A Fall Market

This past Saturday I was blessed to attend a small market in Monroe. I really enjoyed the day, and the Lord blessed my sales as well!

I had stayed up til 2 am that morning getting ready for it, and had to get up at 5 to load my truck. But I did it. And while walking outside that morning, while the sky was still navy bean blue and filled with stars, I was blessed with a brilliant sight. I witnessed an extremely bright falling star. I *so* needed to see that. I literally said out loud to myself, "WHOA." I then whispered a "thank you" as my warm breath made smoke in the cold autumn air.

I proceeded loading my truck, feeling cozy with the thought that I was not alone. Feeling blessed that the same God that made those gorgeous stars also made me. Feeling loved with the thought that He also holds my future.

I got to the market site. I had beat the sun. My tent was up before it was. It was freezing. But it was beautiful when the sun decided to wake.


I love this photo. It captures the feeling of that morning so well. It's a few men with their old GMC pick-up. They made very good Barbeque.

My table was filled with my herbal goodies. :)

And I, of course, had to bring what few zinnias I had left.


Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven
Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels.

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A Few Things on Fall...

Tonight is the full hunter's moon. I went outside to take a look, but it's too cloudy out here to view it in its full glory tonight. But I know it's still shining. And ever so brightly.

The clouds just cover it.

You all know how I love analogies. Here's another occasion for one. :)

I know a lot of people who are going through hard times right now. Whether it's education, family, relationships...whatever it may be. Life is hard. There are ups and downs. I am struggling right now. There are a lot of unanswered questions. I feel like I have used the words "why" and "I don't know" way yonder too much the past several months. And sometimes, even when I know the moon is full, I look up, and all I see are clouds.

Does this make sense? I know God is in control, I know I can trust Him, and I know everything is going to be okay. Yet I look to the sky and wonder why I can't see the moon in all its brilliancy.

Oh it's there. It is. I promise. But sometimes there are clouds that block its full view. Just like if you were walking down a road. Maybe you know you are on the right road. But maybe all you can see are the steps you are taking right at that moment. You know it's a good road you are on..... (I have another analogy I could use, but I shall spare that for a later time. ;) Okay, back to the moon and such..... :)

I remember reading a journal entry I had written several years back. I was trying to be poetic I suppose at the end of my entry and said something to the effect of how it was so dark outside, and how brilliantly the sun must be shining on the other side of the world. I thought that was neat.

So tonight as I think on that beautiful hunter's moon that is right outside my bedroom window as I sit here typing this....yes, I may not see all it's brilliancy right now and I may not even be able to see it tomorrow night... I know that it's there. There. Where it has always been. Shining with such great vigor that it glorifies its Maker.

And that same Maker has plans for me. My life and His plan...kinda like that moon. There will be times when I can see the full glory and beauty of it all, and there will be times where all I can see are the clouds. But I must live with the contentment, joy, and peace that comes with the same knowing as when a moon is still shining on a cloudy night.

I hope this makes sense. It does to me. Sometimes it's hard to articulate what's in my heart. But I think it's good to make an effort.

On a simpler and slightly more light-hearted note, let me just say how thankful I am for Fall right now!! The cooler temperatures and the changing mural of leaves is a welcome stranger. Autumn truly is a beautiful time of year. I was looking through some photos from last year, and came across a few from a trip on the Blueridge Parkway I had taken with some great friends last October. They capture the beauty of Fall so well I thought I'd share some. :)







Amazing. Absolutely amazing how our Creator blessed us with such beauty to behold. :)


Well, a little update.....we found wonderful homes for all four of our precious kittens, so we are thankful for that. :) We do love our kittens so much.



A few days ago, Makayla's friend Betsy came over to play. It was so precious to see them play and spend time with the kittens. Made me wish I was a small girl again. Mmmmm.... :)




Now that, is brilliancy. :) Love these sweet beauties of childhood.

Hope everyone has a beautiful rest of the week!

And don't forget.... that glorious hunter's moon... it is shining... ever so brightly

Psalm 8:3-4
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

The first day of autumn... trust... and I finally smell like a horse again!

The Autumnal Equinox took place on the twenty-third. It made me happy. The season has finally changed. So begins a new season in my life. Summer is over. The events that took place have passed. A new season has arrived. I am grateful. I am scared. I have a lot to do. I wonder. I ask. I am confused. Yet the leaves fall and I will look to each one and decide to look upon them ~ not as dead members of a tree, but as an opportunity for new life to begin.

This past summer I have learned a lot about trust. And lost a lot of it. I have always taken people at face-value. This year that has hurt me. It confused me and it hurt me. It encouraged me, though, that there is only One Being with whom I can fully put my trust in. That is my Creator. My Savior. The One who formed me and fashioned me. It has grown me closer to my True Lover than I ever thought possible. And that has been amazing.

On the Twenty-third I was blessed to be able to go riding with a very good friend of mine. I have not ridden horses since my auto accident back in '09. I have been hankering to something fierce! but just have not had the time. Now, many of you don't know that I used to own horses, but had to sell them back in '08. Anyway, needless to say, this equine-loving country gal was LONG overdue for some good horse therapy, that's for sure. It was such a beautiful day; a wonderful day; a freeing day. I thought to myself...hmm, riding horses is a form of trust. Maybe it is possible for me to trust again. The thought made me smile.

Well, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and it turned out to be a most remarkable day.

Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.


Ruth 2:12
The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

Psalm 5:11
But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

Psalm 16:1
Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

Family Fun!

We were extremely blessed to have a very relaxing Sunday, and able to spend a lot of sweet family time together. :) It's days like this that I cherish. It's days like this that I will remember for the rest of my life. Days like this, I can hardly fathom how remarkably blessed I am.

We love to play wiffle ball. We kinda have our own rules that we play by, and sometimes that includes regularly changing those rules. ;) We are always so silly when we get to playing this game! I love it. That much laughing is good for the soul. :)









I just had to include these. =) Our family raises such sweet cats! I don't know what it is, but we always do. :)



I hope everyone had as blessed a Sunday as we did!

Monday Musings...

Today went by with such a fervor that I can't even remember taking a breath. Well, I take that back. Yes, the first eight hours of the day were complete craziness (isn't that the way it is in any work place on a Monday?), but I finally got to the point of clocking out and heading towards home.

I finally did take a breath, changed into my Levi's, and went out to look after my chickens. I decided it was time to put my little brood of five yongsters in with the rest of the flock. They have never been happier! I have grown very fond of those five. They were hatched at a time when I really needed to see new life. They were a blessing to me in the darkest part of my summer. And boy have they grown! They seemed to mingle with the rest of the birds very well. That made me happy. :)

I got to sit down outside for a while with some of my favorite gardening books (ha! Is it EVER too early to start planning for next season??! My brain is so full right now it is (happily) overwhelmed! "Hairy vetch...when do I plant that? Gotta get my tiller back...which market will I do next year...gotta sell my truck...need a source for seedlings...or a greenhouse..haha...don't you dare start looking at seed catalogs now, Jess...need to read more about irrigation...oh and brush up on companion planting...." etc and etc! =)

It was really nice sitting out there, soaking up the sun and watching the long, late afternoon shadows it cast.

.....Have ya'll noticed all the butterflies out lately?

Oh my goodness. I love butterflies. So very much.
Just another thing that is so precious to me. I love to watch as they carelessly flit about. I was talking to a co-worker the other day about the little beauties and how much I loved them. I told her I loved how they always seemed so happy. She replied by saying that even if they occasioned a little unhappiness, then we would have no way of knowing. Hah! I puckered my lower lip in a sad face and told her, oh well, they seemed like they were always happy to me. :)

I think it's true. They are amazing creatures. They're beautiful. And to me, they are a symbol of joy. Of happiness. And almost, of peace. I guess it's not that they "carelessly" flit about. Because they are certainly smart. After all, the Monarchs migrate to Mexico I've been told! How incredible is that?

I guess....well, I guess they just peacefully flit about. I like that. And when I see butterflies, it always brings a smile to my face.

Here's one little happy fella I shot a picture of while outside today...





While I am at it, let me post a couple pictures of the adorable kittens we have right now! There are four in this litter, and they are about four weeks old right now. Definitely the cutest stage of a kitty's life! They are so much fun to have around, and oh. so. cute. :)




Happy Monday, everyone!!

Inspire

I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight. Silence would teach him the joys of sound.

Now and then I have tested my seeing friends to discover what they see. Recently I asked a friend, who had just returned from a long walk in the woods, what she had observed. "Nothing in particular," she replied.

How was it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing worthy of note? I, who cannot see, find hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch. I feel the delicate symmetry of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin of a silver birch, or the rough, shaggy bark of a pine. In spring I touch the branches of trees hopefully in search of a bud, the first sign of awakening nature after her winter's sleep. Occasionally, if I am very fortunate, I place my hand gently on a small tree and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song.

~Helen Keller

I am reading a very good book right now, and included within its pages was this amazing account.

Ponder that for just a second.

Now, me...see, I am already a very observant person. I inhale sunshine, I tarry under the dappled shade of an old, spreading oak tree. My heart smiles at each mockingbird that rushes from brush to bramble. I love God's creation. I appreciate it.

But think for just a second....all Helen Keller-isms aside....do we really observe, inhale, inspire, digest, and truly, truly appreciate everything that God has blessed us with. We can see. We can touch, feel, hear, smell, and communicate. We have health, we have our needs supplied. We have the love of our families.

We must take the time and "feel the delicate symmetry of a leaf".

Absolutely no denying it. I never want to be guilty of walking through the woods, or life, guilty of observing "nothing in particular".

...and God gave me flowers

Ya know how sometimes life can really be confusing? Ya know how sometimes the ordinary seems really ordinary and you just feel like you're existing? It's really hard to explain. To articulate. But I just have to share this fact.

I planted sunflowers this season with muh excitement. I love them. Always have. A lot. Well, all season I watched as the plants matured and grew, and were just about to bloom. I always looked upon them with love, with anticipation for them to finally stretch those petals and shine.

This summer has been a good summer for me. It has been joyous, exciting...and it has been solemn. It has been hard in many parts. And as much as I despise cold weather, I am ready for the season to change. For indeed, there is a time and a season for everything. But this summer has been one of growth. I have grown. I have laughed and smiled, and I have wept bitterly. I am not going to go into all the reasons and the details. There is no need for that. Suffice it to say, well, like I said, it's just been one long summer of growing. Trying. Crying. Calling out to my Savior. Him taking me by the hand and saying, "It's okay, Jessi. Just trust me." Him holding me, and whispering into my ear, "I love you." He has blessed me. He has protected me. He has been gracious, faithful; and His loving-kindness has not been exhausted.

One day I went out to Darby Farms. I was really strugging this particular day. I was trying, I really was, but I just needed to go and cry and talk to my Abba Father. I went out to the field, and I knew I had a lot of picking to do, and I remembered to myself ...."ooooh, I bet a lot of the flowers have bloomed!" (for it had been a few days since being out there)

I parked my truck in the middle of the field like always, and even before I swung my legs out of the truck door, I saw them. There they were. Stately, gentle, humble, and oh so lovely yellow---sunflowers. It was a strange sensation. I slammed the door, I threw down my harvesting baskets (for I was supossed to be picking peppers) , and I raced down to where the small regiment of flowers stood. They were beautiful. I crawled under my electric fence and came close to them. I bent one very tall one down to my face. With my eyes I absorbed its beauty. Its detail. Its intricacy. I released it and took a few steps back. I went to the next bloom. This one had more color. It looked like a gorgeous sunset. I stood back again. I looked down the row of flowers. I smiled.

The wind blew slightly, tossling my long hair over my shoulders.

I stood still. I was overwhelmed by this gift of yellow beauty.

Then it was like God reached down, put His hand on my shoulder, and said.

"See baby. These are from me. I hope you like them; I sure do love you."

Tears began to flow. I strode back to the stand of flowers, I gazed up at them through a watery gaze.

"Thank you."

Thank you so much.

This may seem different. It may even seem way too transparent. But I am a passionate and transparent person. Truth is; fact of the matter is, well, this moment was incredibly special to me. And I believe with everything within me that those flowers were a gift from my heavenly Father. Just as His word is a Love letter, well... He brought me flowers. He loves me. Enough to show me His loving-kindness and his grace through a humble stand of Sunflowers.





Thank you, Father. I love you.