Right now I'm reading Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot - the story that inspired End of the Spear.  I am so blessed and challenged by it. At the end of the book Elisabeth gives a (1996) update on things.  She talks about faith and obedience.  How so many people might feel at least somewhat justified that those 5 missionaries deaths led so many Waoroni to Christ.  I've got to admit that I've thought that.  But yet, that God does not have to justify His will to any of us.  Whether the Waoroni had accepted Christ or not, those men still would have been obedient to what God called them to do and we would still be called to have faith in a God that was in control when it happened.  Challenging, huh?!

Let's see, what else.... well Jake hasn't been feeling well.  Just a bad cold I suppose, but my gang doesn't get sick very often so it's a big deal.  I just keep blaming all of the headaches, congestion, etc... on this crazy weather - 60 degrees one day and then 30 the next with chance for snow.  UGH!

The dogs are all doing well, as are the cats.  Except for Lucy the barn cat.  She's missing.  Just vanished without a trace.  We can't imagine what could have happened.  Maybe she'll turn up in a few days. 

We got a letter from our local Farm Service Agency saying that we need to bushhog our land and be prepared for it to be checked so that they will renew some of our CRP land.  That means we're either going to have to pay someone to bushhog or we're going to have to buy a tractor and do it ourselves.  We'd like to buy a tractor if we can find a very inexpensive, but good running one.  If you've got any tips, let me know here or over at my FarmLife101 blog.

Tony has treated himself to XMRadio finally after wanting it for so many years.  He loves some of the comedy shows on there.  If laughter is good medicine, he should be healthy as a horse.

And speaking of horses, did I tell you that Billy practically walked in our sliding glass doors the other day?  Since Cherokee is gone, he really likes our attention again.  He comes to the fence and talks to us quite a bit.  So the other day, we were letting him roam around in the backyard and he came right up to the back door.  He seemed to be quite clearly asking for an apple.  We obliged and Jake rode him bareback around the yard a bit.

So that's enough of my random ramblings.  I want to hear how things are going in your neck of the woods.