God's economy, goats and lye

2012 Arwen & Ashley

Through the years,  I believe we've been more of a ministry than a homestead farm.  We've given tours, hosted on farm culinary education, and homestead mentoring.  As long as I enjoy it, I'm glad to share my time, knowledge, experience, equipment, raw materials and recipes.

There were some "learn the hard way" times that dimmed my enthusiasm.  But I try to keep in mind that my life is bought with a price, and when I am DOING, if I'm doing as unto the LORD, it's all good.

God's economy is a beautiful aspect of His kingdom.  It is amazing to hear the stories of God working in other believers' lives.  And, praise the Lord, I am thankful to see God working in my life.  Up close and personal.

We sell extra goats throughout the year.  The goats have the whole reproducing after their own kind thing down pat.  Each freshening, we keep one or two and sell the rest.  We HAVE eaten goat, but it's been a few years.  I think the last goat processing appointment I had scheduled at Fort Valley State University (Small Ruminant Center) was when Hurricane Irma came through.  We cancelled that appointment due to the weather, and ended up selling those goats here instead.

In 2018, we lost a bit of money on one goat sale.  My fault - nobody's fault but mine.  I somewhat knew this local livestock person, having met years previously through an up-the-road-neighbor-friend.  I sold this person a goat kid on a payment plan.  After they finished making their payments, they picked up their goat kid.  No problem.  They expressed interest in one of our mama goats.  After we came to agreement on price, the person loaded up the mama goat with agreement to pay "next month."  I said since they were faithful to pay, and known for a number of years, I would trust them and their word.  They came back a month later not to pay but to ask for another goat.  I reminded them of their balance due, and said I would not do further business until that was paid.  Have not heard back since, so I let it go and figured it was a valuable learning experience.

At year end, I was discussing this situation with my husband, and asked what should we do about the mama goat balance still due on our square store.  We agreed we'd  just zero it out.

A short while later, I got a call from a very sweet sister in Jesus, who I had taught how to make soap a few years prior.  She was cleaning out her craft stuff, and came across a bunch of lye leftover from her soapmaking.  She asked if we could use it.  I seldom make soap, but Grace makes big batches of vegan-friendly soap a few times a year for soap customers.  So I said, yes, we sure can, and just let me know how much I can pay her.  She laughed and said this is a blessing from the Lord.

The dollar value of the lye and the dollar value of the mama goat are the same.  Praise God.  Thank you Jesus!    Dear Lord, please bless this dear sister in Jesus!  And dear Lord, please bless the mama goat person too.  Thank you Lord for provision, for family & friends, for health and strength and daily bread.  Thank you Lord for salvation by/of/through/Jesus and His precious blood.

These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

1. A proud look, 2. a lying tongue, 3. and hands that shed innocent blood, 4. An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, 5. feet that be swift in running to mischief, 6. A false witness that speaketh lies, and 7. he that soweth discord among brethren.

Proverbs 6:1-35 KJV
1 ¶My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
2  Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
3  Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
4  Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
5  Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 ¶  Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7  Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8  Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
9  How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10  Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11  So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
12 ¶  A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
13  He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
14  Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
15  Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
20 ¶  My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
21  Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
22  When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
23  For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24  To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
25  Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
26  For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
27  Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28  Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
29  So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
30  Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
31  But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
32  But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
33  A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34  For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35  He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Revelation 2:5

... and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. Revelation 2:23b-c

2012 Photo Highlights for Katie

Year Of Happy New Year's Card

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Love is patient, love is kind...

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 KJV

¶  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 ¶  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 ¶  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.