Sisters

"What would it be like to only have in my life today that which I murmured thanks to God for last night?" ~Ann Voscamp

118. New pets

119. Eyes to recognize the evil inside

120. Impatience for purity, to be refined

121. Freshly done laundry

122. Herbs! Arrived!!

123. Homemade mayonnaise—a batch that finally “worked”

124. A package from China

125. A gallon of cleaner

126. Glass vases, 30 cents each

127. Homemade lotion, tweaked to perfection

128. Green mud masks

129. Laying on the floor by my sister, cucumber slices over our eyes

130. Painting her face green

131. Fresh flowers on the mantle

132. Being able to pray for my husband when we are apart

133. Knowledge of a God whose ways are mysterious, but good

134. Dreams of future adventure (not future fear!)

135. A headrub for a headache

136. Enjoying old-time movies, together

137. Learning to desire, again

138. Freshly painted nails (with glitter!!)

139. Pretty glass jars

140. Laundry--clean!

Dear Christian,

I wrote this for 5 minute Friday with The Gypsy Mama, but it took wee bit more time to write than the "allotted" amount. :-) The prompt this week was "Loss."


My dearest Little Christian,

It was a month ago Thursday that I lost you, that my body broke and you went to be with Jesus. A month ago since life changed completely.

I've thought of you so very often since then--the little boy that your daddy and I loved so very much. I think of you when I walk into my bedroom and see the sign I posted all those months ago on the wall behind our bed, the evening I first told your daddy that you were on the way. I like the sign so much I can't bear to take it down. It says, "We Love you, Daddy!" And I hung it with pink and blue hearts and streamers (because we weren't sure whether you would be a boy or a girl).

Even though I miss you so very much, I have enjoyed thinking about what you are doing now. I wonder what you have learned? Has God taken you through all the AMAZING events He orchestrated in history, the ones I never got to tell you about? It would be so much better, I think, to see them before hearing about them--when you don't know at first how the story ends and have to watch it unfold. In heaven can you watch as God parts the Red Sea for Moses? Do you wait with baited breath to see what happens when Daniel is thrown in the Lions den--or his three friends into the fiery furnace? (and while you watch, can they watch with you? because I think that would be pretty neat--like an old family video too good to be allowed to collect dust)

It would be different watching from Heaven, I think--because here on earth there is a fear of dying, or at least, the feeling that the story ends "better" if the hero/heroine DOESN'T go to heaven, but lives. I think if you were watching from heaven, while the story would still be suspenseful, either ending would be rejoiced at. Either it is a record of God's amazing intervention, or a record of a precious saint's home coming. From heaven's perspective that's win-win, right?

I wonder sometimes what you're doing and who you have talked to or met. A friend of mine lost her husband a year ago--he met you before I did. Grandmother would have also. I also wonder what exactly you look like. Do you look more like me, or like your daddy? Is it a little of both? Or do glorified bodies not work like that?

Christian, even though it has hurt to never be able to see you, never be able to carry you to term, never hold you or take pictures of you--I am amazed by how truly GOOD God was to take you. I don't know why He did, and I don't think I would have chosen it for myself, but I can still praise Him for it--and so can you, but in person. I can imagine that right now. I wonder if you, our eldest son, will be the one to introduce me to Jesus?

Because I think that would be just perfect.

Your Mama

Soaked Grains?

One somewhat unusual thing that I do with my whole grain staple recipes is to soak the grain before I use it. Most of us are familiar with the idea that it is more nourishing to use whole grains  than white flour. Whole grains (especially freshly milled!) contain vitamins, minerals and fiber that is completely lost in the refining process of white flour. Unfortunately, whole grains also have something called phytic acid.

Phosphorus in the bran of whole grains is tied up in a substance called phytic acid. Phytic acid combines with iron, calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc in the intestinal tract, blocking their absorption. Whole grains also contain enzyme inhibitors that can interfere with digestion. Traditional societies usually soak or ferment their grains before eating them, processes that neutralize phytates and enzyme inhibitors and in effect, predigest grains so that all their nutrients are more available. Sprouting, overnight soaking, and old-fashioned sour leavening can accomplish this important pre-digestive process in our own kitchens. Many people who are allergic to grains will tolerate them well when they are prepared according to these procedures. ~Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon, Pg 25

I have found that my body responds much better to soaked grains than to unsoaked grains, therefore I try to include this step as often as possible (though there are occasions where, due to a lack of planning, I'm in a hurry and skip it).

The soaking process is quite simple. Just take your grain--I usually use the grain after it has been milled, and soak it in some water with 1-2 tbs of Apple Cider Vinegar, Yogurt, Lemon, Buttermilk, Whey or Kifer. (I choose the acidic medium based on what I'm making and what I have on hand). 

While this does add one more step to cooking, it is a simple step and I haven't found it to be a problem provided I plan ahead. It is certainly something worth doing for the health of my family!! 

I will post a couple recipes that I have developed using this technique starting on Wednesdays. Stay tuned!! 

Cook With Me Wednesday

 When I first got married one of my biggest concerns was how well I'd be able to manage my kitchen--Would I be able to consistently have three meals on the table every single day? Wold they be TASTY meals? Would they be HEALTHY meals? Would I burn things? Could I plan a menu and stay on budget? While I knew I'd make mistakes along the way, I still wanted things to be as perfect as possible from the start.

There has been plenty of trial and error along the way, but over the last year I've gotten the hang of keeping my kitchen running smoothly. We now have a running list of favorite recipes, recipes that I keep coming back to because they are simply too good to eat just once.

For the next few months I am going to post each Wednesday with a recipe that my family enjoys regularly. These are either the staples of our week or treats we save for special occasions. For the rest of this month I'm going to focus on some favorite whole grain recipes.

Check back next Wednesday for my own Soaked Honey Wheat Bread recipe!

After a miscarriage, Part 1: How to support during grief

The loss of a child, at any age, is one of the deepest pains a parent or family member can experience. The thought of what might have been can be very difficult for a parent to work through. While it is hard to know how to support someone who has recently miscarried, this is the time in a woman's life when the support and love of family and friends is most needed.

There are a lot of assumptions made about the grieving process after a miscarriage that are simply not true. Based on these incorrect assumptions it is very easy to say things that are unintentionally hurtful. At the same time, there are things that friends and loved ones can do to help the mama process her grief in a healthy way and move through it.

Over the next two weeks, on Tuesdays, I am going to post some "Do's and Don'ts" when it comes to  helping your friend work through her grief. I'm sure there are many more things than I will write, but these will help you think through the grieving process your loved one is going through. Support won't mean taking away the pain, but it may mean that you will be able to lighten the stress they are feeling by being understanding and well informed.

What NOT to do (Part 2)
How to help (Part 3)

1000 gifts

I haven't written down much in my little book the past week, but I have taken some pictures--so this week "Multitude Monday" will be fully illustrated!! :-)

110. Silly sister pictures on a family vacation

111. Learning how to use a
camera timer!!

112. A 100th birthday reached!!
Praise God!

113. a belated Fathers Day gift for my man.

114. Pretty ballerina hair for a pretty ballerina

115. Little people giggles posing for a picture

116. Miles of flags lining the street.

117. Fireworks,  unexpectedly seen from our porch.

This month

This month has been a challenge to keep up with blogging. There have been days that I wasn't able to write, and days that I could have but really needed the quietness.

While I've weathered the storm since finding out about loosing our baby a month ago, it was a tough one to weather.  I trusted God through it all, utterly confident that His will was best, but somehow I naively assumed that "giving it to God" meant I wouldn't have such a hard battle with grief. I quickly found out otherwise. It's been tough, but by God's grace the worst is now passed and I can still say with joy and confidence that God is good. ALWAYS good.

 Though I've been quiet this past week, I've been handling some "behind the scenes" work that will keep the posts coming more regularly in the future.

I've also been thinking about some different things I can do with this blog, and have some neat ideas for the upcoming months. I'm looking forward to this next month, and am excited about some of the new content that is already in the works!!

Stay tuned!!!