Free Screening

I finished watching the free screening of the documentary Fresh. It is a film by ana Sofia joanes and I must give it a green thumbs up.

The film is about getting back to sustainable farming and raising animals on a smaller scale than our commercial farming industry.

It will live streaming free for a week. I highly encourage everyone to view this~because we do need to get back to our roots and know where our food comes from. We need to get away from the processed foods and ingredients that the average person cannot pronounce.


To view the movie this week, click here.


For the record, I am not receiving anything for my review and linking of the movie.
Jennifer

A Simple Story

Almost twenty-four years ago Bill and I were married.

We really had no plans for our honeymoon and just loaded up in the truck and headed southwest. When we arrived in San Diego, I told Bill that my Uncle Steve lived here and immediately Bill said we should call him.

I ended up calling Uncle Steve and we went over and spent two days with my uncle and his family. I must side note a bit and share that my dad was killed in Vietnam 2 months before I was born and knew almost nothing of my dad's family. I believe my mom grieved and somewhat died that day in 1967. Anyway, my Uncle Steve looked so much like my dad that I was overjoyed to see him.

My Uncle Steve was equally happy but he also was on fire for the Lord. I was not raised with any religious background. I knew a tiny bit about the Bible and God-only from television! Uncle Steve used his time to be a witness for Christ. He was very loving, but also used the time well. He had us watch a video that he produced-as he was in the 'biz' as they say. But the film was about a subject I knew nothing of, and honestly only watched it because he was this connection to my dad.

Bill was just as kind as I was-but neither of us were interested.

Uncle Steve planted the seed.

Eleven months later Uncle Steve died of a heart attack. I had given birth to my oldest a week before but decided we should go to the funeral. We drove to California(from southern NV) because-well I was not sure then.

Uncle Steve died-never knowing how his seed grew. I am certain he felt like the parable of the sower, and considered that the seed he planted with us fell to the wayside.

It did not. I see the parable of the sower far differently because of Uncle Steve. It is not up to us to decide what the person's life is about-as to whether the seed will take root. We are not to judge whether it will grow. We are to cast the seeds...just as Uncle Steve did.

Here is the Parable of the Sower:


Mark 4: 1-9

And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

²And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

³Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

⁴And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

⁵And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

⁶But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

⁷And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

⁸And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

⁹And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

he- is Jesus Christ

If you would like to read more about Jesus Christ please feel free to request a Bible. We give them away free to anyone~anywhere. Please click here to leave your information.

Something to Think About

I finally realized why so many kids from farms go into the Army-




wait for it...




It will make you smile...




and has much truth in it...




and farm kids all over will smile...




the reason so many farm kids go in the Army...is because they want to sleep in!!!

Conservatives are dumb

Well isn't that quaint?

How incredible in an election year to have a study prove that it is a mental defect to be conservative~

Low-intelligence adults tend to gravitate toward socially conservative ideologies, the study found. Those ideologies, in turn, stress hierarchy and resistance to change, attitudes that can contribute to prejudice,

The strategy of the liberal is clever isn't it?

For those that wish not to be seen as racist, intolerant, and dumb this is a brilliant strategy.

So lets recap: conservatives are dumb.

Signed,
Conservative me

Friday Five

Friday randomness would be a better title! I love reading as I have shared, and recently I began reading about Gees Bend. Have you ever heard about Gees Bend? It is most famous for the quilts made by the local women. Sometimes I tug at a string of information and see where it unravels. Look at this amazing quilt!! I love the quilts of Gees Bend, as they create how I live. I found this quilt as a result of a Google search for images of the quilts. You see the false images of advertising have convinced us to seek perfection in our homes, our bodies, and our families.

I hope that when folks read my blog, they understand this. I refuse to accept the standards set by the world. Our homes are to be lived in, comfortable and safe. Our bodies are to be as we were designed, and not chiseled into some unisex creature without an ounce of softness or beauty. Oh and our bodies should not become the newest billboard~we are wonderful in our uniqueness already. I also see our families as gifts. We should enjoy the time we have with them, as not everyone is fortunate to have a mother, father, or children. I grew up without a father and I truly understand. Who says is my rule. Who says that a couple married 23 plus years can no longer hold hands? Because here~in my world, I hold my Bill's hand when we go somewhere. I hug him often much to the embarrassment of the children. We enjoy each others company and time and the hatred the media presents towards family and men does not impact us at all. I value my spouse. I do not see him as the village idiot, for goodness sakes, and I love knowing my role at home has been appreciated. Sigh~I could go on you know. I love how men and women can absolutely complement each other.

Next photo, when traveling for days on end and the vehicle looks like a mini dumpster-it is best to be incognito!
I found this photo from my trip last year to Indiana, then NY with two of the kids. This person is the mystery traveler!! Mystery or not, we enjoyed this traveler and I am so happy I found this photo to share!!

As this Friday Five continues~my Second has continued the pattern that we set. He bought his first vehicle Thursday after much searching. He knew what he wanted and patiently(well kind of) waited.
Like his other brothers, he saved until he had enough cash. We have worked very hard to teach the kids to pay cash for as much as you can, as the credit option is not a winning option for anyone but the banks. I know we have sold this big time to America~but on the farm we prefer to live by paying cash for everything we own. Keeps us current in case, heaven forbid something bad would happen~such as what happened to Bill. Remember the quilt above~homes do not need to be mausoleums for love, happiness and joy to exist. In fact, the burden of debt and the pressure of keeping up with the Jones' seems to help our nation slip into this current economic state.

Love technology photo~While waiting for our oldest the other day, Bill was texting the others to make sure everything was going smoothly at home. He then texted the oldest too.
It sure is funny how easy we have crossed over to an entirely new way to communicate. I do love technology for this instant connection! I know my kids and Bill are laughing now as my texting abilities are well...not so fast. And I sometimes send when I mean to put a space, so they will receive a half text~and not question me, as it is me!!!

Now~about the advertising that I mention many times on this blog. The media is not a truth machine...sorry.
I found this photo on Weasel Zippers. Do you see the lie? Let's see if I can help you. The Roe V. Wade decision took place in 1973. We have had Nixon(1 yr.), Ford(3 yrs.), Reagan(8 yrs.), Bush(4 yrs), G.W Bush( 8 yrs), all Republicans-for a total of 24 years of Republican presidents. Now lets add up the years for Democrats-Carter(4 yrs), Clinton( 8yrs), and Obama so far 3 years-for a total of 15 years. Sorry folks this is a LIE. Seems like Roe V. Wade is supported by both parties. The media divides to get us riled up....oh my the Republicans are waging war on women! And we have forgotten ever so nicely, the aborted baby-and the war waged on babies in the womb. Please remember this: like our tax code-which is over twenty thousand pages, the abortion issue is what it is~because our government leaders want it to be this way. Sorry. This is the truth. Same with taxes. If taxes were less complicated-they couldn't shift our hard earned money into program after program.

By the way-we do have a war going on since 1973, and it is horrific-I wonder if we will ever have a campaign or tee-shirts for that?


I wish to close today reminding everyone that the Double Nickel Farm gives bibles away. We have plenty of them and order more all the time. Please feel free to link to the giveaway page here or, if you would like leave a message requesting a Bible today.

Dates

Yesterday Bill had another appointment in El Paso, Texas. Since our oldest is now stationed at Fort Bliss, every time we go, we meet up with him. Yesterday I decided something that makes me smile.

It was all because our time with First last night. We went to dinner with him and stopped off at Costco. It was a date(corny to say) with our son. I loved this idea so much I am going to plan a date per week each month with each of the children(young adults). It is so nice to sit across the table and talk. I was smiling last night during our dinner with First, as I was so amazed to hear his thoughts, dreams, and more importantly of his day. I never thought when a new momma, that someday, I would have moments like these, and while I can, I will make every opportunity possible to continue to be amazed by these goofs that Bill and I have been so blessed to raise. They have made life so incredible that my eyes well up as I type. I cannot believe I have been so fortunate to see them reach each stage in their lives and look forward to the years ahead.

So my handsome Firstborn-thank you for our dinner date last night. You make me so proud~ Dad and I love you so much~ and as always the newest trends begin with you. Thanks for the inspiring idea!!

We Interrupt This Post: Update at Bottom

for a message about reading. We are all avid readers on the farm. Therefore we have many books.
This photo was from our annual 2009 kids photo~and was titled The End~in front of the bookshelves in the front room. Before the internet~one could still travel the world and learn about anything and everything, by opening a book. A book takes the reader through time, places them in another's shoes, and allows the reader to take the words and create the set.

Many discussions around the table begin after we watch a movie based upon a book. Almost all of the conversation is because the readers were disappointed with the movie because the movie did not match up to the way they saw the book.

I have made reading a part of the children's lives from birth. I have read to them while they were babies, read poetry to them during lunchtime, and Bill would read the Bible to them in the evenings. Bill also read most of the condensed classics to the children at bedtime. He would come home during bedtime(he was a police officer) and read to them and head back to work. He read Moby Dick, The Three Musketeers, David Copperfield, and War of the Worlds to name a few. I would sit in the family room and listen to him change his voice for different characters and hear the children giggle and I would smile.

The kitchen table always had a pile of books in the center and for breakfast-usually self serve, the children would read while eating. Each child has their own likes and dislikes and we promoted the direction each child headed all the while allowing opportunities to read anywhere and everywhere in the home. Yes, even in the second library, if you know what I mean. One time, when one of the boys was small he called out to me and asked me to bring him the book on dinosaurs~while he was on the throne! I took him the book smiling all the way. When we took road trips each kid would take a few books to read.

I share this because the books are for everyone. We all should make time to read. It is restful and takes our minds off of things and is very relaxing.

I have a mini list of books to share that I have loved reading:

1. The Bible-there are 66 books inside
2. The poetry of Robert Frost
3. Anything written by Mark Twain- his short stories are wonderful.
4. The Little House series. I have read and reread these books many times. Life can be as simple and as loving as the way Laura Ingalls Wilder shared in her collection.
5. The Great Brain series. This series has a boy as the lead character and it takes place in Utah around the turn of the 19th to 20th century. Like the Little House series, the books are wholesome, fun, and great reads for children as well as adults.
   
6. Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle
7. Cookbooks-especially those written before the 1960's
   
8. Peterson Field Guides-you can read about anything in your region
9. Historical books I try and gather the older books as less revisionist history occurred.
10. For quick read the Louis Lamour books. Lamour wrote of the old west, cowboys, Indians, and pioneer stock.

That is a short list including books for the young and old alike. I would hope everyone would have a chance today to pick up a book and escape for a while!

UPDATE: I loved all the comments that had so many suggestions of other great books that I am going to compile a post of readers favorites and suggestions, so feel free to leave more if you wish~

Jennifer