My incredible blessings

Hi everyone,

 Being I find myself alone this afternoon, I decided to post a nice, long narrative of the things that I'm most thankful for.  Cora has been doing this every day this month, which is a lovely thought, but it's been impossible for me to accomplish. 

I'm starting with Thanksgiving day which began very early for me.  Cora had to work in the afternoon which meant that the 15 pound turkey had to be tender by noon.  I am humbled to admit that I used Stove Top Stuffing as Robert and I had made a late trip to Bismarck the night before to pick up building materials for the shop. 

 When we had entered Dans, I said to Robert, "I'm not even sure if we have any bread at home to make stuffing with."  Being I don't eat bread any more, I don't pay that much attention to it nowadays.  "Better buy some Stove Top Stuffing," he had said, so I did.

It smelled wonderful as I forked through it after the 5 minutes of it setting in the boiling buttered water.  I stuffed the turkey in the usual places; buttered the breast with salt and pepper added; protected the wings and thighs with tin foil; and slid the whole mass into the oven by 6:30 AM. 

Being I was pretty sore from so many sessions last week, I took a wonderful soak in the whirlpool as the rest of the family woke up.  Then Cora and I got to work in the kitchen and did we ever have fun! 

The staff at the nursing home always has potlucks on holidays and Cora had decided to make a Thanksgiving table cake as her contribution to the day.  You can see her turkey here and, if you look closely, you can see that she stuffed hers too--wonder if it was Stove Top Stuffing too!  You can see a picture of the completed cake over at her blog.  The next day she shared all of the wonderful responses to her cake with the cutest one being, "I ate 2 plates." 

 Here is a picture of my darling daughter with the cake in the foreground.  She made a lovely table runner too.

 I'm not much good at cake decorating but, when I saw that Cora had a little bit of red fondant left, I said, "Why not make a big heart out of it."  Cora took my suggestion and, when I saw that there was a small bit of green fondant left, I made a great big B out of it and put it on top of the heart.  Four Bornemanns shared the fondant treat at lunchtime but I passed as I am trying to minimize sugar too.

 When I was out at chores that morning, I took a few pictures of things that I'm thankful for.  Here are our 2 dogs, Millie and Lady.  After goats, I'd have to say that dogs are my favorite animals.

 Jacob said, "What are you taking a picture of, Mom?"  "The alfalfa," I answered.  Being our small grain crops were poor, we especially appreciate all of the wonderful alfalfa the Lord blessed us with this year.  Further, he's opened up doors for our hay to go to Texas and to Oklahoma, so now we have the money to work on our shop!  PRAISE THE LORD!

 I think everyone has posted about the shop project.  We've been wanting to do this ever since we moved here 8 years ago.  However, funds are always tight, but it's also a big chunk of work.  Now that Andrew is into buying cars that need work; repairing them; and then reselling them, he has a need for a warm shop too, hence the work is going forward with gusto. 
Thanksgiving afternoon, Jacob and I painted the side of the wall which will be heated while Robert and Andrew finished putting the chipboard on the other side of the wall.  There will be cold storage on the other side of this wall now but this will leave plenty of room to get a tractor and some smaller vehicles in here to work on.  It will be nice to have the feeding tractor in a heated area this Winter too. 

 Those are the only pictures that I have from Thanksgiving Day, but when I looked through the November pictures on my computer, I found these to share with you.
 
Have you been to Scheels in Bismarck lately?  If so, it would be impossible to miss the tribute that they have made to freedom.  Jacob and I were so impressed as there were these life-sized statues of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Ronald Reagan. 
You know how the ACLU is saying that we can't have the 10 Commandments etc on public property? 
Well, this just goes to show that human ingenuity CAN win over bullheadedness.  Jacob and I were so thrilled as we read on the placards beside our former presidents various of their quotes.  There were statements like, "A nation without God is doomed for failure,"  "We need the Bible to guide us so that we can please our God who formed this great nation.................... 
I was so thrilled to see God honored in this way, that I asked Jacob to take my picture beside this statue of one of the greatest minds to ever live.  Long have I admired Thomas Jefferson--don't we look good together?

 Now we're jumping to Fargo where Andrew and I attended the delegates training workshop.  Here we met Robert Brown who is the branch supervisor over our area in the John Birch Society.  Mr. Brown did a wonderful workshop on economics and he honored Andrew with a picture.

You must imagine our surprise, when we looked up towards the end of the day, to see Dr. Ron Paul in the room with us.  I shook his hand, as did everyone else within reach.  When he permitted pictures to be taken with him, Andrew didn't wast much time taking his turn.  As I snapped this picture, I remembered the Dick Van Dyke episode where Rob's uncle had his picture taken with Abe Lincoln before Abe was our President.  HMMMMMMMMMMM.

 Later we went to the Fargo Civic Center and heard Dr. Paul speak about his views of how to save our country.  He painted a glum picture, to be sure, but with God's help I know that we CAN turn this country around again.  This was such a special day spent with Andrew!

 We were so happy to see some "Old" friend there too.  This is
Tim and Louisa Stegman and below is Tim's brother, Andrew
with his little cutie, Carrie. 

I'm not sure why my computer is being stubborn and won't let me move my pictures back in order but that's how it is sometimes. 

I'm very thankful for these young people who are serving the Lord and are building their homes upon the principles of God's word.  I'm also thankful that my children plan to do the same when their time comes.  As you can see in the picture below, my Andrew is celebrating his 21st birthday by going bar hopping.  He laid out a bunch of bars on the ground; asked Cora to come out and take his picture; and then proceeded to jump over the bars.   He came into the house laughing and said, "I've always wanted to go bar hopping and now I have." 
Praise the Lord for helping us to raise 3 people in the next generation who will not waste their money, and their health, on alcohol!

 Here's another one.

 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future," Jeremiah 29:11.  Praise God that He is leading our lives and he's guiding us to raise our children to receive the blessing of God in their lives.

 As I looked through some more pictures from the year, my mind was opened to see other blessings that I am thankful for.  I dearly love acting in Godly plays and it gives me joy that my children have picked this up from their mother.  I'm sure that you all remember Barney from the Andy Griffeth show.  Well, we have our very own Barney now.  :)

 I'm also thankful for the Appleseed Project which is helping folks all around the country learn how to shoot and defend themselves if need be.

 I'm very thankful to know how to operate a radionics instrument.  I'm also thrilled to know those who make them AND teach others how to use them!

 I'm thankful for the annual Prairie Days celebration at the Dagley farm and the friends that we meet there.

I'm thankful to be an organic farmer/rancher and that the cattle are home for the Winter.  It always feels so much more homey when they are nearby.

I'm thankful for a husband who can build anything.  We were just talking about the huge number of building projects that he's taken up in our 31 years of marriage.  Here he is on top of the Quonset on Friday afternoon cutting the hole for the stovepipe.

Here are my 2 sons holding the ladder for their papa.  If ever 2 sons were opposites, it's these 2, but I love them both with all my heart!  Andrew, so assertive and brave, and Jacob, with such quiet strength, how proud of them I am!  How happy I am that they are brothers and that they can help each other through life--each one strong where the other is weak.  Isn't that like the Lord--putting us together in families so that we can learn from each other and ALL can become better people IF we are willing to let Him change us.

I guess I could talk all day about how much I love my family and how happy I am that we are Christians, Americans, North Dakotans, Organic farmer/ranchers, Sabbath keepers, home schoolers, Birchers, energy workers, gun owners, dog lovers, gardeners, car restorers.....  However, somehow it seems most important to say that I am happy that we are lovers. 

Over the years, many folks have had supper at our house and left with lighter hearts.  Many have spent the night with us and woke to the sound of our roosters calling, "It's a beautiful morning."  Many more have come for tea and found themselves smiling and laughing and, even sometimes, throwing dinner rolls in a food fight.  My heart grows happiest at the thoughts of those who have come burdened down with cares of this world, and who have left knowing that SOMEBODY cared about them, and knowing that this somebody was our family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As the love chapter says in I Corinthians, all that we do is for nothing if we do not have love.  I'm reminded of the numerous times that we dear friend, Sarah Keister would say, "Your children are so warm, Dawn--indeed, your home is so warm." 

Now THAT is what makes me the most thankful of all as I ponder the hatred that I inherited.  Only God could reach into such a war-torn heart, and produce a legacy of happy hearts coming out of my home.  Praises to the King who has healed my wounded heart and placed there instead a heart of compassion for the sick, wounded, and hurting.

 

Say there, want to come over for tea?

 Eternally thankful for God's love in my life,

Dawn