Mother's Are...

Mothers are people who cook things

Like breakfast or lunch or a snack;

Dexterous people who hook things

Which button or zip up the back.

Mothers are people who blow things,

Balloons and kisses and noses;

Green-thumbish people who grow things
Like ivy and puppies and roses.

Mothers are people who send things

Like letters and strawberry tarts.

Magical people who mend things

Like blue jeans and elbows and hearts.

Mothers are people who find things

Like mittens and homework and germs;

Fuss-budget people who mind things

Like words and snowballs and worms.

Mothers are people who sweep things

Like porches and cobwebs and rugs;

Softhearted people people who keep things

Like artwork, report cards, and hugs.

Mothers are people who nurse things

A boy or a girl or a spouse.

And, all in all, there's not better thing to have

than a Mother in your house!

Author Unknown

In His Precious Name,

Read More

His Own Way

The boys were playing outside and came running in. "Mommy, Daddy, we found a baby bird! Come quick!" There, underneath the tree by our walkway, was a baby grackle. We decided to help him, especially with our cat lurking around. We had found a bird's nest on the ground the week before, so we put that inside a diaper box and nestled the box in the branches close by the original nest, which still had the other babies in it. We had read that if you place the bird back near the nest, the parents will usually continue caring for it in the new nest. We made sure he was safe and kept watch to make sure the parents found him.

The next day, we noticed this same bird, standing atop the edge of his new nest. He seemed just determined to hop right out again. Sure enough, the next day we found a dead baby grackle near by. He had been deheaded, most likely by a cat.

It was sad to see the bird meet such an unsightly end. But, I was reminded of a poem that the children recited at the church school program, "His Own Way." I've been trying to find the words to it, but it doesn't appear east to find!

Read More

Strawberry Freezer Jam

One of my dear friends, Sadie, has given us her excess strawberries this year. She said she already has a good supply put back in her freezer, and she knew that our plants wouldn't produce this year with it being their first year. So far she has given us ten gallons! What a blessing!

We are making freezer jam this week with our berries. The recipe is surprisingly simple, and simply delicious!

I decided to use clear gel (not the instant variety) rather than pectin, since you can adjust the amount of sugar with better results. Clear gel also freezes nicely, without leaving a gummy taste.

Ingredients

4 c. crushed berries

1/4 c. lemon juice

1 1/2 c. sugar

7 T clear gel

Directions
Place berries and lemon juice in pot. Combine clear gel with 1/4 c. of the sugar and add to berry mix. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Add the remaining sugar. Boil for one minute, continuing to stir constantly.



Pour into freezer safe containers.

*Note* You can also can this recipe. Pour into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process for ten minutes in a boiling water bath.

In His Name,

Read More

Cowboy Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. all purpose flour
1 c. uncooked old fashioned oats
3/4 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped nuts (I usually use pecans but sometimes use walnuts)
1/2 c. raisins
1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. soda

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets.
Beat butter, egg and vanilla in a bowl until blended (mixture may appear curdled). Add remaining ingredients and stir until well mixed.
Drop two inches apart in rounded spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

As I was making these today, Joshua was enjoying watching. "Mommy, I'd like you to put chocolate chips in the cookies." he says. I told him that I was making cowboy cookies, so he'd just have to wait and see what all went in. He said, "Cowboys like chocolate chips." I couldn't help but to giggle. Then, as I added each ingredient he'd say, "Oh cowboys like vanilla. Cowboys like sugar. Cowboys like raisins..." I finished making the dough and had put the cookies into the oven. "Mommy?" he asks, "Cowboys ride horses, right?" "Yes, they do." I answered him. He then begins galloping across the kitchen. "Well., I'm a cowboy then." :) I like his way of thinking.

In His Precious Name,

Read More

Marking Puzzles

Our family enjoys jigsaw puzzles. If you have puzzles and small children, then you know how easy it is for pieces to disappear only to be found months later under a table leg!

My simple solution to the obvious question of "Which puzzle is this from???" is this: I mark each puzzle with a number or letter (I used numbers for children's puzzles and letters for grown up puzzles) and then I mark each piece of that puzzle with that letter or number. So, if I find a puzzle piece marked "M" on the floor, I know just where it belongs! It takes a little time (especially on a 1000 piece puzzle!) but the time is definitely worth the effort later.

Read More

"Babies Don't Keep"

"The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow,
for children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep."
- Ruth Hubert Hamilton

A friend had shared this little poem the other day and I felt quite challenged by it! How easy it is to forget such a simple truth.

Mothers are busy. This is another simple truth. There's laundry and housework and child training and cooking and homeschooling and, and, and... It's so easy for all these things to begin to crowd out the little moments. I'm learning though, that it's all of the little moments that define life. The moments where you stop to kiss an owie, or snuggle a three year old "just because". The moments where you stop what you are doing to help a child with a puzzle, or to just watch the rain with them. These little moments are the things they think of when they think of "Mommy". Yes, washing dishes is very important, and keeping a tidy house does matter. But children will not grow up to treasure the clean house they grew up in, they will cherish the love their mother had for them.

Children grow fast. I want to cherish this special time in our lives that many people refer to as the noisy years, or the busy years. I want to rock my little ones, for as long as they'll let me. I want to hold hands with my five year old and enjoy a special walk to the garden to see how the plants are growing. I want to listen to my Bear tell me all about the interesting rocks he found while playing outside. I want to "tuddle" with "tute" Joe as tells me all about his day. The dishes can wait, I'm cherishing my babies, before it's too late!

In Christ,

Read More

Notes on Contentment

Make a list of positives and negatives of your life, Which list do you dwell on?

We have a choice about how we view life, we can choose to look down and see the mud, or raise our eyes to the heavens and see the stars.

God wants us to learn to be content in our circumstances, not when they improve.

There are 2 parts to contentment, ours and Gods.
1. Our part- pray rather than be anxious. Paul commands us to have nothing to do with anxiety and everything to do with prayer.
We must pray with thanksgiving.
Psalm 116:17
"I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD."
Giving thanks in difficult times is sacraficial.
We have a choice when confronted with negative circumstances, prayer or worry.

2. God's part- if you make the choice to pray rather than worry you will experience His peace.
Philippians 4:7
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

If we feel anxious have we done our part?

When struggling with feeling content, give thanks for what God has already done.

Philippians 4:8
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Proverbs 23:7
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee."

We become what we think. Our thought life rather than our circumstances determine whether we are content.

2 Corinthians 10:5
"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

Romans 12:2
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Philippians 4:9
"Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."

Put it into practice:
-choosing to give our anxieties to God
-choosing to pray specifically
-choosing to be thankful
-choosing to dwell on the positive
Practice substituting prayer for worry.

Peace follows a choice to obey.

Contentment is a shift in attitude not in circumstances.

Prayer
"God, don't let my pain be wasteful, use it to conform me to Your image. Use it to teach me how to be content"

Through God's Abundant Blessings,

Read More

The Role of a Homemaker

I wrote this sometime ago on the Yahoo homemaking group that I run. A friend resent it the other day and I was encouraged by it. I thought I'd share it again. I would love to others' thoughts. :)


I was thinking earlier about the many different aspects of being a homemaker, and the many different pictures of what a homemaker is. I know that for me personally, my picture of what a homemaker is has changed over the years, and so has my perspective on all of the things that we do. Sometimes we ladies become overwhelmed because we see all of these things that other wives and mothers are doing and we try to compare ourselves to others and we feel like we fall short. I know this has certainly happened to me far too often. It also seems like the opposite happens and ladies start to feel like because they can't "do it all" that just doing the minimum is alright, and we can become lazy in our duties. This is also something I have been guilty of. It has been easy at times to say "Well I do more than she does, so I must be doing alright". What a terrible way to view our duties!

When trying to figure out just what we should be doing I think that it helps to have a clear picture of what a homemaker's responsibilities are. What is it that is important to your home and family? What does your husband consider to be important? I know I am often surprised when I ask my husband what his priorities are for what happens in our home. Knowing what matters to him has been so helpful in planning my day. For instance, it makes my husband feel loved and appreciated to know that I put careful thought into preparing our dinner. He has told me that it is not that it has to be some wonderful perfect meal, but just knowing that I took time and care into making it.

So, what are your priorities? How does knowing your priorities influence how you live daily in your role as the keeper at home? Why is it so important that we take care in our responsibilities? These are questions I am going to be prayerfully considering as I feel I am needing to grow in my appreciation in my role. I am really beginning to understand that the things that I do in my home, and the attitude behind them very much reflect where I am in my heart.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject, perhaps we can encourage each other on this.

Your Sister in Christ,

Read More

Contentment- My Thoughts

Contentment is an issue that I have been greatly struggling with over the last few months. I began a devotional study on this subject yesterday and it really hit home for me. I thought perhaps I would share my notes with you because I know contentment is something that many women struggle with.

The first was on having an eternal perspective. An eternal perspective in God's way of seeing things. When we have an eternal perspective we view our lives and evaluate what is important from His view point.

*A Prescription for Contentment* (this one is REALLY difficult, but it really hit home for me)
1. Never allow yourself to complain about anything, not even the weather.
2. Never picture yourself in any other circumstances, or some place else.
3. Never compare your lot with anothers.
4. Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise.
5. Never dwell on tomorrow, remember that tomorrow is God's, not ours.

If all of your tomorrow's are nestled in God's strong arms, you are free to live your life today.

Contentment is peace separate from circumstances. .

Contentment is a state of heart and not a state of affairs.

Contentment can be learned! (Philippians 4:11-13)
"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
I think it is important to remember that Paul wrote this while imprisoned, chained to a guard and facing certain death! If he could find contentment even then, it must be possible to find it in whatever situation we face!

At all times, in all circumstances, Christ is able and willing to provide the strength we need to be content.

God infuses contentment into us through His Word..

We become more content when we spend time in His Word, allowing it to seep in and transforming us to be like Him.

It is our "helping God out" that leads to an anxious heart. When we try to take control we take our focus off of the One who is in control, and put our eyes on our circumstances.

1 Timothy 6:15
"Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;" (KJV)
"which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords," (NIV)


This quote really hit home too-
J.I, Packer-
" Contentment is essentually a matter of accepting from God's hand what He sends, because we know that He is good and therefore it is good."

***A quiet heart is content with what God gives***

Elisabeth Elliot-
"Every assignement is measured and controlled for my eternal good. As I accept the given portion other options are cancelled, decisions become much easier, directions clearer, and hence my heart becomes inexpressibly quieter."

If we choose to let God be in control instead of ourselves, we can be a woman of contentment.

And the last point, that has probably been the biggest one for me-
Contentment is accepting God's Sovereign control over life's circumstances.


Blessings,

Read More