• Dec. 21, 2007 - A Christmas gift that gives to many people. . .
Yesterday, I had the most delightful shopping experience of my life. Admittedly, I'm not much of a shopper, and if pressed, I would say that I actually dislike shopping -- especially when it involves malls. But yesterday was different.
My adventure began some weeks ago when my daughter told us that she would like to have us consider giving alternative gifts this year - ones that make a difference in people's lives. She suggested several different websites (and I'll put those on the end of this blog), including one called, "Ten Thousand Villages." This organization was started by Christian missionaries who sought a way to help the people they were serving emerge from utter poverty and begin to find work that brought not only income but dignity. When you look through this website, you can read the stories of how the hand-maded products are changing the lives of families and villages. Some of the stories brought tears to my eyes. . .
Then I noticed that Ten Thousand Villages actually had a store in the Seattle area. So, yesterday, with Google map in hand, we made our way through traffic to find one of the most amazing places I've ever been. When we walked in, we were struck by the attitude of friendliness on the part of the staff, and by the beauty of the displays. I was drawn by lovely wooden tree ornaments which were delicate and simple nativity scenes. $6. Made in the West Bank. We went on from there to beautiful onyx candle holders. $12. Made in Pakistan. I spied utterly cute reindeer hats for children. $20. Made in the highlands of Central America. Sculptured candle holders out of white rock. $34. Made in Kenya. Beautiful jewelry, gorgeous pottery, textiles, children's toys, on and on and on.
All of it is made by real people, living in countries where decent paying jobs are difficult to come by. As we bought several Christmas presents, I had the unutterable joy of knowing that not only will my family and friends be blessed, but the people who worked hard to create these wonders will be blessed as well.
You can make a difference. Even at home. Isn't that the wildest thing? As homeschool moms, you can make a difference in the world, just through the things you buy. You know which ones they are when you see that they are marked "Fair Trade." And, because of my daughter's research into this area, I've learned that many of the people who originally began Fair Trade organizations and practices were Bible-believing Christians who were compelled by the compassion and wisdom of God.
Actually, I could sense it in that shop. There was a quiet joy permeating the entire place, a sense of God's heart for the poor. I walked out of the door, shopping bag in hand (including a bar of Divine Chocolate -- a Fair Trade chocolate that is absolutely the best!!!), in awe of what God showed His people to do to be a blessing in this world.
And I wanted to share it with you!
Here are some websites, and some other options for gifts that will bless in ways beyond our understanding:
http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/catalog/shop.php
http://www.agreatergift.org/Gifts.aspx
http://www.divinechocolateusa.com/buy
http://oneseed.agros.org (this is a Christian organization that works in Central and South America)
Thank you so much for this information. Although I missed it before Christmas, these links will be well used in the future. What a great way to shop with a mission!!
I'll be looking into those sites! I've been thinking a lot about gift giving and what it really means, for Americans and our brothers and sisters around the world. Thanks for sharing!
Karin
I've been thinking a lot about giving thanks. I know that many of us have the tradition on Thanksgiving to go around the table and share things we are thankful for -- and that is a wonderful and appropriate tradition to have.
Yet, that tradition, as good as it is, can become something much more vital and much more normal in our everyday lives. . . If we make it a habit.
Bill and I have stumbled onto a regular habit of gratitude, especially on our walks, of saying, "What are five things you are thankful for?" Usually I remember to ask first, so Bill begins. Sometimes he is grateful for the obvious blessings of our surroundings, sometimes for lifelong blessings, sometimes for something that might seem insignificant to others. But as he shares his thankfulness, I am reminded of things in my life to give thanks for. The longer we "play" this, the more our hearts swell up in praise and worship to our Father God, who is the Giver behind every gift.
Recently we've added another dynamic. "Name three of your favorite memories." Wow! That one has brought us both to tears at times.
When we were first married, we used to play mental games, like, "Name as many countries in Africa as possible," or "Name countries alphabetically." The advent of children changed a lot of what we talked about and how we played.
But now, as empty-nesters, I can tell you that this is the best game of all.
Give thanks, dear ones. He is waiting to hear you.
October 31, 1517. . . A momentous day in history from this vantage point, but to Martin Luther, it was probably just another day of doing his job.
I'm sure you remember the story. In order to fund the construction of St. Peter's in Rome, Pope Leo X had allowed indulgences to be issued. There's a lot of discussion about the exact nature of the medieval indulgence, but suffice it to say that it was sort of a spiritual insurance policy. If you did something wrong, it provided a "get out of jail FREE" card.
Martin Luther was a German monk, scholar, theologian and professor in the cathedral town of Wittenberg, Germany. With the recent publication of a Greek/Latin New Testament (the work of Erasmus), Luther had been able to study the New Testament in its original language. This had been an eye-opening experience, especially when he read "the just shall live by faith." In his medieval experience, Luther had believed that one was justified before God by the accumulation of good works. Scripture proved him wrong, however.
He had been teaching along these lines to the students at the university in Wittenberg when a traveling seller of indulgences came to a nearby town to preach and distribute his wares. Johann Tetzel was, by all accounts, a VERY good salesman with a very convincing presentation. Luther was upset by what he perceived to be hurtful to the local, uneducated people, since it was contradicted so clearly by the Bible. He then did his job. He pursued the action which scholars of those days would do in a theological argument -- he posted his argument against Tetzel's position on the door of the Wittenberg cathdral. . . on October, 31, 1517. One small step for man, one giant leap for the Church.
It was written in Latin (which was unreadable by everyone except scholars). . . But the translation into German was soon accomplished. And when the translation was printed and hit the streets, it unleashed a revolution in the Church, in the way people thought and, eventually, it changed the face of Europe and the world politically.
So. . . though what you are doing today might not seem momentous to you, it may, in fact, be the seed God is planting through you that will eventually change the world!
Thanks so much Diana for your wonderful curriculum, we especially love the cds. Wish there were more!!
I never really could "get" history before your program.
Now I love it, maybe even more than my student. :)
Keep up the wonderful work.
Such a simple reminder, it is so true that our patient work today may do grand things tomorrow. Or I suppose, more importantly, the work of God in us may be used by Him in the future for whatever He sees fit. It is comforting to be reminded of that, thanks for the history lesson! We absolutely love all of your products.
• Sep. 7, 2007 - The difference between a summer crop and a beloved herb garden. . .
I was pondering yesterday, as I clipped a bit of rosemary and thyme (yes, I have sage and parsley as well, for all of those who remember the song - la la la la la), about the difference in perspective between those who are in a hurry to see results and those who have time to wait.
I'm new to the business of watching perennials grow. A friend planted a tiny rosemary plant for me last year (along with my beloved roses), and it's been slowly -- very slowly -- inching its way up into the air. As I went out to snip some for herb bread, I was suddenly struck by how much it's grown over this past season. Little by little, almost without notice, it's been increasing in size, output and beauty. . . I have plenty of time to let it grow because it's a perennial. It will be here next year and the year after and the year after that.
My tomatoes, on the other hand, are a different story. Those plants have to produce red fruits in the next few weeks or all the time, money and effort expended on them will have been a total waste. They will be gone once the first frost comes.
Many people look at homeschooling their children the way I look at growing my tomatoes. Hurry up!!!! Do something!!!! Make me proud!!!! Learn something!!!!! Improve yourself!!!!! NOW!!!!!
But children are much more like my little rosemary plant. They take time. We might not even see any noticeable improvement this week, this month, even this year. But when we compare them to where they were last year -- oh, my! Such growth!!
You know what? Parents are also like my rosemary plant. It takes us time to learn how to parent. . . and to learn the really important things. Like patience.
So, give your kids a break. Ask them for forgiveness for being so impatient, so demanding. Then, forgive yourself and ask the Lord to help you learn this lesson.
While you're at it, go pick or buy some rosemary to add a bit of fragrant spice to your next meal -- toss it on some roasted potatoes or into some bread. May the aroma remind you of the time it takes children to grow!
And just like your Rosemary plant, God is so good to give us a glimpse every now and then of the future - our kids being "finished." Always encouraging, sometimes scary! LoL
Yesterday, my daughter called from Belize to tell us the preparations that were taking place for the onslaught of Hurricane Dean (which at the time was classified at level 5). The non-governmental agency she is working with had a leader with a concrete house at a higher elevation than the town in which she has been living. So, 11 people were taking to the hills with extra food, water, boards, and all the stuff one needs during a hurricane. She also told us that she would probably not be able to talk to us for some days, as the telephone lines were all run through Belize City, which was scheduled to be hard hit, and the lines would probably go down for quite awhile.
And we, back home, began to pray. We watched satellite imagery last night, showing how this hurricane was going to hit not only the Yucatan Peninsula but Belize as well. . . We prayed that the hurricane would be lessened in its impact, that it would do little damage, and that the people in Belize would be spared.
At 4:30 a.m., I woke up and began to pray again for my daughter. After awhile, I had to know what the hurricane was doing, so got up to look at the computer. It was hard to know exactly what she was experiencing as I stared at the satellite images, but it seemed obvious that they were suffering quite a bit of storm damage.
However, as I lay back down, I felt the Lord remind me that I needed to commit her way to Him, to rest in Him, and that He would take care of us.
A few minutes ago, the phone rang. And to my astonishment, it was my daughter!!!! She told me that they had experienced a bit of rain and wind last night, but nothing today. . . The phones are operational, she's back at work, and all but a tiny section of Belize was spared from the effects of the hurricane.
Whew! God is good! One of the hardest things as parents is to leave our kids in His (more-than-capable) hands. I had to do the same during my son's mission trip to New Orleans a couple of weeks ago. He's since informed me that he wants to go back next year....
Glad your daughter made it through the hurricane safe and sound. That's good news. :-)
Actually, much to my surprise and delight, the photo shoot was fun! The place we picked out of the yellow pages (!) was the most creative studio I've ever seen. They had a whole warehouse full of sets, plus an outdoor garden with lots of different styles of settings (real flowers, trees, etc. . .)
Somehow, the photographer was able to capture photos of me smiling that look real rather than posed. . . And he was rather a magician in making me look good!!!
So, here it is! Honestly, I felt like this was a huge answer to prayer, since having one's photo on the FRONT cover of a book feels quite intimidating!!!!
Thanks, Becca, for the endorsement! Unfortunately, neither one of us will probably be able to read the book, because it is the Korean version of Beyond Survival!!! :)
This is the fourth book of mine that is being translated into Korean for the growing homeschooling/Christian school movement in Korea. . . It's really fun to look at these books, but I haven't a clue what they say!
I just wanted to let you know that God made a beautfiul woman :) Praise the Lord for all you have done and for your books :) they have been a blessing to our family and so has your audios :)
Wanted to share that Bill & I just celebrated twenty-eight years of marriage. . .
It's amazing to look back on that much time, and see how faithfully God has brought us through times of great difficulty, taught us great lessons of His goodness, and brought to life many things of which we could only dream -- they were not within our own power to accomplish.
So, as we look forward to the next 28, we decided to set down some new goals and dreams. . . It was wonderful to consider in light of God's faithfulness to us in the past.
Praying that YOUR marriages are growing in His goodness and grace.
Congratulations on the wedding anniversary! I love listening to your tapes in the car with my mom. Their funny, and they do make sense. Let's just say that they're very enjoyable!
Hi! Congratulations on your wedding anniversary! I REALLY love listening to your tapes, and my sister (and, well, the rest of my siblings) and have listened to your history tapes for a long time. (Since I was like, 6 or 7!) I really loved history, and it's still one of my favorite subjects! Anyway, I STILL put them on at night, and listen to them while I go to sleep! (I even would listen to a Box Free Living and the Beyond Survival Workshop ones over and over! I don't know why.) So anyway, I've memorized alot of the things you said on all those tapes! (One time, a few years ago, I tried to make my own history tapes just like your's! HAHA!) Actually, I broke a few of the cassette tapes accidently, from listening to them so much. I think I need to buy some new copies now.
Thanks so much for making all those tapes! They were truly a blessing to me when learning history! (And they still are!)
Anyway, I just thought I'd share that little story. =)
Isn't it wonderful to be married to exactly the man that God designed for you? In a time when so many wives avoid their husbands and aiming their marriages Godward, it is good to hear from those like yourself who dearly love their husbands. I love mine more dearly than I ever dreamt of too... after only 16 1/2 years. :)Michelle
• Jul. 30, 2007 - Invitation to those in Washington state!
If you have the chance to come to the WATCH convention this coming weekend near Seattle (Mountlake Terrace), I would LOVE to meet you! The conference is at Calvary Fellowship, the cost is $25 per couple (!!!), the keynote speakers are Steve Lambert and. . . me. :o) Check it out at Watchhome.org.
I can promise you that this is going to be a rich time of fellowship, encouragement, laughter, and equipping for moms and dads, husbands and wives.
I have never had a good time with professional photographers when they are taking my picture - except for my engagement and wedding pictures. All the other times, from my youngest days to the present, have been somewhat stilted and painful. I love to smile and laugh, but when I have to do it on cue and "hold it," something goes haywire in my mind and face. Thus, I have avoided them for years!
(I know, because people often tell me how I look so much different from my pictures -- I stopped permming my hair about four years ago, but you'd never know it from the pictures out there!)
But, today I have to face the music, so to say. At 11:00 a.m., I am putting myself in the hands of a professional photographer to try to capture something that reflects me.
Why????
It's not my fault. . . I've put it off for years. . .
But, my book, Beyond Survival has been translated into Korean for the burgeoning Korean homeschool and Christian school movement, and the publishers want to put my picture on the front cover.
So, I'm in for it now.
I'll let you know how it went -- and, if we were somewhat successful, I'll share the picture here.
Geez I'm sure that would make me nervous as could be having my picture taken for a book cover! I do my best to avoid pictures, but really need to stop that so my kids can have some pics to look back on. Your explanation of what happens when somebody tells you to smile for a pictures sounds like my middle child. He has a great smile, but anytime I tell him to smile, his smile & whole face just goes nuts, looks silly even though he's not trying to be silly. It is so much better if someone can make you smile naturally and then catch it... of course there is always practicing in front of mirror too! Well I hope your photo shoot went well.... are you going to share them? I like your picture in the corner, it has a neat effect to it.
~Erica
What fun to have a computer that allows me to blog regularly on homeschoolblogger.com!
Today, I drove to north Seattle to get my hair done at a brand name salon with a cheap price! (I go to the academy, where the students are actually learning how to be professionals. . .)
And, as I watched and listened, I realized that there are some things they do that illustrate so well the learning process.
First, the teachers have sessions with students where they teach them the theory, the concepts, the vocabulary, the tools.
And, then, nearly every day, the students take to the floor to get practical experience in doing what was just taught. The teachers are right there with them, advising, helping, correcting mistakes (if they should happen). It's a VERY hands-on experience at the academy. Instruction with practice. . . LOTS of practice!
Also, something I've noticed before is that they are all very positive and encouraging of one another.
"Nice job!"
"Well done!"
"That looks great!"
"You did a FANTASTIC cut!"
So, in a nutshell:
Instruction. . . Practice (with kind supervisors who are willing to help when needed). . . Encouragement.
Sounds good to me!
Diana
P.S. BTW, for those who are following the revision process, Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries
is on the home stretch!
Well, I've finally joined the 21st century. . . My husband just got me a new MacBook so that I can keep up with the technological needs of our ministry (including Power Points and blogging!). That means that I can now write a blog from my own computer, and actually make it work!!!
So, watch for a much more regular blog from now on. . . I appreciate those of you who have continued to watch here.
Welcome to the century...come on in, the water's fine! (If you knew me, you'd know how ridiculous that statement is...I am SO early nineties!)
Have a wonderful day!
Last summer, my friend Jesika from New Zealand planted a beautiful perennial garden for me, with fourteen roses included. Many folks said to me, "Oh, roses are really hard, you always have to fool with them. . ." But Jes said, "No worries, Diana! Just water them and feed them, and they'll do great."
So, that's what we did. We watered them fairly often, usually in the evening with a sprinkler that sprayed the whole garden. One of my roses, the Diana, Princess of Wales rose, was a sickly little plant with two gorgeous blossoms and lots of dead leaves. Most of my other roses dropped a lot of their leaves and looked a little strange. Everything went into slumberland during the winter. Fortunately, I had learned enough to clean up around the roses.
This spring, I went to a rose shop and was tutored in how to prune. It was an older woman and she taught me the old way - prune the roses way down close to the ground. Her husband told me spray them with this organic spray and they would bounce back within 10 days. I did all fourteen roses just like she showed me, sprayed them like he told me, and most of them stayed absolutely leaveless for weeks.
Then, a month ago, I picked up a few rose books and visited the International Rose Garden in Portland. Through the books and the adventure in Portland I learned that one of the worst things to do to a rose in our climate is to get the leaves wet in the evening - it causes blackspot, which makes the leaves die off and hurts the plant. Ah, if only I had known.
Next, I read that the new way to prune roses is much less severe. . . Ah, if only I had known.
But, eventually, my roses began to grow, sprout new stems, cover themselves in leaves and buds. . .
The other day as I was spraying them again with the organic spray, I realized that if I hadn't had such a love for roses and a determination to learn how to care for them, I might have agreed with all the naysayers and just pulled the roses out of the garden and given them to someone else.
"You're right. I tried rose gardening and it didn't work. I just don't have a green thumb like some people I guess."
What a picture this is of the way many of us approach homeschooling. Surrounded by naysayers, people who tell us we're not qualified, it's too hard, it takes experts to teach our child, etc., we might ignore them for a time, but when things don't go well and are children are not thriving in our homeschool environment, we decide our naysayers were right. . . and we give our kids to someone else to teach.
For me, I didn't know ANYTHING about teaching children, but a few friends and a book gave me the confidence that I could jump in and do it. As time went on, I discovered that there were things I was doing that were making my children wilt and their enthusiasm for learning die on the vine.
But, somehow, I was really committed to them and to making it work, so instead of giving up, I read some more books and visited some successful homeschool families. That was when I got the "aha" moment - that there were some basic things I had not understood about kids and learning. I've learned a lot since. . . just like I'm learning a lot about roses.
It's okay if you don't know it all. Start where you are, with lots of love, laughter and good books. Play games, take walks, make playdough, do skits. . . Then read a lot of books on learning, visit some folks whose homeschool kids you admire, ask some questions. . . And keep on going!!!! The blooms on your kids will be worth the wait!!!
I'm so glad I thought to check your blog again today. Happy to see you back. We have missed you at the FPEA conference in Florida for the past couple of years. Any plans to return?
Great rose analogy. I used to have a black thumb with plants but have recently begun to have plants survive under my care. Hopefully my children will all blossom and will not wilt under too much pruning!
Diana~
Roses can be tricky, some varieties are easier than others ;-) I put in a bunch of hybrid roses at my first home, within 2 years the winter had killed them all ;-( Now, I tend towards old roses...they have more fragrance, and you just can't kill them...
a wonderful place to buy them is...
www,weARErises,com
(The antique rose emporium) I am ordering 6 new (old variety) roses from them....have a fence in our new home that is just begging for some roses ;-)
After 10 years of homeschooling I have learned a lot...thanks for the reminder to enjoy the simplicity of our children and the goodness and faithfulness of God leading and directing us in our homeschooling.
http://overthemoonwithjoy.blogspot.com
Kimmie
mama to 6
one homemade and 5 adopted
come visit us, we love new friends
and for the encouragement. Homeschooling is quite a lot like gardening. Some years you get a bumper crop and others are spent replenishing the soil and tending to sickly plants. Great comparison. Blessings to you and yours
I love your analogy! Sometimes I feel like I'm just too dim-witted or stubborn to give up so I just keep going and growing. Praise God, our family (3 sons and one very very dh) is thriving. What an incredible blessing it is to live a life that I never could have dreamt of in younger years, but that has become everything I have always wanted and needed. Thank you for your sharing spirit that continues to fill home educators with confidence!
Blessings,
:)Michelle
Wonderful words, thanks so much for sharing, it's good to see you back on the blog. I suppose we all get frustrated at times, but it is true, staying the course is so important. With all the work you do, it is amazing to me that you can take the time to encourage those of us still working along in the midst of homeschooling. Thank YOU!
Hi Diana.
I missed your posts. Great analogy - thank you for sharing. It's such a blessing to us to hear things God's showing you.
We just got back from the Ala. CHEF coference - my girls really missed you. Your workshop was their first conference experience and they missed hearing you. :)
Thanks!
In His love,
Tina in AL
I love this analogy. It is a beautiful picture of the sweet fragrance we will reap as we cultivate each child's bent in learning and life.
Thank you!
-Jacque
• Jun. 7, 2007 - I did not drop of the planet. . .
It seems like months since I've blogged. And, actually, it has been!
Sorry. My old Mac computer is so behind the times that I can't actually create a blog on it anymore, and I seldom have the opportunity to steal my husband's or son's computers!!!!
But, I'm still here. Maybe, in the not-so-distant future I'll have a newer computer and will be able to faithfully blog. In the meantime, life continues to zip by. My daughter is graduating on Sunday from university - what a milepost! Every time I think of it, tears gather in my eyes and threaten to become a flood. Ah, well.
Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries is nearly done (at least, the Student Manual!). . . And, in the midst of traveling and writing, I'm taking the few odd moments here and there to tend to my roses and plant some vegies. What a joy to watch them springing up into life.
My time seems to be up for right now - but, oh my, do I have an analogy to share with you!!! Next time.
Yesterday, as I was easing back into work after a week of sickness, I noticed that we were almost out of bread. Hmmm. It's not what I was planning to do, not what I was scheduled to do, but if I didn't go ahead and throw the ingredients into the bread machine, we'd have nothing for lunch today.
I admit it. I'm a bread snob. Years ago, friends fed us whole wheat bread made from grain they had just ground, and it was absolutely amazing -- both in taste and in satisfaction. So, having bartered for an electric grain grinder, I made the decision to grind my own grain and then make our bread from it.
Ok. But, yesterday I was physically wimpy. And, I was more than a week behind schedule on the current project - revising Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries. And I didn't want to take the time or effort to make bread. Gripe, moan, gripe, moan.
The alternative was not attractive, however. If there's no bread, lunch can be a real challenge. . . And I didn't want to face that either.
So, I quit wavering and began measuring ingredients into the bread pan.
It was at that moment that I began to ponder the significance of scheduling. What if I had a schedule that said every Wednesday and Saturday was bread day? That would have meant that yesterday, Thursday, would NOT have been bread day, and we would have been out of luck today.
Hmmm. The right response was to pay attention to our actual needs, rather than being ruled by a schedule.
Schedules are good. Let me rephrase that. Schedules are good TO THE EXTENT that they serve the needs of the people involved. Schedules must be subservient to relationships.
What that looked like in our homeschooling days was sometimes we had to drop a subject for awhile -- even though a scope and sequence said that that subject was to be taught in this grade -- if my child wasn't ready for it. Or, conversely, if my child was ready for a subject BEFORE it was normally scheduled to be taught, then we jumped in with both feet.
Relationship is the key. Paying attention to our kids' needs, knowing what is overwhelming them, what is drawing them, what unlocks the doors to learning for them. . . All of that is found as we spend vast quantities of time with them, listening to them, hanging out with them, reading aloud to them and hearing their thoughts about what we've read. It's relational.
So, as long as your schedule is helping you and blessing your kids, then go for it. But if you find, as I did yesterday, that you're just about out of academic nourishment, go ahead and throw in those ingredients of delight and laughter. The aroma will entice your whole family!!!!
Hi Diana.
Thanks once again for the encouragement. I greatly appreciate your words of wisdom and ponderings. I haven't commented in a while but wanted to let you know I check your blog often and am encouraged as I read what's been on your mind. :) Happy New Year!
Totally agree!
Looking forward to seeing you again in May- this time in yakima.
I told my 12 year old son you would be coming to the family style homschool thing going on then and he was beyond thrilled! He listens to your tapes over and over. You have helped him develope a real passion for history that has lasted for 2 or 3 years now.
It is not unusual at all to find my boys sitting around the tape player surrounded by legos and listening to your voice all day long in the cold winters here!
So true the goods and bads of scheduling. I absolutely love that about homeschooling, being able to pass over something for now to focus on something more at hand. Knowing exactly what my kids need and not having to take up all of that public school time with busy work is a true blessing.
Hello Diana, I came across several of your books in a little library near Warren, Ohio where my husband was starting a church. That was many moons ago, when I was just getting my feet wet in the world of homeschooling. What a blessing and help your books were to me in those formative years.
Now, my children are 19,18,16, 14 and 13 years old.
We have since moved to North Ridgeville,Oh where my husband has started another church. We have many homeschooling families and what a blessing they are! I have recently set up a forum with various topics, one of which is homeschooling. Of course, I went looking for some article and hleps to post on the forum, and that is when I found your blog! You are something else!! I was so excited, for me and for our families,too. I hope you don't mind if I post your link in our forum so the others can enjoy your company, too.
Excellent post! I was remember ing one you wrote about not running to the store every time you are out of a specific ingredient, but making due with what you have. I've been using that so much lately! I had to make a dinner for a family in church, and had everything I needed for a delicious beef soup -- no noodles though. I cooked up half a box of lasagna noodles until they were partially cooked, then quickly sliced them the short way, into narrow strips. I found out that lasagna noodles make a really tasty soup!
Loved this article and it came on a really needed day. We were going through school and my son got sick... a sign that God is wanting us to slow down and just love on eachother. We are off to snuggle and watch a movie if we can keep his tummy from acting up any more. Poor thing. I'm so glad I found your blog! :)
Last Saturday, my daughter-in-law and I went to make homemade tamales at my sort-of-cousin-by-marriage's house. Alicia is a delight, and it's always fun to go visit her. But when it's tamale making time, the fun (and the work) intensifies. With Latin music playing, and French croissants tempting us from the kitchen, we began smearing masa onto corn husks. The experience is like smearing softened cream cheese onto toast, so it's not something that takes massive amounts of talent to accomplish (which is fortunate!). From that simple basis, Alicia then takes the coated corn husks and carefully spoons in a bit of the chile colorado sauce (all homemade, of course), folds the tamale just so, and puts it into the steamer to cook. After an hour of steaming, the tamales are absolutely, unbelievably, amazingly ready to be savored, with a bit of chile colorado sauce nestling on top.
So, that's the short version. The longer, behind-the-scenes version is this: Friday, Alicia and Susie (her niece) went to a Mexican bakery to buy fresh masa. From there, they traveled to a store to buy the dried chiles for the sauce. On to another bakery to borrow a mixer to mix 30 pounds of masa with 10 pounds of lard!!! (They used to do this at home, but it took way too long.) Then home, to make the chile colorado sauce from these dried chiles and the pork roasts they've been baking and freezing since November. Ashley (my daughter-in-law) and I just showed up at 10:00 ready to smear corn husks (which had been soaked and then towel dried before we showed up). For SEVEN hours, we smeared corn husks and chatted about life - helping to make, in all, about 22 dozen tamales. When we finally finished the last one, Alicia's husband set the table, we all sat down to absolutely fresh tamales, we ate, took home our portion of the day's renderings, and relaxed. Alicia and Susie kept steaming the remaining tamales, and then packaging them for gifts.
I've been thinking about this for several days. . .And realized that, though this is a fantastic time of bonding, making memories, and enjoying fresh tamales, someone had to do a lot of work to make it happen. For years and years and years, Alicia has made the monumental effort to make tamales at Christmas time. She told us that her mother and grandmother used to do this on Christmas Eve (with all the other things going on at the same time!). It's a tradition, it's a memory, it's a blessing to others. . . and it involves work.
So, who is going to make the loving traditions, the happy memories in your family? For me, the answer is: as the mom, as the home creator, as the one who's given herself to creating the ambience of warmth in the family, it's on my plate. If we are going to have homemade gingerbread houses, I have to be willing to assemble the ingredients and oversee the project (which is a LOT more work than simply sitting down and starting to construct! - and which we are doing on Sunday afternoon). If we are going to go caroling, I need to create an inviting environment to have my children want to practice with me (which we did last night). It takes effort to make memories. . .and traditions need that same effort every year in order to really become traditions.
The final thought on this is, be sure to ONLY do what you really enjoy doing for a traditional memory, because all of that work is going to become burdensome if it's not followed by a boatload of joy. (Remember the old saying, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy?")
In this season, we need to make sure that we're enjoying one another, enjoying our activities, and, most of all, enjoying the Lord.
This is sooooooo true. (0= This year my two oldest boys are helping me make the fudges that only my family seems to have. Mama Mia's Bologna ( a date , cocoanut, almond fudge in the shape of a sausage, lol ) and my Grandma's Christmas Fudge that tastes like a Worthington Origianal candy. ( a toffee like taste that just melts in your mouth ) Plus we make homemade perogies but alas this year not b/c I am packing the house up to move. So it is a bit hecktic here. But your wise words are very good and I am going to remember " If Mama ain't happy nobody's happy. God Bless.
In Him,
-Canadagirl
After you look at the site listed above, you might want to take a peek at my audio recording, "The First Christmas" (http://dianawaring.com/first_christmas/index.html) - which gives the story of the circumstances and miraculous events surrounding the birth of Jesus.
We are in the USAF & while we lived at Whiteman AFB, MO there was a precious woman who lived across the street who would bring delicious tamales at christmas! She loved jesus & before we all moved we got together to make these. It was such an awesome time! My question to you...can you gather the recipes for the sauce, masa , etc & share them with me? I would be ever so grateful. I would love to start doing thsi with my family. Merry Christmas & God bless you & your family!!!!
Dawn Brown Bolling AFB, DC twinkiepafb@hotmail.com
• Nov. 30, 2006 - Christmas Specials from Diana Waring
Does it feel like Christmas yet to you? I started playing my favorite Christmas CD's on the day after Thanksgiving, and haven't even begun to get tired of them! And, to top it off, we just had a lovely snow storm which blanketed us in a winter wonderland.
We are having a Christmas sale at our website -- with free shipping through December 10. The sales are on What in the World's Going On Here? CD's: each set (five hours worth of memorable and intriguing history) for $17.95. If you want to check it out (including hearing free samples online), visit us at www.dianawaring.com.
Thanks for offering this special. I'm going to head over to the web-site and check it out. I recently posted about your True Tales CD on my blog under the "Mystery of History" category. Typically my kids listen to me read the lessons so your CD's provide great info and a nice change of pace.
~Amy
PS. Just placed my order ! Love that FREE SHIPPING Thanx!
I'm not sure how more than a month has slipped away since the last post. Life, as they say, happens. So if you, friend, have checked here and been disappointed by silence, please forgive me.
At the end of October, my husband and I were able to slip away to the Oregon Coast for some rest and relaxation. Believe me, I had been counting the days for months! On the day we left, however, things did not go as I had planned. Instead of finishing the article on the Byzantines & Muslims for "Romans, Reformers, Revolutionaries," I was still gathering up notes and sources to take with me to the beach in order to be able to write the article there -- which took me till noon. Then, we had to load the car, drop a couple things off here and there, meet our son, his wife and our grandson as they journeyed up from California (we sort of met halfway). We were planning to meet our other son on the coast to share dinner as he was helping with the move up to Washington, but time got later and later. We finally did meet, but not on the coast.
My dream of driving to the coast in time to watch the sunset was sadly disappointed -- we got there at 10:00 at night in the rain. In fact, I was disappointed in just about every thing that happened that day. What a way to start a vacation. . . Even the place we were staying (which we had visited before) seemed disappointing that night, since our view was not of the wild and breaking ocean, but of a tame little cove -- and the wild sound and view of the ocean was what I had been looking forward to the most.
I knew that I needed to be thankful for being there, but because I was so disappointed, I couldn't quite bring myself to say, "Thank You," to God. The next morning, sitting outside (in October!) reading Psalm 139, I felt like the Lord was speaking to me about His amazing love and His profound presence in my life. Overwhelmed, I began to thank Him for His goodness -- and at that point, I realized that I could have been honest with Him the night before about my disappointments since He already knew what I was feeling. From that point of honesty and of remembering His love and goodness, it would have been possible to give thanks for the situation and really mean it.
The amazing thing is that later that day, we drove about 15 minutes down the coast, and for the first time in my life, I saw whales while I was standing on land. I must tell you that I've been watching for whales for twenty-three years, and have NEVER seen them from shore before. There were 5 California gray whales, and it was incredible to watch them spouting and diving. . . I saw heads and tails of whales. The next day, looking out at our little tame cove, we suddenly saw 6 harbor seals lying on a rock that had been submerged just a short time before. And within minutes, there were 6 more, for a total of twelve. While the tide was out, those twelve glorious harbor seals went soundly to sleep - in full view of our motel room! And, as I took a few minute break to go outside as the sun was setting, I saw a whale go spouting by right where I was standing!
I don't want to bore you with the details. . .But every day for four days, I saw whales -- every time I went out. And for two days, we saw harbor seals sleeping in our cove. It was at that point that the Lord began to gently speak to my heart that He appoints, He does not disappoint. I had not seen whales from shore before because He had saved that experience for this very special moment.
All of the disappointments of my life suddenly took on an entirely different perspective. If He has withheld, it's because He has something else for me, in the way that Psalm 139 indicates. Psalm 31:19 says (in the Amplified Bible): "Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!" Amen.
May your thanksgiving be rich and full of His great goodness. . .And may you too discover in this season of your life how lovingly He has watched over you.
I REALLY needed to hear that very message. I have been waiting for 16 years for this house that is being made. It is TRULY being made "by" God himself. I can't belive how the Lord is provinding EVERYTHING so this house is being made. I also get to give HIM full credit. It is not by our power that this house is coming together. We are having easement issues with our neighbor but it will come together in God's timing. I love how you put it that God saved it for this time. How true that is , thank you once again for sharing that very message. I really needed to hear that. God Bless.
In Him,
for Thanksgiving. Thank you for reminding me - as you often do - of God's unfailing goodness and care for each aspect our lives. I can almost see the whales :) and somehow, as I listen to the wind and the rain outside my window, I am reminded how we must listen for his voice, and we need to be still to do it. Thanks for the example. :)
Well, am I going to have fun tomorrow. Twelve teens, in an occupational education class in a homeschool co-op, are going to experience life with me for an hour! Heh heh heh. My topic? Learning Styles. My tools? A spinning wheel, headphones, koosh balls, rubber ducks, a magnifying glass, dark chocolate, slices of lime, apricots, roasted peanuts, a cowboy hat, a Sherlock Holmes hat, a knitted cap, a beret, Scrabble, a guitar, binoculars. . . and the list goes on. We are going to have so much fun learning how God wired us!!! Wish you could all be there. Blessings! Diana
Tina, sorry to be so late in responding. . . You know, we live out near Seattle, and we had to drive in Seattle traffic to get to the homeschool co-op. We gave ourselves and hour and a half to drive what normally takes us about 40 minutes - and we were late!!! So, the students and teacher (who had been in contact with me via cell phone) were waiting as we pulled in, and started grabbing baskets of stuff, spinning wheel, etc. I dashed into the classroom, and there were about 15 moms sitting in the back of the room waiting. . . while their teenagers sat around tables watching me. I was 20 minutes late by the time I got to the room!!! But, on with the show. . . So, we zipped through all kinds of wild experiences - like tasting slices of lime, peanuts, dark chocolate, and candy (all at 9:30 a.m.), and volunteering to wear strange hats in order to represent each of the 8 intelligences. It was fun, though the students looked a little dazed by the time it was through. It was probably the limes. . . :o)
He's home! My son, Michael, arrived back in the US on Friday evening from Iraq. Thank you to all of you who have prayed for these seven months!
We had the opportunity to go see him, driving one way and flying home the other way (thanks to the blessing of a friend who works for an airline). To see him, to hear his stories, to watch him with his wife and 9 month old son, to see his photos, to sing with him and share the joy of cooking together - all that wrapped up in 2 short days - it was like a dream come true.
So, here we are. . . thankful, thankful, thankful. Now if only I could get a few weeks ahead of my deadlines!!!
Blessings,
Diana
I like the comment, 'My Mother's heart rejoices with you'. It is very fitting. My son is only 6, Praise God, but the thought is ever before me that someday he no longer will be ours.
So glad your son is home safe and sound.
On this lovely rainy day in September, I gladly retire to my cozy office with cup of coffee in hand. It's days like this that make me thankful for being home! Anyway, for those who are interested, here's a bit of an update. My son, Michael, will be leaving Iraq on Sept 22 and begin his journey back home. We continue to earnestly pray for him and appreciate all of you who are praying for him. Please pray for his continued safety - physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual - and that he would be encouraged by the Lord in this time. Also, for his his reunion with his wife and nine month old baby - this is going to be an important time for all three of them. Meantime, back at home, I'm writing the revised Romans, Reformer, Revolutionaries student manual and teacher's guide and sending them out to those who want to use the material before it is printed (brave souls!). I had so hoped to be ahead of the game by now, but life keeps happening. For instance, at the end of this week, I'll be going to a conference to work with 67 teenagers for 3 days. . . oh, my! But, you know, the Lord has been teaching me over the course of years that His timetable is not the same as my timetable. I also anticipate getting everything done quickly, without the messiness of unexpected happenings, visitors, sickness, etc., getting in my way. And, yet, the Lord uses all of those things to great advantage in my life, to change me from glory to glory into His image. Patience, kindness, gentleness, joy, peace, self-control, love, goodness, faithfulness - do those ring a bell? It's wonderful to read about them in the Word, and get a glow considering how much we exhibit these things UNTIL someone or something gets in our way. That's when we run out of our own patience, etc., and, over time and through desperation, we begin to learn how to draw out of His deep well His patience, etc. And, oh, my, isn't that an important lesson to keep in mind when we're teaching our children?
Something to ponder. . .as I keep pondering, considering what it means to have His fruit in our lives.
Blessings!
Diana
Aren't you glad He's merciful even when we do these things ;o) I enjoy reading your blog and am looking forward to starting some of yout items with our dc this Fall! It'll be our first time using them but I'm so blessed at even the thought. God bless you and your family, Rhonda. (PS- I just changed my blog from HomeFREAKS, sorry for multiple replies ;o)
Extremely happily married since 1979, Bill and Diana Waring home schooled their three children for more than twenty years. The Waring kids were the proving grounds for all the precepts, concepts, and encouragements Bill and Diana teach--the real-life examples of the wonders of home schooling! Now, new grandparents and somewhat empty nesters, Bill & Diana travel all over the world to share the joys of loving learning, honoring one another in the family, and enjoying the journey.
Actually, much to my surprise and delight, the photo shoot was fun! The place we picked out of the yellow pages (!) was the most creative studio I've ever seen. They had a whole warehouse full of sets, plus an outdoor garden with lots of different styles of settings (real flowers, trees, etc. . .)
• Jan. 3, 2008 - Thanks