thoughts

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Shanda

It’s Tuesday morning. I’m still in my pajamas. The lights are on, the dishwasher and washing machine are running. Six children are off to school, one is getting ready for college. My husband is at work.

I’ve been thinking about Target and the reactions of all different sorts of people in regards to the bathrooms. I go from laughing because after having seven children, the bladder I have cares not which bathroom it uses, to sadness when I see people use religion to get all self-righteous about this issue, to tenderness as I read common sense and gracious words from all sorts of people, as well. Grace upon grace flows down, flows down, from the precious blood of Christ.

*******

Reading up on the story made me think about religion in general…….and namely, Pharisees.

Did you know Jesus had the harshest words toward the religious people of his day (the Pharisees) He loved real people, he loved sincere, he loved the common, humble men and women who knew who they were—nothing and nobody–and needy. People who knew they were hungry and thirsty –for HIM. To them, He freely gave.

To the religious hypocrites of his day he had words like these:

“vipers”
“white washed tombs”
“clean on the outside, filthy on the inside”
“woe to you!”
Is there hope for a Pharisee? Oh yes and yes. Amazingly enough, Paul became first and foremost a lover of Christ (not rules and regulations) when the Light of the world blinded him for a time, on the road to Damascus….

However, as a very ordinary and quite common woman of this modern day, I am TERRIFIED of certain religious people who believe they are doing good but are actually spreading fear, misunderstanding, and chaos throughout the world.

And by religious I mean this: a HYPOCRITICAL person who is fixated on rules and regulations regarding the outward man rather than the inward man. Fixated to the point that they take it upon themselves to “teach” others and tell them just how to live and then look down on people if they don’t take their advice. Or, a person who pretends to be godly, pretends to act for God, pretends to be a Christian, when what they are really doing is setting themselves on a pedestal and using it for prideful gain/power.

I love religion in its true form, which the Bible says is this: …If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

UH OH there is that pesky little phrase “keep oneself unstained by the world” what could that POSSIBLY MEAN???? Live in a clean, sterile little bubble of soap? Oh I’ve seen what THAT does! Did you know that living too clean can lead to even more troubles down the road? Bigger sicknesses? Not all the time….but even so, it is an unhealthy way to live both physically AND spiritually. A fixation on “cleanliness” is QUITE a cancer to the soul.

This is how I personally keep myself unstained by the world: I do not view pornography. I do not get crazy drunk. I do not participate in illegal activities or use illegal drugs like heroin, for instance. I don’t dance around at strip clubs or plan my life according to my daily horoscope. Um….what else? I don’t spend time with friends planning a perfect murder or even committing adultery with the mailman. I do not steal things or lie pathologically. I mind my own business.

See? Easy. That’s how you keep yourself unstained by the world. You can still watch movies, you can still visit a theater even! You can take prescription drugs as long as you don’t abuse them, and guess what ladies, you can wear pants! And shorts! And a bathing suit! You can hug a man! You can read Harry Potter! You can enjoy an alcoholic drink! You can shop at Target!!!!! Don’t try to put rules on yourself that God never intended.

(Yes I am very passionate about this topic–you might not be, and that’s okay)

However, if indeed you do want to put extra cautious standards in place in your life go right ahead but don’t talk about them up and down the street (internet?) like they are rules and standards from God Himself. Maybe just don’t even talk about any of the “good things” you do.

“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:30

Oh Gosh, I hope I am making sense. I mean, some people will read this and be like “??” but if that is the case than praise God you didn’t go through a time of legalism like I did in my mid 20’s. If you are involved in a nurturing church family full of nice messy people than get down on your knees and thank the Lord, my friend!!!! But if you’re in the midst of a church that has perfect leaders watching every move you make and using the pulpit as a “whipping post” in order to keep you “clean” than run far far away……..

I have so much inside of me that I do not discuss because I hate the feeling I get when I’m stirred up and worked up. But I want people to know my beliefs. And know that I am a sinner, saved by grace. I have ordinary pride issues, bitterness issues, selfishness issues, and so on…but I don’t even care at this point…no one is perfect and I don’t obsess, trying to be. I only want to be secure in Jesus and I am already that. I’m on my way HOME, to the only place of perfect belongingness, glory-land itself. And He will welcome me and all of His precious children, with open arms, all the messy unperfect little sinners, saved by grace, that we are. He loves us, loves us, loves us……

I happen to have a blog but that does not make me ANYTHING special whatsoever. I am no authority on any subject. I have no constant advice to give or devotionals to write. I only have my own personal experience and the Bible to share. I like music, poetry, photos, and quotes.

But I am no one special.

I was put on this earth to serve a certain number of people. And if you are in my life, I am here for YOU. To love and encourage. To be real and messy. My children know all too well that their Mom is not perfect and guess what? I still get lots and lots of snuggles and so do they even when they are being annoying.

I really don’t know why I blog. It’s some sort of pull inside of me that makes me do it. I hate being “out there”, it makes me afraid to share the deep things of my heart. And yet, I still do it…..why…..why, God?

Last night I was watching Longmire with Rich and someone asked Walt, “Are you a religious person, Walt?” and he answered, “I’m a private person”.

I liked that. That’s what I am, too. But once in a while I will let it alllll out.

I really really loved the Harry Potter books. Did you know that there are some religious people who will not read them or let their children read them? The church I used to attend was against them. And at the time they were published I didn’t care much regardless because I frankly had no time to read……any time I did have time to read I was careful to read things that would be approved by my church leaders. LOL (barf) I was such a goody goody. NO MORE. I will read what I want to read! And who really cares????

Anyway, here is a quote I wrote down from the last book, yesterday, which just made me stop in awe of the spiritual lesson contained within:

“Harry kept quiet. He did not want to express the doubts and uncertainties about Dumbledore that had riddled him for months now. He had made his choice while he dug Dobby’s grave, he had decided to continue along the winding, dangerous path indicated for him by Albus Dumbledore, to accept that he had not been told everything he wanted to know, but simply to trust. He had no desire to doubt again; he did not want to hear anything that would deflect him from his purpose.”

(She had decided to continue along the winding, dangerous path indicated for her by God, to accept that she had not been told everything she wanted to know, but simply to trust.)

Simply to trust.

WHY did Ethan hurt his knee just when he had to visit a college, invited by a wrestling coach that wants him on the team????
WHY do I suffer depression at times?
WHY does Sarah have to have a naughty kidney?
WHY this, why that?

I don’t know, but I trust….and I trust a God that HAS A PURPOSE that I may never know.

Satan, the dark side, wants to whisper doubts and make us falter…..and has many cunning ways of doing so…..however, in Christ we are more than conquerors. Love wins every time. Faltering isn’t so bad now and then. Doubts are forgivable, too. (He didn’t turn his back on Thomas, he gently took his hand and placed it in his side, dear blessed Thomas, loved so dearly by Him) Weakness is wonderful (he gives strength to the weak) He loves us through it all.

He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.

I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land.

ALL you that thirst, come to the waters: and you that have no money make haste, buy, and eat: come ye, buy wine and milk without money, and without any price.

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.

“MOM, take a picture of this! It looks like a castle!”

Another thing….this “older woman teaching the younger”….means all kinds of things. For me, it means that I call up my mama and talk to her. For me, it means that I am teaching my daughters by sharing life with them. I’m not out looking for a mentor. Although I do love and appreciate all the women, past and present that I have learned from, there is NO lack in anyone’s life in this regard of older women teaching the younger. There needs to be no formalities here, there just needs to be living, and growing, in natural relationships. Don’t feel as if you need to pass your daughters off to someone else to teach and nurture. YOU are already doing it!!! And God will put people in their lives, naturally, to learn from. (friends, grandmas, aunts, etc)

I’m constantly giving out life advice to my children. It’s great fun. And they are constantly giving it to me as well.

Can you even believe this? ^^

Someone sits here and eats acorns. So sweet!

Spending time with this one is a J O Y. Oh how I love her.

dropped her flip flop and it started going down the stream, sooooo funny……

acorn – art

Does a hollow tree take us to Heaven? Unfortunately not.

Interesting moss

adorable boys…catching toads

Susie Q Bunyan

just sharing my heart today……

dazzling glimpses

Posted on April 11, 2016 by Shanda

Guess how much God loves you?

The gift of Jesus. That much.

The dark sky at night, full of brilliant stars. That much.

A playground full of laughing children. That much.

The different colors, movements, and depth of the sea. That much.

Words -as good medicine to the soul- put down just for you, on paper. That much.

Sacredness, Holiness, hearts full of love, in the very trenches of life. That much.

The gift of something you need, at just the right time. That much.

Knowing you can wait. Knowing you can let go. Because He is to be trusted. That much.

Always belonging to Him. That much.

no matter what! That much.

Accepted fully, because He is your Father God. That much.

He is your Anchor, your Rock, your Beacon of light, your Home. That much.

Knowing your life is eternal and you’re journeying to Heaven. That much.

and I could go on and on……….

Actually, it’s impossible to FULLY grasp how much He loves His very own, precious and darling children…….this is definitely an area that we can dream BIG……

When the Morning comes, we will finally see the Light as it is meant to be.

For now, there are dazzling glimpses all around and that is enough (overwhelming, really). Our eyes fill with grateful tears.

In the small, ordinary world of common life, there is so much to see of Him. His blessings and gifts are scattered though each day.

Dear Thia, I hope you see this photo! I wasn’t even looking for violets yet! I happened to look down as I was going into the house this weekend and this one was blooming, sort of ragged-like, but THERE!, in the stone path by the door. I bent right down and pointed my finger at it so Sarah could see, too. The photo is for YOU, my friend. (first violet of the season)

Which prompted me to go check on the other places violets grow. David and Sarah came along.

We didn’t see any others, but we very much enjoyed a short jaunt.

The snow has melted away……

I was surprised by these bright orange mushroomy things growing on a fallen down tree. When I pushed on one with my finger, water came up on the entire surface and immediately dripped out! They were like water logged sponges.

I ate an apple from home, along with any dandelion greens I found on our walk. What a yummy snack this made….the bitter of the greens and sweet of the apple were a good combination. A walking along sort of salad.

Well, David is growing very much these days. He is 13 and a half and almost, almost as tall as his brother Ethan. Sometimes when I see him out of the corner of my eye, walk by me through the house, I think he IS Ethan. He thinks he’s trouble but I tell him no way is he ever trouble. Curious and busy? Yes, but that is a sign of his bright mind…..this weekend he decided to make himself a perfect pot of rice, and he did just that. Following a youtube video made by a professional chef, he made rice. When it was done, he packed it into a buttered teacup, and tipped it over onto a plate. As it was in a domed shape, he put a pat of butter on top to melt through, salt and pepper, and then pushed his spoon in to take a bite…..he shared one with me! And it WAS perfect.

He also determined to use his allowance to purchase a pair of sunglasses, which I find him lovingly polishing in the kitchen with Windex.

Because they are like mirrors.

We found out last week that yes, as suspected, Sarah Joy has hydronephrosis of her right kidney, the very same one that the Doctor had to clean stones from. So the doctor thinks that the stones were possibly caused by a blockage somewhere in her kidney which causes it to not drain properly (and collect fluid, rather like a stagnant pond, he says). This would be a satisfying explanation of her kidney stone woes. Of course, knowing this (as of last wednesday) means she will have further testing done to see what to do next. I have had time to process and we are all in hopeful spirits and I have been able to, by the grace of God, not wrap her up in bubble wrap and keep her in my arms at all times. She’s allowed to be as wild and free as her siblings……… 🙂

Dave kept a walking stick with him. Or maybe it was a sword? Regardless, we did see frog eggs and talk about how we hope they survived last weekend’s snow and freezing temperatures. Will the frog population be down?

Jesus is the Source of Living Water….water is so refreshing and satisfies thirst….we can’t help but think of Him even as we walk along the trails in the forest. A Bible word study on water is always fascinating….and google makes it oh so easy now.

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

I think this might be witch hazel coming into bloom?

“I want to take a nap here!” ~Sarah

Then I got a text! It said that Seth had practice at 3! And it was 2:10! And Rich was gone on a 10 day business trip! Oh, what to do? I had already spent the MORNING at the baseball complex for Caleb’s practice. I was out in the woods! *sigh* David wanted to turn and go in a straight line home but Sarah and I wanted to go around a longer way. He said, “I can’t leave you unprotected in the woods.” but then he said, “Bye” when Sarah and I started going the other way, our way! And I said, “You said you couldn’t leave us unprotected in the woods!” and that is when he smiled and I took his picture.

Sarah is a photographer! She told me just what to do and say for my photo. “Smile like this” (shows teeth). “Say Cheese” (clicks) “Good. Say it again.” (clicks picture). “Good.”

“You’re a natural photographer, Sarah!” ~ me

She was dismayed several times on the walk. 1) when she walked through water and got her sneakers wet through to her sock. 2) a stick scrubbed her leg. 3) a briar scratched her.

To make getting back home faster and easier, I carried her across the swampy parts. There was no one to take a picture of THAT. She was quite heavy, as she is now a big *almost 6 year old* and tall for her age. We both said “oomph” a lot.

Guess what?

I drove to the field just in time for practice with Seth, Caleb, and Sarah, and no one was there. It had been cancelled.

We enthusiastically hummed, and drummed our hands on the car seats, all the way home.

unexpected snow

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Shanda

“Snow falling soundlessly in the middle of the night will always fill my heart with sweet clarity” ~Takemoto

When we woke up that morning….

….the peonies were covered in snow.

The *all but opened* tulips were exposed to freezing temperatures. The question is will they still bloom?

I quickly picked our *just opened* daffodils. (They are now sitting on the windowsill in a vase, looking out at the white white world, thankful to have not frozen to death.)

We had to resurrect the snowsuits, gloves, boots, and hats.

Children had a snow day yesterday.

Even now, there are little glassy specks of snow in the air (20 degree air).

It was dazzling beyond words. It pulled us outside to only try to capture God’s beauty with a humble camera which never does nature justice, the pictures it takes only save a small flat, tasteless, odorless, lukewarm piece of it. They should be cold as ice and as big as the sky!

In reality there was wind in our faces, cold snow falling in our shoes, pain while looking into the bright sun on snow, shock of having a greening spring all of a sudden turn back into black and blue winter, along with the sound of water running and birds singing!

glee!

145988249758746

In the woods it was quiet, whispery quiet, and a shade darker under the branches which were like ceilings of snow. We were bird watching in a breathtaking world of new fallen snow.

The birds felt glee, too. April snow is invigorating. Because it’s so unexpected, beautiful, and won’t last long!

Red-budded tree branches drooped down with heavy snow.

Walking with my love, who was wearing thin pajama bottoms and confessed it was kinda cold. The snow was so wet and sticky it clung to our boots like mud.

And the pond?

I could never in a million years get my mirrors this sparkling clean and clear.

And the trees bent and bowed their heads, looking at their reflections and praising God.

All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name.

braided egg bread (life with purpose)

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Shanda

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23.

I know without a shadow of doubt that motherhood is my calling.
I remember as a teen all I wanted to be “when I grew up” was a mother.

Women can be and do so many things. For me, for now, being a stay at home mom is what makes me feel the most content and satisfied. For others, a feeling of utter contentment occurs as they perform their own particular gifts. Although I am open and prayerful to doing more, (librarian?volunteer?photographer?dentist?) for now I have no other yearning or interest for anything else other than mothering these seven children of mine and tending our house and home. Eventually these years will be over and I trust that God will lead me toward a new way of living. I look forward to the future.

What was in my heart and soul as I mixed up bread dough with Sarah?
Joy that made me reach for the camera. Love as I saw how big she was getting and yet she is still small enough to live in the moment. Peace in the safety and security of knowing all my family was home. The sun was shining, *all was well* (never taken for granted, because someone could skin a knee at any moment). Gratitude to God for giving us our daily bread–bread for our stomachs AND our souls.

Making bread is a very humble pursuit. Our ancestors baked bread daily and it became an endless chore for them. It’s a treat for me, I bake bread when I want to, not because I need to, but the connection I feel with the ages makes the process satisfying. Such humble ingredients; yeast, water, milk, butter, salt, and flour.

Whatever has happened before will happen again. Whatever has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9

The Bible says truthfully there is nothing new under the sun. Motherhood. Baking bread. These things have always been and always will be, as long as the sun and moon endure. But these humble acts are our prayer of praise to Him as He opens our hearts and makes them tender toward all our blessings.

“Meaning can be found in relation to Him, thus making life here tolerable, even delightful, and making ultimate existence possible, through Jesus Christ. All those things that make life here so weary and boring can have new meaning, when you understand who God is, what Christ did and you connect yourself to the genuineness of being a child of God.” ~Warren Berkley

“Crack it a little harder and use BOTH your thumbs to open the egg– like a door!”

She did it with enthusiasm for each time.

We admired the deep yellow of our good eggs.

“That one is a lighter yellow.” she noticed.

She loves the feel of sinking her hand into cool, soft, flour.

Surrounded by smiles and color.

Making homemade bread.

Mainly she wanted, more than anything, to eat the dough.

She absolutely loves bread dough.

I love her.

Letting it rise in a big big bowl. Learning about patience.

David wandered through to tell me that he found a special way to wash his hair in order to make it grow faster (he wants long hair). You use eggs. Rub them in the hair and let it stay in it for an hour. Then rinse and condition with coconut oil.

This information solved The Mystery of why the coconut oil kept appearing out of the kitchen cupboard. I enthusiastically felt his hair and it was amazingly soft.

He also said that rubbing your scalp induces faster hair growth.

Motherhood. Full of gripping facts and experiences.

Goldilocks! said the nineteen year old as he walked by.

Braids! said the sixteen year old as she walked by.

Art in the kitchen.

Children underfoot.

Teens in the other room laughing, talking, making music.

Gratitude in my heart.

Painting with egg.

It’s finally done, dance!

….slicing, buttering, placing it in their hands, watching them come back for more….

Home is the art of life….Home is where we feel at ease, where we belong, where we create surroundings that reflect our tastes and pleasures…making a home is a form of creativity open to everyone. ~Terence Conrah

Take steps to practice joy in your daily life, and it will expand naturally. Let joy fill your heart, and your heart will gladden your health. Dr. Mao Shing Ni

“I practiced joy that day as I baked bread. The children were with me, we used up eggs, the smell was wonderful, the braids of dough were fun to form, they baked up large and golden, and the taste was fantastic. It was a joy to slice, butter, serve and give to my loved ones. Feeding others is a gift to the giver.”

Braided Egg Bread from allrecipes.com

2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast (if you buy in bulk this is 4 1/2 tsp of yeast)
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 cups hot milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup water
5 eggs
11 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (I didn’t have these)
Proof yeast and 1/2 cup warm water in a large mixing bowl.
Combine hot milk, sugar, butter, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a medium bowl. Cool to 110 degrees.
In small bowl, slightly beat 5 eggs, then add to cooled milk mixture. Add milk mixture to yeast mixture. Add 2 cups flour and beat until smooth. Slowly add remaining flour until it forms a stiff dough. Knead on a floured board for 10 minutes (5 minutes with a bread hook). Place in a large glass or plastic bowl lightly greased. Turn dough over to grease both sides. Cover and let rise in a warm, dark place until doubled in volume, approximately 60 minutes.
Punch down, cover, and let rise again until double, approximately 30 minutes.
Punch again, and form into three parts. Form each part into a 20-inch roll. Braid rolls on a large, greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled.
Lightly beat remaining egg and brush loaf. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for about 55 minutes until nicely browned. May be made into two regular sized loaves. Reduce baking time slightly.

recipe source: allrecipes.com

happy easter family pics

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Shanda

Blessed Savior, we adore Thee,
We Thy love and grace proclaim;
Thou art mighty, Thou art holy,
Glorious is Thy matchless name!

Great Redeemer; Lord and Master,
Light of all eternal days;
Let the saints of every nation
Sing thy just and endless praise!

From the throne of heaven’s glory
To the cross of sin and shame,
Thou didst come to die a ransom,
Guilty sinners to reclaim!

Come, O come, immortal Savior,
Come and take Thy royal throne;
Come, and reign, and reign forever,
Be the kingdom all Thine own!

Glorious, Glorious, Glorious is Thy name O Lord!
Glorious, Glorious, Glorious is They name, O Lord!

~B.B. McKinney

Blessed be Thy glorious name,
which is exalted above all blessing and praise. Nehemiah 9:5

In a small country church we gathered to worship the Lord together; Mom, Dad, the brothers and sisters, and children. The people were warm and welcoming, the Pastor preached with humility and respect. My mom took my hand and held it. Dad gave me a hug. I looked at each familiar sweet face. Truly a family is one of the greatest blessings from God, and going to church together on a beautiful Easter morning is a joy unmatched.

I was glad when they said to me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Psalm 122:1

The people there had prayed sincerely with love for our Sarah when she was going through her kidney stone situation and they were so gracious to her on Sunday, happy to finally meet the little girl they had prayed for. God bless them and their wonderful congregation!

Then our family all drove to a resort hotel for an excellent Easter buffet. We all swapped kids so they could ride with their cousins.

My brother Dave, one of the most important people in my life.

My brother Nathan with his family. So very special to me. I can help but smile as I look at this picture.

My 18 year old son, Ethan.

My brother Isaac with his wife Cassandra. A wonderful couple. So happy to call them “mine”.

Nate with our niece, Abbie.

Dad and Mom with the beautiful lake behind them.

Emily and Jacob

The little cousins; Sarah had the best day, she thrives on “girl time”.

The big cousins; this picture makes me grin.

My beautiful sister, Amanda, with her family. We are so thankful that we live near each other and watch the children grow up together. I think this is one of the best portraits I’ve taken, I love how it turned out.

Guess who took this portrait???????
The Easter bunny!

We stayed in a hotel the night before Easter and Sarah slept in our room with us. The boys were in the joining room. I was already awake and just lying there in bed, hoping to fall back to sleep, and meditating on what exactly it means by “husbands loving their wives as Christ loves the church.” How does this look in practical everyday married life? And why don’t we hear as many Bible studies about this concept as we do about “wives, submitting yourselves to your husbands”. Oh yes, I was thinking and thinking, it was quite fascinating. My eyes were shut and Rich was by my side in the bed. Well, it was still totally dark when Sarah got up to use the bathroom which was directly in front of our bed. As she turned on the very bright bathroom lights, I squeezed my eyes shut tighter. As soon as I did, that very moment, Rich’s hand clamped right down over my eyes like a suction cup. I laughed as I was shown this small but endearing sign of my husband’s love.

Our girls; the brown eyes and the blue.

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened Paradise, Alleluia!

And He said to him, “I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise.”

easter baked beans

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Shanda

“Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” 1 Timothy 1:2

“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” 1 Timothy 1:5

My soul, admire the boundless love of God to thee and others of the human race.
Worms are bought with the blood of the Son of the Highest! Dust and ashes
redeemed with a price far above silver and gold! ~Charles Spurgeon

“I will not glory, even in my orthodoxy, for even that can be a snare if I make a god of it… Let us rejoice in Him in all His fulness and in Him alone.” Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones

“It is grace at the beginning, and grace at the end. So that when you and I come to lie upon our death beds, the one thing that should comfort and help and strengthen us there is the thing that helped us in the beginning. Not what we have been, not what we have done, but the Grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. The Christian life starts with grace, it must continue with grace, it ends with grace. Grace wondrous grace. By the grace of God I am what I am. Yet not I, but the Grace of God which was with me.”
– Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Good day to you, friends! It has been a lovely week at our place, although there is a sickness going around. I’ve been sick since Tuesday but am feeling better although tired out. Grace was home with me yesterday, and it was cozy indeed.

There is no school today for the children. Ethan drove to the mall with Dave, Grace, and Emily (his girlfriend’s sister). Rich and Jacob are at work. Caleb, Seth, and Sarah are home with me and playing together.

Jacob’s girlfriend Emily was taking care of a duck yesterday. While she was at school, she had Jacob bring it over to our house so he could watch it. Of course we all fell in love with the duck.

And Grace wanted to keep it. She began researching but what I told her was true; you really shouldn’t keep one duck. It would be a very lonely duck.

So after a visit and much quacking, it went to be adopted by a family of ducks.

Easter Baked Beans

(way back in October I wrote about my intention to try all sorts of baked bean recipes. Well, I finally got to recipe #2 and it was delicious)

First I’ll give you the recipe and then I’ll tell you everything I did differently. 🙂

Navy Bean and Apple Casserole

1 lb. dried navy beans, 2 cups
6 cups cold water
1 tsp salt
3 large tart apples pared and sliced
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 lb. salt pork, sliced

Wash beans and turn into a 3 quart saucepan. Add the water and salt, heat to boiling, and simmer gently, covered, about 2 hours. Drain, saving cooking liquid. Arrange beans and apple slices in alternate layers in a greased casserole, sprinkling sugar over each layer. Pour in 2 cups of the cooking liquid and top with slices of salt pork. Bake, covered, in a very slow oven (250 degrees) for about 2 and a half hours, or until beans are light brown and thoroughly cooked. If they become dry in cooking, add more cooking liquid or hot water. There should be enough liquid on the beans to make a gravy-like sauce over them. 5-7 servings.

*****

I saved out 2 cups of the cooked beans to use in a chili recipe. I peeled and diced the apples and only used 2 apples because of my reduction of the amount of beans. I sprinkled onion powder and cinnamon on the beans (about 1/8 of a tsp each). I used bacon instead of salt pork (what is salt pork???) and I diced it instead of keeping it in slices. It took longer for mine to bake, in fact, I let them go on for about 6 hours (I don’t know why it took so long, maybe my oven temps are off?). I used a can of chicken broth that I had leftover in the fridge for cooking liquid. I took the foil off for the last hour so they would thicken up and brown. Adding cinnamon made them perfect–the bacon and apple basically melted into the beans making a wonderful flavor. We all liked them, and Sarah had three bowls full. They would go well with a ham dinner, which is why I have renamed this recipe “Easter Baked Beans”.

don’t curse the darkness; light a candle

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Shanda

“Many times I would go to my mother with my heart and mind terribly bothered. I had so many questions that tortured my little mind. My heart was aching. Mother would patiently listen to me, and then would tell me, ‘My boy, the Bible says that the whole world lives in evil. Everything is so dark, there is no other way than to expect God to do His grace to this world. These conditions, these evil things, make it a greater responsibility for us Christians to light our torches, to be a light of hope for many who want to see something better than what they experience at present.’ There was a Chinese proverb that she knew, and many times she would tell it to me, admonishing me to look unto Christ, who is the sun of righteousness, the light of the world. This was the proverb that she would tell me: ‘Don’t become bitter. Don’t curse the darkness. It is better to light a candle.’ So, she would encourage me to do any good act, to be ready to help man and beast, those who were in need. Whenever she was unable to go and call on some sick or on some bereaved, she would send me with some little gift (some fruit, some flowers), something that would bring some hope, a beam of light in their hearts.” ~Philotheos Zikas (b.1907, Greece)

plant notebook

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Shanda

(breakfast, Bible reading, journal)

“They were totally amazed, for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.” Mark 6:51, 52

“Jesus, according to your Word, keep my thoughts fixed on You, so that by your grace, my heart will be, not hard, but soft with the ability to take in your miracles, Your work in my life every day.”

plant3 1

Oh Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
I would never come to the end of them.

Psalm 40:5

*****

P L A N T N O T E B O O K

plant2

Christmas Cactus
purchased at Logee’s
reminded me of Great Grandma
plant needs partial shade, blooms during the short winter days and cooler temperatures
water thoroughly after soil looks dry
fertilize once every two weeks

plant

String of Pearls or Bead Plant

Purchased at Logee’s
I bought it because I think it’s beautiful.
plant is an easy grower and needs fertilizing once every two months
blooms small white flowers that smell like cinnamon

plant3

Life Saver Plant

also from Logee’s
I purchased this one because I thought it was very cool. The flowers bloom to look just like life saver tubes.
full sun, little watering, fertilizer from spring to fall once a month.
perfect for windowsills

plants4

Aloe Vera

given to me by my Mom

Leaves contain juice that helps with the pain of a burns and scrapes.
needs full sun and well draining soil.
water deeply and let dry to a depth of 2 inches before next watering.
Plant produces babies that may be repotted (as gifts for friends and/or daughters).
my pinterest board to inspire houseplants galore

we both learn more about peace

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Shanda

One of the best things about having children is being able to hang original art all over the house. This weekend I was emptying out Seth’s backpack when I found this wonderful paper plate project. It took me a moment to recognize that it was his hand with a dove over it.

“Seth, this is beautiful!” I gushed.

“It means peace,” he grunted happily.

“His class talked about peace but they aren’t able to mention God so…..” (I thought)

“Oh I love peace, it comes from God!” I say.

“AND Arthur Luther King,” he added.

Amen.