Chats on the Farmhouse Porch (14)

 Today I am Linking up with Everyday Ruralty  for their Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

It is fun to link up and all answer the same questions and get to know one another and this weeks questions are from fellow readers...

QUESTIONS

1. Barbie asks: What's your favorite coffee drink?
2. Dreaming asks: What's the chore you hate the most that you wish Blogger would come do?
3. Farm Girl asks: Why did you decide to start a blog?
4. Suzanne asks: Who's your most famous relative?
5. Cathy Kennedy asks: Have you ever given yourself a home perm?

My Answers

1.   Oh coffee...how do I love thee...let me count the ways...lol everyone who knows me knows that coffee is my one vice in life! I so love/need caffeine in coffee form.

   I love it iced, hot, mocha, cappuccino, through the drive through, from my pot at home, or the wonderful Keurig at the office, in a big fat cup out on the deck....most of all I enjoy drinking it sweet and creamy while talking with a good friend....So go grab a cup and sit and chat with me in the comments below :)

2.  The chore I hate the most...well it used to be mating socks...but i don't do that anymore. You see lone socks and seeing my boys wear mismatched socks turned me into...not a nice mommy.

   So in order to lower the stress level of the home, my boys now have all the same socks. Dave and the boys all wear about the same size so now we have a multitude of the same white socks. Only a few pair of dress socks live waiting in the drawer for that rare occasion that my men would need such a pair. All the white socks live in a laundry basket un-mated...the boys can just go down and pick out two socks without even thinking about it because they all match ( I know this solution would drive some of you nuts, but it keeps me sane and therefore keeps my family unafraid of me LOL)

3.   I started to blog because I feel that God speaks to me through many circumstances and through my camera  lens. I needed a place to get all my thoughts out and thought someone out there just may want to read them or look at my pictures...it also saves my husband from being wakened in the night to hear my bright ideas :) I can just go to my laptop and type away and click post...and voila! I can go to sleep :)

4.   My most famous relative...My Gram was from the line of one of the Dukes of Lichtenstein...it hasn't gotten us into any royal balls or anything. Also, my Grandpa is from the line of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ...this could explain how my grandpa, mom, myself and one of my boys love words and weaving them to tell a story...

5.   Ha! This brings back memories...when I was a junior in high school, my best friend Kelly was an aspiring hairdresser... I decided to be a guinea pig and let her perm my hair...oh my...I ended up with these sharply crimped ends that were fried and broke off over the next week or so...sadly there are no pictures (whew!) I'm proud to say that Kelly and I are still wonderful friends all these years later...but she will never perm my hair! ;)

   So if you stopped by for this chat, don't let me do all the talking...comment below and let me know where your from and answer the questions if you'd like ...I'll just sit back and listen and sip my peppermint mocha...

(I know this is a winter mug...and it's fall. But it's big and holds lots of coffee goodness!)

Be sure to stop by Everyday Ruralty for more chatting...( see link at top of post)

My Refuge

Psalm 62:5-8
5 My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold ; I shall not be shaken. 7 On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. 8 Trust in Him at all times, O people ; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.


   This verse is food for my soul...Life is full of ups and downs, and during the "downs" I find myself running to my Heavenly Father for refuge. And in that place, I find myself thinking why did I have to run here?...Why did I not stay here the last time I ran into His presence? I didn't even feel myself drift away!....


   Oh the business of life, all the distractions that keep our minds on things of this world.....while I have been keeping up with my schedule, and doing some sort of "fast food" devotions, and attending church on Sundays and Wednesdays I have not been remaining as close as I should.


   It's like life has this undertow that slowly pulls us from communing with God like we should. We are NEVER out of God's presence, but our minds sure can wonder away.


   We have this steady Rock that we can stay on. It's a refuge from the rough waters...why do we leave it?


   No matter how far we get from that place of peace, we can always get back. God will hear our cry and reach out with His comforting hand and place our feet on solid unshakable ground. That is where I want to be...that is where I am...and it's where I want to stay. Oh I still hear the waves crashing off in the distance, but I will not fear, because I am where I need to be and He will make a way.


   As long as I can see Him, I do not need to see where I am going...

Some Peace on a Rainy Fall Day

   Well it's fall here in South of the Middle of Nowhere. We have had some really beautiful days with beautiful skies, but today...well, it's one of those gray, rainy, curl up in front of the fireplace kinda days. I kind of like it though. I didn't get called into work today, so I get to be home with my kids and have my pot of coffee on all day.
   I needed this! I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately, and have been just plain too busy. My body mind and soul have been letting me know enough is enough, but isn't it amazing how we just keep pushing through?
   Not today though, I will allow myself to enjoy and recoup...sit by the window and watch the rain drops gently hit the water streaked glass, help my kids with their schoolwork, read some uplifting scripture, and post a few pictures of my favorite fall scenes. I am thankful for today, and am so glad you stopped by and hope you can enjoy a peaceful moment with me for a bit...you are welcome to stay as long as you like...I'm not going anywhere :)

Wishing you many warm blessings,


Allison

"The Sisterhood of Motherhood" Friends or Foes?

  Well, it's been awhile since I have had a new post. We have had a busy summer here at the farm. Our garden did not have a great year, but enjoyed what we managed to get and of course enjoyed friends and family's "extra". There is nothing like the taste of summer in homegrown fruits and veggies!


   We got through all the college prep and planning for our oldest and he starts classes Monday, I can't believe I am the mother of a college student! We are in full swing with homeschooling our 10th and 7th graders now...oh how I hate to see summer end, but love getting new books and new office supplies and getting together with all my homeschool friends at our co-op.


   I have been thinking about the bonds we women have through the sisterhood of motherhood. These relationships can be so sweet, and honestly all of my mommy friends are fabulous, I love each of them. But I have noticed through out the years, that we can also be quite critical of one another. We all have our opinion of the "best" ways of doing things....and not only have those opinions, but are compelled to get others to share those opinions....Ladies, we need to be really careful here. There is a fine line between a helpful tip or advice vs. a word of advice with a critical tone that makes the hearer feel criticized. 


   I was a stay at home mom up until 5 years ago and felt judged sometimes by my working mom friends. I felt like they thought all I did was sit around all day, which is so far from the truth. I know some of my working mom friends felt judged by us stay at home moms because they worked.


  Let me just say, for our family, we wanted our kids to be at home with me when they were young, and we were willing to sacrifice by living on one income. We felt that was what God was calling US to do. Then when it was time to make the schooling decision, after a short 2 years in Christian school, we decided that God was calling US to homeschool. It was a temptation for me to think that if God was calling US to these things, maybe ALL should feel called to do the same....but I knew that some of my working mom friends really could not do the same...but I still watched others judge each other, and I hate to admit that I got caught up in it too. Then our lives changed...


   My husband was injured and could not work for 5 years....now what? My kids were 12, 9,and 6 when he got hurt. I am so very thankful that my children were that old when I had to think about working, but it was really hard. I decided to go back to school and become a massage therapist and do medical message. I had seen the pain that my husband had dealt with all of his adult life and watched him recover from two surgeries and decided that I wanted to work to help relieve pain in peoples lives.


   Deciding to go to school was a leap of faith for sure. That year of school and the year of building the business was really tough. We had to rely on assistance and I remember feeling less than human because of it. I had people get mad that I got aide for my schooling. I looked at the aid as a provision from God because there was no way I could pay for it myself. I didn't get a free ride, I still have a student loan....We also had to go on food stamps...this is a tough one for me to admit, but that time we were on them there would've been no way to pay for food...When I was a young girl, my dad left and we had a period of not having much food, I didn't want my kids to be hungry, so I swallowed my pride for them.


   We also had to step back from doing things for awhile. People don't seem to understand why you can't go shopping, go on trips, eat out...there is that judgement from others again...


   God has been so good, he brought us through that hard period and are no longer relying on assistance even though it was another step of faith to get out of "the system" (if you've never been through the process, you just can't imagine) Anyway, we are doing well, my husband is working and my business has grown. While I would love to be able to come back home full time, I cannot. Maybe in the future, but right now it seems that God is still calling me to be a mom who works outside of the home.


   I need to not judge myself for that. I am doing the best I can. It is hard to juggle work and homeschooling, and people question how I do it all the time. Some people have had that critical tone though...that stings and I remember the fact that maybe I stung some precious mom at one time....funny how we at some point in life end up on all sides. God sustains us and turns the ugly into beautiful useful tools....


   Through my experiences, I have learned to see hurting children going through abandonment issues, feel the need to help with our churches food pantry to not see families go hungry( and not judge them for needing help), help to relieve pain in peoples bodies, and understand the hearts of both stay at home moms and moms who work outside the home. These are things I may not have ever understood the value in if I had not gone through these things...




   My hope in sharing all of this, is that we will stop the quick judgement that comes so easy, and look beyond to peoples hearts and situations...Moms, lets encourage and help one another and be on the same team instead of being divided by lifestyle...we all want the same things for our families anyway. Lets be real with each other.... ugly struggles and all. God has grace enough to cover all of us and we should try give others the gift of grace.


   I hope all of you have a wonderful supportive school year no matter where they go to school and am so glad to be a part of this "Sisterhood of Motherhood"


-Love, Allison