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.

Sickness, Healing & Yahweh's Goodness!

Well, I felt really good on Monday. I was up very early and had energy all day long. There was still a little bit of a cough, but nothing bad. Tuesday, however, was a different story. I dragged myself out of bed around 10:30 and did not feel well. I was coughing, so I ended up taking a Claritin. The Zygal the doc gave me did not work, but I think the Claritin may have...so far as the cough anyway. It can be hard to tell.

Today, I am feeling better again...not 100%, but better than yesterday. I hope this will eventually go away for good. I hate the thought of being allergic to where I live. :P

I have been getting more into God's Word again, lately. That is a good thing. I always do much better, all the way around, when I am spending time in it...and with Him. Yahweh has been good to me. He has helped me to survive many things and has done much healing in my life. I look forward to His doing more!

I am so very blessed. This land is beautiful. I have a good marriage. We are all fairly healthy. We have the freedom in this country to worship Yahweh openly...for now.

From our little RV on the hillside to you in your home, I hope you are able to recognize your blessings and freedom!

Motorcycle Flat!

Well, Dave got a flat on his way home from work on Friday. Thankfully, it was pretty close to home. His rear tire went flat. He had to sort of "power walk" it the rest of the way home.

He picked up a screw. Why there was a screw on the road, who knows? We have had van flats, too, from screws.

Over the weekend, he got the back tire off. His back brake had started to scrape a bit, too, so this provided an opportunity to look at that, too. It is way too early for his brake to be so worn, so we don't know what would make it wear so fast. The pads are pretty much gone and even the rotor may need to be replaced. We hope not.



His motorcycle is so low that Elias had to get big rocks to put under it to get it high enough to get the jack under it.










The front wheel is braced with rocks to keep the front tire from turning.




The poor guys were working in the sun. He did not think about moving it into the shade first! So, I took pity on them. While Dave went up to the RV for a minute, I had Elias help me rig something up to provide shade. Dave helped us finish it up when he came back down.

There was actually a bit of a breeze, but you couldn't appreciate it when in the direct sun.



He is taking the wheel into a local shop so that it can be balanced. The tire is not that worn, so we are hoping the bead was not damaged and that we can save it. We are also hoping that the rotor is OK. He is not so sure.

With gas prices, we are dependent upon his taking his bike to work. Yet, if we need a new tire and rotor, this is going to wipe us out. Actually, I don't know how much a rotor is. I am hoping we have enough to get another one, if it is needed. Any way you look at it, Yahweh God will provide.

Of course, right now, it would sure be nice if He provided for me to get MY bike fixed. I miss riding, plus the three of us can take two bikes cheaper than we can take the van anywhere. Besides, the bikes are a whole lot more FUN!!!

It also would not hurt to have a back up bike when things like this happen. Although, Dave on a Virago 535 looks a bit odd. He really needs a bigger bike than that!

A Little Note & an Answer to Prayer!

I debated on whether or not to put this on here, but I decided to go ahead, while keeping the names of the others involved private.

Awhile back, Dave cried out to the Lord on his way to work. Sometimes our living situation and our inability to make any real headway causes us to fight discouragement. He asked for God to show him something that indicated His love for us.

That day someone gave him a sealed envelope. Later, when he got a chance to open it, he found a check and note. On the note was written the following message. The emphasis is theirs.

"Dave and Abigail, it was put on our hearts to do this. We are trusting it was God's leading and that you will be encouraged and give Him praise for He loves you and desires to show you. He will provide."

When he read it, he was floored. He wanted to thank them and tell them how timely it was, but he could not get hold of them. Later that evening, he "happened" to bump into them at the grocery store. They told him that it was something that God put on their hearts to do that morning. Do you want to know what time it was???? It was right about the same time Dave was praying! They had NO way of knowing what he was praying in that moment, or that he so needed the encouragement.

Yahweh God does hear our heart when we cry out to Him. He does love us. He actually shows us His love in a million different ways, every day, if we will just open our hearts to see it. Sometimes, though, we really need something a little more blatant. Dave asked for it...and he got it.

I hope this encourages someone else today!

Bible Translations & Healthy Eating!

I just had to share this link with you all. It is the most common sense thing I have read about bible translations in a long time.

Bible Translations

Personally, although I do have my favorites (typically ones that use the Hebrew names in them), I like to read from several different ones. I like the different ways that things are worded. It sometimes helps me to understand more deeply what is written.

Of course, the best translation in the world won't do you any good if you don't read it! I hope you have one and are reading it. If you don't understand what you are reading, find one that you can! Ask a pastor for help. Find someone who does understand who can help you and who can answer your questions.

We must feed our bodies with good food and exercise them to be healthy and strong. In the same way, we must feed our spirits and minds with good "food" and exercise them to help them be healthy and strong in our faith and in our heart connection with our heavenly Abba/Father.

I confess that I don't read it nearly as much as I probably should. No, I don't think there is a set amount of time that should be spent on it. However, I notice another corollary to the physical body. If I don't eat, I start to grow weak and I don't feel well. If I don't read my bible...if I don't feed my spirit and soul from Yahweh God's Word...my faith starts to grow weak and I don't feel very well in my spirit and soul.

I also need to spend time listening as I read it...listening to what the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit is telling me through His Written Word. I also need to listen to what He is telling me from His Spirit to mine throughout the day, even when I am not reading. Building and strengthening that heart connection is so key to my walk through this life. It is key to my faith. It is key to the love between Yahweh and me.

The Forever Creek Crossing & Stuff!

Lately, Dave has been working on the creek crossing. It is hard without a backhoe of some sort. He has to manually dig it out. Of course, all it takes is one good, hard rain and a lot of work is washed away. I really feel for him. He keeps trying to get something done, but no matter how hard he tries, something always prevents it from getting done. I know that he is frustrated. It seems like he will never get it all done. It would be nice to be able to drive up to our RV, especially when there is rain and lightning!

A friend of ours went to visit Jamestown. He said that it didn't look like pioneering would really be all that bad. We agreed with him...IF you did not ALSO have to work away from home five days a week. The pioneers had all day every day to build what they needed. If Dave had that, he could get a lot done.

He really only has one day a week to work on anything. With an hour commute each way, he does not have much time left in the evenings, even if he has the energy. When he has to work late, which happens quite a bit, it cuts into that little bit of evening time. When he has to work some Saturdays, well, that is gone, too!

I wonder how much of what we do in this life is futile. How much do we focus on the temporal things of this world and miss what is really important. This life is just a temporary state. The eternal, the permanent, is yet to come. The really important, the spiritual, goes way beyond what we can see and experience here in this life.

We do not want to be tied down to things. We made the mistake of bringing a lot of stuff out here with us. We should have left it behind. Now, we are weeding through our stuff to get rid of everything we can. That is very OK with me. I don't require much.

The one thing I really would like to have is a room built off of the RV. It would be nice to have a bedroom and some privacy. However, Yahweh God has gotten us this far with three of us in this tiny RV. He will continue to do so. It has been over two and a half years.

We choose to keep trusting Him and loving Him, knowing that we do not do so in vain. He is trustworthy, regardless of the struggles we have. He never promised that all things would work out for us. What He promised is eternal life with Him, a cross and to never leave us or forsake us.

Musings on Music!

I have been thinking about music more lately, especially after accidentally discovering some old songs on the internet that I used to listen to. My musical tastes are pretty broad. There are some styles of music I don't like, but not many. Of course, some of the styles that I don't like I am not sure that I would even put in the category of music. *smile* However, that is a discussion for another day.

Today's music is definitely unlike the some of the older stuff. I look at classical and how indepth it is with all the layers upon layers of notes and instrumentations. What we mostly seem to have today is very simple by comparison. Yet, even in its simplicity, it can move the heart and carry us away beyond this mere earth.

I have shared a video about Keith Green. His music has always touched my heart deeply. It has challenge me, convicted me and motivated me. What I want to share with you today, however, is from a different focus.

There was a time in my life where I was barely surviving. Only my closest friends knew anything about it...and even they knew only the surface of what was really going on. To everyone else I tried to put on a brave face. It is nothing short of a miracle of Yahweh God that I survived.

During that period, music really helped to get me through...music I listened to, music I sang, music I wrote, music I played. Within that music, there were some key songs that really spoke to my heart...songs that I clung to...songs that gave me hope. They helped me to get through day by day. This is one of them.

I am putting up two versions. One is a live recording. The other is a video someone made using the recorded version. When I hear this song it takes me back to another time and tears come to my eyes for He has brought me from that place.

For those who recognize the name of the band and think...oh, way too rocky...let me tell you that this is one of their mellow songs.

You can either follow the links, or listen/watch here.
White Heart - Desert Rose Live



Desert Rose off album with video



Desert Rose lyrics

Birds on the Wing & Beauty in Ugliness!

These were a bit difficult to capture and are not the best, but I thought others might enjoy them anyway. If you click on the pictures they will enlarge. Your back space will take you back to the blog. The one large bird we most see on the wing here is the Turkey Vulture.

Now, the Turkey Vulture is one pretty ugly bird...although there may be some who disagree. It is very ungainly...and not very smart, either.

Here is a link to see what they look like.
http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/turkey-vulture.html

When they are on the wing, though, they are absolutely beautiful! They are so graceful. I keep hoping to see some close enough to get better pics. They sometimes just look like they are floating on air.















I find it interesting that something so ungainly, so unattractive can be so beautiful when it is lifted up in the air.

Isn't that a lot like people? Some people are very unattractive in their physical appearance. They are very ungainly in their personalities, or they lack social graces. Yet, when they are lifted up on the Holy Spirit and moving in His grace, they are very beautiful.

We tend to look on the outward appearance; but Yahweh God sees the heart. We need to ask Him for His eyes so that we can see the hearts of people, rather than the outward appearance only.

He makes all things beautiful. ALL things. There is no one who is ugly or ungainly in His eyes. He delights in using the very people that the world looks down on to do some of His greatest work!

Oh, if we would only have the hearts and eyes to see it! I hope that you have eyes to see the beauty in the people around you...no matter how unattractive or ungainly they may look on the outside.

Home Birth & Life Decisions!

My grandson was born at home. My middle son (his uncle) was, too. It was the easiest and best birth of the three I had. I wanted my first one at home, but got talked out of it. With my last one, we could not afford it and I was much older. My hospital experience with the first was not good...for him or me. With the last one it was pretty good. Things had really changed over the course of 19 years!

One thing I regret with both my first and last was them breaking my water. That threw me into hard labor...fast. My labor with my middle son was barely noticeable. Well, that is a bit of an understatement, but it was NOTHING like the other two. In fact, the first stage of labor I barely felt at all. The second stage was not very long at all before he came out. It was difficult getting him out, but the whole thing overall was very manageable, unlike the other two.

If I had remembered the first one, I would not have opted for breaking water with the last one. The thing is, my doctor had to go out of town for one day. I was afraid that would be the day I went into labor and I did NOT want some doctor I had no relationship with to attend the birth of my son. So, I opted to go in and have labor induced. I had a choice between Friday and Monday. I opted for Friday. I have wondered, if I had opted for Monday instead, if I might have gone into labor naturally. Oh, well. No way to tell now.

There can be many decisions we make in life that we later question. Would it have made a difference? I don't know. It really does not matter now. He is here and he is healthy!

There is one decision, though, that I have made that I do not wonder about. That is the decision to serve Yahweh God. Although I have struggled with doubts now and then, it has always been shortlived. I have never regretted choosing to love and serve Him...choosing to be adopted into His family. He has proven Himself faithful to me over and over, even when I could not see it at the time. He has brought me through some really tough things in life...things I just could not have survived without His help.

Yep, I think home birth, if you can do it, is great. I also think spiritual birth into Yahweh's family is great. With natural birth, we cannot always plan the day or time or place; but with spiritual birth, it can be whenever and wherever you choose, so long as it is before death.

From our little RV on the Hillside to you wherever you are...I hope that you are a part of Yahweh's family. If you are not, I hope that you will give it serious consideration. The blessings that come in that relationship are incredible. His love is incomparable.

The flip side of that love is His judgment. Because of His great love for us He cannot allow the wrong things we do to go unpunished...and all of us have done wrong things. That is why He sent His Son, Yeshua, to take that punishment for those who come into His family. If you accept Yahweh and His Son, you will be a part of His family forever...into eternity.

Think about it...seriously...won't you? He loves you so much and wants you in His family. It does not matter who you are or what you have done. If you want to accept Him as your Creator and the Lord of your life, He is ready with open arms for you.

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?

Major Storm & Driveway Washout

I have so many thoughts in my head to share. Our trip was pretty much a whirlwind one. We are still trying to readjust to the time zone difference.

Right before we left there was a good sized storm. It made our driveway a little bit rough, but we held up fairly well over all.

Right after we got back, though, we had another major storm. It was a downpour for hours. We could barely see across our little meadow because of all the water in the air. We had a gully at the end of our meadow to try and divert the water from the hillside to the creek, but we ended up with a mini river going through our meadow of about 4-6 feet across.

We thought the storm before we left dropped more rain than we had seen in our time here, but this second one was even more rain. Or at least, more in a such a short period of time.

Unfortunately, the neighbors' hillside also drains into our meadow, along with our hillside. This was SO much water, though, that it appears that their creek crossing might have plugged up. Most creek crossings are built lower so that, if it plugs up, the water runs over the top. Theirs is built level to the ground. So, if theirs plugs up it does not just go over the top, it goes to the side, too, onto the property. After it goes across theirs, it can go onto ours. We heard them working with a terramite, so hopefully, they are working on diverting the water back into the creek so it won't come across to our side.

There was a storm not long after their crossing was built where the water ran over like that. Some of it went back down into the creek just on the other side of the crossing and some of it went across their property and onto ours. We really need to dig a deeper trench in the end of the meadow to try and divert the water from the hillsides, plus any other water coming in, back into the creek. But that takes either a lot of man hours and labor...or a small backhoe. We are short on time, energy and money. There is only so much a couple in their fifties and an eleven year old boy can do.

The river of water running through our meadow really messed up our driveway. The water was running with such force that it washed away the gravel and left the bigger rocks beneath exposed at all kinds of angles. There are two sections that are not driveable right now. Plus, there are other sections where we got gullies that need to be filled in.

The water going through the creek was so hard that it washed a large concrete block, plus some bigger rocks cemented together, into the trench Dave had dug in the creek. He and Elias managed to get the concrete and the rocks back out using leverage.

I have pictures, but we left our camera cable back in California. Dave's mom mailed it back to us yesterday. I will get all kinds of pics up once we get it back.

Some of the gravel from one washed out area is still in our driveway. But the gravel from the other is washed away down the creek. These two areas of washout are areas that were packed solid and hard. There was almost no loose gravel on them at all before the storm. The driveway is so bad that, if we had been able to cross the creek and park on this side, we would not be able to drive back out. Not without risking some damage to the van. *sigh*

It is very discouraging when, every time we make any kind of progress, something happens - usually weather related - that sets us back again. My advice to anyone who wants to tackle this lifestyle...make sure you have enough money to get yourself set up to at least a certain minimum.

We did not really have much choice about whether to live this way. However, we have learned SO much in the process. I would still like to semi-pioneer some day. BUT, I want to start off with a small cabin and finished driveway! We bought supplies for a workshop when we moved onto the land, but the weather never let us build it. Now, we are not even sure how good any of the supplies are. They have been out in the weather for almost two years. We protected them as best as we could, given the weather here.

God is leading us on a journey. I am sitting here smiling. Go figure! He knows what we need and where we need to be refined. Even though the lessons learned here have been hard, we would not trade them away.

We are looking at what we can do to better our situation. It could mean a move off the land. We are not sure. Living this way temporarily is one thing...but at this point...it appears to be permanent. Dave has not had a raise since the major layoff. Gas prices are going up. We are still in our little RV with no room off the side. The laundry room is unfinished because other things keep happening to divert us from it, including the weather and driveway.

It will be interesting to see what God does...and how He does it. Some things I know...Yahweh/God is in control. He loves us. He cares about details we don't even see...in addition to the mountains we do see looming over us. We can trust Him. He will never leave us or forsake us. He has a purpose in allowing us to go through all of this and He will use it for good. These are all things I know are true!

From our little RV on the hillside to you in your home...I hope that you, too, are trusting Him to lead and guide you. He is the only One who knows the future...the only One who holds it in His hands. He helped me to survive things I never could have survived without Him. He is trustworthy. He has a plan.

Weathering Storms & Blocked Hearts!

We are so grateful that our pipe stayed firmly in place...in spite of the tremendous amount of pressure hitting against it. All of Dave's preparation really paid off.

When he looked at our driveway, he figured that it must have been the hardest rain we have had since we moved here. Our driveway had been firmly packed down. Yet, it was dug up quite a bit by the water running down the hill and down the driveway. It is not bad, although it is pretty rough, especially compared to what it was before.

It can be like that in our spiritual lives, too. If our spiritual lives are firmly in place on the rock of Yeshua/Jesus, we will be able to weather the storms of life. Oh, we might get beat up a bit and our openings/hearts may get plugged up a bit...but Yahweh/God will clear the stuff out of our lives that blocks Him from having free flowing access through us...if we let Him.

I know that I simply could not do life without Him. I don't consider that to be a negative thing. I think of myself as being enveloped in His love.

From our little RV on the hillside to you in your home, wherever it may be...I hope that your spirits are free in Him and that His Spirit flows freely through you.

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!)

Another Beautiful Day & Trusting Yahweh!

It rained last night and today is dawning cooler than the last couple of days. We awoke to hear the sounds of so many different kinds of birds. It is amazing! We are surrounded by so much life!

We have been talking about what we need to try to accomplish today. There are so many things that it becomes hard to know how to prioritize. Since gas is a huge issue right now, Dave is going to check out his motorcycle and see if it is ready to start riding. Then he needs to build something to get it across the creek since the creek crossing is not done yet.

We have a meadow that was bush-hogged for us a while back, but it is almost getting too high to mow now. So, he also needs to get our mower going so he can at least do the section where we have some things.

I tend to doubt that we will get much more done outside since it may take a while for him to build something strong enough to ride the motorcycle across. He is thinking that, if he can finish one side of the creek crossing today, he will only have to build something to go across the other side. Right now, there are two trenches going through the creek.

I am going to work on getting the blue insulation sheets out of the rv. We had put them down on some of the floor area to help keep the heat in. They are now thoroughly torn up from walking on them and it is time to rip them out and vacuum really good so we can spray for ants and other bugs inside. Dave also needs to spray outside. We have seen ticks up close to the RV, even though we don't have any brush close by. I wonder if they are living in the bales. Which is another thing we need to do...sort the bad bales out and get rid of them. Then we need to make sure the good bales are neatly restacked. They got a bit scattered with the digging for the leaks. But that will have to be for another day.

And the list goes on. An unfinished laundry room. A hill that is sliding. A space that needs to be cleared out for a garage type tent to be put up. Mildewing stuff under tarps that need to be sorted out in that tent so we can get rid of the bad stuff and store the good stuff in the upper floor of the laundry room. A leaky RV roof and a need to have a regular roof built over it. And on it goes.

When I opened my email this morning I found this quote:

Everything does not depend upon us nor on man. We do what God requires of us and leave the outcome to Him. We live by this faith. The more faithfully we live by this faith, the less our anxiety.
-- Romans and Galatians by R.J. Rushdoony

It was followed by the following scripture:

Matthew 6:25-26
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

As usual, Yahweh sends me just what I need to be reminded of. The tendency to look to man or to ourselves for our provision is a very human one. However, that is not what Yahweh wants. He wants us to look to Him and to trust Him for whatever we need.

In our situation, it is something we need to keep addressing. There is always that balance of making sure we are doing what God requires of us and then trusting Him for the outcome. This life is a passing thing...so quickly gone in the light of eternity. Are we trying to build a kingdom here in this life? Or are we learning to be content with what God has provided?

That is not saying that we should not have goals and work for things. However, are the goals we set the right ones? How do we know? I need to be diligent about training my heart to hear His voice...to listen to what He is saying is for ME to do. Then I must be diligent to do it.

It is wise to recognize needs and then to work for them...as best we can. I think that is the key..."as best we can". We must do what we can and trust God for the outcome. We must do what we can to take care of the things of life and then let it go. There are times when we simply cannot do what needs to be done...we need help. Again, we must trust Yahweh that He will bring the ones alongside of us that we need to have. If He is not bringing anyone, then we must learn to be content with that. It is about trusting Him and His love for us.

That is huge. It is much easier said than done. I am not going to pretend that I have it down. This I know...none of us could have lived in our tiny space this long without His grace working through us. It is just not in us to do this. Yahweh is providing us the ability to keep our "sanity"!

We must live one day at a time. We cannot look too far ahead or we will be overwhelmed. On the other hand, we NEED to look ahead. We are hoping that our setup will be better for winter by the time winter comes. That means we must start on it now. We must always be working on it in one way or another. One of the hard things about that is that it means we don't have much of a social life. We need to take advantage of every opportunity to get those minimal things done to help us make it in this living environment.

This scripture is one we really need to focus on.

Moaning and Groaning!

Well, what we thought was a pulled muscle in Dave's back just might be a broken rib. He went to the doctor yesterday because it was getting a lot worse. He has had broken ribs in the past, and this feels just like one. However, how he would have gotten it is a complete puzzle. He did not fall. He does not remember being hit with anything.

Normally, they don't bother to confirm a broken rib because there really isn't anything they can do about it. They treat it just like a pulled muscle. In this case, however, because there is no clear event to cause it, the doctor wants him to go down this morning and get an x-ray to confirm it. The doctor cannot think of any reason for this to happen. It concerns me that he might have a broken rib with no obvious way of it getting there.

So for those of you who pray...prayers are appreciated. I am placing Dave into Yahweh's hands...the best hands to place him. Of course, that is not the only thing I need to place in His hands. Clearly, not only does this interfere with work, but also with his ability to get anything done here. The creek crossing is being worked on, so we cannot drive our van across it. There is much to do around here that only Dave can do. So, that just means that Yahweh will have to provide in a greater way.

I know that He will not ignore us. He loves us and wants us to have what we need. Sometimes, though, it gets difficult to discern what we need versus what we want. Do we need a big room off to the side so that we can separate our sleeping quarters from our living quarters? It would sure make a HUGE difference in what I am able to do and how I am able to do it. Yet, here we are...without it. We have survived it. So, technically...do we really NEED it?

I feel very stretched by our living situation. We all do, actually. When we moved the RV here I had this picture in my mind of open space, everything in the box, building a workshop with a small apartment at one end and everything becoming accessible. What I ended up with was radically different from that. I have worked very hard to adjust to what is, but there are times when it does feel like it is starting to get the best of me.

The weather has really wreaked a lot of havoc on us. We have never seen it rain so much...and usually on the weekends when Dave was off work. On the weekends when he worked it was typically nice and dry. I have actually seen him plan on taking days off when the weather was supposed to be clear and then have it rain for most of those days. It sometimes feels as if we are intentionally being thwarted. Our faith is definitely being tested. There is no doubt in that. In spite of all we have not been able to finish, or in some cases even start, Yahweh has gotten us through it. We have made it through three winters in our RV now.

Our experiences have taught us a lot. In fact, it was Dave's having to keep repairing the creek crossing every time it rained hard or long (which seemed to be almost all the time) that made him decide that he needed to work on that first. Every time he had to work on that crossing, it took time away from the other things he could have been working on. Plus, if we ever do have to sell the land, the creek crossing will make it more valuable. Although, with the price of gas, the property values around here are not likely to go up. We are too far away from everything.

It sure would be nice to have access to a Terramite, or some other small earth mover. We could get weeks worth of work done in a day or two. But they are expensive to rent...not in our budget at this point. Although it takes a lot longer when you have to do things by hand, on the upside...it helps to get one's body in shape!

We have had to alter our plans many times, but nothing seems to work out the way we hope. So, maybe our plans are not Yahweh's plans? It would seem so. Maybe we are just not supposed to get a room built? Maybe we are not supposed to get the laundry room finished so that I can get some clothes and things out of the box? I really miss my dresses and jumpers. Maybe I am not supposed to have access to the curriculum that I know I have but cannot find? Perhap, we are not supposed to have the privacy for communication and adult things that I so miss because our son is always around, especially in the winter and at night all year long? I so miss Dave and I being able to talk after we get into bed.

At this point, I am even becoming more open to renting some place closer to Dave's work, but seeing as how we do not have the income level to afford that, it really is a moot openness. Besides, if we rented something somewhere else, how would we get anything done here? We would be too far away. No, it seems like our only option at this point is to just stay here.

I have many questions for which I have no answers. But this I know. I am Yahweh's. He does not promise a life of ease and luxury, despite what some false teachers would have us believe. That is NOT what Yahweh says in His word. Maybe they use a different bible? My bible says that we will have trials and tribulations. It says the rain falls on the good and the bad and the sun shines on the good and bad. It also says to count it as joy when we encounter these difficult things for God is doing good things through it.

So, that is my choice. As best as I am able, until my final breath on this planet, I will praise Yahweh. I will do my best to rejoice in these trials, knowing that He is doing something with them that is causing me to grow. Even when I feel overwhelmed and unsure of how I will take my next step, I will praise Him and I will love Him. What can this life be compared to an eternity in darkness? This life is short...although it seems long.

From our little RV on the Hillside...I hope that you are able to see Yahweh's provisions in your life today.

Nature & Yahweh's Signature!

This morning, a female cardinal flew up to our window twice, as if trying to get in. She did not hit the window, but definitely flew next to it for a few seconds and really looked as if she was trying to get in. I wonder if she saw a reflection on the glass? The only lights on inside at the time were the Christmas lights that I keep strung around the inside for "mood" lighting. It was really kind of awesome to see her so close!

The other day, when we were coming home, we saw six does in a meadow not far from us. I so enjoy seeing the deer. More and more we have spotted them, even in our own meadow at times. Boy, do I miss my camera!

I was down at the creek looking in the water on Saturday and saw all kinds of tiny critters. One looks almost like a very light colored water version of what we always called "roly poly" bugs when we were children. It is the bug that, when you touch it, rolls into a ball. I think some people call them "pill" bugs. Well, this looks like a water version of that, although I did not touch one to see if it would roll up.

I remember, when we lived in the next state from here a few years when I was growing up, that there were leeches in the creek by us. So, I have been keeping my eyes open for any here in our little creek. So far, I had seen none. However, the other day I saw these tiny little black things about an inch long or so. I am wondering if they are baby leeches. If you touch them, they suddenly shrink in length and get wider, taking on the appearance of a flat disc and losing their appearance of being a long thin creature. I sure don't remember the leeches of my childhood doing that. We used to pick them up from the back of their "necks" and look at their sucking mouths on the other sides. These are too small to pick up.

Another kind of critter I saw were tiny snails. I had no idea we had water snails in our creek. I did know about the tadpoles, however. They are back. Dave had turned over a rock about a week ago and on the bottom were all these tadpoles in their egg sacks. It was amazing! *groan* I need another camera!!! The other day we saw a "big" frog, too, probably about 2 to 3 inches in "diameter" as it sat there in the water. Maybe it was the mama to some of the polywogs.

Hmmm...I wonder. Are we like that female cardinal, trying to get into places that really are not good for us to get into? Or are we staying in the places that our Creater...Yahweh...designed for us to be? The world inside this RV is no place for a bird, especially a wild bird. As followers of Yeshua, are we trying to get into places that we, too, are not designed to get into?

Like "roly poly" bugs, do we curl up in a ball when others try to touch us, shutting them and all the world out? That can be easy to do. If we do not allow others to penetrate our little "ball", what blessings could we be missing out on?

Leeches are known for their sucking. Do we give life to others? Or are we sucking the life out of others? Are we investing in? Or taking out? Life is to be a balance of each of us giving and each of us receiving. Sometimes that happens at the same time. Sometimes it happens separately, in seasons. Are we doing both? Are we open to giving whatever it is we have to give that might help another? Are we open to receiving from another instead of trying to be so self-sufficient that we close ourselves off from receiving what Yahweh intends for us to have?

Polywogs. What a transformation they go through! Are we allowing the Ruach HaKodesh...the Holy Spirit of God...to transform us? The Bible says that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We need to be thinking the right things in order to be transformed...and only Yahweh's Ruach can show us through His Word what those right things are. Does the world see a transformed people, or do they see us as being just like everyone else? Do they see a difference in us? A difference that following Yeshua has made?

When I think of snails I think of their shells. Yeshua/Jesus left His home in heaven and took on our form. In a sense, He took a human body as a "shell" to house His divinity. In a way that I do not pretend to understand, He became fully human while retaining His full divinity...His Godness. He never stopped being fully God. How difficult that must have been for Him to take on our mere form for that time. How much He must love us to be willing to do even that much, let alone what it all led to. Wow!

There are many spiritual parallels to be seen in Yahweh's creation, if we will open our eyes to see, Yahweh's signature is written all over the universe in so many ways.

From our little RV on the hillside, I hope that your eyes are opened today to see His magnificence...to see the signature of the real Artist of all there is!

Leaks...Ugh!!!

Well, we found out how much we are leaking. We knew the leak was between the RV hookup and the water meter. So, we turned off the water to the RV and ran off the water tanks. Dave read the water meter on his way to work. About 21.5 hours later we read it again and turned the water back on to the RV. We had lost 80 gallons. So, we figure we are losing about 100 gallons every 24 hour period. That is no small loss. Yes...it is smaller than the other leak...but not small. It is about 3000 gallons every month.

Tomorrow we will call the contractor and let him know. He definitely needs to come out and find it. We also need some dry days. It would sure make it easier to find the leak.

I cannot believe that I am sitting here smiling. I guess that just goes to show how deeply the Shalom/peace of Yahweh can run. Not that I am always so peaceful inside; but boy does it feel good when I am!

From our little RV on the hillside to wherever you are...may your home be blessed and your pipes never leak!

The Gifts of Yahweh/God!

It says in the Bible that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights. I was thinking of that today.

Yahweh/God gives us gifts in so many ways. I like to think of every good thing that happens, or that comes my way, as being a gift from Him to me. A love gift. He uses many different means for delivering these gifts.

It could be a smile on someone's face that brightens my day.
It could be the sun shining in a clear blue sky.
It could be gentle breezes that blow on a hot day.
It could be the beauty of pure white snow covering the meadow.
It could be people reaching out to include a mother and son who feel very isolated.
It could be a ladybug on my curtain inside the RV.
It could be the blessing of people who simply express that they care.
It could be a phone call, or email, or post from a friend.
It could be warm place on a cold day.
It could be a cool place on a hot day!
It could be a laundry room.
It could be a hand outstretched in welcome.
It could be a prayer from someone.
It could be a surprise tax return.

So many things are gifts. So many delivery methods. All from our Abba/Father.

Thank You, Abba, for Your many gifts. Please bless each and every person who comes to read here. Help them to see the many gifts that You bring to them. Most of all...may they see the gift of Yeshua/Jesus. Amen and amen!

Creek Crossing and a Wet Camera!

Well, Dave has been working on our creek crossing...the drive through portion. One thing that makes is hard to accomplish what we need to do around here is that he has to keep fixing the crossing after every long or heavy rain. And boy, around here...it has been raining a LOT!

He is trying to get some concrete on the two sides that get washed out the worst. Eventually, he wants to get the whole thing slurried. Then there won't be any loose rocks to drive over or get pushed aside by the heavy flow of water.

I was out taking pictures of the work and of the various ways the water was flowing over the rocks. After seeing some online friends' photos posted, I was starting to get some ideas of pictures I could take for artistic purposes. In my mind, I was thinking about what I could look for and how to do it.

Well...there was an angle of flowing water that my son wanted to get a picture of. Since he had his mudders on and I did not, I handed him the camera. He was very careful to put the wrist strap on so he could not accidently drop it in the water. However, in the handoff back to me, I did not get a good enough grip and when I went to regrip he, he let go thinking I had a good grip. It was not his fault. If anything, it was more mine. The camera fell in the water.

I shook all the water out of it that I could...which was not that much, considering. So far, it appears that the camera is dead. I left it "open" for about a day after drying it as best I could with Q-tips, etc. I waited until the tiny droplets I had seen inside the eyepiece and the LED mode readout. (Dave told me that is what they are called! LOL!)

Well...all things are either caused by Yahweh, or allowed by Yahweh. I am sure that He will bring good out of this...somehow. I will choose to leave it to Him. You know, there was a time when I probably would have gotten angry and somehow blamed my son. But I did not. I honestly did not let it bother me. Yes...I miss it. Yes, I am praying for God to touch my camera and "heal" it or somehow bring me another one. But if He does neither? I will love Him anyway and just be patient.

It is disappointing. It means I can also no longer take pictures of our land and our RV and the things we are doing. It also means that I cannot take pictures to use for collages and other artwork. Bummer! Oh, well. We will see what happens.

In the meantime, we will live one day at a time, rejoicing in Him and enjoying our many blessings.

From our little RV on the hillside to you in your home, wherever and whatever it may be...we wish you Shalom...Yahweh's wholeness and peace.