Proverbs 31 Hands

The Nice (if cluttered) Kitchen

2012-02-07T13:42:00.000-05:00

So, here are the be fore pics. I did clean the kitchen. But before I could get the pics taken it was lunch time and school had happened at the table. And I had to wash the dishes again, they were not dry... so you got a counter full of that. But we live here, and this is the busiest room in the house. The pics aren't great, or very interesting. But they are a good starting point.

So yeah, dishes in the sink and on the counter. But you can see the counter top color, the cabinets and wall color. The middle, tall doors open to a walk in pantry that is bigger than my bedroom closet! Of my favorite things here!

Plain, I know, but I just took the curtains down after I decided they were ok bedroom curtains, but I wasn't loving them in my kitchen. They are now in my son's room.

Stove with clutter. But otherwise unremarkable...

More cabinets and counters. And the obligatory EMPTY chicken food bag that is doubling as a trash bag at the moment... sorry about that , too. But waste not, want not...


The plain jane dining area. The table that's going to lose it's top, get beaten, and turn black. And the chairs that I am not sure about yet. This is our eating table, school table, pay bills table, card table, and anything else we can think of...

So, Liz and anyone else who want's to comment, share those ideas. I am thinking a focal wall, behind this table which you can see in the last pic, barn red, with rooster pics and old lanterns. What do y'all think?

Also, a friend sent me a Pinterest link to a mason jar soap dispenser I want to make. And my other thought is to use mason jars in myriad of ways. I love mason jars, and they are cheap and I already have ALOT of them!

Wheat In The Barn

2012-02-07T00:39:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite authors to read is C.H. Spurgeon. I especially love his Farm Sermons. Tonight I read #20, Wheat In The Barn. I wanted to share an excerpt that made me wanna shout. He's talking about the parable of the wheat and tares here:

It is vain to have the name of wheat, we must have the nature of wheat. God will not be mocked: he will not be pleased by our calling ourselves Christians while we are not so. Be not satisfied with church membership; but seek after membership with Christ. Do not talk about faith, but exercise it. Do not boast of experience, but possess it. Be not like the wheat, but be the wheat. No shams and imitations will stand in the last great day: that terrible "but" will roll as a sea of fire between the true and the false. Oh Holy Spirit! Let each of us be found transformed by thy power.

Should any of you want to read the Spurgeon Farm Sermons, here's a link:

http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/fspref.htm

They are free and worth every minute you will spend in them. And if you are like me, and you have come to love all things animal, plant, or farm related, then it's an extra blessing that these sermons teach on such common things.

Hope y'all enjoy them!

And a P.S. to Liz: Before pics not done yet. Gotta clean the kitchen. Busy weekend with lots of cooking and busy Monday with lots of being gone. Tuesday is clean up/picture day. But they are coming.

Redecorating the Kitchen

2012-02-03T13:29:00.000-05:00

My first purchase. Off Ebay. Used. With some knicks. I love him.

So now I'm here and it's taken me a year, even in my excitement over this new home that is now ours, to feel ready to decorate. And I'm starting with the kitchen. I want to include things that make this MY space. It's the room I enjoy most in the house. The kitchen is nice now. It has calm, soothing, neutral tones with greenery and vases the previous owner left. I like it. But it's not mine. I don't love it. It's just nice. So I have been asking myself what do I like now. And I found I didn't know. And then when I started "relearning" about decorating and looking at magazines, I found I couldn't afford so many of the things I really like. Yeah, I've got good taste. My mom always said my eye naturally traveled to the most expensive dress in the store, no matter where we went. She'd be happy to know it's like that with decorating, too. Fortunately, the things I like these days are the things that go with our lifestyle now - kinda country, really used, maybe distressed in places, and a little bit of totally unusual stuff thrown in just because I like it. Those things are easy to create from repurposed, recycled things. Buying new isn't always necessary or even desirable. Another thing is I kind of want a theme, but not a cluttered, whatnot everywhere kind of theme like I've seen so many do. It's oke if it works for you. I'm just not into that. Those who know me know one of my favorite things in the world is chickens. So I decided that would be a great theme in the kitchen. Mainly because I'm pretty sure the menfolk won't let me do that anywhere else in the house, lol. So, like I said. I'm not really into whatnots. I don't like to dust things. I throw things out because I get tired of that. Clutter gives me anxiety more and more the older I get. So I am starting to say my style is minimalist country. Well, it's minimalist so far anyway... if it ventures over into clutter I'll likely make some more trips to the dump.

I already have my husband's eyes rolling back in his head when he heard what I want to do the the furniture we have now. I think he should be happy. I was talking about a new set. Now I've decided to "distress" what we have. But before I do that, I'm gonna paint it black. Then I'm gonna beat it with some chains. And sand on it here and there. I'm gonna throw out the laminate top table, but keep the beautiful trestle that's under it. I'm hoping to get a top either from a big butcher block, preferably well used and hopefully nicely stained from use (not wood stain), or a tile top that will fit the tablebase I have. Or maybe even a used wooden top that has just the right mix of "character" (dings and dents). I'll have to figure out how to attach it but I have a smart hubby and I'm sure he can do that. (Yeah, I'm sucking up.You know, because of the eye rolling and all.) For chairs, I can't decide.

Another Ebay find. A pretty roo among melons and sunflowers. And he's cheap. My kind of bird.

So that's what I've enjoyed thinking about these recent days. It's a nice diversion from medical things. It costs me nothing to do all this planning in my head. And in the end, I'm thinking I'll have more sweat equity than money in this redo.

And I think that's good planning. What do you think? Any ideas you want to share with me? Or pictures? Room redo's that will inspire me? Share if you don't mind. I'd totally appreciate it. Doesn't have to be my style. Just show me yours!

It's Been Five Months... Life Is Not the Same

2012-02-02T01:26:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since my last post. I had not intended to ever pick this up again. Last August I had been questioning my reasons for blogging. Questioning whether I often sought attention for myself more than to glorify my Father in Heaven. For the most part, my desire has been to encourage other women in their calling as wives and mothers, according to biblical standards that bring so much joy into the lives of those who embrace them. But like all humans I allow the compliments and opinions of others to feed too much into my opinion of myself. And I felt like God was bringing me down some notches. And it was well-deserved. While my knowledge was still the same, my heart was changing. And not for the better.

And then it happened. Well, the first part of it did, anyway. I got a call one morning and I suddenly had one of my children, my older children, in a personal crisis. By the time this happened, I had already taken a couple weeks off and things had been rough for me emotionally. I had had no idea what was happening with my child, but once I knew a very intense period in our lives commenced. I am happy to report that this child is now doing well and would like to thank everyone who helped and prayed during that time, those who knew about what was going on.

About the time this situation had begun to resolve and life was starting to feel normal again, my daughter who has Alagille Syndrome started showing signs that all was not well with her heart. After seeing and talking with her doctors at Duke, we scheduled her surgery for December 7th. It was only October at the time, but it didn't seem emergent, just necessary. So we scheduled around family holidays and doctor schedules. Sometimes God has other plans, though. And on November 9th, I found myself rushing to Duke to have her evaluated as her oxygen saturations were low and would not come up. She seemed fine, just lower than normal numbers, even for her. When we got there, they admitted her. They did an echo, and then a cath. And then her surgery was moved up because she could not wait. But while we were waiting, due to her neuro symptoms, they did an MRI, informed us of probable Moya Moya syndrome. That was a blow, but we were focused at that point mostly on her heart, believing if we got it fixed, so many other things would fall into place and that she would one day be a candidate for a liver transplant which she also needs. On November 18th, she had her big heart surgery. And it didn't go really well. She spent the next few weeks in the pediatric cardiac ICU, coming home on December 17th, for one day. She was then airlifted back to Duke from our hometown about 3 hours away. She was placed back in ICU, but soon moved to the floor and went home the following week on the day before Christmas Eve. On Christmas afternoon, we knew we were headed back again. So back to the local ER we went, and back to Duke she went in an ambulance. This time she would spend over a month in the PCICU where all manner of things were done to her. And where we were told that she will never be a transplant candidate due to her multiple system involvement that comes with Alagille sometimes. She has vascular issues in many systems of her body, and this was fairly new information for us as previously we had believed her issues were mostly heart and liver related. In addition, what we thought was going to be such a help to her, the new conduit from her heart to her pulmonary arteries turned out to be quite a challenge for her. She is now on oxygen permanently, has a very limited activity level, sleeps on a bipap machine to help her keep her lung open because it is being compressed. She deals with mucus issues in her left lung as she has a tiny airway there now. Her medication and therapy schedule is literally an all day deal. She has pulmonary hypertension as a result of the last surgery giving her lungs so much blood and we can not close the VSD's to help that because she can not tolerate that now. So life has changed, drastically, for us.

And after I told you all that you might think I would be an unhappy, depressed lady. It's amazing, even to me, but I am not. I am more thankful now than I have ever been for the life I have as keeper of my family's home. I love what I do. I know what it's like to have missed this routine for months on end. I know what it's like to wonder if your child is going to live til tomorrow. And I know what it's like to walk out of a hospital with her. I know life is different. But it's still life and it's all good.

So yeah, I'm back, ready to write and talk about a lot of the things I talked about before. From modesty and headcovering to sewing and homeschooling, from cooking and saving to canning and freezing, I'm ready to talk about it all. From the inspirational and devotional to the challenging and thought-provoking, I hope you will enjoy your time here. I hope you will notice the changes, too. I hope you will see more humility and less pride in me. May I never yield on the truth, but may I never proclaim it with any motive other than edifying other women and glorifying my Father in Heaven.

Life is different. Very different. But it's good. Very good. And I'm thankful that I've got another chance to share with you ladies if you will join me again.

The Kind of Women We Need

2011-09-01T09:14:00.003-04:00

In 1950, the great Scottish American preacher Peter Marshall stood before the United States Senate and he explained it this way: The modern challenge to motherhood is the eternal challenge – that of being a godly woman. The very phrase sounds strange in our ears. We never hear it now. We hear about every other kind of women – beautiful women, smart women, sophisticated women, career woman, talented women, divorced women, but so seldom do we hear of a godly woman… I believe women come nearer fulfilling their God-given function in the home than anywhere else. It is a much nobler thing to be a good wife than to be Miss America. It is a greater achievement to establish a Christian home than it is to produce a second-rate novel filled with filth. It is a far, far better thing in the realm of morals to be old-fashioned than to be ultramodern. The world has enough women who know how to hold their cocktails, who have lost all their illusions and their faith. The world has enough women who know how to be smart. It needs women who are willing to be simple. The world has enough women who know how to be brilliant. It needs some who will be brave. The world has enough women who are popular. It needs more who are pure. We need women…who would rather be morally right that socially correct.

The Rise and Fall and Rise of Motherhood in America, May 9, 2008, Vision Forum Ministries

Divided - The Video - A Must See

2011-08-30T14:43:00.001-04:00

(As a member of a very non-traditional biblical fellowship, I can say I wholeheartedly agree with the premise of this video. It's well worth your time. I do wish they had gone a bit further to address the entire family in the discipleship process and what the day to day aspect of that would be like, but I understand the scope of this video did not allow for that. However, if you want to see some of that, visit www.visionforum.org and www.visionforum.com. Anyway, this is a good explanation of why we take the totally unpopular stance of no youth ministry and families together in worship. Many find that odd around where we live, but we are hoping it becomes the norm. Again...)

The rest of the this introduction is from the video site. I just copied and pasted.

As you look on the church landscape, youth are leaving the faith in droves. The modern church, overall, is struggling to reach the next generation with the gospel. What has happened? Whether for good or bad, men, for many years, have been inventing solutions or brainstorming ideas without fully relying upon the foundation of God’s Word. God, however, is greater than man, and as the heavens are above the earth, so are His ways higher than ours and His thoughts than our thoughts (Is. 55:8-9). We have substituted the greater for the lesser – God’s wisdom for man’s ideas. Jesus said that he who hears His Word and does it, is like a man that built his house upon a rock, and when the storm came, it stood firm. On the other hand, he who rejects His Word, is like a man who built on the sand and when the storm came, the house fell (Matt. 7:24-25). Shouldn’t the church, as a whole, abandon the sandy ideas of man and shamelessly return to the firm rock of the Word of God? God’s Word sufficiently identifies how youth are to be reached. For more information on this issue, please see the film Divided, which is a documentary on age-segregated youth ministry in America. Watch it for free (for a limited time) at www.dividedthemovie.com. For an in-depth study, the book A Weed in the Church delves into the topic and more thoroughly handles the Scripture passages that address ministry to young people. For other details or to help spread the message, visit www.dividedthemovie.com.

"The Hospital" part 2

2011-08-29T19:16:00.001-04:00

After talking with our agency and making our decision I felt like I could relax. Before our guide had left earlier in the afternoon, she had arranged for us to have a room to take turns sleeping in. She told us the room number. I had not looked at it until about 1 AM when I decided to try and get an hour or two of sleep. I walked about three doors down from the ward where Delaney was and opened the door to the room I had been told to go in by the guide. And there was a man sleeping in that room, snoring loudly. I thought there must be some mistake. I tried to find someone who could understand me well enough to understand my concern, but at 1AM, there was a skeleton crew and I didn't have any luck. So, I went back and sat in the metal chair and leaned my head over Delaney's bed. I dozed off and on. But the night was eventful, and so I didn't really sleep.

First, the best news for us was that Delaney's fever had broken. The nurses were very put off by my refusal of quilts and thermometers. I tried to smile and be friendly about it, but none of the evening staff in that ward spoke English more than a few words. I was really shocked by that because I had been told that all Chinese school children learn English. Apparently not so.

At some point during the night, the little boy in the bed next to Delaney, the one with pneumonia who was covered in quilts and layered in clothing began to get worse. His parents were going down to an area of the hospital that would be like a pharmacy here. They were buying his medications, one at a time. They would bring it back up, show it to the nurse with their receipt and she would attach it to his IV. I couldn't understand their conversation, but it appeared they were having trouble affording some of them. Now understand, that for our entire stay for the day, and all the IV meds we only paid about $175. That was for everything. But this was obviously a rural farm family. I'm saying that based on their clothing. Sometime that night, a man came in. He was wearing holey pants and one of his shoes was missing half a sole. He handed the boys mom and dad some money. It seemed that he must be a grandfather or favored uncle. He seemed very fond of the child. He also brought a thermos of soup for the family. Smelly soup, but that's another story. We were so hungry right then we probably would have eaten it! Hungry or not, I looked over at our FULL box of medications that we had purchased and felt pretty guilty. I was ashamed to be complaining about missing all the sightseeing. Yes, I had done that. Once Delaney was getting better, I started whining. I'm ashamed, but I did. This was not what I imagined my trip to China was going to be like. How was I going to get pics of Nanchang to show Delaney? I worried about the dumbest things that day and night. Until I looked at that box and that thermos. Then I hushed and repented.

Before our guide had left earlier in the afternoon, we had been told that the older boy (9 or 10 I am guessing) who was in a coma had a brain infection. At the time, I tried to laugh that off as a bad interpretation feeling that surely we wouldn't be placed into a ward with a child with meningitis or some other contagious disease. West Nile was raging at that time, and it came to mind as well, but I quickly brushed it aside. However, as the day wore on, and I had little faith in the infection control I had seen, I really wondered if we had been placed in the ward with a child who should have been on isolation. The child was in a coma and had not moved the entire time we had been there. His family, two men, would turn him and bathe him and try their best to minister to his needs. Nurses looked on. From what I could see, the only care they gave the child was to add medicines to his IV. Around midnight, his family had been gathered in the hall. That's when I found out the man sleeping in the room I had entered was part of this family. Others had come in, including the child's mother. I realized the family had been called in and they must not expect this child to live. My husband and I began to pray for the child and the family. There was loud wailing from the hallway and I saw what I figured to be the child's mother crying bitterly. We continued to pray. Several of his family members visited his bedside. After about a half hour, things quieted down. And then, lo and behold, a news crew came in. The empty nurses station desks were spruced up with flowers. A computer monitor was placed on the desk, I assume to make it look better, because they never turned it on. Nor did the rest of the computer components ever appear. The family had settled themselves outside in the hallway. The nurses changed into fresh, crisp uniforms. I know this sounds incredulous, but I assure you, it's the truth. The nurses all gathered around the bed. A young doctor, who I had not seen all day, was brought in to speak to the camera while the nurses gathered around the bed and literally pretended to be caring for this patient that had not so much as touched all day. At this point I was really getting mad but at the same time I was confused. What was going on??? Then the child's mother was brought in. The wailing began again as she lay herself over the bed and the cameras rolled. She had already been in there after all the wailing in the hallway and it appeared to me that this time the wailing was entirely contrived. Still the child just layed there motionless. The news crew was there about 10 minutes total. And then, right after they left, and the family gathered in the hallway, the child sat up. He began talking and pointing. I couldn't understand, of course, because I don't speak Chinese. But he talked. His family was very excited! He lay back down and appeared to be lifeless again. A short while later, he did the same thing. We were so excited, thinking our prayers had been answered.

And then, just before dawn, a child was brought in who needed stitches in his head. That was when we learned that this ward was also the ER/suture room. And literally, the desk that had just a short while ago held the flowers and computer was cleared and a clean sheet was placed on top of it. Then, the child was laid down and stitched. There was much screaming and squirming, but it didn't take long. Remember, this is an open ward. The bloody sheet was then removed and placed in an open basket beside that desk.

Not long after that, the morning shift came in and we found the doctor we had seen the day before who could speak English. We told her we were going to take our daughter out. She was obviously concerned and we readied ourselves for a fight. Our guide arrived a short time later and we told her what we wanted to do. We could tell she did not agree, but she agreed to do as we wished. We explained what our plans were, that I still had some oral antibiotics that I would continue until the other medications arrived when we got to Guangzhou. The doctor asked for a compromise. If we would stay until lunch time, allowing two more doses of medicine in the IV, she would feel better. Since that would not require any more needles to be inserted, we agreed. We kept telling her how much better our daughter was. I don't see how she could have gotten any other report because the nurses literally never touched her except to check her IV and temp all night long. I think they decided to leave the crazy mama's baby alone and let the chips fall where they may, lol. Anyway, after the guide told her what we wanted, the doctor came around on rounds and was ready to do her morning assessment of Delaney. And when she listened to her chest I wish you could have seen her face. She was astonished she said. She said she couldn't explain how this child was so much better over night. We looked at our guide and smiled. It was that God of ours, and we all knew it. The doctor seemed to wonder what the smiles were for, but she said she felt better about the compromise and made us promise to come back if Delaney got worse before we left. She was a very nice lady!

While we waited, we told our guide about the boy in the coma and our concern and prayers for him and his family. We told her about him sitting up and talking twice, though he once again appeared to be comatose. She asked the nurses and they said what he said when he was talking made no sense. That he was seeing things. They considered him brain damaged and doubted he would live. I will always wonder about that child, what he saw, and whether he lived or not.

Oh, and the room I was supposed to sleep in? Well, I was supposed to go in and sleep with the other man who was in there. Apparently, I had offended the staff by not doing so, by acting as if I were better than they. In China, in that part anyway, where there is lots of poverty, it is not uncommon for strangers to sleep in the same room. And we had paid for a bed, not a room. I was not aware of that. I asked the guide to apologize and explain that I had not understood. (Not that I would have done it anyway, but I really didn't understand.) Even the guide didn't understand what my issue was... I also asked her to explain that it wasn't that we didn't appreciate their efforts. I know we came across that way in our efforts to keep Delaney cool and by refusing more needles and shared thermometers. She did explain, but it made matters worse as the head physician came and apologized to us. I felt even more horrible. In the end, we just said that we knew God had healed our daughter and we appreciated them being a part of it. Our guide told them and they smiled a little awkwardly and signed our dismissal papers.

And during that time, while we waited to leave, we learned that this precious guide, whose name I will not disclose, had brought us a gift. It was a grain of rice with John 3:16 completely inscribed on it, under a magnifying glass. It's amazing work! She told us she knew it was about this Jesus we told her about and she was glad we had told her. She teared up and we knew that she was sincere. What was so amazing was that this kind lady had spent her money to buy this for us, who by her standards were rich.

And so we went back to our hotel, tired, and slept the afternoon away. The next morning, we would leave Nanchang bright and early and head to Guangzhou, having seen only a Civil Affairs building, a Walmart, and hospital. And yet, I can say we experience a part of Chinese life that few adopting parents see. And in the process, in spite of my whining, we had gotten to see God work. I am sure, now, that we got the better end of the deal. After all, our daughter was getting better and better. We had lost nothing but some touristy-type things and had gained some eternal perspective.

"The Hospital"

2011-08-25T06:00:00.001-04:00

Our guide climbed into the cab with us and told the cab driver to hurry. Now if you've been to China, you know the traffic rule: there are no rules. Merge when you feel like it. Sort of stay in a lane. And amazingly, we saw no serious wrecks. Anyhow, we ended up in what looked like a downtown area. A poor downtown area. There were shops and couple bus stop looking shelters around. In between two stores was an alleyway. The cement had been broken up with a jackhammer. The cabbie let us out there. We paid him and walked between the buildings, and out into an open area with more broken up concrete/pavement. We dodged the holes and began walking to what looked to be a brand new, fancy building in the middle of this open area behind the alley. From the street, one would never know this building was there. I have no pics because that was the last thing on my mind at the time. At this point, Delaney felt so hot to the touch. It was August outside, and already in the low 90's outside on that morning with humidity that made you feel soaking wet the moment you stepped outside. We passed a woman squatting beside one of the stores. She was cleaning a freshly killed chicken and was washing the offal down the little ditch beside the store. But that concrete/pavement had been broken up as well and the debris wasn't going anywhere. This was about 300 feet from the front door of the fancy looking hospital. Smells of cooking wafted down from the apartments that surrounded the alleyway. That's about the only thing good I can remember about that alley.

We made it to the front of the building and walked in. And that's where we learned that the fancy new building was pretty much a facade. Inside, the building looked like one of our hospitals may have looked in the 1920's. There was no modern technology. The hospital had just opened, but still had some of finishing touches of construction going on through out almost all of it and it was covered in thick dust everywhere you looked. Of the multiple elevators, only one worked. We waited in a long line to us it because the hotel doctor had told us exactly which floor to go to and which doctor to ask for. Apparently the stairs were off limits to all but staff.

When our turn came, about 15 people piled into an elevator built for 10 probably. When we reached our floor, we got off and our guide asked where the doctor we were looking for was. We were taken directly to her. Her office was also her exam room. There was no reception and waiting like here. She listened to Delaney and told us she had pneumonia and bronchitis and that she needed to get some of the fluid out of her lungs right away. She would have to be admitted and would likely be in the hospital for 5 days for a course of IV antibiotics. But first they would have to "scope" her lungs and get some of the fluid out. Then we were taken to a ward with 9 beds. There were 3 or 4 other patients in there. One child in a coma, another with pneumonia, and I think there was another, but I can't remember much about that child. Our guide suggested that Johnny stay with Delaney and I would go back to the motel to get some clothing and money. Yes, money. Because the hospital there is not like here. If you can't pay, you don't receive treatment. Our guide gave a deposit of $100 out of her own pocket because in our rush to get there I hadn't taken any money. So I walked out of the hospital, leaving behind my husband and baby. I was overwhelmed and cried on the guide's shoulder. She hugged me and held me up.

Back at the hotel, the Jiangxi families gathered for prayer with me before I headed back and gave sacrificially of their own sightseeing and shopping money to help with the bills. I was overwhelmed. It had already occurred to us that if our flights had to be changed, that would cost dearly and we didn't have the funds to do it. At that point, we were worried about getting home as well as paying for the care our daughter needed. Our guide stood and watched as these brothers and sisters in Christ prayed in a circle in that hotel lobby.

Back at the hospital, I found a white-faced daddy but an easier-breathing Delaney. They had indeed "scoped" her lungs, and he had had to hold her down for them to do it. From his accounts, I could tell he found it quite barbaric, but was helpless to say anything or do anything because of the language barrier. She was still running a fever, and the nurses would keep putting heavy quilts on her. And I would keep taking them off. They told us through the guide that we needed to put more clothing on her. I refused. There was no air in this building. It was over 90 degrees inside. Windows were open without screen and flies were buzzing in there. She was already sweating like crazy. And they wanted layers of clothing with long sleeves and pants on her with those heavy quilts, too. The little boy beside us was getting that treatment and I felt so sorry for him. We allowed Delaney to lay in a onesie and fanned her when she was hot and covered her when she chilled.

During the time our guide spent with us that afternoon, she asked about our God and wanted to know if just anyone could talk to him. She was amazed that we believed in a God who was personal and accessible. She had heard of Jesus Christ, but knew little of him. And so that afternoon, my husband took out his Bible and showed her, in writing, the story, from beginning to end almost. An armed guard was walking the halls and looking in the window of the ward and I was scared to death that we were going to be arrested for this, but he never said anything. He paused and looked, but didn't seem really interested in what was happening. The guide asked lots of questions and seemed to take it all in. Then she left us there for the rest of the afternoon so she could return to the other families to take them to a park.

Delaney was making hourly improvements, and I credit every bit of that to prayer. She was still running a fever when supper rolled around. And that's when we figured out that supper isn't brought to you in the hospital in China. Whether you are a patient or a visitor, if you don't bring it, you don't eat it. So Johnny went back out through the alley and walked until he found a McDonalds. And my hunter-gatherer provider husband came back with Big Macs. The only thing he could get the little girl behind the counter to understand. He doesn't like Big Macs. But he ate it that day.

After being there for about 8 hours, I had to go to the bathroom. I couldn't hold it anymore. I had been putting it off because there was one bathroom in the ward that all the families and staff shared. It was a squatty. And obviously people were not hitting the hole because by the time I decided I had to go the floor of the entire ward was tracked with urine as folks went in and came back out and walked around with it on their shoes. It smelled like urine, and in that late afternoon heat at that point, it was very unpleasant.

Since we had been there, I had noticed that needles never came out of packages. IV tubing was never pulled out of a package. Tape (yes, tape) was being reused to hold IV tubing in place. I was totally freaked out, coming from a medical background. And by bedtime that night,m I was so freaked out that I started refusing to let them take her temp with the same thermometer that I saw used on the kid next to us and wiped with a Kleenex. I knew it was morning in the US and I got our agency on the phone. I explained our situation. I wanted to know if I had meds Fed Exed from the US could I pull her out of the hospital and take my chances since she was obviously stable and getting better. They said yes, that no one could take her from us now. I relaxed and determined to tell our guide when she came back the next morning that that was what we were going to do. So I called the office where I worked at the time, and they put the meds on the Fed Ex truck that morning. They would meet up with us in Guangzhou. They never made it as customs intercepted them, but that's another story. We knew if we could get to Guangzhou we could get to a western doctor should we need one.

Stay tuned for the rest of the story... there's lot's more....

China Pics, Part 2

2011-08-24T09:50:00.000-04:00

At the end of the first day, an exhausted little girl stretches out for a good night's sleep. At this point, we had seen no more tears since the initial ones when she was handed to us. And even that had been only momentary. She was calm, but was beginning to express a preference for my husband over me already.

The next morning, I bathed her. After that, I handed her over to her Daddy so he could dress her. We decided that would be easier because when she woke it was obvious I was not on the favored list at all. Overnight, she had decided that this new mommy was not to be tolerated.

But you can see she was quickly wrapping the new daddy around her little finger. And she's never looked back. With mommy... well, it took some time.

So all the Jiangxi families loaded up and headed to the Civil Affairs building to get our adoption paperwork finalized. We waited. We answered questions and took pictures. We waited some more.

Then it was our turn. We went back to the notary's office. She's like a judge in America and she either approves or disapproves the adoption if everything is not in order. She was very nice. She asked us questions about how we would educate our new little girl and why we wanted to adopt. She asked us if we were pleased with this child. And we adamantly said, "Yes!" Then she asked some extra questions about my husband's profession (full-time pastor) and I think she was curious more about that than anything. She then told my husband that his new daughter looked like him! And she said she felt like that's why she was chosen for us. You should have seen Johnny beaming.

Daddy signs

Mommy signs

And we got that precious piece of paper that says we are a family.

All that was left to do was wait until Friday of that same week when our paperwork in province would be finalized and we could head to Guangzhou and the American embassy to take our oath. We had days of sight-seeing planned. We wanted to take in everything we could about the province so we could share it with Delaney as she gets older. So we headed back to the room for a nap, where she continued to charm her daddy with these precious smiles...

Later that day we got all dressed up for an outing to Wal-Mart for formula and diapers. You haven't lived until you've been in a three story Chinese Walmart, where there is no personal space and strollers on escalators are common, where dead fish smells overwhelm, and the old Chinese lady in front of you in line obviously disapproves of something about you but you can't understand what it is. And where the ones who could speak English quickly told me that my daughter wasn't "full" Chinese. In my ignorance, I didn't understand the insult that was (still don't really, but now know that they think it is). I smiled blissfully at them and told them we didn't care. At which point they'd smile and agree that she is a beautiful child. They were never rude, but appeared to want me to understand that I wasn't getting a "full" Chinese child. Really? (And this continued when we went back for our second adoption and took her with us.)

We came home with a very tired little one, and hung out at the hotel with friends for the rest of the day. The following morning we got up, anticipating a great day of sight-seeing. But over the night, Delaney's congestion had continued to worsen. I had begun antibiotics but they were not working. The guide called the hotel doctor, who seemed very alarmed when she listened to her chest. She said she could not help our baby, and that we needed to take her to the hospital. Due to the language barriers, we couldn't get the info we wanted, but in a short time we were on the cab ride of our lives headed to "the hospital". And I put that in quotes because I am sure it's not what you are thinking of if you live in America.

Stay tuned for part 3 of this story tomorrow.

Finally, Some China Pics!!

2011-08-23T10:10:00.001-04:00

(Blogger must have heard me... right after I posted the previous post about changing to Wordpress, the pics started working.)

Here we are, getting ready to leave, bright and early in the morning!

Our Gate of Departure

Almost 24 hours later, in the Beijing Airport, a sea of faces

On the bus to our first hotel in Beijing with other adopting families

The bed was hard as a rock and obviously too short for this tall American, but we didn't care.

In Tiannamen Square

Getting ready to go into the Forbidden City

Yes, this was a four star rated potty in the Forbidden City, and it was a squatty if I remember correctly.

One of the nicer squatties we saw...

Great Wall

Leaving Beijing to head to Nanchang. Saying good-bye to Cheryl, the Beijing guide. At this point we were only about 4 hours away from our babies!!

All the Jiangxi families got onto this little bus and headed to a hotel.

Where we walked into a room with a beautiful sight! A crib!

And my red crying face with my just finished crying baby who was less than impressed with this new mama. You can see the Clarino family behind us about to receive their precious baby I believe.

Back in the room, after a bottle and clothing change, relaxing with Daddy while Mama goes to fill out a mountain of work in the hotel conference room. It was at this point we figured out this child was pretty congested. But we didn't know her well enough to know what was normal and what wasn't... Stay tuned for more pics and story.

Still no pics and question...

2011-08-23T09:48:00.000-04:00

Well, Ladies, I am still having problems with Blogger and can not load anything image=wise. I am disgusted at this point and considering switching to another platform, but not sure what will happen with followers. I have talked to others, and though this is my first time having issues with the pictures for more than a few minutes, I understand that others have been having this problem quite often for a while. Does anyone know what would happen if I transferred to Wordpress or something else?

A Long Awaited Dream

2011-08-19T10:13:00.001-04:00

Blogger isn't working well this morning. Therefore, the pics I wanted to share from China will not load. I will try again later. For now, though, I'll just share the only one that would load. And it's the most important one, because she's the reason we went to China in the first place.

This is the beautiful little girl who we couldn't wait to get our hands on, the one God placed in my heart 9 years before we ever got to hold her.

Stay tuned. I'll work on more and take you guys through the entire trip. It was a doozy, complete with a Chinese hospital stay.

This time 6 years ago...

2011-08-18T14:35:00.000-04:00

I was on a plane to China. I was so excited and nervous I could barely eat. I had two days of what would normally be very exciting sight-seeing ahead of me, but that was just a prelude to what I was really going to China for. I was about to be a mama for the third time. Stay tuned for pics from China tomorrow. And our six year Gotcha Day is coming up on the 22nd!

Encouragement for Trials

2011-08-18T08:54:00.000-04:00

Lately it seems one thing after another is happening in our family. And I'll not lie and say I am unaffected by this. However, I know where to go in these times for comfort and peace. So this morning, I'd like to share some words from others about trials. I hope they encourage you as much as they have me.

You may readily judge whether you are a child of God or a hypocrite by seeing in what direction your soul turns in seasons of severe trial. The hypocrite flies to the world and finds a sort of comfort there. But the child of God runs to his Father and expects consolation only from the Lord's hand. - C.H.Spurgeon

There are two ways of getting out of a trial. One is simply to try to get rid of the trial, and be thankful when it is over. The other is to recognize the trial as a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever had, and to hail it with delight as an opportunity of obtaining a larger measure of divine grace. - A.B. Simpson

Endurance is the ability to weather a trial without resorting to sinful means of deliverance.- Lou Priolo

In regard of God, patience is a submission to His sovereignty. To endure a trial, simply because we cannot avoid or resist it, is not Christian patience. But to humbly submit because it is the will of God to inflict the trial, to be silent because the sovereignty of God orders it – is true godly patience. - Stephen Charnock

The apostles went away rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ, that they were graced so far as to be disgraced for the name of Christ! - Thomas Watson

Over a week!!

2011-08-16T13:37:00.000-04:00

It's been a week since my last post! Thanks for the comments and emails, all of them. We are fine but like most folks, we have so much going on. I have a son who is readying to deploy to Afghanistan and then all the medical tests I've been telling y'all about with my daughter. I'll update more on those when I know more. For now, we're pretty sure it's a vascular or oxygenation issue, not a learning disability. Not sure where that puts us, so we'll have to wait and see.

There's been little time to sit and think or write but I just wanted to let you all know I'm ok, that I appreciate those who take the time to comment and check on me. And before long, hopefully things will get back to normal around here, well, some version of normal anyway. It has to. School is starting soon and I intend on doing some posts about our progress with the workboxes. So far they are just colorful dust catchers since we are waiting to use them in the new year.

Wish I had the time and mental energy to write more. Just not now. Love and blessings to y'all and see you here soon!

Two Promises in Jeremiah

2011-08-08T10:29:00.001-04:00

Over the years I've heard Jeremiah 29:11 used in so circumstances.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare [fn] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.- Jeremiah 29:11

When people are ill, they'll "claim" that verse. When they face money woes, they'll claim that verse. When their world turns upside down, they'll claim that verse. It's often done as if God could do no other thing except what they call good to them and as if by "claiming" it they can prevent further calamity from befalling them. I've watched both those who love Him and those who have nothing to do with Him until a need arises do this. And I've always been a bit troubled in my spirit by this. As I've grown older and learned proper study methods, I learned that promises in the Bible were given to a specific person or people at a specific time and for a specific reason. There are some promises about future things, but so many were not that way. While there may be a principle that can be taken away for oneself today, they can not be just "claimed" and appropriated for personal use, thereby obligating God to do to us as He did to another. In this particular Scripture (Jeremiah 29:11), the Lord was talking to those who had been removed from their land, exiled to Babylon. Imagine, they had been uprooted, forcibly moved to a new nation, and they just wanted to go home. God did tell them they weren't going home anytime soon (70 years) and He told them what to do to get through the 70 years, what would bring Him glory. And then He told them that His plans for them were for a future and a hope. Not evil. Hope 70 years out for what they longed for, but still hope. Until then, though, they were to learn to live with what He had handed him, not to be trying constantly to get back to what they had, but to glorify Him where they were by following His command to build houses, plant gardens, eat the produce of the land they found themselves in. So the promise of a future hope was comforting, but it was still future. And while in the present, they must endure and live to His glory. This part of the story I understand well. Up til now, we're probably talking about things we can all agree on. However, there is a flip side to this "promise".

Behold, I am watching over them for disaster and not for good. All the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, until there is an end of them.- Jer 44:27

So for one people group there was promise of good, a future, and a hope. And for another, for disaster and not for good. What was the difference? The promise for good was to exiles in Babylon, exiles from Jerusalem, who He would eventually bring back. They had been caught up in the judgement, but would return after a season. On the other hand, the promise of disaster was spoken to those who had been told not to go to Egypt, but who thought they would surely be better off in evil Egypt than struggling like they were where God had placed them. And so they went, choosing the lifestyle that God abhorred because it was easier and they could not fathom that God would want something more difficult for them, even thought Jeremiah told them they were being misled and were believing false prophets who told them God only wanted their "ease". (Health, wealth, prosperity gospel, anyone?) (God understands compromise because we live in a different culture, anyone?) In fact, it was much like today where there are myriads of popular preachers who will tell you God's primary purpose in all things is your happiness, and when a speaker of truth comes along, like a voice crying out in the wilderness for believers to repent from worldliness, they are ignored, disdained, shunned and marginalized. If they prove themselves to be too much a nuisance, especially if they are a pastor, they may be attacked. In Jeremiah's day, they often killed the true prophets who preached repentance and sacrifice.

The truth is that the plans God has for you or me are His plans. They are not ours. I have heard people counter this by saying God promises us the desires of our heart. Again, taken out of context. God promises to change the heart of a believer, the only one who can ask for anything from Him, so that our will can align with His. Our desires will change. This does not mean that everything we want is godly. It is not an excuse to claim every "promise" that we see that we like and then blame Him when we don't get it or praise the purity of our faith if we do.

It's clear from this illustration in Jeremiah that while God promises a future and a hope for one group, He did not do so for everyone. One got hope, another got disaster. Both were sinful. One group had already lived through exile and were being prepared for restoration. The other had been left behind after a great battle had made their land desolate. They were not content with this, and made a great show of asking Jeremiah, who was with them, what God would have them do. After 10 days, Jeremiah reported back to them all God had said. (See Jeremiah 42) God would have them stay where they were, in the midst of that desolate, burnt out land. And if they would do that difficult thing and honor His will for them, then He would plant them and not pluck them up. He would relent of the disaster that had befallen them. When they heard this they were angry! How could God ask that of them? That couldn't be right. Not the god they served. He would not do such. And so they called Jeremiah a liar, disobeyed the Lord, and decided to head to Egypt where they thought they would no longer hunger and struggle. Jeremiah warned them they would die there. As the chapters move on, we see they not only went there, but began to fashion themselves idols, and that the women in particular took part in that worship, with the approval of the men. But remember what God had said: If they did not remain where He had them, even though it was hard, they would die in Egypt as result of that disobedience. I would imagine for a time they felt relief. There was plenty to eat. The land was not desolate. There were creature comforts. And there were false gods, the kind fashioned of the human hand. Idols. But there were also things to make them comfortable in their sin. Plenty of food, entertainment, ease. Sin feels good for a little while. But God had not forgotten His words to them back in the day when He asked them to remain where they were and promised to take care of them. And now His plans were for disaster as we see in Jeremiah 44.

I am not saying God plans disaster for everyone who sins. Were that the case, disaster would befall us all. What I am saying is that claiming a promise not specifically made to you because it sounds good to you is dangerous. We may claim it for comfort, and I sympathize with that, but it can be false comfort if taken out of context. In times of adversity or calamity in our life, we would do well to examine ourselves and see if we are, first, in the faith, and next, in His will. He will call us to do difficult things. Because something is difficult does not mean it's not His will for our lives. We can miss the blessing of His provision and presence by refusing to walk a difficult path. So before we claim Jeremiah 29:11 as a promise for an easy life ahead, we need to remember that there may be seasons of ease and seasons of difficulty in every life. The issue is whether we glorifying Him in both. It is not about us, our happiness, or our satisfaction. It's about His glory. And the believer who understands this can find themselves content in the midst of difficulty, joyful in trial, and they will know that the promise of God, whatever it is for them, is both right and beautiful. In meantime, don't claim what isn't yours. Seek His face for what He has for you.

Catching Up, Again

2011-08-04T13:15:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's been a week since I blogged! Things did not turn out like I hoped for the fair. I ended up working 4 days last week instead of two, then my husband's schedule changed unexpectedly, and then a simple phone call to a doctor about our daughter who has Alagille sent everything in a different direction in my mind. So, fair creations and the time to get them catalogued and entered just didn't happen. But that's life and you just roll with it.

First things first, my daughter is ok but does have changes going on that we are concerned about. Our regular checkup at Duke with cardiology and gastroenterology is due the middle of the month anyway, but I had asked for a neuro consult due to issues that I thought might be learning disability. However, it also seems to be memory loss at times. Turns out there's even another aspect of Alagille that I didn't know about. This disease is horrible and research is showing that nearly every system can be affected in some way by it. Anyway, there is some thought that there is the possibility of a cerebral vascular issue with my daughter, so we will be heading for testing as soon as all the specialties get together and decide the course. To help get some perspective on the matter, I was very concerned that she may have a learning disability on top of the heart and liver issues. Then they said possible cerebral vascular issues, and I did some research. Now, I'm thinking the learning disability isn't nearly as big a deal as I thought and I'm hopeful that that is what it is. There are interventions that can usually help with those. Some of the vascular stuff Alagille kids have, there isn't. And it's a huge cause for concern. So for now we wait. With any disease that affects so many systems, every specialty needs to add their opinion before we proceed with very much. And so that's what we are waiting on, since it's not emergent at this point.

On a brighter note, we have a broody hen in the henhouse again. And it's THE SAME ONE!! Yes, her chicks are only a few weeks old, and she's back on the nest. With one of the babies in there with her. This time, I had others laying, Leghorns, and she has gathered those huge (to her) eggs and is sitting on at least of them along with one of hers. LOL. Looks like she's sitting on a mountain of eggs so she's puffed herself up as big as she can to cover them. She's a tiny D'Uccle bantam, so she has to try real hard to cover those eggs I think. And just like last time, she's not aggressive, but does give us the stink-eye and the cocked up tail feathers if we get close. So we stay away. But she's a good mama who's tolerating that little toddler chick crawling all over her while she sets on new eggs and waits for new babies. You gotta love that! One concern: All the hens like one nestbox and leave the others alone. And wouldn't you know that's the one she's decide to set in. I see trouble brewing in the henhouse over that one. And you wanna hear the real kicker? I figured there wouldn't be any more babies from our henhouse this year due to ages of the hens, so I fired up the incubator on Monday and put 28 eggs in it. So we're gonna have chicks everywhere. The ones that are hatching are egg-layers. The meat chicks are still in the brooder but will come out next week. They are doing well and are in the "ugly" stage right now where their big chick feathers are coming in.

Besides all that drama, I am currently working on some really pretty fingerless mittens (for myself). I'll have to get pics of those up. Also, I'm finishing the tags and laminating for the workboxes for this year's homeschool. We have 9 pages left in this year's math book. And just a couple more stories in this years reading book. And we are finished for a few weeks!! I love school, but I love breaks, too.

So that's enough for now. Thanks for dropping in y'all. I'll see you here soon!

The Fair Is Coming!!

2011-07-28T09:25:00.001-04:00

Our hometown has a little fair every year in August. It began as the farmers in one area of town, Bethware district, organized it as a yearly way to showcase their agriculture and to provide a way for families to come together at the end of harvest time to celebrate the end of the work with some fun. It has been moved to August now, and it's much hotter, but still lots of fun. Like most old-timey fairs, they allow entries of different sorts of arts, crafts, horticulture, antiques etc. They allow both children and adults to enter in everything from coloring with crayons to sewing. We didn't participate last year, but the year before we took home 9 ribbons between the girls and myself. Each ribbon comes with a small monetary prize as well, so we ended up paying for a good portion of our fun at the fair.

This year, with me working part-time, my time to make fair entries has been slim to none. I have some yarns I can enter, but they weren't expressly made for this. And I am trying to find out if there is a category for unprocessed fibers as I would like to enter some kid mohair from Max, the goat. I can also enter my chickens eggs to compete with other folks as well, though to be honest I have no idea how they judge that. I really would like to get a sewing or knitting project done to enter by Monday, but not sure how that will work. Anyway, we'll be perusing the fair program tonight to see what we can come up with.

Hope y'all have a blessed and productive day, too. I'll be posting some pics of our work soon!

This Mother's Heart

2011-07-26T11:13:00.000-04:00

Yes, I know how old I am. (45)

Yes, I know how tired I sometimes am. (Very)

Yes, I know I have osteoarthritis from prior injuries. (So)

Yes, I know lots of people think I'm crazy to even be thinking this. (Whatever)

But I am thinking it. I would love to adopt again. I don't have the heady excitement I had the first time, or the sense of urgency I had the second time. At least not yet. Perhaps that's because I haven't allowed myself to go there for so long. But saying I would love to adopt again is a huge step for me. Our last adoption was difficult in so many ways. The first one was a breeze in every way. Our second adoption was a daughter who was very medically needy, literally on the verge of dying from her birth defects. She had major attachment issues that controlled our lives for a couple years. And while much milder now, they still sometimes rear their heads just a bit. And yet, as she has finally begun to settle into our family and we have begun the return to "normalcy", she has proven to be every bit as much of a joy as our other daughter. If you think that sounds horrible, to say that there wasn't much joy in the early days, then I can recommend some good reading on attachment issues and what they do to a family and marriage. Because of that, there was a point when I said never again. Then, when I thought things were getting better, I said maybe again. And then, life changed in so many ways. In the midst of those horrible attachment issues, my husband went through a forced resignation at the church he pastored. That was likely one of the most hurtful events of my life. Being separated from our support network, not to mention our livelihood and our home, and dealing with an out of control child who was in and out of ICU like some children scrape their knees made for a rough couple of years. And yet, here we are, on the other side of that. All things are not back to what they once were. And we would not choose them to be. But like Paul, we can say we've learned contentment.

Finances are, as they always have been, an issue for us when it comes to adoption. (Yes, I know domestic adoption can be much less expensive, that's just not where God has led in the past.) We've never, at any point, had $25,000 lying around waiting for us to adopt. But God has always provided. Sometimes through part-time jobs, sometimes through His people, sometimes through absolute srtangers, sometimes through grants, sometimes through the things we had that we could sell, and sometimes through unexpected windfalls that we never knew we had coming. (Insurance refund, anyone??) Somehow, God has always managed to bring the funds to us when they were needed. So finances don't concern me as much as they would some people. I won't say they don't concern me at all. They do. I would not want to step out and do something counting on His provision if He had not led me to it. But I know from past experiences, He provides for those things He calls you to.

So, in prior instances, I "just knew" that our children were in China. My heart immediately goes back there when I think of adopting because I have such great memories of the blessings that came into our lives there. It's like delivery room memories. There's always that beautiful halo around all those pictures in my mind and it'll always seem idyllic to me, I guess. Pain notwithstanding, the experience is a beautiful one. For that very reason, I have stayed away from internet adoption sites and journals for a long time. Having concluded that I will always be a woman who will welcome a baby (and who society seems think has a mental defect because she thinks this way), I decided that for my sanity I needed to stay away. The desire gets to be too much and causes melancholy in me. And then, I got it in my mind that our family was complete. After all, I kept telling myself that I must be rational and reasonable. I told myself that with all we had on our plates there was no way we could do anymore. Another child would be the straw that broke the camel's back. And for a while that was probably true. In recent months, say the last 6 or 8, I've begun to have nagging thoughts of adopting again. At first, I just pushed them away with the thought of, "Well, that would be nice if we didn't have __________ going on." (You fill in the blank. I had multiple reasons that changed on given days. See my list at the top of this page.)

About two months ago, a little girl's picture popped up on Facebook. Another China adoptive parent posted it and was requesting help in raising money for an urgently needed heart surgery. This 16 month old little girl caught my eye immediately and my heart jumped. Then I saw what she needed. I reposted the photo requesting help. And I tried to find out what was going on with the child, to no avail. As of today, I still don't know for sure. But I shared with a few friends that my heart was so moved by that little girl's picture, much like it had been with our second child. I was not ready to commit to anything, and my husband would have been mortified to even know I was thinking it. I had not communicated anything to him. So I just prayed for the child. And I said if I ever caught up with the child and her info, I would look into it. I shared this with another China mom, not the one who posted the pic. Well, wouldn't you know, she stumbled across the child on an internet board (remember I am not visiting) and contacted me. By the time I got to look, I believe her info had been removed as she probably got a family. That is fabulous and I am truly happy about that. But in order to look for her info, I had to wade through one little Asian face after another, each set of almond shaped eyes peering back with a message of their own. Oh, man. I don't know if it's hormones or what. I keep telling myself I'm having an emotional reaction that is not abnormal but is not indicative of anything other than a mother's heart. Yeah. That's what I'm telling myself. So far, all I'm willing to do is say I'll pray about it. I know what God ordains He enables. I know that He calls us to tasks that sometimes cause us great difficulty but come with great blessing as well. I am not ignorant to the fact that service requires sacrifice. Service that doesn't cost is often in danger of being more self-serving than God-serving. I am aware that I need to be careful not to say, "I've done my part. I've done some difficult things, now I'm ready to rest." I've always said I don't want to rest until until I'm dead. Then I'll know He was done with me and didn't take me out because I was useless. (Don't get too critical of my theology there, I understand He has ordained our days, but He also commands us to use our days to glorify Him. We are not to feel entitled to "retirement" spiritually. And could I really be thinking retirement at 45 anyway??)

So here I am. Longing for something most women my age with grown children have put away. I don't care about gyms, nail salons, etc. all the things I see other women my age doing. I like my life. I love the idea that what I am spending my time on has eternal impact. Is it wrong to hope to for the opportunity to love another child because of my age? Is it wrong to pursue it? It could be, but only if it's not what He has for us and it's something I'm just working up on my own. So that's where my prayers are directed at this point. For guidance and direction. I'd appreciate prayers from any of you who will. Maybe He'll say go for it. Maybe He'll say our family is complete like it is. Maybe He'll say it's not about us, but another little person's life and He'll enable us to make a difference. Or maybe He'll say He has something else entirely for us. Whatever He says, I am asking for grace to accept it.

But for now, oh my, those little eyes...

I Beg Your Pardon!

2011-07-25T11:04:00.001-04:00

Today I am sharing a post from Above Rubies, one of my favorite ministries. I recently overheard some women talking about how they would be so bored if they stayed home all day and "did nothing." I wanted to share this because I have, at times, fallen into the "do nothing" trap at home. It's a real one. The key is to have a grand vision of what home can and is intended by God to be: the center of all relationships. And to realize that as the female guardian of that realm, our importance in that role can not be overstated. Hope you are encouraged and enjoy this as I did.

I BEG YOUR PARDON!

"Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me, for whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it" (Mark 8:34-35).

"I wish I had a life!" I have heard these words from more than one young mom recently.

"I beg your pardon? Did I hear you correctly?"

What kind of a life are you looking for, dear mother? A life that serves your own interests? A life of working for an earthly employee when you are employed by the God of the universe? Did you realize that God has employed you to raise your children for Him? Your children ultimately belong to Him. How sad God must be when mothers go AWOL and leave their high calling for some lesser career?

You say you no longer have a life! Did you realize that is a lie? Did you know that you create your own world right where you are? You have the power to make your marriage, mothering and home pulsate with life. It all depends on your attitude. If you think that mothering is insignificant, you'll be frustrated. But when you realize you were born for this task, embrace it, and put your whole heart into it, you'll never have another boring moment!

Are you nursing your young baby? What could be more powerful than giving life and nourishment to a God-given child and watching this child grow? When you nurse your baby at your breast you give more than milk; you nourish your child's soul and spirit too. God says the words to you that were spoken to Moses' mother, "Take this child and nurse him for me and I will give you your wages" (Exodus 2:9).

Do you have little ones you are seeking to train in the right direction? Or maybe you are homeschooling. This is real life. Of course, you'll face problems and frustrations, but that's life too. You'll face challenges anywhere and in whatever career you choose. But in this great task of mothering, you are impacting a nation! You are molding children for eternity.

Are you still bored? Reach out in hospitality. You can be in full time work for God in your home. The home is the most exciting place. You can change the world from the heart of your home. All you have to do is forget about yourself and pour your life out for others.

Can I give you a challenge? Each new day, think of something new to make life exciting for your husband and for your children. Come on now! Don't read any more until you stop and think about it. What are you going to do? Let your imagination run wild...

have you got the plan yet? Keep thinking until you get it. Now think about how you are going to put it into operation. Are you already anticipating an exciting evening with your husband?

Wow, you sure have a life! It is so exciting! You husband will be mesmerized! Your children are going to be happy all day. They won't get bored and cranky because you will constantly be thinking of creative ideas. And you, well, you are never going to be bored again. You will tell the world about your great life in your home!

Think about other people you can encourage, too. There are other mothers who often feel discouraged like you do. Ask a mother and her children for lunch and think of a way you can do something special for her. In reaching out to her, you will forget about your own problems. I have always found that the best anti-dote to self-pity is to do something for someone else. It's amazing how your own problems (or boredom) pale into insignificance.

Or, organize a picnic with some other mothers who live near you. Or, invite an older lonely person for a meal. Get your children practicing some poems or even Scriptures they have been learning to recite to her. And also get them to sing to her. You will bless her and your children will get blessed at the same time, too.

You do not find your life in trying to find yourself. You find your life in pouring your life out for others. This is when you find abundant life! Philippians 2:4 says, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."

Lord, help me live from day to day
In such a self-forgetful way
That even when I kneel to pray
My prayer shall be for others.

Others, Lord, yes others,
Let this my motto be,
Help me to live for others,
That I may live like Thee.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

"Dear God and Father, I thank you that you have given me life an abundant life to live. You have ordained my career of nurturing and training children. Help me to do it with joy and exuberance. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

I've got a life, exciting and free,

I've found the secret, it's not about me!

Homeschoolers Turning Out a New Wave of Entrepreneurs

2011-07-22T10:17:00.000-04:00

This article goes right along with how our family believes and endeavors to operate. This has not always been the case for us, and we did for years seek a different version of success. But as we learned more from the Word, new burdens to act upon that understanding were laid on our hearts. So we are into new ventures. This morning, I am chick-sitting 102 new Freedom Rangers in my kitchen. They are in plastic totes with lights on them. So far, they are all eating well and are very loud. We have a few who look weak (they were shipped 2 days ago from PA and just arrived this morning to us) so I have given them some extra electrolytes and I'm watching them closely. But this is part of our new venture in pastured poultry that my son and I are doing. He's at his day job, and so I get to be chick mama for now. This afternoon, the ones who are not weak will head out to the big, outdoor brooder where they'll hang out for a few weeks. Then into the big pen til they are grown and ready to process. With all this going on, I came across the following article this morning and wanted to share with y'all. Maybe it'll help some people who think we're crazy to understand why we do what we do. Or maybe it'll make you think we're even crazier. But either way, it's a good article, and I hope you enjoy it!!

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Journal/editorial.aspx?id=1364224

The new American Dreamers

Homeschool families generate fresh wave of entrepreneurs

by Rusty Benson

Anthony Courter’s business could not have a more appropriate name.

From a small facility on his property in Linden, Tennessee, Courter, his wife, children and a few select team members, manufacture an ingenious instrument that solar panel installers use to track the amount of sunlight in a particular location over the course of months. Thus, The Solar Pathfinder Company.

But the name also works on a more sublime level to express the real mission of Courter’s business: following the path of the sun – or rather the Son.

Courter is among a growing number of Christian homeschool families across the nation who are challenging old notions that define success in terms of individual prosperity and comfort. Rather, the new spirit is a multigenerational vision in which the family functions as an educational and economic unit, echoing a pre-industrial age model.

But the trend is far more than a nostalgic throwback or an attempt to disengage from the world. Proponents say it casts an exciting vision that builds unity across generations by weaving family discipleship and business mentorship. The result is creating a new wave of entrepreneurs. As a by-product, they say the movement has the potential to impact society by helping to fend off the growing reliance upon government in all areas of American life.

Kevin Swanson promotes this new family paradigm on Generations Radio, his daily Internet radio program (www.generationswithvision.com), as well as in presentations to gatherings across the nation.

“Modern life is far too institutionalized and compartmentalized,” he said. “It’s made up of big schools, big churches, big cities and disconnected lives. The best way to restore a more biblical vision of life is to discover ways to re-establish the family unit.”

Those kinds of convictions flow out of admonitions and portraits of family life found in the Bible, Swanson says. The rub comes in the countless ways the social, educational and economic systems of modern life – built on humanistic philosophies – fragment rather than unify families.

It is against those structures that many Christian families – particularly those who already homeschool – are seeking to build a more integrated family life that encompasses school, business and, sometimes, church.

“Homeschool families have already stepped off the bus in terms of questioning current paradigms,” Wade Myers said. Myers, a homeschool dad and highly respected investment banker, is the founder of New Venture Lab, a Christian business incubator dedicated to assisting Christian families with their entrepreneurial and business ventures. “It’s consistent with their mindset to ask: ‘What else should we do differently?’” Myers said.

Swanson likes to cite the Greek word oikonomia, which refers to the management of a household and from which the English word economy is derived. Swanson contends that the New Testament use of the word implies that the family, rather than the individual is the basic economic unit. Therefore, families must begin to consider themselves an economic team.

“People ask if we are a one-income family,” Swanson said. “I say, ‘No, we are a seven-income family.’” Swanson and his wife have five children.

Get real

But is it reasonable for dad to abandon the cubical, buy a plot of ground, start raising llamas and expect to make a viable family income?

“In reality, most families will not be able to bring dad home,” Myers admitted. “Many are too far along. The mortgage is too large. Dad doesn’t have the right education, skills, training or experience.”

But even in those circumstances, he says, parents can contribute to the family unity of future generations by nurturing in them an entrepreneurial spirit. That begins by helping them establish and grow a simple business. Deb Maubach of Nashville, Tennessee, has plenty of suggestions about how to do that.

Mauback operates the Web site Homeschool-Entrepreneur.com, which offers an 8-19-week course titled “How to Start Your Own Business.” Aimed at homeschool teens, the course is written in accordance with the National Standards for Entrepreneur Education. Each unit teaches a different aspect of business, beginning with researching an opportunity and ending with an up-and-running enterprise.

“Entrepreneurship generally works in favor of homeschoolers,” Mauback says. “Usually they have learned to relate to adults and present themselves well.” For 23-year-old Chad Roach of Denver, Colorado, this proved true.

A lifelong homeschooler, Roach says his father nurtured a desire in him to manage and own his own business and gave him the training and encouragement to follow that dream.

His entrepreneurial journey started at an early age selling eggs from the family farm. When Roach wanted a pay raise, he sold the egg business to his sisters, bought a lawnmower and started a lawn care enterprise.

By the time Roach reached high school, his school work was nearly all self-directed, so he moved his studies from home to a vacant room at his father’s office. In the mornings he would do school work. After lunch he worked for his dad’s insurance agency doing simple clerical work and learning critical interpersonal skills.

“I spent the first two years learning how to talk to people on the phone and how to take messages,” he said.

By age 17 Roach was spending most of his time in sales, an area in which he found a natural affinity. That same year he began to solicit clients for a credit card processing company. Over the next few years that business grew into a viable enterprise. Today that business is self-sustaining with clients in over 30 states.

But that was only the start for Roach. Always one to keep his entrepreneurial antennae up, Roach noticed that, like himself, several of his friends had invested in gold and silver bullions.

“I learned that if we would pool our money we could purchase in larger quantities and save money,” Roach said. “I took care of the transactions and they all paid me a small percentage for that service.”

Roach said he figured if he could do that for a few friends, maybe he could do it for others – many others. Through free ads on Craigslist (an Internet site for classified ads) and personal contacts, many in the homeschool community, Roach began to build a substantial business. This year his gold and silver bullion business will do $15-20 million in sales, he said.

“And it’s still a family business,” said Roach, “with my dad, my sisters and even my 12-year-old brother involved.”

What works?

So, is the future in precious metal sales? Internet marketing? Small manufacturing? Cleaning houses? Hot dog stands? Fence building? Farming? Coffee kiosks? The answer is yes … and no.

Myers says the process of building a successful family business should not begin with selecting the business model or product, but with an honest evaluation of family resources.

“Families must leverage the training, education and experiences that God has given them,” he said. “Maybe Dad is really good at sales and marketing, while Mom is really good with back office work and customer service. Families must make a list all these things. They must ask what kind of credibility they already have in a particular business. Then, that list must overlay the passion of their lives.”

Courter’s purchase of The Solar Pathfinder Company in 2003 certainly followed that advice. As a young man his father taught him to lay carpet, one of many skills he has already passed on to his children. That led to years of experience in every area of home construction, remodeling and real estate. He was able to add to those skills and experiences his strong mechanical and administrative abilities, as well as an understanding of the critical importance of LUCK: Laboring Under Correct Knowledge. In other words, Courter did extensive research before purchasing The Solar Pathfinder Company. Still, motivating the entire effort was simply a father’s desire to disciple his children in the context of daily life as Deuteronomy 6: 6-9 teaches:

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (ESV).

Myers says minimizing risks is always a crucial consideration in the entrepreneurial process. “I always tell fathers not to quit their day job, but begin by thinking creatively about what God has given you and where He has placed you. Then consider how you can solve a real problem for your customers and begin to build a revenue stream around that.”

Homeschool moviemakers

Billed as “Pilgrims Progress meets The Little Rascals,” Runner from Ravenshead is a full-length family movie written and produced by the Steeges, a homeschool family in Oregon. The children play all the roles.

Through only two Christian outlets, the film has sold over 7,000 units to date. A wider release is planned for later this year. For a review of the movie, see AFA Journal 01/2011 at www.afajournal.org.

Pictured left to right: Addison, Nate (baby), Lisa, Tate (front), Harrison (back), Joel, Brendan, Amelia

The movie is available at store.afa.net.

At left, Daniel, 21, the oldest Courter child, glues together parts on the Solar Pathfiner’s instrument section. He gets a helping hand from Anna, 3, his youngest sibling.

Ready, set … research

“Sounds interesting, but this is all new to me. Tell me more about a multi-generational family vision.”

www.generationswithvision.com – This is the home of Generations Radio show. The site also includes Kevin Swanson’s blog, relevant articles and ordering information for Swanson’s books and video presentations including DVDs from the 2010 and 2011 Family Economics Conferences.

http://store.afa.net – AFA’s online store offers a large selection of homeschool resources including several that address issues of discipleship and building family unity. Of special note is Homeschool Journeys that profiles families who have started home businesses.

“How can I teach my children to have an entrepreneurial mindset?”

www.Homeschool-Entrepreneur.com – This site includes information on the HomeSchool Entrepreneur curriculum, stories of youngsters who are managing their own businesses, online tutorials of software programs, home business ideas and a library of articles on entrepreneurship.

“I’m fired up! How can I jump on the entrepreneurial fast track?”

www.newventurelab.com – New Venture Lab describes itself as a “virtual, Web-based business incubator that provides resources, support and training for entrepreneurs that are interested in integrating faith, family and business.” It also includes information about Venture Academy, a mini-MBA program for Christian entrepreneurs designed by Wade Myers.

Venture Analysis is an online automated in-depth analysis engine aimed at helping entrepreneurs evaluate business opportunities. It is a remarkably valuable high quality free resource.

Family Works is a new DVD from New Venture Labs. It features profiles of real life family businesses and includes practical insights on day-to-day operation and challenges of family businesses.

Failure? Get Up!

2011-07-21T10:58:00.000-04:00

Most Bible characters met with failure and survived. Even when the failure was immense, those who [rebounded] refused to lie in the dust and bemoan their tragedy. In fact, their failure and repentance led to a greater conception of God’s grace. They came to know the God of the second, chance, and sometimes the third and fourth.

Oswald Sanders

I'm thankful today for the God of mercy I serve, who loves in spite of failure. I am thankful for the God who makes it possible to get up and try again. Because that's what I'm doing today. I feel like I failed one of my children by failing to spot a problem with learning earlier. But I will get up, dust myself off, because He makes me able to. He has not called me to that which He will not enable. And so we forge ahead, with next year's school planning looking much different than I had envisioned, but I am sure it be beautiful all the same. Eventually.

Cute Quips from Our House

2011-07-20T07:12:00.000-04:00

Delaney, trying to chop the strawberries I had just taken from the freezer: These strawberries are hard as hail.

Mom: WHAT?

Delaney looks at mom as if she's hard of hearing and then repeats herself, only much louder. Then they both stare at each other for a moment as Mom is amazed at the audacity of this child!

And then it dawns on Mom that they did have hailstones in their freezer from a storm and that Delaney was associating the strawberries with those, using her "descriptive language" that they were just talking about while making sentences earlier.

Delaney still doesn't know what was so funny.

********************

Claire: Mom, if we keep turning this sprinkler up, can God get wet?

Delaney, as usual, butting in: No. Of course not. God can't get wet because He's invisible.

********************

Claire: Look, Mom, another tooth came out.

Mom: Wow, that's two in two days.

Delaney: Yeah, keep this up and you're gonna have to wait til payday for your money. (Our kids don't believe in the tooth fairy. They know the money comes from Mom and Dad, and they know everything has to wait til payday some months, lol.)

*******************

Delaney: Mama, we have extra seats in our new (to us) car. That means we need some more kids. Who's gonna tell Daddy?

Kids. Never a dull moment. Always good for a smile. Now we know one of the reasons God calls them blessings!

A Drive-By

2011-07-19T08:28:00.000-04:00

Warning: This is one of those drive-by's. The kind of post where I drop in, spray all kinds of details out at you like bullets and drive away quickly. It's all I've time for today, and it's not what I like to do so much. But it is what it is with the schedule like it is lately. Thank y'all for stopping by and I'll try and stop in for a longer chat in the next few days. Somehow I just feel like drive-by's are bad manners. Even if it is only words.

Thank you to all who have been praying re: the family I mentioned in my last post. Their child passed away on Sunday night. Please continue prayers for this family. This child has a twin, also with the same disease, who has had many similar battles. I know this must be very hard for them all.

As for our family, we got some great news yesterday about our daughter's labs. Her liver appears to be doing absolutely fine right now, and that is something we hope continues for as long as it can as we wait on those pulmonary arteries to grow so her heart can be repaired. I won't go into all the details here, as I have a Caring Bridge site if anyone wants all the medical info and I will update there as soon as I can. But the best news was that her albumin was in the normal range for the first time. We are told that is a big indicator of nutritional status, and since she has been so malnourished all her life, even after being here for over three years, that's a huge blessing for us to see normal numbers in that area. For the first time since she came home, she is nearing a normal nutrition status. Not there yet, but a whole lot closer!!

On another note, since we are still schooling through the summer, and at the same time I'm planning for the new year, there's a lot going on with school. I put our workbox system together yesterday. It was an exciting time for the girls and me. We don't have all the labels on yet, and I will post a few pics when we do. They wanted to start using them right away, but I am thinking of holding back on that so when the "new" year starts we'll feel like it's a new year since we are doing so much this summer. What do y'all think?

On the animal front, the goaties are growing just fine. They are all quite different in personality but they are great fun. Our smallest little Nigerian is very loud and greets us with a loud bellow everytime we step out the back door. I say bellow because she doesn't naaaa like a normal goat. The baby chicks are growing but are still pretty much in the cute stage. The other hens are getting old enough to lay and Ethel has just started back laying after setting on the eggs to hatch them, so I am expecting an egg explosion any day now. I have threatened the hens if they don't hurry with the stew pot but I don't think they believe. I think they pretty much know that's an empty threat since they aren't meat chicks. And last but not least, definitely not least, we have a new Great Pyrenees in with the goats. Her name is Lucy and she's doing a great job guarding them. We got her for free because her owner could no longer keep her. The story's actually a lot long than that, but I won't go into it here. Suffice it to say we needed one, she needed a home, and God worked it out. And now she's working out just fine.

Sewing? Well, I'm still working on those dresses. Maybe I'll finish before summer's up. Can't seem to find enough consecutive time to sit down to finish.

Oh, one more animal thing: 100 new Freedom Rangers due to arrive on Friday!! Yayyyy!! So we are working on the finishing touches on the brooder.

His Territory ... or Mine?

2011-07-17T21:18:00.000-04:00

There are days when I can almost forget. Those are great days. There are weeks when, though I remember, I can almost feel like every other family. And then it happens. Reality intrudes. Sometimes it's call from a doctor's office. Sometimes it's an emergency room visit. Sometimes it's a home health visit. And sometimes it's a full-blown hospital stay complete with an ICU stay. Or it can be anything in between. Sometimes it's yellow eyes. Sometimes it's blue lips. Sometimes it's an orange scalp. Sometimes it's itchy skin. Sometimes it's a child who naps more than other kids her age. Sometimes it's a Facebook post about a child who lives far from me but seems near because our families share the same type issues with that dreaded Alagille Syndrome. And in the last two weeks, there has been much sad news in the Alagille community. One child has passed away due to complications and another is literally hanging on for dear life as I type this. He is in emergency surgery and it is very touch and go for him. On days like today, it's hard to forget that the comparatively healthy child I see in my living room floor as I type (by "comparatively" I mean comparing where she is now with where she was three years ago when she came home from China) has some major health issues that can turn on a dime. You see, over time, things like port-a-caths, home health visits, multiple medications and hospital stays all start to seem normal. As a parent you get tired, worn down, but things seem to be normal. A new normal, maybe. But normal all the same. But on days like today, when your heart hurts so much for another family with such a desperate situation for their child, you are at the same time reminded that these things happen with this disease, and that it could just as well be you. You thank God that it isn't, and you pray another prayer for the family in need.

See, here's the deal with Alagille. It can be like autism. There's a spectrum. Some fall so far on the mild end they never know they have it. Others fall so far on the severe end that the disease takes their lives. As a syndrome caused by a genetic defect/deletion, Alagille syndrome causes problems with the liver, heart, eyes, kidneys and spine. It also usually presents with certain facial features that are notable in many people. Sometimes the greatest need is in the liver. Sometimes it's the heart. And sometimes it's both. As is our case. There can be problems with blood vessels that cause bleeding. Or there can be problems with clotting due to the liver issues and Vitamin K absorption problems. Children with liver and heart problems typically are very small and often very malnourished as has been the case with our daughter. She was malnourished when we brought her home, and in spite of our best efforts, she's still tiny. Although she's much better off than she once was, she failed at having a G-tube placed last year because her stomach was just not strong enough to hold it last year due to chronic malnourishment. I assure you she eats well now. And yet...

Yes, there are days you can forget those things. I can forget,almost, that there are still major, unrepaired heart defects. Or that a liver transplant looms large in our future, but only if we can ever get her heart repaired. I can forget that her pulmonary arteries are growing agonizingly slow. And then it happens. Another family pleads for prayer. My child runs a fever. Or she squats because she's short of breath. And then I remember.

But that's not the end of this post. I remember. And sometimes I feel a momentary panic as a hundred "what-ifs" flood my mind. But then I remember something else. Over the years I've learned that what-ifs are not my territory. They are the Father's. He knows what tomorrow holds. He knows His will regarding His child that He has entrusted to me. If I venture into His territory, attempt to figure out how to handle what only He can, I can tie myself up in worries. Or I can choose to trust Him, through the grace He gives which is sufficient for every trial. And when I am too weak to do even that much, He is faithful to help me do it. So today, on one of those weak days, I am asking for faith to trust that His way is best, as I watch another family struggle with this horrible disease. It's a privilege at this time to pray for them and watch as they glorify Him in their trials. Lord, give me strength to do the same, both today and in the future, no matter what it holds.

Parenting Is Job #1

2011-07-12T08:44:00.002-04:00

Recently, something happened that made me think. And if I think long enough, I usuaIly write about it. I was involved in a casual conversation (not gossip) with a few women and something happened during our discourse. It had nothing to do with our conversation, and yet, it had everything to do with it.

It became obvious early in our conversation that we had a serial interrupter amongst us. Not one of the ladies, mind you, but one of the children. I can sympathize with that because at some point in their lives my children have all done this. In fact, both of my girls will still do it on occasion. On the first or second pass of the little butter-inner I found myself admiring the patience of the young mother. On the third or fourth, I started to think it odd that the woman had not responded more directly to the child. In fact, her response was to pat the child, but never make eye contact nor speak to them. When the child next placed herself between two adults who were talking to get her mother's attention, I was really shocked. Perhaps the fact that this was older child added to the shock factor. And when the child finally had a meltdown, I found myself totally perplexed at the response of the mother. After no response at all to the first few times the child interrupted (all for different reasons, not the same issue), then a few pats on the back, she now proceeded to hug the child and pat her, tell her she would have to follow the rule she was protesting at this point, and allow the child to hang on her while the meltdown continued and she continued her conversation as if it were not happening. If this were a special needs child, I would have thought nothing. If I had not known this family, I would have wondered if this were a special needs child and let it go. I have worked with special needs children and I know that behaviors persist often well beyond what many would consider an appropriate age for them to cease. But in this instance, that is not the case.

So our conversation continued, with many interruptions, all of which were ignored. All the time, I considered my studies of Titus 2 and how the older women are to teach the younger women. Due to the particulars of our relationship, it would not be best if I were the one to speak to the mom, however.

So all this got me thinking. In this situation, one truly can not entirely blame a child for their behavior. Perhaps not even partially. They have not been trained. One can hold the mother accountable, but it's entirely possible she was never trained well either. So, leaving off the blame game, perhaps it would be profitable to talk about what one should do in a situation like this. As a parent, there is a right and, obviously, a wrong way to handle this. In fact there are probably several different versions of each, both right and wrong. But no matter which right way you choose, the common fact remains that in a public, group conversation with others like this, the parent should respond. Not necessarily with the response the child was expecting or hoping for, but a response nonetheless. Perhaps for the first offense the parent could verbally remind the child that their behavior is rude and let them know it will not be tolerated. If the behavior persists, the child should be removed from the conversation and their ability to disrupt. They may be placed a few feet away, perhaps in a "time out" type situation. If this does not work (I have seen children yell to interrupt from their time out position), then of course, further action would be necessary. But the point is to halt the behavior and to make it unproductive. I understand there are those who will say that the mere attention is counter-productive since the child wants attention and we should just, therefore, ignore interruptions. There are two problems with this philosophy. The first and most obvious is that a child may or may not leave off from the behavior. It is obvious from the age of the child in question that this has not worked for her. But whether it works or not, the second problem is that it teaches a child disrespect will be tolerated. Ignoring the behavior does nothing to teach the either the positive aspects of communication between people, nor does it deal with the negative reactions others will have to one who grows into adulthood with this habit persisting. It does the child no favors at all. In fact, I think it only favors lazy parenting because it allows the parent to do nothing and then to smugly feel as if they are "bearing with" a child's behavior for the child's benefit. I often think that some parents who appear most patient are really masking laziness. I am sure this is not always true, and to be honest, patience is something I struggle with. However, I do think it's critical that we distinguish between patience and laziness when it comes to parenting. With lazy parenting, over time, I think the behaviors become so ingrained in both parent and child that neither find anything odd at all about the situation. Case in point, both parent and child seemed quite comfortable with their own behaviors.

I spent more time thinking. Not just about others, but about myself. And about how our Father designed things to work in our families for the benefit of all His children, both when they are literal children and when they become parents. The issue, so often, is that as parents we are divided in our loyalties. We are more loyal to our job, our friends, our church, our civic duties or any number of other things than we are our parenting duties. We may not even realize we are making those decisions, but they show up in our behaviors. And then we put some lipstick on those behaviors and call them good parenting. In decades past, psychologists have even given names to this type of parenting and held it up as a model to strive for. Were one to look at things objectively, this fashion of parenting only became popular when women left the homes for full-time careers and no longer had the energy or inclination to deal with their own children. After all, misbehaving children aren't nearly the burden they once were if you only have to deal with them from suppertime to bedtime. Now, these counter-productive parenting ideas have become so mainstream that to be proactive with our child's behavior seems strange to us. As parents, if we are more interested in a casual conversation with friends that dealing with a child's behavior, we need to address our priorities. When we behave this way, then the behavior of our children makes them hard to enjoy. Parenting is hard enough without setting ourselves up for trouble like this. We are told in Titus 2 to "love our children". Don't we all do that? I am sure we all think we do. And to an extent, we might. But God had so much more in mind. The word for love in this passage indicates an affectionate, intimate type of love. It's not the "serving only" kind of love, though that could be an aspect of it. But for affectionate type of love to grow, one must enjoy the presence of another. How is it possible to enjoy the presence of a child (or adult) who only knows to interrupt and manipulate to get what they want? So you can see that by not training our children, by not taking time from the things we enjoy to address their misbehaving, we are not loving them. We are, in fact, being unkind. We are depriving them of the affectionate love of a mother who can actually enjoy their presence. They end up with a mother who bears with behaviors and who looks forward to sending her children away to school, or sitters, or whatever. (Not that we don't all want a break now and then, but I cringe when I hear folks say they can't wait for school to start back so their children will be out of their house!) We are depriving them of the opportunity to learn how to relate to others so that others may enjoy their presence. And we are sending socially stunted kids into adulthood, wondering why in the world they behave the way they do!! I know manners aren't really en vogue today. I know the popular thing is to teach children to be individuals, to think of themselves first (because no one else will). But this should not be, Ladies! We need to love our children (Titus 2). Love them enough to discipline them. Even if it means we have to stop what we are doing to do it. Parenting is job #1 if God has given us the blessing of children.

Just my .02

SAHM ADD

2011-07-07T06:28:00.001-04:00

In our last two houses, I've had a sewing room. In the new house, I don't have a sewing room. I have a sewing "area". Otherwise known as the kitchen/dining area. That means every time I want to make or work on something, I must organize everything and set it up. I take out the ironing board and iron, raise the machine and clear the table for a work surface That means, because I can be a bit lazy at times, that I haven't sewn much since we moved here. But today, I decided I would get started on those two dresses I bought the materials for and intended to sew a few weeks back. I had a nice rainy day to do it, I even posted about it, and then I got distracted that day by something else, and well, you know how that goes. Come on, Ladies, fess up. I can't be the only one who procrastinates like that, even on something I really want to do. Can I? Though my husband does sometimes call me the queen of procrastination...

Anyhoo, today I was not going to be deterred. I got everything out, set it all up. When I was finished I was quite pleased with my little sewing area. I thought the creative juices could really flow. In fact, I was so pleased, that I stopped to take these pictures because I just knew you all would get some creative inspiration from my area, too... yeah, well, that's not exactly it. I was just impressed with how cozy it all felt.

The cutting table, which doubles as the dining room table in this house...

My laid back supervisors, who approve of anything I make as long as I feed them milk and let them sleep on me occasionally.

The area where I am supposed to work...

Then I remembered that I needed to get the dough in the bread machine for the rolls I planned for dinner. So I got that going.

I knew before long things would be smelling great in here!

After that I started cutting fabric. But then I noticed that the floor was full of cat food the supervisors (Chloe and Isabelle) had spilled and some flour I had dropped when I was getting the dough ready. So I stopped to get that up before it was tracked into the rest of the house. I went back to my cutting and finished it. Now this dress is uber-simple, mind you! Only three pieces and a ribbon tie, so there's no reason I could not finish this in an hour or two at most. Except, then I decided I needed to brown the meat for dinner so I could put the other ingredients in and let it set to let the flavors mingle. Another stop.

Then I meant to get right down to business. No more interruptions. And I did... for about 20 minutes. Then the girls decided it was too hot to play outside so they came in, tracking fresh cut grass in. And not only that, but it was so hot, they thought, that they must wet their hair. Without asking or telling mom. Ever smelled a sweaty kid head after it has been held under the bathroom faucet without the benefit of shampoo? yeah, it's that bad. So up I go, getting the girls in the tub and getting those heads washed. It's Wednesday, church night ya know. I can't be subjecting my brothers and sisters to that kind of stink. What kind of mother will they think I am?? Once they were settled in the tub I was thinking I should surely have some time to sew now. Not.

My husband called to tell me about the schedule change he was having. He says the sewing machine being picked up through the cell phone mic is deafening to him. So I can't work. I take another break. When the phone conversation is over I hear a yell from the bathroom. They can't be wanting out already??? They LOVE to stay in the tub... any other day except today. Yep, they are coming out, hair already washed. I inspect their heads hoping I can convince them they must do it all over again. But sadly, their heads and bodies are spic and span and they want out. They pronounce themselves pruny and get out. Sigh.

Alright, back to the sewing machine. I actually got the pockets gathered and on. I sewed the side seams, and started on the armhole hems and guess what? The dough is done. Time to make the rolls. Off to the bread machine I go. In the meantime, I am called back to do a tick check before clothes are put on. You know that's something you do if you live where we do. Both Delaney and I have already been bitten by ticks this year. Anyhoo, after determining the girls are tick-free, I head back to the dough. I get the rolls stuffed with the meat I cooked earlier and they are ready for the oven.

Now, my brain is tired and my body is not far behind. I did a full school day with the girls this morning. I planned our budget for the coming month. Worked on the menu for the next two weeks. I had all intentions of getting two dresses made today. But I'm starting to feel hungry, too, and smelling the rolls cooking is not helping. So I quit. I put the sewing away for another day because I know when I am tired that my sewing always ends up in my ripping more out than I ever really get done. Yeah, I'll just have to do it another day. Not tomorrow because I have to work at my part-time job. Ya know, cause I don't work at home... (Don't you love it when people ask you what you do and you know they mean where do you work, but you say you are a SAHM and they look at you like you are lazy or something. Yeah, I love that.)

So who knows when these dresses will get finished. I seem to have some type of SAHM ADD or something. I can't finish a task without beginning another. I used to think I was a really good multitasker. That's when the corporate world had me convinced this was a good thing. Now, I'm getting older and I just think it's a euphemism for "can't-remember-what-I-was-doing-so-I'll-start-something-else-and-now-I-have-too-many-irons-in-the-fire-and-its-wearing-me-out" syndrome. And all of this because I started a project that I was going to enjoy and find relaxing.

I'm sure I'll get back to this sewing later. But in the meantime, I've got a really cute little sewing area, don't I?

Science Project - Dyeing Queen Anne's Lace

2011-07-06T11:08:00.000-04:00

We decided to pick the pretty flowers across the road from our drive and see if we could dye them. (I knew we could, as I often did this as a child. But the girls didn't know that.) We have studied plants and their water systems (roots, stems, leaves) earlier in the year. When I saw these, I first thought how lovely they were, and then I remembered what I used to do with them. Soooo....

We brought the pretty flowers in.

We got our supplies together. Shears, water, food coloring.

Then you have to get all excited about the experiment and take goofy pictures of yourself.

Next, you get to work cutting the tough stems.

And you are ever mindful that Mama always has a camera, so you must look pretty while you do it.


Then you take one more goofy picture, and wait...

In the end, our lace turned mildly pink, meaning Mama probably didn't put enough dye in the water. But it was good for the girls to watch the uptake of the water through the stems and to the petals. And we had fun!

About That Roo

2011-07-01T22:02:00.002-04:00

So, I roasted the roo. (See previous post) He turned out beautifully and I was more than pleased with the taste. I cooked the bird like I would a Thanksgiving turkey, with the same spices and preparation, and the meat was wonderful. It was actually better than the hen I boiled. All the worries about toughness were for naught. The skin got a bit dark because I started at a high temp (450) for about 20 minutes to lock in the juices and then dropped down to 350 for the remainder of the time. I usually use a turkey roasting bag, but didn't have one and didn't feel like going to the store, so I looked online to find out how to keep the meat from drying out. That's how I found out about the initial high temp and then lower temp cooking.

A few folks have acted as though we must be off our rockers or like we are sociopaths because we are doing this. I have to laugh, because those same folks will head to the grocery or KFC and buy those chickens and eat it like it's gourmet. (I do, too, so no prejudice here.) But if you think about it, the way we do it is much kinder and gentler to the animal. It's much healthier for us, too. And I know what my chicken ate. Do you? Oh, and one other funny. Someone recently was shocked to hear that we eat the eggs our chickens lay. Yes, we do. Somehow, this person thinks that the grocery store eggs are "sterilized" or something. LOL. I explained they were not and now I'm not sure they'll ever eat another egg. It's amazing what happens to us when we are more than a few steps removed from our food sources. Things that are completely normal begin to seem foreign and strange to us.

After this initial test run, I think we are on to something. Our next plan is to order a run (100) of the Freedom Rangers, to process them much earlier and see how we do. They will be raised in pastured/wooded areas, with fresh air and sunshine, lots of healthy vegetation, and free of the stress of overcrowding. We feel good about that. We will be using those chickens in the first run to fill our freezer and to share with others to see how they like them as well. Next year, we hope to sell fresh birds all summer, on a schedule. We haven't worked out the details yet, and will likely take orders in the early new year so we know how to plan. So if anyone is interested, let me know. We already have a few families who have expressed interest. We are looking into getting the requirements met legally to get the proper licenses and certifications so we'll be ready to go next year.

That's where we are. If my chicken processing story grossed you out, sorry. But I've been told some of you were curious about how it was going to go. I'll probably talk about it some as the months go by. But I'll try to post a warning for those with weaker stomachs.

And seriously, guys and ladies, watch Food, Inc. on Netflix. Then come look at our birds and our set up. And then tell me which you'd rather have. Just sayin'.

We Did It!

2011-06-30T09:37:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was the day. The deed had to be done. It was chicken processing day, and it was long overdue for the three meat birds we bought in early Spring. My son and I had purchased them as an experiment. They were Cornish Rock Cross. Those are "racecar" chickens that the commercial poultry industry uses. The difference is they load them up with all kinds of steroids and hormones to make them grow as large as possible in several short weeks. Usually, in about 6 weeks, the birds are ready to process and send to market. In our case, there were no hormones or steroids. But we were about 6 weeks late in processing them. The result? Large... very large... no, HUGE chickens.

First, let me give a bit of background. My youngest son and I have been kicking around the idea of beginning a pastured poultry operation. We have several reasons for this. Things like food purity, animal cruelty in commercial operations, and of course, profit. But perhaps the biggest is the opportunity to have our own little entrepreneurial enterprise, on our own land, and enjoy working together with an animal we both enjoy. So that's why we bought the three meat birds at Tractor Supply this year when we were buying more laying hens.

Now, we learned some things from these three chickens. First of all, we do not enjoy raising Cornish Crosses. They do not do "chickeny" things. They are lazy because they are so large and heavy. They have trouble breathing in the heat. Their feathers fall out and they get bald spots because they lay down so much. And while we were worried, folks tell us this is the norm for these birds. So when we went to pick up a couple goats a few weeks ago and the lady on that farm told us about another breed that doesn't have quite so many issues but is still a great meat producer, we were so excited. Those are called Freedom Rangers and they are more suited to our land situation anyway, so we feel like we are on the right track.

Anyway, back to the chicken processing story. We had two hens and a roo. We started with a hen. It was surprisingly not as difficult as I expected. The last time I had seen a chicken processed was when I was little and my Paw Paw used to do it regularly. So I was not unitiated to the process. My son, however was. Therefore, we did what most people do these days when they want to learn. We read books and watched You Tube videos. I had told my son I could do everything except the actual killing. And bless his heart, he did that part. On the first bird, we were pretty nervous. We did the full process with each bird before moving on to the next, meaning we got it ready to go in the freezer or the pot before starting the next one, which is likely not the most efficient way, but it was what we felt comfortable with. We learned a lot and in the end felt quite good about it.

You can see the golden color. This was early in the cooking process of the first hen and the color got even more golden as it cooked.

Last night we had chicken pie. It was delicious! The meat was a different texture than I was used to, but I had been told it would be because it was more naturally raised. It wasn't tough, but was a bit stringier. I am told this is because the birds form more and better quality muscle because they can actually move around and exercise, though they don't do as much moving as laying hen would do. Commercial chickens can barely move and spend many hours standing or sitting in one spot, crowded next to each other. They are so closely packed that they are often debeaked to prevent cannibalism. Considering the age of the bird, I was quite happy with it. It didn't have the mushy taste like some storebought chickens can have. And the skin and fat on the bird were all a nice golden color, which we are told is a sign of a healthy bird, versus the white fat so often seen on commercial birds. This comes from the difference in the animal's diet. The taste was fabulous. The broth was a nice golden color, not the typical grayish-whitish-yellow tinged color. The smell when it was cooking was different as well. Nice, but different. Makes me wonder what I've been eating that passes for chicken all these years!! And the best part? We have enough left overs for lunch today!

So, for now, I'll just share a pic of our roo, who is going into the oven as a roaster tonight. He's big enough to be a small turkey and may be as tough as whit leather, but rather than boiling him, I wanted to do a test run just to see. I'll let you know tomorrow how he turns out.

Sorry about the quality of that one. I used my phone to take the pic and can not enlarge it for some reason or it gets blurrier! Anyway,you can see how big he is. That's a roasting pan he's in! Not a 9x13!

All this for a shoebox??

2011-06-29T08:27:00.001-04:00

A few months back I wrote about lapbooking and how much we were enjoying it in our little homeschool Well, I still enjoy it, but because I had begun working part-time, I was looking for an easier curriculum (for me) for the next school year. Lapbooking is great fun but does take a bit of prep to make it work like want it to. So I had settled on the tried and true Abeka for the new year. I even managed to get most of the readers for next year at the homeschool association's used book fair for dirt cheap. Well, wouldn't ya know, God doesn't always work according to our plans and the part-time job looks like it's about to play out. So I have part of a curriculum that I like but don't love and now I have more time on my hands to do what I like so much better. Gee... what's a mama to do with a dilemma like that??

Well, before I knew the part-time job was coming to an end, I was looking for even more ways to get myself organized. I had come across the "workbox system" a couple times and always thought it looked far more complicated than I wanted to deal with. However, after reading so many glowing testimonies about it, I decided it might at least be worth investigating. So I did. I got all excited about the prospect of motivated children, less mess, more sense of accomplishment for both the girls and myself. I found myself daydreaming about pretty colored plastic bins, all lined up on their little racks, with pretty little tags velcro-ed on the front, just waiting for my girls to dig into them each morning. I'm tellin' ya now, moms, if you've not explored this method of homeschool organization, and if you don't want Rubbermaid and Sterilite to become like eye-candy to you, then don't read any further.

Anyhoo, if you are confused at this point, it's probably for good reason. I'm going around my elbow to get to my thumb. Bear with me, it's what I do when I'm excited. (Well, my husband would probably say I do it all the time, but it's worse when I'm excited.) Soooo.... I still haven't settled the issue of curriculum but I have decided I want those boxes and racks. I want to see that efficient little system put to use in our school! So why not just stay with Abeka you might ask. Well, as I said, I like it. I don't love it. Just like it. It's easy, easy, easy! Pretty much everything is done for you. That's what I like. It's also what I don't like. I like the freedom of stopping and lingering on a topic my kids are interested in. Like when we read about Ramona and Beezus and Ramona bites all the apples, just one bite each, because the first bite is always the best. So they have to make applesauce. Well, out of that little story can come a whole unit on apples, where we study the life-cycle, make our own applesauce, dry some apples, count seeds, plant some apples, make apple stamps. We'll even bring in ol' Johnny Appleseed and head to an apple orchard, all on account of one story that we were reading for fun. That's how I like to homeschool. So while I like Abeka for it's "neat little package" feel, I'm usually not a neat little package mama. The boxes let me homeschool my way and still get that "neat little package" feel.

So here I go, curriculum shopping again, lusting for some pink and purple plastic shoebox size totes, heading to Target for the required shoebox racks, and just generally getting excited about a brand new year. Yeah, that's one of the best things about homeschooling! I can get just as excited as the kids over the start of a new year. And it's not because I'm sending them out and getting some "me time". It's because I'm planning for us all, for some "we time", and looking forward to learning and growing together.

Now who knew all that could come from some empty, plastic boxes??

And if you made it to the end of this post without quitting, I want to thank you for hanging in. You deserve my sincerest appreciation. And if you have an idea you want to check this out: Sue Patrick's Workbox System.

Sacred Work

2011-06-27T10:07:00.001-04:00

What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow. - Martin Luther

Baby Chick Pics

2011-06-23T07:14:00.002-04:00

Here they are! Well... the best I could do for as close as I could get. Ethel brought them down from the nestbox today and began to teach them to scratch and peck. They seem to be doing quite well. They run right back under her and she squats on them if I get too close, but she isn't being mean or giving the stink eye anymore. The one we thought was black is actually sort of chipmunk-y looking. I know that's an Americauna or Easter Egger trait, but neither of these chicks are that. The hen and roo are both feather footed something or others. So I'm not really sure what we have. Just that they are cute as can be.

Look closely. The little dark one blends in with the litter.

Ethel and the chipmunk baby. You can see his striped back in this one.

Oh So Easy Lunch Wraps!

2011-06-22T07:01:00.000-04:00

Hummus
Leaf lettuce
Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper
Flour tortillas
Meat is optional and we don't usually use it, but if you do, bacon is great in this!

Spread a nice thick layer of hummus on your tortilla. Layer lettuce and tomatoes. Salt and pepper rather heavily (less if you like, but we like ALOT). Salt is a great flavor with hummus. Our favorite store hummus is Marketside Roasted Garlic from Walmart if I don't make it fresh. Anyway, once your layers are all ready, just roll up and eat! The men in my house are not fond of hummus, so this is not their favorite recipe. But the girls and I love it, and especially in the summer when the tomatoes are so gooood!!

The Babies Are Here!!

2011-06-21T07:07:00.001-04:00

Yes they are! I was only able to get a picture of one. Ethel's being quite protective and is not happy with us coming near. I have only seen one of them, when I took the pic, and it quite quickly dashed back up under Mama. But the girls say they saw the other and that it is black. Hopefully, Ethel will feel up to "visitors" soon and will allow us to get a better look at her babies. But for now, here's what I have:

Look closely... see that black spot beside Ethel? I think that may have been a little chicks' rear sticking out since they girls say they saw a black chick and that's definitely not poo. It wasn't there when I checked back later tonight, so I'm pretty sure that's it.

Too Pooped to Party

2011-06-20T14:06:00.001-04:00

We had a long morning of school and besides that, Delaney is not feeling well. So after lunch, both she and Claire curled up for naps. (Normal for Claire, not normal at all for Delaney!) But the kittens are loving the afternoon snooze time. Like any cat, if they can find a warm human and a still spot, they'll purr and sleep for hours.

Claire and Isabelle

Delaney and Chloe

And no, there are no pics of Ethel and her babies yet. Sorry... I'm ready to start pacing...

Ethel's Due Date

2011-06-20T07:34:00.001-04:00

So I thought the day would be this past weekend. We'd see new babies popping little heads out from under this sitting Mama who's being fairly calm but gives you the stink eye every time you get close. Somehow we just know not to get too close. In the last 21 days, I have only seen that hen leave the nest once, and only for a very short time. I am sure she's getting up and eating and relieving herself, or she wouldn't be surviving by now. But on that one day when I saw that she was up I ran out to the coop and peered in her nest just to make sure there were really eggs under her. There were. Two. I was hoping for more, but two is good. So I am hoping for two healthy babies... any minute now...

Rainy Day Blessing

2011-06-16T07:53:00.000-04:00

So .it looks like rain today here. Weatherman says there's a good chance of it. But that's ok. We are still working on outside projects, but I am happy to take a day away from all that to work on some sewing for the girls. I don't have time to do anything elaborate at this point, so I just chose to make a couple pillowcase style outfits. A dress and a capri pants set each with fabric they chose. I usually try to make them at least a couple things each season though I definitely don't make all their clothing. I am thankfully very blessed that they love the things I make and get so excited about fabric choices and dress styles. I've written before about brand consciousness and how my children don't have it yet. I know they are less prone to it as homeschoolers and I am so hoping it stays that way. But for today, we are just reveling in the pretty fabrics and colors that we have chosen to work with.

Today, I am thankful for the opportunity to stay home (no work, no medical appointments), create something lovely, and just enjoy my space and the process. Seriously, how could any career be better than the freedom we find in our homes. I thanking God for His place for me, for giving me the blessings He has, and for the opportunity to glorify Him here. I thankful that He doesn't look down on my position in the home, but allows me to exalt Him and exert influence from it. What a blessing!

Entering Into the Joy of Motherhood

2011-06-15T06:00:00.002-04:00

Every mother loves her children, but not every mother loves motherhood. This is the secret to entering into the joy of motherhood for which God created us. Motherhood is not something to run from as the liberalists advocate but to EMBRACE! Start off every day confessing out loud, I LOVE MOTHERHOOD. You will be amazed how this attitude will change your mothering and your whole household!”
—Nancy Campbell

Well-Trained Minds

2011-06-14T06:00:00.002-04:00

“Marriage and the up-bringing of children in the home require as well-trained a mind and as well-disciplined a character as any other occupation that might be considered a career.”
—Eleanor Roosevelt

Someone once asked me why, since I teach my girls that their high calling as a wife and mother must take priority over career (if, indeed, God blesses them with marriage and children), why would I ever push for rigorous academic education. I was a little shocked at that question to say the least. But I had to admit, there was once a time I might have asked the same question. As I have grown older and biblically wiser, I can say that I truly see no paradox between teaching them to have a well-trained mind as well as a heart for their husband and home that puts those things first. In fact, it seems to me that this makes perfect sense. If we hope to raise generations who will build the Kingdom with eternal effect, how in the world can we expect to do that with ignorant, untrained minds?

So, I do now or will in the future train my girls in academics as well as home arts. My goal is to make them as familiar with a protractor as they are sewing machine. Or as familiar with a computer as they are with the kitchen stove. Or as familiar with a thesaurus as they are with the washing machine. It amazes me that anyone could think I'd want less. I wouldn't spend all this time and energy educating my girls to be intellectual lightweights, and I truly don't think that's what's needed most in this world. No, what we need are smart, intelligent women who will choose to make their homes and families their careers. We need women who will forgo the immediate reward of a paycheck for the long-term potential for generational legacy. That's what we need. Yes, it's hard. Yes, that kind of woman will likely do without some material things. And that will build character in an already strong disposition. Sacrifice has a way of doing that. We need women who can stand against what's popular and for what's best. We need women who don't need the approval of society to understand the impact of their actions. Does this sound like a job for a weak-minded woman? No! We are building warriors and fortresses for a Kingdom! Not a job for the weak of heart or faint of mind! That's why I home educate, and it's why I train my children with the hope that they graduate from our home to theirs with a well-trained mind, a strong faith, and a clear vision.

Yes, even the girls. As the saying goes...the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. It's a big job I'm training them for.

Summer School?

2011-06-13T04:41:00.000-04:00

Summer School presents it's own set of issues. And we are definitely schooling through half the summer, at least, due to our taking so much time off for medical and then moving issues. Soooo.... When there's a chicken brooder to be built and schooling to be done, at the same time, what's a mama to do?

This:

You put the littles on the deck with their cursive writing practice. You station the little terrier dog as a lookout.

You look over their shoulders every now and then to make sure they are on task. It's distracting outside with drill noise, butterflies, and goats yammering in the background. The goats are very confused as to why the girls are outside and are not playing with them, so this is a good "education" for them as well.

You take breaks from the building to work with the littles. (Really, that's just a chance to get out of the heat and into the shade because the littles are doing just fine on their own.)

You help the grown son carry boards, hold them while he mans the electric saw, measure stuff, etc. Then you stand back and admire your work.

Before long, it's lunch time and too hot to work. So you head in for a cold drink and an afternoon siesta while the littles watch a Shirley Temple movie. (Yes, they LOVE those!)

All in all, a very productive morning.

Sausage Calzones! It's What's For Dinner!

2011-06-11T04:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, Ladies, here's a cheap but delicious recipe for you. I wouldn't put it in the easy category. It's not complex, but can be a bit physical. It's okay though because I figure it's just working off some of the calories in it. I made this recipe last night and after calculating costs, I could feed all five of us for $4.98 plus tax! Add some summer veggies from the garden and you have yourself a balanced and inexpensive meal that will rival any take out and put those grocery store frozen things to shame!

First, you will need to make a batch of New York Style Pizza Dough. This part is not my recipe but this is a great one.

1 1/2 cups warm water (105F)
4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons of olive oil
2 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of yeast
1/2 cup cornmeal

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar and salt in water.
Add oil and flour and stir with heavy spoon for 1 minute.
Turn out to a lightly floured surface and press into a circle.
Sprinkle yeast evenly over dough and knead for 12 minutes.
Divide dough into portions: 6 oz. for Calzones, 18 oz. for 12 inch, 25 oz. for 15 inch
Roll each portion into a ball. You want a dough ball without visible seams except the bottom.
Place dough balls in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to proof for 1−2 hours at room temperature to use the same day, or store in refrigerator to use the next day.
Place dough ball on lightly floured surface, and lightly flour the top. Use fingertips to evenly flatten out the dough ball. Work from the edges to the center press dough into a 12" circle. Place both hands within the shell edge and stretch with fingertips and palms maintaining an even pressure. Or, use a lightly floured rolling pin to stretch to desired shape.
Sprinkle cornmeal or semolina on pizza peel (a wooden paddle with a handle to slide the pizza in the oven) or a cutting board. The cornmeal allows the pizza to slide onto the stone easily.
After topping the pizza, when you are ready to cook it. Shake the peel or cutting board to make sure none of the dough is sticking.
Carefully slide the pizza into the oven.
Bake in a 500 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until crust is golden.

Once you place your balls of dough in the bowl to rise, sit and rest for a bit from all that kneading. Then, after they have risen for an hour or so, start making the filling. Here's the recipe for that:

1 1b sausage, regular breakfast kind, hot
1 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning (dried)
1 sweet onion, diced
1 cup spaghetti sauce
Cheese, your favorite varieties, I used mozzarella and parmesan blend

1. Brown the meat over medium heat until it is about half way finished.
2. Add the onion and Italian seasoning. Continue browning.
3. Drain the meat mixture when it is finished. Then return it to the pan.
4. Add about 1 cup, or a little less, of spaghetti sauce. Stir until well mixed. (You don't want this too wet.)
5. Roll out the dough balls on a floured surface, getting them to about 1/8 of an inch and a circle in shape..
6. Add 1/6 of the meat mixture to the calzone.
7. Top with cheese.
8. Fold the circles in half and pinch the edges together. Then, to prevent leakage, fold the edges up and pinch again.
9. Place then on a well heated pizza stone (heated at least 20 minutes at cooking temperature) and cook at 450 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are the desired lightly brown color. Make sure the stone is very hot before placing the calzones on it or the bottoms will be mushy.
10. Remove from the oven and mist or brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder or more Italian seasoning.

Enjoy!

Tasha Tudor on Femininity and Modesty

2011-06-10T06:20:00.000-04:00

Why do women want to dress like men when they’re fortunate enough to be women? Why lose our femininity, which is one of our greatest charms? We get much more accomplished by being charming than we would by flaunting around in pants and smoking. I’m very fond of men. I think they’re wonderful creatures. I love them dearly. But I don’t want to look like one. When women gave up their long skirts, they made a grave error. Things half seen are so much more mysterious and delightful. Remember the term “a neatly turned ankle”? Think of the thrill that gentlemen used to get if they caught even a glimpse of one. Now women go around in their union suits. And what a multitude of sins you could cover up with a long skirt if you had piano legs.- Tasha Tudor

Headcovering, Modesty, and the Law

2011-06-09T08:18:00.000-04:00

In our fellowship, (Sovereign Grace Fellowship), we are going through a series of studies on the doctrines. Currently, we are studying the Law. I am amazed by what I am learning! I don't know where it came from specifically, but I had this idea that the Law was some poor, mean substitute for a Savior that I should be thankful to be done with. A proper study has taught me not only how wrong that is, but it has explained a lot of things I have always questioned.

For example, "be ye holy". Yes, that's in the Bible. But it's followed with "for I am holy". 1 Peter 1:16 (yes, it's even in the New Testament, too!) So what is holy? What does it look like? Contrary to popular belief, we are not left to decide that based on what we feel or interpret for ourselves. It does not vary with culture, also contrary to popular belief. I have learned that Jesus did not abolish the Law, but upheld it as the beautiful nature of God that it truly is. Yes, He removed us from the curse of it, but the curse is not because the law is bad, but because we are sinful and unable to reach God with law alone. If He, being God incarnate, was to "fulfill" the Law (which does not mean "to finish or complete" in the sense of "ending" if you study the Greek), then He could not have negated it, for it would be to change His very nature. And we know that the Bible teaches that God does not change in His nature. So does that mean we should be doing sacrifices, practicing ceremonial cleansings, and only wearing clothing of single fibers as Old Testament Israel did? No. Not exactly. And on that point I'll stop because I'm getting in over my head for now. But I'll tell you all this: this study of the Law has opened my eyes on a couple topics that I have already gone to great lengths about on this blog: Headcovering and Modesty. (See the page tabs at the top to see more, or the side bar at the right to see my writings.)

In my learning, I am seeing how law, for those who are no longer under it, can be joyful. It is still and always will be a curse to those whose only resource for salvation is the law. But to those of us who are redeemed, looking into and following God's nature, His standard for holiness, gives us joy. As women who strive to be biblical, we can find great joy in doing things His way, or we can enter dangerous territory in doing it our way. We must be careful that we don't set up a god of our own making who thinks or acts no differently that we do or would.

In relation to headcovering, I have struggled, in spite of my conviction. I have questioned whether it's for full-time or worship only. I am currently practicing during worship only and have been guilty of forgetting a good bit because I don't have it with me. I don't feel in my spirit that this is right. Truthfully, whatever you are looking to find on headcovering out there, you can. You can find those who say it should be a full-time practice, a corporate worship only practice, or that it doesn't even apply. And pretty much anything in between those three stances. If you are looking for man's opinion, it's widely available. Solid exposition of the Scriptures, however, not so much.

On modesty, there's an equal dearth of solid material. Most of the modern Christian teaching does not even deal with this, taking it to be a "personal" thing and really giving us free rein in deciding what modesty is "for us". The thing is modesty is modesty. There are standards. The styles may change. The standards do not.

So... what are the standards? Well, get ready, Ladies, because in the coming days and weeks we will be diving into this issue. And I'm going to get back on the headcovering thing again, because I feel I need the refresher study and that I am relaxing in something I should be more obedient to.

And not that this adds one iota of value to this discussion, but I have noticed that my number one post and topic on this blog is headcovering. It has consistently been that way since I began writing about it last summer. I have visitors from all over so I know God is dealing with women on this specific issue and on modesty. Because of that, I feel it's time for some solid study, and I'll be writing my thoughts out. I hope you'll come back to read, but I hope, even more than that, that you'll read and study for yourselves, using the whole counsel of God, on these subjects.

Sooooo.... I'm off to feed the animals and teach the kids. Y'all have a blessed and productive and I'll see you back here soon!

Easy Peasy Cucumber Salad

2011-06-08T23:41:00.000-04:00

Cool and refreshing this one is! And yummy, too!!

2 med to lg cucumbers (or 2 cups after seeding and slicing)
1/4 cup low fat sour cream
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp sugar
salt
pepper

1. Mix all ingredients except the cucumbers with a wire whisk in a medium sized bowl.

2. Peel the cucumbers if you wish. I do half and half, meaning I peel it in strips. Then slice lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds. Now slice or dice (whichever you like).

3. Dump the cucumbers in the dressing you made in step one.

4. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Enjoy!!

Cheepers!

2011-06-08T17:17:00.000-04:00

Look who is living in the top of our propane tank. Three new babies! Isn't it amazing how new life comes each Spring? God is so unfathomable in all His ways! Look how much care the mama bird took to make that nest. And see how beautiful it is? God doesn't ignore the smallest detail with the smallest and the seemingly insignificant among us! Praise be!


3 Little Cheepers

All Things Bright and Shiny

2011-06-06T10:07:00.000-04:00

It's a bright and shiny morning today and I couldn't resist sharing the pics from the goat pen. We also had a visiting turtle in front of the gate, but by the time I ran back to get my camera he had gotten away... I never knew a turtle could be that fast! Anyhoo, the other pics I shared were from the owner of the Nigerian Dwarf goats before we got them. And since I hadn't shared any of the Angora I'll let him go first. His name is Maximus Mohair. He's not registered, so there is no farm name in front of that. We just call him Max or Maxi. He's sweet as can be, loves to nuzzle and nibble and suck your fingers. He's only about 3 weeks old, so he's still got about 5 weeks to be bottle fed, maybe a bit more if we can get him to take the bottle to about 3 months old. I know he looks like a lamb, but I promise he's not. However, you get the same benefit from him in the form of beautiful fiber, which I will likely dye and sell.

Max, with Gunnar, the first terrier LGD

Sweet Baby Max

Pretty girl, pretty goat

Meet me at the grain bowl...

Max with Daisy and Elsie. As you can see, he's the same size as they are, even though he's 5 weeks younger.

On another happy note, we have a hen who is setting for the time. She's been on her eggs for about a week. I am not sure how many are under her because this normally sweet little banty will give you the stink eye and light into you if you get too close to her. So we'll just have to wait and be surprised on that one. I don't think it can be many as she is currently my only layer and I routinely gather eggs. But hey, any new chick is welcome!

Other than that, I am hoping to have more time to write soon. I am finding that it's probably time for some changes to be made as my schedule is running me instead of me running it. So adjustments must be made. I really want to do more "meaty" writing on heavier issues, too.

Anyway, y'all, thanks for still hanging around even though I've been so sporadic. I'll see you here, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Goat Babies!!!

2011-05-26T09:11:00.000-04:00

Next week we get to go pic up our new goat babies! We are very excited about that! Today we got new pictures of 2 of them. They are Nigerian Dwarf babies, so they won't be very large at maturity, and we chose that breed for several reasons, even against the advice of some folks. The Nigerian Dwarf is a breed of dairy goat, and true to its name it is smaller than your normal dairy goat. Besides the cuteness factor, we felt these are something that the girls can handle a little better and they will hopefully be 4-H projects. The things we were told against getting them is that they produce smaller volumes of milk than the larger breeds (stands to reason that they would) and that they are great escape artists (even more so than larger breeds). After talking to multiple breeders, some with huge escape problems and some with few, we decided to try it. We would like to get larger dairy goats at some point as well, but for now, these two are the beginnings of our herd. They are doelings (females) and no, we don't have a buckling yet. These girls will be 8 weeks old next week and you can see they are still small, easy to hold babies. We also have an angora wether (altered male), who will be coming home next week also that we purchased from a local farm because I want the fiber for spinning. He's a doll baby who looks like a lamb. We haven't decided on a name for him, but for now, I hope you enjoy meeting the two Nigi girls. Here they are:

Daisy

Elsie

Pics of the little Angora Goat to follow as soon as I get them! He looks like a lamb, and many folks mistake those goats for sheep!

End of the School Year Picnic

2011-05-24T20:51:00.000-04:00


A pack of homeschool friends

Having a chat with the older girls in the group

Families are starting to arrive

Gathering into three groups for some fun and learning!

Still trying to get this large group broken up...

Rangers, giving the poison oak/ivy warning

Waiting for the beaver lesson

Ranger Hurley talking about how beavers splash to scare predators

Trying to see the beaver dam across the lake

Trying to feel the beaver's teeth marks in the wood where he chewed

Exploring a real beaver foot with split toenail, which he uses for grooming himself

Some of the group one kids

This ranger taught us about snakes

Introducing Blue, the corn snake

Blue was well-loved by the kids, but not this mama

Delaney and Blue

Claire and Blue

Game Time!!

Group one and their siblings, getting their game on

Claire, showing her bubble skills

Little girls and their bubbles

Add caption

Busy Friday - Some Good, Some Not So Much

2011-05-20T20:47:00.000-04:00

Today we found out that Claire's home health nurse was making her last visit with us. In addition, the company she works for is no longer doing pediatric home health. Effective today! Geesh, talk about short notice! I don't like that at all. A new company will be taking over with a whole new staff. So we aren't sure how to feel about that. But we are surely going to miss Jennifer. She's been a real gem! Here's a pic of Claire and Delaney with sweet Jennifer:

And this afternoon, we got our first goat fence up for the two little doelings we have coming. Here are the girls, inside the fence, and showing you how they worked on it. Take note of their "workboots" and how they coordinate with their outfits, lol. A girl must be fashionable while she's building fences for her goats. You can sacrifice beauty for function, of course.

Note the lighting was not great because nightfall was coming, but all we have left is the gate to do. That's a big task out of the way! Something to check off the list!

Easy Crockpot Supper

2011-05-18T20:33:00.000-04:00

Try this! It's cheap and great!

1 package (14 oz) smoked sausage
2 sweet potatoes
2 apples
1/2 cup orange juice
Cinnamon (about 1/2 TBSP, I think)
1/3 cup sugar

Slice the sausage in half lengthwise. Then cut in about 1/2 inch pieces. Throw that in the crock pot.

Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1 inch hunks.

Do not peel the apples. Slice thinly and throw into the crockpot.

Pour the orange juice over all that in the crockpot. Add the sugar.

Stir it all up.

Put the lid on and cook on low for a few hours. No more than 3 or four.

Enjoy!! Easy and Delicious!

The Strawberry Patch!

2011-05-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

Claire, gettin' ready to do some berry picking


Tanner, surveying the berries before picking.

Gettin' down to business

Delaney thinks this is fun, but HOT!

Pretty girl in the berry patch

Really, Mom? How many more pics??

Strawberry Girls! What a hot mess!

Look at our haul!


And after a bit more work, here's what we ended up with...And a couple gallon bags in the freezer of whole berries. And two and half more gallons left to process still. Gonna can those I think.

The platter of chocolate covered strawberries the girls did for the SGF

And in honor of all this strawberry stuff, I thought I'd share with y'all and the girls one of my favorite books from when I was in elementary school: Strawberry Girl. by Lois Lenski. My teachers used to read to us after lunch everyday. I still remember most of the books and I love them to this day. This was one of the very best. If anyone is interested in it, click on the picture link below.

http://www.amazon.com/Strawberry-Girl-Lois-Lenski/dp/039730109X

The New Place

2011-05-14T11:48:00.000-04:00

So I finally got around to taking pictures. It seemed like whenever I had time to do it the weather was always cloudy. Well, it was cloudy today, too, so I just decided to go with it. I hope y'all enjoy the new pics of the new place. Pics of the inside will be forthcoming as soon as ALL the boxes are out. We are close, but not there yet.

We have some baby goats on the way, so we must get to the task of fence building. And we have 3 meat chickens we bought for a trial run as chicks that will need to be processed in the next couple weeks. So I'll be sharing about that, too. Our plans are for larger chicken tractors and to have enough to fill a freezer for our family and maybe some others, too. But that's a work that's not even in progress yet, though it is going to soon start.

So... here we go:


Coming Down the Driveway


The house, a little closer up


The Playhouse survived the move with only the loss of the cupola and weathervane on top. We have them and hope to add them back soon.


The outbuilding and left behind farm/tractor implements. Now we just need a tractor...

The Taj Ma Coop. It may not look like much, but it's the first coop I've had that I can stand up in and I'm thrilled with it. It has plenty of next boxes and came complete with one laying hen and one rooster to go with the chicks I had. Like any good redneck woman, I'm already planning the Taj Ma Coop expansion and perhaps a paint job. Don't think I'll be going with the girls' choice of colors though... (pink)


The inhabitants of the Taj Ma Coop, gathering at the fence to see if brought treats. They weren't impressed with the camera. I think they were looking for greens. Or bugs.


Honeysuckles in bloom


Beautiful Claire getting ready to find out how good the honeysuckle nectar tastes.


Delaney thought they were funny for some reason, though she liked the taste. My funny girl!

It this looks like a jungle... well, it is. In our back yard. There are about 18 acres of it. If you look in the middle of the picture you can see the light brown blob. That's our dog, Haven, who loves exploring in there. But it's one of the reasons we plan to employ some goats on the property.

Well, that's it for now. I'll be back soon with more pics.

Whew! It's Over! And Just Beginning...

2011-05-09T10:00:00.000-04:00

Well, pretty much. The move that is. We still have a few boxes sitting around, but nothing a couple hours won't fix. The old house is clean and ready to be turned over. And as soon as I get the water and gas for the gas logs in our name for the new house, we'll be officially done. But it's close enough that I'm calling it.

After this experience I can say I came away with two things being far more certain than they were in my mind. I am very blessed to have so much, and moving is something I never want to do again. We threw away or donated lots of stuff. Lots of it. Stuff I can't imagine why I held on to. I know the people at the trash dump must think we are junkiest people in our town. I think they might be right.

In our new house I am trying to instill the "Everything has a place, make sure you use it" mentality in the girls. I tried that some, but I am trying really hard here. Night before last I heard Delaney making a song of that phrase as she picked her things up. So maybe it's sticking... maybe...

This morning they are in the living room floor practicing their cursive writing and I'm finally getting to do an update. So things are starting to settle down. In this morning's Bible reading I came across a sentence, just a small one, seemingly inconsequential to most, but it struck me. I was reading in Exodus, having started that book anew this morning, and there it was:

But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them. Exodus 1:7

I thought about the things I have studied over the last few years about family reformation, about church reformation, and the natural outcome of those things. I had asked God to give me fresh eyes to see what my tired ones were having trouble with at the moment. Mainly, I am physically tired and my sense of motivation was flagging. I need to get back into schooling heavily with the girls and get this year finished out, though it's going to be later than I hoped. I was starting to feel overwhelmed. And more than a little lazy. Those few boxes were starting to feel like mountains of boxes. My unswept kitchen floor was starting to feel like the sand on the beach. Yes, all of that was this morning. And then I came across this sentence. Suddenly, it was like light poured into my heart. One extended family had gone to Egypt a few hundred years before and here they were, the land being filled with them. I remembered about family vision, and how I am learning to envision what I do as affecting the generations of my family. One of the things I have been studying talks about a 200 year plan for your family. It's about a generational legacy. And it all came back. Even the seemingly small, insignificant things matter. Even the training about the tails on cursive A's. And especially all the correcting of attitudes I've had to do this morning. It matters. I knew that. I just needed inspiration to continue. And there it was. That God took this one family and multiplied them in number and in strength until they were able to change the policies of a nation because they were a perceived threat. And while things got harder for the Hebrew children (read further in Exodus) God was using even their persecutions to glorify His name. Eventually, we know heard their cries for relief, when the cry finally came, and sent Moses to bring them out. And a great nation of 2 million people, a nation for God, came out of Egypt.

That's my goal. That my life will be lived to the glory of God. That my children will see it. That they will learn from my instruction in all things. And they will multiply and be mighty in the land, an army of warriors for the LORD, affecting the policies of a nation, all for the glory of God.

So let's get to work on the tails on the cursive A's, our attitudes and some good ol' learnin'!

Seven Years Ago Today...

2011-04-27T08:15:00.000-04:00

in China a little girl was born. 18 months later, she would be left at an orphange, blue and very ill. She would spend two years there, in and out of foster care, and then when she was 3 1/2, some crazy American family would come to China and take her to a land of smelly, round-eyed people who smiled widely at her and who obviously couldn't speak properly. Those crazy white, pasty people would soon put her in a hospital and try to fix things she never knew needed fixing, stick oxygen tubes up her nose, needles in her veins, and tubes in her belly. They would make her eat things she found repulsive because for some reason they thought she needed those things instead of just rice and coke. And in spite of all that, today, she loves them. Today, they still put her in hospitals, still speak a language that is at times difficult for her, and still make her eat things sometimes. But today, she's turning 7 and that's something I don't think many folks thought they'd see. So we want to celebrate with you all.

Happy Birthday to our Anna-Claire!!!

(Celebration to follow after moving day this Saturday... ever tried to have a birthday party and move the same week???? I can't do it.)

Here she is, with her bed head, in her night gown, ready to celebrate her day with some boxes and CAKE for desert tonight (and yes, a few presents, too.)

The Whole World Could Abound

2011-04-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

The idea that the service to God should have only to do with a church altar, singing, reading, sacrifice, and the like is without doubt but the worst trick of the devil. How could the devil have led us more effectively astray than by the narrow conception that service to God takes place only in church and by works done therein… The whole world could abound with services to the Lord…not only in churches but also in the home, kitchen, workshop, field.

Martin Luther

Ladies, may we keep this mindset as we go about our daily work as wives and mothers, homekeepers, homemakers. Let us give our work the weight it deserves.

Have a blessed Monday and I'll see you here soon.

Sharing Something Pretty

2011-04-15T11:27:00.000-04:00

So I said the other day I had been spinning to relax again. Just thought I'd share a pic of the newest yarn I did. It's called Crocus and it's a BFL (blue-faced Leicester) wool and tussah silk blend (75//25). Very soft, and I love the colors. BFL is a "buttery" fiber anyway, and when you throw that silk in there it's particularly nice! I purchased the roving from Corgi Hill Farm.

On another happy note, I found a local farm to purchase mohair locks from. So I have a local supplier for new fibers in my shop. Couldn't be happier!!

A Bunch Of Oddballs

2011-04-13T11:20:00.000-04:00

Every Christian should be both conservative and radical; conservative in preserving the faith and radical in applying it.

John Stott

HIS, Christianity Today, Oct. 1975, v. 36, n. 14.

I was talking with my son this morning and I made a comment to him about a family that we came in contact with. I said, "They're a little odd... like us." He looked at me quizzically and then asked me to explain myself. "We're odd?" he asked. I stammered and thought for a moment, and then I decided that yes, we are a little odd. Though it surprised me that I described myself that way.

You see, the family I was speaking of is a homeschooling family, lives a lifestyle much like ours, and has beliefs that I would say fall very closely in line with ours, but probably not exactly. I just met them recently, so how can I know this? Well, I see it. In their lives. In how they interact with both my family and others. In their life choices. Their beliefs show in their lifestyle.

So, of course, you have to know that this got me started thinking. It's one thing for the world to view Christians who live their faith practically as an oddity. But it's another thing entirely for another Christian to see them that way. As I pondered I realized it! We see so few people take what they believe outside the walls of the church and actually use it in their own life, reordering their very choices, that when you find a family who actually puts it in practice, it looks strange to our eyes. Mediocre and lackadaisical Christianity has become normal to our desensitized eyes and true doctrine, correctly and practically applied, looks somewhat off to us. Even though we've read the words, claimed them for ourselves, called ourselves by His name... how sad is this in this day when doctrine is rarely taught, and even more rarely applied.

For me, it is sad, as I find myself calling another family "odd", especially when I can find nothing wrong with their walk and really desire to emulate them somewhat. I've known for a while that people think we're (our family) odd. That's ok. But there's still a lot of the world in me, too... for I see a godly family and label them according to the world's standards. Their only comfort, if I should tell them of my assessment, would likely be that it would be the pot calling the kettle black for our beliefs are so similar. And I'm not even sure that would be much comfort... because we are odd, too. So far from perfect, and odd. Striving for holiness, and yet so not there.

What an amazing God, who loves and guides all His children. Even the odd ones.

We must allow the Word of God to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behavior.

John Stott

The New Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations, ed. Mark Water, 2000, Baker, p. 119.

The Word of life may be so distorted from the life of the Word till it becomes the food of death.

Thomas Adams

A Puritan Golden Treasury, compiled by I.D.E. Thomas, by permission of Banner of Truth, Carlisle, PA. 2000, p. 36.

Exposition alone is not preaching. A minister who only presents the grammatical and historical meaning of God’s Word may be lecturing or discoursing, but he isn’t preaching. The Word must also be applied. This application is an essential characteristic of Reformed preaching. Without it, vitality is quenched.

Joel R. Beeke

Feed My Sheep, ed. Don Kistler, Soli Deo Gloria Ministries, 2002, p. 103.

So much stuff, so little time...

2011-04-08T10:52:00.000-04:00

So much is going on here that I find I'm having little time or mental energy to write these last few months. We are getting ready to move, trying to get closing done, and I'm still working part-time and homeschooling. I feel like days are running together and never stopping. Last night I sat to spin just to unwind my mind while I wound up something that would be useful in that state. I don't know what it is about spinning, what specifically that does for me, but it's as good as a nerve pill to me! I need to get back to doing more of it.

Besides moving, we are trying to finish up the school year. Well, the major portion of it anyway. We are going to spend our summer learning cursive. I am switching to ABEKA curriculum next year because of the ease of use it provides so we are switching to their method of teaching handwriting. I typically like to mix and match curriculm, studying in literature units and doing the lapbooks and things like that. I will still probably do some of that. But switching is going to allow me to do less planning and save me some time and energy. These days, energy is hard to come by.

No time for whining, though. I purchased a set of used beds for the girls that need some type of refinish. I am thinking of white paint and green vines and lavender flowers. Perhaps. Or maybe just some new stain. Or, maybe... I just don't know. But that's this weekend's project, so I need to decide.

Next week the girls are going to a Farm Life 101 camp for homeschoolers which is part of the local 4-H and homeschool group. They are looking forward to that. They will be working with goat kids, gathering eggs, learning how to trim goat hooves, milking goats and dealing with other farm animals as well. They are excited and I am, too! I don't get to go, but I look forward to their learning these things because in our new home, we can have animals. We are going to have over 20 acres!!

And on another happy note, our first batch of baby chicks (from Tractor Supply) are ready to go to their new coop. We will be taking them to our new house tonight and putting them in the coop. Lucky chickens get to move in before we do. We are thankful for nice current owners who are willing to add them to the ones they already have and care for them to. And they are leaving theirs for us, too.

So soon I can post up some pics of the babies in their new coop!

Hope y'all have a nice and blessed weekend. See you here soon.

A New Set of Diseases?

2011-04-07T09:28:00.000-04:00

America today is a save-yourself society if there ever was one. But does it really work? The underdeveloped societies suffer from one set of diseases: tuberculosis, malnutrition, pneumonia, parasites, typhoid, cholera, typhus, etc. Affluent America has virtually invented a whole new set of diseases: obesity, arteriosclerosis, heart disease, strokes, lung cancer, venereal disease, cirrhosis of the liver, drug addiction, alcoholism, divorce, battered children, suicide, murder. Take your choice. Laborsaving machines have turned out to be body-killing devices. Our affluence has allowed both mobility and isolation of the nuclear family, and as a result our divorce courts, our prisons and our mental institutions are flooded. In saving ourselves we have nearly lost ourselves.

Ralph Winter

Reconstruction to a Wartime, not a Peacetime, Lifestyle, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, William Carey Library, 1981, p. 815.

Reconstructionist89 - My Son's New Blog

2011-04-06T19:22:00.000-04:00

I am so proud to share the link to my son's new blog, www.reconstructionist89.blogspot.com . He's just starting out with his writing but is sharing on topics he has a passion for: apologetics (presuppositional), logic and reconstructionism. He's turned out to be a fine thinker and writer.

And I'm a proud Mama. Check him out.

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

Horrible Hatch, But One Little One Made It!

2011-03-28T09:13:00.000-04:00

So last year I hatched using a homemade incubator and had babies running out my ears. This year I used 2 store bought ones. And the results are dismal! Out of over 60 eggs that began the process, only one, yes ONE, hatched. For those who've ever hatched eggs before, you know that "singletons" cry a lot and often die due to their being alone all the time. I've never had a singleton before so I can't say for sure.

But that's enough of the worrisome stuff. Now being the good chicken mama that I am, I headed out to the Tractor Supply to buy him a buddy or two from the day old chicks. No luck. This little one is a bantam. And a runt at that. All they had were huge leghorns that would dwarf him. I tried to put him in with the few week old chicks I have. I knew better. The little heathens immediately went after him. I had to remove him within seconds. So, we had to figure something else out, because, well, he was pitiful and he was driving us crazy. Such a little chick can make a loud noise. And he was only quiet when I would let him burrow into my hair and sit on my shoulder. I love baby chicks but not baby chick poop. So I didn't let him do that too much because I didn't want to be pooped on. We finally got it worked out and now he has a mama that he loves. She's pink, fuzzy, and was donated by the girls because we think she probably feels more like a mama hen than any of the other stuffed animal in the toy chest. We think the little one agrees as he snuggles close to her and sleeps on her and squawks loudly when we take him away. Otherwise, he's quiet and contented with his new mama. ("Him" is being used but we are not sure what the little one really is.) He may have a bit of identity confusion when he grows up, thinking he's a teddy instead of a chicken, but for now he's quiet and the house is peaceful again. Amazing how much ruckus this little one has kicked up around here.

So soak up all the chick cuteness. Here ya go!

Judas Kiss?

2011-03-25T06:58:00.000-04:00

I use the Spurgeon Morning and Evening Devotional regularly and this morning's devotional was piercing to me. My son and I just had a discussion yesterday about being willing to change and be different from the world, even if it means you fit in nowhere, in response to what we learn from the Word. We wonder, knowing that we still have so many effects of the world still in us, too, how so many can hear the Word and not respond when they profess Christianity. Why don't lifestyles change? Why do we continue to do the things we do? Why do we resist His will and work in our lives.

Well, wouldn't you know, this morning's devotion came up. It doesn't explain, but does confirm, this very behavior. All I can say is what a merciful God who is so long-suffering with His children. My prayer is that I will not presume upon that anymore as I have so often.

Here it is:

"Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?"—Luke 22:48.

HE kisses of an enemy are deceitful." Let me be on my guard when the world puts on a loving face, for it will, if possible, betray me as it did my Master, with a kiss. Whenever a man is about to stab religion, he usually professes very great reverence for it. Let me beware of the sleek-faced hypocrisy which is armour-bearer to heresy and infidelity. Knowing the deceivableness of unrighteousness, let me be wise as a serpent to detect and avoid the designs of the enemy. The young man, void of understanding, was led astray by the kiss of the strange woman: may my soul be so graciously instructed all this day, that "the much fair speech" of the world may have no effect upon me. Holy Spirit, let me not, a poor frail son of man, be betrayed with a kiss!
But what if I should be guilty of the same accursed sin as Judas, that son of perdition? I have been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus; I am a member of His visible Church; I sit at the communion table: all these are so many kisses of my lips. Am I sincere in them? If not, I am a base traitor. Do I live in the world as carelessly as others do, and yet make a profession of being a follower of Jesus? Then I must expose religion to ridicule, and lead men to speak evil of the holy name by which I am called. Surely if I act thus inconsistently I am a Judas, and it were better for me that I had never been born. Dare I hope that I am clear in this matter? Then, O Lord, keep me so. O Lord, make me sincere and true. Preserve me from every false way. Never let me betray my Saviour. I do love Thee, Jesus, and though I often grieve Thee, yet I would desire to abide faithful even unto death. O God, forbid that I should be a high-soaring professor, and then fall at last into the lake of fire, because I betrayed my Master with a kiss.

Chuckles

2011-03-23T08:18:00.000-04:00

Ladies, I had to chuckle yesterday. I was talking to someone I had not talked to in a while and in a polite manner we were both inquiring about the status of each other's family. This sweet lady asked me how my girls were and how school was going. I answered, "Fine," and explained that I was working on changing our schedule back to a more normal one. And then came the question: Can they read? I replied, "Well, of course." And I stifled a laugh. Not at the lady, because I love her dearly, but at the idea that so many folks finds it astounding that my children can read.

Sometimes I wonder what exactly folks think happens when we homeschool. Do we spend our days watching TV? Do we REALLY learn stuff? Or maybe illiteracy is ok in homeschooling. LOL

There was a time when this would have made me mad. And truthfully, it depends upon the intent of the questioner, but sometimes it's funny to me now.And especially because I knew this person meant no harm and this was her natural question about this "odd" lifestyle.

Still chuckling...

Encouragement For "Oppressed" Women

2011-03-22T08:16:00.000-04:00

Mother, teaching her child to pray

Mothers, don’t let anyone ever dupe you into thinking there’s anything ignoble or disgraceful about remaining at home and raising your family. Don’t buy the lie that you’re repressed if you’re a worker in the home instead of in the world’s workplace. Devoting yourself fully to your role as wife and mother is not repression; it is true liberation. Multitudes of women have bought the world’s lie, put on a suit, picked up a briefcase, dropped their children off for someone else to raise, and gone into the workplace, only to realize after fifteen years that they and their children have a hollow void in their hearts. Many such career women now say they wish they had devoted themselves to motherhood and the home instead.

John MacArthur

Successful Christian Parenting, Word Publishing, 1998, p. 195.

So I'm Up Late...

2011-03-22T00:17:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow I start a new schedule for my part-time job. Hopefully this is going to allow me to keep up with the girls' schooling better than I have been since I went back to work. So tonight, I'm burning the midnight oil, literally, trying to get their lessons for the week done. So far, I've got a couple days done... but I'm enjoying it and looking forward to sharing what I've done tonight with them in the morning.

I don't really know why I am sharing this, except to say that I feel really blessed to be able to share this time with my kids, to be able to homeschool, to have a supportive spouse who believes in me and who is all for homeschooling, and to have the opportunity to parent the kids I have now. So many folks my age ask me why I decided to "start over" with the parenting thing. The short answer is: because I love it. It's the best job in the world, pays far better than any money-paying job I've ever had, and I can't think of one single thing I'd rather do. Yes, that was the short answer, lol. Maybe it's not for everyone. But it's for me. Don't get me wrong. I have moments when I could pinch my little angels' heads off. But I have more moments when I'm ever so thankful they are around me.

And tonight, planning out lessons on the parts of plants, addition sums, word lists, and handwriting, it seems like such an arduous task, and yet an awesome gift, that my Heavenly Father has given me in allowing me to mother all four of my children, to educate them for His glory in spite of my shortcomings.

Yes, home education may be hard. But the rewards are great. And those who find them are blessed.

On Modesty and Mothers

2011-03-19T23:12:00.000-04:00

If lustful looking be so grievous a sin, then those who dress and expose themselves with desires to be looked at and lusted after...are not less, but even more guilty. In this matter it is only too often the case that men sin, but women tempt them so to do. How great, then, must be the guilt of the great majority of the modern misses who deliberately seek to arouse the sexual passions of our young men. And how much greater still is the guilt of most of their mothers for allowing them to become lascivious temptresses.

A.W. Pink

The Sermon on the Mount, The Law and Adultery: Matthew 5:27-32.

Something More...

2011-03-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

In my new part-time job, which I incidentally got because I'm family to the business owner, I routinely see men coming in and asking for work. They are often men who've worked years in stable jobs who have recently found themselves unemployed. Some have taken the bulls by the horn already and gone and bought themselves trucks and trailers and are now out looking for a place to use their new equipment and start their own business. Some don't have the ability to buy equipment and seek only to use a skill they already have. And then there are those who don't have the skill but seem willing to learn anything at this point to support themselves and their families. For all the government spouting about how much better things are getting, one would not be able to see that from what I see daily.

For some reason, I am extremely bothered by this. It hurts my heart to see these men, so longing to provide for families and not to take handouts, when we have to say so often, "Sorry, nothing here to offer you." I wonder how many times they've heard that, how discouraged they may be. Perhaps I feel this way because I'm married to a man who takes his responsibility as provider so seriously. I can only imagine how he would feel in their shoes. I am so thankful for the Father's provision of jobs for our family, but my heart hurts for those who don't have that now.

As I've been studying about family entrepreneurship, family reformation, dominion and other topics related to work and God's design for it in our lives, I am amazed at the blessing that work is intended to be and the blessing it becomes when we view it His way. Perhaps in our future we'll learn to view work, all work, not just the paying kind, as the blessing it is. I know one thing, I see the faces of men who want to support their families and feel productive again. Perhaps they never think of the blessing work is according to the Scriptures. But I bet you one thing, not many of them will take it for granted again once they find another job.

Perhaps soon, when I'm more well-studied, I can share what I'm learning about work and productivity as it relates to the home and our work. It's truly amazing. But for now, my heart is heavy for those I see, and those I don't, who are looking for work and wondering how their family will survive. Surely as Christians, as the American church, we can surely see that there must be something we could do. Do we really need new buildings or softball fields? Wouldn't compassion go a lot farther in displaying the love of Christ? Do we really need Power Points and multi-media displays? Wouldn't a warm meal and perhaps a hospitable home do so much more with so much less? Can we really justify leisure and extravagance when our brothers and sisters are in need? Really?

Sorry this isn't a happy post. But it's real. Maybe it's been this way for a while. Maybe I don't get out enough. But it just hurts watching people, especially male providers, struggle as they are these days. Even those who know little about their God-given role usually have the instinct to provide. At least the ones I'm meeting do. For now all I can do is pray for them and turn them away. But there must be something... something more...

Bethel or Babel?

2011-03-13T22:27:00.000-04:00

“I hate pride and arrogance!” (Pr. 8:13). God abhors those people worst who adore themselves most. Pride is not a Bethel – that is, a house where God dwells; but a Babel – that is, a stinking dungeon in which Satan abides. - William Secker, The Consistent Christian, 1660

Dave Daubenmire -- A Call to Courage to Save America

2011-03-11T10:19:00.000-05:00

This is an excellent article. It's likely to offend some, but I found it very truthful and I believe this type of conversation is needed to jolt us from our slumber. - Sonia

Dave Daubenmire -- A Call to Courage to Save America

A CALL TO COURAGE TO SAVE AMERICA

By Coach Dave Daubenmire
March 10, 2011
NewsWithViews.com

Courage. What makes a King out of a slave? Courage.
What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage.
What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist or the dusky dusk?
What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage.
What makes the Sphinx the 7th Wonder? Courage.
What makes the dawn come up like THUNDER?! Courage.
What makes the Hottentot so hot?
What puts the "ape" in ape-ricot?
Whatta they got that I ain't got? Courage! Listen to The Cowardly Lion

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. -Acts 4:13

Fear and faith are both contagious. That is something I learned from a lifetime of athletics. It is the reason that people go to a football game, flock to a NASCAR event, or watch the ‘daring young man on the flying trapeze.”

The internal battle for the heart, that something-special that makes a muskrat guard his musk, that is what draws men to the battle. We all recognize courage when we see it. Women are drawn to men who have it and men flock to those who exhibit it.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the world of sports. The two-minute drill in football, the last-second shot in basketball, and the last-lap victory at Daytona are the moments where heroes are made.

It once was the American way; A living out of the Scripture “greater love has no man than this than he would lay down his life for his friends.” It was not the actual dying that is so captivating, but rather, the willingness to die, that exhorts men to higher achievement.

The cowardly lion innately understood it…”what makes a King out of a slave”…nothing touches the heart of man as much as a sold-out act of courage.

Jesus was the ultimate hero. He HAD to be the Son of God. What is the old line about Him…”He was a liar, a lunatic, or Lord”…has there ever lived a greater example of courage than the man from Galilee?

I’ll never forget the afternoon of 9-11 as I sat like so many others, transfixed by the events of the day, in front of my TV as history unfolded. Nothing impacted me more that day than the act of bravery displayed by the firefighters. Against all human instincts they willingly ran into a building that everyone else was running out of. It was the Christian-ethic playing out before us…greater love has no man than this…the faith of our fathers…the Christian ethic that built this nation. But that character-trait is rapidly disappearing in this nation.

Christian men have become cowardly lions. Most won’t even stand up to their wife and children. They are vanishing from participating in “church activities,” opting instead for the excitement of sports where they can vicariously live-out courage through the lives’ of the real men they see living out “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.”

The Church no longer believes in victory, but capitulation. Modern-American Christianity teaches that God is somehow more glorified through defeat than He would be through victory. A defeatist attitude subtlety promoted from the pulpit intimates that to “turn the other cheek” was a commandment to become a floor mat for the rulers of this world.

As a wise man once said silence isn’t golden, it is yellow. Our Christian leadership are toothless lions, afraid to offend, afraid to speak the Truth, afraid to take a stand. Their passive, live-and-let-live attitude towards things that are antithetical to Christianity has produced a nation of wimps. Christian men no longer guard their musk.

“You scare Pastors,” I had a pastor friend tell me one time.

“I know.” I answered him. “I challenge them. I hold them accountable. They know I am listening to what they say. I won’t let them turn me into a sissy.”

Without courage words are meaningless. There is a great disconnect between the God they say they serve and they way they serve Him. I serve a conquering King. They serve one who capitulates to the opinions of men.

My friend Jim tells me that we can’t do it without the pastors, that they are the key to mobilizing the church. I appreciate his efforts to drag them into the battle, but I don’t have time to change their diapers. All things Christian are under assault in this country. The response of “God’s Generals” is plasma TV’s and louder praise and worship music.

"Last, but by no means least, courage - moral courage, the courage of one's convictions, the courage to see things through. The world is in a constant conspiracy against the brave. It's the age-old struggle - the roar of the crowd on one side and the voice of your conscience on the other." -General MacArthur

Does your pastor speak out against the godless public school system? Does he tell his sheep to get their children out or does he dutifully support the schools undermining of Christian values?

Has your pastor encouraged you to get involved with the debate over the defunding of Planned Parenthood? Has he compelled his flock to more actively oppose abortion? Has he engaged your church in the battle for “personhood for the unborn”?

Does your pastor speak the truth about Islam or does he believe it to be a religion of peace, implying that Jesus has no problem with Mohammed or his followers?

What is his position on sexual sins? Does he speak against “shacking up”, fornication, divorce, pornography, homosexuality, and for modesty in dress? Is there any form of church discipline for those who violate the standard he sets? Does he set a standard and hold to it?

Can you picture him doing anything that could be considered “civilly disobedient” or does he believe that the Christians are to blindly follow the edicts of government, even when they fly in the face of what the Bible teaches?

Does he encourage men to be men or is the “Men’s ministry” nothing more than get-in-touch-with-your-feelings-self-help-effeminate Christianity?

Have you voiced your concerns or do you “go along to get along”? Are you going to demand that this leader of men, lead men? Tell him to stop singing and start fighting.

All of the problems that we face in America are moral. Every one of them. The failure of “the Church” to be the “salt and light” has permitted immorality to gnaw like a cancer at the moral integrity of America’s people. Silence is complicity. Salt stings, it is a corrosive.

I hear a lot of talk these days about our need to “reclaim America,” or “reclaim our government,” or “take back our country.” I say it is time to reclaim our churches. Until we do, our nation will remain a rudderless ship adrift on a sea of moral sewage.

People love to complain about Obama acting like a dictator…that no one holds him accountable. What’s the difference between the average pastor and Obama? Is the church a dictatorship or a Republic? Your response will explain why they call us sheep.

So, what about you? What is your excuse? What is it that separates you from the cowardly lion? Are you too afraid to challenge the oligarchy in your own church?

Do you sit silently in your church while a “different gospel” drifts out of the pulpit? Are you silent as you watch the “youth group” become nothing more than entertainment by Christian-secularists? Do you obediently pay your “tithes and offerings” while the church leadership squanders the money on salaries, benefits, and a “more attractive atmosphere” for seekers? Have you permitted the use of power point projections to replace individual Bibles in your church services?

“I do believe in ghosts, I do believe in ghosts, I do, I do, I do believe in Ghosts.” -The cowardly Lion

“It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.” -Patrick Henry

Stand up and speak up. Now is the time for courage. How we respond right now counts forever.

Click Here for an audio version of this commentary.

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Do you think like a Christian or a humanist? Did the Founders really separate Church and State? Is Judicial tyranny ruining America? Check out these great teachings by the Coach

Super Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole

2011-03-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

So I came across a recipe that was supposed to be frugal. Only it didn't sound like it would have much taste. So I did my usual "doctoring" to the recipe, and here's what I came up with.

Chicken Leg Quarters 3-5
Rice, cooked, 3-4 cups
Alfredo Sauce, 1 jar
Onion, about 1/2 of a large one or one small one, chopped
garlic powder to taste, or fresh if you have it
corn or peas or green beans, 1 can your choice
1 - 2 TBSP butter

Boil the chicken. While it's cooking, put the rice in the rice cooker. Remove chicken from the water and let it cool. Pick it off the bone.

Saute the onion and garlic in butter. Add the chicken when the onions are beginning to get tender. Saute about two minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the rice and the Alfredo sauce. Pour into casserole dish and top with some bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Yummmm!

Old Memories, New Learning

2011-03-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

I can still remember my very first reading book in school. Yes, I can. I can't remember what I had for lunch by supper time most days, but I can remember that book. I remember my excitement at learning that "ABC's" went together in different orders to form patterns, that those patterns made different sounds, the sounds made words, and words made sentences. I remember discovering that I was, in fact, quite good at this reading thing! But mostly, I remember the book. I remember one picture in particular. It was a picture of a boat on some pretty blue water. And since reading time was right before snack time in the morning, when a lucky child would get to go the cafeteria and carry back 20 cartons of cold milk, I was usually quite thirsty about that time. And that picture in that book only made me thirstier.

So with all those vivid memories in mind, I began to search online for a copy of this book. I could not remember the name of it, but I could remember the names of the characters: Mary, Jeff, and Mike. Eventually, I found out that the book was Worlds of Wonder. And then I found an UNUSED copy that a school had discarded. I was so excited. I purchased it and the next two levels as I remember them as well!! And now my girls are enjoying the Mary, Jeff, and Mike stories. I don't think the boat picture has quite the same effect on them because they are homeschooled and eat and drink when they like, but I can see the same love for the stories that I once had. And I see the great pride in their faces at their "independent" reading they are doing! What a lovely thing to share with them!

And now, for your enjoyment, the picture that made such an impression on me:

I could still drink a carton of cold milk after looking at this picture! It's amazing what early experiences can leave within us!

Caught, Not Taught

2011-03-07T09:35:00.000-05:00

Some lessons are better caught than taught. I've heard that before but have recently been reminded of that in my own life. In fact in the last week, I can count at least three occasions when the thought entered my mind that something I was trying to pass on to someone else would be better understood by my listener if they were to see the concept I was teaching in my life. Then they would "catch" what I meant.

Biblical womanhood is much the same way. I've had several years of experience now with teaching Titus 2 issues and other biblical femininity things and have found that by and large, these things do not lend themselves to group teaching. I've found that women often find themselves sitting amongst a group of women, taking a class because it's offered as a women's discipleship class, being totally uncomfortable with the material being discussed and yet not willing to voice that or sometimes admit it to themselves. There have been instances when that discomfort with the material has turned into anger that was directed at me. Sometimes to my face, and sometimes behind my back. Sometimes with my husband, which I find so ironic because all the while the woman is proclaiming that I am setting women back decades (or more) and degrading them, they are so upset with my husband for allowing me to teach this in "his" church. LOL. Gotta laugh at that one. Still, I think there is some truth to this type teaching being better when it's done one on one, in a more intimate and personal way. In fact, I suspect this to be true of all biblical teaching, not just that pertaining to women. Attempting to disciple those who are not willing or ready is like rubbing a cat the wrong way. Someone will get hurt, and it's usually not the cat. In a traditional church setting today, teaching of this sort is fraught with peril if it's done in a group setting because some hearts are usually not ready for it. I am not saying it should not be done. No, never! It should, but it should be done as all true discipleship is done, with a lifestyle and a personal investment in another woman.

So, in my opinion, the heart of biblical womanhood is best caught, not taught. It's best to let the example speak for itself before the teaching can begin. And truthfully, not all will be attracted to an example of biblical womanhood. It's very unappealing to some women and men alike. But some will be drawn to it. And those, my friends, are the ones we can disciple.

Like everyone, I love to go to conferences and come home feeling refreshed and filled. And I'll often comment about how "challenged" I was by a speaker. But as I thought the other night, it came to me that things conference speakers say would never go over so well if they came from the mouths regular church members, because then I'd have to take it personally, and there would be a sense of accountability. I've decided that being a conference speaker is like being a traveling evangelist. You can go to a place, put on your best clothes, deliver a message that ooh's and aah's them, shake everyone's hand and leave with your reputation not only intact but with adoring fans awaiting your next visit. If, however, you live "amongst the natives", you better suit up before you try the same thing.

So what does that say about Christianity today? I asked myself that and my conclusion is: Not so much. Because in traditional churches today, we are often not dealing with Christians. And when we are, they are often ill-taught ones. And bless their hearts, an ill-taught Christian is sometimes more dangerous than a non-Christian in a church environment.

With all that being said, what's a woman to do? How are we to fulfill our calling to disciple other women according to Titus 2? First, pray. Ask God to place those whom He has already decided to give you to teach in your path. Pray for wisdom, guidance and direction as you teach. ***If you have daughters do not neglect that as your first responsibility. Take it as a given that these are yours to disciple!*** Second, look not so much for opportunities to lecture but to come alongside and teach in a practical as well as spiritual manner. Third, remember that the Greatest teacher ever had only 12 close followers, and we will likely have fewer than that. Oh, many may read our blogs, or sit through our classes. Those who share our convictions are likely to enjoy our writings or teaching. Those who don't will pass on by. We need to stop viewing ourselves as failures because other women treat us that way. God does not see us as failures if we are living a life pleasing to Him, loving other women by investing in them, and still yet rubbing the majority of them the wrong way. We may be gross failures, however, if we make all women happy and fail to honor Him.

Today, as we interact with others, let us remember that most of what we hope to teach is better caught than taught. Live a life pleasing to Him. To those that that appeals to, your teaching will be like cool water to a thirsty soul. Leave the rest alone. Do not write them off. Pray for them. Continue to live the testimony in front of them. Love them. But leave them alone on the issue. I am not saying never to teach difficult truth. There is a time and a place. But let God be your guide in that. I think we'll find the place for that to be much less frequently found than we anticipate. Remember that to be caught, our lifestyle must speak of integrity. We can not be neglecting our families to teach other women.

So let's change the world by changing our culture! One woman, one family at a time. Let's forget the ideas of big weekend conferences that we attend year after year for "personal refreshing" and start looking at a lifetime of meaningful, personal, intimate relationships with other women based not on the commiserating of our plights but on the encouragement of our callings.

I'm Not Getting Any Better At This!

2011-03-03T23:14:00.000-05:00

Relax... breathe... and imagine this:

Scheduling is still a challenge for me. Writing is taking a back seat to everything else right now. And when I do sit to write, it's like so much comes up but nothing comes out. I think that makes sense. At least I hope it does.

One thing I'm remembering from this experience is what it felt like to be a full-time working wife and mom and how stressed I always was and how it felt to feel like I did a very good job at work and only a mediocre job at home. I don't like that feeling. It's on a much smaller scale now, but I could see how more hours could quickly have me right back in the same position I once found myself.

On that note, while I am so very thankful for my little part-time income, I've really been studying and praying about what is the best route for our family. Going through the Family Entrepreneur Bootcamp DVD's has been very enlightening for me. I am only partially through them, but they are well worth the time. I have written in the past about my ideas about making a home, or household, be productive and not just being consumers. I've written about creativity, and my ideas about work. These DVD's do a much better job than I at explaining the blessing of work and God's plan for families in that area. I can't recommend them highly enough.

Since Spring is just around the corner, I have chick fever. Those who know me personally know that I love all animals, but especially chickens! Hatching eggs in an incubator is one of my favorite hobbies. I don't have to keep them all. I just love the process. I never cease to be amazed at the forming of life in the shell and then the appearing of a wet but soon to be fluffy chick. It's amazing at the personalities they are all born with. We'll likely be moving very soon if all works out according to plan. I 'll update more on that as it becomes available, but Proverbs 31 Hands may soon be bursting with all kinds of news about all kinds of animals. But for now, it's just chicks, and I just loaded my first dozen hatching eggs in the bator for this season. The eggs are Salmon Faverolles, which were shipped from a chicken farmer in Waynesville, NC. Wanna see a Faverolle? Here ya, go:

Is that not the coolest chicken you ever saw???

And last but not least, if I can get my act together, I'd like to talk some about current food prices. I know we are all trying to stretch dollars as much as we can. But with food inflation such as it is (I know, our government says it's only like 3% per annum... yeah... well they aren't buying the things I am... it's more like 20 to 40% on many items). So what's a person to do? Now and in the long-term? I fully believe that our God provides, but I also know from Scripture that one way He provides is by giving wisdom. Proverbs is replete with examples of industry and diligence and their results. So those are things I'd like to talk about with y'all this Spring.

In the meantime, I'll also share our latest lapbooks. We are beginning a new one now (our 4th one) and the girls are so excited.

So I'll be here a bit more regularly. Y'all keep stopping by and eventually, I will get better at this! Thank you all for continuing to check in!

So I Got A Part-time Job...

2011-02-18T07:44:00.000-05:00

two days a week, and it seems like it's take four days out of my week. I know it hasn't, and I know I can get a schedule going again. But it is amazing how much that 2 days a weeks feels like it takes from the things like homeschool, housekeeping (not that I'm the best at that anyway) and generally from me. I am, however, enjoying being able to make up for the difference in the cost of our insurance this year. It went up drastically, so something had to give. God has provided a way that we didn't take the huge step back that it once looked like we would, and for that I give Him thanks!

On another happy note, let me tell you about a bargain I got. Like most women, I get all excited about a bargain. Well, I have been wanting Vision Forum's DVD's about Family Entrepreneurship for a while. I'd love to be able to attend the actual event but I'll settle for the DVD's. However, they are quite expensive, and it's just not been in the budget. Well, guess what! I found them on Ebay for $30.00, brand new. Someone bought them and never watched them. I was so excited because I had been praying and asking God for direction about our family's finances. I have been studying about household productivity in relation to dominion and while I had scraped the surface of that issue before, I have never delved deeply in it. I am sure these videos/lectures go much further, but that's ok. I think we need it.

If anyone else is interested in these videos, you can purchase them at www.visionforum.com. Search for family entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Bootcamp will come up. It's 10 DVD's with 16 hours of teaching (if I remember correctly).

My Version of Pepperoni Rolls And Hot Pockets

2011-02-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

Being frugal is on everyone's mind now, I think. And since I'm working a couple days a week, I am looking for convenience foods that don't cost an arm and a leg. Making bread, whether it's in a machine or by hand, is one of my favorite things to do. So, with those things in mind, I set about trying to find the perfect "hot pocket" recipes. My favorite one that I came up with is a combination of two of my favorite recipes. The first is a bread machine recipe, Butterhorn Rolls, and the second is a pepperoni roll recipe. These freeze exceptionally well. The bread machine I have makes a 1 1/2 lb. loaf, and that makes 24 pepperoni rolls. In fact, this bread recipe can be used for just about anything. So here's the recipe:

In the bread machine tub, place 3/4 cup milk
                                                1 egg
                                                3 cups all purpose flour
                                                1 tsp salt
                                                1/3 cup oil
                                                1/3 cup of sugar (I add a bit more)
                                                2 tsp yeast
                                                1 1/2 tbsp butter or margarine, melted

Be sure to add the items in the order they are written. Set the machine for the dough cycle and turn it on. When the dough cycle is complete, take the dough out and place it on a floured surface. Roll into a log shape. Cut into three pieces. Roll each piece into a rectangle that is less than 1/4 inch thick. The thinner the better. Put a layer of pepperoni slices on the dough, covering it with a single layer. Sprinkle the pepperoni lightly with garlic powder and parmesan cheese if you desire. Roll the rectangle up like a jelly roll. Using a large, sharp pizza cutter, slice the "jelly roll" into 8 pieces. Repeat with the other two pieces of dough until you have 24 rolls. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 until they are lightly golden brown. Allow to cool completely before placing in a plastic bag to freeze. These don't last more than a week here, but if you are going to make large quantities or keep very long in the freezer, you will want to wrap them tightly in plastic and then in freezer wrap.

I also use this recipe to make "hot pockets". The dough recipe makes about 8 pockets, depending upon size. Roll the dough into a log, and cut it into 8 pieces with a pizza cutter. Next, roll it very thin with a rolling pin. Place the filling of your choice inside and seal the edges. You can pinch the dough together. If you are having trouble getting it to seal, wet the tips of your fingers with tap water and rub along the edges you are trying to get to stick. This sometimes works for me. My favorite fillings are ham and cheese, philly cheese steak, and turkey-bacon for lunch. For breakfast, combine eggs, cheese and your favorite meat, throw in some veggies if you like and you have a great "omelet pocket."

These are so much less expensive than store bought convenience foods. In fact, a breakfast pocket can be made for about .50 or .75 per serving, depending upon the filling. Lunch is pretty much the same. Much healthier with less preservatives, too!

Hope y'all enjoy these ideas and that they help your budget, too!

Some Provocative Reading

2011-02-09T09:37:00.000-05:00

I came across an article by Gary North about the lack of confidence many face in homeschooling their children. It's a very good article and you can find it here: link.

In that article, he cites many of the free materials that are available to us online to aid in educating our children and ourselves. Because many of us were educated to believe we can not educate, sometimes, we need to be reeducated. While there are several resources listed in the article I am interested in, this one caught my eye. And the prologue of the book grabbed me. I'd like to share it with y'all if you are interested. The book is The Underground History of American Education by John Taylor Gatto. You can find it here for free. If you enjoy the reading, you can also purchase it. I have not finished it so I will not pass my full opinion of it as of yet. But so far, it's very thought-provoking and blunt. Here's the prologue, just to whet your appetite. If you read it, let me know what you think.

Prologue The shocking possibility that dumb people don’t exist in sufficient numbers to warrant the millions of careers devoted to tending them will seem incredible to you. Yet that is my central proposition: the mass dumbness which justifies official schooling first had to be dreamed of; it isn’t real.

Make Way for Lapbooks!!

2011-02-05T16:07:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures of the work and the finished results from our first lapbook project at home! We used Make Way for Ducklings and had the best time with it. I used ideas from here. The templates were free, and I added some other things. We learned about maps, states, cities, ponds, rivers, islands, ducks, alphabetical order, hatching duck eggs, context clues for dating stories, and so much more. All of that from one little storybook!! That was last week. This week, we are going to be working on telling time with both digital and face clocks, and we'll be making a lapbook to go with that. I will be using The Grouch Ladybug book as it follows the the grumpy little bug throughout the hours of her day as she faces larger and larger animals with an attitude that really needs adjusting. So we won't be just learning about time. Our lapbook will cover time, manners, compassion, animals, and we'll work on compare/contrast items from the story.

I'm telling you all this not to brag but to share the excitement that I've found something we ALL can love as far as how we are teaching. I love traditional school things, but truly they can get quite boring over time. This way, not only do we get lots of variation, but it helps the children tie the skills they learn together with stories they love and daily life. It's just so much more than a textbook and a worksheet. That's what I love about it. And as they get older and we begin doing things like timelines, etc,, I can see this model of homeschooling working all the way through. Maybe we'll stop with some of the cutesy stuff (or not, after all, they are girls), but no matter what, it's a creative process that's fun and deeply educational for us.

So I hope you enjoy the pics and check out the Lapbooks Page on here. I have great links, not all tried by me but recommended by those with far more experience than I have in this so far. Thanks to those who turned us on this. And I hope some of you find you enjoy this as much as we have and it breathes a freshness in your homeschool days, too!

Claire, hard at work writing her title

Delaney, adding the author's name

Schooling in Pajamas! We love to do it that way!

Holding up their finished projects. That's a Caldecot Medal on the front. We learned about those, too!

On Headcovering Again

2011-01-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

I've talked with some you and have heard from some of you about your studies on headcovering. I really appreciate the sisterhood and sharing. As some of you know, I no longer struggle with the covering like I once did. I am quite comfortable in it. However, I can't say I always like the look. But I'm working on that.

Since I began covering I have had questions as to whether the covering was for all the time, for corporate worship only, on only for public praying and prophesying. I have talked with some of you by email about this back and forth and my conviction has been to cover full-time because I could not support (biblically) my desire to only cover at worship. I am the only one who covers there as well, so it's not like I am any less conspicuous that way. ;o) Truthfully, I wanted to believe that, but I felt I could not go with it until I could biblically support it. So, since, August, I have been a full-time coverer. If you are unfamiliar with how that came about, you can view the Headcovering page at the top. It has links to my writings and many, many study materials. Anyway, as I have continued to study, I have come across some materials that have shown me that there are many who are trying just as valiantly as I to remain to true to the Scriptures who believe the wearing is for corporate worship only. Perhaps the biggest influence came from the sermons of William Einwechter. I greatly respect his teachings on many topics, and so to find that he had taught on this was new to me. I first became aware of him and the church he pastors when I was studying Titus 2 issues several years ago. And I frequently seek his teachings on many topics. Why I had not done so on this I do not know. But I found a series of sermons by him that were a great help. And I am now leaning toward a corporate worship only stance, though I still have some reservations that I need to address. Here is a link to many sermons on head covering. You can search through these pages for those by Einwechter. I have also begun listening to those by Silversides.

Any of you who want to email me and let me know what you think on this, I'd love to hear from you! Or you can comment here as long as you keep it nice. Remember, we handle one another with much grace!