In the course of human events...

It becomes necessary for a family to make drastic changes in order to follow the Lord. Our life, as we now live it, is one of those changes. We are buying our home and will own it in 9 years. No more monthly payments after that. There are many factors that faciliated the decision to move in this quickly, to live this primitively, to do without so many of the modern comforts. Truth be told - and as many others who have chosen a similar path can attest - this decision was among the easiest we have had to make and the hardest to hold onto. This is difficult. I ask myself almost daily now, "What are we trying to prove? Why are we doing this? Why don't I get a job again? I forget..." Indeed I do forget these core issues when I am in the depths of living out this conviction.

Most people don't understand. We have a few well-wishers, fellow pilgrims, but in general people think along these lines:

"Why doesn't she go to work? I mean... they are doing without too much."

"Why would Shawn expect her to do without so many things? Why doesn't he get a second/better job?"

"Those poor kids... they have no choice in the matter."

We live with the threat of DFS being called on us while we wait for our sewer system to be installed, I work my fingers to the bone every day on the house "work" plus try to cook good meals, I keep up on the laundry and hang it all on a clothesline to dry, I keep the garden in shape. This is hard work.

The children do all of the yardwork. The boys mow, trim, rake, spread straw on my garden for me. They haul out the trash from the kitchen, make sure the animals are all taken care of, keep an eye out for stray dogs, Austin babysits for us if we need to get supplies that won't fit in the van with the children. Abby takes care of the trash in the yard and cleans out the van. Luke turns the water hose on and off 20 times a day.

And Shawn... Shawn goes to work each day and lives with the guilt that he is in air-conditioning and we are not. He bears the financial burden for all of this while facing ridicule and judgement for doing so. He comes home, content to have us all here together and works on the house every evening. He is settled with the fact that he will probably be working this "part-time job" for several more years. All without pay and without encouragement from anyone but us.

What has happened to the New Testament church? The one that "bears one another's burdens"? I'm not talking about financial help - my Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills, why would I need money from the church? I am talking about a "word in due season". I am talking about encouragement and edification. I am talking about having a local body support such drastic measures at walking out our faith. I am speaking of the Body of Christ. Where is it?

Maybe it is just me. I am depressed, as the world would put it. "People are busy. They can't stop what they are doing to call and see how you all are doing. Get real Kelly." Of course, people are busy. And our lives are flying by at such a speed that we can't even see the scenery. That is one of the reasons that motivated me personally to start down this road. A simpler life. Time to focus on the children and Shawn. Time to spend with the Lord that wasn't rushed or hurried. Now I realize that most people do not have to take such "drastic measures" to get this accomplished. Most people can probably figure all of this out in Suburbia, USA. I could not. I tried. For me, a house in the country with a garden and a few chickesn was part of what soothes me. Being closer to the creation brings me closer to the Creator. And knowing we will be in bonds (debt) for 1/3 the time our other mortgage put us in frees my mind even further.

Wow... this has been a real rant and I didn't mean to go so far with it! WOW! Bless you if you have read this far. Occasionally I feel the need to explain to nay-sayers (and myself) why we are doing this. Again. It helps me stay focused and not be discouraged. So again, thank you. Bless you for reading so much and getting so little out of it.

Cattle on a Thousand Hills

Well... after losing so much livestock this year, having the front tire fly off of our drive-to-work car (that happened last night), needing so many things for our house still... I have taken the great leap of faith it takes to begin selling on Ebay. I had rotten luck with it a couple years ago when I tried it. Hopefully with some advice from savvy eBay sellers (Hi Dawn!) it will be profitable this time around!

Check it out... bookmark it! Check back often! Hopefully I will add something every week at least.

Our Ebay Store

Chicken Little... and less and less..

Lost chicks last evening at about sunset. The neighbors dogs were here and apparently during the downpour or shortly thereafter they dug a hole to get their paws into the chicken tractor. We lost 19 altogether. HOw they got so may so fast is beyond me. I don't understand it but that's how many are gone. I spoke with one of the neighbors and he was very apologetic, promised to keep his dog chained while he was gone, etc. Then he turend up later to offer some meat from a recently butchered hog to compensate for the loss of meat. Then AGAIN he came by with offers of concrete blocks and 2x6's to dog-proof the tractor from the other dogs. I'm not quite sure who they belong to but one of them belongs to the lady across the road who has caused us all the trouble with the Health Department. I will not speak to her about her dog. She is crass, ungodly, wickedly vulgar with her language (we can sometimes hear her screaming at her husband from here). I will not expose myself to the abuse I would likely encounter if I confront her about her dogs. Not sure how I will approach it, but I will think of some way of handling the situation.

We are down to about 65 of the 100. They were cheap and I figured on losing alot just because it's the first season, new pens, etc. It still stings though... I had counted them in the freezer for winter already.

An Open Door

I didn't get a pic of the rabbit shelter up yet but I will tomorrow... hopefully. IN the meantime, the creative flow struck me and I painted the inside of the front door. It's hard to read here but it says,

LOVE - Prov. 10:12 ~ GRACE I John 2:10 ~

MERCY Psalm 136:1 ~ FORGIVENESS PSalm 32:1

Let these be every present here, for we shall all have need of them."

Kelly Midkiff Copyright 2006

Chess the Hours Away

The boys and Shawn like to play chess... Abby knows how to set up the pieces now and Luke pretends he is an expert. So, me being the perfectionist that I am, got sick of cruddy old cardboard chess and checker boards and made them a permanent one!

Here is the top of it....

It is made of an old sewing machine cabinet!!! The door swings out in the front and holds the pieces perfectly. And chess is, of course, a very old game - perfect for 1830's living! In the evenings, this is their favorite things to do (other than watch a The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.)

So there you have it. The rabbit hutches are done too - but the white paint inspired me and this project has been rattling around in the back of my brain for long enough.

A Chilling Discovery

Did you know one can actually develop health problems from taking cold baths under the night sky? Well... at least I heard that from my husband last night. His, ummm... personal property could be severely injured by taking cold baths such as the ones we partake of.

ROFLOL!!!!!
(rolling on floor laughing out loud)

OH my... I laughed and laughed and laughed when he told me that! I am still laughing over it!!! People are starting to get concerned though.

We visited my Dad for the 4th of July and he says into the phone,
"Now don't be offended. Please don't be, I don't mean it this way at all."

I said, "What, Dad?

"Bring clean clothes with you."

At first I was thinking he was embarrased by us but then I thought, 'No it can't be that. We are always clean when we go somewhere...'

He says again real quick while I'm not saying anything, trying to process his request. "I have all the towels you need. Take a hot shower. Please. For me. Cold water gets real old."

ROFLOL!!!! So Shawn and I did. I took my first hot shower in 5 weeks and counting! Well, actually I took a shower, then I drew bath water and took a bath, then I took another shower. :-) A long one. Shawn said he was afraid I was going to revolt and refuse to ever come out.

I am so sorry that my entries of late have been almost soley about bathing and personal hygeine. They say when one falls into desperate times it tries one mental stamina. Uhhh.... yep. Sure does.

I'll post something on a "homesteading" theme this afteroon. We will have out rabbit pen finished so I'll show you a picture of that. But make no mistake. Personal hygeine IS a sigificant part of homesteading. Make no mistake.