Patience

(Posted by Rubia)

Throughout my whole life, from a very young age and still now, I am learning patience. I have always had to have patience with my siblings, for example. There are many things that God has used to teach me patience. But that did not seem to be enough for me.

Three things all of a sudden poured down on me all at once, which have really been teaching me patience. Here are the three things: waiting for the house renovations to be over (from the flood); trying to train our new dog, Mikey, to behave; and waiting for the snow to go away.

I have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting, for the snow to melt. But I guess God is leaving it there until I learn a good lesson! :-) And you know…you can’t expect spring to come so quickly here in Michigan. :-) The snow is starting to melt again, but sometimes it comes back.

Mikey is getting along well. He is a pretty fast learner. Being young as he is, he still needs to work on some training. But he will eventually get the big idea.

And the flood problem is almost over! We will be leaving our house again. But I trust that this will be the last time. Even if it isn’t, I will still try to exercise self-control, and continue learning patience.

I have been learning a lot of life-lessons. And with that, I have made some new decisions of my own. I am learning that everything God does is for a reason. And we have to accept it, even if we never figure out the reason.

I also know that you never stop learning!

(photography by Roma)

How To Write Good (Like Me)

Today we are posting an article from The Rebelution on writing tips. We hope you enjoy this humorous set of writing rules as much as we did! J

“Alex and I have been barraged with requests to share our writing secrets. What makes The Rebelution one of the easier reads in the blogosphere? Why do words flow from our fingers like water from a punctured water bottle?

Today, we share these secrets. The truth is that Alex and I are no more than the beneficiaries of an anonymous word wizard. His wisdom we share with you today in hopes that excellence in writing will spread to all corners of the globe.

HOW TO WRITE GOOD!

1. Avoid alliteration always.

2. Prepositions are no words to end sentences with.

3. Avoid clichés like the plague.

4. Employ the vernacular ad nauseam.

5. Eschew ampersands & abbrev., etc.

6. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.

7. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.

8. Contractions aren’t acceptable.

9. Foreign words are not apropos.

10. As Emerson said, “I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.”

11. Comparisons are as bad as clichés.

12. One should never generalize.

13. Don’t be redundant; it is highly superfluous to use more words than necessary.

14. Be specific, more or less.

15. Understatement is insipid.

16. Exaggeration is infinitely worse than understatement.

17. One word sentences? Simple. Eliminate!

18. The passive voice is to be avoided.

19. Bad analogies are like feathers on a snake.

20. Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.

21. Who needs rhetorical questions?

22. Colloquialisms are grody to the max.

23. Abjure polysyllabic obfuscations.

24. Finally, chech for pselling errors and typeos.

There you have it! 24 principles that are sure to improve your writing. Follow them faithfully, our dear readers, and maybe someday you will write rules of your own.”

Garden Plans

I thought it was time to give our readers an update on my gardening plans! I finished reading “The Backyard Homestead” which I had previously blogged about. It was an excellent book that I would recommend to anyone interested in self-sufficiency, gardening, raising livestock, or having an orchard.

Since then, I have decided what I am going to plant and mapped out my garden space. It was rather hard narrowing down my choices of what to plant…too much produce and not enough space! So I compromised, and squished and squeezed, until I came up with this list. Here it is, in no particular order:

~Nasturtium~*

~Dianthus~
~Lavender~
~Zinnias~

~Cucumbers~

~Lettuce~*

~Cantaloupe~*

~Bell Peppers~*

~Jalapeno Peppers~*

~Spinach~*

~Zucchini~

~Summer Squash~*

~Tomatoes~

-The 100’s variety*

-Chocolate Cherries*

-One larger variety

~Oregano~
~Rosemary~

~Chives~

~Basil~*

~Parsley~

~Cilantro~*

~Ornamental Gourds~*

~Yarrow~*

* My Mom purchased seeds for these fruits and veggies.

Unfortunately, I got everything planned out and then realized I can’t start any seeds until at least April! In Michigan, we can’t safely plant much until Memorial Day weekend. I know some people cover their plants with greenhouse-type material, but I didn’t want to get that fancy this year. So I will just have to wait patiently until then. *(Sigh)*



My gardening notebook, my terrarium, seed packets, and garden diagrams.

  

I love all of my colorful seed packets!



Keeping a gardening notebook has proven to be a valuable tool for planning a garden. I can collect seed packets, articles, diagrams, and other notes in the front pocket . . .



. . . keep a record of each visit to my garden, what problems I have, what I harvested, and what tasks I performed . . .



. . . keep a tally of how much I harvested . . .



. . . keep a list of recipes that use our produce . . .



. . . and plan my new garden!



You can click on this picture to enlarge it. This is a map of my garden layout and dimensions. I plan on having raised beds as well as pots of herbs and flowers in the garden. I’m looking forward to trying the raised bed/square foot gardening method!



So, do any of you have tips/advice for a novice? Have any of you started seeds yet? Are you trying any exotic or different types of produce? Please leave me a comment! I’d love to hear about your gardens! And I will keep you posted on mine!

Yogurt Making Experiment

A couple of weeks ago, I tried my hand at making yogurt. I had read about it in this book, and thought it sounded like a neat idea because everyone around here loves yogurt. And the recipe had you mix milk, dry milk, and starter (store bought yogurt) the night before and leave it in the warmed-but-off crockpot all night. It couldn’t get much easier than that. So I gave it a shot!

But the first time, I forgot a very important part. The part where you heat up the milk. Yes, I tried to make yogurt with cold milk. That DOESN’T WORK! J Unfortunately, I didn’t figure that out until morning and I had wasted my quart of milk. It smelled like yogurt, but it was thin like milk. I didn’t want to throw it out, so I dug around online and found a delicious recipe for popsicles.

Creamsicle Popsicles

1 Quart of plain yogurt

1 large can of frozen orange juice concentrate

1 Tablespoon of vanilla

¼ Cup of honey

Mix all ingredients and pour into popsicle molds.



Problem number 2: We didn’t have popsicle molds. So I used small Tupperware® containers instead.



The finished popsicles!



A couple of weeks later I tried my yogurt again, but this time I did it during the day so I could regulate the heat in the crockpot. I thought perhaps it didn’t thicken because the crockpot got too cold. It worked pretty well, except that I had to keep turning the crockpot on when it got too cold, then turning it off after it got too hot. The yogurt was thicker, but still runnier than store bought. It was also rather tart.

So I am still searching for the best way to make yogurt. I have a feeling it’s supposed to be easier than the method I tried. Any suggestions?

Rest and Redemption

“As the Sabbath looked forward to the salvation to be revealed one day in Christ Jesus, it taught people that they could obtain rest only by ceasing from their own efforts and trusting fully in the work of the Redeemer. Redemption is not of man; it is all of God. Salvation comes from the Lord (Jonah 2:9).”

--Bruce A. Ray, “Celebrating the Sabbath”

(posted by Betsy)

Recipe--Lentil-Rice Casserole

Nothing says “frugal” quite like lentil-rice casserole. This dish has been on our family table for many years and keeps coming back because it is simple and tasty. It is especially good because it is easy to mix up, pop in the oven, and even refrigerate for dinner the next day. All you have to do is warm it up and voila! It’s a hearty, filling, and simple meal—and your kitchen will smell amazing while it bakes!

Lentil-Rice Casserole

3 cups chicken broth, or use water and ½ Tablespoon of vegetable seasoning

½ cup of lentils, uncooked

¾ cups of brown rice, uncooked

¼ cup of dried, minced onion

½ teaspoon of sweet basil, dried

¼ teaspoon of oregano, dried

¼ teaspoon of thyme, dried

¼ teaspoon of garlic powder

½ cup of grated cheddar cheese (optional)

Stir all EXCEPT cheese together in a casserole dish. Bake, covered, for 2 hours at 300 degrees. Uncover, top with cheddar cheese, cover and bake 10 minutes more. Serve as is, or use as filling in tortillas.

(This is a great recipe to mix together the dry ingredients, place in a jar, and give away as gifts!)

Favorite Books

Ahhh, the subject of books. We could literally fill books with lists of our favorite books! (Pun intended.) J Those of you who know our family personally know that we absolutely cannot pass a bookstore without stopping. Whenever we go to the mall, our main destination is Barnes and Noble. And we have a mini library in our home. We are always looking for more bookshelves!



One of our many bookshelves! This is our “School” shelf filled with encyclopedias, Bibles, math books, art books, science books, and more!



Mark—The Bible! Theology books, creation science books, Christian history books, missions books, missionary biographies, and anything to do with flying and/or airplanes.

Betsy—The book which is always the most inspiring, practical, and life-changing for me is the Bible. Along with that, I also love 19^th century British literature classics like “Jane Eyre” and “Pride and Prejudice” for their masterful use of the English language. “So Much More” by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin, and “How Should We Then Live?” by Francis A. Schaeffer give wonderful insights into the rise and decline of Western Civilization, through historical examination of culture, art, architecture, etc. Theological differences aside, I nevertheless enjoyed the bestseller, “The Shack” because of its poignant portrayal of what true “relationship” with the Holy Trinity can look like. And my most recent favorite is “The Family” by J.R. Miller, for its uncompromising vision for the cultural dominion of the Biblical Christian family.

Bianca—The Bible! But aside from that I would have to say Non-Fiction would be “Do Hard Things” by Alex and Brett Harris, “So Much More” by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin, “Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends” by Sarah, Stephen, and Grace Mally, and my favorite Fiction books would be the “Left Behind” series, “Pearl Maiden” by H. Rider Haggard, “The Princess Adelina” by Julie Sutter, and “Safely Home” by Randy Alcorn.

Ben—Some of my favorite books are the Bible; “The Good Fight: How World War II was Won” by Stephen E. Ambrose; “The Devil in Pew Number Seven” by Rebecca Nichols Alonzo; “Out of the Depths” by Edgar Harrell, USMC; “The Reverend Spy” by David P. Denton ,and “The Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper” by Bill Bright, Edwin Cole, Dr. James Dobson, Tony Evans, Bill McCartney, Luis Palau, Randy Phillips, and Gary Smalley. Anything that has to do with history is also a favorite! J

Rubia—I like “Nancy Drew” a lot. And any books that have to do with pets! I like “Marley: A Dog Like No Other” by John Grogan, and “No Dogs Allowed.”

Roma—One of my favorite series is “The Homeschool Detectives.” I enjoyed “The Cul-de-sac Kids” series as well. I also like the American Girl “Samantha” books. And my most favorite book of all is the Bible!

Josiah—Any “Berenstain Bear” books! J I also like “Mr. Putter and Tabby” books.

A Walk to Remember, Part 2

~ (Continued from here) ~

The curling, smoky flame…the charred remains…the fire and the light…they transported me back to another Walk. One that I took almost 15 years ago. A walk that changed me forever, and one that I will always remember…

With eyes misting over, I said in a quivering voice, “Children, I want to tell you a story.”

Five pairs of eyes gazed at me. Then Roma, seated to my right, quietly rose and retrieved a box of tissues, setting it before me. My children know their mother well.

“Do you remember me telling you about my Walk to Emmaus, when Bianca was just a baby?” Heads nodded, waiting. My wonderful children love a good story--even one they’ve heard before.

I told them again of this amazing retreat I had been on long ago and far away. Told them of how I spent 72 hours in a timeless place, surrounded by other pilgrims, doing nothing but focusing on God, and experiencing the love of Christ as never before. I remembered the agape love that was poured out on me…the mentors that prayed over me for 72 hours straight…and of how I lived always in the moment, for there were no watches or clocks anywhere. Nothing to distract me from the ultimate purpose of the Walk, which was to commune with and experience Christ in a most unexpected way. I told them about the singing…the teaching…the sharing on the level of your very soul…the realization that this is what heaven must be like.

And then, I shared once again about the most special night of all. “There was one night,” I said, “when we took a Walk, alone but not alone, and came upon a place that was so…holy…that it took my breath away….”

By now I was openly weeping, my voice choked. It is always this way, when I remember my Walk. Even all these years later.

“…and  at this place, was a Cross, and it drew me to it, and I could feel everything in my heart that held me back from a deeper Walk with Christ just pour out and spill down at that cross. There was light, and the light consumed all that I gave. I was filled with such joy that I could not stand! I dropped to my knees and cried out, and then I was lifted up and embraced, and laughter and singing surrounded me, and filled my heart to overflowing!”

I paused and composed myself, as my children waited, rapt.

Fingering the growing pile of crumbled tissues, I slowly continued. “You see, children, this Walk was my mountain-top experience. I went up to see God, and when I came back down, having seen Him, I could never be the same. And when I look at these ashes, I remember how life sprang from death, and I comprehend more of what it cost Jesus to purchase that life for me. I pray that you, too, will always remember--not so much what you gave up, but what you gained.”

I wanted to tell them more about my Walk, but I refrained. Someday, I hope they will find themselves pilgrims on the road to Emmaus, and I want the Walk to amaze and overwhelm and transform them, as it did me. I want them to weep and shiver and marvel anew every time they remember it, years and years later. And I want them to tell their children about it, over and over again.

Because a good story is worth repeating.

“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai…he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.” (Exodus 34:29)

~ Posted by Betsy

Daddy and Me



Daddy and I at Rollhaven.



This past Saturday, my youth group from church went to a local Roller Skating rink. I enjoyed playing laser tag, having some fellowship with friends, and skating. I think I skated for at least 2 ½ hours, only stopping for a few moments to catch my breath. Let’s just say that once I get on the rink, it takes a lot of work to drag me off of it. I just love anything that involves speed, and since I can’t run that fast, skating gets me that “fix.” J

The thing that others might think unusual about my Saturday evening was that my Daddy accompanied me. Our family believes in courtship, and one of the ways we apply that is that none of the women (or young ladies) in our family go out unescorted by either my Dad or on occasion, my brother Ben.

Many girls my age might loathe this kind of “chaperoning,” but I have grown to appreciate my father’s willingness to protect me and my sisters. It gives us accountability for our actions (Numbers 30) and honestly, makes our lives much easier. I never have to worry about getting into potentially dangerous or awkward situations because he is always there. If I have a problem or an issue that comes up when I am in a conversation with my peers, I can bring him into the conversation and he can give a wise answer. Because of his stature, he is also good at discouraging mischievous young men from bothering me. J

Some young women—even Christians—may find this offensive. They may think that I am too dependent on my father and that I cannot make any decision on my own. But in every Biblical example I can find, godly women were accountable to one of two people: their fathers, or their husbands. By Biblical standards, there is never an “in-between” period where we are to make our own decisions and live “independent” lives from our fathers and families. God has blessed me tremendously with a father who is willing to protect me until the day he hands me over to my husband, Lord willing.

I also love my Dad’s company! J I love going places with him and doing fun things together. I would feel rather lonesome without someone from my family along on an outing. Out of all the people that went on the Roller skating outing, he is by far the closest to me, and I believe Biblically speaking, that is how it should be. But too often, young ladies my age are “BFF” with their peers, and lack a strong relationship with their fathers. They may never know what joy they are missing out on! I encourage the young ladies who read my blog to turn your hearts to your fathers and allow them to lead and protect you until the day of marriage.

Flood Update: Part 16

~Tuesday (March 1)~

Mr. A arrives at 2:35 p.m. to check on the floors. He says they still need to be fixed but he thinks they look better than the last time he came. I’m not so sure about that. He says the paint company thinks the temperature could have affected the polyurethane, so he brought a new can of polyurethane to try. He sanded a small section lightly, cleaned it with mineral spirits, and spread new polyurethane on it. He was waiting around for it to dry, but then he had to leave for an appointment.

Before he left, Mom talked with him about our options if this doesn’t work. We NEED to know, in order to plan the next few weeks of our lives. I think we all understand that if this patch job doesn’t work, the floor NEEDS to be redone. But I don’t think he’s excited about that. I’m just resigned to the fact that we’ll have to leave again, and that someday our floors will be normal!

~Wednesday (March 2)~

Daddy fills the holes in the dining room chair rail with wood putty and moves the furniture back. We can finally start putting the room “back together” (even though it is going to be taken apart again in a few weeks.)

~Thursday (March 3)~

Mommy and us kids work all day on cleaning the house and putting things back in order for Bia (my Spanish Grandma) and Bio’s (my Grandpa) arrival tomorrow. Somehow, we’ll get it ready in time! I hope they take their time tomorrow! J

. . . To be continued. . .

A Walk to Remember

Our family is not Catholic. But every year, we join other members of Christendom to observe the season of Lent, with a series of special traditions that have become very meaningful to us.

Our tradition begins on the morning of Ash Wednesday. After breakfast, the children remain at the table while I gather slips of paper, pens, a metal bowl, and a lighter. The metal bowl goes in the center of the table; and paper and pens make the rounds.

We say a prayer, and then silently each of us writes down two things we vow to give up for Lent. One is something that is special or important to us that would be a sacrifice to do without. The second is something that is hindering our growth in the Lord, such as an attitude or tendency or bad habit.

Each person is then invited to share what they wrote with everyone, if they would like to (they always do). Then we pass the lighter around, and each one places their sacrifice in the bowl, and one by one, burns it to ashes.

Every year, the sight of the smoldering, grayish-white pile is a sobering visual reminder to us of a journey taken two thousand years ago, when Jesus walked the Via Dolorosa, carrying His own cross to Golgotha, His altar of sacrifice. Here he offered up not His craving for sugar, nor His love for computer games, but His life. Willingly, and completely, for a world that too often chooses to forget.

The curling, smoky flame…the charred remains…the fire and the light…they transported me back to another Walk. One that I took almost 15 years ago. A walk that changed me forever, and one that I will always remember…

…(to be continued)…

~ Posted by Betsy

A Delight

“Man is to share with God the pleasure and satisfaction of all God’s work.

Man is to glorify God, not for some future personal blessing but for God’s finished work.

Man is to be God’s special companion in the enjoyment of God’s finished work and in giving God glory for his finished work.”

--W.J. Chantry, “Call the Sabbath a Delight”

(posted by Betsy)

Recipe--Granola

After trying many recipes, I think we’ve found one that everyone loves and that is easy to make in large quantities. The following recipe came from a blog that I have enjoyed reading lately. You can find the original recipe here, while the following is our modified version to suit our family.

Granola

7 Cups of rolled oats

1 Cup of dry milk

1 Cup of almonds, lightly chopped

1 Cup of sunflower seeds, salted

1 Cup of shredded unsweetened coconut

1 Cup of whole wheat flour

4 Teaspoons of cinnamon

¾ Cup of oil

1 Cup of honey

3 Teaspoons of vanilla

2 Cups of dried fruit

Place all dry ingredients, except the dried fruit, into a large bowl and combine. Measure and add the oil. Do the same with the honey in the same measuring cup. (The oil will help release the honey so none is wasted.) Add the vanilla and combine everything well, breaking apart really large chunks into smaller ones.

Spread granola on 3 large baking sheets covered in aluminum foil and greased. Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes, stirring/turning it once halfway through, or until it has browned to your liking. After the granola comes out of the oven, sprinkle with the dried fruit. Stir the fruit into the granola. Let cool completely and store.



All of our granola in Tupperware containers. It makes a lot of granola!



Favorite Songs

Welcome to “Friday Favorites!” Each Friday, we are going to be posting about some of our favorite things! Our “favorite” topics will vary, but we think it will help our readers to get to know our family better. We hope you enjoy! Perhaps we’ll even share some of the same “favorites.” J

Mark—Some of my favorites are “The Motions” by Matthew West, “Friends” by Michael W. Smith, “Days of Elijah,” and “Shout to the Lord.”

Betsy—Dangerous question! There are so many that I love, it’s hard to pick a favorite. But these are some of the ones that bring me to tears (a good sign!): Shout to the Lord, Days of Elijah, Surrender, Just a Glimpse, Word of God Speak, The Stand, Creation Calls, You Deliver Me, He Knows My Name, In Christ Alone, Jubilate Deo, Moment of Truth, Lay My Life Down, and ANYTHING by Nicole C. Mullen! But my ALL TIME FAVORITE, and the one I want played at my funeral, is: It Is Well with My Soul.

Bianca—My favorite song is “The Motions” by Matthew West. There is so much truth in it and God used the song to bring about lots of change in my life! But my “all time” favorite song is “Rockettown” by Michael W. Smith. I don’t really know why, but it has always been my favorite! I also love the song “Hosanna” as sung by Selah. It reminds me that God alone is worthy of my praise!

Ben—One of my favorite songs is the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah. I also like the song “The Moment of Truth” by Matthew West. Another favorite is “Everything to Me” by Avalon. I also enjoy “Great is the Lord” when sang by the Promise Keepers.

Rubia—One of my favorite songs is “Revelation Song” by Phillips, Craig, and Dean. I also love “This is My Father’s World.”

Roma—One of my favorites is “The Motions” by Matthew West. I also like “Listen” by Josh Wilson. And I like “If We’ve Ever Needed You” by Casting Crowns as well.

Josiah—My favorite song is “Hold us Together” by Matt Maher.

So…what are some of YOUR favorites?

Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America Book Review

Recently I finished reading a book called “Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America” by Jeff Pollard. This little book was an excellent read and it caused me to think about a number of things:

*Who am I dressing to please? Myself, my peers, young men, or God?

*Why do I wear what I wear? Do I dress for functionality, to draw attention to myself, to rebel, to stand out, and to look boyish?

*Or do I dress like a young woman who fears the Lord and desires to draw attention to Him and not myself?

*Have I become desensitized to immodesty because of the American culture? If culture is religion externalized, then I think we are quickly becoming a pagan culture.

*In my attempts to dress modestly, am I turning to clothing designed for young men, and thus hiding my God-given femininity?

*The way I dress is my heart’s character externalized. Is my heart rebellious and ungrateful of my femininity, or do I dress femininely with joy because that is the way that God created me?

This book discusses many issues of modesty in America. It defines modesty according to the dictionary and the Bible; it discusses the purpose of clothing; and it shows the Biblical evidence that nakedness is associated with shame and wickedness. It also discusses the deliberate undressing of America that was perpetrated by the fashion designers over the past 100 years. It was a very purposeful rebellion against modesty as defined in Scripture. It also discusses the change of purpose in clothing from covering the body to showing off the body and the designing of outfits to be more sensual.

The author also discusses the media’s influence on our perception of clothing. I highly agree that the media and Hollywood have a tremendous influence on our thoughts and worldview. And their view on clothing is not at all Biblical.

Pollard encourages Christians to return to a Godly view on modesty and to be “candles among gunpowder.” While I don’t agree with everything in this book, it has certainly caused me to think about how I dress, why I dress that way, and what my heart attitude is. I would encourage you to read it as well and examine your heart. As Christians, we are to reflect Christ in all we do, and that includes how we dress!

There's a New Photographer in Town. . .

(Posted by Roma)

Yesterday, we were doing schoolwork, when my Mom decided it was my turn to go on a father-daughter date with my Dad (We all take turns going on dates with Dad. I think it’s important to spend time with family. J). I had saved up enough money to buy my own digital camera. So on my date with Dad, we went camera shopping! We did some other shopping too. We stopped at the mall first, and got Chinese food! It was very good! J (Even though I am on a sugar fast, I had to make an exception because I don’t know what was in the food there.) But hey, I got vegetables! J

I had a very fun time with my Dad and I love spending time with my family! I was able to buy a camera case too! I am so happy to have a camera of my own. The pictures shown here are some snapshots I took with my new camera.

Well, that’s all for now, “Eagle’s Wings” fans! J