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Saturday, September 4, 2010
What happens when the cows get fed around here.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Do you make others feel like a burden?
Philippians 2:3-5
"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory;but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Look not every man on his own things,but every man also on the things of others.
Let this mind be in you,which was also in Christ Jesus:"
I think these verses are HUGE for Christians and just society period.This *is* Christianity, and even though only Christians *really* understand the depth of it, think how society would be if *everyone* considered themselves first.That *is* what is happening in the world but thankfully,at this point,there are still many,many,many loving,caring,good hearted NON christians.They are getting fewer and fewer though.Especially in the younger generations!
The attitude taught in the above verses is one that my dh and I are really,really,passionate about instilling into our children.Think of all the areas it applies to.If you are considering *others* above yourself you will :
Show up to work on time and do a good job.
Be thankful for whatever food you are served.
Be thankful PERIOD.
Forgive.
Speak kindly.
Be honest.
Not be judgmental.
The list goes on and on.......As mothers,we have so many things we want to instill in our children.If we can instill the attitude of dying to self we have instilled one of the most important things.This will effect every part of their adult lives from their career to marriage.A selfish person is a terrible thing.
The area of selfLESSness that I wanted to talk about in this post is making others feel like a burden.Do you? It is so easy.I have always been big on doing favors for others without letting them know how they are inconveniencing me.(If they are)If I ask for help and I can sense that the person isn't *truly* happy to help,but is complaining inwardly,I would rather not have the help.No one wants to feel like a burden.It is a miserable feeling! When my dh asks me "Can you do me a favor?" I always say "Sure!". I feel like if I say "What?" first that I am saying "Well,let me know what it is first and I will decide if I feel like doing it." I like to let him know that I am willing and happy to help him with *whatever* he needs help with.It is not conditional.I know he will not ask anything unreasonable of me and if for some reason ,what he asks is impossible for me to do because of circumstance, I can tell him that and he will understand.He knew that I had a willing heart though.Now we may not be able to reply with a "Sure!" to just anybody's request of a favor because some people *are* unreasonable and there are also some things that we just don't have the time to do.I think we can always reply with a happy "I would surely love to help you if it is possible for me.....What do you need?"If we *do* decide to help someone,it should be done without sighs and complaining.It should be done joyfully.Not that you have to necessarily love what they are asking you to do,but love that you have the opportunity to help.Also remember that Christians should be doing everything "as unto CHRIST".
Another thing I have been thinking about recently.......The same thing but a step further.When someone comes to your house or calls to ask you a favor and you say "Sure!" do you then hang up the phone/shut the door and let out a big sigh in front of your children and begin to complain about it? I am really feeling convicted about that lately and feeling like it is hypocrisy.It does not seem right for my children to see me smile happily at my neighbor and tell him "Sure we can help!" and then as soon as they are out of sight they see my smile vanish and the complaints start.Not only that but how would you feel if the tables were turned?YOU needed help and your neighbor happily agreed.How would you feel if you knew that your happy,willing to help neighbor was griping and complaining behind your back? We are to treat others the way WE would like to be treated.
Do our husbands feel that we are always happy to serve them?Do they feel they could ask a favor and that we are always glad to help if possible?
Do our children feel that they are a joy to us?Do we sigh and complain about our jobs and make them feel like they are burdening us?
I am really going to be concentrating on this and making sure that I am *truly* Christlike in this area.I have much work to do.*Especially* with my children.I need to do my job with joy and thankfulness.If Christ were here (and HE IS!) I wouldn't be giving impatient sighs because I have to correct a child yet *again*.I desired children so much and he has granted me the desires of my heart! I should be THANKFUL that I have them to train! Thankful that I have them to correct! A burden is something that we would like to be FREE of! Lord please keep me from portraying that attitude that my children are a burden!
"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory;but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Look not every man on his own things,but every man also on the things of others.
Let this mind be in you,which was also in Christ Jesus:"
I think these verses are HUGE for Christians and just society period.This *is* Christianity, and even though only Christians *really* understand the depth of it, think how society would be if *everyone* considered themselves first.That *is* what is happening in the world but thankfully,at this point,there are still many,many,many loving,caring,good hearted NON christians.They are getting fewer and fewer though.Especially in the younger generations!
The attitude taught in the above verses is one that my dh and I are really,really,passionate about instilling into our children.Think of all the areas it applies to.If you are considering *others* above yourself you will :
Show up to work on time and do a good job.
Be thankful for whatever food you are served.
Be thankful PERIOD.
Forgive.
Speak kindly.
Be honest.
Not be judgmental.
The list goes on and on.......As mothers,we have so many things we want to instill in our children.If we can instill the attitude of dying to self we have instilled one of the most important things.This will effect every part of their adult lives from their career to marriage.A selfish person is a terrible thing.
The area of selfLESSness that I wanted to talk about in this post is making others feel like a burden.Do you? It is so easy.I have always been big on doing favors for others without letting them know how they are inconveniencing me.(If they are)If I ask for help and I can sense that the person isn't *truly* happy to help,but is complaining inwardly,I would rather not have the help.No one wants to feel like a burden.It is a miserable feeling! When my dh asks me "Can you do me a favor?" I always say "Sure!". I feel like if I say "What?" first that I am saying "Well,let me know what it is first and I will decide if I feel like doing it." I like to let him know that I am willing and happy to help him with *whatever* he needs help with.It is not conditional.I know he will not ask anything unreasonable of me and if for some reason ,what he asks is impossible for me to do because of circumstance, I can tell him that and he will understand.He knew that I had a willing heart though.Now we may not be able to reply with a "Sure!" to just anybody's request of a favor because some people *are* unreasonable and there are also some things that we just don't have the time to do.I think we can always reply with a happy "I would surely love to help you if it is possible for me.....What do you need?"If we *do* decide to help someone,it should be done without sighs and complaining.It should be done joyfully.Not that you have to necessarily love what they are asking you to do,but love that you have the opportunity to help.Also remember that Christians should be doing everything "as unto CHRIST".
Another thing I have been thinking about recently.......The same thing but a step further.When someone comes to your house or calls to ask you a favor and you say "Sure!" do you then hang up the phone/shut the door and let out a big sigh in front of your children and begin to complain about it? I am really feeling convicted about that lately and feeling like it is hypocrisy.It does not seem right for my children to see me smile happily at my neighbor and tell him "Sure we can help!" and then as soon as they are out of sight they see my smile vanish and the complaints start.Not only that but how would you feel if the tables were turned?YOU needed help and your neighbor happily agreed.How would you feel if you knew that your happy,willing to help neighbor was griping and complaining behind your back? We are to treat others the way WE would like to be treated.
Do our husbands feel that we are always happy to serve them?Do they feel they could ask a favor and that we are always glad to help if possible?
Do our children feel that they are a joy to us?Do we sigh and complain about our jobs and make them feel like they are burdening us?
I am really going to be concentrating on this and making sure that I am *truly* Christlike in this area.I have much work to do.*Especially* with my children.I need to do my job with joy and thankfulness.If Christ were here (and HE IS!) I wouldn't be giving impatient sighs because I have to correct a child yet *again*.I desired children so much and he has granted me the desires of my heart! I should be THANKFUL that I have them to train! Thankful that I have them to correct! A burden is something that we would like to be FREE of! Lord please keep me from portraying that attitude that my children are a burden!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Cream cheese,Cranberry muffins
These muffins have the flavor of CHEESECAKE and they are one of my favorites!!!!!
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups cranberries
1-2 cups nuts
Beat cream cheese and butter together.Add sugar,vanilla and eggs....Beat....Measure flour onto butter mixture and put the baking powder and salt right on top and just stir right in! Stir in cranberries and nuts ....Bake at 350 for oh about 25-30 min? Or till done :). Delicious! I used half wheat,half sucanat and no nuts today.They are delicious! I LOVE nuts better but I didn't have any.All white flour is of course, delicious but the wheat is almost just as good! :) These are really easy too! :)
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Are you leading yourself into temptation?
For years I have worked at the outward signs of anger.Raising my voice,using bad tones,having a mad look on my face etc. etc. but I have recently realized that I have been going about it the wrong way.
What is the Lord's answer to overcoming temptation? All through scripture we see the same admonition.Avoid it,seperate yourselves,refrain from it,
1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived:evil communications corrupt good manners.
Proverbs 4:14,15 Enter not into the path of the wicked,and go not in the way of evil men.
Avoid it,pass not by it,turn from it,and pass away.
Proverbs 1:10,15 My son,if sinners entice thee,consent thou not....................(15) My son,walk not thou in the way with them;refrain thy foot from their path.
Proverbs 6:27 Can a man take fire into his bosom,and his clothes not be burned?
Luke 11:4 .........And lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.
When we become a christian that doesn't mean that we are above temptation.The Lord tells us to avoid it if at all possible.He doesn't say to go around it and then pray real hard that you don't fall.He says to flee from it if at all possible! Yes,we should pray for strength to be overcomers in this world, but we also need to follow the directions that he already gave us!Yes,if we are faced with temptations,we should not give into them.We CAN overcome them with God's help but the FIRST step is to make sure that we are following HIS commandments and refraining as much as possible.
So that means that a struggling alcoholic should not have a 12 pack in his refrigerator.He should not go to a bar and watch everyone drink and he should not be hanging around other alcoholics.He can't do all of these things willingly and expect to overcome the temptation.The Lord's ways are best and if he tells us that "evil communications corrupt good manners" who are we to say "Oh,I won't be influenced or tempted!" ?????
So how does this apply to anger?
I was thinking......By allowing myself to BE angry but trying to control the outward signs of anger,I am,in a sense..................the alcoholic trying not to drink the beer sitting in front of him.I need to just follow the scripture:
Proverbs 16:32
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty;and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
I need to eliminate the anger and the outward signs of anger will vanish! It is foolish to allow the anger to live with me and try not to be influenced by it's powers.I need to kick it out!
I have already seen it work in one area of my life and so I am really convinced.I used to get frustrated/mad at my dh over little things and often.Little STUPID things.I was quick to be angry at him.I was quick to get over it too and I always felt so bad!
Well,some dear MOMYS made a post challenging everyone to list 25 things that they love about their husbands.I had no troubles making my list and after I was done I thought...."How could I ever get mad at this man??????????/" I decided to just STOP it! I have always thought he was WONDERFUL and the best thing that has ever happened to me in this life but making that list just really opened my eyes even wider.I only have so much time with this godly man and I am sure not going to spend it feeling anger at him over silly things!Neither of us are perfect!
Well it has been wonderful and it works! Now I am working on eliminating my anger with my children! It is to easy to get frustrated when you have so many children to train! I get frustrated to quickly with them and it needs to stop.They are so precious and they deserve a patient mother.No,I am not angry all the time.....I am usually very happy......I do struggle with frustration though,sometimes every day.I am praying that I can get over this and I know I will with HIS help.
What is the Lord's answer to overcoming temptation? All through scripture we see the same admonition.Avoid it,seperate yourselves,refrain from it,
1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived:evil communications corrupt good manners.
Proverbs 4:14,15 Enter not into the path of the wicked,and go not in the way of evil men.
Avoid it,pass not by it,turn from it,and pass away.
Proverbs 1:10,15 My son,if sinners entice thee,consent thou not....................(15) My son,walk not thou in the way with them;refrain thy foot from their path.
Proverbs 6:27 Can a man take fire into his bosom,and his clothes not be burned?
Luke 11:4 .........And lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.
When we become a christian that doesn't mean that we are above temptation.The Lord tells us to avoid it if at all possible.He doesn't say to go around it and then pray real hard that you don't fall.He says to flee from it if at all possible! Yes,we should pray for strength to be overcomers in this world, but we also need to follow the directions that he already gave us!Yes,if we are faced with temptations,we should not give into them.We CAN overcome them with God's help but the FIRST step is to make sure that we are following HIS commandments and refraining as much as possible.
So that means that a struggling alcoholic should not have a 12 pack in his refrigerator.He should not go to a bar and watch everyone drink and he should not be hanging around other alcoholics.He can't do all of these things willingly and expect to overcome the temptation.The Lord's ways are best and if he tells us that "evil communications corrupt good manners" who are we to say "Oh,I won't be influenced or tempted!" ?????
So how does this apply to anger?
I was thinking......By allowing myself to BE angry but trying to control the outward signs of anger,I am,in a sense..................the alcoholic trying not to drink the beer sitting in front of him.I need to just follow the scripture:
Proverbs 16:32
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty;and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
I need to eliminate the anger and the outward signs of anger will vanish! It is foolish to allow the anger to live with me and try not to be influenced by it's powers.I need to kick it out!
I have already seen it work in one area of my life and so I am really convinced.I used to get frustrated/mad at my dh over little things and often.Little STUPID things.I was quick to be angry at him.I was quick to get over it too and I always felt so bad!
Well,some dear MOMYS made a post challenging everyone to list 25 things that they love about their husbands.I had no troubles making my list and after I was done I thought...."How could I ever get mad at this man??????????/" I decided to just STOP it! I have always thought he was WONDERFUL and the best thing that has ever happened to me in this life but making that list just really opened my eyes even wider.I only have so much time with this godly man and I am sure not going to spend it feeling anger at him over silly things!Neither of us are perfect!
Well it has been wonderful and it works! Now I am working on eliminating my anger with my children! It is to easy to get frustrated when you have so many children to train! I get frustrated to quickly with them and it needs to stop.They are so precious and they deserve a patient mother.No,I am not angry all the time.....I am usually very happy......I do struggle with frustration though,sometimes every day.I am praying that I can get over this and I know I will with HIS help.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Today's blesings
I have been thinking about how it is so easy to overlook today's blessings.How many times do we dwell on how much we wish tomorrow's blessings were here and completely let today's blessings go by ignored? If it is raining today we say "I wish this rain would stop so we could go outside." If it is to hot and dry we say "Boy we sure need some rain." If it is winter we are wishing it is summer and then when summer gets here we complain about the heat.We desire children and then get frustrated because we have so much to do taking care of them.We are soooooooooo unthankful!
Collossians 4:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,to the which also ye are called in one body;and be ye thankful.
I am going to be thankful TODAY that TODAY I have:
Children to clean up after,to train and to hang on me all day because they love me!
Diapers to change because I have a precious baby.
Dishes to wash because we have food to eat.
Produce to can because I am healthy enough to plant and care for a garden.
Lots of food to cook because I have many hungry people to feed.
A night to plan for my sweet dh and I tonight because he is ALIVE and here with me!
Weight to lose because of a wonderful marriage and lots of pregnancies :)
A million things to think about,plan and get done because I am healthy enough to do them!
SO many flies to kill because we ar blessed enough to live in the country and have animals to attract the flies!
Rotten squash to get out of my basement cause I have a bunch of new fresh squash coming on to replace it!
Fruit flies to kill because well........atleast I don't have something tragic going on in my life that would make fruit flies seem minor! :):)
Most importantly,I have the Lord's wonderful Truth to dwell on all day and guide me as I try to complete all of my tasks.
It is Friday! I can't wait for my dh to get home! We celebrate our 14th anniversary on the 20th this month and He is still my very best friend and we are more in love than ever.
I am so thankful today and I want to stay feeling this way ALL day and not let the stresses of my day drag me down!
Enjoy TODAY'S blessings!!!!!!!!!!
Collossians 4:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,to the which also ye are called in one body;and be ye thankful.
I am going to be thankful TODAY that TODAY I have:
Children to clean up after,to train and to hang on me all day because they love me!
Diapers to change because I have a precious baby.
Dishes to wash because we have food to eat.
Produce to can because I am healthy enough to plant and care for a garden.
Lots of food to cook because I have many hungry people to feed.
A night to plan for my sweet dh and I tonight because he is ALIVE and here with me!
Weight to lose because of a wonderful marriage and lots of pregnancies :)
A million things to think about,plan and get done because I am healthy enough to do them!
SO many flies to kill because we ar blessed enough to live in the country and have animals to attract the flies!
Rotten squash to get out of my basement cause I have a bunch of new fresh squash coming on to replace it!
Fruit flies to kill because well........atleast I don't have something tragic going on in my life that would make fruit flies seem minor! :):)
Most importantly,I have the Lord's wonderful Truth to dwell on all day and guide me as I try to complete all of my tasks.
It is Friday! I can't wait for my dh to get home! We celebrate our 14th anniversary on the 20th this month and He is still my very best friend and we are more in love than ever.
I am so thankful today and I want to stay feeling this way ALL day and not let the stresses of my day drag me down!
Enjoy TODAY'S blessings!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Preserving Kale (and any other greens)
I really,really want to like Kale.My midwife tells me that she finally found a way that her boys will eat Kale! They are asking for seconds! She blanches it first, sautees it in olive oil, and then adds toasted sesame or sunflower seeds and seasoning.They love it.Since Kale is like one of the very best vegetables there is for you I am determined to get it into our diet.I have about 20 plants so hope to get several gallons in the freezer this year!
Wash Kale............
Fold in half and cut off stems.Wash Kale............
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Time to make butter!
When I was getting ready to make butter the other day I thought....You know,I ought to take pictures for those who have never had the chance to make butter! :) So here you go! The first one is the cream in the churn (3 quarts).I get that much from about 3 gallons which is what we are getting every day currently.Not for long though as we have another cow getting ready to freshen any day!
Here the butter is done and still sitting in the buttermilk.
Drain the water and squeeze as much out with your hands as possible and you are done!
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