really don't think it's knocking any gophers over but you never know. Amie has a fun list of what it is to be a mother of boys (Sept 2 journal entry).

Today I made a quick trip to town for parts for Ladger. Yesterday, Ladger phoned about these parts and so the guy set them aside for me to pick up - which I did yesterday afternoon. But when I saw them, I thought they didn't look like what Ladger had described to me so the guy added a different part from my description. I brought them home and was pleased that I had 'the right part' for sure!! Guess what - I had the right part for a different brand of header - Yikes!! And it wasn't my fault - the guy looked in the wrong parts book for our header. So today I went again and came home with what I'm sure is now the correct thing! Honestly, it's so hard to come back with the right parts - I don't know why it's so difficult to get it right the first time! So now I'm getting lunch ready to take out and hopefully Ladger will have what he needs to get the header fixed up. Our problem is that he's working on land he rented for the first time. The owner said the land wasn't terribly hilly and didn't have many rocks. I guess the question is "Compared to what?" The land is a lot hillier and a lot rockier than any thing else we farm. So Ladger is sending big rocks through the combine and breaking 'fingers' constantly and was feeling pretty discouraged about it the other day wondering why he's beating up his machinery so bad for someone else's land!! Well today we should be done with that land and on to our own. I know Ladger is looking forward to flat and relatively rock-free combining. Here's praying that the weather holds for a while longer!!

This is Rory's harvest song

It was my turn to make the noon meal today. I made a chocolate cake with caramel sauce for dessert and prebaked some potatoes. On the field I barbecued some steak, let the potatoes finish baking and added fresh yellow beans(and dill) in tinfoil to the grill. It turned out great! Harvest really can be a lot of fun - I don't know any other jobs where one gets to have a picnic every day. Mind you, not every day is a 'picnic' if the weather turns bad (really windy, cold and or rainy). Also if the grain is not good quality ,it can be a little depressing. But this year everything is going well so far. I even take along some dish soap and do up the dishes out there so when I get home I just unload the cooler of things that need to go in the fridge but all the clean-up is done already. Rory usually stays out after lunch for a few hours with Dad and Grandpa. When he gets home he is so tired and that suits me just fine.

Last Sunday, Rory's craft was a pom pom made of tissue paper over a toilet paper roll. Well on the way home he ripped off the tissue paper and was really happy with his plain toilet paper roll as he would hold it out in his hand as a spout for the auger (his arm). He's convinced he's a combine these days. I went to town a couple of days ago and he had to take his auger spout with him and I thought "Oh great - people are not going to understand what he's doing with the toilet paper roll - but oh well". Sure enough he got some interesting looks, and one lady at the bank asked me what he was doing. When I explained she really got a chuckle out of it.

How does one teach your boys to have good bathroom manners in the field? Today Rory needed to do more than pee and stripped down to nothing and in front of everyone, did his business. Well there was nowhere to go but at least he could go behind a truck or something!! Meanwhile I'm cooking dinner and thinking how some appetites may disappear pretty quick. lol