A Virtuous Woman

<sup>Words to live by, something I strive for and hope to be!

Proverb 31:10-31  KJV

10</sup> Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
¹¹ The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
¹² She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
¹³ She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
¹⁵ She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
¹⁶ She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
¹⁷ She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
¹⁸ She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
¹⁹ She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
²⁰ She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
²¹ She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
²² She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
²³ Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
²⁵ Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
²⁶ She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
²⁷ She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
²⁹ Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
³⁰ Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Kool-Aid Wool

About a month ago I decided to try my hand at dying wool. I really wanted to start finding plants on the farm to use to naturally dye my wool but I figured I better start with something a little simpler to see how well I would adapt to the idea. I read and heard a lot of people talking about dying wool with Kool-Aid, so I thought "Why Not'?

I used our East Friesian sheep wool.  Washed and dried but not carded.

This is my first wool batch. 

In a large pot with strawberry kool-aid mix and enough water to cover the wool, I heated it to a boil for just a couple of minutes and then sat it off the heat to cool completely, the water starts to clear more as it cools.  Once it has cooled, soak wool in a soapy bath and rinse wool until bath water is clear. Note: The boiling wool mixed with the tasty kool-aid doesn't smell up the kitchen too nicely!! :)

On the drying rack. Completely excited about this one and the way it turned out that I had to try a few more colors.

 

 Blueberry wool.

By the end of the night I had 4 different colors of wool and 4 very strange smells clashing together. Over all, I have to call this a success!  I'll definitely be trying this again soon, hopefully with some different colors.

Our Little Piglet

 Our first born in our first set of quads was born weighing 3 lbs. Our tiniest lamb here on the farm. He has truly been a treat. He loves to eat and when he sees the bottle in your hands, you better bet he's going to come running and begging for it. He's now at 5 lbs and has completely stolen our hearts!

He may be little but he has a very big personality.

Down To The Creek

A couple of weeks ago we had such a beautiful day out on the farm, the weather was just wonderful. We took full advantage of it and took the dogs down to the creek.

We've had so much rain that the creek was pretty full.

Nothing like playing in the water.

Nan loves the water and it's really hard to get her out when it's time to leave.

The Greatest Valentine

    This Valentine's Day, I feel in my heart I need to talk about something a little different, something not really farm related but something every day life related. Something that can change your life if it hasn't already.
    I want to share this song and poem that I heard on the K-Love radio station. If you haven't already accepted Jesus in your heart or you feel like you've drifted a bit, listen to this song as you read down through these scriptures. God offers you the greatest love you will ever know, more than any valentine can ever offer. His love is everlasting. I pray that you will open your heart to God and allow him in as your Lord and Savior.  He is waiting for you, will you ask Him in?

Selected poem lyrics from "Father's Love Letter" used by permission Father Heart Communications
Copyright 1999-2011
www.FathersLoveLetter.com

My Child,

You may not know me,
but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live.
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented
by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry,
but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child
and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you
the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you
than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted,
I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb,
I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away
every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you,
not against you.
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression
of my love for you.
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,
you receive me.
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father,
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…
Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad
Almighty God

True Love

Long Line of Love

Ma & Pa (Married in 1951)

Papaw & Mawmaw (Married in 1949)

 

Mom & Dad (Married in 1980)

Daniel & I (Married in 2010)

Good Shepherd Cheese On Tim Farmer's Country Kitchen

 
By Tim Farmer

Lambing Week 1

   So where to begin? Well for starters, we began lambing this week. As much as we tried to prepare for it, we still wasn't exactly as prepared as we would have hoped.  What do you do though? Well, you just jump right in!
 
 Charity started us out with 2 lambs Tuesday morning , and now it's Saturday and we have a running total of 14 lambs (9 ewes and 5 rams) with 61 pregnant mommas to go.

   Around here, as tired as you may be, you still enjoy stopping for a moment before heading back to the house and grabbing ahold of a little lamb and cradling it in your arms even if it's just for a minute because they are just so precious. Lambing is very tiring but also very rewarding.

Dottie and her very spunky little girl.

Thursday, we were graced with a gift of Quadruplets! We've only had one set of triplets on the farm and that was two years ago. This year we've had singles, twins, triplets, and now quadruplets. In this set of quadruplets the first one born was only 3 lbs, being the smallest lamb we've had yet on the farm. He's a charmer!!

Our quads!

 

Mom making sure they were finding the teat.

This gal decided she needed something to push against. So she threw her leg up on me and started pushing....and I let her. :)

God Called An Angel Home

    Last Tuesday night we got the call that Pa (my father's father), had taken a turn for the worse. They didn't expect him to make it to the next morning.
    Pa had been in the Wilmore Veterans Center since late summer 2012. Between his diabetes, congestive heart failure, black lungs from working in the coal mines, and other health issues, he needed more care than Ma could give him.
    We left in a hurry that night to get to Wilmore, we made it into Lexington that night when we got another call, only this time to tell us he had just passed. Our hearts were broken! We drove on in that night to say our goodbyes and to be with Ma and some of the other family.

    We buried Pa on Saturday, but I tell you what we didn't bury, we didn't bury the memories and the love we have for him. Growing up Pa called me "Half Pint" from The Little House on the Prairie. I always saw Pa as a quite man with a bit of a sense of humor. I learned a lot about Pa during his passing, things I never knew, stories that were told of Pa's giving heart. 

    One story told of how Pa had saved a girl by digging her out with his hands from under a car that was on top of her. Another told of how God told Pa one Thanksgiving to go buy a turkey, he took it down the road to a woman and she told him she had been praying for a turkey all morning. My father also shared with me how Pa helped buy a bus to get people to church. So many people stood and told stories of Pa. Nobody on earth will ever know all the good deeds he done in his lifetime but God knows. We loved Pa and miss him very much but I believe with all my heart Pa has been rewarded greatly in heaven for being such a faithful servant and we wouldn't want anything more for him than that. Pa lived a great example of God's love for us. God truly blessed us with Pa's life!

Pa's Memorial Video