Autumn Update!

The guys are working on the driveway.They have already smoothed over quite a bit on the creek crossing. It is now driveable, although not covered in concrete yet. We still need to have that done so that it won't wash out. It is a matter of prayer. The God who is our provider is more than able to make a provision for the concrete!

Dave has been filling in the gullies that formed in our driveway during that really big storm last March. There are pictures posted in the archive posts from around that time of what the storm did. He is almost done.

Then the guys need to clear a spot up here on the pad for the van to park and turn around in. He is already able to bring his motorcycle up here, which is a real blessing. We have some sheets of plywood and a few things that we need to move out of the way.

Our laundry room roof is almost covered. We need another sheet of the corrugated steel and the top ridge (or whatever it is called). Dave knows where he can get one. We also need to get the siding up on the top half story. Then we can put the insulation in.

It is also time to start weatherizing the underside of the RV. We can definitely feel the chill in the air. Ike blew Autumn out and the cold in. Thankfully, we are getting some warmer days again...and mostly dry. What a blessing! Fall is my favorite season, albeit not my favorite time of year. There is an even heavier spiritual darkness this time of year that others I know also feel.

Hmm...let's see...what else? We are very blessed to have people who care for us...and about us. They would like to see us out of this tiny RV, but it will have to be a God thing as no one really has the resources. If we are not out by Winter, I am confident that Yahweh God will provide for us to make it through again.

It does definitely feel more closed in as the days grow shorter and the weather gets colder. Being cold is a bit triggering for me, but we do have good heaters. I am hoping, soon, to be able to locate and get back out all my Winter tops. I am still hoping for a closet space in the laundry room, if we can get it done, where I can hang up my jumpers and dresses. I soooooo miss being able to wear them.

Well, I think that is it for now. My camera is down in the van and I still have pictures to process and upload. Maybe this week!

From our little RV on the hillside to you in your home...remember that there is a One True God. His name is Yahweh and His Son is Yeshua/Jesus. He loves you so much that He has given His Son so that you can be restored to fellowship with Him. I hope you will cry out to Him.

A Crazy Week & a Right Attitude!

Man...what a week this has been! It feels as if too much has all been coming together at once. Over the last 8 days, I have had one friend have surgery, one friend go into detox, one friend I felt I needed to distance myself from, started our next home "school" year, registered and tried to understand a job site, took my son to the doctor for a tetanus shot, discovered that someone I love very much was deeply hurt by someone else whom I love very much, pulled apart our son's bed area and cleaned up mold and mildew, caught up on finishing recording last "year's" school information and started proofreading the final proof on a book for someone.

Hmmm...was that everything? I have to laugh at all of this. There are times when it just seems like a lot of life hits all at once. It can feel overwhelming. When that happens, it helps to sometimes remind myself of how overwhelming it must have felt for the Son of God to have to take all of our wrongdoing through the ages onto Himself. Wow! He was perfect, sinless. He never blew it. I blow it all the time and He took all of my blow its and all the blow its of everyone else throughout all of time all at once on that dark day.

Well, it was dark for Him, but light for us. Because of what He did, we can have light and hope in our days now...even in the midst of what seems like total darkness. I lived for many years in a dark place, even as a follower of Yeshua/Jesus. He was my only hope during that time. I made it out alive. I made it out with some semblance of sanity; but I never would have been able to if not for Him.

I owe so much to Yahweh God. I owe Him my life. I am grateful that He enabled me to survive. Yeah...I still have PTSD. Maybe I always will...I don't know. I just know that it does lessen quite a bit if things are not happening to stir it up!

I have hope in Yahweh. I have healing in Yahweh. I have been blessed by Him in so many ways. It says that every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights. Well, I know that my heavenly Abba/Father has sure brought light into my darkened world.

There are many who wonder at our ability to live in our current situation. This little RV is very tiny. Yes, we are crowded. It does get to us at times. However, we are also able to see how much we are blessed. There are a lot of people across the world who have less than we do! Even in this country, we have more than a lot of people.

So, we work with each other. We try to each esteem the other more highly than ourselves. We try to remember that each of us has our struggles. We love Yahweh and we love one another and we try to keep that love in the forefront.

It is only by the grace of Yahweh God that we are able to live as we do. It is He who helps us to have a right attitude about things...something we do NOT do perfectly by any stretch of the imagination! But we do try...and it is well worth the effort!

From our little RV on the hillside, I hope that you are able to take the things that are bringing you down to Yahweh God. I hope that you are able to receive the healing and love He has for you. I hope that, whatever your situation is, you are able to keep a right attitude about it.

Shalom and blessings!

A Rabbit & Closed Hearts!

We see rabbits on our property. Catching them in a picture, however, is pretty hard to do as they run away so quickly. The other day, we got out of the van and Dave spotted one. We slowly crept up on it and managed to get some pictures.

In this first one you see the overall scene. The rabbit is sitting in the brush at the far end of the black culvert pipe and slightly to the right of it.






I took the rest of the pictures and cropped them so that you can see the rabbit close up. Most were a bit blurry, but here a couple that were not.


This was as close as we could get before it took off lickety split! That rabbit did not understand that we meant it no harm.






I wonder if we sometimes miss the fact that God, too, means us no harm. How many of us have been raised with a warped view of who God really is and what His true nature is.

How close do we let Yahweh God get to us before we run off lickety split? Do we allow Him to come close to our hearts? Or do we run away, just like that rabbit?

I have to think about my own life. How close do I really allow God to get to me? I know that He is there and can come as close as He wants. However, I also know that He will not force Himself upon me.

It says in Revelation that Yeshua/Jesus is knocking on the door of our hearts. It is talking about believers...about the children of God. It is not talking about those who do not know Him. How many times has He knocked on the door of my heart and I ran from Him? Or I kept the door locked tight?

Rain, Rain, Refreshing Rain!

Hmmmm...around here, if they forecast showers, you can probably count on a deluge. However, if they forecast a deluge...you can probably count on it either being a light shower, or nothing at all, as the storm bypasses us here on the outskirts.

That is one of the difficulties with not being close to the main weather hubs. In fact, we are so "not close" that, if we use the zip code for weather, we might get one of two service areas. If we use the zip code of our town versus the town 12 miles away, it is two different weather hubs.

Needless to say, that makes planning rather difficult. Plus, when you add how much rain we seem to get here, it makes getting anything done outside even more of a struggle when you are limited to weekends and evenings to work on things. When you are needing to know if it will drop below freezing so you can wrap up the washer so the pump won't freeze and break...well...let's just say it makes life interesting!

We love the rain...ordinarily. We just wish it would only rain at our convenience! *laughing* Yeah, right! Like that is going to happen! *smile*

I love how the rain freshens the air and drops the pollen to the ground...for those allergy sufferers. Although, around here, the allergies seem to be more from the mold that tends to grow in the river valley than it is to the pollen.

I also love the green from the rain. In CA, it was often rather brown in the summer on the hillsides. The green came in winter with the rains. Where we lived there was rarely any snow, although we did get a real good snowfall at the summit one year. It was incredible. There was actually enough snow to make small snow people! Huge, soft flakes coming down.

This winter we did not really get much at all in the way of snow. Only once was there enough for sledding. There sure was lots of rain, though! And mud!

I am sitting here listening to the sound of the falling rain. What a beautiful sound! It makes me think of Yahweh's love coming down all around us...of His raining down His Ruach/Spirit to fill us and strengthen us for the tasks ahead. I will choose to trust Him to make a way for us to sort through our stuff and get things done...in spite of the persistent rain at all the wrong times!

From our little RV on the hillside...I hope that you find refreshing in your life today. I especially hope that it comes from Yahweh/God's Spirit filling you with His love and forgiveness through His Son Yeshua/Jesus!

Radical Faith & Miracles!

I want to be known for having radical faith. When I move away...or when I die...I want people to say that the two things that stood out to them about me were that I had radical faith and that I was loving. I don't, for a minute, believe I have a very good handle on either of those.

I really want to be loving, yet I know that I fall far short. My own stress levels often cause me to be oblivious to the opportunities to be loving. *sigh* I am thrilled when I have an opportunity, see it and actually act upon it. I pray for Yahweh/God to change me to be able to see more and to be able to act upon more.

As for radical faith, I want to believe even when no one around me believes...even when others say it just is not possible. I want to walk in the kind of faith that causes me to not be shaken by the things I see around me...like gas prices soaring on an already very tight budget. Nope...I want to continue to know that Yahweh is my provider and that He will make a way where there seems to be no way. I want to continue to see the miraculous ways that He does still intervene in the lives of us humans down here. I want to be known for having radical faith.

And yet, should it even be radical? I mean...seriously...shouldn't all of Yeshua's followers believe what He said, which would make it "normal" faith? If we cannot trust Yahweh/God for even one thing, can we trust Him for anything?

I know that I have to carefully study what He said. I see too many people taking a verse here and a verse there, out of context, and building whole theologies upon them. That is dangerous territory to be wandering in. Then, if the "theology" does not pan out it appears that it is Yahweh who is false rather than the teacher who is false, or incorrect, in their understanding.

There are few things that I will live and die on. Knowing Who the Creator is...well, that is one that I will live and die on. Yeshua's death AND resurrection for us...that I will live and die on. I believe Yeshua's words when He said that He is the way, the truth and the life and the only way to the Abba/Father. That is not religion talking...that is not "Christianity" talking...that is Yeshua talking...about Himself! I will live and die on that one. He said it...that settles it!

I want others to know that I love them...regardless of what they believe...regardless of whether they happen to believe the same way that I do. I also want them to know that it is because I love them that I have to tell them the truth. I cannot pretend to be something I am not...just to please them.

I live...I walk...I function...I accomplish all things in this life...for one reason only. That reason is Yahweh's Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit living within me. If it were not for Him living within me, I could not do a thing...period. It is as simple as that. There has simply been too much damage done. I have been told I am a walking miracle...and I am. I should not be alive. I should not be functioning. Yet, I am! It is solely by the grace of Yahweh...soley by the work of His Ruach/Spirit within me...soley by the work of Yeshua/Jesus in my life...that I am able to be here today, doing what I am doing. It is pretty amazing to me...very incredible!

So, here I sit in my little RV on the hillside thinking about what Yahweh has done in my life. I am feeling very grateful. I hope that you, too, have many things that you are grateful for. I hope, most of all, that you know Yahweh personally and have accepted Yeshua's free gift of forgiveness. I hope that His Ruach/Spirit dwells within you. I hope that you really KNOW how very blessed you are, regardless of your situation...regardless of your life pain...regardless of your life joys.

From us here to you there...Shalom and B'rakhot! (Wholeness, peace and blessings!)

Thunder, Rain, Goals & Privacy!

Yesterday, we had some rain. We also had some thunder...and I do mean thunder!! It was almost directly overhead. The rig even shook once or twice. It was so loud, it made me jump one time. How awesome and incredible! How powerful!

The night before it rained so hard and so much that Dave had to go into work late because he could not drive across the creek. He had meant to park on the other side and forgot. Usually, we don't hear the rain because of the insulation on the roof...but we heard it that night. Every time we woke up we heard it, so we know it rained hard and steadily.

Last night, he left the van on the other side, which turned out to be a good thing. It did not rain as hard last night as it did the night before, but it must have been raining steadily. He had to cross the creek using the tree so he could turn on the water and bring back our garbage can.

With the water leaking again, we are back on our tanks. So, Dave went and turned on the water so our son could shower and I could refill some water containers to use for flushing the toilet. Using the containers helps to make the water in the tank last longer.

It is getting warmer at night, which is so nice. I look forward to being able to take our oil heater out of the rig. Then we won't have to walk around it to get from one end of the rig to the other. In small spaces, everything that has to be left inside really impacts us one way or another.

I also need to get a plastic bin to put shoes outside in so that they are not in a box in the kitchen. In the winter we will all need to keep one pair inside or else our feet will freeze putting those frozen shoes on! In the summer, it won't be that big of a deal. But they need to be in a plastic bin with a lid so they will stay dry...and hopefully mildew free. We also need to keep the bugs out. The bugs around here tend to like me...a lot! *groan*

A lot of things are easier in the summer...when it is not raining. The rain makes life harder as we still don't have adequate protection for a lot of our things that are outside. There are quite a few things under tarps, but we found out that tarps won't keep them dry or mildew free. Between the wind, the sun and time...tarps break down pretty fast. Or water gets under them and wets everything from the bottom up. It seems like no matter how we plan, nothing goes quite right and so we have a mess on our hands.

The goal...although we hesitate to even set goals anymore...is to get the tent room up so that I can have a dry place to start sorting through the stuff that is under the tarps. I need to get rid of the bad stuff and somehow sort and either pack up or pass on the salvageable stuff.

Another very important goal, if we dare to set them, is to get the laundry room finished. There are so many areas that alone would impact. It would provide a warm dry place for storing things like seasonal clothing and become our food pantry. It would also become a haven for times when someone just needs to be alone. Since we will hardwire a phone into it, it will also provide a quiet place for phone calls, so long as no one is washing! It would also be nice for our son to have a warm, dry place to go watch a dvd or read a book or something while Dave and I have some all important privacy.

Having three of us in one small space with no real privacy has been one of the toughest things of all. It is very hard to discuss adult things when there is always another set of young ears around. And for me, the introvert who regroups in solitude, it has probably been the toughest. My two guys are extroverts and love to be very much engaged with others. I love engagement, too, but when it is constant it just drains me.

One reason setting goals is difficult is because we are always having to "put out fires". This water leak is just one example. It seems like every time we plan to get something done, something always happens...something that drains us of time, money or both. A lot of times the weather works against us, or something breaks and has to be fixed. It is hard, when it is just the three of us, to get much of anything done; although, we have actually accomplished quite a bit between the three of us. Naturally, we have gotten the most done in the shortest amount of time when we have had some help.

Yesterday, Dave worked on the trench at the far end of the meadow. It is draining fairly well, but still needs to be deeper to fully keep up with heavy rains. Thankfully, our meadow is not flooding nearly like it was, but there are still plenty of low spots we need to work with. There is another drainage gully that feeds into the meadow that still needs to be diverted. With a small bucket or backhoe we could make fairly short work of it, but we have no funds to rent one. So, it is shovels and a hoe. At least we get a good workout in the process! *smile*

Yet, we know that Yahweh/God is in control. Truth is...we have the necessities of life. We don't have what we want, but we have what we absolutely need. Yes, we have to be creative, especially in the area of privacy, but it is not impossible. It only FEELS impossible a lot of the time. Spontaneity is practically dead, although not totally. We have to work hard for what we do have...such as it is.

Yes, we have to do a lot of things that people not in this living situation don't have to do. It is quite a bit more work. But it is not impossible. Some things are a lot harder to do, like washing dishes. One thing I am really hoping I can find...and get...is a sink with no divider. I can work with it being so shallow (about 4 1/2" deep), but the divider is a real hindrance to washing big pots and pans. Even the dishes don't lay flat in the sink. Water constantly goes all over the counter, too, if you are not real careful...due to the divider and the shallowness of the sink. We have looked at the plumbing beneath. We could only add another inch or two, at most, to the depth of the sink...if I can find and afford one.

We also have to trust Him that my PTSD won't get to be too much in this situation. Right now, I do feel pretty overwhelmed. That means that I really have to look at all that I am doing and pare down even more. I have to get things down to a manageable level. Such is life. It is hard, but not impossible.

It says in God's Word that we have been given everything pertaining to life and godliness. I have to admit that there are times when I am tempted to disbelieve that. Yet, I know that God does not lie. If it feels like we do not have what we really need, then it is our own perceptions that are off...not God.

I have trusted Him. I will continue to trust and love Him...no matter what happens. That does not mean, however, that I will always be a "happy camper"...or that I will not struggle. Pain is still pain. Hassles are still hassles. It is more a matter of not letting the pain and the hassles rob me of the deep inner joy and peace that I have in Yeshua/Jesus.

Well...I have a lot to do today and a sick son to care for. These are my thoughts for now from our Little RV on the Hillside!

I hope that all reading this is having a very blessed day. I know that I intend to!

Leaky Hoses & Water Pumps!

Well, we found our minor leak, which turned out to be not quite as minor as we thought. It was in our water hose going into the rig. One end actually had a slow spray, but it was covered with insulating foam. We also found an occasional drop or two from our water pressure regulator that is between that hose and the water pipe. The hose is now replaced with one of those braided steel hoses. At 2500 pounds of pressure capability, I don't think we are going to have to be concerned about the hose splitting or spraying or anything else...only freezing!

The pressure regulator drip is VERY slow...an occasional drop or two. When we get the chance, we need to get a big regulator and put it at the meter so that there is not so much pressure on the regulator by the rig. That might even stop the occasional drop we now see. If not, we do have another regulator somewhere. The water pressure is so high here that we have actually had pressure regulators by the rig explode...literally! We need to check the water meter again to make sure it does not still show a leak.

Today, I call the water company to see what the new bill is likely to be. They came out at the end of last week to get another reading after the major leak was fixed. Then, I also get to call our county trustee and find out just what it is that trustees do! Since I was told they sometimes have funds to help people out with emergencies, I figured I would ask for help with the water bill. Our electric bill is also high because the remote reading portion of our previous meter did not work. So, they estimated our electricity and fell way short. When they put the new meter in, they did a manual read on the old one and yikes! So, maybe we can get help with that, too.

Thankfully, both companies are willing to work out payments with us. However, when you already live so close to the paycheck, that can get a bit tricky, especially trying to work out payments with TWO utilities at the same time. Of course, our electric bill should hopefully be going down with the warmer weather on the way...that is, if the weather would please get here and STAY here! It has snowed twice in the last few days, not sticking, of course! If we use less electricity, then the added amount to help pay for the current bill may not hit us so hard!

Yahweh/God HAS taken care of us. He has not provided what we have wanted...which is actually probably a good thing in many cases...but He has gotten us through many things. We have not been wanting for food, clothing or shelter, although we have not been very comfortable many times in that shelter! *smile* He has made us use our creativity a LOT!

We would also not have known about the water leak at all if we had not gotten a higher bill that I called the water company about. The way the meters are read, it could have been a bill for up to a month and a half, which would have made sense. They insisted on sending someone down to check the meter reading and I thank Yahweh they did! The leak could have all been on one bill and it would have been even worse because we still would not even know we had a leak! He IS watching out for us. I truly believe that!

We have also grown in ways that we just would not have grown. That is something that, looking back, we would not trade. We have changed...in good ways! We still struggle with some things, but we just keep working on whatever we can do to make it better. Some of it is simply going to require either a miracle or acceptance and being content to do without...to accept what is. There is nothing wrong with acceptance and being content; however, there is also nothing wrong with continuing to hope for the miracle!

Today is laundry day. Hopefully, our hose to the laundry room is not frozen. We are also concerned about our water pump in the washer. We had a few really cold nights when we did not get the washer all wrapped up. I will be SO glad when/if we finally get the laundry room finished! Then all we will have to do is keep a little heater in there to keep it above freezing and pray for no power outages. Hopefully, the water pump is fine. I will find out today.

I also get to dump the black water tank again. Woohoo! Oh, such fun! NOT! *laughing* I am SO grateful to have a black water tank to dump...seriously! What if our rig had not had a bathroom? Where would we be now? Well, obviously, Yahweh would have had to provide another way! Outhouse, maybe? *smile*

Well, it is another day here at the Little RV on the Hillside! The sun is shining here upon us. I hope that YOUR day also has sun shining...both physically and also mentally, emotionally and spiritually! Trust your spiritual wellbeing to Yeshua/Jesus. He will NEVER leave you or forsake you!