Praise for this Week

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:
knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed;
because the love of God is shed abroad
in our hearts by the Holy Ghost
which is given unto us. Romans 5: 3-5

Praise You, Almighty Father:~

• That my blog page is up and functioning once again. I don’t remember praying for patience recently, but it has been well and truly tested during the last few days. Praise God that Stephen was able to fix it, and a big thank you, also to PSD2CSS for migrating the files across properly. I also praise God that there are good friends, such as Susan, who are willing to offer their help in fixing the problems.

• For friends, who make this world a much better place to live in, friends who build us up and encourage us to look inward at ourselves, to see what God sees.

• For my husband’s relatively pain-free knee – he has been able to cut many loads of firewood recently, so that we don’t go cold this winter.

• For our children – in particular, my son, who rode three kilometres to bring my husband home with the car, and the nebuliser during a severe asthma attack. I praise Him also for my daughter’s help in cutting and collecting firewood, for she shifts all of the loose sticks so that my husband doesn’t trip over.

• For our home, which is safe, warm and comfortable and is a refuge in the times of trial.

Psalm 62:8 tells us that we need to trust in God at all times,

that we need to pour out our heart before Him,

and that God is a refuge for us.

• For warm, autumn weather, enabling us to prepare for the cold winter ahead of us.

• For farm-fresh goats’ milk, which enables each one of us to have a regular intake of calcium ( I wonder why it’s not called goatcium, when it’s goats’ milk???), and enables us to make delicious home-made goats’ milk ice-cream.

• That we have homeschooling freedoms within Australia that many countries don’t. For instance, did you know that homeschooling is illegal in Germany and Brazil, and that Sweden seeks to introduce a law stating that the only way that you can homeschool there is under “exceptional circumstances“? Please continue praying for Dominic Johannson and the swift reuniting with his parents, Annie and Christer.

The HSLDA are currently looking for families to host persecuted homeschoolers, and while we have the room, we don’t have a vehicle capable of transporting extra people, and living out here, they would need a reliable vehicle. Does anyone want to take on this important role in helping the persecuted homeschoolers? If you do, please contact the HSLDA here.

Goat Salt and Pepper Shakers

This goat set of salt and pepper shakers used to be my nanna’s, and when we moved into our first home, they were given to us. Although we don’t use table salt anymore, as it contains aluminium, and my husband had a severe reaction to it – tinnitus and hammer toes – but since we stopped the table salt, his tinnitus and hammer toes have both disappeared, it is still a rather interesting ornament.

However, I digress – I remember this goat salt and pepper shaker sitting on the table whenever we were gathered together, and times with my nanna were such special times. She was the sort of person who could make you feel special just by being there. Her way of interacting with people was one that I shall always remember, and her love and kindness toward me makes me smile each time I think of her.

Was it predestined or just coincidence that we have a farm with 21 goats? I don’t know, but just as I have fond memories of my nanna, I enjoy each and every one of our goats, although the billy goats are a bit smelly at the moment, as it is rutting season – makes it interesting when the wind is blowing the wrong way. Oh well, at least this billy goat doesn’t smell. What do you think of him – is he cute, or what?

Mary, I thank you for hosting this Meme – care to join, visit Mary at Hope Echoes.

Caught in the Act

Isn’t he gorgeous? This is David, our billy as he prunes the Bottlebrush. In this photo, can you see his wet beard? It is at this time of the year that the billy goats really start to stink, as it is rutting season. Call me crazy if you like, but I still love him, as he sires the most delightful babies.

Do you have any rose cuttings or native plant cuttings that you need to dispose of? Goats love them, but don’t feed any animal Sugar Gum, as  our vet informed us that it is high in arsenic!

Wordless Wednesday

New Life Skills

Yippee! My husband is teaching our son new skills – skills that he will need when my husband has the much-needed operation on his knee. My son is learning how to milk our goats – Delilah, Jemimah, Ruth, Cleo, Deborah, Esther, Aquila and Priscilla. Praise God that we have the most patient goats, and they have been extremely tolerant of a novice milking them.

Some of our goats have tiny little teats and are difficult to milk, while others like Deborah, Aquila and Priscilla have wonderful teats for milking.  Priscilla is one of the most patient goats ever, and she has LOTS of milk. My daughter has also expressed a desire to learn how to milk, and her small hands would definitely be an advantage in milking some of our goats.

Today my husband and son went out to cut firewood, and they came back with a HUGE amount of firewood in the shortest time ever. What does my husband think of his new chainsaw? He ♥♥♥ it, as it makes the job of cutting wood so much easier, and my son loaded the trailer for him while he used the chainsaw.

My husband was going to show our son how to use the chainsaw, but we have a slight problem. The chainsaw is too heavy, and when you rev it up, it kicks back- maybe next year??? I love homeschooling, as there is so much to learn – new life skills everyday!