• Motherhood - my fiftieth year - my story

    to mothers who got their hands dirty.

    Today I’d like to acknowledge  the mothers who came before me… mothers who worked long before days dawned and long after suns set — women who, without conveniences, running water, power and supplies, cared for their families – putting them before themselves and tenaciously pressed on through the years of their lives.  It does not escape me that life for women in many places in the world live such a life today. I feel as though I cannot personally relate – I have photos in my possession and have heard numerous stories my children have told me about living conditions…

  • Family - Home Sweet Home

    Bountiful beauty

    Pretty soon the beautiful hydrangeas will stop blooming for the year… For now, each morning I love to walk around the yard and see the beautiful variety and  lovely shades of  blues, greens,  purples, lavenders and red hydrangeas… these are  my favourite flowers… but the roses are quite lovely, too. in the rose garden are candlelight roses, lavender, various pinks, yellow, peach, coral and white… the whites are particularly beautiful this year! produce from the garden this morning… in addition to many(!) zucchini, yellow squash, beans and onions, Naomi and ‘melia picked some carrots.  They came running in to show…

  • Family - Homemaking

    Restorer of the Breach(es)

    I’m still pondering: The old paths… A few days ago I was looking at photographs and was trying to recollect those days… actually, those and a lot of other “days gone by” and I began to consider and ask myself: what good things did I do in those days do I no longer do? What did I leave off doing — and why? Did I get weary? Did I get overconfident? Did I get tired? Did I get lazy? Did I forget? Why did I stop doing the things that were working well? And, when? When did I veer off…

  • Family - Parenting

    Disciplines of Life

    I’ve been thinking about paths lately… spurred on by reading in Jeremiah and considering ‘the old paths’ and doing the things we know to be profitable in our home/life. I had to smile at the following video. In our home, through the years, we’ve had many, many opportunities to train up boys and girls in the way they should go. This, most notably, is a spiritual training – but, it’s also training in life skills, work ethic and manners. Repetition (both in direction and practice) is the key to accomplishing the objective and to developing abilities. But, more than all…

  • Homemaking - Recipes

    Homemade Laundry Soap – easy!!

    For several months I have been using ‘home-made’ laundry soap and have been very pleased with the results! In addition to the ease of making the soap, the dollar savings has been a great help to me/my family! This may sound terrible, but I’ve never attempted to be very thrifty in the laundry room. As a front-loader user and a Tide–Clorox–Spray’nWash–Oxi-Clean-Downey girl and mom of many, I’ve obviously bought large, washed large and $pent large. Now… after several months of still washing large but not spending large, it’d be pretty tough to go and spend $27. on a box of…

  • Society

    At my local library in June…

    I forgot to post these photos from our local library in June. I was amazed at the blatant message of the posters – considering that they were located in the center of the library next to the computers. Slowly, desensitization and subtle indoctrination is taking place… you may not even realize it until you start using common jargon to describe sodomy, for example – or until other common words replace evil. Consider – what, at one time might have been called abomination is now (for fear of man) simply called: inappropriate. Now, to take this stand, one is commonly at…

  • Devotionals - NewsDuJour

    China & Jeremiah; Vanity… Pride…

    Presentation is everything… image is everything… whatever the cost.  My friend used to tell me these things about the country to which she and her husband were missionaries.  My mother said very similar things upon returning from an extended visit to the same country.  I marveled each time I heard this… incredulous that it matters not at all what is but only what seems is important.  The end result… a perfect compromise… regardless the cost or what’s sacrificed. …we should all understand it like this…”  Truthy not facty – not what is but what seems. From the UK Telegraph In…

  • Potpourri

    I’ve missed blogging…

    I’ve been thinking about a lot of things lately… things I like to do, things I used to do… habits and regimens that have been most important in my life… things I’ve left off doing, things I need to prioritize. I like to write. I like to blog. I like to share slices of life. I like to write about what’s going on. and. what. I. think. about. it. I like to link to others who think — really think — about things. I like to hear from you. I like to share photos. I like to share stories. I…

  • Potpourri

    All Eyes on China

    The lights, action, cameras… all eyes on China. Remember our Brothers and Sisters in chains. All that glitters is not gold. Pray for China… pray for persecuted Christians in China.