Journey To Fruitfulness - Intro to Serenity Acres

Welcome to our Journey To Fruitfulness! Here is the plan:

Well, we did it! Hubby (Trev) and I moved our cat Sampson (Maine Coon/Manx mix) and Trev's service dog Delilah (Black Mouth Cur/Golden Retriever/Lab mix) to five acres, still in East Texas. While we are not starting from scratch by any means, there is a lot we need to learn, and a lot we need to do to get it where we want it.

**What exactly are we looking to do? What do we have to start with?**

Well, we're looking to take a beautiful five acre property with a house, two car ports, an RV port, pool, and solar system, and turn it into a farm...later adding my sister and her house, along with her critters as well. The kind of farms we want are duck, orchard, maybe bees, and a greenhouse/garden farm. We're going to call it "Serenity Acres."

Right now, it's not quite serenity, though. We have a tiny lawn mower, and not much else at this point, except the knowledge provided by books and the internet. While I say that, we're determined and confident that with time we can get it to where we want it - self-sustaining. Here's what it currently looks like, and this will come into play as you watch the land transition:

As you can see, there is much we need to do, starting with a lawn mower of some kind besides your standard tiny one! LOL! The grass is beautiful, but getting long! The second is to get the ducks. The last pic in the square above, shows where we're probably going to put the ducks.

"Ducks?!?" you ask. "Why ducks?"

Well, the tiny little buggars have a lot of value. No, I don't mean the wooden ones, nor do I mean a car. I mean that their eggs have more protein than a chicken egg. They also lay more consistently than chickens. And, they tend to get along better, and accept new ducks better than chickens. Plus, they're pretty good to eat, too!

Well, goal one - ducks - will hopefully be figured out soon! I've been in touch with the lady who raises ducks and chickens, we'll call her "Duck Lady, Pam." While the ducks haven't hatched yet, we're first in line for when they do. We plan on getting two male and two female. Yes, we even have names already picked out: Donald & Daisy, and Duke & Daphey (play on Daffy Duck's name, but a female version). Have the spot picked out and everything!

Now for the lawnmower! Yes, this is what our current lawn mower for FIVE ACRES looks like:

When we first arrived, this lovely beast was left. We thought we were blessed...until we tried to start it! Trev did his MacGyver thing, and got it working after several hours! It is currently MacGyver-ed in order to work, but it works! And, until we sell our old house (Currently on the market for anyone looking - it's a GREAT house, but we wanted land. Check it out on any realtor website if you're interested - 719 Cimarron Trail; Holly Lake Ranch, TX 75765), we have to potentially hold off on getting exactly what we want.

Until then, Hubby has been doing research (that's one of his many strengths), and think we have a riding mower, but we're still looking. When we do, that'll be my mode of mowing the lawn. Until then, it's the above pic! 

As for the orchard? Our former landscaper and friend, we'll call him "Landscaper Matt," will hopefully be putting in our orchard and a sprinkler system for it in the fall. Stay tuned for that one!

And finally for the greenhouse! Hubby (we'll call Trev "Super Hubby" or "MacGyver" depending on the situation), will hopefully come up with a design, and we'll start building it through the fall and winter, so I can start planting in Spring of 2020!!

Now it's time for the application of the heart:

In looking around the yard, I saw the beauty in the weeds and wildflowers (pic of shots around the yard), and then I saw this one vine. This thing is positively evil looking! It has thorns, and roots itself at the base of the tree, stealing precious nutrients the tree needs. Then it wraps itself around the trunk, climbing out onto the branches, stealing the sunlight as well...basically choking the life out of the tree! 

This vine, at one point, had wound its way around a great tree near the back of the yard. When we worked on it to get it off the tree, it took two days, but I'm sure I saw it breathe a sigh of relief when we were finished, knowing it wasn't going to be choked by the weed anymore.

Here are a few pics of the weed around another tree:

As you can see, the vine is not a good one. It thrives on living off of other forms of nature. Once we cleared it off the other tree, it was free to grow and bask in the sunlight, in turn, providing us with much needed shade from the brutal Texas sun!

When I think about this, the parable of the sower comes to mind:

Matthew 13:3-8 - "And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, "Behold the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the the road, and the birds came and ate them up. "Others fell on rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. "But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. "Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. "And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty."

You see, we cannot get the fresh air, sunlight, and nourishment we need, if we are getting "choked out" by the thorny vine. God, Jesus, and The Spirit come along and took some of Their precious time to prune us of tree branches weighing us down, potentially causing damage later. They also take a few days to not only tear off the vine from the trunk and those branches infiltrated, but also to dig the root of the evil vine out from around the base of the tree, so it doesn't come back.

Yes, the pruning, tearing, and digging caused a lot pain, but in the long-run, we will be much better off for it! We will be able to breathe the clean air of His word. We can soak in the sunlight of His glory. We can shade our friends and family from the brutal heat of the world, by giving them time to heal as well, since we have grown stronger in Him. We can also encourage, by sharing our food that we produce, which grows from Him, and also the Bread of Life we find in His Word.

God is the Master Gardener. He knows what will benefit us, even if it initially causes a bit of pain. However, in the end, we will not only be better off, but will also be a better witness for Him in this world.

Until next time, know He is doing the work for a reason. Please ponder these words from:

Philippians 1:6 -

"Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." 

Life!

Hey, y'all! This is a post just from the heart, explaining where I've been, along with a few announcements! So, buckle your seatbelt...here we go....
Life has a way of taking over at times, so I appreciate y'all hanging in with me!

**New Home**
First on the list, and what is the biggest culprit for my absence on blogging and on Twitter. It's that hubby, Sampson, Delilah, and I have a new home!! We have been looking for a home for the last three to four years. Finally finding the home we've been looking for in January, it set off a chain of events.
For those who have purchased a home, you will understand when I say that finding everything needed to process this loan is a trick in and of itself, on top of inspections and the myriad of other things connected with procuring a mortgage, required a LOT of time!
The next thing on the list was getting the home we were living in not only completely packed, but also ready to sell at the same time. We did this through February and March.
Along with this, was the progressive move over three weeks to the new house, and unpacking that one as well. Again, this was done through the first three weeks of March. I wanted to get most of the house unpacked before our vacation on the 21st of March.
Now, just for the old house to sell!!


**Vacation**
Next on our list, was our vacation on 21MAR for a week! This was something hubby, sister, and I look forward to each year! This year we were joined by one of hubby's sons, making it extra special!
Well, it took a lot of extra time, but the goal of getting the other house ready to sell and getting the new house mostly unpacked by vacation was accomplished!!
Yes, I had a MONKEY crawling on me!!!! Those who know me, or who are getting to know me, know it doesn't take long to figure out that I absolutely ADORE monkeys!! It was the highlight of the trip for me! Needless to say, a great time was had by all!

**Awards and Writing**
Another reason for most of my absence for April was awards and writing!
Being an author is one of the pure joys of my life! The characters within the pages are like family. And, when you're absent, they tend to get a bit feisty! This is true for those in the Divine Legacy Series. The characters continued to bug me, telling me to finish their story. When this last book is published, it will be the last one for the Divine Legacy Series. :( But, don't stress! You may see them in the other books at some point! After all, the A.N.G.E.L.s are all over the world!
Well, after three months of the characters bugging me, I picked it up, and have written about eighty-five percent of it through April. I need to get it finished by the end of May to get it to the editor. The plan is to have it published around August! STAY TUNED!

Now, for the cool portion of this segment!! 2019 has been insanely exciting!!
On 06APR, ARMY RISING won FIRST PLACE, (Adult Fiction category), and HEARTS UNITED won THIRD PLACE (Adult Fiction category) at the North Texas Book Festival in Denton!

Now, for MORE news in the Awards segment! Just found out that the complete DIVINE LEGACY SERIES WON overall for Texas Authors in the CHRISTIAN FICTION SERIES!!! While I don't have the stickers for the covers yet, I am allowed to announce it!!

**Book Shows**

Okay, now for the fun segment! As y'all know, when you come to the book shows in your area that LM Mann and I are at, you can get your very own signed copy of my books at SPECIAL book show pricing! In May and June, my sister (LM Mann - mannwrites.com) and I will be on panels at two of the shows!

I've shared a few here! I would love to see and connect with you! You can find all of them listed under the "appearance" page of my website. 

As always, a portion of the proceeds from my books go to charities! For more information, head on over to their pages on my website: cjpetersonwrites.com "While the stories are fiction, the journey is real."

**Blogging**

Now, for another cool announcement! Well, with all that has gone on, I have neglected my blog, and I apologize for this!

So, while I was away, I came up with a brilliant idea!! I will continue to post my inspirational postings, but I will be starting another blog series called, "A Journey To Fruitfulness." You see, when hubby and I bought our home, it was five acres. In doing so, we're going to be transforming it to a farm. Not a cattle, or sheep, or even a chicken farm...nope! We're going to have ducks, an orchard, and eventually adding a green house! So, you can follow all of our ups, downs, failures, and successes!! So, stay posted for future pics and more information!

**THANK YOU!!**

Thank you so much, as I said earlier, for continuing to hang in with me! I promise to stay more connected in the upcoming days. I still need to finish the last book in the Divine Legacy Series, though, so it won't be quite so often until that happens, but I'll keep you updated!

I love to hear from you! Feel free to email me at: cjpetersonwrites@yahoo.com

Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Foundations - By C.J. Peterson

Foundations

Certain characteristics are instilled within us from birth. Given to us by those who we chose as friends and from the family to which we are born. This foundation is the filter through which we see the world. Inevitably, there are rocks and pebbles, sometimes even boulders within the foundation that we need to work out or our lives will be out of balance. Often we need a little assistance in finding these. Sometimes we know they are there and are not sure how to get them out of the foundation. 

Over the years, I have been presented, and even sometimes thrown into, situations where my innermost core and beliefs were challenged. Had I not already discovered where my strength was, I may well not be here today. 

My initial foundation was not a solid one in life. As a matter of fact, it was chaotic and often lived in survival mode. It took me a while to find my strength. For the longest time, I thought I was on my own. This was a very lonely place to be. Granted, I had friends, but I was still missing something. It wasn't until college that I found what was missing. It was God.

Now, my life wasn't much better until the recent years, but I survived it by relying on God for my strength. When I was in the middle of often dangerous situations, I would retreat to the peaceful presence of God - who allowed me to not only pull through, but do so even stronger than when I started.

The reason for this blog is to encourage those who feel lonely. It is to show you that you are not alone. It is also to reassure those who are in the midst of a struggle, that God can show you the way through. He can lift you up and guide you through, all you have to do is ask. 

Now, it may not be easy, but it will be worth it. Think of the caterpillar, who in one phase of their life goes into a cocoon. The caterpillar my feel that they are dying, but after a time of rugged transformation, they emerge a gorgeous butterfly. While the caterpillar could only crawl on the ground...the butterfly has the freedom to fly through the air.

What does your foundation look like? Do you need to clean out any pebbles or rocks so it is level? Who is helping you build? Are they helping or hindering? Where is your source of strength?

What lies before you and what lies behind you, is nothing compared to what lies within you.

Sorrow looks back.

Worry looks around.

Faith looks ahead. 

May your faith keep you strong and full of hope.

The Most Precious Gift

The Most Precious Gift

People rushing around, not understanding the reason;

Don’t have any comprehension that this is the Season.

A baby born, wrapped in swaddling clothes,

To be a sacrifice, he was willing to pose.

A gift to the world of the most sacrificial love;

A gift, that often uses the symbol of a dove.

Peace on Earth, good will toward men;

Doing everything humanly possible to do all that they can.

They don’t understand, it’s not what they do;

They don’t understand, they don’t have a clue.

The Father – giving of His Child;

The Son – making a sacrifice that is hardly mild.

The crucifixion – a place hardly of glory;

The Resurrection – our saving grace story!

The most precious gift, that only Jesus could give;

The perfect blood sacrifice, so that in eternity, with Him, we will live!

C.J. Peterson (DEC2011) 

John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 

Jesus is the reason for the season! Share His love with another today!!

Pearl of Great Price

When I think of pearls, there are two very different verses that come to mind…yet, they are both somewhat connected. The first is, Matthew 13:45-46, “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” The second is, Matthew 7:6, “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”

Coincidently, both have to do with your value and self-worth. The first verse shows that you are a pearl of great value. Jesus found you, and gave everything, including His life, to ‘buy you.’ Your value is so high, there was not even a monetary price that could be paid. He had to give His life to secure you. 

With that thought in mind, the second verse comes into play. He paid for you with His life. You are worth that much. Why do we let others treat us as ‘less than’? Our value and worth rest solely in Jesus. We are a pearl of great price. Why then, do we sometimes throw our pearls before swine? Why do we feel that it is okay to be talked down to, or abused, or talked to in a manner that is disrespectful? Why do we listen to others who talk down to us?

When we value ourselves, and see ourselves the way The Father and Jesus see us, our whole world changes. We are princes and princesses of The Kingdom. Would anyone be able to disrespect the prince/princess of any kingdom? Why do we let others do that to us? Do the prince and princess just sit behind the walls doing their own thing? No. They are trained to represent the kingdom. They are taught and educated to be ambassadors when sent out. They fight for, and look after their kingdom. They take their responsibilities seriously. When they find people from another town, or from outlying areas being attacked, they go out and get them and bring them back to the safety of the kingdom. When they see and injustice done to one from their kingdom, they don’t hesitate to put a stop to it. That is our job as princes and princesses of the Kingdom of God. We are to look out for each other. We are to be ambassadors for the Lord. We are to go out and get those who are hurt, battered, or beaten. We are to do this all while representing The Kingdom.

We are children of Lord God Almighty! We were bought with the blood of Jesus!

We are all pearls of great price!

In The Stillness...

In The Stillness… 

By: C.J. Peterson

In this chaotic world, do you take any time to relax and enjoy the world around you? There are birds singing, squirrels gathering, deer enjoying their afternoon meal, and any other myriad of forestland creatures indulging in what nature has to offer…are you?

As the world continues momentum toward its reliance on computers, and the concrete jungles, how do you find peace? How do you center yourself? When you go on vacation, are you actually on vacation, or are you running around, trying to do everything, or thinking about work?

When I think about peace and stillness, there are two verses that come to mind:

Psalm 46:10 – “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Exodus 14:14 – “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Hmmm…looks to me as if God wants us to be still and rest in Him. In the stillness, we can connect with Him. When things are crazy, or you’re terrified, you can find peace in the stillness of Him.My challenge to you (and myself) is to find some time for yourself to be with God each and every day. Make it above and beyond your devotional and prayer time. Just close your eyes and soak in His presence. It will allow you to recharge and find your center in God. Let Him help you find peace…in the stillness.

Peace, Be Still

Do me a favor and look around. Are you working? Is everything getting done on time at work? Do you still have a stack full of work to do? How long is the list? When you go home, is all the laundry finished and put away? Are the dishes done? When was the last time the bathroom and kitchen were cleaned? Are the bedrooms swept and the beds made? What about church? Are you ready to go? Do you have everything you’ll need? Is your mind in the proper place to go sit at the feet of God to listen what He has for you to learn on that day? What about devotions? Are you taking the time to be with Him each day? Are you focused on Him while you are doing your devotions or is your phone going off?

Over the last century, our society has taken massive leaps and bounds forward in technology. Is that progress, or is it a hindrance? Now, bear with me a minute here. I know medically, electronically, and by just about every other definition, it’s progress. However, it almost creates a perfect storm of distraction. What do I mean by that? If we are kept too busy, at what point to we focus on God? When we do, is it quiet? Is the radio on? Is the television on? Is our phone going off?

When was the last time you just “were”? When was the last time you sat quietly, soaking in everything the Lord has created…with nothing else on your mind? 

Pretend for a moment that you close your eyes. What do you see? Nothing. What do you hear? There’s the air conditioner, the clock…wait, what is that? You hear the wind chimes tingling. They have been all day, you’ve just been to busy to hear them. You hear the birds taking a bath in the birdbath, or chasing each other around in your yard. Again, they have been doing that all day too. They’re actually to the point of settling as it reaches the hottest part of the day. 

You walk outside and close your eyes again. What else do you hear? The leaves are rustling. The squirrels are tree hopping, stealing from each other, and bickering at each other. You hear something else, and look over to see a deer and her baby walking in the woods next to your house. You turn the other way, and see one drinking from the birdbath. You suddenly notice the colorful flowers, with their pops of color standing out in the fresh cut lawn. You also see the vegetables growing in your garden. The trees have already started to shift into autumn. 

Nature is moving without you even paying attention! What all have you missed, because you were too busy?

Seriously, slow down. Enjoy the peace and quiet. Soak in the Lord and His works. Sit with Jesus, and let Him calm the storm around you. The more you do this, the better you will feel. Don’t let the rushing around take over, so your life is being lived almost on autopilot. We are told to live to the fullest. John 10:10 reminds us that, “The thief cometh not but to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Slow down and live life more abundantly! Doe Zantamata has a beautiful quote that says, “Taking time to do nothing, often brings life into perspective.” 

Take the time. Your friends, your family, and youwill thank yourself for it!

Mark 4:39, “And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”