The boys keep busy in the summer months
with jobs for the neighbours,
as well as jobs for us...
and the paper route.
They also like to spend some time playing...
of course! :)
We have lived in our neighbourhood for nearly 16 years.
The boys have grown up here.
The neighbours have kindly allowed them to shovel snow,
sweep driveways, walk dogs,
weed and water, feed a cat, and mow lawns ~
FOR PAY!
Each of the photos below was taken at the job site ~
three different neighbouring yards involved here.
with jobs for the neighbours,
as well as jobs for us...
and the paper route.
They also like to spend some time playing...
of course! :)
We have lived in our neighbourhood for nearly 16 years.
The boys have grown up here.
The neighbours have kindly allowed them to shovel snow,
sweep driveways, walk dogs,
weed and water, feed a cat, and mow lawns ~
FOR PAY!
Each of the photos below was taken at the job site ~
three different neighbouring yards involved here.
~ Austin mowing a lawn ~We are blessed beyond measure with the neighbourhood that the LORD
has graciously put us in!
We did not *choose* this house to live in.
It was a "fixer-upper" meant to "flip" within a few months of purchase.
The market went soft just as we bought.
Six months later we moved in.
God's PROVISION!
We had not "researched" the area.
We didn't even have the house inspected
(more on that one day perhaps)...
~ Calvin "weeding" in full protective gear! :) ~We had NO IDEA what a GREAT place this would be to raise children!
How WONDERFUL that the LORD knows what is BEST for us!
We thought we were above this place.
It was not "good enough".
I am ashamed to remember what we thought in those days!
We were like spoiled children who should have had this home
stripped off of us and never given another!
God's GRACE is such that we often are given what we
DO NOT DESERVE!
And His MERCY is such that we often do NOT get what we
DO DESERVE!
~ Fraser watering ~Continuing to number HIS graces ~
daily gifts and blessings from HIS loving hand...
701. The home we live in ~ a gift from God!
702. That we have never moved house with our children...
incredible thought!
703. The neighbourhood God PLACED us in...
we never would have chosen it!
(Another incredible thought)!
We were so spoiled in our thinking ~ to our shame!!
704. That God did NOT strip this home from us ~
HE is so long-suffering and patient!
705. The neighbours who seek out our boys to give them jobs!
706. The three boys who God has given us to teach and train.
707. The promise God has given to give us the wisdom to
accomplish the calling in #705.
708. Protective gear when danger threatens ~ *smile*
(There actually was REAL danger lurking on that property),
which has since been removed!
709. Finding a news article about that danger "just in time" ~
The LORD once again!
710. MANY things (jobs) to occupy the boys ~
no time to get restless...they have been helping around here too! :)
711. FULL summer days!
712. Development of work ethic ~
oppotunities directly from our Loving Heavenly Father's hand!
713. Lazy summer days!
714. All the opportunities to visit with friends and family
while we enjoy the "relaxed" schedule of summer
715. Special memories that have been made...
the LORD is good!
23 comments:
Thankful for your Gratitude this Monday :)
#702- A blessing our children do not know... they know the blessing of moving :}
#712- A blessing for generations1
His continued blessigns to you & yours
Lovely pictures of your hard working boy-men. A good summer indeed!
God is good ~ all the time. That has not always been easy to say ~ but it has always been true! Blessings.
Yes, yes! Love this - "God's GRACE is such that we often are given what we DO NOT DESERVE! And His MERCY is such that we often do NOT get what we DO DESERVE!"
Mercy has been a recurring theme for me this summer...He's about the business of doing mercy and so should we be.
Love your list and how God has sweetly provided the perfect home for your family!
Blessings,
Tami
Wonderful blessings!
We too thought that we would only live in our house for a couple of years and then "upgrade" to another home. We have been here for 9 years now and we love it!
Blessings!
~Nadine
What a blessing to you and your family to find this home and neighborhood! He sure works in mysterious ways. :-) Many blessings,
Jill
How far do they travel?? It's hard to find good help these days.
My first job as a 12 year old was mowing lawns in the small neighborhood here at the shore when I moved from PA. It really teaches you a work ethic and responsiblity as well as fairness and accountability!
Glad to hear you encourage them to do that work for PAY! Too many parents these days just dole out the money with no thought of 'earning' it. Sad.
Give the boys a 'thank you' from me - just for being willing to work!
Choosing JOY, Stephanie
I too feel blessed to live where I live and see God's providence in giving us this home and its close proximity to the dairy farm next door which has provided work for three of my children thus far and the means of my son paying his way through university.
I always knew God wanted us to share this place with others and yesterday we had eight people from your beautiful country here for afternoon tea! The team of young people staying in our town are from Saskatchewan and yesterday I had a phone call - could they visit our property? And come out in the next hour? Absolutely! My children were thrilled to take them into our bush in the hope of spotting a koala but sadly none around at present. My daughter now has new friends and is already planning on visiting Canada - one of the girls was homeschooled and they 'clicked' immediately.
It was such a blessing to be able to share our afternoon and open up our home and I can now pronounce Saskatchewan without hesitating!
Giant Hogweed!? That is crazy.
What a blessing to read of you praising God's faithfulness! Especially regarding your house. When we bought our home is was a FOOLISH decision. God graciously and mercifully protected us. He gave us what we did not deserve. He is so good. So wonderful!
Camille.. you are doing such a wonderful job with your boys.. so many children have such a self centered, and wont do anything for anybody.. But you are in stealing in them, good days work for a good days pay, or good work for the lord, with no expectations.. Great job
I showed this to my boys. They wish they lived in that type of a neighborhood. Most of our neighbors are poor and elderly. They wouldn't be able to afford to pay them. I told them we have to look at it as a ministry instead. God will give them other oppurtunities to earn money.
Welcome "t" ~ Thank you for stopping by! Yes, I agree, moving is a blessing too! Whatever the LORD has for us is! It seems we WANTED to move, and EXPECTED to move, and HE had better plans! :)
Dear Jenny ~ I appreciate your visit today...it is lovely to hear from you! I wish I could comment on your blog...but I understand why you have that feature disabled. :)
Dear Patty ~ YES! God is good...ALL the time...SO true!! And we don't always understand ~ how wonderful to have the book of Job to read and see a little of what a battle we are in! Heaven will be so sweet, don't you think? :)
Dear Tami ~ Oh yes, mercy is something we should be about! How difficult it is at times, but HE gives the grace to do what HE calls us to! :)
Dear Nadine ~ Funny how that works hey? We are ashamed of how we thought back in those early days. Yaay for fresh perspective! Everything God gives is good...how precious to rest in that! :)
Dear Jill ~ Oh yes, mysterious ways indeed! I remember when Howie drove me by this house when he had just bought it (to fix up and sell)...it had NOTHING to do with me (other than it was work for my hubby), and I said ~ "Oh Howie, we won't ever LIVE there, will we??" Thankfully, the LORD knows best! :)
Dear Stephanie ~ The children help out with chores and we don't pay them in $$, just in food, clothes, etc...they understand that we all work together to make our home a pleasant place to be. As for the neighbours...we encourage a low rate of pay so that they do not think they are entitled to a management position as soon as they are done high school. ;-) We also encourage some "free" work for the neighbours to seek to be a blessing. All these things must come from the heart...after all, that is the goal. Serving the LORD on the inside, not just outwardly. It is something we are conscious of the need for instilling in them and in ourselves. Oh that the LORD would give the needed wisdom to raise our children for HIS glory...that's all that matters.
Dear Ann ~ What a blessing to be able to share your property with others! God is good! AND I had to chuckle when I read about you having trouble with saying "Saskatchewan"! I went to college there and lived there as a young child. I have never thought it was a difficult word to say! :)
Dear J ~ Oh YES!! Giant Hogweed! It was confirmed by an arborist...eeek!! What a blessing that he didn't get into it...nasty stuff! And about the house...judging from your blog, I think we may have had some similar experiences! The worst here was when we had slugs and mushrooms INSIDE one of the basement rooms...yuck! It's all fixed now! :) I'm so glad you see the LORD's hand in your home situation too...isn't HE wonderful??
Dear Karen ~ Thank you for your sweet encouragement. It is ALL the LORD and we fail miserably and have to confess and change, but HE is faithful...how WONDERFUL that knowledge is! All glory to HIM! :)
Dear Stacie ~ The LAST thing I would want to be is a discouragement to your children!! Yes, it is a blessing and ministry to instill in them the idea of GIVING of their time and talents to others WITHOUT pay...such an important aspect of this raising of godly young people! May the LORD give you wisdom as you seek to encourage your children in these things. Is there some way they could also earn some money in other ways? I will have to think about that one...if I come up with any ideas I will let you know. You are on the right track with your boys...they will be a blessing to many, I am sure! :)
Blessings to you each one!
In Him,
Camille
Thank you Camille for sharing your blessings! You and your honey must be so proud of your boys, such hard workers and responsible :) I know what you mean about not choosing a home, maybe I'll share on that at a later time too :) It sounds like the Lord has you right where He wants you to be effective for Him :) No better place!
Have a blessed afternoon Camille :)
Sharon
Dear Sharon ~ How true it is...no better place to be! God's ways are PERFECT!! Thank you for always being such a sweet encouragement...it is a blessing to my heart. I would enjoy reading your "home" story...when you have time, I think it would make a great post topic.
Have a lovely evening!
Blessings,
Camille
Dear Sweet Camille,
I want you to know that as I sit here typing this response to your post that I have tears streaming down my face. You see...to my shame...I've had so many similar thoughts about the place we now call home. Perhaps some day the Lord will allow me to share with you a bit...but until that day is ordained by Him, please know that you've been used of Him in my life...and that I thank you for your obedience to share this post.
Camille, it's so great that you got photos of the boys doing their neighbourhood jobs! They'll be able to show THEIR children what it was like to work for neighbours... hopefully it won't be too different in the future :)
Hindsight is 20/20, isn't it? I love your thankfulness about your home.
Dear Dianna ~ I am sorry that this post brought you to tears! I would like to hear your story...when you are ready, of course. How precious the LORD is...HE is so gracious and long-suffering with us, isn't HE? Continue to look to HIM...HE will never fail you! :)
Dear Heather ~ Oh yes...hindsight IS always MUCH clearer!! Oh that we would trust as a little child...the LORD always does ALL things perfectly!! Trust you are enjoying these last days of summer. :)
In His Love,
Camille
Beautiful! Development of work ethic.... ahh yes, continual growth! :-)
We came from that kind of a neighborhood in California. We really miss that part.
You're right about God's grace and mercy. We don't deserve anything but He continues to show grace in so many ways.
Hey, when you have time Camille, visit Farmhouse Country Style and read the comments on the Kindred Spirits giveaway. Someone mentioned your name there.
Blessings to you my friend,
Christa
Oops, here is the link to Farmhouse Country Style:
http://farmhousecountrystyle.blogspot.com/
I hope the link works.
Christa
Dear Traci Michele ~ Oh yes...continual growth indeed! Such a blessing that the LORD doesn't leave us to ourselves, isn't it? :)
Dear Christa ~ You are a kindred spirit...and I do hope we can meet for real one day! Of course we will in Heaven, but before then would be lovely! Hugs to you! AND thank you...you brightened my day. :)
In His Love,
Camille
Camille,
How wonderful that your boys are able to get gainful employment so close to home...and to provide a service to the neighborhood as well! I stayed in the same house from kindergarten to college!!! And now my children only stay in one place about three years at a time! But, God brings His blessings to us in so many different ways doesn't He? Thanks for the sweet reminder.
Dear Jackie ~ It is so good to hear from you! Thank you for stopping by! You know, the moving will not harm your children...it is the stability of Mum and Dad IN the LORD that matters! How precious that HE is the ONE that holds everything together! Yes, the LORD's blessings do come in many different ways to each of us...thank you for encouraging me here today. :)
In His Love,
Camille
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