Exercise alone isn't enough to ward off the big C. A whole food plant based diet is a step in the right direction and adding a morning walk can lower my risk of developing cancer....and heart disease and diabetes. I've been reading Food Over Medicine by Pam Popper. It's known that diet promotes our ability to develop cancer. Yes....I said, "our ability". Cancer cells are just cells that have been fed to go rogue. We all have the ability to develop them. 

I often say, "healthcare is at the end of our fork".

Studies show that a moderate/brisk walk can lower your risk of developing breast cancer and other types of cancer. So, I've added a morning walk to my day just to reduce my risk even more than I already have by eating a WFPB diet. Breast cancer doesn't even "run" in our family genetic make-up, so it's not that I'm aware of a genetic expression that I want to turn off. However, carrying extra weight does. And weight is one of those factors that has been associated with developing cancer. 

Although that is my primary reason...it's not my only reason. 

Living in a forest we don't get to see the sunrise or set anymore.

The word that hit me as I was walking this morning as I finished up The Magnolia Story by Chip & JoAnna Gaines on Audible, was the word, Intention. Now, that word has been way over used...but when you come right down to it....it's a good word that drives a lot of things home. 

I have to be intentional to see the sun...although it shines down in the opening around the house and my garden...it's not something we have shining in our windows anymore....a good design plan by the builders, especially in the Texas summer heat. 

When I glanced out the window this morning and saw it shining down the power line....I put my shoes on quickly so I wouldn't miss the best part of the day! 

I won't go out too early because...well, we've got some big critters here. Granted they might run at the sight of me...I really don't want to test that theory. 

I keep seeing big paw prints in the sand when I start out up the power line. Bob thinks it's most likely coyote prints. We recently saw 2 very large coyotes at the top of a hill a couple miles from our house...they were scoping out the cattle one early morning. They were the size of a large dog and could probably take down a small calf. 

I swap howdies with the horses  on the corner and then head back this way on our lonely country road. One early morning I spotted wild hogs in the pasture next door....I don't have any intention of running into them! I've tried to formulate a plan if I did...but frankly...I don't pack any heat while walking, so as Dad would say, I'm up the creek without a paddle. 

Then I walk down our long driveway into our pine grove and thank God for another day in Texas. 

As Fat Man Rants says, "Just do a little more today than you did yesterday."

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God prepared in advance for us.
Ephesians 2:10

​I have Ephesians 2:10 taped to my Mac, so that I am reminded when I sit here, that I am God's workmanship and that He created me for a purpose.

As I was getting ready for church this morning, I said to the Lord....I'm adorning myself for you and you alone...I am the bride of Christ.

Do you remember your wedding day? You primped for hours. Everything had to be perfect. No detail left unturned. 

How much time to do you primp and prepare to meet the Lord, not just on Sunday but everyday of the week?

Does He get the best of you or just the leftovers?

Wow! Can you imagine if we really believed He, the God who spoke creation into being, created us for a purpose! Wouldn't you walk and talk differently? Wouldn't you think differently of yourself and of others?

So, I guess my question is....What did He create you to do? What did He create me to do?

Years ago, I quit "going" to church. I got sick of just doing and just showing up. I got sick of being herded like cattle....and I know how that goes since I did it on a few occasions....you yell and scream at the one not doing it right...you chase them down and force them to go the way you want. (So...this might of happened the very last time I "went" to church..just sayin)

I guess I've had this longing in my heart for probably 46 years....the longing to be SO hungry and in love with my Lord, that I stop "going" and I start BEING! This hunger that is never satisfied. 

I think if I were satisfied I'd grow cold and complacent. I'd take Sunday and every day for granted. I'd stop reading my Bible and make excuses. I'd stop loving people. I'd stop doing good works...when no one is looking.

I was saved by the grace of God in 1970...I was part of the Jesus Movement! It was awesome! I couldn't get enough of Jesus. I had the best fellowship. The best friends. The best times of my life. 

I've asked God many times...many...why He brought us to East Texas. Without a doubt I know He did. It's beautiful here and peaceful but there has to be more. But frankly I have no idea. I don't think there is any ginormous mission He has for us here. But I do know that the people here really need Jesus! They need to hunger and thirst for Him. They need to love those unlike them. They need to stop going and start being. 

Many times I've said, "I don't know what I was expecting. But it wasn't this."

To be honest, I do know what I was expecting. I thought rural small town Texas would be seeping with Christianity....people on fire for Jesus. It's not here. Oh there are a lot of people "going" to Tres Dias (3 Days)....a "secret" charismatic event....but frankly I haven't noticed that it has made them any different.  

What I discovered is that the people here are just like the people everywhere. Yes, there are many more occasions of being blessed by a stranger, walking into Christian establishments and being invited to church by a stranger. But Satan is alive and well in East Texas. 

The young man above had a tremendous impact on my early years walking with Christ. Keith Green moved is ministry here to East Texas....in Texas terms...just a few miles up the road. If you know his story, he was a prophetic voice in the wilderness, speaking, singing and worshiping the King of Kings, using lyrics that convicted and hopefully brought about change. He tragically died along with his 2 small children in a plane crash right here at the ranch. 

I want to make a pilgrimage to Garden Valley (Lindale, Texas) where Keith is buried. I want to thank him and tell him that his life was not lived in vain. That he touched a young girl and impacted her life forever for Jesus Christ. 

I don't know....maybe that's the only reason I'm here in nowhere Texas. Maybe it's just the time God needed to bring me back to my roots. To remind me that He created me for good works. 

John 12:24
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

So, why were you created? 

​Something to think and pray about.

​Go out and live it.

I'm sure you knew it wouldn't be long before I started talking about food and health again.

I just had to get my computer in a comfortable spot to write. 

If you've followed my blog for any amount of time....whether you started with my original Peaceful Acres Farm which I started in 2008 and chronicalized my healing journey with Chronic Lyme Disease and 3 co-infections, or if you followed the new Peaceful Acres Farm blog which doesn't exist anymore....thanks to all the hacking on Wordpress.....so now we're in this lovely little place made possible by Weebly...Wow that was a run on sentence....

Like I said, if you've followed my blog for any amount of time, you know health is a top priority in my life.

In everything give thanks...

One of my favorite books in the Bible is Philippians...the book of JOY!

It was written by the Apostle Paul...

While he was in the Caribbean soaking up some rays...NOT

While he was feasting at a banqueting table filled with all kinds of delicacies....NOT

While he was sleeping in on a weekday...NOT

While he was...

​IN PRISON.

Paul talks about times that he had plenty and times that he lacked. But in all of those times he rejoiced!

His famous verse....Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say Rejoice!

My prayer for you this Thanksgiving is that you would rejoice no matter your circumstance; whether your table is loaded to the gill or whether you are serving cereal to your children. I also pray that if you are in need that someone....someone who bears the name of Jesus Christ would come beside you and invite you into their homes of plenty. 

To me that's what Thanksgiving is all about. Sharing with the less fortunate. 

Because, there but by the grace of God go I...it only takes 1.

1 accident
1 fire
1 bad investment
1 diagnosis

If you're reading this, and you know of a neighbor or a coworker or a member of your church that has seen hard times, call them, go knock on their door and invite them to join you. 

Thanksgiving shouldn't be about "us" "my family".

It should shine through to the poor and the needy. It should shine the love of Jesus.

Give thanks in everything....go out and extend your invitation. It's never too late. 

It's been 14 months since we arrived in Texas with a 27 foot U-haul filled with most of our worldly possessions (U-haul #2 arrived later), a car with our earthly valuables, and our beloved family dogs; Jake & Ozzie. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done; purge and pack our 30 year home filled to the brim with memories of our life in Maryland. The home we moved into on our daughter's second birthday, the home where our son was born, the home where our marriage became solid like gold after it went through the Refiners fire, the home where I became a shepherd and care giver of a flock and given insight into God's heart. 

After we arrived and unloaded our memories, everyone left and I was alone. I was alone in our piney woods filled with sounds of coyotes, wild hogs and bobcats, venomous & non-venmous snakes, scorpions and centipedes...and I think just about every insect God ever created. I was alone with the only people I knew, being 1 mile down the road and whom I'd practically just met. I was alone to unpack 35 years of a life together. 

​Alone. All alone. BUT.....

My heavens! 

It's been nearly one and a half years since I've posted on my blog....not for lack of desire, but lack of time.

We made the big life changing move from Maryland where I was a small sheep farmer to East Texas where I am trying to still get organized. We bought 25 acres in the Piney Woods of East Texas and are now tree farmers. It's so absolutely peaceful that you can hear pine needles fall! So we decided that our old farm name of Peaceful Acres Farm still held. 

When I say it was a big life change I mean that in no uncertain terms. 

The Hired Hand (he still holds that honored position) retired at the age of 70 and hasn't stopped working here since he landed in the second U-haul. Both of our grown kids had our first Grand Littles and we've made two trips back to Maryland to love on them,...the most recent I returned from yesterday. We started construction on an Art Workshop for me in June and are still working to finish the interior. I made a huge transition in my diet from meat based to plant based whole foods and have been eating that way for a year....along with that came YUGE health recovery. After I get my life a little more together I'll write more on that....it's definitely a new passion. I've been learning how to garden in zone 9 with Sandy Loam "soil"....it's proving to be a very big challenge! Nonetheless, I'm very excited about zone 9!!! The possibilities are endless! Including Lemon & Lime trees, Tropical fruit trees, Pineapples (already have them going in the garden) and so many other delicious foods...I just have to conquer this Sandy Loam!

There are so many things I haven't done in a year and a half besides write here....art was put on hold, knitting, hooking, photography.....so many of my loves have taken a back to as we get our lives settled and back on track and just enjoy our time together. Believe it or not, neither of us has had a desire to harm the other! :) 

Much Love,
Diane