Following Matthew 5:16

Baby Animals

2012-02-22T10:08:00.000-06:00

This is one of the ewe lambs checking out a bug in the hay. Yesterday, I went out into the pasture to call the horses up, and they were jumping. It looked like the lambs were trying to do an Irish jig or something, except that they had four legs instead of two. :-) The calf tried once, and had a "forget it" look on his face after that. It was funny. This is the bull calf. We intend to

Sarah Had a Little Lamb...

2012-01-15T13:46:00.000-06:00

...Or three. Yesterday, one of the three ewes that are expected to lamb this month had triplets. All three in the set were ewe lambs. They're so funny to watch! Mom can't get over how funny they are when they wag their tails. :-) The lambs, chickens, and cats keep checking each other out. The cats don't quite know what to make of the babies. The lambs are about the same size as the cats are,

Which Son?

2011-12-25T18:45:00.000-06:00

The readings for this last week were Genesis 41-44, Zechariah 3-4, and Matthew 27. This is what stuck out to me specifically.Benjamin is the Son of my Right Hand, or Son of Favor. Judah is the Celebrated. Judah was willing to lay his own life on the line to protect Benjamin. Yahshua Barabba is Son of (a/the) Father. Yahshua Ha'Mashiach is Yahshua the Anointed. Yahshua -the anointed son- laid

Milk Cows and Weeds

2011-12-22T14:22:00.001-06:00

This is Sweetie. She is a half jersey half holstein heifer. We anticipate her first calving to be with the next 4 weeks or so. Our neighbor, who has sort of adopted us over the Summer, bought her to keep at our place. We had both been looking for a milk cow, but neither of us need all of the milk we'll get. So far it has worked out really well. Sweetie's temperament matches her name. Dad

Sardis in Obadiah

2011-12-15T22:00:00.000-06:00

The book of Obadiah is a vision given to the prophet Obadiah by YHWH about Esau's destruction. Verses 17-21 say this: "But on Mount Tzion there shall be an escape, and they shall be set-apart. And the house of Ya'aqob shall possess their possessions. And the house of Ya'aqob shall be a fire, and the house of Yoseph a flame, but the house of Esaw for stubble. And they shall burn among them and

I Believe

2011-11-25T12:14:00.001-06:00

www.zionssake.com "For Tsiyon’s sake I am not silent, and for Yerushalayim’s sake I do not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her deliverance as a lamp that burns." Isaiah 62:1

New address!

2011-11-21T21:01:00.001-06:00

I now have a new domain name! We're still hosted by Blogger, so www.brightlight08.blogspot.com will still work, as far as I know. But now you can also type in www.followingmatthew516.com. It's not much shorter, but hopefully it'll be a bit simpler to remember. :-) This address is effective immediately. Don't forget to update your bookmarks and such. :-)

Flowers Shall Fade

2011-11-09T16:07:00.001-06:00

These cosmos are the last of what is left of our garden. The colors match the trees well. If I could only get a good photo of the field... Lately, the sky is either too gray or is so bright that the trees look terrible. "Grass shall wither, the flower shall fade, but the Word of our Elohim stands forever." Isaiah 40:8 This is the time of year when I think of that verse often...

Be Strong and of Good Courage

2011-10-20T15:17:00.000-05:00

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for YHWH thy Elohim is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:9 I once made my Dad a computer-wallpaper that had this verse on it. The picture that I used was the painting above. George Washington and the troops crossing that treacherous Delaware River in a last-ditch effort seemed

The View From Mount Pisgah

2011-10-10T15:00:00.001-05:00

This week's portion was the last chapter in Deuteronomy- chapter 34. In this portion, YHWH has told Moshe that it is his time to die, and shows Moshe the land of Yisrael's inheritance. The question was raised, "Did Moshe literally see the land, or was this one of those 'vision' sort of things?" On Google Earth, I zoomed in to the top of what is supposed to be Mt. Pisgah, and followed the

Green Tomato Cookie Bars

2011-10-04T14:21:00.000-05:00

In case you have a cookie craving and/or wondered what I've been doing this afternoon... :-) This was sent to me be an online aquaintance. Green Tomato Cookies 4 cups finely chopped green tomatoes 2 cups packed brown sugar, divided 2 T. lemon juice 1 tsp. lemon extract 3/4 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 2 cups oats 1/2 cup chopped

A Live Dead Sea?

2011-10-02T09:46:00.000-05:00

I thought this was really interesting, but wasn't able to post it before now. Maybe the Dead Sea isn't so dead after all... Enjoy!~This article is from: Published September 26, 2011http://www.aabgu.org/media-center/bgu-making-a-difference/the-dead-sea-bubbles-with-life.html The Dead Sea Bubbles With Life Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers have discovered deep freshwater

Yom Teruah 2011

2011-09-29T16:31:00.003-05:00

This New Moon marks the first of the biblical Fall feasts- the Day of Trumpets. Leviticus 23:24-25 "Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you have a rest, a remembrance of blowing of trumpets, a set-apart gathering. You do no servile work, and you shall bring an offering made by fire to יהוה.’ " Let's Celebrate!

YHWH Arises

2011-09-19T08:30:00.001-05:00

"Arise, shine, for your light has come! And the esteem of YHWH has risen upon you. For look, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness the peoples. But YHWH arises over you, and His esteem is seen upon you. And the nations shall come to your light, and sovereigns to the brightness of your rising." Isaiah 60:1-3 The Haf'Torah (OT writings/prophets) portion of this last week's Torah Portion

Agnus Dei and Amazing Grace sung by Jotta A

2011-09-11T09:39:00.010-05:00

Today's Choice

2011-09-01T18:48:00.005-05:00

Last week's Torah portion began with Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17. My brain was stuck in the first couple of verses. Everything else in the Portion really seems to fit into this set of verses. Deuteronomy 11:26-28"See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, when you obey the commands of יהוה your Elohim which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the

All Flesh is Grass

2011-08-30T09:58:00.002-05:00

"The voice said, 'Cry out!' and he said, 'what do I cry?' 'All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is as the flower of the field. Grass shall wither, the flower shall fade, but the Word of our Elohim stands forever.'" Isaiah 40:6-8~Sorry I haven't posted much lately... I'm just kind of out of it right now.

5.8 Earthquake in Virginia

2011-08-23T17:21:00.000-05:00

I took Little Sister #2 into town to get ice earlier. We had put a CD into the player, but it jammed and the radio automatically came on. NPR was reporting on this 5.8 earthquake that happened today at 1:51PM and was felt from South Carolina to Massachusetts. President Obama and FEMA have issued statements saying that there was no major infrastructure damage. But what damage there is has been a

For Everything There is a Season

2011-08-12T18:19:00.000-05:00

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones

Grandma's Favorite

2011-08-03T13:59:00.000-05:00

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from YHWH, which made heaven and earth.He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. YHWH is thy keeper: YHWH is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. YHWH shall

There is a Glory in Tribulations...

2011-06-27T21:03:00.001-05:00

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with YHWH through our Master Yahshua Messiah: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of Elohim. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the

So... We've Been "Farming"

2011-06-19T14:40:00.000-05:00

“The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn't still be a farmer.”- Will Rogers "Life on a farm is a school of patience; you can't hurry the crops or make an ox in two days." - Henri Alain As of recently, Spring "Farming" seems to equal something similar to this list- give or take a few items:Preparing and waiting for rainPreparing and waiting for seeds to sproutPreparing and waiting for said

Drying Wild Bergamot

2011-06-17T20:56:00.001-05:00

Today we picked and hung-up two baskets-full of Wild Bergamot to dry. The house smells great! In looking up this pretty purple stuff we now have on our wall, I found this interesting information: Bergamot’s Latin name is “Monarda fistulosa.” The genus Monarda, according to one source was named “in honor of a 16th century Spanish physician and botanist, Nicolas Bautista Monardes (1493-1588).

Consider the Lilies

2011-06-16T19:39:00.001-05:00

“Consider the lilies, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin, and I say to you, even Solomon in all his esteem was not dressed like one of these.” Luke 12: 27 (Entered into contest @ http://shineyourglorydown.blogspot.com/)

Life at the Moment

2011-06-08T17:53:00.000-05:00

I love roses this time of year! I just wish that I could get the ones we planted to grow... It is so disappointing to see so much work and money go to waste because I don't have time to do everything at once, or because the weather is too hot, or too wet, or the ground is too dry and rocky, or whatever. I'm not just talking about the roses- some of them are growing okay- but trying to *find*