Chats on the FarmHouse Porch (#33)

Hey there everyone, I have been posting so many photos lately that I have neglected some of the other link-ups I love to do. This post I am linking up with Patrice over at Everyday Ruralty for her famous "Chats on the Farmhouse Porch"

Today was beautiful! It was almost warm enough to sit out in the full sun on the deck, but I would probably welcome you to sit in my living room with the fireplace going....and we could chat about this weeks questions:

QUESTIONS

1. Tell me a fond memory of an elderly person?
2. What's your favorite flavor of jam or jelly?
3. What goes through your mind when you drive by one of those whopping, huge houses that look like something in a magazine?
4. What's your favorite way to relax?
5. What's your favorite kind of pasta?

My answers:

1. I would answer this one by talking about my Gram and Grandpa. I love remembering how my Grandpa would take me out for breakfast and eat all the things that Grandma removed from his diet....He would say "Now Ali, we don't  need to mention to Gram what I am ordering this morning, this is OUR time" We would ride home stopping to talk to the Amish men that would be set up roadside selling produce or cheese. He loved chatting with them. We would make up  songs to sing in the car all the way home.  You can read more about him HERE. Also my Gram who we lost last year...she was "green" before it was the thing to be and she was a great cook ( all natural ingredients) i remember many days helping her in the garden, I can still feel the warm sun on my back and eating fresh raw peas...you can read about her HERE

2.My favorite...only one? I  used to love my gram's current jelly...I guess raspberry or strawberry? Anything but orange marmalade...yuck! 

3.Wow...do they clean that themselves? How many people live there...seems like houses get bigger, but families get smaller these days. I love my old farmhouse, it's not tiny, but it's not big enough to forget we live with our family members either...I love being able to her Cody playing guitar in his room, Collin playing drums in his room, and Colton playing in his room or running back and forth between his brother's rooms teasing and laughing with each other.

4. If weather is nice, either sitting on the deck with hot or iced coffee...or going on a photo walk, pausing long enough to focus on detail and clear my mind.

  If the weather is not nice, then curled up in front of the fireplace with hot coffee and a good book or magazine...or catching up on my favorite blogs and gathering amazing ideas on Pinterest :)

5. Pasta is such a comfort food...I  like it every which way...Olive Garden's never ending pasta ....oh yeah!

Well it was a pleasure having you over! Please continue the conversation in the comments below. I'd love to hear your thoughts to these questions too :)

Have a wonderful rest of your week!

Hugs and Prayers!

Allison

Calm: Poetic Winter Photo Challenge Week 4

   Well, this is the final entry for the Poetic Winter Photography Challenge. It has been fun finding shots to go with the theme each week.

   I am late getting this one in...this week has been anything but calm. I just couldn't bring myself to find the time to put a post together or to focus on a word that I just could not fit my mind into...

   These photos are being pulled from shoots where I was feeling calm. As this week comes to a close, I am hoping this weekend will slow down a bit. 

   As you visit here today, I hope these images and the songs that are playing will help make you feel a sense of calm....

 And if you are in a stormy time in your life right now, I encourage you to tuck yourself in close to your Heavenly Father and wait out the storm...The wind will die down...the sun will shine warm on your face again...you are not alone...lay your burden down and rest...

Calm


I love to watch the sky, I think it is one of the most calming things to do...

We have not had much snow this winter, so I pulled this one out from pictures of the last big snow we had.

A thick blanket of snow quiets the earth in a very calming way...

Time spent around water is always calming... I love this picture of the pier at the lake and watching the water move...and watching how the wind fills the sails of the boats on the water is very calming

Time spent with scripture calms and quiets the soul...

May you have many "Green Pasture" and "Still Water" moments today....

Love,
Allison

Passion: Poetic Winter Photo Challenge Wk.3

  Wow! February is clipping right along, I have really enjoyed participating in this Photo Challenge this month. This week the theme is...

Passion

I have several passions, but...I love photography...especially shots of flowers and other detailed items found in nature.

I also of course think of my wonderful Hubby Dave when I think of the word Passion...

(To read our story, click here)

And my passion as a Mom...I love my boys....

Mostly when I here the word Passion, I think of the PASSION of Jesus Christ on the cross...

(To read an earlier post about this trip read here...)

And, I am so thankful that my family knows the Love of Christ and has made the decision to follow Him....

Have you decided to follow Jesus?

Glad you stopped by, leave a  comment and let me know you were here :)

Have a Blessed day!

-Allison

My Valentine

More pictures at the end :)

  I am such a blessed girl! I have a husband who is my protector, provider and my best friend. We have been through a lot since we started out two young puppeteers in our youth group. 
   Dave and I met when he was 9 and I was 7. Our families went to the same church growing up. When I turned 13, I got to enter the church's teen group. We had an active group that traveled doing puppets and music ministry. During a fun game night, Dave & I were voted most shy boy and girl of the group. For some reason, I think it was part of a game or something, I had to hold his hand that night. He was a tall strong farm boy with thick strong hands. I NEVER forgot that feeling! I had never held a boy's hand before! Or felt the way I did while holding it! We all had such a fun time in that group. 
   Unfortunately, our church had a split and our family stayed and Dave's family left. We didn't see each other until I got a call  almost 3 years later from one of the youth leaders that had left, but continued the puppet and music ministry. They were calling to see if I was interested in joining the team. I went to one of the Bible studies and saw a lot of familiar faces from the old group. Including Dave! His parents were also leaders of the group.
   We became fast friends. I had many scars from when my dad had left our family and from other life circumstances, but we worked together so naturally through everything and before we knew it, we were committed to staying together. 
   We were committed to God and doing things His way, so we relied on him throughout our 3 1/2 yrs of dating. We got married when I was only 19. We started on a family right away. We will be married 20 years this year! We have been through 3 babies, a child who needed heart surgery, a cancer scare for both of us, back surgeries, unemployment, 4 moves, health issues...and yet, here we are still standing (not always perfectly) but still best friends and in love with each other.


   What is the key? I believe the key is nurturing our FIRST LOVE and by that I mean that each of us had a love in place before we loved each other. Each of us had a committed relationship with God. We relied on Him to make the match, and we rely on Him to keep us matched. That doesn't mean there aren't hard days...there are. It doesn't mean we don't argue...we do. But what it does mean, is we take the fact that we took a vow before God to "Love in ALL things"
   When it gets hard, we lean on our First Love to maintain and work out our love. Giving up is not an option, besides, Dave has seen me at my best and worse...he was the face I saw loving me through the birth of our 3 babies.....his was the hand I held waiting to see if I would hear the words "it's cancer"....he is the man I have set up house with 4 times....he's the one that still sends me silly little messages on Valentine's Day. Why would I want to give up on all this beautiful history?

   I am so thankful for my First Love that makes it possible to extend love to my husband and children.

Do you know him?

Everyone has at least heard John 3:16, but it's more than a sign at a sporting event...let it pierce your heart.

For God so loved the world (that's you) that He gave is only son (Jesus Christ), that whoever (that can be you) believes in Him shall have everlasting life!

Watch this:

   God loved you enough to pay the price of all your sin (and mine) with the life of His only son. Jesus was willing to be beaten and crucified, to have His blood spilled to pay the price of your sin (and mine). The power of God raised Jesus from the dead, and is offered to you through the Holy Spirit. All you have to do is ask.....Have you asked? The Holy Spirit is close by just waiting for you to ask Jesus to come into your heart.

It's the best Valentine ever!

One of our Halloweens while dating: Scarecrow & Dorothy

Our Wedding Day 10-10-92

Our 1st son Cody's 1st Family Reunion

Going to a friends wedding

Christmas'11