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Tuesday, August 25, 2015

My Silence: Is It Ignorance or Consent?

I can be pretty good at appearing to sit on the fence so as not to cause a ruckus.  But because I am deeply convicted by what I have learned recently about Planned Parenthood, I must take a stand.

For the past 14 years I've claimed to be pro-life, but all that really meant was I didn't agree with the cultural view that a fetus is nothing more than tissue, thus making it okay to abort.

I will always believe that life begins at conception.  Because life is from our Creator.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.  
Psalm 139:13

This comes from the truth of God's Word.  It surpasses all other 'truth' we attempt to justify.

So, if our Creator gives life, how must it grieve Him that we continue to snuff the life out of His babies?  I can barely stand to watch the videos put out by The Center for Medical Progress.  I don't want to watch.  Because not watching means I don't know.  I can claim ignorance.  But the reality is we can no longer pretend we don't know.

I don't speak in condemnation or judgment, because that is not my place.  I'm a sinner too.  Thank You, Jesus, for taking my sin upon yourself, redeeming my life and giving me freedom in this life and for all eternity.

These videos have exposed darkness and evil as PP execs flippantly discuss human body parts needed in a particular time period, all in the name of 'research.'

But what about the woman?  Yes, what about the woman who has abortion in her past and is now finding out that the very people who promised her health and safety may have ripped apart the baby she was carrying as a vulture tears into a carcass?  

And what about the woman who thought this was the answer, yet hasn't been able to forget?

To you, dear one, may you accept God's grace and forgiveness.  May He call you out of the darkness and into the light of His forgiveness.  May He cause you to rise above the shame and guilt.  Maybe He will even call you to minister to others who cannot find their way out of the darkness.

To those of us professing to follow Christ, what will we do now?  What if we:
1. Love as He loves us
2. Carry one another's burdens
3. Speak in truth (not in error and certainly not in hatred)
4. Speak against the violence of abortion
5. Recognize that life is a gift
6. Remember we are here to glorify the Father

Whoever says, "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.  By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.  
1 John 2:4-6

Because this Earth is not heaven, we can't expect it to be like heaven, but as believers we tend to desire to blend in.  We don't want to act as though we are set apart.  We are given opportunities to stand for the Truth, but we cower.  

...but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 10:33

We want independence and freedom.  We have seen God's mercy in sending His son to the cross for us, but we have yet to see His wrath for the atrocities we commit against one another.  One day He will give us exactly what we wanted, and what then?  May He have mercy on our complacency.

I would never consciously ask someone to abort a child to potentially save the life of mine.  Yet, in my silence, am I doing just that?

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Our Family Thanks You!

Corn harvest 2015 is over, and we survived!  This year's crop was the second best we've had since we began raising sweet corn 7 years ago.  We praise the Lord for His crop.  What an incredible year we've had, and He gets all the glory!

We also owe a huge THANK YOU to our customers!  You are more than customers to us; you are friends.  We realize that no matter how good the crop is, without you it wouldn't be a success.  As long as the Lord allows, we will continue to rise at 3 a.m., hand sort the best, and have it ready for you.  We look forward to seeing you next year!

Sorting starts at 5 a.m....

...and breakfast is always welcomed at 6:30 between trailer loads.

We sorted load after load of corn...


...sometimes in the rain.
We loaded the trailer...

... and pickups...

(true story, this guy had an accident last October that left him in a wheelchair and then a walker for over three months!  Praise God for healing!)


...and then these three would deliver the goods to the designated locations and serve our customers.

Little sisters begged every.single.day to go with the trailer.  They did a great job making dozens and counting change!

And then the cantaloupe starting producing!

Big cantaloupe!

And the days would eventually end with lots of food...

...including corn, of course...

...and even a little friendly competition.

Being the Top Notch Procrastinator that I am, I might have waited until the last week to cut our corn for freezing.
(I have so much help!)

We squeezed a lot of life out of the five weeks of harvest, including two birthday parties, our 30th anniversary, a baptism (thank You, Jesus!), a serial casting, and time with dear friends.  We're a little tired, but there's no time to chill because school starts this week so we'll keep on rollin'.

Again, THANK YOU, and we'll see you next year!

THE END!

Monday, August 10, 2015

CHS Farm Family of the Year Photo Contest

We are still hunkered down in corn harvest!  This is our last week, and it's been a great season.

I wanted to let you know that our family is entered in a Farm Family Photo Contest, and we'd truly appreciate your vote.  You can vote once a day, every.single.day.

It would be fun to treat our hard-working kids to a ball game if we win this contest.  So our kids appreciate your vote :) 
Thank you!!!

Vote HERE