The Angels are singing - can you hear them?

Michal Paul (my darling brother) and Miss Kelly in awe of it all!

Every time you hurriedly dawn the doors of yet another store, shopping for gifts for the ones you love and there's a volunteer ringing The Salvation Army bells and you donate to this noble cause.....

An Angel sings!

Every time you hug a friend and share good cheer, truly wishing them the very best in life and a blessed Christmas.....

An Angel sings!

Every time a new born child enters this world and cries for the first time embraced in his mothers arms.....

An Angel sings!

Every time you give of yourself; your time, clothing, food, money for shelter for those in need.....

An Angel sings!

Every time you hear sleigh bells ring and children, both big and small laughing, as a horse drawn sleigh pulls them across a snow glistened landscape of magic, innocence and delight.....

An Angel sings!

Every time a new believer comes to know his Lord and Savior for the first time.....

A Choir of Angels sing! HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!

For this is truly what Christmas is all about!

Merry Christmas to all and may YOU hear.........The Angels sing in joyous exclamation for You!

Musings from the farm this Christmas 2011!

XOXOXOXO Kelly

The Twelve days of Christmas! More than a Partridge in a Pear Tree!

On the first day of Christmas, I gave the ones I love:

The gift of my undivided time and attention.......

On the second day of Christmas, I gave the ones I love:

The gift of genuine encouragement and enthusiasm.....

On the third day of Christmas, I gave the ones I love:

The gift of creativity and energy.....

On the fourth day of Christmas, I gave the ones I love:

The gift of Simple Seasonal Pleasures: baking, crafting, conversations, making lasting memories and such.......

On the fifth day of Christmas, I gave the ones I love:

The gift of tenderness.....

On the sixth day of Christmas, I gave the ones I love:

The gift of good cheer.....

On the seventh day of Christmas, I gave the ones I love:

The gift of beauty-----found in nature, art, music, animals and above all people.....

On the eighth day of Christmas, I gave the ones I love:

The gift of communication-----positive, honest and and loving.....

On the ninth day of Christmas, I gave the ones I love:

The gift of surprise! Just because.....

On the tenth day of Christmas, I gave the ones I love:

The gift of Childlike wonder and faith "I believe in them, who they are and are becoming" ......

On the eleventh day of Christmas, I gave the ones I love:

The gift of freedom, freedom to be all that God calls them to be without judgement or criticism.....

On the twelfth day of Christmas, I gave the ones I love:

The gift of unconditional JOY and LOVE!

So ~ this Christmas, let the Holy Spirit work thru you, For it is to be about a Season of "GIVING" - not getting; but what I have found to be true, is that when you give these gifts that I am talking about ~ you, also will receive the "gifts" ten fold!

Merry Christmas! May we all partake in God's gift of Grace and Love and Let there truly be "Peace on Earth, Good Will towards men."

Musings from the farm on a "Snow Kissed" day, truly; a Beautiful Winters day indeed! XOXOXO Kelly

Ordinary things can be Extraordinary! It's all in your attitude!

A desire to grow, have adventure and become a better person; a more interesting person, a "fun" person to be around......tells me that I need to INTENTIONALLY lean into life more; SAVOR each moment as it unfolds, BE FULLY ENGAGED, and be OPEN to the "NEWNESS" of life each day! 

BE GREATFUL!  It's an ATTITUDE thing; it's an up to YOU thing!  SO............What's ya goin' doing friend?  I hope you'll set down your CROWN....... ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES ........ and do EXTRAORDINARY things today ! 

     Musings from the farm!  

XOXOXOOX Kelly ( at Grandma Elsie's kitchen sink)



Real Fruit! Fruit of the Spirit!

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control. (Gal. 5:22-23)

It's easy to Love, give and do when things are going "our way" when we have plenty and feel safe, comfortable and secure. But....real love, genuine kindness, joy and goodness comes when the opposite circumstances are taking place; when things are tight, when we feel stretched or fearful. When we give from our personal stash, our best, our reserve; when we pay someone a compliment and encourage them instead of competing, comparing, judging or being jealous; honestly wanting the very best for another----then we're truly being kind and living goodness! Integrity is doing the right thing no matter what, especially when no one is watching or would ever know. 

Faithfulness and self control: I don't think that you can be good unless you've been tempted to be bad. Yes it's nice when life is smooth, easy and going just as we've planned............but we learn and grow most when life deals us difficult situations; when we must choose what we'll stand for; making a tough call....but making it none the less....and doing the right thing.  When we get to the other side we can celebrate, reflect, share and rejoice. Real temptations, struggles and conflict-----they're really not so much "around" us as they are "within" us.  When we conquer our fears, we climb to the top of the mountain and we can watch the most beautiful sunset and know that it is well with our soul.  For we are at peace with the choices that we made today.  Doing life together, encouraging one another. Living a joy filled "Fruitful" life.  So-----Be the change that you want to see in the world and the world will change!

Faith, by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  (James 2:17)

"You can not keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair." (Martin Luther)

So, today, when life happens-----------and it will, YOU CHOOSE LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL. Due this for God, yourself and your fellow man.

Musings from the farm on a December day!

Love and Hugs always, Kelly

Going Fishing

My brother and I were very blessed to have my Grandma Elsie and Grandpa Paul in our lives. My brother, Michal Paul, and I spent a lot of time with them because my parents owned businesses and were working all the time to try and provide a nice life for us.

One of the things we did alot with my grandparents was camping. What great memory-making fun we had! Preparing for the trip, driving to the destination, choosing a private spot, setting up camp, exploring the lay of the land, making camp fires, cool crisp mornings waking up to the smell of bacon and eggs cooked in a cast iron skillet, yum; the best smells and breakfast ever. We hunted for frogs by moonlight, brushed our teeth in the cold creek water, ate golden smores', played cards, and fished everyday! What a perfect classroom for relationship building and lessons of life. Now at the time I didn't realize it but grandma and grandpa were teaching my brother and I "life lessons." They were 100-level courses in patience, respect and tenderness for all living things of the natural world, plant identification and so on. Beginners sessions in the importance of preparation and hard work for the end result of a warm inviting campfire to enjoy at the end of the day, fish to fry for dinner, setting up and taking down camp "shelter" and teamwork; an understanding and commitment to community. And especially for me, the frequent whispers of, "Kelly, hold still, be quiet, and be patient and wait; if you want to the fish to bite!" Yes, these were, and still are, great life lessons; ones that I still work on and remember fondly today.Oh how thankful I am for Grandma Elsie and Grandpa Paul. I wouldn't trade these times for the anything!

So as I am bundled up and stocking the fireplace with wood, looking into the fire here at our farm, I remember those days with warmth and tenderness in my heart.Today I am gathering natural things to display on our rustic mantle. There is fresh greenery, log slices, pine cones, candles, a family photo I bring out each Christmas of a horse drawn slay in the snow in Waterville, Washington and a magical snowman; like the ones we use to make. I think back to my experiences and times with my brother and grandparents and our great camping adventures and of learning, exploring and living. With a grateful heart I can close my eyes and be right back at Foggy Dew Campground once again. As I "dew" there is a warm flood of wonderful memories spent with people I love. I can see and smell the campsite, feel the fire and hear the sounds of nature all around me; doing life together, simple things but things that really matter........I wouldn't trade my growing up years, our camping experiences with my grandparents and brother for anything. As you set up your tree and hand your Christmas decorations I hope you'll pause and take the time to think upon and reflect on some of your childhood memories. Family, Christ, His birth and why He came... these are the things that truly matter.Yes I am blessed and so are you. Now if you'll excuse me----I think, if only in my memories, I'll go fishing for a while.

XOXOOXO Kelly

"Come follow me", Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men". At once they left their nets and followed him.

Mathew 4: 19-20

SPREAD JOY!

Do you know how you do this! Be authentic! Be real! Be selfless! Care about others more than thinking about yourself! Give sincere compliments! Encourage! Rejoice in others successes! Embrace them, hug and LOVE them! With no agenda or attachments! Simply support them with your undivided time, experience and resources!

Share from your heart what is real; what you have learned from "your" mistakes and successes and truly------LISTEN-------truly listen to where the other person is coming from! Live out Loud! Spread and nurture------REAL TRUE No-Strings-Attached JOY And see what happens! Then-----------Share a Cupcake to Celebrate!

Musings from the farm! Kelly

Simple Abundance

ABIDE (v.) dwell, reside, live, stay; tolerate, endure, submit, remain, stay. ABUNDANCE (n.) plenty, sufficiency, profusion, luxuriance, fullness, and so on! SIMPLIFY (v.) clear, clean, disentangle; come down to earth "I like that one"! Call a spade a spade "like that one too" (adverb) Simply, purely, solely, only, unadorneadly; in the raw, in plain terms; (adjectives) plain, homely, homespun, earthy “I like that" down-to-earth, ordinary. Soooo---------- take the ordinary and make it Extraordinary with your touch!

I'm learning and I'm longing to SLOW DOWN, take big deep intentional breaths and just be still. I love life, nature, and the natural, rustic, uninterrupted, un-hurried life at the farm! Real beauty, awesome, natural incredible art. Real raw art in the trees, the foliage and the woodland creatures. To watch as they unfurl and uncurl and change right before my eyes with each new passing day; each new season! They blow to-and-fro without an explanation, recognition or worry. Just doing what God intends and asks them to do. I long to be more like nature! Unafraid, non-competing, unhurried, not worried; simply living one day at a time and joining in communion with everything around me. Complimenting, encouraging, and connecting; all the while, living in beautiful harmony with what's set before me.

I want to know who I really am, in order to do what I was meant to do; to really find what I've been looking for all my life! MUSE: To ponder, consider, or deliberate at length. "I went into the woods to find myself, to be quiet, unhurried, without an agenda; not to be "The Queen" but a quiet woodland elf, to co-exist, to just be....surrounded by nature; more beautiful than I, with so much to teach me. Me as the student and nature, my simple surroundings; the teacher. It's a beautiful dance just between me and my creator; in his grand ballroom! Not man made, but God made......The most beautiful work of Art of all! I think I'll have this dance and stay for awhile! I'm not going to worry, or hurry, excuse me while I DANCE, LIVE, and LOVE! I'm going to Abide! And if it shall snow....while then I'll make a snow angel! Why don't you come and join me!

Musings from the farm, Kelly

Fellowship!

Real fellowship is about Experiencing LIFE together!  It includes unselfish loving, honest sharing, serving, sacrificial giving, genuine sympathetic comforting, and Really  REALLY listening (put down and turn off your cell phone for a while, it won't kill you, I promise! ) Friendship, Fellowship, "Due to others what you'd want done to you"   Integrity!  Genuine LOVE! 

It's what God's all about!  Christmas!  It's all about Him!  Not me and you!  He came for us!  Oh happy day!  He wants us to LIVE OUT OUR DAYS IN FELLOWSHIP with one another!  Try it, you might like it! 

Big fat juicy hugs and kisses from the farm!  XOXOXO