Absentminded or Absent?

Yes, I have been "gone" a while.  Whether from Absentmindedness or just being absent, you decide. 

Life has been good.  Correction.   My Lord has been good!  He has been very gracious this season and Blessed us abundantly!  

"What?!?!" you ask, "Isn't He ALWAYS good and gracious"??  

Yes, pat yourself on the back for noticing my sinful ways and let me finish.

Thank you.  :D  

For those of you who know us, there have been some tough times in our past.  Not awful, for that would be putting down those who have had worse.  Just plain ole tough.  
Between the possibility of losing the ranch, the economy being unstable which made Dad's job unstable, to relationships really struggling, the loss of a beloved Bampa, and the struggles of new phases in life, it hasn't all been "hunky-dunky".  

I wouldn't go back and change any of the lessons we have learned, though, for they have all been lessons we needed to learn and hear.  You cannot be made into a pot without losing a bit of clay.

Our Lord, as He always does, was gracious enough to make that season only a season- though not a "season" of 3 months only!  He is gracious to bring the rain and the sun that beats its rays upon us to grow for our time, but then summer settles in where there is the slightest of breaks.  The fall will be upon us soon, and I long to see the results of His work that He has done upon us!  

Or have they already come.  No one knows but One.  and I am sure for each it is a different season.  

In the meantime, our time has been most delightfully spent.  The ranch is now in a stable condition.  (yay!)  We now cannot say we own any part of it.  It is truly the Lord's ranch!!! 

Psalm 50:10

"For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills."

He has taken care of it just as He gave it to us.  But of course, it wouldn't have happened without us doing our hard work and part of it.  Joshua has truly stepped up this year and taken on the brunt of the labor, allowing Daddy to be faithful to his work.  
Josh has matured so much this year- both physically at a strapping 6 foot- and in everything else.  He has stepped across the threshold and left boyhood behind in the way it was planned. We couldn't be more proud of him!  He has such a servant's heart I don't know where there is room for anything left in his body....

With the ranch doing well, we took off over Thanksgiving weekend to spend a much needed vacation!!  For this family that hasn't had one in 6 years we were all in ecstasy!  :D  We drove out to LA, California and spent some delightful days seeing the sights and just relaxing with our family.  :sigh:  (see some pics here)

~We just got back from a delightful party at a friends house, and instead of just doing boring introductions, the hostess asked that we share what God has been teaching us lately.  

I have been thinking about that a lot (actually before the party, but that party brought it to the front of my mind if you know what I mean).  I think what He has been teaching me can be summed up in a beautiful hymn that I have been memorizing.

    Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way! 
 Thou art the potter, I am the clay. 
 Mold me and make me after thy will, 
 while I am waiting, yielded and still. 

 Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way! 
 Search me and try me, Savior today! 
 Wash me just now, Lord, whiter than snow, 
 as in thy presence humbly I bow. 

 Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way! 
 Wounded and weary, help me I pray! 
 Power, all power, surely is thine! 
 Touch me and heal me, Savior divine! 

 Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way! 
 Hold o'er my being absolute sway. 
 Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see 
 Christ only, always, living in me! 

 This song speaks to me of how I must be willing to be as wet, yielding clay in His hands if I want to be made into a vessel for Him.  It shows me that He is powerful, so powerful, yet gentle with me.  :sigh:  It has been a good song to learn for me in this season of life.  I also love the melody (which you can hear here!) as it is very calming. 

The Lord has been showing me more about Him as He truly is.  Not just who I have made Him in my mind.  He has been asking me to be willing to give all up to Him- something very hard to do for a first-born perfectionist, type-A personality!   

Ahhh!  If I can only put into better practice what I learn from my Master!  

Well my friends, it is a late night and to bed I must go.  I pray the Lord is Blessing you abundantly this Christmas season!  May He remind you of what you need to remember, and show you what you need to be shown! 

~Rebecca