Prairie Oak Homestead

Most people hit their prime in their 20's and 30's. They take life by the horns, have lots of energy, do lots of fun things, and enjoy it to the full. I never thought I'd get to experience a "prime" of my life. In my 20's and 30's, I was sick and dying. I suffered from a neuromuscular disease called Myasthenia Gravis, a connective tissue disease called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, inflammatory arthritis, severe fibromyalgia, and cancer. I was a hot mess to say the least. My diseases progressed and I was steadily declining. I was in a wheelchair often, could not swallow normal food, could not sit up for very long, in severe pain, and had heart issues and difficulty breathing. I was out of treatment options after plasmapheresis and IVIG failed and caused deathly reactions. I could not take any pain medication as I also suffered autonomic nervous system dysfunction and my body reacted negatively to them. In fact, my body rejected everything the doctors tried and...

Praising God for having His hand on this new medicine and treatment! He has ended my awful suffering! I have less pain that is functional now and feel as though a fog has been lifted. Praying it is allowed to last :)  The power was out this morning for over 4 hrs. It was storming. Most days like this with the rain would be excruciating for me. Today, just mild pain. :) I think I will mark off my raised beds and do some planting (if the rain stays gone now) :) "For the Lord your God is a merciful God..." Deuteronomy 4:31 For the record..I always knew God was a merciful God. It's just at this moment in time, I see His mercy in my life and not just others. :) Being able to function without horrible pain is such a huge blessing for me. I feel like my prayers over several years are being answered. Why now? I don't know, but I do know He does and my faith is in His wisdom.  I'm going to need that wisdom as to not overdo myself because it is so easy to ...

I am so EXCITED! My doctor just called and after going through the research I took in, she has APPROVED taking LDN (low dose Naltrexone). I get to pick it up today and start it tonight. I am one happy girl right now! Thank you all for your prayers. Really. God has surely blessed me today with this news. :) Praying it is effective! I just want my pain to be less. :) Just wanted to share this great news. *doing the happy dance* Pin It

Good morning all!  Today is finally going to warm up more. I like it warm. :) I am hoping to plant this weekend. I'm ready to reap a harvest! :) Found out the other day that my husband has another opportunity to go to Haiti. Only he is going with people from another church. It's interesting how God orchestrated it. He will be going in October...and will be gone for our anniversary. :( Last year, we were both on the mission field in Venezuela on our anniversary.  Great memory.  My body won't allow me to go on the mission field right now and I'm sure when I will be able to unless it's a permanent thing.  The temporary back and forth traveling and the grueling hours is hard on this ole body. :)  I ask that you continue to pray earnestly for my doc appt on Friday. Pray she is open to prescribing the medicine I'd like to try and is for "off-label" use. I called our compounding pharmacy here in town and asked if they do it and they said yes. So ...

Can you say exhausted? I have been so weak lately that every homemaking task is daunting. I am losing more muscle again in my left leg which has caused knee effusion and bone marrow inflammation again. I am down to 109 lbs. (not for trying! I eat, but sometimes only can eat a little due to swallowing problems) I am finally going to go to the doctor to see about the pain clinic. I think the constant pain is causing my MG to become even more exacerbated. Here's what I want back... Maybe someday, Lord willing. Pin It

"Is there anything too hard for Jehovah?" (Gen. 18:14). Here is God's loving challenge to you and to me today. He wants us to think of the deepest, highest, worthiest desire and longing of our hearts, something which perhaps was our desire for ourselves or for someone dear to us, yet which has been so long unfulfilled that we have looked upon it as only a lost desire, that which might have been but now cannot be, and so have given up hope of seeing it fulfilled in this life. That thing, if it is in line with what we know to be His expressed will as a son to Abraham and Sarah was., God intends to do for us, even if we know that it is of such utter impossibility that we only laugh at the absurdity of anyone's supposing it could ever now come to pass. That thing God intends to do for us, if we will let Him. "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Not when we believe in Him enough to go forward and d...

"There shall be a performance" (Luke 1:45). "My words shall be fulfilled in their season" (their fixed appointed time) (Greek, Luke 1:20). There shall be a performance of those things That loving heart hath waited long to see; Those words shall be fulfilled to which she clings, Because her God hath promised faithfully; And, knowing Him, she ne'er can doubt His Word; "He speaks and it is done." The mighty Lord! There shall be a performance of those things, O burdened heart, rest ever in His care; In quietness beneath His shadowing wings Await the answer to thy longing prayer. When thou hast "cast thy care," the heart then sings, There shall be a performance of those things. There shall be a performance of those things, O tired heart, believe and wait and pray; At eventide the peaceful vesper rings, Though cloud and rain and storm have filled the day. Faith pierces through the mist of doubt that bars The coming night...

"Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for." Job 6:8 What do you hope for?  Is it more money? Happier marriage? To see someone you haven't seen in a long time? To be a better Christian?  To experience more of God's love through His people?  To become more like Christ?  To be loved? Are the things in which we hope for and request from God also His desires? What are our motives?  Is it to glorify God by doing things He commands us in His word? Or do we have selfish motives?  I would have to say that I've been on both ends of this spectrum at sometime or another.  There are many things I hope for. I believe most of what I hope for is His desire, also.  I'm sure there are things I hope for that may not be in His plan.  One thing I can think of is my trip to Montana next year.  I hoped for it and it's not meant to be this time around.  We have some debt to pay down before we go.  I want to pay ca...

When I was young I learned that life wasn’t always easy.  I was a bit thin and pale and was quickly made fun of being called albino girl, chicken legs, etc.  Of course that hurt.  But, it made me realize that life wasn’t always kind.  I would lay in my bed at night and talk to God.  A God I hardly knew.  One that I created characteristics about in my mind.  He was a kind person, compassionate, and loving.  I would picture Him seated on a throne and me bowing down at His feet pouring my heart out to Him.  I would ask for forgiveness for the bad things I did.  He would reach down and take my hand and lift me up from bowing at His feet and say, “Come my child” and He would seat me on His lap and hug me.  I would bury my face in His chest and cry in amazement of such a loving, caring God.  He would smile. Since those childhood days, I lost track of Him for a while.  I grew up.  I forgot about our nightly talks.  I ...

  Cast Down "Why art thou cast down, O my soul" (Ps. 43:5). Is there ever any ground to be cast down? There are two reasons, but only two. If we are as yet unconverted, we have ground to be cast down; or if we have been converted and live in sin, then we are rightly cast down. But except for these two things there is no ground to be cast down, for all else may be brought before God in prayer with supplication and thanksgiving. And regarding all our necessities, all our difficulties, all our trials, we may exercise faith in the power of God, and in the love of God. "Hope thou in God." Oh, remember this: There is never a time when we may not hope in God. Whatever our necessities, however great our difficulties, and though to all appearance help is impossible, yet our business is to hope in God, and it will be found that it is not in vain. In the Lord's own time help will come. Oh, the hundreds, yea, the thousands of times that I have fo...

Stand up in the place where the dear Lord has put you, and there do your best. God gives us trial tests. He puts life before us as an antagonist face to face. Out of the buffeting of a serious conflict we are expected to grow strong. The tree that grows where tempests toss its boughs and bend its trunk often almost to breaking, is often more firmly rooted than the tree which grows in the sequestered valley where no storm ever brings stress or strain. The same is true of life. The grandest character is grown in hardship.

By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered, and confidently waiting come what may, we know that God is with us night and morning, and never fails to greet us each new day. Yet is this heart by its old foe tormented, still evil days bring burdens hard to bear; Oh, give our frightened souls the sure salvation for which, O Lord, You taught us to prepare. And when this cup You give is filled to brimming with bitter suffering, hard to understand, we take it thankfully and without trembling, out of so good and so beloved a hand. Yet when again in this same world You give us the joy we had, the brightness of Your Sun, we shall remember all the days we lived through, and our whole life shall then be Yours alone. ...written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the concentration camp, shortly before his death.  I want the strength he had during his trials.  To take the cup he was given without trembling.  What a blessing.  I will admit that there are some cups of ...

I came across this today and it was much needed for me. Isn't it neat how God provides what you need to hear to help you focus back on Him? This post spoke to my heart and I hope it brings you encouragement also. Have you ever been afraid that there will be a time that you cannot emotionally bear what you are being asked to endure? Have you ever been at the place where you honestly thought your suffering (in the body, or emotionally) was too much and that you were unable to make it any longer without relief? Sometimes we fall back on the mistaken belief that what is happening to us is intended to destroy us, and we rarely think about it destroying us spiritually. We hanging on to the material, earthen vessel part thinking this suffering is going to take our life away and “then what?” Another mistaken belief is that God is just not around while we are being pummeled by our circumstances or that He cannot react fast enough to preserve us or our faith. In real...

This is something I wanted to share with you while you wait for the final Haiti update. My husband is back in the states and will be home tonight! Yay! We have a lot of talking to do and pictures to sort through. I will update as soon as I can. :) My Hope in the Day of Evil “You are my hope in the day of evil.” –Jeremiah 17:17 The path of the Christian is not always bright with sunshine; he has his seasons of darkness and of storm. True, it is written in God’s Word, “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace;” and it is a great truth, that religion is calculated to give a man happiness below as well as bliss above; but experience tells us that if the course of the just be “As the shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day,” yet sometimes that light is eclipsed. At certain periods clouds cover the believer’s sun, and he walks in darkness and sees no light. There are many who have rejoiced in the presence of God for a season; they have basked i...

I have hope. Yes, I'm sick. Yes, I hurt really bad today. No, there is no cure for my illness. But, I must move on. I must not dwell. I must LIVE. So with the gift of perseverance that God gave me I will do just that. It may not be the way other people live when they are in pain every single day or have a neuromuscular illness, but I can't just sit and ignore life and feel the pain. I need to live life and try to ignore the pain. I have hope that the days ahead will not be as hard as the days past. I have hope that I will be able to enjoy my life that God has so chosen for me. I have hope that He will take me through this and I will build a character that is more like His. I have hope for the day when this will all end and I will forever be pain free. No more pain, no more suffering. I suffer here, but I will not when that Day comes. When I see my Savior face to face. Oh what a day that will be! Until then, I hope to make a difference in this world for Christ. I wil...