I haven’t been able to keep up the house as I so desire . . . it frustrates me to no end! Then I tend to neglect the things which are really more important like spending time with the children, doing memory work, singing together, reading story after story, my patience runs a bit thin and you know how it goes. Today God reminded me about things which are seen and things which are not seen and my priorities. “
While we look not at the things
which are seen,
But at the things
which are not seen.
For the things which are seen
are temporary,
But the things which are not seen
are eternal.
II Corinthians 4:18
Anyway if you come to see us . . . don’t expect everything in it’s place, although I long for that to be the case.
I remember the song “I’ll say ‘Yes, Lord, yes to Your will and to Your way.’ Today my house is a wreck, but I am saying “Yes, Lord, to Your will and way” even if my flesh wants to go in other directions. Pray for me to keep this in mind!
Friday, December 23, 2005
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Monday, December 19, 2005
Thankful for a Normal Day!
The other evening at family night while others were busy doing a puzzle and visiting, I picked up a book that was lying on the window sill and read two chapters. It was called, “He Restoreth My Soul” Stories of sudden loss. Judi asked me if I should be reading that book at that time of the night. I didn’t see any problem with it. Sunday evening I was regeretting reading those particular stories.
We were Christmas Caroling. Dale had split us up into three different groups so that our group wouldn’t be so huge and we would cover more ground. When we got there I voted to stay out in the van with the children and wait for the procession to begin instead of unloading everyone and loading back up seatbelts, carseats and all. Japheth would go in and see what group we were in and where we would be going. It took longer than I had anticipated . . . The children were already tired of sitting in the van. How would the evening go? Finally everyone spilled out of the church and began finding a vehicle to ride in. Japheth said that they needed some more seats so he asked Judi (who was staying at the church) if she would mind keeping our two oldest boys with her. That was ok, so Japheth sent and saw them enter the church building.
We packed three others into our back van seat and off we headed to enjoy this special activity of the Christmas season.
Japheth was the song leader in our group, so I just stayed in the van with Loraine and Wayne. It was below zero. An hour later two youngest were very ready to be somewhere besides in their car seats. I decided that this was enough of fussiness and asked if Japheth could drop us off at the church.
We were relieved to be there. A bit later it seemed so quiet, I asked Judi so where are the boys. She gave me a blank look as if she was teasing me. I thought, “No, Judi, this isn’t a time to be funny. I want to know where they are at.” She kept looking at me silently then finally answered, “Aren’t they with you? I thought you guys changed your mind.”
“No, I said, we left them here with you. You, haven’t seen them?”
Quickly, I ran for my coat, while calling for the only man in the building to help me go look for my boys outside. No little boys to be seen anywhere. What ever happened to them!!!!!!!!!!! Will we find two frozen little bodies in a snowbank somewhere? All kinds of thoughts went zooming through my head.
. . . Or where they safely in someone’s van Christmas caroling with their friends to their hearts content. I hoped so, but why didn’t the others question why our three and four year olds were not with their parents. That’s quite young to off with friends!!! Where were they?????????????
Cell phones are wonderful . . . but if no one answers what good are they? We tried calling several different ones and no one answered. So we waited. There were two older ladies in the kitchen preparing the hot chocolate and finger foods for cold, hungry carolers. We all were praying up a storm, silently in our hearts and waiting . . . .
Finally a call came and confirmed that indeed our boys were with another group. Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My boys arrived all happy and enjoying the evening as people came bustling in the door. I quickly pulled them aside to the nursery. Then the tears came lose. “Mama thought you guys might’ve died!!!!! Didn’t Papa tell you to stay here with Aunt Judi?” They seeing me bawling started in too.
What a heart lurch . . . realizing that we might have added to those stories of sudden loss.
God had kept them safe.
I’m praising the Lord that life today is normal.
We were Christmas Caroling. Dale had split us up into three different groups so that our group wouldn’t be so huge and we would cover more ground. When we got there I voted to stay out in the van with the children and wait for the procession to begin instead of unloading everyone and loading back up seatbelts, carseats and all. Japheth would go in and see what group we were in and where we would be going. It took longer than I had anticipated . . . The children were already tired of sitting in the van. How would the evening go? Finally everyone spilled out of the church and began finding a vehicle to ride in. Japheth said that they needed some more seats so he asked Judi (who was staying at the church) if she would mind keeping our two oldest boys with her. That was ok, so Japheth sent and saw them enter the church building.
We packed three others into our back van seat and off we headed to enjoy this special activity of the Christmas season.
Japheth was the song leader in our group, so I just stayed in the van with Loraine and Wayne. It was below zero. An hour later two youngest were very ready to be somewhere besides in their car seats. I decided that this was enough of fussiness and asked if Japheth could drop us off at the church.
We were relieved to be there. A bit later it seemed so quiet, I asked Judi so where are the boys. She gave me a blank look as if she was teasing me. I thought, “No, Judi, this isn’t a time to be funny. I want to know where they are at.” She kept looking at me silently then finally answered, “Aren’t they with you? I thought you guys changed your mind.”
“No, I said, we left them here with you. You, haven’t seen them?”
Quickly, I ran for my coat, while calling for the only man in the building to help me go look for my boys outside. No little boys to be seen anywhere. What ever happened to them!!!!!!!!!!! Will we find two frozen little bodies in a snowbank somewhere? All kinds of thoughts went zooming through my head.
. . . Or where they safely in someone’s van Christmas caroling with their friends to their hearts content. I hoped so, but why didn’t the others question why our three and four year olds were not with their parents. That’s quite young to off with friends!!! Where were they?????????????
Cell phones are wonderful . . . but if no one answers what good are they? We tried calling several different ones and no one answered. So we waited. There were two older ladies in the kitchen preparing the hot chocolate and finger foods for cold, hungry carolers. We all were praying up a storm, silently in our hearts and waiting . . . .
Finally a call came and confirmed that indeed our boys were with another group. Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My boys arrived all happy and enjoying the evening as people came bustling in the door. I quickly pulled them aside to the nursery. Then the tears came lose. “Mama thought you guys might’ve died!!!!! Didn’t Papa tell you to stay here with Aunt Judi?” They seeing me bawling started in too.
What a heart lurch . . . realizing that we might have added to those stories of sudden loss.
God had kept them safe.
I’m praising the Lord that life today is normal.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Wishful Thinking
The other day my hubby found this writing and HAD to show me. I often tell him (when I’m pregnant and especially tired) that I want to hibernate. He, uh . . . does not like to hear this! . . . but sometimes I’m desperate for sleep and wish for all my heart to be allowed this treat. Yesterday was one of those days.
Wanna be a Bear?
If you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that.
Before you hibernate, you're supposed to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that, too.
If you're a bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you're sleeping and wake to partially grown, cute cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that.
If you're a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them too. I could deal with that.
If you're a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling. He EXPECTS that you will have hairy legs.
Yup..... I wanna be a bear.- Jean Clem
If you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that.
Before you hibernate, you're supposed to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that, too.
If you're a bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you're sleeping and wake to partially grown, cute cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that.
If you're a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them too. I could deal with that.
If you're a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling. He EXPECTS that you will have hairy legs.
Yup..... I wanna be a bear.- Jean Clem
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Calm and Bright
“And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed,
the next day we lightened the ship.” Acts 27:18
Ah, yes, yesterday was Monday! On the weekends something like the schedule messes the children up and Monday is a riot of fussiness. . . And of course Mama is extra tired. All I really did was make a double batch of bread . . . but it was too much for this Monday! So today we are trying to take it easy.
However that is done is often a question when life goes on and things are crying for attention, like dirty laundry and guests are coming for supper. Maybe it’s just the “setting in the mind” that whatever happens all can be “calm and bright” if my heart is in tune with the Lord.
I like that song. “Silent night, holy night all is calm all is bright.” Mother and child can be surrounded with peace when Jesus is there.
I am so thankful to have Him abiding with me! What a difference His spirit makes in my heart!
Peace be to you!
the next day we lightened the ship.” Acts 27:18
Ah, yes, yesterday was Monday! On the weekends something like the schedule messes the children up and Monday is a riot of fussiness. . . And of course Mama is extra tired. All I really did was make a double batch of bread . . . but it was too much for this Monday! So today we are trying to take it easy.
However that is done is often a question when life goes on and things are crying for attention, like dirty laundry and guests are coming for supper. Maybe it’s just the “setting in the mind” that whatever happens all can be “calm and bright” if my heart is in tune with the Lord.
I like that song. “Silent night, holy night all is calm all is bright.” Mother and child can be surrounded with peace when Jesus is there.
I am so thankful to have Him abiding with me! What a difference His spirit makes in my heart!
Peace be to you!
Friday, December 09, 2005
Loveliness
Oh, how lovely,
Is the morning,
Is the morning
When the quiet,
Is blissfully heard,
Blissfully heard.
Thank-You, Lord!
Thank-You, Lord!
– A revised edition of
“Oh, How Lovely Is the Evening”
This morning was an early morning again . . . we’ve gotten into going to bed later and getting up later. It’s hard to pull yourself out of bed, but it is well worth the quiet before the hubbub of life starts over again for the day.
Yesterday the boys were thrilled to go iceskating!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ah, the joys of boys! Well, I’m anxious to get the skates on myself.
And these past few days my activites included making several batches of granola and some hot chocolate mix. I enjoy having time to do this after the busyness of summer activities. I’m also having fun using scraps and material that I’ve collected for comforters. Most of them I send to Christian Aid. I just enjoy the fun of putting them together and knowing that someone else also gets joy in being warmer.
God bless your day!
Is the morning,
Is the morning
When the quiet,
Is blissfully heard,
Blissfully heard.
Thank-You, Lord!
Thank-You, Lord!
– A revised edition of
“Oh, How Lovely Is the Evening”
This morning was an early morning again . . . we’ve gotten into going to bed later and getting up later. It’s hard to pull yourself out of bed, but it is well worth the quiet before the hubbub of life starts over again for the day.
Yesterday the boys were thrilled to go iceskating!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ah, the joys of boys! Well, I’m anxious to get the skates on myself.
And these past few days my activites included making several batches of granola and some hot chocolate mix. I enjoy having time to do this after the busyness of summer activities. I’m also having fun using scraps and material that I’ve collected for comforters. Most of them I send to Christian Aid. I just enjoy the fun of putting them together and knowing that someone else also gets joy in being warmer.
God bless your day!
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Another Heritage
As the years and seasons go by in my housekeeping career, I find myself adding to my small collection of canning expertise. This year for the first time I did up (with some mother-in-law and sister-in-law help) about 70 quarts of apple pie filling. And today I was helping a friend make apple butter. I decided I like it after all. At first I was apprehensive and wondering if this was really worth making. I’ve always enjoyed my bread best with just butter. Occasionally I will put on jam, but hardly ever this brown stuff called apple butter. It didn’t look very desirable getting dark brown and swirling with pineapple lumps. Then after it was all finished I licked off the spatula and fell in love with the warm, fresh apple butter!
Also for the first since we’ve been married, we butchered up a pig the other day. I agreed, knowing Japheth loves his pork’s ribs, chops and sausage. I am not much of a meat eater especially pork. Well, I’m learning a few things. I do really like pork roast, chops, and the sausage was sooo good in a stromboli recipe. It brings variety to my cooking.
I did grow up with pork. My job on butchering day was to clean the pig stomach and peel the outer layer off. Later this was filled with potatoes and bread or something like that and called “Dutch Goose.” I never ate it. I didn’t like the “sweet bread”(pancreas) either, or fried brains . . . or the cracklings. I’m just too squeamish or something.
Saturday evening I will make liver and onions for supper. Do you want to know why? I . . . uhmm . . . do NOT like liver. It’s gross. I think it’s mostly the texture. For the same reason, I do not like slimly canned mushrooms. But my children have to eat things they do not appreciate and my husband dutifully eats a bit of zucchini quiche. So now I have to be a good sport and eat liver. It is very good for me in the fact that it has lots of iron that I lack especially when I’m pregnant. If I were stoic, I might eat some every day instead of taking iron supplements. Secondly, it’s the Stauffer family night and hopefully we’ll eat all of our liver supply up!
Back to apple butter, I remember my Grandparents making it outside in a big black kettle. Pop would stand by stirring it quite often so that it wouldn’t burn and tend the fire carefully. It’s a good feeling to keep up the family traditions, not that we made apple butter outside, but that we made it and enjoy it. Butchering doesn’t hold it’s appeal that it did when I was a little girl, but there is a certain satisfaction of going to the freezer and pulling out something that you put lots of effort into and saved money in the process.
This evening I had a bedtime snack of homemade wheat bread and homemade apple butter.
I am satisfied . . . with the day well spent.
Also for the first since we’ve been married, we butchered up a pig the other day. I agreed, knowing Japheth loves his pork’s ribs, chops and sausage. I am not much of a meat eater especially pork. Well, I’m learning a few things. I do really like pork roast, chops, and the sausage was sooo good in a stromboli recipe. It brings variety to my cooking.
I did grow up with pork. My job on butchering day was to clean the pig stomach and peel the outer layer off. Later this was filled with potatoes and bread or something like that and called “Dutch Goose.” I never ate it. I didn’t like the “sweet bread”(pancreas) either, or fried brains . . . or the cracklings. I’m just too squeamish or something.
Saturday evening I will make liver and onions for supper. Do you want to know why? I . . . uhmm . . . do NOT like liver. It’s gross. I think it’s mostly the texture. For the same reason, I do not like slimly canned mushrooms. But my children have to eat things they do not appreciate and my husband dutifully eats a bit of zucchini quiche. So now I have to be a good sport and eat liver. It is very good for me in the fact that it has lots of iron that I lack especially when I’m pregnant. If I were stoic, I might eat some every day instead of taking iron supplements. Secondly, it’s the Stauffer family night and hopefully we’ll eat all of our liver supply up!
Back to apple butter, I remember my Grandparents making it outside in a big black kettle. Pop would stand by stirring it quite often so that it wouldn’t burn and tend the fire carefully. It’s a good feeling to keep up the family traditions, not that we made apple butter outside, but that we made it and enjoy it. Butchering doesn’t hold it’s appeal that it did when I was a little girl, but there is a certain satisfaction of going to the freezer and pulling out something that you put lots of effort into and saved money in the process.
This evening I had a bedtime snack of homemade wheat bread and homemade apple butter.
I am satisfied . . . with the day well spent.
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