Taste of Spring

The end of March found us soaking up a few rays of sun in between the flurries of snow that just wouldn't give up. 

 

 Fortunately for us, even when the snow covered the yard again and again, it couldn't last long.

 

Spring truly was fighting for it's way to be heard and felt.

 

 

We cheered her on willingly.

 

"He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;" Daniel 2:21 

We've Been Washed

 

Over the years, we've enjoyed a variety of special ways to celebrate the Easter season.  

 

 

 Coloring eggs, looking up symbols, special times of worship with our church family, favorite stories read aloud, and even movies we look forward to, these all have made Resurrection Day a powerful reality in our lives.

 

However, nothing we do has the level of meaning and depth as our family tradition of washing each other's feet on the Thursday evening leading to Easter Sunday.

 

When we read the account of the final days of Jesus' earthly life, we find him with his disciples sharing a passover meal and preparing them for the life-changing events that are only hours away. As he spends what only he knows are his last moments with them, he does something that will strike them in such a way that they will never forget the moment and it's significance.

 

Their teacher, their leader, their friend...he washes their feet. Their worn, dirty, calloused, stinking, cracked, dried out, feet.  This man they esteem, love, admire, worship...he washes their feet.

 

As an act of love and an example of humility, he reaches out to them in an act that only the lowest of servants would do.  He is showing them how to love each other.

 

He just stepped up the bar of discipleship with these men.

 

As parents, David and I recognize that our first and primary job is to disciple our children, looking to our savior, Jesus Christ, as our model.  Because of this, we choose to use his example as a teaching point in our family each year.  We strive to show our children the value and blessing of serving one another.

 

We've taken turns over the years, having a different person wash the feet of everyone else in the family.  This year, David stepped in with a fervent desire to lead with the humility we've all come to love in our faithful family leader.

I can't begin to explain what it does to my heart to see our children's eyes as they watch their daddy kneeling before them, gently washing them. When I see my sons, in the midst of embarrassed giggles over the stink-factor of their own feet, look upon their father doing what no one would naturally choose to do, I know it creates a memory they will hold forever, an image I pray they will recreate in their own homes again and again.

 

The times we spend together in family worship will be what fills my mind when I am old and gray, rocking and dreaming of years gone by. There are so many things that fill a day, but these times of being with the people I treaure most, watching us grow, learn, and explore God's powerful word together, these moments bind together to give me the strength I crave.

 

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?...But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:9, 11

Knights in the service of the Most High King

Over the last several months, during the sewing lessons that all four of the older children of our family have been taking, two young men have been faithfully constructing a tedious project. Having thought it to be a far easier endeavour at the first, each met the challenge with progressing enthusiasm as the visits wore on. Despite their excitement, however, they joined with patience and self-forgetfulness, as true knights do, to create gifts and tokens of love for their dear ones. And at last; all twas not in vain! For, they surely reap the joys of their diligence.

 

It is my honour to present to you..... Sir Justice; of the Realm of the Golden Lion.......

 

 

 

..... And to present..... Sir Courage; of the Realm of the Golden Lion......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Cause them to be faithful unto Thee, O Lord, to the end!

 



 

Glory be to Thy name!

 

 

 

"No weapon that is fashioned against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord."

Isaiah 54:17

 

 -Elizabeth A. Menard

 

 



My Answer to Prayer

Earlier this week I shared a prayer request with a group of friends. I asked them to pray that the Lord would send someone to help me tackle some piles and projects around the house. These are things that have been creating a fair amount of stress for me in a season of already stressful events.

I had my eyes set on someone outside our family coming in for a day.  Our children are helpful with maintaining daily tasks, and I'm always grateful for that. They have a full workload with schooling, as do I, so adding the extra projects was a bit much for all of us.

My friends prayed. I prayed. I listed the tasks. Prayed some more. All the while, the Lord worked.

Over the last two days, a beautiful, selfless, Christ-loving young lady worked diligently and silently in our home.  Every so often, I'd see her bustle past with a basket of laundry or a stack of books. Occassionally, I'd look for this young lady where she *should* be and not find her. Then I'd walk in a room and see a pile missing.  All the while, her schoolwork and regular chores were kept up.

My precious 15 year old daughter has been hard at work this week, seeking to bless me. She had no idea I was praying for a helper. She had no idea how overwhelmed I was feeling by these projects left undone. She simply saw a list I made and took it upon herself to relieve my workload. Truthfully, the Lord moved in her heart to meet this mother's need.  He used a humble young woman to answer the prayers of many. 

My list is cut in half.  At least.  And it happened almost before I even realized it. When I pulled her aside today to tell her I've noticed her efforts, she blushed. When I told her how the Lord was answering a prayer I had prayed, she smiled that gorgeous smile of hers and teared up.  She is so grateful to know the Lord would use her and that it truly was Him prompting her to do this work.  What a joy to be used by the Lord!

For those who are approaching a season of adolesence with your children, prepare to be BLESSED!! It is one of the most wonderful experiences you can know. 

For those who call themselves a "teen", you are precious!! You bring joy to your parents with your loving ways of helping and sharing your lives with us.

For those with young people in your homes right now, join me in treasuring and speaking your love and gratitude to these gifts the Lord has given us to enjoy. 

 

"Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12

A Curriculum for Mother

A while back I was chatting with some online mom-friends, forum style, about the idea of developing a Curriculum for Moms.  I really like this idea. My reading habits are of the kind that I prefer to have several books going at once. A few reasons for this:

1. I like the variety: All You Can Read Buffet for the mind.
2. I need the variety: This momma only has so many minutes of quiet reading time in a week.
3. Brain Conservation: With repeated seasons of sleep deprivation and hormone tweaks, I need to be sure my reading selections fit my comprehension ability. Often, that's pretty low.

So, thinking on developing a sort of curriculum for myself, tailoring my titles to have a goal or a path they are leading me on, that's a pretty good idea, especially for the Brain Conservation.

I landed on the notion of using the verse in Titus 2 that instructs women seeking the Lord as a framework for my new Curriculum.

"...train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." Titus 2:4-5

I now have a list for choosing and planning titles: (yes, I'm still putting myself in the *young women* category. )

1. Titles that teach me to grow as a disciple of Jesus
2. Titles that teach me to love my husband
3. Titles that teach me to love my children
4. Titles that teach me to work hard keeping my home

With this list in mind, I built my own little library of reading materials.  If I've got a title for each number on the list, I've got a balanced curriculum for year 'round learning.  When I finish a book, I get another from off the shelf to replace it.  If the shelf is empty, I know I can borrow one from a friend or the library, or even pinch a few pennies for the thrift store shelves.  There's never a shortage of great books to feast on. :) 

I encourage you to work at building your own reading plan.  You'll have a tool for discerning the titles and authors you choose to learn from. You'll feel great knowing that your reading time is working to accomplish all the Lord's purposes in your life. You'll enjoy the rewards of another year of learning and growing closer to your Savior.

That's the best use of any curriculum I've ever met.

(Titles pictured above: Sex and the Supremacy of Christ-Piper; Are You Serious About Marriage?-Keepers of the Faith; The Secret of Communion with God-Matthew Henry; The Hidden Art of Homemaking-Schaeffer; The Ministry of Motherhood-Clarkson; Sentenced to Die-Todd Wilson -that's a fiction title that I'm no longer reading. I very rarely find a fiction book that keeps my interest; and my personal journal for bible reading)

 

"Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning." Proverbs 9:9

Sent with love...

Every so often we are greeted by our endearing mailman with a brown paper package all wrapped up with strings. Truly, it is one of our favorite things. :)

 

 

This winter we received another bundle of hand-stitched love from the far off tundra of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where my sweet Grandma Joan busies herself with gardening, canning, sewing, and in the coldest of seasons, the knitting needles and crochet hooks are flying.

 

 

Some of my earliest memories are wrapped up in sweet hand-made gifts from my Grandma.  Sweaters, Cabbage Patch dolls, hats and gloves. Some crazy, like a snowman hat complete with styrofoam balls that stacked on my head. Some so sweet and precious, I wish I still had them to hug like my specifically requested pink sweater with a black kitty on the front. My Grandma Joan sure did love me. :)

Now, as a mom, I get to share those sweet hand-made lovies with my whole family.  From afghans to quilts, from pj's to bonnets, and, this year, adorable hats to enjoy, we are *always* excited to open a box from Great-Grandma Joan. 

Wanna hear something pretty neat about my sweet grandmother?  She takes requests. And, not only does she take requests, she takes them via facebook!  Yep, I have one cool and hip grandma who keeps up with the times and her family in a fast and convenient way.  So, my request for this adorable flapper and a cutie owl hat were happily received. 

I think of this matriarch so much as I work to learn to tend my family well. She may live half a country away. I may only see her every few years.  Still, I get excited when I see the seeds we plant come up and think, "Hey, Grandma Joan can do that."  If I try my hand at a new recipe "from scratch" I can't help but think of my Grandma and her many culinary skills like canning, making horseradish sauce (oh!! the smell!!) and my personal fav, "Ice Keem and Chocky-sauce".  And, when I sit to stitching, I always remember my Grandma sitting me down because it was "time I learned" and I'm so glad she did.  One day, I'll be the grandmother. I'll be the one setting the example, sharing what I've learned, working my fingers to show my love. And, if the Lord enables, I may even be That Grandmother, the one I so fondly admire and enjoy.

My Grandma Joan sure does love me.  And, that kind of love, even from afar, warms my heart long past the winter months.

 

"She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle."  Proverbs 31:19

Dinner on the Prarie

We had a few days a while back when our stove was blowing fuses. Because I'm a big ol' baby and don't have the courage to face the cobwebs and creepy walls of our dirt-floored cellar, I decided to go the Ma Ingalls route for dinner.

I pulled out the soup that had been made earlier to reheat. As I prepped it to heat on the woodstove in the living room, I had the idea to make up some cornbread to go with it. Didn't Ma serve cornbread from the woodstove? You bet your bonnet she did! So, I pulled out one of my favorite crocks that was handed down by my mother. It has that Cook It Over A Fire look to it. I mixed the ingredients for our standby recipe, Applesauce Cornbread, and set it to bake on the back most part of the woodstove where it gets the hottest.

As I tended our dinner, I decided the fired needed to burn a little hotter or we'd be waiting a little too long to eat.  Okay, I admit, this valley-girl-wanna-be from the 80's still has issues with food cooking the slow way after a lifetime of microwaved meals.  Once the fire got rolling, the food got a-cookin' but my bread was getting a bit scorched at the bottom.  Next time, I'll work on that patience that always exudes from Ma as she tends the vittles.

Overall, our meal turned out great.  I scored major Cool Mom points with the children. And we sipped our soup and munched our bread while enjoying a few episodes of Little House on the Prarie to complete the evening.  Put all together, I had a mini-unit of history, home economics, and fine arts on the fly. :)

No Sugar Added Applesauce Cornbread
1/3 cup butter, melted (or olive oil)
3/4 cup applesauce
1 egg
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Mix wet ingredients; beat well. Add dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Bake in a prepared 8" pan 25 - 35 minutes.

"For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things."  Psalm 107:9