Little Blessings

I think that as homemakers and mothers it is easy to get discouraged at times. Sleepless nights, countless diaper changes, there’s always something or someone needing our attention every where we turn. Sometimes we get caught up in just trying to get things done and forget how blessed we really are. At least, I know I do.

But all I have to do is stop and look around me to see all of the many blessings that our Gracious Heavenly Father has bestowed upon me. One only has to look at the precious faces of our children to see His Most Holy Goodness. I know that my life has been so richly blessed and that it is only by His Grace that I am able to receive so much. Many times I am unable to see all that I have been given, but I do know that I am deeply loved by my Heavenly Father and He has surrounded me with support and love and friendship, even during difficult times. I realize that earthly love and comfort are nothing in comparison to the love that Our Lord has for me, but I truly appreciate that He let’s us have it anyway.

It is so easy for us to become burdened by the weight of difficulties in life. But we must always trust in God’s Providence, and that He will give us strength to persevere.

With Love,

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Trusting God

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." ~ Matthew 6:33

This is one of my favorite Bible verses. I love knowing that God has things under control. If we struggle then it is because He has allowed this struggle, and when we prosper, it is because He has given this prosperity to us. All we need to do is focus on following Him, and everything else is up to Him. This is not easy to remember when things feel stressful, but what a comfort to know that He does not need us to worry about all of the details. All He asks is that we focus on Him, and His will.

"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:" ~Matthew 6:28.

If God cares so much for these flowers, how much more then does He care for His children?

This is not to say that we mustn't work, or provide for the things we need. God is not likely to come into the kitchen and bake the bread for me. But we do not need to sit around worrying about where to get the flour to bake that bread. God provides for us. Whether it be by giving you a great job opportunity, or having a complete stranger bring you a bag of food. We don't always know how God will provide, but the important thing is to trust that He will provide. He loves us so very much. He loves us so much that all He asks of us in return is to love Him. If we can just put our faith in Him, put all of our focus on obeying His will, we can rest safely in His promise that He will take care of us. We need not go to bed at night full of worry. God knows our concerns, and He already has a plan to provide for us.

In His Abounding Grace,

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Returning Good for Evil

The subject of nonresistance, and turning the other cheek keeps coming up. It seems to be something I just can't get away from, no matter how I might try! Lately it has been very much on my heart. It is something I continually struggle with. Most would say that I am a very "nice" person, I've been described as "sweet" my entire life. What most people don't know is that I inwardly struggle with anger, and if I am not careful, I can become quite bitter and resentful. This is a battle I face every day. Sometimes every minute.

Being nonresistant means returning good for evil. When someone makes a "snarky" comment you just smile, and purpose yourself to be kind to them. It means immediately letting go of anger when someone is mean to you. It means continually forgiving, even when that forgiveness is undeserved. It means CHOOSING to love your enemies. No, it's not easy, and it is something I fail at every day.

It seems that lately I have been given the opportunity to face my struggle with turning the other cheek rather frequently. I felt drawn to read a post I had written some time ago, and felt like I should share it here.

October 28, 2008- Returning Good for Evil

It seems that no matter where I turn these days, this particular topic keeps popping back up. Believe me, I have tried to get away from it. The thought comes up in my mind and I instantly start scrambling to think of something else. Every time it comes back up it is as if I am screaming "No, God, ask me to do anything else and I will, but not this!"

That might seem a bit strange, coming from someone who has been willing to do so many other things. He tells me to homeschool and I say "Yes, Lord", dress modestly "Yes, Lord, whatever You want from me", let Him be in control of our family size "Yes, Lord, I am willing", cover my head "Yes, Lord, I will obey You." So why then? Why is THIS so hard?

We have been through some very difficult trials with our extended family. We have been broken-hearted and so angry at them for their outright persecution of us. After much prayer we were eventually able to move past our anger and even forgive. We even came to a point of feeling compassion for the utter emptiness that is in their lives. But doing good to them? How? How am I supposed to do this? Isn't just not being angry enough?

I am not one to believe in "coincidences". I have always believed that God is Providential, and that when things happen, there is usually a reason. We do not always, or even often, know why things happen, but it just seems that in hindsight, there was a really good reason for almost everything. Recently we met a lady while shopping at the Salvation Army, and that weekend she invited us over for tea and cookies. As we were preparing to leave and head home the subject of the difficult situation we had faced with our extended family somehow came up. She said "I have a book that you just have to read, it's about almost the exact same thing!" We were astonished. We have been constantly amazed to hear that so many families, just like ours, had faced the same difficulties. My husband started reading the book that evening, and could hardly put it down. He kept telling me about the story, and we were amazed, over and over again, by the similarities. The family in the book's situation went further than ours did, and they faced bigger difficulties than we did, but it was a story that we could relate too, even in the small details. After he finished reading the book he kept telling me how this theme of returning good for evil ran all through the book. It was interesting as this topic had been on my mind already, but as I mentioned, I didn't really want to think about it. He said that he just couldn't stop thinking about that, and that it was really weighing on him. Now my heart felt really heavy. I felt like screaming "Ok, ok I am listening God. But please don't make me!"

Finally willing to submit to this, we face a new problem. How do we honor God by returning good for evil, while also honoring our biblical responsibilities as parents to protect our children and to shelter them from harm? The answer of protecting them seems clear, but then what are we supposed to do to show kindness to these people? My mind feels boggled to even think of it, and to be honest, it makes my heart anxious a bit. Yes, I know, anxiety is not a godly feeling. I know that He will provide the answer to us, in His time. And I know that I am ready to listen when that answer does come. I pray that God will soften my heart so that I will not have hesitation when He reveals to us what we must do. I know that God has allowed us to go through difficult times for a purpose, and much of that purpose has shown itself to us, but is it possible that this is also part of that purpose? Is there some big lesson in learning to be kind to these people? Somehow I think the answer is yes.

In Christ's Love,

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A Blessedly Busy Day

Today was a busy day, but it was a good busy. It was one of those days full of tasks, but they were the type of tasks where you got to actually see the fruits of your labors.

We made apple butter with some of the apples we bought in Versailles. The boys love being involved in tasks like this, and it's always a wonderful time to squeeze in some learning! (we did quite a bit of apple counting!)


Joseph decided that he needed to "sample" the apples....just to make sure that they were good enough to use! :)

One of the loveliest things about making apple butter is the delicious aroma that fills our home while it simmers on the stove. Yum!

We also made 2 loaves of bread. I love the smell of bread while it's rising....maybe even as much as the smell of it freshly baked!

Jacob worked on his school work while we waited for the bread to rise. This afternoon I found a little time to work on the pink quilt, in between stirring the apple butter and washing clothes and changing diapers and playing with little ones. Yes, it was a busy day, but a blessed one indeed!

In Christ's Love,

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The Lord's Day

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." Exodus 20:8-11

One of the things we believe is keeping Sunday a holy day, and not working on the Lord's day. A little tradition that has arose from this belief is having popcorn for Sunday suppers. You have to like any culture that considers icecream and popcorn to be supper, lol!

Daddy has become our official popcorn maker. The boys listen to the "pop pop pop" with such anticipation. The popcorn that Daddy makes is the best!

After supper we noticed all of the deer playing outside the laundry room window. We like watching them, and I think they like watching us, too!



In His Abounding Grace,

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Apple Butter Recipe

I have had quite a number of requests for my apple butter recipe. Since making apple butter is on the agenda for today, I thought it would be a nice time to share it. :)


This recipe yields about 3 pints.

Ingredients:
4 lbs of apples (about 16 medium sized apples)
4 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves

Directions:
To prepare pulp: Wash apples. Core peel and cut up apples. Combine apples and 2 cups of water in a large saucepot. Simmer until apples are soft. Puree' using a food processor or food mill, being cautious not to liquefy. Measure 2 quarts of apple puree'.
To make butter: Combine apple pulp sugar and spices in a large saucepot. Cook slowly until thick enough to round up on a spoon. As mixture thickens stir frequently to avoid sticking. Ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles (I tap jars on the counter). Place rings and lids onto jars. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

Love,

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A Trip to Versailles

We took a drive out to Versailles this weekend to pick up some supplies. Our first stop was GVS. The boys loved that store! The boys each got to pick out a special bouncy ball and a balloon.

We picked up all the "necessities". Hair pins and clippies, stockings, suspenders, headscarves...And a few "fun" items as well, such as a quilting mat and a set of toy farm animals for the boys.

We bought a new guest book as well. (it was even on sale! :) )

After GVS we went to Weavers to pick up grocery supplies.


Shopping in Versailles is such a pleasant experience. I love the rural setting, but even moreso I enjoy being around likeminded people every where you go.

Here's what we purchased at our visit to Weavers:
* 50lbs Russet potatoes
* 50lbs white sugar
* 50lbs all purpose flour
* 50lbs wheat flour
* 10lbs light brown sugar
* 10lbs dark brown sugar
* 26lbs oatmeal
* strawberry rhubarb jam (I just couldn't resist!)
* 1 gallon syrup
* 1 gallon white vinegar
* popcorn oil
* 10lbs popcorn kernels
* a pie roller
* a box of half gallon canning jars
* big box of pretzels
* a peck of apples

We really enjoyed the drive through the winding dirt roads and countryside.


Once all of our shopping was done we went to Lehman's for supper. "I like this restaurant" Jacob said. We had a delicious meal of baked steak, corn, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy. It was nice to visit with the ladies there.

After supper we headed off for the long drive home. We saw a gorgeous sunset. The sun looked like a huge orange ball hanging low in the sky. The picture doesn't begin to do it justice!


The boys were so excited about their "presents". What a wonderful day!

Our pantry is now well stocked. I can't wait to get in the kitchen and cook up something special for the boys. :)

With Love,

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"Plan purposefully. Prepare prayerfully. Proceed positively. Pursue persistently."

A friend of mine posted this earlier and I found it to be such an encouraging statement!

Plan purposefully.
"The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty" Proverbs 21:5

This verse is often used in relation to business and finances, but I think it can be applied to homemakers as well. Proper planning is an essential skill in homemaking. Without proper planning we often find ourselves in a bind. We might run out of things in the kitchen, and find ourselves needing to go to the market mid-week (and likely spending unplanned money!). We may find ourselves without all of the ingredients to make the meals we had planned for, or running out of time to do all that needs to be done. Often times these things can lead to inconveniencing our husbands.

When we plan purposefully, we can save ourselves time and money!

Another example of planning purposefully might be with planning a good garden to grow the food our family needs. Then we will have fresh food to put up for the winter months. Or, we might plan purposefully by researching the best place to purchase things we need. We can plan purposefully by scheduling our time wisely and making the best use of the resources we have.

Proceed positively.
"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:14

Why should we "be of good courage?" Our hopes are not in things of this world, our hope are with God. We can have faith to proceed in our walk with a positive attitude, with a joyful heart, being of good courage because we serve an awesome God who is ALWAYS in control.

If we go forth with a negative spirit, it is because we simply have not put our trust in Him.

Prepare prayerfully.
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6

Being full of prayer means paying attention to God’s presence in all parts of our lives. In ALL parts of our lives...

I tend to be a bit literalistic at times. To me all things means exactly that...all things. You might ask why God would want us to be prayerful about all things. He knows the exact number of hairs on our head. He cares about the tiniest of creatures that He created. He cares about even the little things in our life.

Are we prayerful in all things in our daily life? Do we prepare prayerfully as we go about our daily duties?

We should always go about things in a prayerful manner because we never know what God has planned for us.

God cares about not only what we do, but HOW we do things. He knows our inner heart, and He cares about our inner attitudes.

We should always be prayerful that God would use us for His will.

Pursue persistently.
"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." 2 Corinthians 4:16

Another translation of this verse reads "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed." When we prayerfully and purposefully follow God's plans for us, He will renew our inner self. We don't need to rely on our own strength, because we have His strength.

Throughout Scripture, persistence and perseverance are described as good things. God is delighted with those who persevere in spite of opposition. We should pursue the paths He sets before us with persistence.


In His Abounding Grace,

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Dear Father, bless the one...

"That needle poking to and fro, Means so much more than you may know. Each snap, each button, each shirt, each dress, contains something you'll never guess. Each garment Mom makes, from the start, contains a small piece of her heart. With every snip she adds her love, and whispers a prayer to God above. Dear Father, bless the one who wears this, protect and guide them with Your kindness. Give them strength from day to day. That from all sin they'll turn away. Then into each and every seam. She presses in her fondest dream. That each one in her family. Will join her in eternity. So next time Mom makes you any clothes, Know that, in it, her love shows. It's more than just a thing to wear, It's a symbol of Mom's loving care."

I came across this little poem earlier and just loved it! It expresses so much of how I feel about making things for friends and family.

I have been asked so many times why I would bother with making things when it would be so much easier to just buy them. There are certainly times where it does make more sense to purchase things (such as boys pants and shirts- they go through them so quickly, and pants get ripped and shirts get stained...it wouldn't be prudent to make them by hand), But with other things, the care and prayers that are put into it while it is being made are more than worth the time and effort involved.

Whenever I am making something for someone, I always take a moment to pray for the person it is for. I always find it amazing that even though the prayers are for someone else, it is my heart that seems to gain so much! What a blessing that is!


In Christ's Love,

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Sweet Hour of Prayer

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

I have always had a fondness for this hymn. Every now and then I will find myself singing this, and usually it is when I am in need of a subtle reminder to turn to God in prayer. I think sometimes we just get caught up in the "busyness" of life and forget to talk to Him. We remember when we have big needs or stresses, but do we turn over the little things to Him as well?

We need to remember to take time away from our busyness and rest at the feet of our Father's throne.

I finished two more blocks for little James' quilt. The other boys are so excited for me to start theirs! Somehow my sewing to-do list has grown rather large! I have lap quilt that I am working on, the boys' Christmas quilts, I need to make a new rice heating pad, and James' is going to need a few church outfits.

Tomorrow morning we are heading to the park to play with our friends from co-op, and in the afternoon I need to work on a shopping list for our trip to Versailles.

Blessings Dear Friends!,

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Psalm 119:133

"Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." Psalm 119:133

A friend of mine shared this verse earlier today, and it really touched my heart. This verse has been on my mind for several months as we were seeking and trying to discern God's direction in our lives.

For the last year our family has been floating. After we had left the Mennonites we didn't know where to go. For the first time in a long time we felt as if we were wandering with no direction. I don't believe that God stopped giving us direction...I know that He would never leave His children without guidance. We had simply stopped listening.

God patiently waited for His little children to come back to Him. It amazes me how much patience He has for me!

I look to the verse, and this is my plea. "Order my steps in thy word! Lord, you know I am not strong enough or wise enough on my own. Let my daily steps be guided by Your word. Let Your ways direct where I go and what I do. Let Your words guide my every thought. Do not let evilness rule my life! Do not let me stray from Your protection and Your guidance."

Our family did decide to begin attending the Mennonite church again. I want to be clear that it's not because we feel like they are the only "right" church, or that their way is the only way. We do however feel that this is where God is leading us, and that it is the right place for us to be at this time. I believe that, as Christians, we can honor God and follow God obediently at any church, in any place, because obedience is about what is in our hearts. We do feel like this congregation, and this particular way of honoring God is what is right and what is best for our family.

My heart has been heavy for months as we muddled through discerning God's direction for our family. The stress was really wearing on me. Once we went back and spent time in fellowship and worship there, His direction was suddenly clear again. I feel such peace in being obedient.

"Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." Psalm 119:133

In His Abounding Grace,

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Stitching With Baby

I am making each of the boys a special quilt as Christmas gifts. I began working on James' quilt this afternoon. :)


I finished stitching the first block for James' quilt this evening. His quilt is blocks of alphabet letters and sweet little nursery animals and such.



Baby James wanted to see what mama was working on, so he climbed up to look. What precious little moments! I know he won't remember watching me make his quilt, but I look forward to telling him when he is bigger that he watched me stitching his blocks.

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;" Colossians 3:23

In Christ's Abiding Love,

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A New Pink Quilt!

I began piecing this quilt for a wonderful friend. I love that it is made completely from scrap material. Aside from being rather frugal (you can't beat free!), each fabric has it's own story, it's own unique history and that makes the quilt all the more special. I love making things for people. I love taking the time to pray for them as I work with my hands. It's a special time to me, and it reminds me all the more of the love that I have for whoever I am making the item for.

It has been a while since I have done any quilting, so I can already spot a few imperfections in this one. But, I'd rather have an imperfect quilt made with love, than a perfect quilt made by a stranger's machine. :)

I will share more pictures as the quilt progresses.

With Love,

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Why is the Wilderness a Blessing?

My husband and I were talking with a minister friend of ours and he said something about how we are in the wilderness, and the promised land is in heaven with our Lord. Why would this wilderness be a blessing?

Where do we learn? Where do we grow? Where do we go through the refining to become more holy? The wilderness. Without the trials and struggles we face, we would never grow. It is easy to trust in God if we never face difficulties, but it truly shows faith when we believe Him in the difficult times.

Why is this land the wilderness? We are strangers here, pilgrims in a foreign land. But, we have refuge in our faith. We see His goodness as we wander through the wilderness. He gives us manna when we are hungry. He sends us sweet showers of blessings to sustain us.

We live in the wilderness so that one day we experience the blessing of being in the promised land.

This world is not my home, I'm just passing through.
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

O Lord you know I have no friend like you
If Heaven's not my home, then Lord what will I do?
The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

In Christ's Love,

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The Lord's Day

This Sunday was our first time back at the Mennonite church since we had left. We had a great mix of emotions...nervousness, joy, a longing to visit our dear friends, a worry they would be upset at us for having left...so many things.

I had wondered what it would feel like, to be in the church again. Would we feel like strangers? Would we feel at home?

Our drive there was an hour and fifteen minutes long. After the first 20 minutes, it was all rural. It was a rather pleasant drive, meandering through farmland and gravel roads. As we pulled up to the church I did feel as if my heart might just jump through my chest. I had been thinking so much about my life over the past year, and how different it had been, and I was feeling so lost. We pulled into the parking lot, and I thought my nerves might just get the better of me. We went into the church and I instantly felt like I had arrived home. For a moment I reflected back to the first time we had walked into the church....

"On Sunday we were invited to visit the Mennonite church. What a wonderful experience! When we first walked in I saw all of the ladies sitting on one side, each in their white covering and dresses in pretty shades of pastels, and I felt right at home. The first song we sang was one of my dear favorites; "Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior" and the four part harmony sounded like we must have been in heaven! Afterward we had dinner with one of the families, and it was nice to sit and talk with people who we share so many common beliefs with. We have already been invited to lunch next week with another family."

I took my place on the pew...the same place I had always sat in before. I held little James in my lap, just as I had held Joseph so many times before. As we sat in Sunday School, I could hear the youth boys singing "Perfectly Broken", a song that has been on my heart for the last month. I had to take James into the nursery, and rocking him in the dark room while listening to Titus preach felt so very familiar. It felt like home. I listened to the sermon, as I sat rocking my baby. "A separate and peculiar people..." I looked at the ladies in the pews with their pleated white kapps, and over at the men on their side, all in white buttoned up shirts and suspenders. Yes, I suppose it would be rather peculiar to most people. But I had never felt so much at home.

After church we gathered for a fellowship lunch. The crock-pots full of simple farm fresh meals was ever so inviting. Joshua grinned from ear to ear when he saw the trays of bread and jam. After lunch the ladies all sat in a circle chatting about wonderful things. Five new babies had been born that year...such a blessing! The children all played and the youth gathered to sing. It was everything I had remembered it to be.

After lunch we headed over to talk with Titus and Hannah. Our children very much enjoyed playing with their children. The girls took the boys outside, and they played barefoot and happy for hours. One of the girls even managed to rock Jamie to sleep. Talking with Titus and Hannah was wonderful. It felt as if burdens were lifted from my heart.

We spent the whole afternoon there. Hannah and her girls served us a meal of popcorn, crackers and cheese spread, cheese slices, and icecream. (They do not cook on Sundays, since it is a day of rest.)

After we ate, we went to the Garber's home for a hymn sing. The entire congregation came. Everyone brought chairs, and had formed a half circle (I love how everything is always so neat and orderly) around the fire. The singing was unbelievably beautiful. When it began to grow dark, Steve brought out oil lanterns to light the way. After the singing the children ran around playing and the adults stood around visiting with one another. It was almost difficult to leave to head home!

Many of the questions we have had felt answered after today. We had been praying for direction and feel that God is leading us back to the Mennonites. I feel a sense of peace in my heart that had been missing for quite some time.

In Christ's Love,

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