Deepening the pantry - frugal cooking

I enjoyed reading the post at The Common Room about cheap cooking. A follow up to this on the Fine Old Family blog continues the conversation. Do check both of them out... after you finish reading here, of course. :)

Perhaps the biggest challenge I had was learning to cook and shop for food differently. I never used a lot of processed foods because of my husband's health challenges. However, there is a huge difference between shopping on a budget and when one has very little to spend at all.

Here is an example of a celebration meal we had last night. Both of my guys love steak (okay, so do I) but we cannot afford it. We used to go to a steak house for celebrations. Then I came to a point where I bought one steak for each of us and cooked at home. Can't do that, anymore...

So, when the grocery store had sirloin steaks at a greatly reduced price during the Holidays, I bought three packages... one large steak to divide between us for a New Year's Day celebration and two smaller steaks for another time. I placed the two packages in a gallon size Zip Lock bag and put in the deep freeze.

Last night for dinner, I cut one of the sirloin steaks into strips with my kitchen scissors. I sliced four baked potatoes and started them browning in a large skillet at medium heat.

I usually have pre-baked potatoes in the frig because I hate to put only one item in the oven at a time, unless it is a pan of cookies or a cake. So, I pop in enough potatoes to have one each at that dinner and more to use during the week... leaving the skins on them for better nutrition.

In the Winter, I purchase bags of frozen onions and peppers at Kroger when they are on their 10 for $10.00 special. One half bag is all I need for most recipes, the other half gets carefully rolled up and placed in a Zip Lock bag for later use. (I reuse the one gallon and two gallon size Zip Lock bags over and over, stored in the freezer.) During seasons when peppers are inexpensive, I purchase them at the farmer's market, slice them, and freeze them myself. This year I wasn't able to do that so the Kroger's are much less expensive than buying them fresh.

I stir fry the frozen peppers and onions, then add the thin slices of sirloin steak until the meat is cooked to "medium", which is just a few minutes. The steak could be stir fried alone but the peppers and onion give it a very "steak house" taste as well as adding good nutrition for fifty cents. If mushrooms are on sale... fresh or in a can... they can be used instead for a different taste.

For the price of one steak on sale and four potatoes, I have enough food for each of us to have plenty for dinner and leftovers for my husband's lunch today. I happened to have broccoli with this last night but often we have canned green beans, mainly because that is what we can afford.

Now, we do not have meat for dinner every night and steak is very, very rare. I only used it last night because it was a small celebration for my husband completing three weeks of work... often opening to closing. In cold weather (and is it ever cold), I prefer to make soups and stews to stretch meat.

I'll continue writing more about how I cook for less. I also want to begin recommending great books that would be of help to everyone wanting to cut grocery expenses.

FURTHER STUDY
In my humble opinion, the very best book to begin learning about cooking for less is the book called... More-with-Less by the late Doris Janzen Longacre. Just reading the first few chapters will help you save money, as well as gain an understanding why it is important for us in richer countries to eat a simpler diet, regardless of income. I placed it on my Amazon widget to make it easy for you to view. It is one that allows you to "look inside".

There is a reason this book continues to sell well, almost forty years after the original publication. The recipes are tried and true, coming from Mennonites all over the world and they are good. It's not expensive so one can purchase it and use it over and over. There is also a book called Living More With Less which offers recommendations from all over the world about living for much less. My library has both on their shelves.

PANTRY ITEMS USED
steak purchased at great discount - freezer
green peppers, red peppers, and onion mix -freezer - purchased on sale
broccoli - freezer - purchased on sale
Russet potatoes
Vegetable oil

Total cost of celebration meal for three people (and leftovers): approx. $6.50

Recession Ponderings -- Part Deux

Pretend it is warm and you are joining me on my front porch. Yes, that will take some imagination but close your eyes and sip hot tea... think Spring.

As I mentioned in my original Recession Pondering posts, I like to share what our family has done over the years as we lived on less and less. However, I have also admitted to making all kinds of financial mistakes. They seemed like the right decision at the time, especially given past experience and future expectations... I was wrong.

For instance, the first time we lived for a year without an income (very late 1990's), I made very few changes to our lifestyle. I thought I was being careful but upon looking back, I wasn't. Both my husband and I kept up a basic middle class lifestyle (eating out once in awhile, purchasing needed clothing half price at the Mall, etc.) one had come to expect.

When the savings was all used up, we had to borrow money against the equity in our home. We made two false assumptions: first that my husband would get another engineering job quickly (because it had never taken long after a layoff) and that once we put our house up for sale... it would sell quickly. It didn't, it took a year and we still owed $6,000 at closing because we'd used up all our equity.

Yes, looking back we can see how our thinking was not right. However, as I said before, given all our past experience and the probability we'd make a good profit from our house... our decisions seemed right at the time.

So... if you have been trying to become more frugal and find it very difficult... especially if it is because of a sudden drop in income... you are not stupid and you are not a bad person. You probably weren't raised to think this way. As I looked back over the years, that's what I have come to realize about the decisions I made and the struggle I had to live frugally.

One has a difficult time doing anything for which they are not trained. You wouldn't think it strange that you can't play the piano or the violin without lessons. Very few people can pick up a paintbrush and paint a beautiful country scene one would want to hang up on their wall (umm... unless it was painted by a five year old and then it goes on the frig).

Most of us were raised through the public school system which taught if we worked hard and got an education (men and women) then we will live a life of ease and prosperity. Our parents, especially those of us with WWII era parents, quite often pushed education as a way to "better ourselves". It was a rare parent of a Baby Boomer who thought it important to learn basic homemaking and gardening skills... if you had parents such as this... you were blessed.

So, obviously if Baby Boomers were not taught basic frugal living skills, we probably did not teach our own children such skills... despite the "Back to the Land" movement of the late 1970s. Unless, of course, we had to learn them to survive as we did ten years ago.

I always was impressed at how far my mother could stretch a dollar and her knowledge of cooking "cheap" foods. Imagine my amazement when Jean (my sister who is over twenty years older than me) started talking to me about our mother's inability to manage money. Hmmmm... are we talking about the same women?

Jean was born and raised when Mom was very young. I was born when Mom was in her 40s. It appears what I thought came naturally was actually brought about by necessity, years of being a widow with seven children and very little income and then being widowed again when my father died suddenly of a heart attack.

It is never too late to learn frugal living, cooking, shopping, etc. However... it doesn't happen quickly. It takes patience and being willing to become a student again... to relearn skills that are completely the opposite of what you needed for a different life.

Later today (I hope), I'll have another Deepening the Pantry post finished. My desire is to help those who are having to learn a new way of living to find good teaching from those who have walked the path already... from my own experience and that of others. There is always more to learn.

Blog "stuff"

Regarding the Amazon widget, any of us who have an Amazon widget on our blogs receive a very small amount of Amazon credit each time something is ordered. You don't have to order anything on our widget, you only have to go to Amazon by clicking on one of the items to get to the Amazon website.

We receive credit on just about anything ordered, a tiny amount on small third party orders and a much larger amount on electronics and such. I have a nice credit coming next month, thanks to a few people using the Amazon widget to order Christmas gifts.

It doesn't cost you any more and it benefits Amazon and us... a win/win/win situation. :)

For anyone who has e-mailed me in the past few weeks, I do plan to return more e-mails on Friday. A few ended up buried and a few were in the Spam file. If you ever write me and don't hear from me at all (give me time!), then yours is one that ended up in the Spam file. I haven't a clue why they do that.

Sun and snow and the joy of completing projects

It is beautiful outside this morning with the sun shining down on a "marshmallow world", as the song goes... Having said that, I'm ready for my world to warm up a bit and have roads that are free of all things which could cause one to go sliding into a ditch. The forecast is for more snow.

The photo above is a reminder that winter has come and gone before. Thanks to those who click on my Amazon widget to place their Amazon orders, I was able to purchase a beautiful gardening book from a used book seller and an American Girl book for Elizabeth's birthday. (I usually order through a friend's Amazon widget but I forgot this time!) I am very thankful there are people who don't forget... sigh.

I've been taking advantage of my forced confinement (due to weather) since Sunday to complete more little projects here and there. I know once warmer weather sets in, my thoughts and time spent will be outside so with each project I complete... I'm preparing for Spring!

Most of this week's small projects have been "behind the scenes", those messes I knew were there and others didn't see (except the family). Like organizing the side table we use to store games behind the doors. It's amazing what one finds in there, like the 1950's Dell paperback book called Poker According to Maverick... it's a long story.

Thank you for the many comments and suggestions about the Deepening the Pantry and Recession Pondering posts. You also gave me some great ideas. I have never been very good at choosing a day for each topic, except Sunday Afternoon Tea and when I participate in Living Simply Saturdays (which I take part in when a post will apply).

So... I'll start writing more Recession Pondering posts again, which will be "off the top of my head" posts just like Sunday Afternoon Tea... ideas that come to me, memories of "what we did or how we did it", etc. (Oh, you didn't know Sunday Afternoon Tea was what I was thinking at the moment?) Let the cat out of that bag so to speak.

Deepening the Pantry posts will continue to be researched and have more order to them. There are LOTS already on the sidebar so I'll probably be repeating myself once in awhile... or lots. I also have a few blogs and websites to add to that part of the sidebar.

Speaking of which, I've started posting the books I'm reading and those I've set aside to read again. The latter books are pretty much the same as they have been for months, a reminder to me that they are waiting... patiently... on the shelf to become a priority someday. Otherwise in this house of books, it is possible to become forgotten... poor things.

As for today, I have promised a friend some "comfort good" as he is struggling with kidney stones. So, I must make something with pecans. The family has been enjoying the cherry coffee cake I made three days ago, a slightly "tweaked" version of Anna's (and it stays moist!). I use this so often that it is one of the recipes I have taped to the inside of my most used kitchen cabinets.

... and I also have a book to read, vacuuming and laundry to begin (and the always growing sink full of dishes), and a grocery list to write with coupons to peruse. Better get started.

A little survey

I think it is time to ponder this recession a little more. If you are interested in more recession ponderings and/or pantry posts... let me know.

I have links on the sidebar to those I have already posted but they were written before the worst of the "crash" began and I have a feeling we are going to see it get much worse before it begins to get better.

I've been hearing many "experts" say we could look like we're pulling out of this for awhile but the real pain is yet to come. That would make it like the beginning of the Great Depression, the worst stock market crash happened after a "sucker rally".

For those who recently began reading CTB&Me, my passion has long been emergency preparedness. I started out online in the 1990s as one of the administrators of a famous preparedness forum. Some of us have continued on a private forum where we've been sharing each other's lives now for over ten years. It's amazing the friendships technology can bring.

I've been working on some new posts about the recession and about deepening the pantry but they will be time consuming. I'm more than willing to begin writing about the subject more if that's what you want.

Well, that and a little about tea... and coffee... and, of course, books... and the antics of the people I call family. :)

Let me know. If you are interested, I'll start a series of posts about living in a recession and deepening the pantry.

If you live near a Panera

Free coffee on Wednesday!

Alas, I won't be getting out... we're in the midst of quite a snow storm.

Think of me if you go out for coffee.

You have got to hear this...

I don't remember the last time I posted three times in one day but this was too funny to pass up.

Christopher found out late last night that he had to act as an Ambassador at an important function "Downtown" very early this morning. So you must understand, he was operating on little sleep.

He called on his way to the car after the event to tell me he had just met four mayors, multiple dignitaries, and almost everyone who "was anybody" in the community. He also met someone else... um, I'll leave it for later.

He said everything had gone very well, so well that a distinguished looking gentleman asked if he wanted to stay and have breakfast with the dignitaries. He sat beside this man and they had quite the conversation, it turned out he lived in the neighborhood where our family often walked when we lived in the horrible town house. (Those apartments and townhouses were next to one of the nicest neighborhoods in town.)

He remember Christopher as walking with me quite often and said I used to stop and talk to his wife about her lovely garden. I knew exactly where they lived. I'm rather amazed he remembers Christopher as he has changed in looks a bit from that time.

Anyway, he knew the man was associated with the college he attends so he asked him what he did. The man smiled and told him he was the President of the college. He had no idea to whom he had just been eating breakfast with. :)

As I said to him (after nearly falling down laughing), that was probably a good thing because he could be himself and not be uptight. He had been having a very good conversation with dignitaries from the college (not to mention a few mayors and such here and there), including how the college can better understand homeschoolers (we are a unique people, that is for certain).

For those who have not read my blog long, we homeschooled through the junior year of high school with Christopher starting with one, then two classes at the college his junior year. Then we opted to pay for him to attend his senior year of high school by taking classes full time at the college. Now he is a freshman there (with 1 1/2 yrs of credits behind him) and received a scholarship and appointment to their program where outstanding students represent the college at such functions. He will transfer to the University in the fall (God willing).

I told him I was proud of him. One of my goals for both my kids was to prepare them to be comfortable in leadership rolls if God should call them to such responsibilities (and yes, it is important for Moms to have great leadership capabilities).

Stephanie was a born leader, or just a bossy first born girl... no, a born leader. :)

However, I pondered the conversation we had this morning as he was walking to the parking garage to leave for classes. I remembered the challenging days that led us to homeschool and the many times I was tempted to give up... especially as I endured temper tantrums (he doesn't like me to remember those), reading problems, math doldrums, typical ADHD behaviour... those days when molding the character of a child seemed impossible.

This morning proved it was all worth it... he appeared before "Kings" and did quite well. Although he won't forget who is the President of his college.

Now if he would only clean his room.

Snowing and reading and staying warm

I'm enjoying these days of staying inside while the sting of cold and snow combine to make everything "outside" uncomfortable. Not that there isn't a beauty to Winter as we look at it from the inside out... it's just the feeling of bitter cold is not one I appreciate these days. No matter how lovely snow can appear.

So, I'm taking advantage of the inside days to continue the little projects I've wanted to do for ages. Not only in organizing areas of the house but also working on my scrapbook journal again (I let it go these past couple of months) as well as catching up on reading.

I finished The Unseen on Sunday so I could post a belated review. It was due before Christmas but I had a heard time "getting into" the book. It's not bad, it is just a genre I find hard to appreciate. I have another book to review, this time sent by the author and I hope to get to it later this week.

However, I couldn't help myself when the library sent me an e-mail that The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was waiting for me. I've read so much about it and the book sounds like the type of story I would love... so it went to the head of the class. I've started reading it and as someone commented, I expect I won't be able to put it down today.

To help my hubby as he is working another week, I've taken over his household "chores". Which, unfortunately, included cleaning out Sasha's litter box yesterday. I'll have to remember how much I appreciate the unpleasant chores he does around here.

On a brighter (and much more pleasant aroma) note... both the guys came home early Monday evening. The store was very slow so hubby could leave a little early (working nine hours instead of eleven) and Christopher's instructor became ill during class so they finished early. Thankfully, I had a yummy pasta and green veggies for them as well as cookies in the cookie jar.

That will bring them in from the cold. :)

The Unseen, a book review

I had mixed emotions about this book. I didn't like the first part of it as I found the plot very confusing. I just didn't "get it".

However, as I came to the end of the book and saw where the author was taking it, then I thought it a very good story. Kind of like... The Matrix, that's it... where the reality one thought he was in was actually something quite different.

Lucas has been an "observer" of people since he can remember. In a plot twist, he becomes the person that is being watched and this whole theme of watching and being watched takes off from there.

This book would be appreciated by those who like unexpected plots and perhaps books that lend themselves to discussion. I could see it being read by a book club at a University. Especially if the group reads it all the way through before going back and discussing the chapters.

I'm glad I decided to finish the book but if I hadn't promised to review it, I would have given up too soon.

Sunday Afternoon Tea

Warning... this is rather long so brew a cup of tea or a pot of coffee before sitting down to read. A couple of snacks would be good, too. :)

It is very, very cold outside and a gentle snow is falling. How difficult it was to leave the flannel sheets, find the kitchen, and push the button on the coffee maker. (It was definitely a two Pooh mug morning.) Perfect weather to stay inside where it is warm and cozy.

This afternoon I am making cowboy cookies to fill the cookie jar at home and have plenty for my husband to take to the bookstore. He has been asked to stay one more week. He won't receive a bonus but the income is needed. Thankfully, he has been able to do the work.

I've been pondering the subject of giving and receiving for awhile but reluctant to write about it. First and most important... I didn't want anyone to think I was asking for anything. Stranger things have happened in 2 1/2 years and the need to go to moderated comments proves it.

Also, I want to share how we give in the midst of near poverty income (less than poverty if going by the Federal statistics). Some would find what we do strange or unwise... but I'll just refuse those comments. Ahhh... the power of moderated comments. :)

What made me decide to write about these ponderings today? Something that happened to me yesterday. After dropping my husband off at the bookstore, I stopped by Panera to use a gift card a very sweet friend gave to me. I was all ready to enjoy my special place to read and write while sipping coffee and a bagel when I noticed a man sitting near the window. He obviously didn't fit in this upscale community (as are most college towns).

Very soon, a well dressed young man set a plate of food before him and told him this was not from him but from Jesus and then the young man left through the front doors. Of course I had tears come to my eyes as I watched the homeless man snarf down the food. Then I had one of those inner arguments with God because I knew what He was asking me to do... sigh.

So, I got up from where I was sitting and used the gift card to purchase a coffee in a "to go" container. I picked up the sack on my table which contained a pecan roll for my husband and set the sack and the coffee cup before him. I told him that yes, indeed... Jesus does love him. He looked at me as if asking if He really does but as I sat down again, he arose to fill the cup with coffee. I noticed when he left that he refilled the cup and took the bag with the pecan roll with him.

There's a little more to the story as it led to an interesting discussion with the people at a table near me. However, that can wait for another time. Let's just say I never got to read and write as I had planned but I'm certain I was there at His timing. I'll read and write and sip coffee at another time.

My family and I are big believers in giving, even when times are hard... no, especially when times are hard. If I'm hoarding in the midst of poverty, I'm not trusting God and most of all... I'm not enjoying the joy of giving. The followers of Christ did not understand the widow giving the mite in the offering when that was everything she had. I've never given away everything.

God always gives seed to the sower, whether it is my ability to add coffee and dessert to a homeless man's meal because my dear friend gave me a gift card... or the cookies I'm making this afternoon for my family and the friends at the bookstore. (Which is why I was so upset at the snarky comment by one of the trolls as if I was stupid because I'm a diabetic and I spend time baking... it is using a talent I have so I can be a giver.)

I have been overwhelmingly blessed by generous people who read this blog. I do not underestimate what it has meant, the giving of many has kept me going when I was near despair. Not to mention letting me sip really good coffee from time to time. Always the gifts have been received at just the right time. :)

I've become a good receiver and that was quite difficult... for becoming a good receiver means one must be humble. However, I also know the joy that comes in giving and being the person God uses to fill another's need... even if it is a college student missing their mother's homemade chocolate chip cookies. :)

God is a giving God as we are shown in the Word over and over. It is part of our nature to give... unless fear is keeping us from it. It doesn't take a lot to give... I know in the literature we receive from Feed the Children, they often say just $10.00 given by many people makes a huge difference in the world. So we have given $10.00 from time to time.

With the unexpected check I received at Christmas, I was able to give small gifts to my husband and son as well as using it for living expenses. My husband and I also purchased a gift card to my sister and brother-in-law's favorite buffet and slipped it into a Christmas card. They were overjoyed by the gift of one or two meals out... something they never, ever get to do.

If you have far more than enough, look around to see if there is a family you can bless this week. Perhaps instead, you will purchase extra for your pantry so you can give to a family in need some day out in the future. I know many ministries are suffering greatly right now... especially from listening to the radio while driving a lot this past week.

What a good thing to send even a small amount... ten or twenty dollars... to your favorite ministry, people who feed the hungry and house the homeless, women's shelter, favorite Bible teacher, etc. Not the people saying if you give to them you will be rich, and famous, and healthy, etc. No... those who rarely bring up financial need... God will lead.

I'm especially fond of the Salvation Army as they have blessed me as a child and my family in past years. Does your church have a food pantry that needs stocked? They may receive food from a central pantry or the government but that rarely includes items such as coffee and tea (of course, I'd think of those) and other luxuries people enjoy.

Do you know someone who is out of work? Never, ever be afraid of offending someone. Slip cash in a card, or a gift card for a grocery store or gas station, or even for a restaurant so they can enjoy a lovely meal away from home with no guilt... and no, I'm not asking for you to get my address and send it to me! :)

Look around... discreetly hand the card to them and tell them God loves them. For sometimes even people in the Church need to hear it in times of crisis, just as much as the homeless man at Panera. I'm convinced God blesses those who are a blessing. The Word says we lend to God when we help the poor and I have seen it in my own life... God's provision at the right time.

Are you in a crisis already? Do you not know where the rent money or house payment is coming from next month? You can be a blessing by making a loaf of bread or a batch of cookies for someone else you know in need. You can bless your family by serving inexpensive food on china plates with candlelight.

God's provision comes in many and varied ways. In our own family, the Buick was given to us so God's provision for a much needed second car came from family. God's provision to pay for the car repairs came through two paychecks (hubby and son both getting start- of- semester work) and a very strange way.

That being the check from the insurance company of the young man who rear ended the Buick and caused a dent. We hadn't put the check in the bank when we found out the cost of the car repair so hubby called that insurance company and asked if we could live with the dent and use it for the transmission repair. They said it was ours to use as we pleased.

Sigh, I warned you this would be long and I'm leaving out a lot from my ponderings. However, this is a blog and not a book. I have dishes soaking and cookies to bake, too. I hope you understand what I am saying as well as what I'm not... giving is a blessing as is receiving... and it is something all of us should be doing even if in a very small way. For that is the good part of humanity. :)

Back in the deep freeze

Bone chilling cold weather has returned to the Midwest (and much of the country). I went out this morning to start both cars (yes, you heard right... BOTH cars) and the cold wind took my breath away for a moment. That was some cold front.

I stopped to once again look at animal tracks in the snow. A couple of days ago, Christopher asked me to check out the animals tracks in the front yard. There are a gajillion of them, all belonging to my neighbor's hyperactive "guard" dog. However... there amongst the paw prints we saw... hooves. Hmmm... is that how you spell them? Regardless, there they were in all their hooveness.

Deer? Most likely. Christopher nearly hit one on the gravel lane last autumn. I've nearly been hit by one or two since we lived here. However, I've never seen one in the yard... much less two or three. We live at the edge of a forest but there are dozens of houses in the area. Brave deer at that.

Well, both the guys received their bookstore paychecks yesterday and everything... I repeat everything... hubby has made working eleven and twelve hour days over a two week period (and the bonus)... combined with $200 from Christopher's hard earned Book Rush paycheck... and the check we received from the other insurance company for that dent the accident put in our car... all of it went to pick up the Buick yesterday. Almost $2,000 but well worth it if the car lasts many more years.

I told the woman behind the desk that I hadn't written such a large check since writing the down payment on our previous house! They handed me the keys but I had to pick up Christopher from his training session, the one that goes with his scholarship. As we arrived back to the transmission place and saw the Buick, I asked C. if he was going to hug the steering wheel. Instead he just sighed and replied, "My baby is back".

Which is probably filed under "Teenage Boys and Cars". He loves that car. I love the way it is a nice, big, and fairly safe vehicle for "my former baby".

Today he is interviewing and being interviewed by various Co-op houses on the University's campus. He left with freshly pressed pants and shirt, hair perfectly in place, his favorite coat that his sister and brother-in-law gave him for his birthday, and his "Miami Vice" stubble looking all nice and neat. His desire... to look cool enough for the nerdy co-ops but not too cool for some of the others.

It was my suggestion that he keep his Miami Vice stubble through today. He has to shave it off tomorrow. Since he represents the College at community functions, they want the clean shaved look. They don't care about cool, which I understand.

Last I saw him, he was wearing his heavy wool coat and gloves but he refused to wear a hat. It would mess up his perfectly coiffed hair. After all, we are being judged by our peers on campus. Sigh... I remember those years.

Picture: Good Morning; allposters.com

Another boring post

I still have lots to write about... eventually.

I thought I'd have computer time today but around 10:30 last night, it was decided that I needed to act as chauffeur another day. I won't bore you with the details but it consists of using way too much gasoline taking people to work and classes and home from classes and back to classes and back to work... etc.

It's rather difficult to get into and remain in a deep pondering mood when one is spending an enormous amount of time at stop lights. The alternative would have been for hubby to get up at 5:50 this morning when he didn't arrive home from work until 8:30 PM.

In the past week, I have read Don't Waste Your Life in various medical waiting rooms and college libraries. So I haven't wasted my time as such... I mean, if you stop to think about it... chauffeuring is an important Mom job.

It's just not how I anticipated spending my Friday. Oh, well...

Where did this week go?

I was going to spend time on the computer this week. I have book posts and pantry posts and all kinds of posts... all running through my head. However, what I haven't had is time at home in front of the computer. I ended up spending hours in various doctor's waiting rooms instead.

I know what happened to today, I slept through part of it! If the old adage my mom always told me is true, that when we sleep a lot in a day it means our body needs it (assuming, of course, we're not doing this every day)... then I needed to sleep twelve hours last night and another two hours this afternoon!

I woke up just in time this afternoon to take a load of towels out of the dryer and put a load of whites into the dryer, start dinner (as Christopher would be home at 4:00 to eat and his dad at 8:00... that makes meal planning interesting), and generally do a little decluttering.

Thank you all for your prayers and comments! I think it amazing that he has been protected from further damage with all that heavy lifting he does, and yes... he does not plan to be in the weight room in the near future. :)

Stephanie had double hernia surgery at age three months. They run in my husband's side of the family. The only injury he had in Viet Nam was a hernia. They don't give purple hearts for that. No, they send you back on the front lines within days... or at least they did in that war.

I'm taking all the advice offered in comments, too. If I tell Christopher, "I read something online", he tends to give more weight to it and not tell me the advice is an "old wives's tale". Even if the advice giver is an old wife.

Another Christopher update

Well, after three DAYS of doctors, clinics, and a specialist... we found out what was wrong with my son. He has a really, I mean really, bad hernia. It is so bad that his own doctor had looked at the ultra sound picture and didn't know that was his... yuk... intestines out of place.

When Christopher told me that, I kinda' turned green and said yuk and ugggg and all kinds of very comforting words. He told me that, yeah, those were the same words he had said to the specialist.

God has been protecting my boy as in the midst of having this for at least a couple of months, he has still been carrying heavy boxes at the bookstore, carrying a heavy backpack, and (not the least)... lifting WEIGHTS as he worked out. Any one of which could have caused serious damage... and any one of which could have caused it in the first place. He just worked out with weights yesterday...

He has an appointment with a surgeon the first week of February and surgery will probably be scheduled for Spring Break. As part of the scholarship he won at the college, he also acts as an ambassador for the college at various community events so he has those responsibilities... on top of school... on top of work, etc.

We're hoping the surgeon says Spring Break is soon enough. The specialists says the surgery has to be done ASAP as the situation is dangerous for him.

I am now off to the sofa after I brew a pot of tea. Three days of having to get up early to take hubby to work and my son to classes, run errands (since I'm the one that had the car), pick up my son from classes, go to doctor appointments with him, etc... and I am quite weary.

Sometimes life is not comfortable and sometimes it is inconvenient. Then there are days when one can snuggle down on the sofa under a comforter to keep them warm and take a nap or read a book or watch a British flick on TV... and one can appreciate so much when comfort does come. :)

Thank you for your prayers! He still needs them that he stays safe until and through the surgery.

I do apologize for any lack of grammar and whatever Spell Check did not pick up... my brain stopped functioning once the morning coffee wore off.

The peaceful transition of power

I have always found Inauguration Day intriguing. When you stop and think what it really means... a man (who may not want to give up the power... as some have not in the past) must turn over the keys to the Big White House... so to speak.

When President Bush and his family left in the helicopter today and Obama and his family turned around to continue today's festivities, it was an amazing sight. That transfer of power that happens every four to eight years in this country... no gunshots, no killings (well, verbal assaults during the campaign), no military action... but handshakes and goodbyes.

Transferring the power from one man to another... arguably the most powerful men in the world at this moment in time and history... done with an election and a handshake. No matter how much the outgoing man in power wants to remain... he leaves... peacefully. Democracy at work, if not perfect (and it isn't)... it is pretty darn good.

I don't know what the coming years will bring. Obama has good ideas but he also stands against a few moral issues for which I stand. Will he bring overall good or not? We never know at a beginning of a presidency.

His rock star status scares me a bit. It almost looked like people were there for the Second Coming if you judged from the crowds who were present and interviews begin given. I know one thing, no one human being can live up to all that hype.

But I can understand the excitement of our first African American president. Not all that long ago Martin Luther King, Jr. stood in that city and had a dream. Today... the dream was fulfilled.

The Bible tells us to pray for our leaders and those in authority. Tomorrow morning I will be adding President Obama, his wife, his children, and their Grammie (a Grammie in the White House, what a great idea!) to my prayer list... they will need our prayers.

Monday evening update

Breakfront in Autumn...

I finally have a chance to write about Christopher's test as dishes are soaking in hot, soapy water. I didn't get to any e-mails today and I probably won't tomorrow (as I have quite a bit to do on Tuesday) but Wednesday is looking good... so far.

Christopher's test went well. We won't know for certain what the lump is but the radiologist was fairly certain it wouldn't be cancerous. It didn't have enough "mass" to it. What it is bewildered her, though. We'll know more when the specialist has looked at it.

I'm still slowly but surely organizing and cleaning the house. After he dropped me off at home, I looked around to see what still needed organizing and my eyes came upon the breakfront (aka: hutch). Now, the outside looked fine but the inside was another matter. The top drawer contained far too many teacups (I can't believe I just admitted there can be too many teacups). The two center drawers were all jumbled with "stuff" that badly needed straightening out.

This evening I now have a small box of teacups for my daughter to look through someday as well as a few going to Goodwill. I also (finally) rescued a box from the garage to use as an official gift box. I purchase things on clearance throughout the year to have ready for gift baskets, especially at Christmas. They are now organized and in one box instead of a few different areas of the house. Most items were only a couple of dollars but they are lovely.

While I was working on these, my bread machine was preparing dough for cinnamon rolls. They were just out of the oven when Christopher arrived home to pick up gym clothes and an extra textbook he needed. All were frosted with my favorite cinnamon roll frosting recipe (found in an Amish cookbook long ago) and a few were then dipped into chopped pecans for my husband to enjoy later. I took a few to my neighbor who helped us this week and Christopher took a plate with him for his study group. Better to not have too many around that would entice me, cinnamon rolls are a food I find hard to resist.

The pictures above are from my files. Would you believe Kodak no longer makes a cable for my digital camera? Technology does tend to get old quickly.

Continued prayer needed

Christopher's outpatient tests are today. Please pray for him as he goes through the tests and that nothing alarming be found. We all have peace but you know how worry can make its' way back once in awhile.

I had a relaxing day yesterday (Sunday). I awoke with severe muscle aches, most likely brought about by the very cold weather. Not even the medicine my doctor gave me could take away the pain in my right arm, where tendinitis has set in. (How I took for granted having a pain free body!) I have learned to not complain about what illness I DO have but thank God for what I don't! The tendinitis was that teacher.

Even though I could not make it to church, hubby took the three of us out to KFC for a late lunch. We rarely can afford to eat out and I just as rarely have a desire for KFC but his offer met a time when I could actually enjoy their fried chicken dinner!

I must have thanked him about ten times since I know we are taking every dime he is making to pay for the Buick's $1,900 car repairs. He has been working long hours, including many twelve hour days to get the bonus and overtime. He's hoping he gets to work all of this week, too. I have a feeling he will sleep next week! :)

I usually enjoy cooking and I don't mind doing dishes but yesterday it felt so good to get a little vacation. Since we had such a late lunch, I served cheese and crackers as a light supper.

We will be dropping hubby off at work soon and then going on to the hospital. Thank you for your prayers.

I Have a Dream

Just part of the speech is given here,
it still gives me goosebumps...

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

Sunday Afternoon Tea

I admit to drinking more tea this week than normal. With the bone chilling cold we've been experiencing (and setting my thermostat when the guys are away to 66 degrees)... hot tea certainly hits the spot. Coffee gets me out of bed in the morning, tea gives me comfort and keeps me warm. :)

I've been thinking about seasons lately, most likely brought about by real Winter setting in for awhile. I was all bundled up and walking out to the county road to get my mail this afternoon when I took the time to look around at the beauty of this season...

The neighbor's red barn against the white snow, how what looks like thick forest in August is now so sparse that I can see the houses on the other side, the animal paw prints in the snow... wondering to whom they belong (besides the neighbor's dog), the snow on top of the rural mailbox... beautiful signs of the season in the midst of bitter cold.

Out of nowhere, a thought came to me as I was walking. It was as if God poured out Wisdom to warm my soul while the flesh was... freezing. I thought how silly it is to complain to God about the seasons in our life, not only the seasons of life... infancy through old age... but seasons in life. Those excellent seasons when all is well and life is full of joy...and those which bring pain, fear, discomfort, despair, fatigue... sorrow. Such seasons are common to all mankind if one lives long enough.

Just as it would be silly for me to stomp my feet and yell at God because it is cold in January, so it doesn't make sense to get angry with him for those empty and cold seasons when one can't feel His presence... or when trials are upon us which we can't understand.

My husband used to complain that he was mad at God and that he was "quitting". Well, I would remind him that God is most often the only person who cares enough about him (perfectly) to hang on so it does not make sense to be angry with him. And as far as quitting... how? I mean, really, when we tell God we're upset and we are not going to go on... just what does that mean? As I would remind him, quitting is not an option.

I want to finish well even if it means I enter Eternity out of breath and crawling on my knees with the last ounce of strength left to pull from within. I have no desire to stand before God and complain about the unfairness of it all. Instead, my greatest desire for myself... my husband... and my children is that we will stand before the King one day and hear those words that only He can proclaim, "Well done good and faithful servant".

Not rich servant, or healthy servant, or perfect servant... no, not even holy servant (for He knows better) but He says... good servant... and faithful. One who did not give up the fight no matter how weary their flesh. One who ran the race, not perfectly... nothing near perfection... but faithfully... and with joy in the journey for they knew what lay at the end of the race... that joy which comes from trust and faith.

So here I am in the midst of Winter and dreaming about the time our Dogwood will blossom, the daffodils will once again come up from the frozen ground, and what is now a black and white world will again be full of color. In July, I'll probably complain about the heat.

Such is life when one is far from perfect but striving toward the goal line with joy (and the help of a little caffeine here and there).

The genesis of some ponderings

It has been good for me to be alone much of the time this past week and a half. Not only have I been able to slowly re-organize most of the house... room by room... but I've had time to read and think and pray... and listen. Not to mention taking afternoon naps to heal my body.

I thought I'd share some of my ponderings just as they have happened, a little bit over time rather than one huge all-day quiet time as originally planned. I've already written how I knew I needed to stop thinking that the best of life is behind me. I needed new challenges for the upcoming year, those that did not take physical energy or much money.

The first task I wanted to begin was to become a student again. Not as I thought I would... not returning to finish my degree or even become a pastry chef. No, something much simpler. That's where the itty bitty MP3 player comes in...

Stephanie likes to listen to sermons and Bible teaching on her MP3 player. I started praying about doing the same but I couldn't afford one at this time. That's when Christopher reminded me of the ipod Shuffle. When I received a gift card to Wal Mart, I was going to use it to stock the pantry but the more I thought about it... I knew this was the answer to prayer about the MP3. I only had to add a small amount of Christmas money to it (they are not expensive, anyway, but Wal Mart also had them on special) and I was now the proud owner of a Shuffle.

I must admit, I didn't feel well enough to go through the learning process... setting iTunes up and figuring out how it works... until Monday. Since then, I have loved clipping the little guy to my shirt and listening to good teaching while I'm working or lovely music later in the day. It's funny to me how God answers prayer. I was thinking in terms of books and He brought the latest technology... go figure.

I also am on a quest to read the Bible all the way through... a macro view of the Word... a bird's eye view so to speak. I pulled out my old copy of the Living Bible, which is perfect for this.

My next quest... beginning a regular reading program again. That's what I'm going to be pondering over the weekend. I have stacks of books waiting to be read the first time as well as those titles which are begging for another reading.

After that... updating the household organization book. Okay, I should not use the term update... I really mean "finally start the household organization book". I only have a few pages started already.

As I'm putting pen to paper... typing away on the keyboard and seeing my thoughts magically appear on the monitor... I'm listening to Vince Gill sing Go Rest High On that Mountain. Yes, I bring up an extra tab and then listen to my own Play List. It reminds me so much of my sister, Joan. I remember at her funeral, how it was mentioned quite often that she had suffered in her life... she never knew much success except the love of her family. I thought that enough.

But that's why I include that song on my Play List. She died young... at least young to me... not all that much older than I am right now. The doctors can write an illness on her death certificate, that which science can explain. But I know why she died... life is hard and she was a gentle soul. She gave up long before illness left her bedridden.

I understand. I have walked that path. I have awakened in the morning, not knowing if I could meet the circumstances of another day while traveling through trials that took my breath away. But I did and I have. I'm not giving up.

There is still much pondering to do.

Picture: Dragon Tulips; allposters.com

This and that...

Our actual temperature was -18 this morning! We do get quite cold during the winter but these are temperatures I'd rather you all in the far Northern areas of the country keep to yourselves. We appreciate your gift... uh, no we don't. As for you Canadians, I can now feel your pain (and you get even colder!).

I let hot water run in the back bathroom, let the hot water run while doing dishes twice, and did a load of hot water whites in the garage. Hubby said he didn't know if it would help the pipes but he certainly thought it couldn't hurt them.

Christopher's tests are scheduled for Monday morning. We're still praying! We've been warned already that the tests will be expensive (and Christopher and I have no insurance) but hey, we also know a priority when we see it. Even if the Buick has to stay parked at the transmission shop, he is getting tests and treatment.

He found out yesterday that he was one of the students receiving an award for outstanding achievement. He will represent the college at various events and he received a scholarship that can be used for summer classes, before transferring to the University. I know things like this are important to him. His sister was a Dean Scholar at the University. Now he has an honor. There is no competition from the younger with an older sibling, no... never. :)

I had a few people give me awards. I LOVE getting them, even if I don't actually post them on the side bar, anymore. However, I haven't had time to acknowledge them on your individual blogs. I hope to do so soon. It doesn't mean I didn't enjoy receiving them.

Just like my Christmas thank you notes, I was not feeling well enough until early this week to send them out. My e-mails are still backed up.

However, my house is getting back to order for the first time since autumn, when I had that bout with serious diabetes symptoms that sent me to the sofa for awhile. Then there were the three minor illnesses over the Holidays... not to mention all the disorganization (but fun) the Holidays bring. Yes, it was a very good thing I didn't try to work these two weeks.

I know I've received questions to answer but I remember only one at the moment. A reader asked about the naming of Texas Sheet Cake... why we call them Tulip Time Brownies. We lived in Holland, Michigan for almost nine years. This was the recipe they used for the brownies they served to tourists at the various temporary tea and coffee areas that were set up during their annual Tulip Time festival. I later found out it was actually a Texas Sheet Cake recipe.

Whatever the name... it is a favorite of a lot of people around here. I have the recipe on my recipe blog but the Pioneer Woman has a recipe and PICTURES. Mine is almost like hers, I use less butter in the icing and I don't add nuts to the recipe.

I hope to be back later today with a post having to do with some ponderings. :)

How cold is it?

It is so cold that the TOWN schools closed today. I've known them to go with only a two hour delay in near blizzard conditions. Most of the schools are to be closed tomorrow, too. Just too cold for the kiddies who have to walk to school or wait for the buses to arrive.

As for me and my house, I made certain I had a hot chicken casserole and green beans waiting for the guys when they arrived home tonight. It's -10... real temperature... right now... with a -30 wind chill.

Problem is, looks are deceptive. I looked outside today at the sunshine on the snow and it didn't look all that cold. So I didn't wear gloves when I walked out to get my mail this afternoon. I won't make that mistake again tomorrow.

My heart goes out to the plane crash victims and their families. Last I heard, none of the injuries were life threatening. For much of our married life, my husband was a frequent flyer business traveler. He was in the air on 9/11 on the shuttle from Detroit to Chicago. There were seasons during his career that he flew more than he drove!!

Fox news was talking about a man who had been pulled out of the water, sitting with a blanket around him, reading a paper. Except for the fact my husband hates being cold, that would have been him. Just another airplane delay...

Opposites definitely attract... I hate flying. The last time we flew anywhere was to New England. Most of the way there I was mumbling to myself... "It is worth it to see my grandchildren, it is worth it to see my grandchildren". We landed in Hartford in what I can only describe as... EXTREME TURBULENCE! Excuse my shouting...

Later found out they had gale force winds at that time. I could have told them that.

Next week we are to return to the 30s for daytime highs. I'll probably get the spring coat out...

As is the mother, so is the daughter (and the son)

Normally when I awake in the morning, the temperatures start to go up as the hours go by. Today they have been dropping from -8 to -10. We're not expecting to go above 0 today and the wind chills are to be around -30. That's too cold for me.

There were times recently I wondered if I should have accepted these two weeks of work. After all, with the overwhelming cost of car repairs... it would have been helpful to have that extra income. However, with the coldest temperatures since the early 90s upon us, I know the long hours would have been too much for my immune system.

I'm getting a little stronger with each day as I stay inside and my only outside duties are to start the car for the guys in the morning and walk out to get my morning paper from the "paper box" on the county road.

I have to share something funny that happened yesterday. A reader had left a comment about how similar Stephanie and I write (as she reads Stephanie's blog, too).

We are a lot alike, we used to look very much alike... back when I was younger and she was in college. We also sound very much alike. I used to tease my husband about not being able to tell which one of us was answering the phone when she still lived at home.

Well, yesterday I was checking our cell phone when he arrived home and saw we had two voice mails. I listened to the first message and was a little confused as to why Stephanie would have left a message on the cell phone, knowing I was at home.

Are you ahead of me, yet?

YES... it was actually a message I HAD LEFT the day before. I had assumed he had already listened to it so I wasn't thinking it was me. It sounded just like Stephanie! Then I realized it was the message I had left. Sheesh ...

I used to have a picture cut out of a magazine thumb tacked to my cork board. It was a print of a mother and daughter with the scripture written, "As the mother is, so is the daughter". I don't remember what Bible verse it was taken from.

Yes, we are much alike and no one actually understands me more on this planet than her. It's that combination of having been raised in my home and inheriting a certain amount of my tendencies. Except she was brilliant like her father and competitive like him (which kind of goes together as they both worked much more than I ever did for scholastic achievements).

Christopher and I share a few things in common, which was proven a few nights ago. He was checking his e-mails after a long day of school and work when he yelled from his room for me to go to the office computer (this one). He was sending me a graphic that a friend had forwarded to him.

There... in living pixels... someone had gone to a lot of trouble to make a graphic of all the Star Trek, Stargate, Babylon 5, and Star Wars space ships and how they relate to each other in size and shape. It was a thing of beauty. The two of us oooohed and awwwed over it for about twenty minutes when I decided to check out the guy who made it.

A little Googling research and I found his website and sent the URL to Christopher, where he did more research and found an updated star ship chart. He was going to send this one to his friend. I asked if he was going to tell him his mother actually found it... there was no answer. Although his closest online friends already knows he has a rather unusual Mom who shares his love of all things SciFi.

Well, his passion most likely came from my brainwashing over the years. I guess it almost balances out all the British click flick movies he sat through that his sister and I so enjoy.

When they were but tiny babies, I had no idea how much fun they would be as adults. :)

Picture: The Sledding Party by Robert Duncan; allposters.com

Snow, books, and an MP3

Brrrr... I feel just like Big Bird when he was asked if he was okay (after spending a night on the roof) and he said "I think I may have frozen my giblets".* One of my all time favorite movie lines. :)

The guys were running a little late so they asked if I would mind starting the car. So... I got my down coat and my hat on, open the front door, and...WOHHHH, where did this come from? It was quite dark but it looked like we were inside one of those shake up snow globes... and the weatherman did not warn us? What happened to the forecast of "light snow"? I thought it was Chicago that was to get all of this stuff.

It also caught the road crews unaware as Christopher later called to tell me the highway hadn't been plowed! Thankfully, my nice neighbors (the original redneck woman and her hubby) have a plow on their pick up truck and he has been plowing the gravel lane we share as well as our driveway throughout the morning. I just love country people. I'm going to reward them by taking over some freshly baked cowboy cookies a little later.

So, how am I spending this snow day? Well...

I'm doing a little ironing...

Washing a few dishes (the hot, sudsy water is so welcoming)...

Making cowboy cookies...

Washing more dishes...

Reading more of John Piper's wonderful book called Don't Waste Your Life...

and finally listening to podcasts of the Revive Our Hearts program about studying the Bible with this...
I'll write in a separate post later how I came be the proud owner of my own tiny MP3 player. Love it! It is itty bitty but powerful. I had the thermostat turned down to 66, wrapped a quilt around me, watched the snow fall on the deck... and listened to Nancy Leigh DeMoss podcasts... and then some music.

Lest you think all was spiritual, the first of my CDs I uploaded to iTunes was my favorite John Denver CD. I have all the podcasts on the mp3 first, then about six CDs by favorite singers, then another five or six CDs of my favorite instrumental CDs. Since the podcasts are free and it doesn't cost anything to upload CDs... it was within my budget. :)

We haven't heard from the hospital yet as to when Christopher is scheduled for outpatient tests. We all continue to pray.

Life is still rather inconvenient but here inside the warmth of hearth and home... I do that which women throughout the centuries have done in times of trouble... I do some cooking, some cleaning, and lots of praying. They didn't have an itty bitty MP3 player. They would have enjoyed it.

*Christmas Eve On Sesame Street from 1978

Photo: Tasha Tudor

An Inconvenient Season

January in my part of the world is definitely inconvenient. There is a harsh, bitter, cold wind blowing and the temperatures are falling even more as I write. We moved into our "bigger house" in January with a -20 wind chill. We moved into this house a few years ago, just as December met January. We obviously have not always planned our house purchases wisely (do not ever let a Realtor tell you no one buys homes in mid-winter). :)

My circumstances have been inconvenient for awhile but I am here in my cozy, warm home slowly chipping away at long past due projects. I work quite a bit in the morning hours, do a little less in the early afternoon... and leave the late afternoons and evenings for contemplation, reading, and a little TV. Tomorrow I hope to answer long overdue e-mails.

We once again are facing a major health struggle, this time it is Christopher who must go to the hospital for some tests. He can use your prayers for healing as well as peace in the storm. This is also his first week of the second semester. He is taking Trig, Calculus (yes... at the same time), Advanced Chemistry, Computer Programming, and the second semester of his Physics class. Sickness and a possible surgery at this time is not convenient.

One of the many reasons I love good literature is how it helps me relate to the world around me. I think so often of the C. S. Lewis space trilogy and how our world is called The Silent Planet (Out of the Silent Planet is the first book in the trilogy). It is called The Silent Planet as it is the world where evil resides, man sinned, and the Maker of the Universe was killed by His creation... well, that is a Reader's Digest version. Those living on other planets do not discuss ours...

Here... in this Silent Planet in which we are pilgrims and sojourners, life is and always will be inconvenient. Stephanie agreed with me as I was asking her to pray for her brother... "there is always "something", isn't there?".

As I've been gaining renewed physical strength, I have enjoyed seeing the house return to a place of serenity as clutter is chipped away slowly. This morning I went through a box of papers and "stuff" whose contents have been a burden to me since November. I threw away that which is no longer important or... due to the passing of time... is no longer in need of a decision. I also took out all the Christmas cards and letters received since Thanksgiving.

As I read each card again and wrote a (much much belated thank you) to friends, I was seeing Christ in my life... ministering to me through people... answering not only needs but some heartfelt desires.

As the Ancients would build altars of Remembrance for God's provision... of the many times He entered into this realm in which we live to lead and help His Creation... I was able to build a mental altar to Him as I read cards, notes, letters, and later... e-mails.

Most of my necessary work for the day has finished, only one load of laundry in the dryer remains until it is time to begin dinner for that time when Christopher can pick up his dad from work. I will take advantage of the temporary quiet in the house to (finally) begin my time of study and pondering. I still haven't written that list of things I want to learn, yet.

I used to let inconvenient seasons in my life cause me to freeze in motion... stop what I had planned or what I wanted to do. Then, when I realized there are very few times in our lives when we are not facing some kind of inconvenience, life went on and I pushed through circumstances... depending on God's opening and shutting of doors, His leading, His provision, and His Grace.

If you think of it as you read, send up a prayer for healing for Christopher! Thank you. :)

Picture: Peaceful Evening by Robert Duncan; allposters.com

Old desires and new lessons

The picture above hangs in my tiny "Victorian" bathroom. It is a Mary Engelbreit "poster" (cut from her magazine) with the words "It Is Never Too Late to Be What You Might Have Been". I remember cutting out the poster a couple years ago, very soon after reading the magazine (and finding an extra frame I had "put back" to frame it) so I could look at the words every day.

When my husband and I were first married, it was the 1970s and the "back to the land" movement was just beginning... brought about by an economic crisis meeting an energy crisis (hmmm... sound familiar?). He had just returned from Viet Nam and finished his Bachelor's degree when we met and was working on his Master's by the time we married.

We thought we would end up living in North Carolina, him working in a furniture company and me staying at home raising a garden and children, perhaps playing a dulcimer and weaving my own fabric (really, honest). What is that old saying... if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans?

He did go to work for a furniture company but we ended up living near Lake Michigan (can we say tons of snow each year?) and I had to go to work full time for awhile. However, because of my earlier plans... I always understood those who wanted to save the planet, go organic, etc. I didn't know lots of other Conservatives felt the same until I read Crunchy Con.

I truly believe one of the lies the enemy of our souls tells us is that it is "too late" to become anything other than what we are. It doesn't matter if we are twenty and we're told it is too late to take ballet lessons or learn a musical instrument... or if we're ninety and we're told it is too late to learn anything!

I've decided I'm going to take the advice on the poster to heart. This is the year to attempt fresh projects and learn new skills I've wanted to know for a very long time. Yes, I will get quite fatigued at times as (barring a miracle) I will have to forge through the exhaustion caused by a chronic illness. Finances are always an issue but if a skill is a God given desire... He provides.

So... since this is the week I plan to do some serious study and pondering... I will add to the many lists being made those things I would like to learn more about. I will stop the unhealthy thoughts that enter my brain, those which tell me it is too late for... anything.

Well, perhaps it is too late to learn gymnastics. :)

Photo: Mary Engelbreit's "It's Never Too Late": available at prints.com

Sunday Afternoon Tea

It is cold in the Midwest of the USA and getting colder every hour. That means a two Pooh mug morning... coffee with cream and Splenda. Real half and half is one of my frugal luxuries (purchased on the cheap at Wal Mart, I don't want to know where it comes from). January is definitely the month to stay out of the cold winds with hot coffee or a Holiday tea.

My oldest grandchild turns seven next month. I sent her birthday package a couple days ago, enough time in transit to send it Parcel Post and save money. Stephanie has been sharing with me how E. loves to help in the kitchen, cook and bake, and read pretty decorating books.

Me, too... :)

Which has had me thinking how one generation affects the others to come. I'm not certain how much of what we are within us is written in our DNA and how much is a result of our surroundings... most likely an even mixture. I developed a love of cooking and "decorating" and Stephanie did, too. Could it be the hours spent watching Julia Child and other cooking shows with me or a natural talent passed down through generations?

My four grandchildren are being raised in a home where good doctrine is important and they have grandparents who at least attempt to provide a godly influence (they live close to their paternal grandparents whom we like very much). They will see in all four of us our failures as well as our successes in following Christ but that is a good thing... for they are not perfect, either.

I remember reading Elisabeth Elliot's book called The Shaping of a Christian Family and being jealous of her upbringing. She shares what it was like growing up in a family with a very godly lineage (it is a wonderful book about raising children and the subject of generations). I was just telling the guys this morning about the first time I remember drinking Jack Daniels (other than mixed with honey for my bronchitis as a preschooler).

It was quite early in my life... my experience was on the lines of a country music tears in my beer song rather than a sacred hymn.... but it ended with Amazing Grace. I always hungered to know God, even as a small child I knew He was there. It wasn't until Junior High when an acquaintance was told to find the least likely person in her school to become a Christian... and invite them to a revival meeting at her Wesleyan Church... that I was introduced to Him. Yes, of all the kids in that small town K-12 school... I was the least likely. :)

My grandchildren's paternal grandparents came to know Christ as adults and my husband was raised in a very liberal church but came to know Him personally first at college and more so on the beaches of Hong Kong... while on R&R from the front lines of Viet Nam. He knew a God of religion and tradition growing up and met the God who loved him personally as an adult.

Of course, I realized I should not be jealous of Elisabeth Elliot's upbringing as He placed me in the family and in the moment of Time and History where He wanted me to live. He knew when my husband would turn His life over to God and when my son-in-law's parents would come to know Him. None of us perfect but all of us on a journey that has deeply impacted the next generation.

We must never look back with regret at our past when we have asked Him for forgiveness. For doing so only takes the joy away from our present and our future. Each morning that He gives us a new day is a clean slate to learn more how to live a life that thanks Him for our salvation... one that affects our own journey and those children who follow us. For everything we do... each day of our life... affects those which follow... for good or for bad.

I am reminded of the Steve Green song called "Find Us Faithful"... here are the words:

Find Us Faithful

We're pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift though all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find

Cold, dark, and dreary

That's what it looks like outside (cold, dark, and dreary). I awoke to the sound of heavy sleet beating against the window... again. The guys both had to work at the bookstore today (hubby is getting some needed income to pay the $1,900 car repair bill!) so we had been keeping an eye on the weather conditions. At least we didn't get the heavy snow on top of the ice that Chicago was experiencing.

After getting a look at the long term weather forecast, I decided to spend the entire morning working in the garage. While 30 degrees is cold, we're expecting possible sub-zero temperatures next week. So much for a January thaw. I can handle 30 degrees but once we dip below zero, the garage literally becomes an ice box.

Since we have no basement, the garage is our one storage area for the house. It has everything in it except for cars. Hubby did a great job packing away the Christmas decorations on their designated shelves. That helped me be able to work on the pantry shelves and those that hold my sewing and craft supplies, extra dishes, seasonal silk flower arrangements, etc.

There is just a little work left but all of it I can do alone is finished. I think the reason I love organizing things so much is the immediate feeling of accomplishment. I walk out to do laundry (the laundry room is part of the garage, too) and everything is in a designated place. All I need to do now is to fold some laundry and the remainder of the day can be spent reading or watching a little TV. :)

Dinner was made last night. It has only to be warmed up when the guys arrive home. I made Salisbury steak using Cheryl's recipe as a base, making a few changes to use what I had on hand. I just finished icing a Texas Sheet Cake (known in my family as Tulip Time Brownies). The guys will arrive home tired and hungry.

I just spoke to Stephanie in New England, where she is getting ready for special guests. Joel and Sarah Clarkson are to stop by for a late lunch on their way to Boston tomorrow. Please pray for the Clarksons as the weather throughout the Midwest and New England is terrible.

We weren't certain the route they are taking but we do know they will eventually have to come upon ice and/or heavy snow. I promised their Mom I would pray.

Now, just a little more work and I can relax. I feel like The Little Engine That Could... I think I can, I think I can. :)

Two "deepening the pantry" links

Did you think we were lost in our garage, overtaken by boxes and "stuff"? It is well on the way to being back to normal and organized. Hubby worked on one part of the garage and I organized the pantry area. There continues to be a couple hours worth of work but it is so cold right now, I'm waiting for a January thaw.

I have always found when the house is getting cluttered, there is a bottleneck somewhere. In this case, it was a combination of a variety of bottlenecks... all but one originated in the garage. (The other is an ongoing challenge... stacks of books.)

Thank you to all who have commented about the new header. This picture was taken last May when the deck was um... "all decked out" (pun intended)... for Christopher's graduation party. I was prepared to spend some time in devotions, reading, sipping tea, and nibbling on the cinnamon toast (served on a pretty vintage plate) and realized it was a "Kodak Moment".

I am so sorry that I have e-mails backed up since Christmas and a couple snail mail thank you notes waiting to be written. I appreciated everything so much but fatigue had overwhelmed me so that sitting at the computer and doing something simple like writing a note was difficult. I am hearing that even people with no chronic illness are having the same challenges in overcoming these symptoms. Strength is returning... just slowly.

As you know, I have many links on the side bar (scroll down a wee bit) about preparing for difficult times and deepening the pantry. All of them on the sidebar are excellent but two of these bloggers have begun new instruction in deepening the pantry (and preparing for difficult times).

Granny Miller is blogging again (yeah!!!). If you have time, leave a comment about how happy you are she decided to continue blogging. There is a wealth of information from this site, especially for those desiring to learn more "back to basics" skills.

Casaubon's Book is a new blog/site for me. A new series has started about deepening the pantry, whether you have been doing this for years or you are just starting.

There is always something new to learn! Thank you again for (hopefully) being understanding about my tacky lack of e-mail and snail mail writing.

Home as a sanctuary

I've written about this before but the thought of "home as sanctuary" came back to me yesterday evening when I was waiting for the guys to arrive home amidst a freezing drizzle.

The call came about an hour before hubby had to pick up Christopher from work... my insulin was available.

He left early to drive to the clinic and then back to campus to pick Christopher up from work at the bookstore. I stayed home and prayed for their safety. :)

By the time they arrived home, the lights on the porch had been turned on and the ancient Le Creuset' dutch oven was simmering on the stove... their favorite Midwestern Boiled Dinner. I wanted the sights and aromas to say "come in out of the storm".

Well, it was not really a storm but driving conditions were not so good and country roads in the dark can be "iffy" at best.

I have long thought of the home as sanctuary. When I was growing up, after my father died, I had no sanctuary. Once I married, a couple of weeks after turning twenty, providing a real home was of utmost importance. Even though we moved quite often to follow my husband's career and there was no permanent dwelling, the objects... sights... sounds... aromas... were consistently "home".

I have noticed my husband spending more time this past year in our living room where he likes to read on the sofa. I'm not surprised. Even though the Early American-English Country look may not be his favorite, the colors are all earth tone and soothing. It is a small room filled with books... very cozy. He can relax in this environment.

There is a storm brewing in the world today, it is already affecting many people. For others, they can see the storm clouds in the distance and feel the wind picking up as they stand... looking toward the horizon and waiting. Where I live in the Midwest, there is a phrase used during parts of the year... "it feels like tornado weather". One can sense the approaching storm, long before the sky turns green and the fierce winds arrive.

I have already spent the past couple of days organizing and decluttering... yet again. But last night, as I was thinking of storms and sanctuary, I decided to work at making my home a complete sanctuary for the three of us and one elderly kitty (and anyone else entering our home).

Of course, I will continue decluttering as my husband and I tackle the garage today. If no one hears from us by nightfall... send out the St. Bernard carrying a flask of hot coffee with cream & Splenda.

I also plan to write out more ways I can make our home a sanctuary... deepening the pantry when possible, fixing things that are broken and other needed household maintenance, organizing my recipes... in particular those that are inexpensive, planning special days of celebration for no particular reason... and most of all... letting the peace of God permeate me and the house.

It all gets down to what He whispered in my ear when we were living in Detroit... Live Life On Purpose. Think... ponder... write down... don't let life just pass you by because it goes so quickly. So, my goals this year all fall under the label of "Sanctuary". Just how to accomplish this will be the subject of much pondering.

Added: I thought I should add that I can never expect perfect sanctuary in my home. I live with a teenager who can become quite cranky and moody, a husband who is on Disability for Bipolar symptoms (brought about by severe environmental allergies throughout his life), a cat who seems to cough up more hair balls as she grows older... and I have to live with myself. Sigh... only in Heaven will we find perfection.

Picture: Nostalgia-Mini by Clement Micarelli; allposters.com