The Promise of Spring

            With the first day of spring comes the anticipation of new things.The flowers start to come alive again after a long sleep.The sun kisses them and they awaken to the promise of spring. People around here start getting spring fever, and begin planning and planting their gardens. All looking forward to the fresh food the summer months will bring. The birds start singing and getting 'twitterpated'. The farm animals start grazing on the small stalks of grass starting to shoot up, acting like they can't get enough. Children can play outside without turning into a popsicle. It brings with it a rainbow of colors, flowers,bugs, and lots of memories to be made. Spring is a wonderful season of life.  

                 My family and I are already enjoying this warmer weather. We have started to build a barn which we so desperately need. We've also started building a fence around our garden spot so we can put our pigs in to work the soil before we plant anything.We are anticipating the birth of our first goat kid born on our farm , we are so excited. we have a couple of calves due, and our rabbits are also due to have kits soon. Lots of work, but it feels great to be able to get outside.  

                We just got back from a trip to Ohio. When we left the ground was almost bare and there was not much grass. But when we got back the grass was 5'' high and all the trees had blooms. Its so pretty! I love spring. Its my favorite season this year. This week we are adding new livestock to our farm. As I write this we are on our way to get a female Tamsworth pig to add to our farmyard. Tomorrow we are getting two new doelings. I am so excited! We are building up our little farm so much, Im going to have to stop calling it our small, little hobby farm. Its turned into a big, full sustaining homestead. I look foward to seeing  what the coming month will bring. 

 ~ For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth  before all the nations. Isaiah 61:11 ~

Integrity

       Integrity according to Merriam-Websters Dictionary means a firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values: incorruptibility,soundness,completeness, honesty. Unfortunately,as we look around our country, it's sad how little we see true integrity in anyone. We are losing it a little bit more each day. We need to make a stand and show more integrity in our own lives and be an example to others and maybe we will bring a little bit more back into the world.

 

       Psalm 101:2~"I will ponder the way that is blameless, Oh when will you come to me? "I will walk with integrity of heart within my house."I will  not set my eyes on anything that is worthless. (ESV)  The King James version says with a pure heart.


 

Here are some biblical examples

David was a great man of God who had a lot of integrity. Psalm 26:11~"But as for me,I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and I be merciful unto me."

Psalm 101: 1,2-8

Psalm 25:21~"Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on Thee."

1 Kings 9:4-5~ "And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgements:Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom for ever, as I promised to David thy father..."

Ruth and Boaz had a lot of Integrity too. Ruth left everything to go with her mother-in-law. When they arrived in Bethlehem, Ruth went to work in the feilds that belonged to Boaz. He noticed her and spoke to her.Instead of just thanking him she decided to dig deeper into his character and then she honored him for his integrity.

Job was a man God considered a perfect and upright man becaused of his integrity.

Job 2:3~ And the Lord said unto Satan, hast thou considered My servant Job ,there is none like him in the earth,a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast to his integrity,although thou movest me against him, to destroy him without cause. Job 27:5~God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove my integrtiy from me.

Solomon also had integrity. The Proverbs is all about integrity and the heart. Proverbs 11:3~ The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of the trangressors shall destroy them. Proverbs 20:7~ The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

Our country was founded on integrity. On truth and righteousness. Our forefathers were full of integrity.

Most people who don't have integrity just choose what feels right to them or whats convenient for them at the time. It's easier to choose to do the right thing and mold a good character than to try to  change your mind and character.  We have to want to do whats right even when we think no one is watching. I love the quote from C.S. Lewis ^ because even when we think no one is watching God is. He sees everything we do. So please try to show more integrity to the world, because someone is watching you wether it be God, your siblings, a friend, or even a stranger. Your character does have an impact on this world. So please join me in trying to bring some integrity back. Thank you.

 

Numbers 6:24~ The Lord bless thee and keep thee:

At the heart of this farm girl

         I have always grown up around a farm. From my childhood days of spending a lot of time on my grandparents farm to finally owning our own a few years ago. I can remember spring days playing in mud puddles, spraying off with the water hose, building tree forts with my brother, and playing like there was lava under our swing set. At a young age there is no limit to the imagination. I can also remember waiting on my pawpaw to come back from the store on long summer afternoons to bring us each a grapico and a hand full of bubble gum. Then he would take us out to check on the cows. My favorite part was getting to try to spot my cow Midnight out in a pature full of black cows.
         As I grew older my family decided it was time that we should try our hand at having our own small hobby farm. My mom got her some free range chickens and my dad bought a few cows to put on our new pasture. We loved it! Gathering farm fresh eggs everyday was the best. Over the course of 6 years we added turkeys, goats, ducks, guineas, rabbits and a few more cats and dogs. It's been a lot of hard work but it's also been a fun journey too. This weekend we are thinking on adding pigs... but more on that another day.
           Another thing my family and I enjoy doing is having a big garden every year. That is something that has grown too. We started out with just a small patch of weeds and it has grown to the size of two large garden spots. Tomatoes! I love having a fresh tomato sandwich in the summer time. Cucumbers can turn into, my favorite snack,pickles or you can put them on a fresh salad. I love seeing all the different colors of peppers. The corn rows that seem to just pop up everywhere make a great summertime dinner of corn on the cob or as I perfer it creamed. Potatoes are great mashed or just as good baked. I guess I can't pick a favorite vegatable that we grow, because they are all so good! I have Spring Fever!! I can't wait till planting time. 
           I guess that's it for now. Keep checking back for more additions and a peak at what we are doing on the homestead. You can also check out my mom's blog Stevens Sunshine Farm for more on what we are doing around the farm. :)
          ~2 Cor. 3:5- "Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God~