Anticipaton

It always gets me excited to see my children eagerly awaiting something, so excited they are ready to burst with happiness and joy and a mixture of something I can’t put into words. It’s one of the reasons I love homeschooling — that it is I, and not some other adult, who has the amazing privilege of not only seeing that anticipation, but who also has the opportunity to build upon it, watching it bud and blossom into accomplishment.

I thought of this because the weather man (er, woman…) made an announcement today that got my children excited…There is snow in the forecast for the weekend! We talked about whether or not there will be enough precipitation so that it will actually snow a lot and whether or not it will be cold enough that the snow will actually lay, since we’ve seen snowflakes this season at least several times. Besides being a great science lesson about the seasons or about how snow is made (and only God can make snow, no matter what the ski resort thinks!), the prediction has given my children something to look forward to with anticipation…to turn over in their minds and to ponder and consider and apply their knowledge, such as it is.

This time of year there is so much busy-ness that I enjoy the chance to slow down and reflect. I think that for myself and for my children the anticipation of Christmas gifts, snow, Santa, family visits, sweets and treats, and the magical appearance the world takes on as it is decorated by man and by nature gives us much to look forward to. We know that something extraordinary is about to happen.

I think spiritually, too, I look forward in anticipation…I celebrate the amazing miracle of the virgin birth, the willing obedience of a little Hebrew girl who unselfishly stepped into faith and became part of God’s redemption plan for mankind, and the awesome and unfathomable reality of Emmanuel — God with us…The lyrics “Fragile fingers sent to heal us, tender brow prepared for thorn…Tiny heart whose blood will save us…” come to life for me as I consider the inexplicable gift of a loving and merciful Heavenly Father, whose love for us was so great that He sent His only Son, to be wounded and pierced and rejected so that we could live. I look forward to celebrating all of that with a sense of awe, wonder and anticipation!

Hearts of Thanksgiving

Well, over the month of November, in order to make the theme of "Thanksgiving" really come alive for each of my children, we lingered at the table after the supper dishes were cleared and then went around the table, each expressing what we were thankful for. I think that this really cultivated in me, especially, a heart of thanksgiving for the many blessings God has provided. To that end, I have started a Heart of Thanksgiving blessing journal, where each day I take time to reflect on the blessings that have come my way. Sometimes in the hectic pace of living, in the daily battle with the world and the flesh, it is so easy to lose sight of those little things -- a child's cherished smile, the thoughtful kiss of a husband, the answered prayer, the unexpected phone call or letter...But in using my little journal, I've come to really see how the Lord is so very gracious and good to me, despite me, and how He really is a good and loving Father who wants me to notice all those things He does for me...Much like I appreciate when my children notice all that I have done for them in the name of not merely duty or obligation, but out of unconditional and unending love. It has been a wonderful and joyful thing for me to give those moments of reflection to the Lord in praise with a heart of thanksgiving for all He has done and all He has yet to do! Enjoy a very blessed and merry Christmas!!!

Eat From the Pantry Challenge to Give....

When I originally started this challenge, the year was fresh and the slate was clean, and I had high hopes for a better start to 2010 than the last few years have brought our family. I thought that I might use the money we saved to surprise my husband with some extra money to pay off our mortgage at the end of the year, but with the recent tragedy in Haiti God has laid it on my heart to give some extra toward those suffering. My home church is having a special offering this weekend that will go directly to Missionary partners we have sent to help in this time of dire need and sorrowful crisis. To that end, I am going to pray and seek the Lord in what amount, exactly, He would have us give. I think that it is important to look at those citizens in Haiti as brothers and sisters in Christ. It saddens me to even need to state something that should be so obvious to those of us who walk with Him, but there are so many people with a terrible worldview who do not embrace those who are suffering and reach out to them in His Name. I pray that those who survived the terrors of the earthquake are able to find peace in the days to come, help where they most need it and a spiritual cleansing possible only through the blood of Christ. Please take a moment today and pray for your brothers and sisters in Haiti.

God's blessings,
~mary

Eat from the Pantry Challenge...continued!

I got a little behind with my updates. In fact, I am a little under the weather today, and have spent the majority of my day trying to rest and generally feel a little better. So far, I still have a headache, but I am praying that I can be joyful when my husband comes home.

On Monday, I confess I went to the grocery store. Mainly because we needed a few things like milk and fresh produce. I ended up not spending any money out of pocket, because we'd received a gift certificate for Christmas. The nice thing about that was that I also managed to come in under budget and still have a few dollars left to spend on the gift certificate!

I can't remember where I left off with the pantry meals -- I think the last one I recorded was before date night with my husband. So in general, we've polished off the clementines and some oranges and bananas for snacks, the kiddies ate cereal and instant oatmeal we had for breakfasts while I stuck to the old-fashioned oatmeal with slivered almonds, agave nectar and some kind of fruit if we had it. For lunches, we have used up leftovers and, on days where there were no leftovers to be had, ate ramen noodle soup or pb&j.

Dinners were a little more challenging. One night we had ground turkey with sauteed veggies over whole wheat pasta. I also made meat loaf, mashed potatoes and green beans and apple sauce (from a jar though, not homemade this time, since I was down to one apple -- didn't think it would stretch to feed all 8 of us!). The night my husband went hunting, 5 of the 6 kiddies went to sleepovers so Sammy and I used coupons and ate at Burger King. This was a very RARE treat, because we generally as a rule do not do fast food, but he was excited and the meal was very, very cheap with the coupon! Then last night I made something akin to chicken parmesean over linguine, but I'd forgotten to bread the chicken! So it was close, and a meal everyone enjoyed despite that small slip-up! Tonight we have a roast on that will now not languish in the freezer, complete with onions, potatoes and carrots (all of which I had!). Oh -- and somewhere in there I made three loaves of homemade whole wheat bread with homemade honey butter, and doctored up a loaf of store-bought Italian bread, splitting it and brushing with garlic butter and broiling to come up with a fresh garlic bread. We will probably finish up the whole wheat bread tonight, which will mean I need to make more of some type of bread tomorrow. It's getting to be so nice not to have to buy bread at the store anymore.

On top of this, we've used fresh fruits, cheeses (from Christmas!) or leftover ice cream to snack on for desserts.

Not too bad. We are so very blessed. I am especially thinking of that today as I am praying for those in Haiti who have been lost or who lost loved ones or who are just trying to help put things back together again. God's mercies are so good, and I am praying that this tragedy will draw people closer to Him, and that we who are not directly affected will be thankful for our blessings and mindful of those dear fellow humans who have and may currently be suffering.

God bless you and draw you ever closer!
~mary

Some quick thoughts

I have been very committed to trying the "Eat from the Pantry Challenge" and have been devoting a regular time every day to writing about it. In doing so, I wonder if I am neglecting other thoughts and topics that might be more meaningful -- both for me and for any of my readers. I find that I can get so off-track when I am left unaccountable, and maybe that is why I've felt compelled to post about my progress. However, I started to wonder if maybe I need to be accountable in other things as well. So I am taking the rest of the evening to pray and reflect on some of the goals I have for 2010. In doing so I am hoping to re-think the direction I'm going in to a certain extent, because I want to accomplish so much more than I have in the past. I am hoping, dear readers, that you will bear with me while I struggle with my thoughts, and that you won't think it too chaotic of me if I change my pattern and pace. For now, I will probably keep my focus on my pantry challenge, but I might add other posts for other areas. Because I am considering expanding my thoughts, I will try to start organizing my posts a little better in the future. Thank you all so much for being so loving and patient, and inspiring and challenging, and for keeping me accountable!

blessings!!
~mary

Pantry Challenge Day 5

Well all, there really is no great update for today, because today was Date Night!!!

We did eat breakfast and lunch at home though. For breakfast the kiddies finished off the rice with milk, cinnamon and sugar, and I had oatmeal with agave nectar and almond slivers (but no strawberries because I ran out!). For lunch, I made up three packets of ramen noodle soup and added about 1/4 cup of alphabet noodles we buy in bulk, plus about 1/4 of a package of frozen veggies. This kind of extends the soup for us. The kiddies had navel oranges for a snack, and I had a clementine, and then later for an after school snack there were leftover Christmas cookies we are working our way through.

Now to explain about the date night. First of all, my husband and I received money from grandparents for Christmas, and one thing I purchased that I thought might enrich our marriage was an entertainment guide for 2010 for our area. I thought that it would be a nice way to save money while indulging in a regular date night to enhance our marriage. Anyway...


My six children attend a Bible Club down the road. The family that runs it as their ministry are very generous with their dedication to the program. They not only pick up and drop off all the children that attend (ages 5 and up!), they also provide a meal in addition to the Bible study and song time. Our family has been so very blessed by the sweet and constant outreach that this family provides. One of the extra benefits is that once in a while Les and I will decide to have a date night out. This gives us some much-needed time to talk about family goals and such. We did that tonight.

It was so nice to sit across from my husband and talk about some of the things we hoped to accomplish in our family for 2010 without the constant interruption of little ones -- or bigger ones -- and the ever-present vying for attention that can sometimes sabotage a marital relationship if the parents are not committed to making their marriage a priority. It's not that the children are not important, but we have always believed in making our marriage the first priority and the children second. After all, some day they will move on in whatever direction God calls them. We wanted to always keep a strong friendship and partnership and love for one another so that when the empty nest occurs we still have love and appreciation for each other and still have fun.

So. Although today did find me using food stores for breakfast, lunch and snacks, I blessedly did not have to cook a meal tonight! And even though we spent a little money, it was a nice and enjoyable evening! God bless all of you! More updates on our challenge tomorrow!

~mary

Hi everyone! I absolutely love the bags that Megan has offered at

http://www.halfpinthouse.com/2010/01/just-in-time-for-valentines-day-buildabag.html

Please check them out if you have time. She is so very creative!!!

Pantry Challenge Day 4

Well, folks, I'm still participating in the Eat from the Pantry challenge. My 9 yo daughter asked today what a pantry was, and I explained that it is kind of a place where we store food. Then she wanted examples, so I went on to tell her that all of our stored food was kind of in a pantry. That led me to start thinking about exactly how we do store our food, and I was amazed to find that we have a lot of different places where we keep our food stores -- we have 2 freezers in the basement, a shelf for canned goods in the basement, several bins with miscellaneous snacks and cereals I'd stocked up on before, cans stacked in pyramids (or towers, depending on what my 5 yo decides) next to one of my hutches, a jelly cupboard full of, well, jellies and even some homemade pickles and store-bought staples like peanut butter and olive oil, and the bookshelves and other niches in the kitchen that happen to be stacked with food. God is just so very gracious!! That was a lot more than I'd thought. In fact, I even have a plastic bag (like from the supermarket) hanging from the curtain tie bar that contains two bags of potato chips we didn't end up opening on New Year's Eve.

So I do have a lot of food in the house, somewhere. The question then becomes How do I know what I have? and How can I find what I need when I want it? So my goal, after eating up our stores of food this month, will be to re-organize what I have and where I put it. I am trying to be more thoughtful about it and will post my ideas when I come up with a workable plan. For now, though, here was today's menu:

For breakfast the kiddies had leftover white rice (from supper last night) heated with milk, sugar and cinnamon. I had oatmeal with agave nectar, strawberries and slivered almonds. It was filling for me and should keep my glucose levels pretty stable. For lunch all the kiddies had ramen noodle soup. I had to take a friend to the doctor, and he ended up getting admitted to the hospital, so his wife asked if I could stop at Burger King, where she had coupons and we ate lunch together. In situations like that I don't want to be ungenuine in my concern or snobbish about her thoughtfulness, so even though I had to veer off my diet for a meal, I didn't feel the least bit guilty about it. While en route to the hospital, I called my 14 yo daughter and had her go down and see what kind of meat was in the freezer. I had some ham in there that was pre-sliced and bagged into different meal servings (ie, steaks, cubed, etc.). She brought up two baggies of ham that was sliced in steaks, and I used some yellow- and green- split peas I had, along with carrots, celery, onion, garlic and a leek, plus a little salt and pepper, to make a split pea soup. Because I personally do not eat pork products, I cooked the ham separate and added it to each serving bowl. This made the meat actually stretch a little further, and I didn't have to flavor my own serving of soup with the ham (though I have to admit it smelled really yummy!). For bed snacks the kiddies had ice cream. I snacked on a peeled and sliced cucumber off and on all day (small slices!) and was pretty satisfied. I also drank a LOT of water today, which is really nice because with the heater on this time of year I often feel my skin wanting to dry up.

I hope you are all enjoying God's faithful provision. God bless you and keep you!
~mary

Pantry Challenge Day 3

Hi everyone! I hope that you are all doing well and have been blessed by the pantry challenge if you're participating.

I was listening to a sermon on the radio today about giving and thought that it would be nice to take some of the money that we save and consider it for helping others, whether that be donating it to a local charity, adding it to our regular giving or missions giving at church or finding someone who is in need and lending a helping hand in a practical and tangible way. We kind of did that around Christmas time, when we stretched some money out of our Christmas budget to be a blessing to a loved one. Someone knocked on our door and gave us a gift certificate to a local store in the exact same amount. God really loves it when we try to reach others, and even if we had not gotten anything back at all, we felt so good to be a blessing! He knows the attitude of our hearts. I love the passage in 2 Corinthians 9, which talks about this. Paul is talking to the church at Corinth about sowing, and reaping from what has been sowed, stating:

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." ~2 Corinthians 9:7-8

I think the Lord is really working on my heart in this for 2010. It's not that I haven't considered giving before -- I have given, and I do give when I can. Giving, to me, is more than just sending in a check. Sometimes it's giving time, or talents, or even something as simple as taking a neighbor to a doctor appointment. Or making a phone call or writing a letter or stopping in to visit. Or leaving coupons (that have not expired) on a shelf next to an item for someone who might truly need them. But I really want to be more purposeful in my giving this year, to reach out in a more practical way. And I'm not sure quite yet what that might mean, but I am trying to be still enough to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in this.

I am starting to see that saving money this month can bless more than just my husband and family. And so I am determined to stick with the pantry challenge as much as I can, and maybe take it even through February. But we'll have to see how that works out, because I am not so unrealistic as to think that I've stocked up quite that much food, and as I wrote previously, I do want to make things that are nutritious where I can, which means fresh produce and dairy.

Today we all woke up late. This actually translates to: Will and Emma, my only children in public school, missed the bus -- which also meant that they missed breakfast. And that I had to rush to get them there. We walked into the building right after they finished the announcements and the Pledge of Allegiance, so we were not terribly late. But we all had fruit on the way. Lunch was leftovers from last night's supper. Which was good because I don't have them lingering in the back of the fridge like some homeschool science experiment gone wrong!

For supper tonight I made rice, with enough extra for other meals like breakfasts this week, and thawed and cooked what I consider a taco-flavored ground beef. Basically it was rice topped with the meat mixture. And I had so much more ground beef thawed than I thought that I ended up cooking it all together then separating enough for another day's meal. I froze the extra meat, put the extra cooked rice in the fridge and was pretty satisfied with how the meal turned out. Most everyone wanted seconds too, and I had just enough after removing the planned leftovers -- because if you leave it til after the meal, there's not enough left 90% of the time (last night was a rareity).

The kiddies enjoyed ice cream cups for a bedtime snack, and Les ate the last piece of Hershey pie that was in the freezer. So now those temptations are gone for the moment. Now I need to find a nice late night snack/dessert that will work to satisfy my cravings but not add on pounds or make my blood sugar skyrocket. That will probably take a while and maybe a bit of experimenting, but for tonight I just had water and while it wasn't as satisfying in a taste sense, it was nice to know that I did not eat something I probably should not have. I am trying to keep an honest food journal, so I don't want to overdo it.

Anyway, putting together meals using what I already have has been good so far. I am hoping to develop a pantry list this weekend and then come up with a skeleton menu using the items we have, but for now I'm just winging it day by day, and praying that He will really help me to stick to my plans. I am so glad He is faithful! Hope you all enjoy a good night's rest and wake up feeling refreshed!

blessings,
~mary

Pantry Challenge Day 2

Today I was ambitious when I got up, but then I did Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred and changed my mind about some things....It's not that I changed my mind about the whole pantry challenge, but I think I need to re-work my cooking plans just a little. So, here's what I came up with today:

For breakfast I had homemade oatmeal with strawberries, almonds and a little agave nectar. The kiddies finished up some cereal that we opened not that long ago, which is good because sometimes the milk sours if no one gets to it. Not the case this time, thankfully! For a mid-morning snack to help learn to eat more healthfully and use up some of the produce I purchased, I had two clementines. The kiddies had pan cookies I made the other day that survived the hubby, and bananas and oranges somewhere in there too.

When it was time for lunch we'd gotten quite a bit of homeschooling done, which pleased me immensely. It was a good start to the new year, and I'm hopeful we don't lose any of the momentum we had. It's so easy to get a good start on something but then get caught up or busy or distracted or...well, a number of things. I am really praying each day that the Lord will help us to plow forward, even if it's in little baby steps. That's sooo much better than remaining stagnent in my opinion. So for lunch I made a pizza with dough I'd had in the freezer, pepperoni and cheese we had left from the holiday and sauce I'd used in something a few days ago and had just enough left over. When the other two kiddies got home from public school, everyone was allowed to have a piece of chocolate and a cookie just to get rid of it and not let it go to waste! I ended up making a lot of cookies, toffee and fudge (the real kind from scratch, with no marshmallow at all), so we have snacks through the end of the week at least!

I was not really sure what I wanted to do about dinner. I had asked one of the kiddies to bring some ground beef up from the freezer yesterday, but he forgot...and I forgot to double-check this morning. So. It was dinner time and I didn't know what to do. What I ended up with was a concoction of pasta sauce that I made by sauteeing a Vidalia onion (I never use any other kind!), red pepper and one yellow squash in olive oil with salt, pepper, a pinch of oregano and a dash of sugar. When that got nice and soft, I added a few grape tomatoes that I quartered, along with some finely chopped spinach, and a can of crushed tomatoes (my secret shortcut in most cases). I served this delicious and nutritious sauce over pasta I had in the cupboard. It was a nice way to sneak in veggies, although I can't complain that my children are picky very often. But still, they didn't even realize how many veggies were in the sauce. As a treat, instead of water (which we drink with almost every meal and all day every day), I let the kiddies finish up the soda we'd gotten to make punch on New Year's, and it was just enough for a little cup each. We finished off the homemade bread from yesterday too (which is my cue to make more tomorrow!), and for bed snacks the kiddies each had a pan cookie.

Hopefully tomorrow we're having homemade bread, meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans or a side salad, but I'll let you know how that turns out! In the alternative a friend just sent me a recipe for a soup that is similar to a cheeseburger-type soup, and I can't wait to try that. I think, though, that I am out of one of the ingredients and so it might have to wait til next month. We'll see!

I hope God is richly blessing you in this new year and that you are following His lead in your life! God bless!!!!

~mary

Pantry Challenge Day 1

I had a great day today! First of all, four of the kiddies slept over a friend's house, so I made eggs and toast for Les before he went on no-heat service calls (and was subsequently gone all day long...), and hard-boiled eggs for the other two kiddies and myself, accompanied by oranges, for breakfast. For lunch we had some tomato soup, solely due to the cold. For supper I was going to put together chicken and dumplings, but I had baked two loaves of bread so we were low on flour. Instead, I used what I had to concoct a chicken, leek and veggie soup. This went great with the hot and crusty bread -- which I served with homemade honey butter spread (using up some of the butter I had stocked up on for Christmas baking). To top off this meal, I made chocolate chip pan cookies. Les loves these, and since he'd worked so hard both yesterday and today, I thought it was a nice way to show my love and appreciation.

I did go to the grocery store, but I only went to purchase dish soap and laundry soap because we were in dire need of both -- funny, I must've forgotten to stock up during December because I usually have back-ups in abundance! So I did pay a little more than I would normally, but Les was in need of work clothes since he worked through the weekend, and that just couldn't wait til our usual trip to Walmart for things like paper towels, toiletries and such. I did add three other cleaning items to my trip that we probably could have waited on, but I wanted to get a good start on cleaning this week. I spent just under $20 and was pretty frustrated that I hadn't had a chance to look for a sale or coupons. However, I know that I am low on those specific items so I can keep an eye out for sales in the next few weeks. The nice thing is that we can hold off on our Walmart trip -- maybe even til next month if all goes well and the kiddies don't waste what toiletries we have by purposeful spills or the like. So yay!!!

I am really praying about being more purposeful in my planning, and in my spending, and in taking time in general to show my family how much I love them. I know that the Lord has been calling me to prepare a little more too. So this pantry challenge is helping me to think a little creatively about how I can fulfill several goals. One thing I especially want to do in this is to rely more on His grace and wisdom - and less on my own self. Sometimes I worry so much about doing everything "just so", and in this I think I can learn to improvise a little and to trust that He can meet the needs of our family in various ways. Meanwhile, I am praying to be a blessing to others. Today I had the opportunity to drive a car-less neighbor to the hospital for a sleep study. While sometimes this does not seem like much to me, or even maybe to others, it gives me a chance to do "something" just where I am. As a busy homeschooling mother, sometimes I feel like I don't do enough. But I am praying that He will lead me to do that "something", even if it seems small and insignificant to me.

Anyway, we'll see how things go tomorrow. I am really looking forward to emptying the freezer so nothing is wasted, and getting it cleaned and defrosted in time for next month, where I will attempt a Once a Month (or maybe slightly modified) cooking plan! So stay tuned....

Eat from the Pantry Challenge

Well, I have several goals in mind that I set for myself this year...Of course there are the usual goals for Bible study, reading lists, homeschooling, etc. But this year I really and truly want to be a blessing to my husband.

I am in charge of a certain amount of money every month, out of which I usually pay the electric bill, the cable/internet, the cell phones (now our only phones!) and the groceries, in addition to kiddie activities. Well, just saving it seemed like a nice idea, and I am sure that I am going to work on that. But I was so impressed by Crystal's ability to put her trust in the Lord and actually achieve her family's financial goal (see her post at http://www.moneysavingmom.com/) that I determined I wanted to work on being that kind of blessing for my husband and family too. I think the best way I can do this is to save money and present my husband with a sizeable (if not all) portion of the money to pay off our Home Equity Line of Credit we got when we were a little more naive about our finances. This is going to be a pretty lofty goal for me, as I grew up in a home where "entitlement" was practiced, if not named, and I have always had a hard time with money because of that. However, I think that being able to pull this off will be such a wonderful surprise for my husband (so shhhhhh!).

So to start working toward this goal, I'm going to attempt to participate in the Eat from the Pantry challenge (http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/12/eat-from-the-pantry-challenge-my-goals-and-plans-and-come-link-up-yours-too.html). Our family ran low on some paper and cleaning products, so we'll need to run to the store for things like toothpaste, dish soap and laundry detergent. But I am going to try to use sales and coupons for those things, or make what I can from scratch with what I have on hand. Then we will limit our other purchases to milk, eggs and maybe some fresh fruits and veggies for the remainder of the month. Not that we always eat from a box or anything, but we have quite a bunch of stuff in the cupboard and in the freezer that should be eaten anyway, and poor and lazy planning often causes me to stop at the store for "one more thing" to make a meal, when a substitute or some creativity would have saved us money too. And -- this will also give me a chance to empty the cupboards of some of the things my kiddies love that might not be the healthiest and re-stock in the future with fresh foods.

I am really very excited and can't wait to see how the menu comes together for the rest of the month! I hope some of you will share your ideas for meals using what you have on hand! And in preparation for future meals, I am looking into Once a Month Cooking too, so if you have any recipes that are tried and true, please share those too! My family of 8 eats just about anything -- I am the pickiest and since I am the chef that usually doesn't work out too bad!! I will let you know how much money I squeeze into a savings account at the end of the month!

Outside my window...I see the streetlight illuminating the foggy darkness.
I am thinking...that the Lord has given me so many things to be thankful for!
I am thankful for...my husband and children, my family and friends, the basics and the faculties to live a productive and happy life.
I am wearing...jeans and a dressy black shirt -- but getting ready to go to bed shortly!
I am remembering...my babies, my grandmother and grandfather, and my mother-in-law who are waiting for me in Heaven.
I am going...to rest before I have to get up and cook!
I am reading..."Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations" by Alex and Brett Harris.
I am hoping...that it will be a white Christmas!
On my mind...I am praying for those who are in need, are alone, or feel they have nothing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
From the learning rooms...we had a light week this week, although we talked about thankfulness and tried some craft projects.
Noticing that...I can't sleep tonight for some reason.
Pondering these words..."God has a lot to say on the subject of how women are to view and relate to those in authority over them..." (From "So Much More" by Anna Sofia Botkin and Elizabeth Botkin)
From the kitchen...Smells wonderful -- I made homemade applesauce for our Thanksgiving meal.
Around the house...I am trying to keep things neat and tidy, and am enjoying the last few days of my fall decor.
One of my favorite things...is to hear what my children have to say about being thankful and praising God for our blessings!!!
From my picture journal...nothing today...

You can also participate in the Simple Woman's Daybook by visiting her blog at www.thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com

Something Worth Celebrating...

Forty-two years ago today, two people were joined together in holy matrimony -- and are still married! That may not seem like a big deal to a lot of people, but in the current climate so prevalent in today's culture, it is something certainly worthy of notice and celebration. However, I am very thankful for my parents, and for the love and morals and values that were practiced in our home and served as examples...Sure, there were times when the example was more of what not to do....but the joys I recall from my childhood centered on the practice of faith, the model of love and the immersion of living out values like trust, honesty, hard work, courage, and commitment...



For thousands of years couples have joined together and created the core of society -- the family. However, these days families are so -- dare I say it? -- disjointed, immoral...just plain wrong. And often they certainly do not always model what the Almighty set in place. I don't want to criticize anyone's circumstances, but I do want to point out that the key to staying together for 42 years -- or more, God willing -- is commitment. That seems to be lacking in many "try it on first" relationships, that often end up being temporary. In fact, I know many people who signed mortgage papers with a partner before they walked down the aisle, and even with the poor excuse of finances and economy, it is just unthinkable to me. I am not discounting faith in this equation -- commitment is easier when God is in the midst and the couple in question have a solid foundation in faith.



My parents have shared many joys, many sorrows. I have witnessed their arguments, their apologies, their love and their thoughtfulness in so many ways...Little things, done or said, a tender look or touch. I am thankful for that.



A committed spouse will be there "...for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, etc...." The Lord knows I have been blessed with a husband who has stood by me through illnesses, two miscarriages and the depression that went along with it, and who has always been a steady rock by my side, giving support and holding my hand whenever I needed it. We've gone through many financial ups and downs, have supported one another when in pursuit of various goals and dreams, and have cried to one another when things went sour. My husband has been -- and remains -- a shoulder to cry on, a sounding board for my thoughts, dreams and ideas, and sometimes the one I vent to when I am frustrated, angry or sad. I cannot imagine that someone with a less-than-stellar level of commitment would still be here, day in, day out, experiencing and sharing the drudgery of life (at times) with me. It's not that there are not sunny days -- there are many. But someone without commitment may feel the need to pursue the sun and leave the dark days behind them., whether many or few in number.



And so it's appropriate to take the time to celebrate a marriage that has succeeded where many have not, to thank God for His joining of the couple and for His blessing on their relationship. I know that I am thankful for the model I had growing up and pray that my husband and I can model the best qualities for our children too.



Happy Anniversary, Mommy & Daddy!!! I love you both so much!!!

A Thankful Heart

This Thanksgiving season I have been taking time to contemplate about the things that the Lord God has done for our family, rather than focus on the negative and distressing things that have occurred over the last year or so...

First, and most importantly, I am thankful to Almighty God for His love, grace and mercy. His amazing gift in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ guarantees those who call upon His Name a place in heaven, free from the eternal damnation in hell -- which is sadly these days a message oft overlooked in the effort to allow everyone to "feel good". However, without such a precious and wonderful gift, there would be no hope of anything after death. But through Christ's sacrifice, we have hope, and we can cling to that hope whether times are easy or hard to bear, knowing that we have the victory at the end through Christ.

I am so blessed to have a wonderful loving and hard-working husband, who has a job (another thing to be thankful for in this difficult and trying economy!). I enjoy his friendship, the conversations we have, the fun activities we engage in and just his presence overall. I am thankful for the children the Lord has loaned to me and pray that I do them justice in raising them to know Him and honor Him. I am thankful for my parents and my in-laws, who raised both my husband and myself with a sense of morals and values that have withstood the tests placed upon us by time and a culture that seems to have turned away from things worthy and of value to embrace the fleeting pursuits of life that bring only temporary pleasure. I am thankful for the confidences I have shared with my beloved sister, the joy I have had in spending time with her and with my nieces and nephew, and the good-natured pranks and teasing that are part of our relationship.

I am thankful for my health, which although not perfect, allows me to experience life using all my senses and faculties...and I don't know that I always remember to thank Him just because of that reason alone. I would not be able to pursue my favorite activities - reading, writing, crafting singing, and baking to name a few - if it were not for the abilities that the Lord has granted me with in His mercy and love, and it is some of these things that distinguish me as unique and individual from among the other amazing creations He has wrought with His mighty hands!

Despite the current discouraging climate in this political arena of late, I am so blessed to live in a country where I can read God's Word without fear of arrest or torture, that I can instruct my children in His ways, that I can praise Him anywhere and everywhere I go, and that I have the freedom to worship in those ways. I am so thankful for the men and women who have fought and are fighting to protect our freedoms, from those who journeyed here before the Europeans did, for those who braved the seas and came, and for those who melded together for the common goal of creating a nation where freedom and liberty were paramount and thus secured...I am thankful for those who rose up in courage to speak out against dictators, heresies and the like to grant us all the opportunity to pursue freedom and happiness and who joined together to create the republic form of government which allows each of us to be part of the political system and elect leaders we believe will be trustworthy to bear the burdens of governing over the small towns, rural areas, cities, counties, states and nation we hold dear.

I praise God for all of these gifts and more -- family and friends, neighbors and brothers and sisters in Christ here and around the world, food, clothing, shelter -- there are abundant blessings to count and we should all take time more than once each year to offer praise and thanksgiving to the Heavenly Father for His mercy and grace.

May you all experience a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!!!

The Simple Woman's Day Book Entry: Monday, 26 October 2009

Outside my window...I enjoyed the still-turning leaves of yellow and red and orange earlier today – now it is dark in an almost wintery way.

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I am thinking...that I am truly very blessed, despite whatever illness has attacked my house -- I know that He has already bought our healing with His precious Blood!

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I am thankful for...my husband, my children, family and friends…and the promise of health.

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From the learning rooms...we covered a lesson in Mystery of History about Bar-Kokhba, a man during the Second Jewish Revolt who claimed he was the messiah – then discussed the importance of knowing the True Messiah, Yeshua.

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From the kitchen...I made a simple soup of chicken broth, alphabet noodles and frozen veggies to help us all with this illness.

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I am wearing...pajamas, just like everyone else here who is not feeling the best.

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I am creating...a surprise for a Craft Swap Partner from the A Virtuous Woman site!!

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I am going...to be planning a more healthy and nutritious menu in the future.

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I am reading... The Ways of the Way: Restoring the Jewish Roots of the Modern Church by Raymond Robert Fischer.

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I am hoping...to be a blessing to my family.

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I am hearing...the wind, cars and the sound of my husband praying for our children.

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Around the house...things are unkempt and undone...

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One of my favorite things...is enjoying time to read a book or visit with friends.

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A few plans for the rest of the week: catching up on the cleaning, exchanging summer for winter clothing, and working on a nutritious menu for the week.

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Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

You can keep your own Simple Woman’s Day Book by going to: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

The Missing Piece

As I strive to live out a more intentional, purposeful life and immerse myself in the things of the Lord, I often find that there is a lot of white noise -- distraction, if you will. Sometimes in the flurry of activity that accompanies daily living, it gets more difficult to carve out that peaceful quiet time in order to seek out that perfect will of God. I have to say that I love all of my "distractions" (family) because I feel so blessed to be able to have experienced being a wife and mother of those dear to me. However, there are times when I try to seek out quiet pockets of time -- and I just cannot find them in the chaos that comes in having a large family.

However, aside from the normal distractions of family, commitments and the like, there are also some other things that seem to me to get in the way of my understanding the Scriptures. Mainly, I feel that I lack the basic understanding of the Jewish customs and references and traditions that enhance and make clear the beauty of the New Testament. For example -- how can anyone completely realize the symbolism of Christ as the Sacrificial Lamb without understanding the basis of how sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, how a blood sacrifice was required of God for the atonement of sin, how God delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians during Passover by having them sprinkle the blood of a lamb over their doorposts and instructing the Angel of Death to pass over those houses but take the life of the firstborn of each family who was not protected by the covering of the blood of the lamb...the list goes on.

Many parables and New Testament instructions were plain to the people of the day, because Jesus was a practicing Jew who was knowledgeable of the traditions and customs of the people, and who clearly knew the Torah.

I am thankful that our pastor does not avoid the Old Tetsament, as it seems to me that many pastors of Christian churches do. There is a whole culture of Christians who feel that the Old Testament is irrelevant, and a whole movement called "replacement theology" that is attempting to divert God's promises for the Jewish people out of any Christian teaching. This is WRONG! The Scriptures tell us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, that the Israelites are the apple of God's eye. God is the same -- yesterday, today, tomorrow -- unchanging and constant and stable. His love for the gentiles is a truth, but cannot replace the fact that the Jewish people are His chosen ones.

It frustrates and angers me when I hear that people who practice Christianity are spewing hate against the Jewish people for any reason. One often expressed is that some accuse Jews of "killing Jesus"...First of all, Jesus was undeniably Jewish. He was a rabbi, a teacher, thoroughly indoctrinated in Judaism and following the rules, rites, customs and such of the Jewish faith. When Christians are ignorant of those teachings, I feel it opens the door to more unwarranted and unnecessary prejudice against that blessed line of people. The Jewish religious may not have recognized Jesus as the Messiah, but can we so easily fault them and force blame where it is not deserved? There are Christians today who would not recognize Christ because of wrong perception...Do we really think that He would be standing at the pulpit and dialoging on the evils and horrors of sin while eschewing the very sinners He sought to save? I would venture to guess that if He was indeed walking on earth at this stage in history, He would be among the sinners and ministering to them at the place of their need. He would be merciful and loving, not refusing to associate with any. However, some Christians actually refuse to meet sinners where they are, feeling that to do so would somehow tarnish their own righteousness.

At a Christian assembly opened to the public one time, I was appalled to hear several Christians judging those around us who were smoking and swearing and who certainly did not appear to be Christians, saying that they should not have attended...However, the purpose of the assembly was to reach out to the lost (and who were they to know the hearts of those standing there anyway!?). If I was unsaved, I would have left in disgust to think that brothers and sisters walking supposedly with Christ were so narrow-minded as to exclude me based on outward appearances, but also the hypocrisy was a loud and clear message to the masses -- it seemed to scream "Come back when you have no sin!" And yet...Jesus died for that sin and already covered it. Sometimes it just takes a while for the gift to get to the recipient. Attitudes like that in the hearts of those who are Christian are driving people away from God rather than to Him, which saddens me considerably. At any rate...back to my original thoughts. I apologize for the tangent.

Jesus, as a Jewish man, would have also celebrated as ordained by God in the Torah. We as Christians are lacking when we fail to understand the Biblical significance of the Old Testament Biblical celebrations, such as Yom Kippur and Passover. God outlined His laws throughout the Torah (which are the first five books of our Bible or the Old Testament: Genesis through Deuteronomy). In fact, many Christians just ignore these Scripture passages as being tedious or unnecessary because Jesus has freed Christians from the burden of the law. However, Jesus himself claimed after His famous Sermon on the Mount:


"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." ~Matthew 5:17-20.


We can see that Jesus did not abolish the commandments ordained by God. We are free from the burden of the sin the law carries, but it does not mean that we can live our lives ignoring what God has set forth in His Word. Christianity is based on so much, and when pastors refuse to preach of hell or God's righteousness in favor of a "feel good" kind of message, they are doing a disservice to the people in denying them the whole story. Of course everyone likes to feel good and not think about the consequences of their sins, but the whole point of Jesus' amazing sacrifice cannot ever be fully appreciated when a person is unaware of the true gift of His saving grace. I am so aware of how my sins could have caused me to spend eternity in death, but that through God's saving grace, He allowed His only Son to die and take on not just my own sin, but the sins of everyone, in order that I could be free to spend eternity with Him. Without the knowledge of hell and the eternal damnation and separation from all that is good, a person really cannot fully comprehend what Christ's sacrifice has given. Can we then really expect that a person saved with a "feel good" kind of message will fully understand the why and how of avoiding sin, how the enemy tries to trap them or how they need to live intentionally for the Lord? I am not saying it cannot be done at all, but how much more deeply can we accomplish living a life for God when we know what our sins cost.

Although there are of course secular Jewish people, the religious Jews are still holding true to the traditions that stemmed from God in His Word, and though we as Christians may feel that we are justified in ignoring God's precepts, we are sorely mistaken. To live a life set apart from the world, we have to immerse ourselves in God's Word thoroughly -- both Old and New Testament should be given equal devotion, for one is inexorably linked to the other. They are not meant to be read as separate and apart, but as one complete picture of God's plan for our salvation.

I think that it is extremely important and necessary that Christians learn and put into practice some of the oracles of God that were written down so carefully for us thousands of years ago. To ignore the one part in favor of the other is to deny that part of God's commandments. We do not have to get so caught up in the learning of and adhering to the letter of the law that we lose focus or sight of God's mercy and grace as He has called us to accept the gift of the blood of His Lamb; however, we cannot live Christian lives that are ignorant of the desires of God to follow after His commandments. He is merciful, loving and forgiving; however, He is still a righteous and just judge. God reveals so much of His character throughout the Old Testament, especially through the Torah, which many Jews and Christians believe was given by God Himself directly to Moses.

The Old Testament is often the missing piece, and we, as Christians, need to embrace the beautiful stories and mysteries and precepts of the Old Testament to get a better, deeper understanding of who God really is and what God desires for us. In doing so, we can find our purpose, live intentionally and grow closer to Him as we embrace the gifts He has given to us and then, in turn, share His love, mercy and compassion with others.

Some Catching Up...

I truly hate to leave things undone, including keeping up with my correspondence with family and friends. I have let this blog go for far too long, and although I always resolve to "start and then keep up with it", I am afraid that sometimes our lives get so busy and hectic that it is not a terrible priority and so it gets forgotten in favor of far more pressing things. So, dear friends, I do not want to promise once again that I will faithfully enter the daily journals that I wish I could, but I will promise to write more regularly...Aiming at first for once a week. It is my heartfelt desire to chronicle this homeschool year, as things have begun a little unexpectedly.

You see, at some point during the summer my dear husband decided that we would keep our oldest daughter, Kayla, home this year. I struggled most of the time trying to figure out where I should place her with regard to the studies I am doing with my middle daughter, Sara. At this time they do much of the same work. Sara seems to be more apt to remember and recall information, and this I attribute largely to the fact that she's always been homeschooled using Charlotte Mason's principle of narration.

Kayla tells me often, while rolling her eyes, that she has covered a topic before, but when I probe for details, she cannot recall a single one! Kayla is a product of public school education for the most part, with only a short year or so having been at home. She thrives on being in the classroom, and I feel this is largely because when she first was placed with us as a seven year-old child, she was used to going to a public school, which seemed to be her only truly "safe" place. By the time her adoption finalization came about (along with her two sisters and her younger brother, all of whom are here with us!), she had been in our school system for two years while I homeschooled my other four adopted children. Two months after their finalization in court in December, we found out we were expecting our first biological child, and so the remainder of the school year was busy and hectic and we decided to let Kayla stay until she completed that school year.

At the time I did not mind so much, because the little school that served our country community was located right across the street, with one classroom per grade from kindergarten through grade four. The whole school seemed like an extension of the community, and reflected some old-fashioned values that one does not often find in public schools today. Sadly, our school district closed three country schools, and our own nearby school was one of them.

I find that I need to go, as my "baby", who will turn five in just a little over two weeks, has something akin to a flu and he is crying for me. I hope that those of you who read this post will pray for us this year as we undertake the next stage of our adventures in homeschooling and life.

Blessings,
~Mary

Two Very Good Books About Faith

It is rare, dear friends, that I have time to sit and read a book for my own leisure these days. With trying to manage homeschool, the household and my own education, I have sadly neglected the little (well -- large!) "To Be Read" pile in various places about the house, concentrating solely on things that I need to read to get through lessons, plan lessons or finish my own homework. That is not to say that I'm not reading other practical books -- such as gardening, as I am not well versed in that subject. But reading solely for the pleasure of reading is a past-time I've had to set aside in this particular busy season. It has saddened me, as I've not often had long spells of time without some sort of book to look forward to. However, I felt myself coming down with a slight cold, which usually accompanies that womanly cycle every month. This month it was extremely difficult, having my darling Mati so fresh in my thoughts. And so when I realized that I was actually getting a more developed cold than usual, I went immediately to the library to borrow two books that I've anticipated reading for a while now, as there has been no extra money for book purchases in the last few months.

The first book was titled "The Centurion's Wife" and is a collaborated effort by Janette Oke, who has written scores of lovely Christian fiction books, and Davis Bunn, an author with whom I was not familiar -- but whose works I will be looking up the next time I take a trip to the library. This was a lovely story set in the days between Jesus' Resurrection and the first Pentecost. The two main characters, centurion Alban and his betrothed, Leah, are each searching for the truth about what happened after the crucifixion -- Had Jesus been dead when He was laid in the tomb? What really happened to His body? Their search leads them both toward the same wonderful conclusion -- Jesus is alive! This book is the first in a series and I anxiously await the second book.

The other book I read is one of the loveliest autobiographies I've had the honor to devour - as I completed the book in a day. Written by Maria Augusta Trapp herself, "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers" paints the most wonderful picture of a family who walked out their faith daily through the joys and sorrows of life. I felt as though I were Mrs. Trapp's confidante as I read through the pages of this heartwarming and somewhat familiar story. The beauty of the family mottoes, which seemed to be "God's Will Be Done" and "God's Will has no why", is thoughtfully told. I enjoyed the picture of this Catholic family's faith put into practice, walking out not only their trust in Him but also their service toward others. It serves as a good example to Christians of all denominations -- we all need to embrace His ways even more closely than we have and aspire to show His love to others in ways that we may have shied from previously because of embarassment, fear or apathy. This book has inspired me to find more ways to teach and inspire my own children to follow God with all their hearts and to show God's love to others in practical and simple ways. I especially enjoyed the close of the book, where Mrs. Trapp includes a quote from one of my favorite stories, Henry Van Dyke's "The Other Wise Man", which you may recall our family read aloud this past Christmas day.

These stories have touched me lately like no others and I am thankful that I took ill enough to slow the normal busy pace of my family and take a moment to return to the joy of reading. These books were edifying and made me aspire to walk even closer with my Lord. I hope you will take the time to read these, or other books, that inspire you as well!

God bless!!!
~Mary

Moving on...

I've had a very difficult year to date - and it's still early on in 2009! After our miscarriage loss, I had to have two different surgeries, which ultimately resulted in an infection. I am still trying to deal with the physical pain of this loss, so the emotional part has only been addressed in little bits and pieces. Most recently (well, yesterday), I was in the hospital recovering from a laproscopy and was in the section of the hospital reserved for new mothers. It was heart-wrenching to hear the cries of newborn babies, knowing that my arms would again be empty come July, when I'd expected to welcome the baby we've now named Mati (Hebrew for "God's gift"). It was almost cruel of them to put me in that wing, and yet...I have to move on. I cannot shrink from babies merely because of my sorrow over the loss of both Jordan and Mati. I wonder if, after all of the physical trials I've gone through, the Lord is going to bless me in that way again or if four year-old Samuel will always remain the youngest living member of our family and the only baby I've ever had? It gets difficult, this thinking things through and contemplating it all. My husband feels that we should not try again - even though we never actually tried to conceive, as I've always thought it should be left up to the Lord. So I am a little discomforted and admittedly depressed in some ways, wondering what the future will bring. I am only able to move ahead day by day remembering that God has blessed us with six beautiful children - five adopted into our family and one miracle born to us. I am so thankful, because I know some people are not as blessed. If you think of it, dear friends, please keep me in your prayers.
~mary