We need that book.

The other day I was listening to Dr. Dobson's program via podcast, and I heard about a book.  It wasn't very long before I knew, I knew.  We need that book.

I told my husband (who also listens to the program) about it, and his immediate response was "Buy it."  We're not usually so fast in deciding to make such purchases, so either it was my zeal or the program itself which influenced such fast agreement.  I'm frankly not sure, and I'm a little afraid to ask.

We do love books, though.  I've often said we should have a separate corner of the budget, just for books.  I love the feel of them in my hand, the smooth covers.  I love the sound of the pages being turned.  I love the soft tickle as I search for a certain part.  My husband and I have been known to come home from marriage conferences with a gorgeous stack of new, wonderful books.  Some area read right away, some end up sitting on a nightstand for months or even longer.  I suppose it's alright, though - we're helping to support likeminded writers, and if we start wandering around in search of reading material we've got a ready supply, yes?

I did call about the book, and last Sunday it came home to our house.  It is wonderful so far, and I hope it will make a big difference in our family.  But that's not really what this post is about...

See, when I am faced with something unknown, I usually seek out a book.  I'll go to a bookstore or pour over the library's website.  I'll search Amazon, ask my friends.  Something in my seems to believe that when I need an answer, it's likely to be found in a book.   I have books on romance, marriage, breastfeeding, baby signs, parenting, cooking, nourishing foods, family nights and yes, homeschooling. We even have a book on the best places to kiss in the Northwest.

It's a pretty thorough collection.

Yes, books are my default, my go-to.  I love books and have found them very helpful and enriching in my life.

And then my thoughts turn to the Good Book.  The B-I-B-L-E.  The Word.

Living.  Active.  Unchanging.  Powerful.
Truth.

The Bible is not a book for the faint of heart -- it is a book full of all the greed and glory and violence and tenderness and sex and betrayal that benefits mankind.  It is not the collection of pretty little anecdotes mouthed by pious little church mice -- it does not so much nibble at our shoe leather as it cuts to the heart and splits the marrow from the bone.  It does not give us answers fitted to our small-minded questions, but truth that goes beyond what we even know to ask.                           

             ~Rich Mullins, "The World as Best As I Remember It: Thoughts & Reflections" 

Oh, how we need that book...

times like these

Please welcome a guest post from my amazing husband Jeff.



With 5 kids, we’re becoming very accustomed to the unique way that people respond to us when they see us or hear how big our family is. The responses range from surprised to sympathetic to cheeky.
“That’s a handful!”

“You’re very blessed!”

“Wow!”

“They know what causes that now” wink wink

Naturally, we cut quite a swath when we go places. And people also make assumptions about our religion or our sanity. And while I won’t bore you with details about either, bottom line is we’ve made a choice to have a large family. And that’s unusual these days.

Both of my parents came from decent sized families and in that generation it wasn’t out of the ordinary. My dad has 2 brothers and 2 sisters. My mom grew up with 2 sisters and 3 brothers. And to be honest, my parents probably wanted to have a similar sized family, but they struggled with infertility for years. Of course I never blame them, but I was always envious of my best friend who had 3 siblings. All those friends to play with all the time!? I know it wasn’t always happiness and light, but I sure wished I had someone to share a bunk bed with.

So when my wife and I got married, I told her I wanted 6 and she said she wanted 2. I guess I’m winning. But seriously, she had a change of heart and we are both so excited to meet each new blessing that God sees fit to give to our family. And while at times it exhausts me, the rewards are far beyond measure.

And there are a few unique benefits:
At restaraunts we get seated ahead of the couples on a date by themselves because there is less demand for the big tables.
Family reunions are so much fun!
If you’re bored, it’s your own fault.

But beyond the humorous and exciting is one benefit that was brought home to me in a very moving way last fall.

In times of celebration or times of sorrow, there is nothing like family. Blood is thicker than water. My mom is the youngest sibling from her family and her next oldest sibling was her sister Sharon. Their birthdays were a 2 years and a day apart. They talked alike, laughed alike, both crossed the border south from Canada to marry their American hubbies. And as of 8 or 9 years ago when my parents moved to Tigard, they both lived in the Portland area. This was the aunt that drove Mindy all over the metro area looking at apartments and duplexes when we moved out here in 2001 while I was still driving our truck across country with my dad. Nearly every time we spent a holiday with my parents, Sharon and her family were there. And boy could those sisters tell stories and have a good time together. So when I got a call at the beginning of September last year from my mom, I was shocked to hear her say that Sharon had been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. All the more surprising because she never smoked a day in her life. I didn’t know what to say. But my mom and her sister were so optimistic and hopeful. And they just ramped up the fun they had together in case the time really was short.

It was a gut-wrenching situation and soon her brothers and other sister made arrangements to spend as much time as possible supporting her and her family. My mom took days at a time off of work to accompany Sharon to Arizona for treatment and was there to comfort their daughter Amy when the news wasn’t good about how things were going. When they brought her back to Oregon City, there were evenings spent eating, singing praise choruses, reminiscing and just being with Aunt Sharon. Amy would paint her toenails and do her hair for her. Aunt Ruth cooked and cleaned. The brothers encouraged her husband, Daryl just by being there and helping with the arrangements for the final days. It’s so hard to describe. It was a little surreal. But the love in the room was amazing.

One evening when we were visiting, my Uncle Ron was sitting next to Kyle, our six year old. They sat quietly for awhile and then exchanged some whispered small talk. Then my uncle looked around the room, smiled at a couple of our other kids and said "Kyle, when your mom and dad get older... When times like this come... it will be a blessing to have your brothers and sister with you."

My aunt Sharon passed away a few weeks later on a Sunday morning as her siblings and their spouses gathered around in an impromptu church service. And Cousin Amy and uncle Daryl were cared for the way only family can. I watched and saw a little glimpse of what may be the future for my kids. Not with sorrow, although I’m sure that will come, but with joy. Because I know that no matter how they argue about whose turn it is with the Wii or who has to set the table this week, they will be there for each other. I see it in the way Kyle defends the baby when Owen plays a little too rough. They way Ben dotes on Elise, helping her into the truck, or cheering her up when she’s sad about not being able to do something. Now I'm not blind to the reality that they may not all be fast friends as adults. But I know that when times like this come blood really will be thicker than water.


(This is the text of a speech that I gave at my Toastmasters club a couple of weeks ago.)

it's what's for dinner

This marks the fourth year we've purchased grass-fed beef from a rancher.  

(Why grass-fed and grass-finished?  Click HERE to read more.)

We bought the most we ever have:  three-quarters of a cow.

Wow.

Our family is so excited, though.   And to tell you the truth, it was a little tricky to get it all in the freezer.

We had to utilize every square inch of freezer space we had available, which included one big chest freezer and two refrigerator freezers.  My husband did it though. Didn't I tell you he was spatially gifted?

I'm so pleased and happy to have such a supply of lovely, healthy grass-fed beef available.   I can hardly wait to make this sausage again.  We love it in omelettes, on pizza, and in many other dishes.  It's so easy!

Recently I discovered some other promising recipes: Homemade Beef Pepperoni (which the commenters say is similar to summer sausage!) and Spicy Pepperoni, as well as a new Beef Jerky recipe.  

A word of advice, though: grass-fed beef cooks differently than conventional beef.  It's quite lean, so it needs to be cooked more slowly, over lower heat.   I highly recommend Stanley Fishman's book Tender Grassfed Meat, especially if you are new to grass-fed.  Here's a link to some free recipe ideas:  American Grassfed Beef.  It took me a while to learn how to prepare grass-fed beef, but it was so worth the process!

homeschooling on the brain

You know you've got homeschooling on the brain when...

...you head to the garage for something and find yourself in the study, staring at homeschooling books.

...at church on Sunday, every single song seems to be about homeschooling.  (surrender, trust, obedience...)

...the school books for 2012-13 are in the mail, and you can hardly wait 'til they get here.

...you're pinning better ways to organize all the homeschool materials.

...the day your kids leave to go camping with their grandparents, you make sure they do Bible, math, character development, and Roman history.

...you check the "school stuff" fund on a regular basis.

...you are thrilled to be participating in Monday school again this autumn.

...you're planning to grill fellow homeschool mamas on how they do it.

...you're super-pscyhed that there's a second T-square coming with the school books.

...your blog has more posts on homeschooling this week than parenting and food combined. ;)

...you are bound and determined: this year it will be different.

self evident

When you forget to switch the cold weather couch pillows...

to the warm weather couch pillows,

and don't even realize it until the end of August, it's a sure sign you've had a busy summer.

homeschooling: meet me there

I've made no secret on this blog of the fact that homeschooling is not easy for me.  From the beginning I have tried to be honest about that - even as it chips away at my pride a little.  It's an ongoing struggle (challenge) for me, but I am blessed to be able to do it.  I am thankful for the freedom to do it.  I am incredibly grateful that my husband supports me in it the way that he does.  I don't mean to grumble or complain, and I hope I don't come off as pathetic and whiny.  I'm just trying to be real.

Schooling my children at home is something I believe God has asked me to do.  And so, though it's by far the harder road for me,  I am going to do it.   The idea of being out of His will is not worth it to me.  So I'm pressing on.

But here's the thing: I need to be on my knees.  I've recently been convicted (from several different sources, as it happens) that I may have been trying to do this under my own steam.  I'll ask for prayer now and again, but am I praying about it much?  Honestly, no.  That's embarrassing to admit, but there you go.  The sad truth.  No wonder it's such a struggle for me.

I don't mean to suggest that all this will be easy-as-pie if I pray about it.  I'm sure we'll have ups and downs,d ays when I start listing other options.

Still, in a way this feels like a turning point.  I've been brought to a place where I am convinced, at last, that I must plead with the Lord about this before I even leave my bedroom in the morning.  I must ask for help, I must commit it all to Him.  Because I finally know that unless I do that, I simply don't stand a chance.

How I long to enjoy this path where God has placed me.  How I want to see my children thrive.  I don't want us to merely survive a day or term or year...I want us to grow.  To grow in wisdom, in knowledge, in relationship, in our walk with Jesus, in our love for one another.  I so hope this coming year can be one we can look back on and say "Yeah, that was good stuff.  It was fun."  Wouldn't that be something?

But even if it is always a hard thing, even when the difficult days outweigh the fun ones, I will obey.  And I will commit it to Him; I don't want all this to be in vain.

So...I'm going to call on his name.  To remember that He has a plan for all this, and to know that he will be faithful to complete what he's begun.  I'm going to sing "Trust and Obey" to myself, and to trust that through the ups and downs, the times of triumph and the times of self-doubt...Jesus will meet me there.

Unless the Lord builds the house,
    the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the guards stand watch in vain.

                                                                             Psalm 127:1                                  

               

seasonal food: beets

When I was a kid, I would not eat beets.

I know, big shocker.  There's a lot of stuff I wouldn't eat as a child.  And there's a story in family lore of how a daycare provider tried to make my brother eat beets, and how traumatic the whole thing was.  Clearly, beets were not something a sane person chose to eat.

But over the past few years, largely due to the CSA program, I have absolutely fallen in love with beets.  My favorite way to prepare them is to roast them.  I cook them til they're nice and tender, peel them (marveling at the gorgeous hue), and dice them.  Then I toss them with a little extra virgin olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, adding a sprinkle or two of salt.  Perfection!  My daughter adores them this way. 

Fermented Beets

Another way we use beets around here is to pickle them.  I use the lacto-fermentation process - it's so easy! The end result is a crisp, flavorful beet: great on salads or in wraps.  I really enjoy the addition of a little garlic too, it adds such a nice zip to the pickled beets.

Pink Coleslaw

When I first learned about Pink Coleslaw, I was intrigued.  And it's the easiest thing ever to "pink" up the recipe!  Just grate a raw beet into the mix and stir it up.  The recipe called for two beets, but I only used one (I got lazy), and the result was still very pink.  It tastes like normal coleslaw to me (though I love that the dressing is sweetened with honey), but you get the health benefits of beets as well as that stunning color.

And what are the health benefits? According to Sally Fallon in Nourishing Traditions, beets are a wonderful source of vitamins and nutrients: "calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus, as well as carotene, B complex and vitamin C."   They can be eaten cooked, raw, or fermented.  They also help to detoxify.

My next quest is trying and making beet kvass.  Talk about packing a punch!  And to think, a few years ago I never even would have considered it, not for anything.  My, how time can change things.

Blessings,


p.s.  I should probably tell you that beets can influence the color of your urine, especially if you eat more than one serving.  So if you g out and enjoy them, don't be alarmed!  You are not dying.  It's simply part of the "beet experience."