Family life


 

 Southern Heritage Ball

Katie’s Friend, Olivia, hosted her 2nd Southern Herigage Ball last weekend.  I think they are called balls because everyone has a ball at them!  With over 200 guests, it was so much fun to dance and to watch.  The dresses are so pretty to watch swirling around the dance floor.

By the way, have you ever wondered about how hot they would be to wear?  Well, they are surprisingly not that hot.  (They generate their own breezes :-) )  What is surprising is how hard it is to navigate around in them without tripping up and trying  to look gracefull at the same time.  This takes some doing!

Anyway, here is a video from the ball followed by a link to some more pictures and videos. 

Enjoy!

 

 

http://farmkidsincrocs.blogspot.com/2009/11/two-movies-for-your-enjoyment.html

Marcie

 

     Our first taste of Pumpkin Soup was at a tea room outside of Gatlinburg, TN.  We left hooked on the soup and on tea rooms!  We usually enjoy this soup on Friday evening and have the added bonus of leftovers for the weekend. 

     Hope you enjoy!

Warm Pumpkin Soup

1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, finely chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 quart chicken broth
4 cups pumpkin (or 2 cans)
1 quart whole milk or light cream
salt
sour cream
nutmeg
 
     In a large stock pot, melt the butter.  Add onion and garlic;  saute until tender.  Add curry powder. 
     Whisk in chicken broth, pumpkin, and milk or light cream, stirring until smooth.   Add salt to taste.  Heat thoroughly and  until soup is thickened.
     To serve, pour soup into bowls. You may garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a dash of nutmeg.

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

 

1 head broccoli
1 head cauliflower
1/2 pound turkey bacon
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
     Cook and drain bacon.  Crumble into small pieces and set aside.
     Cut broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized pieces.  In a large salad bowl, mix broccoli, cauliflower, bacon and grated cheddar cheese. 
     Fold dressing into salad.  Chill for 1 hour; stir well before serving.
 
Dressing
 
1 cup mayonnaise (non-hydrogenated please :-) )
1/2 cup natural cane sugar or 1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
     Whisk together the ingredients until smooth and well blended.

 

Whole Wheat Butter Crescent Rolls

 
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
3/12 – 4 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour (we like prairie gold)
1 egg, beaten (optional)
     In a small saucepan, warm milk until it bubbles.  Remove from heat.  Mix in butter, sugar, and salt; desolve.
     In your bread mixer, combine the milk mixture and yeast.  Running your mixer on low, stir in the egg. 
     Add in flour, 1 cup at a time until dough pulls together, about 5 minutes.  Cover with tea towel and let rise until doubled. 
     Knead dough 1 minute. Divide in half.  Turn out onto floured surface and let rest for 10 minutes.
     Roll each dough half into 12″ circle.  Cut each circle into 6 wedged. (A pizza cutter works well for this)  Roll each wedge up beginning at the wide end rolling to the point.  Place on baking sheet.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.  Rolls may be brushed with beaten egg.
     Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake rolls until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

 

These rolls are a great way to break into eating whole wheat.  My niece, who would never eat anything whole wheat, loved these.  Children really enjoy making them, too. 

We usually have these for Thanksgiving dinner.  They are great with chicken salad as well.  I have also made mini versions for serving at a party.

Blessings,

Mominsc (1) 

Marcie

 

     Do you ever feel a little lonely?  Our friends, the Bailey’s, invited 320 of their closest friends to a Barn Party.  With hambergers and hot dogs provided, side dishes and desserts brought to share, it was quite a hoe-down as my in-laws would say!

Here are some highlights:

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The West Ladies singing with our friends, the Travers Bluegrass players joined by that very talented banjo picker, Stephen Boyd.  (I took the liberty to name them the Travers bluegrass players:-)

This is a little taste of the West Ladies’ singing:

 

And the evening was just beginning!

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Katie and her friends, Tiffany and Emily.  O.K., we really want to be adopted by their family.  There are 15 of them.  Do you think they would notice if a few more move in? :-)

 

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  Banana Pecan Pie with Chocolate Drizzle
Katie’s Pie entered in the Pie Contest

 

 

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Katie wins 3rd place in pie contest! 
(sorry she is sideways, my hardrive died last week along with photo editing software :-( )

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Hay to play in for the younger crowd

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Jail
( it was a Saturday night, LOL)

And last but not least, Square Dancing!

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Zach even gets dragged in toward the end.  He had  fun, but hey , it wasn’t football with the guys outside. :-)

And last but not least, another great video by my talented friend, Kathy:

Thanks,  Bailey’s , for another awesome Barn Party!

Blessings,

Marcie

 

Meet Ellie Cate and Josie Claire!

 

Robin,scott,twin

   

       Robin and Scott are dear friends of ours.  I am so humbled by them.   They take seriously the Lord’s words “Suffer the little children to come unto Me.”   Here is a video of their lastest family additions.  

 

     

     Robin and Scott have 5 biological children, 4 more in heaven, Joseph from Liberia and have welcomed home the twins this week.

     We cried and prayed with them as they anticipated the adoption of Joseph.  Joseph was in great need of heart surgery.  Robin miscarried while in Liberia bringing Joseph home.  She and Scott stood in awe of God’s amazing provisions, provisions only He knew would be needed. 

     We cried with them  as they endured the loss of William one month before his due date several months ago.  It is hard to imagine the grieving of this beautiful family that loves children so much, but they hang on to the Lord.  “God is faithful,…though He slay me, yet will I trust Him”  their cry.

     Only God could fill those empty arms as He has this week.  Praise His Holy Name!

Marcie

You can read more about Robin and Scott on Robin’s blog:
http://campbellshope.blogspot.com/

    

 

What’s been going on around here?

Three weeks ago, Dolly gave birth to 10 beautiful puppies!

Dollyandpups
Smiling momma

Smiling momma

 

Oh, I wuv you, momma!

Oh, I wuv you, momma!

 
O.K., they are a lot of work,
 but aren’t they cute!!!

 

Happy tails to you,

Marcie

Mominsc (1)

 

Prayer for Husbands

Dear Father,

Please enable my husband to obey Your cammand to love You with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might. (Deut. 6:5)  Let his heart be filled with You alone to make him pure and true (James 4:8)  Create in him a clean heart filled with pure thought and right desires.(Psalm 51:10).  Warn him not to harden his heart (Psalm 95:8).

Lord, thank You for giving me my husband.   You are his head (I Corth. 11:3).  Help me allow him to be my head, as Christ is head over the Church (Eph.5:23).  Thank You for being  head over all and for Your perfect plans for our home.  Lord, I pray that my husband will have the rich experience of knowing Christ with real certainty and clear understanding.  Your plan for him is Christ Himself, and in Him are contained all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col.2:2-3).  May he not be fleshly minded but spiritually minded, which is life and peace (Romans 8:6).  Capture all his thoughts to obey Christ (2Corth. 10:5).  I pray that he will receive what Christ is teaching him and let His words enrich his life and make him wise (Col. 3:16).  Fill his thoughts with You so he doesn’t spend so much time worrying about earthly things (Col.3:2).

Thank you that You open his mind to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45).  I pray that he will not be conformed to this world but be transformed by renewing his mind in Your Word, so that he may experience Your good, acceptable, and Perfect will (Romans 12:2).  Open his eyes that he may truly see from Your perspective (2Kings 6:17).  May he keep his eyes alert for spiritual danger and stand strong and true to You.  Help him to watch for the snares of Satan, our enemy(1Peter 5:8).  Make him always discern the difference between right and wrong and be inwardly clean so that no one can find fault in him(Phil.1:10).  I pray that my husband will hear Your words with his heart, not just his head (Psalm 78:1).  Cause him to hear Your voice as You instruct him (Deut. 4:36).  Open his ears and give him wisdom, causing him to know Your mind, keeping him from pride, warning him of the penalties of sin, and keeping him from Satan’s temptations (Job33:14-17).

Give him Your words so that he may boldly make Jesus known (Eph.6:19).  Let his conversation be gracious and wise, for then he will have the right answer for everyone (Col. 4:3-6).  Whatever he does or says, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus (Col. 3:17).  Sweeten his words to say only  what is good and helpful and what will bless others (Eph.4:29).  Cause him to abstain from dirty stories, unholy talk, and coarse jokes (Eph.5:4).  Let the words of his mouth and the meditation of his heart be acceptable to You (Psalm19:14).  May he be transformed in his heart in the fear of the Lord every day.  Cause him to trust in You, Lord, with all his heart and lean not unto his own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

I pray that he will let the peace of God rule in his heat (Col.3:15).  I pray that Christ will be more at home in his heart, as he trusts You more fully.  By Your mighty power at work in my husband, You are able to do far more than I could ask or ever dream – beyond my highest prayers, desires, hopes, or thoughts.  I praise You and give You glory (Eph.3:20-21)

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Note:  The original prayer for husbnads is attributed to Connie VandPol, Bowling Green, KY. from Prayer Portions, copyright 1994 by Sylvia Gunter.

* Stormie Omartan’s book, Power of a Praying Wife,    is a wonderful guide to praying for your husband as well.  This is part of my morning quiet time.  You can find the book here.   

 Happy Birthday, Katie

Katie and Aunt Karen

Katie and Aunt Karen

     I remember the first time we saw you. 

      We received the call on Friday evening you would be coming home on Saturday morning. 

Who could sleep? 

      The washing of your baby things purchased with hope, but left packaged in fear;  the final preparations of your room. 

      Saturday morning comes, and dad runs out to pick up balloons for the mailbox to announce our daughter is here!  Oh, the camera batteries are dead.  Another stop is added, and Dad arrives right behind you. 

First Portrait

First Portrait

     And then we meet for the first time in person.  We have already met in our dreams.  You are so beautiful!  Years of anticipation and joy flow freely down our faces.  You are placed in my arms and fall asleep, home at last.

      This is the beginning of sharing you.  
 
     Yes, you have a bed, but that is in another room.  We like you with us.  Car seats are to be in the back, but neither one of us wants to give up looking at you to drive, so in the front seat you go, right between us.  We did face you backward for safety. :-)
 
First Teas

First Teas

     Your first year, I spent telling everyone about you through tears.  I thought the tears of joy would never stop.  They still well up thinking of you, twenty years later. 

Katie, Our Honey Bunny

Katie, Our Honey Bunny

 

It's a girl thing!

It's a girl thing!

      I loved spending time with you: the stories you made up, tea parties, playing doll house,

KATIEANGEL

Our Angels

the dress-up adventures  including playing “sisters” with your brother until he refused to be a sister any longer,  (o.k., Zach, I didn’t post THOSE pictures)

Katie, Queen of Spain

On Your Throne with the King

Queen of Spain

How

How

Indian Princess and Sidekick  

Katie Puddleduck

Katie Puddleduck

and a duck. 
 You still have a fondness for ducks.
  

       I have loved watching you grow and mature: 

KATIE

Pretty in Blue

putting off childish things and putting on Christ.  I’ve enjoyed the cooking, sewing, 

Sewing dresses for an orphanage

Sewing dresses for an orphanage

the FIELD TRIPS

a long story

a long story

 and the talks.  

I’ve been amazed as you take on a project and finish it through determination.

holding weak puppy for HOURS to get it to nurse

holding weak puppy for HOURS to get it to nurse

 
 I love all the many facets of you…                
                                                                                                                                                                                                              KATIEGRAD1
 From graduation pictures in mucking boots

From graduation pictures in mucking boots

to mysterious beauty

to mysterious beauty

 
We have been through good times and bad.  You are my dear friend.    
           You encourage me!
 
     I look forward to continuing watching you grow into the woman God wants you to be.  I admire you so already.

You are the daughter of my heart!

     I do not understand why God allowed me the privilege of being your mother, but I’m so thankful He did.

KATIEZACH             Love always,  Mom

      

 

  

     In dog breeding language, “throwing a litter” means producing a litter.  One breeder may say of a stud dog that he always throws blocky headed pups.  Now, in terms of golden retrievers, being a block head is really good!

     As you may have read, my daughter raises golden retrievers.  That means breeding.  Considering whether to keep one puppy who is going through the ganglies right now, it made her think “Gee, I wonder what kind of children I’ll breed?”  Next comment from brother was, ” Yup, you don’t want to throw any bad litters!”

     638099-R1-08-9A_009

     No need to worry, our President and his Science Czar would like to take care of this for us!  If they feel you will throw bad litters, you will not be allowed to throw any.  If you pass the “Most likely to Throw Acceptable Litter” test, you will be allowed to throw litters, but only an acceptable amount determined by them. 

     John Holdren, as part of Obama’s quazi government, is the Science Czar.  Back in 1977, he wrote a college textbook, extolling the need for forced sterilization, and population control, including an international regime to police births.  No more bad Litters!  You can read more about this in an interesting post at http://terrysoapbox.blogspot.com/2009/08/we-interrupt-this-blog-break.html.

         This does make one wonder “Who will be allowed to breed?” 

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     Will  those problem people who hold to their guns and their bibles?   How do they plan to stop them from throwing litters? 

Lock them up?

lillyandchase

Chop off heads?

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(he does look a little too happy with that hatchet)

     Well, you see the birth/population control crowd forget one thing.  God is in control!  Even of the womb.  Man can’t see the future or the outcome of any life, but God knows before we are even born.  Before we were, He knew us.  That makes us pretty special.  We may even grow up to be

Capable of great humor,

Able to make silly faces

And clean up after dogs.

Who can make awesome chocolate chips cookies,

then build a retaining wall?

Look, he is chopping down trees… it’s

“The Boy”

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     This young man has great value, even beyond his humor!  He very probably would be considered a bad litter by our science czar.  You see, this treat came to us through adoption. 

     In God’s eyes, we are all valuable, so valuable He wanted to adopt us into His family.  The life of His Son was the adoption fee.  Our part is to present ourselves as a living sacrifice  to Him.  That is only reasonable.  You see, no man can put a value on human life.  We really don’t create it; we are only the caretakers of life given.  Treat it special!

     So, what can we do?

We must not just take it any more!

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      PRAY!   Daniel was led to pray for the forgiveness of the sins of his forefathers.  Study the prayers of Daniel.

      REPENT!  Clean out our own temples.

      GUARD THE GATE!  Keep the enemy away from your family.

      GAIN KNOWLEDGE!  People perish for lack of knowledge, the biblical worldview kind.

And

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Relax !   “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”  2Timothy 1:12,

Mominsc (1)                                                         Blessings,

                                                     Marcie

 

     My last post was rather shocking and out of what I hope to normally post about.    You may be like me and have a hard time believing things like this really happen.  It was not meant to offend, but to give warning.

     And to encourage you in the good fight for your family.  Now for the good stuff.

The Family

formerly Home-Making

by J.R. Miller

thefamily

     This simple unassuming little book was first published in 1882, but wow, is it full of wisdom!   It paints a picture of family life, describing the roles of family members: husband, wife, brother, and sister. 

“Many a roof covers a home-life that is bare of beauty and joy.  Yet all the elements are there that are needed to make a true image of heaven in its blessedness and peace. …”

     This book describes the way family members should  lovingly lay their lives down for each other, but probably my favorite part is the way he encourages brothers and sisters in their roles to protect each other and to guard each other’s heart. 

“Why should not a brother make a confidante of his own sister rather than of any other?  Why should not a sister look to her own brother for counsel, for protection, for advice, rather than any other?  Why should not brothers be proud to have their own sisters lean upon their arms?  And why should not sisters be proud to look up into the faces of their brothers, and feel secure in the shelter of their manly love?”   …Brothers and Sisters chapter

    In relating to one another in the home,  I encourage my children to treat each other BETTER than they do other people.  Brothers should model leadership that earns the security and respect of the sisters, showing them the kind of qualities  to look for in their future spouses.  Sisters should model a modest life, trusting in their brothers leadership, showing them the kind of qualities to look for in their future spouses.

     What does this all have to do with yesterday’s post?  As I was observing, I wondered if the stage was set in the home by siblings not valuing each other, not setting standards of honor for each other.   

    The book, The Family,  solidified what I wish for my children’s family life.  I fail so much, but thankfully, the Lord can bring beauty fom my ashes. If you have read the above book, I would love to hear your thoughts about it. 

    Mominsc (1)                                                                            

                                             Blessings,

                                             Marcie

Jackson Standing Like a Stone Wall
“Stonewall” Jackson

     This post title is a saying of Thomas Jackson, known as Stonewall, for standing like a wall during battle.  Parents, we need to stand like a stone wall.

     We were recently at a gathering that was attended by people aged 1 through probably close to 90.  There was music and dancing and merrymaking. 

     Suddenly, a young man (in his early 20’s) pulled up the dress of a young lady, exposing her to the waist.  He tried this more than once with more than one young lady. It was as if this were a normal occurance.

     Yes, the young ladies were dressed provocatively, but shouldn’t young men honor women?  Shouldn’t young ladies be treated with respect?  The young ladies seemed to be used to being abused that way.  The young men seemed to be used to treating young ladies that way.  What has happened?

      I’m not familiar with popular music but  in a family environment, I expected it to be, well, family friendly.  I  began really listening to the music and found out otherwise.  The words to a few of the songs were basically describing what you would see in pornographic movies! 

     The thing is,  the older people there  seemed oblivious to all of these things.  Meanwhile, all of the children  were being exposed to these things without adults guiding or protecting them. 

     How are young ladies going to learn how they should be treated without someone showing them they are valuable and should be protected? 

     How are young men going to learn how to treat young ladies without someone teaching them young ladies should be protected?  That porn destroys?

Parents, we are in a battle! 

     Be nosey!  Listen to your children’s music!   Hold them accountable for their viewing and internet  habits!  Know who they know! 

     We are fighting  the one who wants to steal, kill and destroy.  Be Vigilent!  Be on Guard!  Stand like a Stone Wall!

Never give Quarter to the Enemy!

     Tomorrow, I will share with you the BEST and most beautifully written  book I have ever read about family life and guarding hearts.   Until then…

Mominsc (1)

                                          Putting on the full armor of Christ,

                                         Marcie

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