O Sacred Head Now Wounded

     We have been studying the Middle Ages. The fuedal system, nobility, knights, the plague. We read the most inspiring thing so far the other night in a book called Trial and Triumph by Richard Hannula. I was hesitant to use this book when I first cracked it back in Spring because, being about church history, the stories are sometimes gruesome and depressing. Learning about saints and martyrs can be a good thing, but the first story was the martyrdom of Polycarp and well, I thought my girls were a little tender for that I guess.
      Well, Bernard de Clairvaux (1090-1153) was the son of a nobleman and knight, who left his family castle to pursue a life of service to God. Though a gifted scholar, at age 22, he became a monk. All of his five brothers, an uncle, and over twenty friends followed suit. Just 3 years later, he was sent out to establish a new monastery. The growth was vast and eventually they established over one hundred new monasteries. Now mind you, I am well aware of the corruption and sin surrounding the monasteries of the day, but apparently, Bernard was truly a pious man. He preached the love of God, and all around reported the presence of God in the valley where the monastery stood. These monks "did not hide from the world, but fed and lodged travelers, nursed the sick and cared for the poor." They emptied their storehouses to feed the masses during a famine.
     You can read more about Bernard, in this book or by looking for him online, but I do have a point I am getting to here. Bernard was inspired to do what he did by his mother. He had gone to visit his brothers as they were besieging a castle. He rode along weighed down by his sin, worrying over his future, and the words of his mother (who was deceased) came to him, "My son, was it for this that I brought you into the world?" Sharing this with his father is what changed his mind about giving his blessing for him to follow his call from God.
     That spoke volumes to me about our influence on our children's spiritual lives. They need to know they have a calling, a gift, a purpose on this earth for which the Father has created them. And they need to know that we know it too. They need to know that we believe in them and their ability to follow that calling and fulfill it.
      I cannot claim in the least way to have been the mother I should have been in this area. I am sure I have let my own fleshly will get in the way of helping my children to see who they are and can be in Christ. But I pray that I will be able to knit my heart more closely to His, and see with His eyes what He has for my children. I pray that I can help them to see it for themselves, and desire it much more than fine gold.
     By the way, Bernard de Clairvaux wrote the songs, "O Sacred Head Now Wounded" and "Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts."
     Next week the Waldensians and Francis of Assisi :)
     
        

Sauerkraut

     Here is another practical and encouraging post, this one about lacto-fermenting vegetables. I haven't made sauerkraut for years, and it is so easy. In recent years I learned that you can do the same with many other veggies and fruits as well. MAKE SURE YOUR JARS AND LIDS ARE STERILIZED! When I first wrote this post, I lost all my kraut. It may or may not have been safe, but had some funky looking mold, and I wasn't willing to risk it. This time it turned out great, and I actually used a large pickle jar, which is a little more than half a gallon. We also did cauliflower and carrots. I used organic, whole baby carrots, but I will use thinly sliced carrots next time, as I think the whole ones were just too thick. We just eat them all right out of the jar as a side with meals. The three mixed together are great. Or sometimes when I'm putting something in the frig, I get a hankerin, so I eat a big forkful:)
     1. Finely chop or shred your cabbage
     2. Pack firmly into quart jars, 3/4 full only
     3. Fill with water to cover cabbage, up to the neck of the jar
     4. Add 1 level TB salt
     5. Add 2 TB whey (saved from draining your kefir ). You can use another 1/2 TB salt if you do not have whey. The goal is to keep bad bacteria from forming. Or alternately, you can reduce or leave out the salt, provided  you use the whey.
     6. Place caps on tightly enough to keep things out, and leave sitting on counter. I BURPED my jars once a day After 3 days, tighten lids and refrigerate. It's ready to use, but will improve with time. It will keep for years in the frig.
      I also layered the salt and cabbage when making a larger amount.

                                                              
            The girls did all the chopping, and most of the jar stuffing. Definitely a fun one! Try It!
                                                                                   

Kefir

      For many years, we have tried to eat a rather healthy diet. I had heard over the years about Kefir (pronounced kay-fear, but no one says it that way here in the midwest cause that drawls it out too much. We say Keefr). It is made from grains, and I thought that's just what they were, grains. It originated from somewhere in the Caucasus Mountains (which by the way borders Europe and Asia). I mean, fermented grains? In a skin bag no less! That sounds way too complicated to me, so I'll just stick to my yogurt. Stir a little Dannon into my goat milk, keep it warm on the pilot light, or in a foam cooler, and if you want it thick enough to stay on your spoon, cheat and add a little powdered milk. Right?
     Well, finally, my friend Nancy (who also has goats) introduced me to Kefir. Oh, you make kefir? Where on Earth did you get the grains? From Sharen? More goats. LOTS of goats! Goat queen you might say. I've known Sharen for over 20 years, she never gave me any Kefir grains! I tried it. A little like buttermilk, no not quite. More like drinkable, tart yogurt. So she told me how you make Kefir and said she'd share some grains with me. The rest is history. Well, it's all history really, cause this happened 2 years ago, and I've been making Kefir ever since from the descendents of those very grains.
     So following is my little pictorial tutorial :) on making Kefir.
                                                                                         

     These are the GRAINS. They are not really a grain at all, but colonies of probiotics, which feed off of the milk and ferment it, making it a very beneficial addition to your already health conscious diet!
                                                                                         

     As you can see, they take on different shapes as they grow. These are all on the smaller side. Sometimes, they hang together in sheets, or string together in long clusters. It's fun to observe, and you get excited when you see a new morph appear in the jar. But, I'm kind of weird that way. I am so fond of my Kefir grains, I took them on vacation to North Carolina with me!
                                                                                             

     You put your grains into the milk, in a GLASS jar, about 1/2 cup per quart. Leave some room at the top for expansion. Right out of the udder is best, as cold slows the growth of the grains. However I do put mine in cold milk if I am trying to use the older milk out of my frig. It just takes it a little longer than the standard time to reach the desired consistency and tartness when I do that. Cover the jar. I use a paper towel usually with a rubber band, and cover with an extra washcloth or towel during fruit fly season. You can see here that I have a pickle jar. I usually make a half gallon at a time. I leave mine on the counter, near the coffee pot. If you think of it when you are doing the dishes, give it a stir once or twice during the day. If you don't it will still be fine. See how easy this is?

     After about 24 hrs give or take depending on the temp, your Kefir will be ready to strain. Cooler temps take a little longer. Sometimes it will separate a little like you see here. The yellowish clear liquid is the whey. Sometimes the whey will be all at the bottom, and all the thick Kefir and grains will be on top. No worries. Give it a stir and strain away. Next time though, you will probably need to add more milk. After just a few days, you will see your grains are beginning to multiply. Soon you will be looking for friends to share them with. Or you can add them to your smoothies if you like for an added probiotic boost! Just make sure if you decide to feed them to your chickens, to chop them up really fine. Ask me how I know...

     Now it is time to separate the grains from the fermented milk. Just pour it into a plastic or nylon strainer/colander. I put mine over a canning funnel, then put the funnel in the jar. You are not supposed to use metal, it reacts.  I did use a stainless strainer for a while when I first started making mine, until I got a plastic one. The stainless was way too small, and it took forever to get the job done. Now I just dump. I personally detest plastic, but it's in there for such a short time, I concede. You can see I used a stainless spoon here. I think stainless is probably fine, but there may be those who differ from me on that.

                                                                                       
     If you would like an even thicker product, (remember I said, it's kind of like drinkable yogurt) you can drain it through muslin cloth. This will make it like greek yogurt or sour cream.
                                                                                            

     Place your cloth in a colander, place your colander in a bowl large enough to catch and hold some of the whey, place a plate on the top, and flip the edges of the cloth over all. This is very important, because the whey will inch its way down to the edges of the cloth and drip on your refrigerator shelf if you don't:)
I leave mine on the counter at first for a few hrs, checking periodically and draining off the whey. When the separation slows, you can put it in the frig.

     This is what the whey looks like. There are many uses for whey, but that is another post. I have recently  okay, yesterday, finally started making fermented mayonaise. Add a couple of Tbs to your homemade mayo (also another post). Most of mine goes to the chickens:)
                                                                                           

      Scraping the sides speeds up the process a little, but after about 24 hrs or so, you should have a nice thick product, to which you can add some of that mayo and make veggie dip, use it as sour cream, or it makes fantastic tzatziki sauce for gyros!
                         By the way, you can store your grains in between times in the frig with just enough milk to cover them, if you begin to feel as if you are swimming in Kefir. It is not optimum to do this, as it slows down probiotic production, so I would recommend making just small amounts at a time if need be. It will not harm your grains if you neglect them for a few days on the counter, either. Also, if you know you are going to be gone for an extended period, you can rinse your grains gently under running water and place them in a container in the freezer. Take them out when you come home, thaw, and pick up where you left off.                                                                 

       After the kids are all in bed, hubby and I are ready to sit and chat, or watch an episode of All Creatures Great and Small (while simultaneously tackling loads of laundry that needs folding). Now for my favorite way to enjoy Kefir! I stir in a couple of Tb each of hemp seeds and chia seeds, about 4 drops of flavored stevia (vanilla creme, chocolate raspberry, english toffee or whatever suits your fancy), let it sit for about 5 min.What a great ending to a busy day. I guess it's my current comfort food. Yes, that is a Blue's Clues cereal bowl that has somehow survived my plastic purging. It's days are numbered. I'm sure very soon, the dog will wander off with it after she finishes her meat scraps or leftover scrambled eggs, and my husband will hit it with the lawn mower:)
    
    

Behind My Back

     I just wanted to share with you what I see throughout the day, when I open the cupboard door beside my sink. All of a sudden, one day it was there. I'm sure it was a day when I fell flat on my face in the Mommy department. This girl I am responsible for raising to Love the Lord, blesses me beyond measure and always reminds somehow of what is most important, should I begin to let my eyes get off the prize.
     So I leave it there to remind me, that I want my kids to wish to bless me, even behind my back. When I'm not looking, I want there to be smiles on their faces, not scowls. So hug and kiss your kids today!  

Gardening

                                                                                

       
     It is summer. Meaning gardens and growing and weeds and watering. My garden this year has been the best yet since we've moved here. Actually probably the best in a long time, especially considering the weather. Hot and dry in May, so watering was in order. Every. Single. Day. Then by July you just wished it would stop! My beans and peas both did quite well actually, but the beans finally just got too wet underneath, so I pulled them out. Haven't put new ones in yet, but plan to this weekend, along with peas. Brassicas and lettuce too. They love the cool weather.
                                                                                 

      
     We have been pretty diligent with weed control this year. My 12 year old has really taken an interest in the garden, so she has been very helpful.
     But the plants are not why I'm writing. It's about growing. Children. As I tried to gently train my peas in the way that they should go, I thought how much easier it would have been if I hadn't skipped a couple of days. I had to be so much more careful. Not to force. Not to bend. Not to break. Then there are the weeds. Getting them while they are small is so much easier. Yet, much care must still be taken when those plants are tiny and tender. Pulling out the weeds, we must not yank the plant up by its very roots. And we must fertilize the soil in which they grow.
                                                                                     

       The helping girl with the hoe who by walking backward did not see the flowers planted there; the smiling girl with handful of beets not quite big enough; the broken piece of pea plant lying on the ground shriveling in the sun all blooms and baby pods. These are the garden things that bring out the real me. The me who needs to grow in grace. The me all full of self and pride. The me God needs to bend and train. In my garden, He is there. Gently working at my weeds. Showing me the way. I don't deserve His gentleness, for I don't always give it.
        He is teaching me if I will learn. To gently lead, to gently train. To be diligent. To be consistent to check for little weeds cropping up, and pull them out before they become so large, no amount of pulling will remove them. That happens when the soil is too dry and hard. To water, yes, with the Word, and fertilize with Love and Joy and Laughter sprinkled liberally. The plants will grow, they will thrive and will even rise up to call you blessed.
     And you know you don't deserve it, yet the grace is there, and the sun rises on a new day.
                                                                                         

     Dr S.M. and RaeJean Davis have been married for 44 years. He is a retired pastor, now full time conference speaker with a DVD ministry devoted to Biblical solutions to family problems, as well as foreseeing and avoiding them. We have been very blessed by his teaching. Check it out:)
http://www.solvefamilyproblems.org/Default.asp    

Practicing His Presence

I often think of Robert Frost's Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening as I trek out to the barn in the winter. I want to write my own poem about it, but as yet, have not. Snow does something to me. I find it to be quite indescribable, really. The hush that comes over the land when the snow is falling thick and soft is a balm. Then there is the dark, and the quiet is quieter still. I want to go there, wherever it is we are getting this taste of, when the snow is falling at night. It draws me, this place. It soothes me. It is a place of retreat. It is nothingness and everything. I don't want to just stop, I want to STAY.  I feel peace and soaring in my spirit all at the same time, and I'm not even sure how that can be. But I know it is God and for whatever reason He has chosen this as a gift to me. Through this peace, this tranquility, this joy, He is speaking to me. He is telling me BE THIS. Be peace and calm and beauty and delight to the ones I have given you. I cry because I know I don't always the way that I should, and of course I can't at all without Him. I am so thankful for this snow which is always there, falling gently, reminding me, compelling me. So I press on with the practicing of His presence. So that in the midst of pbj's, spilled fish food, and lost library books, I can be who He wants me to be. Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening and it's falling around me, this presence, as I pick up wet towels and match socks and knead bread. "When the ones I have in my care are hurt or mad or dawdling or forgetful, help me Lord to feel you and be in your presence. And help me to teach THEM to stop by the woods and  practice your presence by showing." 

Study To Show Thyself Approved

      Well, I've been wondering what the Lord would have me write next. I want to write by His inspiration and not my own. I could write something every day with no problem. I have lots to say and sometimes very strong opinions about it as well!
      My husband and I have been watching a BBC documentary called Auschwitz: The Nazis and the Final Solution . It is gut wrenching, to say the very least. I can't even begin to describe the emotions I've felt, trying to digest the horror, the madness, the cruelty. It is just beyond my comprehension how the whole thing even happened; how things escalated to the degree that they did. It's scary to think how one man and his hatred can influence so many to evil. As I sit there with my hand sometimes over my mouth, trying to take it in, I pray. Pray we will never see another Holocaust like that one again.
      So this story has been bouncing around in my mind, the images playing over in my sleep at times. What has all this to do with the now? I'm not sure, but I feel it is somehow related to another thought that struck me today. It started with a spelling test. "Fifty, I don't like being fifty.I wish I were thirty. Fifty." "Mommmm." Next word- "Missed. Not mist like from the water, like miss but past tense. Like I miss being thirty. Missed." "Mommmm."
        We use Spelling Power. The theory behind the method is you test-study-test. With most spelling curriculum you study-test-study. Study a list for a week, take a test at the end and if you miss some of  them you study them again. With test-study-test you only study what you don't know. You do this daily. You restudy and retest the next day. Then when you know the word, you're done with it. You'll get it again later in review just to be sure. There is a method to the studying. Things you do to help cement the word into your memory. You read it. You write it. You close your eyes. Meditate on it. You look for something in the word that makes it stand out. You trace it with your fingers in something that you can feel, like salt. You check it off as you go. Make sure you are memorizing it. Making it stick.
      I've been trying to decide if I should stick with this method. The girls get frustrated when they miss a word. I tell them it's okay, you've never had this one before. Usually it's only a couple of words and in one or two times of retest, they get it.
       So it is with our walk. We are tested. Hopefully we study what we miss. "Study to show thyself approved." Then the next time the test comes we get that one. We may have a little review down the road, but we hardly even notice. We have that one. It's in there. Sometimes the realization hits me; I've had this one too many times. Why don't I get it? And I know, it's in the studying. Or the lack of really. I miss some of the steps in getting that Word in there so that when the test comes, I can show myself approved.
      Don't get me wrong. I think there are definitely things in life that come our way that have not so much to do with our ability to handle it or respond correctly or not. It's not always just about us. Sometimes it's about others and how God wants to use what we are going through or have been through to minister to someone else.And that's the showing thyself approved also. The being beside the other. Either way, we must study those things we don't know so well. Those things we trip over and forget. And review the things that we do know. Ingrain them.
      So it kind of seems to me that it is in the learning and loving of the words (Word) that we take them to heart. We become familiar. We know it. We embrace it, it becomes as part of us and it's there for us when we need it to handle whatever situation. We draw from it like a well, that knowledge of the Word.
     Have we learned from our tests? Have we studied since the events of times past? Praying we have............ 

    Well, I've finally done it! It's been on my heart to start a blog for a while now. I am a writer. I can never seem to convey what is in my mind or heart with words. I need pen and paper, or keyboard:) I pondered my reason for starting a blog, what name I would use, and about what subjects I would write. I've been doing a lot of soul searching. God, knowing my need, has led me to some great articles and resources which I hope to share. I know I am not alone. It can be a struggle to live life to the fullest. We can become bogged down by the mundane, the routine, the never ending-ness of dishes, laundry and cleaning. The feeling of not having accomplished all we need or want to get done in a day or a week or even a year can be discouraging.The demands of meeting everyone's needs sometimes results in neglecting or even forgetting about our own. Instead of pressing in to Him and His word and His life giving presence, we falter.
    So I speak more to myself than anyone else as I title my blog. It's an admonishment and encouragement to have "joy in the journey"; to see the Beautiful, the Wild, and the Wonderful in this life that we live; to enjoy Him and truly see the ways He reveals Himself to us.
    Here is a link to the e-magazine Impart with a great article entitled I'm On A Quest to Get My Groove Back by Michele Vanmatre. When I read it I felt as if I could have written it myself. Enjoy! www.impartmagazine.com