'Spr-inter' Steps

The sun is shining, the sand hill cranes are calling and a hint of green tints our winter weathered ground.  With the hopeful arrival of 'some' spring (it will snow again and that's okay), I have to say this winter has been one of reflection, perspective and a walk in faithfulness.  For a couple months, I felt like I was looking up through the eye of a tornado-the wind whirling around me and yet I could see the beauty high above in the promise of the blue sky just beyond my reach.  In reflection all I had to do is look up and the whirling stopped when I focused on the sky above.  I'd try to quiet my noisy mind and heart of the whirlwind stirring around me in these moments, and I tried to keep my eye on an eternal perspective while still making action steps toward the many avenues the good Lord has blessedly lit the path toward.  The light is bright, always present and boldly leading but it's so easy to get quickly distracted by what's whirling around.  As I look back and see those moments, now in this season of 'Spr-inter', they are small but mighty steps on this lit path he's revealing. Sometimes these moments only presented for me to see two steps in front of me, and sometimes my view of the moment was able to see across to the horizon and its miles of perspective abounding beyond. What seemed like a moment of quick texts, a casual conversation, a routine glance, sick days, a blinking cursor on a white page, or those moments where I knew I was standing out of my moment, and looking in at it with different glasses, are the reflections that captured my heart, were answered prayers, miracles unbeknownst in the moment, discernment, and the good Lord revealing his presence in all things, at all time, and in all places-in small but mighty ways.  These blessings of reflections I'm grateful for, and most of all I'm grateful for the whirling moments as hard as, and as stuck as I felt in the whirlwind of those temporary times.  Because without them, how would I focus my attention toward the richness of the above, which was always within my reach, or be able to see with different eyes that these moments, while small and many, were mighty steps in the path of my growing relationship with the good Lord.

God may reveal moments as small steps to us, but when you reflect on your trail, they are part of a mighty path to Him.

Gifts

The sparking ember toward the end of 2016 lit a rolling fire beneath me in 2017, launching several amazing writing projects. While each of these projects were independent of the other, they became  the catalysts to multiple  opportunities in 2017...and available on store shelves in 2018!  I'd love it if you'd come along with me on this journey... http://www.jeanpetersen.com/

"I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received," Eph. 4:1, the apostle Paul...

I look at this scripture and it reminds me of how committed to writing I felt at the beginning of 2017.  I was more than determined, and began seriously treating my goals as a job but it was an even deeper sense stirring in me, it was something I had to do as a part of one the gifts the Good Lord has given me. If I did not move forward, I would not regret it in a year or two, or ten, but by the next week.  I felt it with a serious need to respond, active action, and deep conviction to write, craft, edit and pitch some of these books I have had on the slow burner.  They were ready to serve, but I had been hesitant in sharing and putting myself out there again.  A confidence and peace came over me as I worked towards my goals, steadily, accepting many rejections, but gaining a faster pace as I trusted, believed and had Faith the fruits of my labor would be rewarded.  The good Lord is always Faithful!

In May, I was awarded another book contract with Arcadia Publishing and The History Press to feature a Montana themed cookbook teamed with a local, esteemed chef's recipes also filled with Montana history and unique, gourmet dishes from the natural resources that abound our landscapes along with locally sourced ingredients. It was an amazing journey!  Since I am a very 'rustic' gourmet, I learned how to make these fabulous recipes-successfully, and even skinned rattlesnakes four more times than I thought I would ever have attempted, to make rattlesnake cakes covered with a red pepper remoulade, took hundreds of photos, and most of all came much closer to my walk with God. It has been so much fun and amazing to work with the publishing team, my fabulous Editor and Chef.  I can't wait to share this cookbook, The Big Sky Bounty Cookbook-Local Ingredients and Rustic Recipes, with all of you when it is released this spring!

As many of you know my heart has a true love for children's books, and I met a dear friend at a conference, She Speaks-Proverbs 31 Ministries, of which I was truly blessed to attend in July of 2016.  The seeds of this friendship led to a notice she shared on Facebook about a Twitter pitch, called #FaithPitch.  I took a leap of Faith, and for a month I whittled, worked and revised a children's story I wrote months earlier, and pitched it for this hopeful opportunity. With sincere gratitude, the fruits of taking that leap of Faith awarded me  book contract with Little Lamb Books.  I am over the moon, excited to share Kind Soup with everyone, and am just whole-heartedly truly blessed to have the opportunity to work with the team at Little Lamb Books.  Kind Soup is made with the ingredients of the Fruits of the Spirit throughout the story, and teaches more than just a cooking lesson but what it means to serve and be filled with these gifts from Jesus.  I'm thrilled  to share that Kind Soup is scheduled to be released in November 2018, and I can't wait to share this children's picture book with each of you.

I've placed a call-out description of each of the books on the base of the newsletter, and a link off their logos.  If you'd like to see more about these publishing houses and all the wonderful books they offer, please jump on the link, and check them out!

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of Life on the Ranch with Banjo published by the Western Ag Reporter-Yay!  It has been true gift being able to write and share the antics of Banjo and his ranch crew every week for ten years.  I absolutely love these characters and writing these stories.  They are family to me, and it is so much fun!  I'm extraordinarily thankful to my Editor for all she does and let's me keep creating adventures for children to read on the Agri-Kids page.  You can see excerpts here https://westernagreporter.com/articles.php

Also, have you picked up Raised in the West magazine?  If you're in our region, definitely grab yourself a copy or two or three in 2018!  This publication is filled with great stories about agriculture and western interest topics surrounding Montana.  It's beautifully produced and features real, timely, and useful articles...you may even recognize a previous contributor in a couple issues last year.  I am truly thankful to be have had the opportunity to be a part of this superior publication and work with their editorial team.

Well, that's a lot of news to share, but I want to especially let you know I will be hosting events and giveaways for my upcoming book launches, contests and creative products to accompany them as well via my web-site, and I'll post information on social media.  I promise my newsletters won't be this lengthy, but want to catch everyone up and invite you along on my writing adventures!

All the very best to each of you, and wishing you many blessing in this New Year!

Super Bowl Sunday, Original post March 4th 2016

As this years Super Bowl half-time show concluded, I chuckled out loud at the ending. Fireworks, celebrities and music thumped through our home as it did millions of others.  The ending said "Believe in Love".  I said to everyone,"The irony...they just told everyone to 'Believe in God'. Awesome, I thought!  I'm presuming the producers and directors were trying to have a politically correct 'universal message', and unintendingly made a truly amazing 'universal declaration' with their message.  When love is talked about God always shines.  No matter how the world tries to take him out of it to plug in a different word, it's simple...he can not be taken out because God is Love. 
Check it out
"Whoever does not love, does not know God, because God is Love."
Back it Up
1 John 4:8
1 John 4:9-12
Points to Ponder: Love-everyone feels love for someone?  So everyone feels God...right? Whether they know Him or not?  He is ingrained and intertwined in each of our beings that he so meticulously knitted together in our mothers wombs. How can you resonate His love within you and others this week? After all isn't the best way to find God is to find Love? 

This week's life on our farm...

Well, apparently one week old baby chicks can't get a wee lil' bit wet...AT ALL. Even with a heat lamp directly above them. This was yet another note to self moment. I should know this by now...but I'm always on a learning curve. This is also a horrible way to start one of my childrens' day out-bad! 

 

 SO round two of chicks I went to three different stores to find yesterday.  Bought fifteen chicks and was given two extras by the sweet lady who helped me at the farm and feed store after I told her what happened.  So now seventeen chicks later, as of an hour ago-they're all still alive.  But I am hoping for no fried chicks because the heat lamp feels really warm to me. But they seem to like it...so far. I guess if they go off to the big chicken coop in the sky...they'll be warm this time and not frozen stiff.

We got bum lambs last week from a friend.  My oldest son wants to try to have one ready for 4-H Fair.  We're pushing it, but we'll see.  In the past some of our bum lambs have turned out to be 180 pounds.  Granted that's too heavy, but if we can get to 120-130 pounds (should be more, but we'll call it good if we get there)-perfect.  However with bum lambs, there's always one.   One that needs the exta babying, feeding and a little more love because 'something' is wrong with them.  One hour they're fine, the next-ah, not so good.  Which I gladly give and try to show to my children. Unfortunately one of my son's named our 'punky' one, Lucky.  I posted on Facebook earlier this week my top two reasons not to name an animal Lucky.  Those were: 1.  There's never anything 'Lucky' about an animal named Lucky, and 2.  Refer to #1.  But he's been drinking his bottle, and I've been giving him a supplement along with plenty of medicine, actually probably enought to fuel a team of horses.  So, 'Lucky' the lamb is still vertical and on all four legs, and even sporting a stylish sweater I made for him-above.  By the way, it was super easy to make.

 

It's a joy to watch ours kids hold the pop bottles filled with milk-replacer and feed these little friends. And soon enough our ewes will have some of their own lambs, so we'll have a barnyard nursery of new critters.  Maybe I'll even try for some more little chicks if these manage to live long enough to flitter and fluff their feathers around here.  You may have noticed, I'm not a 'great' chicken steward.

And on the home front, while doing laundry today I had another apparent 'Rockstar' mom moment when I caught the washer on fire. Yep...lots of smoke, and I do truly mean ALOT of smoke...it was that 'one' last sweatshirt I threw in. NO one tell my husband yet, he hasn't noticed the smog in here and the burnt rubber smell.  But then again, he didn't notice the seventeen new chicks chirping in his office either.  He's got a cold so the smell is understandable, but I'm not sure how to explain the 'invisible chicks'.  Oh well! 

 

Stay tuned...the day is yet young, and there's always something happening when you live on a small farm.

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The "T" of our Day

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord.

Jeremiah 17:7

The steam rolls off my tea. Condesation of the divine treat bubbles agains the soft green ceramic. (Okay the image is red ceramic, but imagine it's green.)

How does the Lord warm you? Does He fill you full of rolling warmth through out your body. Or is it luke warm, constantly having to be reheated?

It's lush scent fills my senses as the bag floats on top of the murkey liquid. I trust the ingredients combined in the little bag are blended together to make this rich blend. How do I trust that the Lord combined the 'just right' ingredients for me?

For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;^[b]
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.

Psalm 139:13-14

Wonderfully made, this bit of heaven in my cup, just as I was-said the Lord.

When I trust his wonder and glory is that not the relationship he wants every moment, even if it's seen in a cup of tea. My tea bag floats and is held against the side of the cup with a string, just in case it decides to slide loose for one reason or the other. Sometimes the bag hits the bottom and I stir its essense about it's holding. It eventually comes up for air and floats once more.

God's stirring. He knows we'll come up for air and see his holy breath wafting from the cup which runs over. He places strings of faith all around us for security, but it is trust that even without the string it is He who lifts us up and we float-not hitting the bottom, not stuck in one spot, but floating and filling up with the richness of Him.

God Bless your day!

Jelly Roll

Little Debbie snacks made these amazing little sweet treats called Jelly Rolls.  My mom would buy them for us every once in a while for afternoon snacks.  I loved them.  Last year I was introduced to another jelly roll, and that's the quilt pattern.  Now I am the first to admit, I am a tragic sewer.  I've been known to hot glue, super glue or duct tape sewing projects all for the sake of getting it done, but I've started to enjoy it more and more since I was introduced to the jelly roll quilts. 

Now in layman's terms, simply it's pre-cut rolls of coordinating fabric you sew in a train, fold back up, connect, sew down the edges, and do this over and over again until you have the square-ish shape you're looking for.  Recently I found out how you can cut and corner, and flip these pre-sewn strips into more of a design, but it's baby steps for me.  I'm still on the sew the straight-line part,  however it's fun and a great way for me to feel as if I accomplished something.  It's taken me about an hour and a half to complete the top.  I haven't figured out how to do the back or the binding, so stay tuned for how that evolves.  Hopefully I won't have to bust out the hot glue or liquid stitch, but the project is still in it's young stages.

Also, there's a new quilt shop in Red Lodge, and Wanda, the owner, has been 'sew' helpful in my art of newbie sewer/quilter.  She has easy kits (and advanced), jelly rolls and beautiful fabric, and shares great tips and tricks to the trade.  I've found myself wandering in there just to admire her beautiful talent hanging on the wall, or the charming fabrics she has in ensembles.  Here's her web-site; Quilt Lodge

And...so I don't completely destroy the true description of the jelly roll quilt, here's a web-site I found with the 'proper' definitions about quilting.
Quilt Bug

The image is my first jelly roll quilt top, with my special 'jelly bean' helping me model.  Wishing you 'SEW' much fun if you try creating a jelly roll quilt!

Ring on my finger

My left hand houses the heart of four of the most important rings I could wear.   Three are my wedding bands, and the fourth is an itty-bitty sterling silver pinkie ring.  Etched on top if it is a cross.  My pinkie finger is molded around this ring.  It's lived there since junior high.  It's the only ring I never take off, not even while I was pregnant with my four children.  All of my other fingers puffed to this size of sausages, but not this finger, therefore leaving my ever present symbol of my first priority to my relationship with the good Lord.  This ring's physical value is maybe $10, but it's eternal value is priceless.  I don't have to have it as a talisman for belief, but as a reminding symbol or for another to glance down and see.  Who knows how one symbol can change someones heart and lead them towards their eternal priceless gift of knowing and believing in our Good and Gracious Lord and Saviour. 

As I move inward, my wedding rings symbolize my next, most important, commitment I made before God and my husband.  While these are worth more than $10 they too symbolize my marriage.  I don't have to wear them to know my commitment and to know I'm married, but again it's a reminder of love, integrity, dedication, trust, faithfulness and PaTiEnCe.  I don't take them off to wash dishes, take a shower, while gardening, or for any reason at all.  They stay on my finger, maybe out of stubbornness, laziness or fear of loosing them.  But honestly, because I feel they stay on-no matter what.  That's what it's meant for...no matter what.  We're committed and these rings reiterate this symbol.  Now I can't say that without being real.  There are times I would love to huck them at my husband and hope for some cataclysmic residual thumping on the head by one sparkly band, and he whips into what I want him to do or be.  But that's not my place at all, it's just real and a real feeling of being in any relationship, it's Gods place.  It's fun to ponder on though, and goodness knows I'm sure he has a list a mile long he'd love for me to 'whip' myself into also.

If you choose to place your life in this order-Faith, Family and Friends, you can often be a symbol yourself.  So may I challenge you...what do you want to be a symbol of or for? 

Oh...And I don't have a 'friendship' ring, that to me, goes right along with the heart of the symbol on my pinkie ring.