For His Service

We had one week of craziness at the Pate household. Our waterline was accidentally cut so we had a day without running water (no flushing toilets, washing hands, etc). Our van's radiator developed a hole in it and we did without a van for two and 1/2 days. You have to do some fancy car juggling when your family is going in many different directions. Then, Dirk.... our 7 1/2 year old snoodle developed another ear infection and sneezed more than not. Well, the plumber repaired the pipes. Gerald's automotive repaired our radiator and we have it back once again. Orr animal hospital gave Dirk a shot, ear drops, and doubled his dosage of allergy medication. The sneezing has stopped. Enjoy the silence, Rachel

This is another way I have stayed busy this summer. In the far left, you can see part of my waterfall that dumps into the pond below. The hillside, which you can only see a small part of it here, is full of flowers and veggies. I love my garden and the joy of getting food out of it for my family and seeing humming birds and butterflies enjoying the flowers.

Well, I do claim them. I do love them. And, actually they do come when I call them. So, I say, "Bluebird, bluebird" and they come because they know that I have a plate full of mealworms. I suppose I could say "hotdog, hotdog" and they would still come. It makes no difference to me. Apparently, the baby bluebirds listen for me as well as they too come within 15 seconds of me calling. This is just one of the many blessings I enjoy. May you see your "bluebird" today. Blessings, Rachel

I really dreaded my 40 th birthday. It's such a BIG birthday. My husband and my friends made it really special. Birthday cakes, flowers, balloons, surprise lunch, surprise dinner-party, and other gifts. Most of all I appreciate their presents, not gifts, but time with me. Nothing is more important to me than the people in my life. God has taught me so much in my 40 years, but that is one of the things I really, really get. I am grateful that I don't struggle with keeping up with the Jones. I happily look for ways to save money and don't care if I don't have a $500 purse. I have learned... blood doesn't make family. I have some amazing sisters that grew up in different homes, but I love them dearly. You know who you are. (If you wonder if it is you, it is). I have learned to not judge God based upon my circumstances, but to judge my circumstances based upon who I know God to be. I have learned not to say "if only" for that leads me to be bitt...

My friend, Vicki wrote this about a man that I only had the pleasure to meet a few times. This is really good, so please take the time to read it. Remembering Tom Carpenter April 27, 2010 by acupofearlgreywithme I have been desiring to post a blog on a friend of ours, who recently past away in February, for some time now. Tom, a servant of Christ and custodian at the church we attend, was diagnosed with cancer and went to be with Jesus three weeks after his diagnosis. He was at the young age of 51 when he passed. He never married or had children, but had a huge family in the Lord that surrounded him, especially in his final days. Do you ever wonder what your thoughts will be during those last moments or days before Christ calls you home? People have quoted the famous last words of people and sometimes, because of the final circumstances, made them words to live by. Tom’s last words to his friends and brothers in the Lord (Kevin and Caleb) were, “Could you pray for me?” and “I love you...

Do you sometimes just feel like you have put yourself in a room with razors for walls? If you have ever dealt with anger, unforgiveness, or bitterness, you know this feeling. But, how do you get rid of it? Alot of it is focusing on what is true..NOW. We can't live in the past. Didn't someone famous once say that? :) Anyway, one book that is so helpful for not wasting your energy and life on such negative emotions is a book called Life is a Vapor by John Piper. Here are some nuggets out of it. James 1:19-20 Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God required. Eph. 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath...ang anger and clamor..and slander be put away from you. 1. Ponder the right of Christ to be anger, but how He endured the cross, as an example of long suffering (1Peter 2:21). 2. Ponder how much you have been forgiven, and how much mercy you have been shown (eph 4:32)/ 3. Ponder your own sinfulness and take the bea...

We went out of town for Easter and when we returned, I saw that my pond had a leak somewhere. I had Russell to brave the spiders that might be lerking near the outlet so that he could unplug the waterfall, because the waterfall is usually the problem...most of the time. This morning I started the task of removing rocks to get down to the liner to see if I could see what the problem actually happened to be. I found it after looking a minute or so. Some critter, likely a chipmunk since a family lives 4 feet away under the pine tree by the waterfall, chewed through the top of the liner allowing water to leak at the top of the waterfall. After fixing the leak, putting more water in, I plugged the pump that controls the waterfall...and started to inspect every inch of the waterfall. To my surprise, I found thousands of tadpoles in the waterfall. I love listening to the spring peepers at night..I imagine these tadpoles are their doing. If the chipmunk hadn't caused a leak, I might ...