Building in the Barnyard

Trey's at it again! Creations are happening in the barnyard and the carpenter has been busy at work. The new hay feeder/grain trough that Trey recently built for the equine is working great, and they love it!

They are so happy!

He has begun construction on a grain storage unit and things are progressing quickly. It will be handy to have a place to store our grain. We could have put up a grain bin, but we love this grainery plan because it matches the old-fashioned atmosphere of our barnyard so well! It isn't finished yet, but Trey is busy, busy, busy!

A visit from the McDaniel's

It is always exciting to expect company! After our day of Thanksgiving, we were awaiting the arrival of Dennis, Adele, Jesseca, Jeremy, their foreign exchange student Yair, and Doris, Mark's mom who were to due to reach their destination of Providence Prairie! The dusk was setting in as they pulled up the lantern lit lane. After unloading their belongings, they settled into the warm cabin where the wood stove was keeping things toasty. After supper, word-find puzzles and a variety of head-gear started our evening of fun and visiting!!!Four-Men-On-A-Couch, quite a mind boggler, filled the cabin with laughter and hilarity as each team attempted to unseat the other team and get four of their members on the couch! Although hard, it was very fun. Guess who won the first game! And the next game, and the next, and the next, and, well, . . . . . . .
the boys finally won one game!Guesstures followed before heading off to bed.After a delicious country breakfast the next morning, everyone decided to traverse to the barnyard to visit the animals.
Molly and Polly obligingly gave rides. What fun!The Pioneer games in the barnyard were fun for everyone! And of course we employed the Pioneer family painting!

Oh no! The baby's crying!

Ahh, this baby is sleeping peacefully.

That evening, a variety of games were brought out again with several sets going at once. Avalanche, Scrabble, Tri-ominos, and Yahtzee were just a few! (Have you guessed that our game closet was recently completed?)

Mark was the Yahtzee champion!

After a fun filled weekend, we worshiped together Sunday morning. The service being over, we said our goodbyes and our company headed away on their six hour trip home to Ohio. What a grand time we had visiting with the McDaniel's!

Into His Gates

In 1620, the Pilgrims landed in this great country; 243 years later, our president thought it fitting to proclaim a national day of Thanksgiving, even in the midst of the Civil War.

"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that [the gifts of God] should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens . . . to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens." ~ Abraham Lincoln

144 years later we, with the rest of the United States, stop to celebrate the day dedicated to giving thanks to our Lord for his bounty. It is rather humbling to realize that for 387 years family after family, generation after generation has set aside time to gather and give thanks for the blessings of the Lord. May we never fail to pass our thankfulness on to ensuing generations, and may we model it daily.

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." Psalm 100:4,5

It's Deer Hunting Season!

November 16-18 was a time of fun and excitement for our family- deer hunting season. Venison is a favorite around Providence Prairie, and God has blessed us with a wonderful herd of healthy deer. Early Friday morning, Trey and Mark prepared for the first hours of the season. Rhonda, Amanda, and Rachel waited anxiously in the house while doing chores and fixing breakfast.

After only about 45 minutes, we received a call that Trey had already gotten a nice young buck! Soon after Trey brought it back to the house, Mark came walking back. We wondered why he was back so soon, but he informed us that he got two deer! We didn't believe him at first, but it was true! The deer are plentiful in rural Hamilton County.

Early the next morning Trey went out to his stand and within half an hour was back again and had gotten his second catch! Mighty hunters!

We are all thankful that the men took younger deer as they will be so tender and tasty this winter. God blessed us with a bountiful deer harvest!

Revive Us Again!

Revive us again! The words to the old song still ring true today. Revival began at Dale Christian church Thursday with a great message from Ron Lamp about Naaman and how we too should fully follow God's Word. Friday, Bill Cox delivered an inspiring message on how we should look forward, not backward; outward, not inward; and upward, not downward to live as Christians. Saturday, Bill Shelton preached the Word on not overlooking burning bushes that God places in our lives. Sunday morning began with a convicting sermon on what we as the Body of Christ should be doing, delivered by Ryan Cox. What an uplifting time visiting with each of them and hearing them impart the Scriptures.

The noon Homecoming meal found the tables overflowing with delicious food of all sorts and so many wonderful choices! After we were finished eating the meal and enjoying fellowship with those of like precious faith, we anticipated the Homecoming concert by the Preacher's Quartet.

The concert was excellent as Ron, Ryan, Bill C., and Bill S. lifted our spirits in song with wonderful harmony!

Following the concert, the Cox's and the Shelton's came to Providence Prairie for a short visit, but left soon after as they were beginning revival elsewhere that evening. Of course, we had to have a little fun before they left!Directly, our church family began to arrive for our hayride and wiener roast. We visited around the fire while the first hayride started.

The Pioneer picture was put to good use once again!Jumping rope was a hit with everyone! Chris, Glenna, Kay, Mark, and countless others jumped to the rhymes of old. It was so much fun!

The day ended with songs around the campfire. It was a grand day, a grand week, and a grand time of revival.