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New York and Ohio

Valerie Basham

October 30, 2012

Well, I’m finally finishing up my posts about our vacation last month. (Better late than never, right?) 🙂 On our way back from Canada, we stopped by The Farmer Boy home in Malone, New York. We don’t go up to the far North that often, so we tried to do as much as we could while we were there. If you don’t know about this famous home, then you have never met Laura Ingalls Wilder! She’s an amazing person who wrote about her life (in a somewhat fictionalized fashion) in books known as the “Little House” books. The home in New York is the home of her husband, Almanzo Wilder. She writes about his childhood in the book, Farmer Boy. I read every one of these books when I was twelve, but I had forgotten a lot of it! The tour brought back a few memories and piqued my interest – and the kids’ too – to read this book. We finished enjoying it aloud about a week ago. The stories really came alive since we had seen everything she wrote about with our own eyes. We walked down the steep stairs that led from Almanzo’s bedroom to the dining room. We stood in the parlor where he threw a blacking brush at his sister, Eliza Jane. We saw the stalls of Lucy and Starlight. And the stall where he milked Blossom.

The home itself was the original structure, but had been refurbished using materials that were true to that time period. They matched the wall paper and rugs to Laura’s descriptions, which were based on Almanzo’s memories. Our guide told us that Almanzo drew a diagram of his house and the barn for Laura’s book. When the barn was struck by lighting in the 1950’s and burned to the ground, the construction crew in charge of the refurbishing used Almanzo’s drawing to locate the old foundation of the barn. It was just where he said it was. The amazing thing is that Almanzo was 65 years old when he drew the diagram for Laura! Laura never got to see Almanzo’s home for herself, but with Almanzo’s detailed descriptions and her own imagination, I’m sure she knew every nook and cranny.

I wish I could have photographed the inside of the house, but it was forbidden. Inside we saw a replica whip used by Father Wilder, the kind he loaned the school teacher in the book. They had unearthed an old bottle of oven blacking, but were not sure if it was used by the Wilders. They had many other time period replicas which were quite interesting. We saw Mother Wilder’s kitchen and pantry, where she fixed up all those meals Laura described. If you enjoy history, or if you enjoy good literature, I highly recommend the Farmer Boy house as a must-see!

The restored home, with our tour guide, Laurie, going inside.The white door on the far right is the cellar.

I just love the color! The tiny window in the second floor is Father’s workshop, where he let Almanzo help him shave shingles on his birthday. That is also where Almanzo and Royal shared a room, Eliza Jane and Alice had a bedroom and Mother Wilder did her weaving. It was a full house!

Here’s our family on the front porch. Behind this door is the kitchen. To the right is an entry/storage room. It had a cot for the teacher to sleep on when it was the Wilder’s turn to board him. To the left is the dining room and then Mother and Father’s room, which was very small!

The Wilder barns. The tiny house is the pump house.

Here we are at the entry to the big barn.

The pump house, where the pump was hard to work! The little rail of wood to the left, between the fence rails, is the tiny trough that fed the water from the pump to the large trough for the animals. It leaked, by the way. Poor Almanzo!

Terry is taking a break and Matthew is running! Probably right where Almanzo used to wrestle with those ornery cousins of his. 😉

We enjoyed our trip through Northern New York very much. It is a lovely part of this great country of ours. But we were all eager to get back to Ohio to see Grandma and Granddad! I don’t know what was wrong with me, I hardly got any pictures in Ohio! Part of the time I was sick with a cold and the other part I was relaxing while my sweet in-laws took care of the kids! 😉 They had a bonfire with their wonderful church people one night we were there. Here are a few photos of the guys getting things ready outside.

Three generations of Basham men working together. 🙂

Mitchell enjoyed driving the little tractor – under the watchful care of Dad and Granddad! 🙂

I suppose I should be hogtied for not snapping any photos of my dear Mother-in-law or Terry’s Great Grandma! Or of my friend, Stephanie and her kids! Shame on me. I think I need to just go back up there and get some, don’t you?

A Verse for the Day

Valerie Basham

no comments

October 29, 2012

Since I started blogging, one dream I had was to write a short devotional thought for each day. When that was impossible, I tried doing it every weekday. Then, I gave up. It was too time consuming to write an entire blog post for each day, or even each weekday. I have busy mornings, just as the rest of the world does. I have my morning Bible time because it’s scheduled; it’s a habit. And because my day would seem off kilter if I didn’t. You know, it’s like forgetting to wear my watch or brush my teeth. It would just be…weird. But, getting up, reading my Bible, praying AND blogging is too much for my crowded mornings.

However, I think I’ve found a way to be an encouragement to other ladies everyday. I think. I know some of you have strong opinions about Facebook. It’s a tool of the devil. It’s time consuming. It’s a platform for drama, etc. And, you’re right. Facebook can be a tool of the devil. Or a tool used for God. It can be time consuming. Or you can just manage your time there. It can be drama-central, or you can refuse to acknowledge the drama. It takes discipline, but Facebook can be a blessing. I am often encouraged by verses that friends post, praises and answers to prayer. I often see needs that I must pray for, too. I have to fight my flesh to avoid debates and drama, but by God’s grace, it can be done. I don’t play games on Facebook in order to spend my time wisely online. And I guard my time. If you, like me, are on Facebook but strive to use it for good, I’d like to mention something on my heart. Each morning, I try to post an encouraging tidbit from God’s Word, usually something I read that morning. It’s quick, it’s simple, but I hope it can be used as a tool to help others. Here’s a sample entry from today:

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. – Jeremiah 18:4

We all come to Christ as broken vessels. He re-makes us into His image. It is often a painful process, but through it all, He is there. He is with us in the fire. He encourages us through His Word and He blesses us through answered prayer. One day, He will guide us safely home where there will be no more burdens to bear! Praise the Lord!

If you’re on Facebook, I encourage you to visit my page, Valerie Write Now, and like me. Be sure that the box is ticked that says “Show in News Feed”. Also, if you’re already a liker, (no, not a “biker”, a “liker”) but you’re not seeing anything from me, perhaps you need to tick “Show in News Feed”. Go to my page, click the “liked” button and you should see it in the drop-down menu. Also, the more you “like” my statuses, or comment, the more you’ll see of me.

If, on the other hand, you’re not on Facebook or this sounds like a dumb idea to you, then please don’t stop reading here. 🙂 I hope to write more, but in this busy season as a mom of little ones – who are growing up at the speed of light! – I often shelve blogging to perform the tasks of motherhood. (My favorite thing!)

I just wanted to let you know my thoughts. Perhaps you can join me, or share this with others. Or not. Either way, thanks for reading!

I leave you with something funny to start your Monday. 🙂

Why I Keep Blogging

Valerie Basham

5 comments

October 28, 2012

On September 3, I celebrated blogging for five years! We were away on vacation during that time, so I was unable to write about it on the big day.Yep! It was the big…zero-five. Of the five years, this one has been my most difficult. Not because the desire to blog or write has waned, but because the words have not come as easily as they once did. I have been through some personal trials that are hard to share with the world at large. Also, it’s been a very busy season for me. When the choice had to be made between living or blogging, well, living won! And, to top it off, my confidence in what I was saying, and the point of saying it, came in to question. Why do I do this? In an internet crazed society, where blogs are available by the million, what point is there in mine? I have done some soul searching, some praying and some plain-ol’ thinking, and I’ve realized that I blog for two reasons:

#1. I blog for myself. I like re-reading my posts and seeing my kids as they’ve grown and changed. I always feel better after writing, so for me, blogging is therapy. Free therapy. It helps me to sort things out, share thoughts, and bronze memories.

#2. I blog for you. You might be my mother, or some other relative. If so, I blog to keep in touch with you. You might be my friend, who cares about my life and wants to keep in touch with me. If so, I’m glad you’re here! Or, you might be an enemy, and believe me, I have them!You might want to see if your gossip is affecting me; if I’m quitting or giving up. I hope you see that I’m still hanging in there, serving the Lord. I hope you see that I bear no grudges or hard feelings. Most of all, I hope you’ll stop being my enemy, and become my friend, for I am already yours. You might be someone who heard from a friend that I’m a nice person (unless you’ve talked to my enemies! lol!), and you’ve dropped by out of curiosity. If so, one of my all-time favorite things is meeting new people, making new friends! I love my family, and I love people, so it is you for whom I blog.

Five years seems like a very long time! A lot has happened in my life over those five years. I thought I’d share a few posts from the past to celebrate my [belated] fifth blogging anniversary.

My very first post.
What my kids looked like when I started blogging. *sniff sniff*
One of my favorite posts.
Okay, another one of my favorite posts.
The post that has received the most hits (since May of 2010 when I started this current site): What I Love About You – 3,795 hits
Second most popular post: Listening Sheets – 2,770 hits
Most popular page: My Love Story 1,651 hits
Total comments: (drum roll, please.) 2,784! Thank you! Those comments are the frosting on my blogging anniversary cake! They mean so much to me.
A few other stats:

This blog began as “Life in the Hill Country” and then moved to, “Valerie’s Hope Chest”. For a short time, I had my own domain, valeriebasham.com, using WordPress. In May of 2010, I moved to valerie-thebishopswife.blogspot.com. In January of 2012, I relocated everything to Blogger using my own domain name, valeriewritenow.com. I hope it stays here. Forever. *Phew*
I’ve had several different layouts over the years. One was designed by a friend and the rest by me. I enjoy tinkering around with the design, but I love writing more than I do the web design. That’s why I haven’t changed the look since January! (gasp!) Sorry about that.

Some of you, okay, maybe only two of you, have been with me since the very beginning. Thank you for being my online friend. Thank you for reading, for looking at my photos, for laughing and for crying with me. (Even if some of those tears were because you’d never read a worse blog post anywhere on the web.) Thank you for the comments you’ve left and the prayers you’ve prayed for me over the years. Thank you for finding me on Twitter or Facebook or Pinterest and being my friend, there, too!
To my newer friends, thank you for joining me in whatever wacky phase of life I’m currently in. You have many choices in blog-reading-material, and I am so honored you’ve chosen me! I have no books to sell. I have no quota to meet. I just love writing.

And comments.

Just those two things. 🙂

With love,

Facebook Users, Unite!

Valerie Basham

no comments

October 18, 2012

Because I care deeply, yea, passionately about Facebook; because I want the world of Facebook to be a place of harmony, laughter and love, and because these things are just too stinkin’ cute, I’m sharing the following with you:

(Yes, that was the world’s longest run-on sentence. Sorry.)

Live long and [socially] prosper!

Canada and Niagara Falls

Valerie Basham

7 comments

October 16, 2012

One month ago, my family and I were blessed with the opportunity to visit Canada! We got to see Ontario and Quebec. It was an amazing opportunity that I will cherish forever. On our way up, we were able to visit with my husband’s parents in Ohio and then stop off at Niagara Falls! We traveled 75 hours – round trip – in our van. All seven of us. It was a long, hard trip and I thank God for keeping us safe as we road 4,000 miles together. Here are a few photos of our visit in Canada and the falls. I have several photos of the falls, and I thought, “Why do I keep taking so many?” Then, I answered myself! It was because at every angle, I saw something new; a different type of beauty! I’m sorry if some appear redundant, I guess I was just shutter happy! 🙂 I hope to post about the rest of our trip at another time. Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear from you! (Read: Please leave me a comment!)

Crossing the border at Niagara Falls, Ontario! We were very nervous to use our passport cards for the first time, but we made it! (Phew!)

The entrance to the park on the Canada side.

This is America! The large falls are called the American Falls, and that tiny spout of a waterfall is called Bridal Veil Falls. (It really does look like a bridal veil, doesn’t it?)

Meet Horseshoe Falls – the largest of the falls at Niagara. It was a bummer that the huge cloud of mist hung over the middle, preventing a good photo. It was truly amazing! I just marveled at God and His power! How can anyone deny a Creator?

Lauren and Mitch at the Falls.

Matthew made me nervous! The rails were pretty close to the falls in some places, so we kept our eyes – and hands – on him!

I watched these two pretty closely, too!

Lauren snapped one of me and my main man. ♥

Another of Horseshoe Falls. See that opening in the side? We all wished we’d had time to take the “Journey Behind the Falls” and see what that looked like up close! Unfortunately, we didn’t have the time or money for all of us to go. Maybe next time! 🙂

A partial view of Horseshoe Falls.

Full view of Horseshoe Falls.

Looking away from Horseshoe Falls, you can see that building on the side of the cliff. We were told it was an old power station. It had grass growing on the roof!

The seagulls were everywhere and made lots of noise! They let us get extremely close before they flew off.

The bank down from Horseshoe Falls.

This is how close you are to the falls on the Canadian side. I could have leaned down and put my hand in this water. And that white space on the upper left hand corner? Oh, that’s just a 175 foot drop. YIKES! My heart was pounding the entire time we were standing here! (It was so loud, too!)

Here’s a slightly different angle, right behind Horseshoe Falls. It was getting dark now, so the falls had an eerie look to them.

The whole gang at Niagra Falls! Yes, we are VERY close to the drop off here. (Sorry it’s kind of blurry.)

My camera isn’t spiffy enough (or I just don’t know how to operate it right) to get good night time pictures. This is the best one of the falls at night. It was beautiful! Huge lights from way above where we stood came on at 8:30 PM and shone on the magnificent waterfalls. They changed colors, too! At first, the Canadian falls were red and white, like their flag, and the American Falls were red, white and blue! Then they changed to orange, purple, blue, yellow, green, pink – it was gorgeous! I was in awe of God’s creation, and how man is able to subdue it! God is in everything, everywhere. He has graciously let man control His creation! There are not enough adjectives to describe how humbled and enthralled I was at this wonder of God’s handiwork.

The Best Way to Learn a Bible Verse

Valerie Basham

1 comment

October 14, 2012

I read this verse this morning in my devotions. It was already underlined, for it is very precious to me. I decided to copy it into my journal because I love it so much. As I started to write it, I realized I knew it already. I double checked myself, but yes, I knew it. I had not consciously memorized it. I knew it because when I was twelve years old, my Dad lost his job. It was devastating for him. I didn’t understand it then, but I do now. He had a mortgage and car payments. He had a daughter in Bible college and another one who was needing new shoes. He was nervous. He decided that instead of spending his time worrying, he would quote Bible verses. He copied them onto 3×5 cards (Oh! How I can still see his “chicken scratches”!) and he would read them over and over. Then, he would put it in his shirt pocket and quote it without looking. Every time he started to worry, he would quote his verse. To this day, whenever I read it, the voice in my head gradually changes from my own to his:

Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. – Isaiah 41:10

I learned it as I heard him quote it over and over. Then, I saw that God’s Word was absolutely true. God did give us strength. He did help us. He held us up during the dark days with the strong hand of HIS righteousness. You see, we are nothing. We are wicked, sinful human beings. But my Dad accepted Christ, so when God looked down at Ron Courtney, He saw His Son, Jesus. And because of Jesus, He helped us through that dark valley. And because of that testimony, I know Jesus today, too.

My Dad taught me that the best way to learn a Bible verse is to read it, then live it.

October

Valerie Basham

no comments

October 5, 2012

October’s Party

by George Cooper

October gave a party;

The leaves by hundreds came-

The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,

And leaves of every name.

The Sunshine spread a carpet,

And everything was grand,

Miss Weather led the dancing,

Professor Wind the band.

The Chestnuts came in yellow,

The Oaks in crimson dressed;

The lovely Misses Maple

In scarlet looked their best;

All balanced to their partners,

And gaily fluttered by;

The sight was like a rainbow

New fallen from the sky.

Then, in the rustic hollow,

At hide-and-seek they played,

The party closed at sundown,

And everybody stayed.

Professor Wind played louder;

They flew along the ground;

And then the party ended

In jolly “hands around.”

We are finally getting a taste of autumn in my neck of the woods! The weatherman predicts we will get some cool air today – our coolest since April! It’s been a long summer, folks, and I welcome the variety of a new season. September was a busy and exciting month for our family. One exciting September event was my fifth blogging anniversary! I hope to post more about that soon, as well as share some photos. Speaking of photos, I want to thank our friend, Bro. Stephen Collins, for the allowing me to use this lovely photo for my blog. It was taken in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee – oh how lovely God’s creation is!

Happy fall! 🙂

The Fruit of the Flesh

Valerie Basham

6 comments

September 30, 2012

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. – Gal. 5:16.
I read these words in my daily Bible time recently. I have been praying and begging God for answers. Why have I felt so far away from Him? I meet with Him each day, barring sickness. Why had I been casually sliding into sin in my heart? Hadn’t I been faithful to church? Hadn’t I been praying? The answer to those questions was a definite yes. But, sadly, here I was. My mouth constantly in a frown or pout, my brows knitted together in worry, my heart heavy and my faith microscopic.

I read this verse and questioned aloud: “Lord, how do I know how to walk in the Spirit? There’s no road called “Spirit” that I can steer myself toward. It’s mysterious.” I kept reading, which, I now see was my answer from my Father.

Verses 17 -23 of that same chapter:

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

¹⁸But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

²⁰Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

²¹Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

The Lord not only told me how to know if I was walking in the Spirit, but He also gave me a handy-dandy checklist! (He knows me so well!) We’ve all heard about the fruit of the Spirit, but, did you know there is such a thing as fruit of the flesh?

If I am walking in the flesh, there will be evidence of that behavior; there will be fruit.(Now, mind you, you may not see that fruit. It may be tucked away in my heart. But some see – my husband and children and my dear sister and mother will see it. And most of all, God will see.)

Feeding the flesh produces adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness [being lustful, loose or lewd. Promoting lustful desires in others]. Walking after the flesh can also produce idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations [ambition to excel or rival another], wrath, strife, sedition [rebellion against established order], heresy, envy, murder, drunkenness, and reveling [Engaging in lively and noisy festivities, esp. those that involve drinking and dancing.]. Now, I’m not saying that if you start feeding the flesh you’ll go right out and commit adultery or get drunk. I’m saying that these actions are the fruit of the flesh. I know, because I saw some of these very things in my very own heart!

I was envious of others…and envy is a dangerous thing! Did you know envy is worse than wrath or anger? Anger is terrible! Envy is worse than that? Yes! Just look at Proverbs 27:4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? A person can react to anger or wrath – we can defend ourselves against those. But, how do you defend yourself against an envious person? A person who loathes you because of who you are, what you do, or what you own? That person will not be seeking to do you good, but you won’t know it, because envy is in the heart. Yes siree, give me angry over envious any day! I can say, as a person who was envious, that jealousy will eat away at the one who bears it. You can hurt the one of whom you’re jealous with lies or deceit, but all the while, the envy is eating away at you.

The fruit of the Spirit is listed in Gal. 5: 22 -23. It’s a famous passage! You probably have them memorized: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. So, if you’re thinking “I’m okay, I have no fruit of the flesh in my heart.” Meditate on this: If one part of the fruit of the Spirit is longsuffering (patience), then what category does impatience fall under? Yes, it got me right between the eyes – impatience would be fruit of the flesh! Ouch! I caught myself giving up on God a few times lately – the opposite of faith…yep, more fleshly fruit. Recently, I ate a dessert to sooth my sorrow…that was lack of self-control, or temperance. More fruit of the flesh. On and on I went until I had cancelled out each piece of spiritual fruit and replaced it with rotting fleshly fruit.

On one hand, this realization was heavy for me, but, on the other, it was a relief! I knew what I’d been doing wrong and could repent and start over…again. I’m glad I can check my list to see where I’m off and work to fix it. Of course, nothing of eternal value can be obtained by fleshly strength, but I know to Whom I should go for help. I can ask Him what I’m doing wrong and He will answer.

Be Still My Soul ~ A Review

Valerie Basham

no comments

September 30, 2012

Desperate for some new (and free!) reading material, I requested the book Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bischof, to review for Blogging for Books. This is Joanne’s first novel, and she makes a good first impression. Go ahead and read the first chapter. Or, find out more about the author.

From the back of the book:
Pretty Lonnie Sawyer is shy and innocent, used to fading into the background within her family, and among the creeks and hollows of the Appalachian hills. Though her family is poor and her father abusive, she clings to a quiet faith. But when handsome ladies’ man and bluegrass musician Gideon O’Riley steals a kiss, that one action seals her fate.

Her father forces her into a hasty marriage with Gideon—a man she barely knows and does not love. Equally frustrated and confused by his new responsibilities, Gideon yearns for a fresh start, forcing Lonnie on an arduous journey away from her home in Rocky Knob.

Her distant groom can’t seem to surrender his rage at the injustice of the forced matrimony or give Lonnie any claim in his life. What will it take for Gideon to give up his past, embrace Lonnie’s God, and discover a hope that can heal their two fractured hearts?

The first few pages were rather confusing. The author rightly places us in the middle of some action, but it was hard to follow since the reader is clueless about who is who. Reading on a few pages led me to more explanation. After that first hiccup, I followed the plot just fine. Unlike other Christian fiction books, which may have a character pray once on page 257 and that’s it, this book wove Christ throughout the book quite nicely. It lagged slightly in the middle, but not for long. The plot thickens right on schedule and leave you guessing about some things till the very end.

I’ve read only a few Christian fiction romance novels this year, because so many of them are redundant. This one caught my attention and held it till the end. The plot was unique, without being over the top. It was a nice blend of romance and religion; of trial and blessing.

It was easy to read and the characters feel like old friends. A true sign of an enjoyable book. If you like Christian romance, then check this one out.

Disclaimer: I was given this book free from Waterbook/Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. I was not forced to give a positive review or compensated in any other way.

My Heart is Full

Valerie Basham

5 comments

September 25, 2012

My heart is full to overflowing with emotions. I feel joy, grief, loneliness, shame, despair, love, hope, fear, and more. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt so overwhelmed before, in this way, that is! How can you feel joy and grief? Only I could be so crazy! So much was supposed to happen, and now, will not. I want to hope that more will happen someday, but I’m afraid to go down that path, lest I find more disappointment lurking in the shadows.

I am a jumble of nerves and words, so this post will be brief. I don’t want to say anything that I will later regret! I can say that God has revealed some major faults in my life lately, faults that now seem so glaring – how could I have missed them all this time? I know about them now, and now, I must deal with them. Once the light is revealed on sin in our lives, we must do something about it. To ignore it is to embrace it.

I have my work cut out for me, as I purge myself through prayer and Bible reading, as I discipline myself to change my attitude and actions, as I go through this exciting time of growth. Your prayers would be appreciated. I don’t know when I’ll be back here, I hope it’s soon, because I like keeping in touch; I love hearing from you. My hope is that this blog can become a greater blessing in the future because of this time of purging.

God bless,