Good Thursday morning to all. We have been busy canning tomatoes and applesauce. We have been blessed with good prices on tomatoes, at first it was going to be $12 a half bushel for seconds, we have paid $10, $8 and $7.50 for good tomatoes. We picked a half bushel off our apple tree, a little tart so i have not decided what i am going to do with them yet. We have been enjoying our deer, Jerry has the fawns coming to feed on apples about 4 feet from him. We are planning on hunting this year to fill our freezer. About a month or so ago we seen a large bear cross our field and i guess he's back, the neighbor's have seen a 600 pound bear. We always know he's around because we don't see any deer. I would think he could take down a fawn. Jerry has been just aching to get back to Maine. We have decided to take 2-3 years to get things in order before trying Maine again, and that brings me to my prayer request. Jerry may have a chance to bring his truck home and have a dedicated run but we would have to move an hour and a half more north, which would be a good thing. It would be near Stuarts Draft just off 81. He would still be at the same company. We are really excited because we would have a choice of churches and would also be able to go to the Amherst church. Terri and i would have the car so we could get work, for me just a few cleaning jobs. Plus we would be able to buy a house which would be about $300 cheaper than what we are paying in rent. It would give us more opportunities to meet people and friends. Jerry and i are going to go to the Bank to get pre-approved so when the right property comes up, we can jump on it.Please pray that God would clearly show us what we are to do, i see nothing negative about this move but i want what God wants for us as a family. Here on the hill Terri and i feel so secluded, and another vehicle would just cost us more money. Another plus of moving is that instead of getting up at 1:45 every morning to see Jerry off to work, he would be able to get up at 4:30 for work. I don't sleep well any way and it seems about the time i get to sleep the alarm goes off, then i have trouble getting back to sleep after he leaves. We have found a few houses that we can afford there with everything we need, like a work shop for Jerry and room for a few beef and chickens. Also he might be able to use his company's box truck to move us, just pay for fuel. My mom is finally moved in an apartment in Walton and was cleared by my brother to drive again. She has a lot of adjusting to do but seems to be doing well, she has lost the use of her thumb, but seems to be getting along fine. Well Terri and i are late for our morning walk then more tomatoes to do. Have a wonderful and blessed day! PS. still waiting on some BABY reports.....

This week has been one of those weeks that my heart is so longing for Christian Heart to heart friendship. I am so unbelievable lonely i can't get through the day without sobbing. I know God has a purpose in all this but i can't see clearly. Last Monday i went to see the land lord about my brother still coming up with his golf cart, Jerry has been stressed coming home from Florida and seeing his tracks in our driveway and talked about beating my brother up. I've been waiting for Jerry to swell from the stress. The land lord was sweet and did put a stop to my brother but boy it has caused me deep pain in my heart. Today while at church Jerry was in the basement and heard our water pump keep coming on when no one was using water. So he shut the pump off for an hour and a half to see if the land lord would come due to the tenants at the bottom of the driveway having no water. Yup,he came, and just as Jerry thought we have been paying for the other tenants water pump, the land lord was really embarrassed that we caught this, so we will be repaid. I really thought he was an honest man. He is putting in a new well for the other apartments and a new driveway for us within the month, he also said he is planning on selling the house we are in to us this next summer. We are not going to buy it as we want to move back to Maine at some point, Lord willing. I am just ready to be home where ever that is. I am getting to old for all this moving. Please please keep my family in your prayers. Thank you, all my love, Holley

Time in Florida

Ever look at the life of a woman and think, i want to be like her some day? Well i have 2 that i would like to be like, they both respond in such a Christ like attitude. In my last writings i spoke of my brother. Well the last 2 weeks he has decided not to listen to our land lord, he was told not to be coming up on our property that we rent. He has been riding his golf cart up and riding around the field. One day i boiled, we love the peace and quiet here and for him to just disregard our wishes and the land lords request just made me mad. My husband said, just let him go and when he comes up just go in the house. Because of my attitude... Jerry decided to make sharp sticks to place in the ground so when he drives over them it will pop a tire.. or two. I was smitten. I then repented and asked God to convict Jerry. That night he put the sticks in place, the next morning i got up a little later than Jer, he told me he went out and picked up the sticks. He said we can't stoop down to their level, makes us no better than them. God is so good! Oh to be like thee! I was thinking about an incident at a sisters meeting some years ago when a sister came against Martha Cherry. Martha was so incredible sweet and replied in such a Godly spirit, that amazed me. This morning I again asked my Jesus to change my heart, their is something in it that needs to come out and be disposed of. Please pray for me, i want to be like Martha and the 2 other sisters that when someone comes against me that my response is Christ like. This will be an on going thing with my brother so please keep us in your prayers. Thank you!

Today another driver came to Jerry and told him my brother stood up in a meeting with about 9 people present and announced him and his wife are ministers. His wife is full time because she has more time and my brother was part time.They don't even go to church and their is no fruit and lots of anger in them both. I question if they are even saved. We were floored, my brother wont speak to us because we heard someone out back of our house a few weeks ago shooting a gun and bullets ricocheted off our house and when him and his wife came out Jerry was holding his gun ready to shoot. Jerry was so angry, afraid for his family, that he had words with my brother, now we drive past them and they won't even look at us. I emailed my sister in law to let her know i am not mad at them and she said it was between my brother and us yet she wont speak to us. Jerry asked the other driver if he knew the bible and said that he (Jerry) didn't but what his wife has told him (me) that women are not to be preachers, and that my brother doesn't go to church. WOW! I can not believe how people can be totally blind, it's no wonder why people don't want anything to do with Christians or Christ. This has just broke my heart, for someone to misrepresent my Jesus and to know that they will go to hell unless they repent. And my brother thinks i'm wrong for being under my unsaved husbands authority. May God have mercy! May each one of us "Christians" walk that road that will be an example of Christ to this hurting and confused world. We will be leaving on July 19th for Norm and Barb's for 3 days. I can not wait! Trenton is growing so fast,he is now singing and say's every word that you say. I talked to him last week and he would not say Grandma... just Grandpa... Jerry said that's because he had long talks on their walks when he was here. Our garden is doing very well, i will have plenty of beans to can and squash to give away. Plenty of potatoes and cucumbers. We have 10 quarts of blackberries frozen and will enjoy blackberry dumplings for desert tonight. God has been so good to us! The weather has cooled, today is 75 but will be back in the 90's by next week. I have to say, i love the heat. Enjoy the day! My Love, Holley

Yesterday was a good day, Jerry was back to his loving and cheerful self. I were so very thankful, the Lord knew we could not take much more. I'm thankful for the break but pray for more conviction. I would rather have it hard and know what it will produce than have it easy. Sunday we went to a new church, a holiness church. Our pastor and 2 other families are at camp meetings in PA. The people there were very friendly, and the preaching was good. I can't get used to Christians being patriotic. They said the pledge of allegiance, of course i did not. Our church recently put up an american flag and a Christian flag. I believe my allegiance is to Christ. Reading the word this morning i get a burden for Christians. The word is clear on not seeking the things of this world and if he does so, there is a great deal to prevent him from remaining unspotted and without wrinkle. I see so many Christians not taking scripture as truth and walking in it. Oh how i want to be unspotted from this wicked world, and live a life filled with Christ. Sunday i just longed for a life of being surounded by Christian friends and being able to have people over and do things with other Christians, i mean Jerry and I. I pray God will give us several years to live as a Christian couple, i long for that day. I love Christian conversation, to just sit and learn and discuss the word of God. Some times i get so hungry i almost can't take it. Please pray for a very dear friend of mine who is battling breast cancer. Her name is Donna, she came from the same Baptist church i did and came to Grace Christian fellowship in Bainbridge shortly after i did. Please keep praying, love and miss you all so very much!

Thanks to all of you that are praying for Jerry. It has been a really hard month, Jerry has been miserable, Terri and i can't seem to do anything right. He seems to be so angry to everyone then the next day sweet. He has made comments about my submission, and seems to challenge me on it as if to see how far he can take it. Sometimes i don't respond like i should. He has been drinking more and can't seem to go without it. He is still not smoking but has nicotine pouches he puts in his mouth, and puts one in the minute he gets out of bed till the time he goes to bed. We have had talks about churches not accepting people, he says like the old days, anyone could walk through the door and be welcomed. I do know he is under conviction. Today we sold our camper, we put it online last week and got a call last night. It happened to be a home school couple that have 4 children ages 13-22. She told me since moving to VA 3 years ago they have no friends. She is a christian, dresses modestly and has a daughter that covers and makes all of her clothing. They have home church but are now attending a Baptist church where the people are not friendly. She said she is lonely. My heart just went out to her because i am in the same situation. She also feels God has their family there for a reason. This past week i found out that the 2 brothers that attend my church don't get along and their wives don't either. Wow what a challenge to love. Not sure why God brought this family in our life but time will tell. We also had high winds last night and had a family from church sleep in our camper and they have been here most of the day. Looks like it will be several days before their power is on. We may get more storms the next couple of days. Keep Praying and God Bless!