What Others See

We hear over and over in religious circles that we shouldn't care what others think of us, but many of us don't think much of ourselves.  Of course, this is reversed as well.  There are some people, when I see how highly they regard themselves, I have thought to myself, "what do they see when they look in the mirror, that I'm obviously missing?"  I've gone through life feeling really badly about myself and I know it's had an impact on many areas of my life that could have been so much different.  Feeling unattractive really does affect the way we present ourselves.  Two things changed when watching this video.  One, the realization that many of us see ourselves much more negatively than others do.  Two, I am absolutely in love with this artist for doing this!

http://www.upworthy.com/2-people-described-the-same-person-to-a-forensic-artist-and-this-is-what-happene?g=2

Living

The other morning, as I prepared for my "Ribbon Cutting" with the local Chamber of Commerce, I felt like a debutante preparing for a cotillion.   It may seem a bit late, but it's not quite been 20 years since I began following Messiah, so regardless of the silver locks, I'm still quite a young princess.  My first book signing, wasn't until I was 40.  The first Shemitah of my homesteading years, I turned 50, and I learned "jubilee" in Scriptural context is more than an anniversary, which it is, but the year of jubilee is also about the opportunity of perpetuity in liberty and freedom.  Jubilee is not just an anniversary to look back, but a new beginning, as well!  My 50th year on the planet was not at all what I expected, but as turns out, it was even better than my expectations.  Yet I digress.  Back to the Ribbon Cutting and my debut.

I am not exactly the image of American beauty and femininity.  I'm far from the image of matronly mainstream, but I have my niche.  YHWH actually created me for just this life and lifestyle, and loves me so much, He's allowed me to know His Name and share it with others.  He also allows me to call Him, Abba, and His Son calls me, chosen.  As I prepared for this event, which may not seem like an event to many, but to a socially awkward individual, this was big!  I am creative and earthy, so I am completely at ease in sharing information about my products.  I truly care about people, but I'm horrible at small talk and terrible in the spotlight.  I am happy to answer questions and share knowledge, but I'm not a teacher.

It seems, I can easily identify myself by what I'm not.  What I've learned and continue to learn as I follow Messiah is, I do have a purpose and I've been blessed with many talents, reasonable intelligence, and much endurance.  This opportunity was exactly what it was supposed to be and I did what Abba intended for me to do.  The Ribbon Cutting was the way to meet people who need to meet Messiah and the way to discover the needs in the community, that have yet to be met.  My cards have Scripture on them, the bars of soap have Scripture on the labels, and the words of the Prophet proclaim, "The Word of YHWH does not return void."

Confirmation once again was presented as to Abba's words when I first answered His call to ministry and He told me to "do what's not being done."  The other day, one of the gentlemen at the Ribbon Cutting shook my hand and said, "This is wonderful for our community, there is nothing like this here!  You milk the goats for the goat milk soap, too, don't you?"  Living His Plan is truly living!

Reality

Reality and retrospect have converged in my life and I am truly thankful for what the King of the universe has done, in making me one of His daughters.  It seems I had to be declared a senior citizen in this culture for me to truly embrace the Plan YHWH has for me.  I've been serving Him for nearly 20 years, but it suddenly feels like the first few years were training.  I heard two very clear statements from YHWH, back in 1999, but the preparation did not happen overnight.

I find myself amazed at so many who have come into truth and instantly claim authority.  Not that I doubt that it can happen, it's just not something I can relate to.  But then I realize as I listen to these people, they had a confidence before they ever met Messiah, that I simply didn't have.  YHWH has been very patient with me, and thankfully, didn't allow me to have positions of authority that would have resulted in wrong teaching.  Wrong teaching has gained horrendous momentum, and yet; His truth stands forever.  As I look back over the years of preparation, I also find myself glimpsing even farther back, just something that was instrumental along the way, that I didn't realize at the time.

I'm truly thankful that I didn't have any confidence before I had confidence in Messiah.  I always knew I wasn't a beautiful woman, and I didn't exactly fit into any crowd, all along.  I wasn't ugly and I wasn't anti-social, just not like anybody else, and had no idea or appreciation at the time for how unique we all are.  Now, at 55, I have a different perspective.  I have the privilege of being the unique individual I am and walk in the confidence my Creator gave me.  I have the joy of appreciating others who are also unique.  I am also very thankful as time has moved on, that I didn't place my confidence in youthful beauty.  In looking in the mirror, I can honestly be thankful that I can't miss what I never had!

I am not writing this from a self-pity aspect at all.  I've always felt my best traits were in my talents and accomplishments. The truth is, I've always been told I have beautiful eyes, and they are unique to my complexion, but more than that, they are a light to my whole being and a window to my soul.  Y'hshuwah chose me and made my soul beautiful, even before I knew Him.   Although, what I do in my life, I am doing it as unto YHWH, but it is nice to hear that another life has been impacted positively with something I've done.  I've been blessed to have people come up and ask me if I'm me because they recognized my voice from my radio show, or leave comments at my blogs, or even call to let me know my latest book really touched them.  Being in business, I always enjoy a good report on one of my product lines.  All in all, those compliments mean so much more to me than, "Twenty-five years ago and you were just gorgeous!"

Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.  Proverbs 31:31

A Proverbs 31 Woman

When I first began to follow Messiah, I felt like there was just no job for me to do.  All these years later, I now feel like I'm about as busy as I can be and still get anything accomplished!  Do you ever have so much going on, it feels you're overlooking things?  As I purposely shuffled the new catalogue aside to upload the latest episode of BEFORE It Was HEADLINES It Was PROPHECY, I was aware that the catalogue needs to be done this week, and the store needs to be updated, and there are plans for the inventory room.  The business seems to be doing well, definitely meeting some needs, and there are a couple more new products in the works.  I'm excited to be able to offer natural health care products, and kosher soap with Scripture on the packaging, and a business to my descendants.  

Tomorrow a new pasture will be in existence here at Goshen.  Three sides are already fenced and I'm absolutely delighted to have help coming to assist me in accomplishing the end of the task.  Before you think I'm really amazing, I didn't do the three sides that are already in existence.  This last side is just a matter of connecting what's already there.

I walked past the green house this morning, opened the door to delight in the fact it is ready for winter!  And I now know for sure what rice looks like as it begins to grow.  Hopefully, I'll have at least enough of a rice harvest for seeds to plant.  I know I'm grimacing, just thinking about GMO rice containing human DNA as I type this.  After my failed attempt last spring, I'm thankful to have this project in the works now.

The Goshen Gazette has some wonderful contributors and our readership is increasing.  The canning is done and it looks like I will have plenty of writing projects for the winter.  I remember back a few projects ago, I thought for sure YHWH would be bringing more folks on board before now.  I bought the Five-Fold Ministry meeting table 3 1/2 years ago, thinking it would be in use by now . . .  Instead, my Father the King has increased what is to be established, and certainly made some serious changes in me.

I awaken before daylight and as I thought of the busy day, I heard the most wonderful words from my Abba.
"You said you wanted to be a Proverbs 31 Woman."

The Plan

Sometimes I don't feel very princessesque.  Even worse, sometimes I don't want to feel very princessesque.  Seems this time of year, I want to just kind of snuggle in for the winter in some uniquely layered ensemble and not even leave the place.  I've gotten to enjoy two winters, not consecutively, of doing what I call wribernating.  Since humans can't actually hibernate, I enjoy doing the next best thing.  I love to snuggle in next to the fire, drink coffee all day and write, thus wri/bernate.



There isn't really a very long winter season in my neck o' the woods.  Still not frost yet, in late October and the planting season officially begins February 14th.  So at most, there's only about 3 1/2 months, I'm not tending a garden, and usually the kids start arriving mid January.  Through my short winter hiatus I, of course, do chores, spend time with Abba, and maintain my online responsibilities, but coming very soon is the season in which I just enjoy a less than casual appearance that is not really fit for polite society.

When I see the photos of the northern states, I realize this could be why YHWH didn't call me there.  When I knew He was calling me to relocate, at first I didn't know if it was Montana or Southern Missouri.  He very quickly made sure I understood, north was not the intended direction.  When I read some of the comments of the other contributors who are up north, I just shake my head and snuggle in a bit further.  I have not driven in snow since 2004!  I'm not bragging or complaining, just very, very thankful.

Since living agriculturally, winter for me has a time of introspection and planning implementation.  The longer I serve YHWH, the more I've come to realize the original plan is not mine, but His.  He does, however; expect me to use the gifts and talents He placed in me to bring the plan to fruition.  I spent this past Shabbat alone in very restful contemplation.  I thanked my Heavenly Father for many things, and I communed with Y'hshuwah, but it's their day off too!  I just felt I didn't need to be too chatty and I didn't need any reassurance that I belonged to Him.  It really was an interesting day of rest.

Next spring will be a very important planting season, in that it is "preparation year."   I had no idea what I was doing last Shemitah, agriculturally speaking, and there was the usual debate about which year it was, but this time, I'm not entertaining the confusion.  I feel I've been preparing for this preparation year since I moved from the smaller place to this one.  My heart's desire is to simply be where my Abba wants me in His plan, even if that means snowed in til March or no wribernating at all!

A Guest Princess

We are so delighted to feature a guest contributor, Nancy King, here in Peculiar Princess.  Nancy shares so eloquently, what it is to be the daughter of the King of the universe.

I Am…

He says, I am His…                             

Princess Ideas

I am learning the best ideas, of course come from our King.  I am also learning, the best ideas come when they will meet a need.  The King of the Universe is very efficient!  He doesn't need a huge inventory to work with.  I keep this continually in mind with my life and business.  There are some things in which inventory is required to be ready and other things made in advance will only be outdated and ineffective when the need arises.

As so many are considering a more independent and natural approach to life, I can share just a few ideas for an example.  Some, I've learned the hard way, but those are getting fewer and farther between.  Thank Adonai for that!  As a business woman I have two types of product, those that need "curing" time, but are virtually nonperishable.  Then there are the other products that are formulated fairly quickly, but have a relatively short shelf life.  That's right, it's both ends of the continuum with little between.

When it comes to living off the land, there is considerable planning involved to be successful, and it's rather meticulous at the beginning and the end product, but again in between it's just a matter of the time it takes.  I plan my garden spots in the fall, and the produce I plan to raise.  Some, are automatic, like the early stuff, but the amount of beans, number of tomatoes and peppers depends upon this year's harvest and how much I've preserved.  I don't need more than I can use and share, reasonably.  It's entirely too expensive to try to ship canning.  That's an "in person" kind of sharing.

So much of our society is now based upon instant and whim, that it seems peculiar to make plans beyond "the week-end," but the King of the Universe has a plan, on a grand scale and for each individual.  The first time I saw this "saying" it spoke volumes to me.  Now I won't get it verbatim, but the concept has stayed with me.

                           "Failure to plan, is the plan for failure"