Confessions ...

I have a confession to make....

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 (NIV)

I have found that as I grow closer in my walk with God, my heart desires have changed. As a young Christian or maybe as someone who is just starting to read the Word, you might think this verse gives you everything YOU desire. But the truth is, as we grow closer to God, our desires change. 

I remember a few years back, probably 4 or 5 years, to be successful in business meant an appearance on the Oprah show or a "first class" boutique in the fanciest mall. Then it changed to maybe just a small store in a nice mall AND an appearance on the Oprah show. Now?? Oprah might be the "it" thing but not for me! And as far as the mall or anything like that, not anymore. I would like to have my shoppe right on my own land - a place where family and friends (old friends and the new ones that I haven't met yet) could gather for coffee, maybe a muffin or other baked good, and shoppe 'til they drop (or I run out of my handmade products to sell). 

I no longer have that desire to sell "the next fabulous product"; my desire has become make products that have meaning, that will last from generation to generation and also sell what we grow - veggies, fruit, flowers and even trees (if God leads me to plant Christmas trees). It's not about how much money can I make, it's about ... what can I sell that will bless others - show someone else how much they care. It's about "that one product" that says "I have to have this" because I love you or because it's unique (one of a kind) or "just because". 

Desires of the heart are a shaping and molding of what Christ wants for us, not what we want FROM Him. It's a transformation from worldly wants and needs to God-given wants and needs - a heartfelt satisfaction that comes from walking close to our Lord. It a true heart-changing experience and one that fills us with joy. Today, I am joy-filled. Are you?

Country FarmHouse Blessings,

~*~ Lori ~*~
♥ Purdy Mama ♥ 

When it becomes TOO MUCH ...

When is ENOUGH, really ENOUGH??!!

When they kept on questioning him (Jesus), he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7 (NIV) * And it also states that GOD FORGIVES. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NIV)

STAND FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN ... even if it means STANDING ALONE!!

By now, most of you have heard that the mayor of Boston wants to boycott Chick-fil-A. And according to more recent news, so does the mayor of Chicago. Why?? Because according to these mayors, a statement made by the CEO of Chick-fil-A, Dan Cathy, claims to be anti-gay. WHAT??

This is the actual statement made by Mr. Cathy, "We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that."

I don't personally see anywhere in this statement that says "anti-gay". He simply states that he BELIEVES in a biblical definition of family. SIMPLE.

STOP READING BETWEEN the LINES ... Read the actual statement, not what some other person has decided was said. If you don't like cigarette smoke, does that mean you don't like people who do smoke?

Who is really passing JUDGEMENT here - Chick-fil-A or the other people? I know a lot of family-owned businesses ... are we going to boycott them all? The last time I read the newspaper or any statistics, we NEED jobs. We NEED business. Chick-fil-A is simply in the chicken business. They aren't asking you to support their views. They're simply expressing their right to "freedom of speech".

What ever happened to the FIRST AMENDMENT?? FREEDOM of SPEECH?? Did we forget about the CONSTITUTION of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA?? What's next?

Maybe I don't really want to know .... 

Country FarmHouse Blessings,
~*~ Lori ~*~
♥ Purdy Mama ♥

Planting Seeds of Joy and Encouragement

A Small Daily Dose of Devotion ....

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8 (NIV)

What do you spend your time thinking about? Do you meditate on the Word of God? Satan can put lies in your head along with plain nonsense worries. Do you take those thoughts to God and meditate on His promises? Or do you allow the devil to control your life through those thoughts? Think about what you are thinking about! Dwell on God's promises. Meditate on His Word. Change your thoughts - Change your life. ♥

Country FarmHouse Blessings,

       ~*♥*~  Lori  ~*♥*~

Planting Seeds of Joy and Encouragement

A Small Daily Dose of Devotion ....

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8 (NIV)

What do you spend your time thinking about? Do you meditate on the Word of God? Satan can put lies in your head along with plain nonsense worries. Do you take those thoughts to God and meditate on His promises? Or do you allow the devil to control your life through those thoughts? Think about what you are thinking about! Dwell on God's promises. Meditate on His Word. Change your thoughts - Change your life. ♥

Country FarmHouse Blessings,

       ~*♥*~  Lori  ~*♥*~

Planting Seeds of Joy and Encouragement

A Small Daily Dose of Devotion ....

Abraham dared to trust God to do what only God could do. When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do. Abraham didn't say "It's hopeless." He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, sure that God would make good on what he had said.
Read More at Romans 4:18-25 (MSG)


Almost every day on Facebook, I try to plant a small seed of joy - a posted Bible verse. I know that many of you may not be my Facebook "friend" but maybe you could use a daily dose of encouragement too. This is a new feature that I am going to try to remember to add on my blog daily and if time allows (my time with God and my family always come first), I will try to expand on the post.

Country FarmHouse Blessings,

       ~*♥*~  Lori  ~*♥*~

Would you like some cheese?

Do everything without complaining or arguing. Philippians 2:14

WHINE....Would you like some cheese? I am not talking about children in this post, I am talking about adults. "I don't want to do that job!" "It's not fair!" "He makes more money than I do!" Okay, enough!

Day in and day out, we hear adults whine. The next time you are complaining about your job (which by the way, you can change, just quit), think about this: Someone out there has it worse than you. Maybe someone doesn't have a job and is in danger of losing a (what they consider their dream) house. Maybe a person (who by no choice of their own) is paralyzed and can't walk. Maybe it's a mom out there who has stayed home for over 25 years with her children; she has no pension fund, no insurance fund, no holidays, no vacation days, she works 7 days/week on call 24 hours/day, no sick days, no social security available to collect, there isn't a gold watch celebrating her 20 years of service and she can't quit her job, but she knows that it could be worse. There might be a woman out there who is unable to have children. Maybe it's a woman who had to return to work due to certain circumstances and she would much rather be at home with her children. The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence.

Life's under no obligation to give us what we expect. ~Margaret Mitchell

If you are seriously that UNHAPPY maybe it's time to make a few changes. Are you walking on the path that God has chosen for your life? In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines the steps. Proverbs 16:9. Let's start there - Read your Bible. Take a few minutes every day to PRAY and LISTEN to God. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. 2 Timothy 2:7.

In our Christian lives, we must focus first on God. Allow Him to direct your steps, rather than trying to take matters into your own hands. If you can't change your situation, find something GOOD in it!

Have a Happy Day :0)

Country FarmHouse Blessings,

♥ Lori ♥