Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Did you have a blessed 2022? Mine was the best ever! Here are a couple highlights.
January-March: I enrolled in an online American history/government class entitled “A Republic if You Can Keep It!” David Barton of Wallbuilders teaches American history/government from the original documents of our founding fathers, which means from a Christian world view. If in a couple words I were to sum up our constitutional republic it would be “God’s Miracle.” I highly recommend that every citizen of the United States take this class. Because it is an online course, you can take it at your own leisure. Here’s a link if you’re interested: https://www.patriotacademy.com/store/product/31
January-February: I also hosted a six-week Constitution class through Patriot Academy in my home. We shared meals and learned so much about how God designed our Constitution…and how far we’ve strayed from it. It’s time to go back to the Constitution!
February: I said goodbye to Sunrise, my nearly 14-year-old golden retriever. For a while Willow, my German shepherd, and I wandered around our hollow house, missing the old gal.
Spring/Summer: As soon as the weather warmed up, I recruited the neighbor with his excavator to dig holes for six more trees, some which will bear fruit for me and some will support honey bees. Daily I thanked God for my tractor, which I used to dig trenches for irrigation water lines to the trees. I also carved out and fenced off new garden spots. It was so fun to sit on the porch eating watermelon and having the juice run down my face!
Summer/Fall: I harvested a nice hay crop then pastured cows into the fall. For fun I tackled some landscaping by building short walls with rocks. Many rocks were so big they didn’t fit in my tractor bucket, so my tractor pushed them in place. Then I filled in with dirt and planted trees, bushes and flowers in my rock walled gardens. The David Austin climbing roses I planted on the arbor last year topped seven feet tall and bloomed nearly all spring, summer and fall. It’s heavenly to walk through my gate, stand under the arbor and breathe deeply of the old rose scent.
Winter: I still enjoy brokering lumber for my regular day-job and on the writing front, once again, I’ve been invited to write stories for Walking In Grace, a Guideposts publication. In my spare time I’m tinkering with ideas for another book.
A couple days ago I reclined in front of the crackling fire and wondered what in the world I did this past year. Then I laughed. I’m sure 2023 will be filled with adventures and I’m not planning on slowing down at all.
Christmas/New Year: The Christmas family gathering will be at my home. I’m looking forward to taking some time off from work while family is here. After all, celebrating Christ’s birth with family makes it the most special time of the year!
Wishing you a 2023 filled with faith in God’s love and with His miracles!
Rebecca
P.S. This is AMAZING Hot Chocolate!
