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YEs, I am still here, just not blogging. I wanted to update anyone who still occasionally checks my blog on the latest family adventure here. We are raising rabbits. Last year my 2 oldest each got a pet rabbit and then we joined the 4H club for rabbits and cavies. Yesterday was the first show for the kids and their rabbits and although they didn't do all that well it was quite the learning experience. We also made a decision to get in deeper at my husband's iniative. We bought a breeding pair of Californians which we will be using to bring us more rabbits to raise for meat. This breed is well known for their excellent meat qualities and that is something we can raise here on our little plot in town (as long as we can manage to keep the bears away). This pair are both young so we hope to breed them and have our first litter in June. Exciting times ahead!! |
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It has been a long time since I have posted. I guess I have ended up using facebook much more than my blog these days. It is quicker for one thing. I wanted to share a recipe that we love for dealing with colds, flu, etc. Twice now I have drank this tea and within 24 hours averted a sore throat and all that comes with that. This is ginger-honey-lemon tea. Grate a piece of fresh ginger so you have several teaspoons. Put this in the bottom of a 2 quart thermos. Pour in 2-3 tbsp. of lemon juice and 2-3 tbsp. of honey. Then fill the thermos with boiling water and put the lid on. AFter 20 minutes you can start to drink the tea. Keep it in the thermos and the tea will be good for 2-3 days if it lasts that long. Great stuff. We got this from www.herbmentor.com.
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I have a favorite poem by a woman named Luci Shaw called Mary’s Song. She writes this poem in the 1st person sharing some possible thoughts of this young virgin girl as she holds her newborn baby in her arms. As Mary wrestles with the implications of the Creator and Savor of the world being reduced to helpless human form she also begins to grapple with the suffering he will face one day. “And Mary pondered all these things in her heart.” Luke 2:19
I am deeply touched that God chose to be born as a baby to a young and inexperienced mother. Sure she was a godly and upstanding young woman with an amazing maturity and submissiveness to the Lord, answering the angel’s pronouncement to her with the words, “Be it unto me, according to thy word”. (Luke 1:38) But she was still a human and this child was a God-man, unlike any other before or since. Yes Mary has a unique place in history, but I can relate to her still because she was a mother. She held this baby in her arms and nursed him as I have done with my own four children. She comforted him when he fell and skinned his knee. She worried about him (perhaps needlessly, but that doesn’t stop a mother). She listened to his thoughts and stories of what excited him. How do I know? Because God sent Jesus into a family and made Him fully human at the same time that He was still fully divine. And these are the kinds of things that happen in a family.
To me sending Jesus to be part of a family affirms and celebrates the design that God created from the beginning. “That a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife and the two shall become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24) and out of that union will come children, God’s blessing and design to bring dominion on the earth. And the closer I am to His design and pattern (which is not necessarily the one of the culture around me), the more I will know the joy and blessing of living as God has designed me to be.
Why did God pick this manner of intrusion into our life and world. I am sure I don’t know all the whys or hows but I will venture to put forth some of my ideas.
First He came this way, because it is so human. What could be more human than a squalling red-faced infant, newly arrived in this world? That is the way we all arrive in this world; there is no exception (at least not yet). Jesus arrived the same way I did and the same way my children did. That is truly mind boggling when I stop to contemplate this truth. He could have chosen any manner of methods, but he chose the one I am bound to, in order to become my high priest and my sacrificial lamb.
Secondly he came this way because it was so humbling. To quote a line from Shaw’s poem, “Breath, mouth, ears, eyes, he is curtailed who overflowed all skies, all years.” It was certainly humbling to be crucified on a cross when he was not guilty. But I am not sure that was any more humbling that being born as a helpless babe. Philippians 2:7 tells us that “He made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men.” He created us and now he is forced to curtail himself to the same form which he created. The Maker stoops to be the created. No where else have we seen or heard of this in all of history.
Thirdly he came this way for his own glory. All that God does is for his glory, because He is infinitely worthy. He is not stuck on Himself; he simply knows the truth that He is the beginning and the end of all things. And He is glorified by stooping to the form of a baby who grew to a child and then to a man and then was crucified on a cross. We will spend all of eternity praising and worshiping Him because of this plan of His and we will understand its many facets and intricate weavings. And we will not cease to be amazed, which is why we will need an eternity to worship. “Now we see in a glass darkly, but then we will see face to face.” ( I Cor. 13:12)
Fourth, He came this way because of his great love for us, His creation. If he entered our world in any other manner it probably would have been strong and forceful. It would have left us judged and found wanting with no hope of redemption. Coming as a human baby catches us unaware, off guard and in those moments of identification our hearts soften and the Holy Spirit draws us into His love and transformation. Our God loves us and has left no stone unturned in His pursuit of us, His children. He is a loving Father who has satisfied His justice with the sacrifice of His son and now He throws open the door and says “Come in, beloved of the Father”.
And so for my 48th Advent season I again ponder the wonders of the Incarnation and of the amazing plan of the God I serve. This never gets old. And I wonder and I hope and I worship. May you do the same.
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We acquired two new family members over the last few days. My MIL came to live with us on SAturday. We are delighted to have her here. She is mostly settled into her space on our first floor and although there are still things to do, like give her better heating, she is reasonably comfortable by her own admission. The other new family member was totally unexpected. While finishing up our math today we saw a hamster run across the dining room floor. So of course we investigated and found him to be friendly and tame. We caught him and moved him into the hermit crab cage, which has been empty for a month or two since the last of the crabs died. We still have our wheel and food from when we had a hamster (two years ago). It is quite a mystery how he got here. But he appears to be in good health and is not afraid of people. So I guess God sent him (although we have been praying for a dog, not a hamster). My dc are not about to part with this unexpected pet. Life is not dull around here!!! |
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Tomorrow is the big day when my husband's mother moves in. We have been preparing for this for some time now, but of course we still aren't really ready. We don't have adequate heat to her quarters although we are much closer to being finished with what needs to happen to have adequate heat. And after praying and talking to about 3 different people my dh finally found someone who actually got here and cut our the side of the tub so she will be able to walk into the tub and use it. He is now in the process of finished off the cut out place so it looks good and cannot cut anyone. She of course has been preparing for longer and has her things packed. I am sure there are a few odds and ends that will just be thrown into a box. But here we are. Exciting and sobering and challenging and most of all clearly God's blessing is on this. To me it is much like the blessing of another child. There is much responsibility and much joy in the transition. Although she is an adult who can still care for herself and whose faculties are intact she is clearly aging. I will be responsible for overseeing her health care and her finances. That will require both time and wisdom. I trust God will provide what I need. He always has before. |
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I copied this off the internet after I saw it in our local paper. REad on. It is very funny and too apt.
COMMUNISM: You have two cows. State takes both of them and gives you milk. FASCISM: You have two cows. State takes both of them and sell you milk. NAZISM: You have two cows. State takes both of them and shoot you. BUREAUCRACY: You have two cows. State takes both of them, kill one and spill the milk in system of sewage. CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull. Alternative: A COWSMIC VIEW OF WORLD ORGANIZATION FEUDALISM: You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk. PURE SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else's cows. You have to take care of all the cows. The government gives you as much milk as you need. BUREAUCRATIC SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else's cows. They are cared for by ex-chicken farmers. You have to take care of the chickens the government took from the chicken farmers. The government gives you as much milk and as many eggs as the regulations say you should need. FASCISM: You have two cows. The government takes both, hires you to take care of them, and sells you the milk. PURE COMMUNISM: You have two cows. Your neighbors help you take care of them, and you all share the milk. RUSSIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the milk. DICTATORSHIP: You have two cows. The government takes both and shoots you. SINGAPORE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. The government fines you for keeping two unlicensed animals in an apartment. MILITARIANISM: You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you. PURE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors decide who gets the milk. REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors pick someone to tell you who gets the milk. AMERICAN DEMOCRACY: The government promises to give you two cows if you vote for it. After the election, the president is impeached for speculating in cow futures. The press dubs the affair "Cowgate". BRITISH DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. You feed them sheep's brains and they go mad. The government doesn't do anything. BUREAUCRACY: You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. After that it takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows. ANARCHY: You have two cows. Either you sell the milk at a fair price or your neighbors kill you and take the cows. CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull. HONG KONG CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell three of them to your publicly listed company, using letters of credit opened by your brother-in-law at the bank, then execute a debt/equity swap with associated general offer so that you get all four cows back, with a tax deduction for keeping five cows. The milk rights of six cows are transferred via a Panamanian intermediary to a Cayman Islands company secretly owned by the majority shareholder, who sells the rights to all seven cows' milk back to the listed company. The annual report says that the company owns eight cows, with an option on one more. Meanwhile, you kill the two cows because the Feng Shui is bad. ENVIRONMENTALISM: You have two cows. The government bans you from milking or killing them. FEMINISM: You have two cows. They get married and adopt a veal calf. TOTALITARIANISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and denies they ever existed. Milk is banned. POLITICAL CORRECTNESS: You are associated with (the concept of "ownership"is a symbol of the phallo-centric, war-mongering, intolerant past) two differently-aged (but no less valuable to society) bovines of non-specified gender. COUNTER CULTURE: Wow, dude, there's like... these two cows, man. You got to have some of this milk. Far out! Awesome! SURREALISM: You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons. JAPANESE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. You give the milk to gangsters so they don't ask any awkward questions about who you're giving the milk to. EUROPEAN FEDERALISM: You have two cows which cost too much money to care for because everybody is buying milk imported from some cheap east-European country and would never pay the fortune you'd have to ask for your cows' milk. So you apply for financial aid from the European Union to subsidise your cows and are granted enough subsidies. You then sell your milk at the former elevated price to some government-owned distributor which then dumps your milk onto the market at east-European prices to make Europe competitive. You spend the money you got as a subsidy on two new cows and then go on a demonstration to Brussels complaining that the European farm-policy is going drive you out of your job. EASTERN EUROPEAN DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. You sell the milk (diluted with some water) at a high price to the neighbors or to anyone at the open-air market. If somebody asks for receipt, you charge for a two times higher price, so nobody will request an invoice. For concerned families with small babies you claim that the milk is "bio", though you collect the grass for feeding at the side of the highway and you keep the milk in plastic barrels used previously as containers of dangerous chemicals. Later, your neighbor or anybody from town will steal the cows and will buy their meat for a high price, and if you ask for a receipt, you will be charged for a two times higher price. FINNISH SOCIALISM: You have two cows. Soon you have to kill one of them because in the Netherlands there is an overproduction of milk and the European Union rules say so. When you do so, you realize that it was not necessary, only the system was too slow in getting you the up-to-date news. From the stress, you get an ulcer in your stomach so you go to a doctor. The doctor realizes that this ulcer is a serious one, so you need an urgent treatment. Therefore, you soon get a call to the local hospital. The call's date is for 3 months later, because there is a queue with more urgent cases. Then your ulcer becomes even more serious because you remember that 40 percent of your income is taken for social tax. |
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We had a small tragedy yesterday, but a tragedy none the less. One of our two bunnies was killed by some wild animals or bird. The 2 rabbits got out of their cage because the door was closed but not latched and Butterscotch the large rabbit knows how to open the door. My dh found the cage open in the morning and found Butterscotch, But after the kids came out to help my son found the other rabbit (Marble) managled body on our hill. We surmise something (owl?) took part of the body but not all, perhaps scared away or something. Anyway it was a very sad morning when this was discovered and lots of tears and hugs happened. We have had lots of time to discuss why God allowed this and how to think about it. And we hope to get another rabbit in the next week or so to replace our dear little Marble. And also to keep Butterscotch company. As it gets colder the two rabbits would snuggle together to keep warm and we need to get another friend for Butterscotch. Such are the hard things of life and I am grateful that I can be here to help guide our children through them. The next death might be much harder to handle. This is just a rabbit. God is gracious in all things. |
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I am dropping in to give a quick report on the sale today. I think we had moderate success but the kids are happy. My son sold 10 of his popcorn balls (had 15) and so made $5.00 My dd sold one of her herbal salves and one soap and all her blond brownies and made $7.00. My friends 3 daughters sold $36 worth of granola and party mix and dog treats. What surprised me is that the soaps didn't really sell. They are so cute and nicely wrapped and only 1 sold. People would rather eat than look at something pretty I guess. Go figure. But they had lots of fun and we might even do it again in the not too distant future. Good experience for them anyway. |
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In order to raise Entrepreneurs one must have some hands on practice I think. So with the help of my friend Kim our kids are doing just that tomorrow afternoon. We live on the main street of our small town which is a mecca for travelers on beautiful weekends, especially in the fall here in Pennsylvania. The stove store will be open and the kids are going to have a table outside where they will be selling homemade soaps (these are beautiful striped soaps we made from glycerin soap earlier this week), homemade herbal salve, baked goods, and chai tea. The girls are going to dress up in aprons and bonnets or my oldest dd in our colonial outfit, so that should also garner some attention. It has been fun preparing for it and we should have a good time tomorrow as well. I will try to post this WE and let anyone who is interested know how it went. |
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I have been continuing to read and search to figure out wisdom in voting this next election. There have been some good articles lately at American Vision by Gary DeMar and ERic Rauch. And some great discussion following. If you are still struggling with how to vote it is worth while to read the articles of the past week and discussion following.
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WEll, I just had a week with no internet at home. My son's rabbit peed on my modem. No lie!!! Would I make that up? So I had to figure out how to get a new one in these more rural parts. I did not have time to drive the 45 minutes to the closest city, so I ordered one through Best Buy and it took 5 days to get here. I was running to the library to check email as when one has a business with a website one had better keep updated on things. We actually got an order for a stove in this last week too. But I am back and now able to keep updated on the latest with the finanical bail out, etc. Perhaps I didn't miss much this past week. I still can' t do much besides pray and I have been doing that all week. God be merciful to us. |
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I just finished reading The Shack. I have to say that I didn't expect to like it; in fact I thought I would be offended by it. But I came away pleasantly surprised by the book. I found it to be a well written perspective on suffering and on God's intervention in our world. I think Young's emphasis on relationship and how Christianity is really about a relationship with the Godhead is excellent. There is a chapter where this is contrasted with those who live a life routed in the law and it was well done. There were a few things I have a bit of trouble with but I think I understand where the author was coming from. I am not sure if it is not on the verge of blasphemy to protray God in a way He has not chosen to betray Himself in the Scripture. I think the presentation used can be of help to us, but this book is only of value if it is kept in clear view that it is not Scripture. It is one man's thoughful reflections on Scripture and the Christian life. Therefore when it conflicts with SCripture or when the author reflects on something that is not clear in Scripture the book needs to be read in that light. There were also a few times when I felt the author might be taking a more open view of salvation than I believe the Scripture does. But perhaps I am reading too much into the statements this man made also. That said I believe this book is worth the time of any serious Christian. For someone who is not a Christian it can be a helpful tool, but only if it leads them to interact with the God about whom the book is written and with His Holy Word which HE has given us. REad The Shack with care and let the wisdom of another brother help you along the path. |
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The news about the government taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac really concerns me as a person who is looking to see less government involvement in my life not more. I am not saying that there was an other real alternative, but I am concerned about the implications. And I wonder if there will ever be a reversal. Our government has a history of not letting go of power once it gets it. But anyway there is an interesting article here about how this decision benefits China much more than it does us. Worth reading. |
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Do you know about the Homeschool Freebie of the Day. This is a site put on by a homeschooling family who have dug up all kinds of neat old resources, like how to sew, nature stories, homeschool advice, etc. Each day they post a freebie (M-F) which you can download that day only. Check out the site. There are some good things that come up. And who doesn't love free?
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I don't know how many people have paid attention to the headline news that our government is taking over FAnnie MAe and FReddie Mac the mortgage giants. This deeply disturbs me as our government in the name of saving the economy has just taken a huge leap in government control. Do I have another way to recommend dealing with this crisis. No, but I am also not an expert in these matters. I am sure there are other ways if liberty and personal responsibility were top priorities, but they are not. Here is one article about the news. AS I read the history of the USA I see that we lost much of our freedoms during the NEw Deal and those were never reversed. Americans needs to be educated about our history and about the implications of our choices. We are rapidly losing our freedoms and few people even notice. Go back and read the last entry I posted from CArmen at Buried Treasure Books and statism. |
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Since Sarah Palin received the VP nomination I have been reading and reading and thinking trying to formulate my response to this situation. I have found helpful thoughts from Doug Phillips, Nancy WIlson, and some others. But one of the most helpful articles I have read yet is from Carmen of Buried TReasure Books on the Republican Party and the whole focus of statism. It is worth reading. I still am wrestling with who to vote for but these thoughts are worth considering as I evaluate whether to vote my convictions (which is more conservative than the Republicans) or vote against the Dems. |
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I just finished canning tomatos and grape juice. It has been a long hot day. We have 17 beautiful quarts of tomatos to look at and 10 pints of grape juice concentrate. I do feel good about that. I wonder sometimes with how easy it is to buy all this stuff if I am really saving any money. I don't have enough of my own tomotos to can as much as I want and so I have to buy much of what I put away. Granted I am getting fresh and usually organic produce and I am supporting local farmers which is important to me. But I don't think I am saving any significant money esp. when you calculate my labor (which is essentially worthless in this instance) and figure in the electricity. Perhaps someday I will have a big garden and can put away my own food, but for now most of garden goes right into our mouths within the week it was picked. |
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I would like to report on God's faithfulness to my family. Although we have finished August with one property still empty and with various extra business expenses we did not end with a shortfall. We sold 2 stoves this past month and so actually were able to fulfill all our obligations and also put some money into our savings. I am so grateful for God's provision. And I am still asking for a good tenant for our empty house and now for his provision for September. This is called living by faith and sometimes it is very uncomfortable. Also I wanted to write about our weekend yard sale. I am firmly of the conclusion that yard sales are not worth the work. But our neighbors were doing one and asked us to join them and we had lots of things left from a tenant who abandoned her property. So we had a 2 day sale SAt. and Monday. We made some money but we didn't get rid of much. So we still have lots of junk to dispose of. Oh well, we did have some good community and fellowship time with our neighbors and friends. Perhaps that was the real value of the yard sale. |
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I seem to have lost my momemtum in blogging. Don't know if anyone is still reading here, but I will post an update on our lives. We have started back to formal academics. Already have 23 days under our belt, although 5 of them were at the dance camp. We are all adjusting but it is going fairly well. I am still trying to figure where to put in the IEW writing program in terms of the day/week. But we will get that worked in somehow. We are now foster-parenting for 2 weeks, but not for children. Rather we have 4 adorable baby bunnies in our home for a short time. We will be keeping one of them and our friend who is fairly busy offered that we could keep them all to acclimate them to people handling. And my dc were very willing to comply. The stove business is doing slightly better than it had. We have now sold 3 stoves in the past month, so that is encouraging. We really could stand to sell many more, but God is keeping us on a short rope in terms of His provision. It is enough but not extra. The real estate business has had a few ups and downs. We tried to sell one of our properties, but just gave up and rerented the place. Another house was abandoned in mid July but we have the place now cleaned up and emptied of all her stuff and are looking hard to rerent that one. And the biggest news of the summer is that in November my MIL is coming to live with us. We are very happy and have been talking to her about it for more than a year. IT will change our lives, in many good ways and complicate things as well. She is somewhat dependent with a very giving personality and a deep love for us and for the Lord. |