The Lost Blueberry Farm

Tuesday night my Mom, Caroline, and I went to pick blueberries at a large blueberry farm. The farm was supposed to be about 1 hour away from us. That would be 1 hour if we found it. It is a long story, but best to say I got lost. Or rather I should say "love covers a multitude of sins.”:-) A sleepy unnamed someone told me to turn off on the wrong road. Seeing as I am not good at directions myself, I will take the blame for our extra 45 minutes of wandering. Poor Mosiah was looking forward to picking the blueberries. I could hear his voice behind me, "Blueberry farm. We pick." We finally gave up and drove back home.

Wednesday Caroline and I gave it another try, only this time we went to the blueberry farm near her house. If you have never gone out to pick blueberries before you don't know what you are missing! I would suggest going early in the morning, say 7:00 am, that would be the perfect time to get started. It's still cool! Fresh blueberries are delicious and it's fun to take along a friend or group of friends and visit while picking. It's best to have 2 pickers if you want a lot of berries. You want one picker and one skimmer in your blueberry excursion. Let me explain. Caroline is the skimmer. She steps up to a bush and gets all the big clusters of berries. I'm the picker. I look for all the extra ripe blueberries she missed before we head off to the next bush. Now this really isn't so important if you go to a blueberry farm with older bushes. Our reason for heading out to the new blueberry farm was due to glowing reports from friends of loaded bushes ripe for the picking with huge clusters ofberries. A blueberry heaven. Sigh. Maybe next year! Following is a blueberry recipe.This cake is one my Mom made the other day and it is so yummy that your family will eat it up in no time!

Blueberry Banana Upside-Down Cake
2 Tb., softened
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 cups fresh blueberries

Cake:
¼ cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tb vanilla
1 cup bananas
Sift together
2 cups white flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
Soured milk
½ cup milk
½ tsp. vinegar
OR
½ cup sour cream
Or
½ cup yogurt
Whipped topping, optional

In a small saucepan, melt 2 TB. butter; stir in brown sugar. Spread into an ungreased 9-in. baking dish. Arrange blueberries in a single layer over brown sugar mixture; set aside. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugars, add eggs, vanilla and banana. Mix together well. Sift together the dry ingredients and blend into the creamed mixture. Gradually add soured milk or yogurt or sour cream and stir just until well-blended. Pour over blueberry mixture and bake for 40-45 minutes. Center should barely spring back when pressed, the toothpick test should come out clean, and the sides should pull away from the pan.
Cool. Serve with whipped topping if desired.

A Quiet Heart

I do a lot of thinking in this brain of mine. I remember a scene from a Winnie the Pooh movie. Pooh is bent over tapping his head saying, “think, think, think.” I feel that way many a day. Sometimes when you think too much about small and large things you get way too discouraged. I like to be able to see the road ahead of me. Clearly! Then comes the day I don’t know what direction to turn. I realize I need to give all up to the Lord and trust in Him. So I cast that care on the Lord but later down the road I say, “ I can’t see yet.” Then I take that burden back again. I seem to be like a child needing to learn a lesson over and over again. Through tears and discouragements the last few days I picked up a burden again, grabbed my magnifying glass, and took a good look. The trouble is I can’t see because I’m supposed to be walking by faith, not sight. What I need is a quiet heart, a heart that is stayed on Jehovah. God has not failed me, never once. How do I receive that rest? “Then called I upon the Lord, O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.” In the midst of those prayers He answers and I can say, “Return unto thy rest, Oh my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.”

God has blessed me, yes, even preserved my life. There is nothing He does not know. All are safe who trust in Him. Praise the Lord!

One thing about prayer I must remember is “not my will but your will Lord.” I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m pretty good at thinking I know what is best for my life. Many times that’s not true. God may have other plans for me, and if I’m not listening or paying attention I won’t hear His voice. Sometime ago I was reading a book that mentioned a quote from a missionary E. Stanley Jones. It read, “If I throw out a boat-hook from the boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my will to the will of God.” I keep that quote in the front of my Bible and read it often.

I love the Psalms! David was a man who cried out to God from the very depths of his soul. He not only petitioned the Lord, but he also praised His name. “Oh give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him; talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name; let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord, and his strength; seek his face evermore. Remember his marvelous works that he hath done; his wonders and the judgments of his mouth.”

Think, think, think.
Pray, pray, pray.
The peace of God passes all understanding. Bless His name!

Foods We Shouldn't Eat

As I was driving in the car today I was listening to a discussion panel about healthy eating and exercise. The docters were promoting changing your lifestyle of eating instead of dieting. That makes good sense to me. They went into a lot of detail about planning your meals and snacks ahead of time. I guess being organized is helpful in all aspects of life!
I read this article about 5 foods we shouldn't eat if we want to live longer. What do you know. What my Mom taught me about healthy eating is true.:-)

My Sweet Nephews

I finally took the time to start resizing some of my pictures using a Pixresizer. Aren't those nephews of mine precious? Do they look like brothers or what? Little Israel is 8 months old. He's has two teeth coming in and a smile for anyone who walks past him. Mosiah is a wonderful big brother. When they can both walk, talk, and play they will be the best of friends! Mosiah tried to play with Israel now. That doesn't work so great but the day will come...

An Evening Rain

My Mom, sister, and I had a table at a homeschool convention this morning. My nephew Mosiah went to work with his Papa and spent the morning watching and helping as much as a 2 year old can. That nephew of mine is fascinated with his Papa’s cabinet shop! While they worked we had a slow morning at the convention. Israel took a nap. That’s the advantage of being a baby. :-) I don’t believe it was advertised too well this year. At noon we loaded up the rest of our table and went our separate ways. Caroline has been planning a Father’s Day picnic for our church. We went to Cosco and purchased various food items needed for the picnic. Once again I was impressed with all the organic food you can purchase at Cosco! Caroline found Coleman Natural All Beef hot dogs. They have no nitrates, hormones, or antibiotics. We always avoid hot dogs due to the mixture of parts included and these other additions mentioned. The children will be happy to get the hot dogs!

We ran into Wal-mart to pick up some other items for the picnic and get Father’s Day cards and presents. We didn't plan on this but saw each other this morning and realized we both had chose the same outfit for the day. Several ladies asked us if we were twins. No, but there are areas in life where it feels like we are twins! Such as the times she looks at me and tells me what I'm thinking. Or we pick out the same clothes for the day.

After driving back to her house Caroline was getting ready for an evening out with her hubby. I was watching Mosiah and Israel until my Mom arrived to help.

My evening job was filling water balloons for the picnic. Caroline bought 500 balloons. I still love you sis, but I’ve got a few balloons to toss at you tomorrow.:-) I had never filled water balloons before. Baby Israel was sitting in a stroller sucking his thumb and intently watching the proceedings. I was sitting near the outdoor spigot and hose with the little balloon filling attachment screwed on. I brought out a huge green container waiting to be filled. Mosiah was thrilled when the water was turned on. We began with Mosiah holding the hose for Aunt Jenny. By balloon number 10 I had called Caroline. “I know I thought this was a good idea, but don’t expect to have water balloons at the park tomorrow.” I had already popped 3, and in the process of trying to tie them had been scraping skin off my pinkie finger. 500 balloons? At this rate there wouldn’t be much of my pinkie finger left! I made a SOS call to a water ballon professional, my friend Rachael. I told her I had thought, “Why can’t we just toss each other into the lake? It would be so much easier.” Laughing, Rachael filled me in on all the tricks of the trade. Around 150 balloons later I can say her suggestions were great. Mosiah had an absolute blast. He held the hose for me when I needed it for a balloon. All other moments were spent soaking himself, me, and my car. He laughed and laughed. I’m thinking a sprinkler is going to show up at his house soon as a gift from Aunt Jenny.:-)

After we came in my Mom was able to get Israel to go to sleep. I asked her to brush Mosiah’s teeth for me. Mosiah has always used his baby toothpaste. Mom thought he was using Caroline and Sean’s toothpaste. At the first taste of this new product Mosiah promptly started screaming, letting us see a nice mouthful of white foaming paste. Once he was calmed down it was time for bedtime singing and prayers. Mosiah is so sweet with his prayers. I think he prays for everything in his current vocabulary. Tonight he included great-papa’s hay, mice, and the water balloons. He also prayed for Aunt Jenny to feel good. I didn’t know I was sick!:-)

Mosiah has a little fan sitting on a shelf at the end of his bunk bed. That little guy already knows if he wants his fan on high or low. I turned it on high and he promptly reached up and set it on low then settled back under his sheet. He’s a character. What precious moments to be thankful for!

Flowers and the Perfect Painting

I spent several hours this evening planting flowers for my Mom. She doesn’t like to do things half-way. When it’s time to plant flowers we don’t have a few to plant, it’s more like 5 or 6 flats. Mom had a bunch of cookies to bake tonight for a church picnic on Saturday so I went out to the flowers. I love living in the country. Being outside with the flowers, well it can’t get much better than that. I am a realistic person most of the time, and I had to chuckle comparing the idealistic country picture scene to reality. You know, one of those pictures where a sweet woman stands dreamily in a field with a basket full of flowers. It’s a painting of perfect peace and calm. No dirt, no bugs, no hot summer day.
I began my evening running in and out of the shed full of wasp looking for the perfect pots. Half the flowers were for the patio, the other half for under 2 trees and the flower gardens. I saw a little mouse scurry away in the shed. I thought of my sister and mother and the screams they share with the world at the sight of those little creatures. I wonder if the snake is still in here? I move on to the flower bed and trees. Everything needs weeded before any planting. While I weed I listen to the sounds of the miniature petting zoo (as I have dubbed it) across the street. I can hear the chickens, guineas, ducks, goats, peacock, sheep, and ponies talking to each other. The evening songs of the birds are in stark contrast. So beautiful! While I weed and plant I my mind runs with my thoughts. “I wonder why God made me a white Caucasian in middle class America? Why wasn’t I born a child in Somalia and starving to death? I know I’ll only know in eternity but I wonder….That song I listened to last night from Acappella, “If There Were No God.” That went along with the end of the Sunday School discussion at church Sunday. Without God there would have been no love, no laughter, no children as the song says. Without sorrow we would never know what joy was. Without pain we couldn’t know the meaning of peace. I need to look up John 1. That relates to this. I’ll try to remember that tonight. (The seed ticks are dropping from the trees. They are especially bad this year.) Oh bother, there goes one under my watch. Hmm.. I wonder if this is the one with Lyme’s disease.” The mosquitoes can never be convinced I’m not their local blood bank. My face and ears are smeared with dirt as I swat to the pesky hum of their arrival.
Back on the porch I’m finishing up adding some asylums next to the stone wall. Unaware a yellow jacket has taken residence in the fabric covered porch swing, I find myself running away with the yellow jacket on my head. The last time I messed with a yellow jacket I was five years old. I ran into a nest of them and as they all landed on my head I kept swatting at them. They taught me a lesson I’m still afraid of.
Mr. Yellow Jacket has calmed down. I run back to water the flowers and head to my last destination. A huge flower garden I didn’t have time to keep tended for Mom was turned into a perennial bush garden. A few flowers are scattered here and there. As I plant a more I turn to see a little rabbit staring at me. With nose twitching he decides to slowly hop off. No fear of me! All the rabbits in the county seem to have moved onto this 5 acres since my dog died. If that was the rabbit eating my strawberries….I would probably hand feed Peter Rabbit. He may have children.
My Mom comes out to see the result of the evenings work. Unlike me, she is a very outwardly expressive person. With tears in her eyes she runs over to give me a big hug and a “honey, they are soo beautiful! Thank you!” What a wonderful evening. I may not be standing in a field looking like a picture of perfection but God has blessed greatly. Tomorrow, Lord willing, I’ll begin another day for Him. Everyday we have blessings. Yes, in the midst of dirt, bugs, and all. How sweet they can be. You have your own canvas to paint with the life God gave you. What will you do with your day in the field?

Everyday News Network from Vision Forum

I received this email from Vision Forum announcing the launching of the Everyday News Network. If you are wondering what this would mean you'll have to read below then visit their website for further information. If you are a Christian, homeschooled, and between the ages of four and sixteen with a desire to write you'll have to check this News Network out! I love writing myself and it sounds like a wonderful opportunity. I began to have an interest in politics and the world around me through the school age weekly news reports associated with World Magazine as I was in junior high. This News Network with Vision Forum has an advantage because you or your child can be part of that news. Happy reporting! (Too bad I'm not 16 still!) :-)

From Vision Forum:
Dear Friends:

Imagine a Web news network dedicated to telling the everyday stories of life in and around the Christian family. Now imagine that all the stories on the news network were presented by delightful young men and women turned news correspondents.

This is the vision of the latest project from Vision Forum — the Everyday News Network. (Click here to view my video introduction.)

Every day, there are hundreds of wonderful stories all around us. But you won’t find these stories on the television or in the newspaper because they reflect the simple day-to-day interests and priorities of boys and girls and of mothers and fathers who are about the very “normal” business of living the Christian life.

These stories represent what one scholar described as “the nobility of the commonplace.” It is the job of Everyday News correspondents to share these stories with the world.

To do this, we need your help.

Extra! Extra! Calling on the Boys and Girls of America!


Here is the idea: We are looking for home-educated young men and women between the ages of four and sixteen to contribute reports on the everyday news of life to the Everyday News Network Web site.

The storylines for these brief 30- to 120-second reports can cover pretty much anything that happens in the everyday life of the Christian family. From the common to the unusual, Everyday News correspondents provide breaking news reports on the raccoon that snuck into the family shed, the art of making a great bowl of oatmeal, why Mom puts Bible verses on the walls, the birth of puppies, last night’s family devotions with Dad, interviews with grandma, the baby brother who lost a tooth, a trip to the library, or — let’s not forget — the menace of llamas.

In other words — these are the real stories of our lives: simple, sometimes serious, joyful, funny, but always, well... everyday! The beauty and the delight of the reports is that they are told from the perspective of promising and observant young men and women.

Meet Newsie McGrady


We would like to introduce you to Newsie McGrady, the slickest sleuth reporter at the Everyday News Network. Newsie is also our production manager. He will introduce you to the basics of being an Everyday News cub reporter. He will walk you through your first report, demonstrate some elementary principles of camera work, and explain how to submit a story. Click here to watch Newsie McGrady. For additional information on the simple steps to becoming an Everyday News reporter, visit our Web site which provides all the helpful details you will need.

Everyday News Goes Live
The Everyday News Network is live. Visit our ENN home page, located on the Vision Forum Web site, and see current reports on the place where they make the greatest donuts, homemade catapults, decorating the house with Scripture, and much more.

These broadcasts are updated every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with fresh material from across the nation. We invite you and your family to visit ENN often for a heavy dose of inspiration and encouragement.

A Vision of Hope and Encouragement
The mission of the Everyday News Network is to communicate hope by highlighting the day-to-day beauty of the life of the Christian family. We also aspire to encourage Christian boys and girls from Florida to Alaska to be stronger communicators for the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you believe in these objectives, we hope you will consider participating in this grand adventure with us.

Persevero,

Doug Phillips
Founder, Everyday News Network




© 2006 The Vision Forum, Inc., 4719 Blanco Rd., San Antonio, Texas 78212. All Rights Reserved.

A Family Vision

Sacrifice, Love, Honor, Duty, Family, Death, and Life. These words sum up my thoughts as I watched The League of Grateful Sons on Memorial Day. This was the story of men who fought on Iwo Jima during World War II as their children returned to that island to honor their legacy. It is humbling to realize the sacrifice these men made on behalf of their country. The story of “Johnny Boy” Butler especially caught my attention. His father never returned, he died on Iwo Jima. What his father left behind was a treasure store of letters to his son. In those letters he shared of the love and vision he had for his little boy. Those words guided Johnny Boy though his life. I wondered what effect it would have had on Johnny Boy’s life if he didn’t know of the vision his now dead father had for him. What a blessing to have those words that shaped his life.
I was recently speaking to a mother and she was sharing about the days she was raising her young children. She said that she was just trying to keep them clean, fed, and homeschooled day by day. She occasionally thought of the characters being formed, but not often. Her thoughts were on the physical realities of everyday life. I think that is a dangerous way to raise your children, you have no vision. “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18 Children, even your little children, need a guiding vision in their lives. That would be Jesus Christ. If you don’t instill that walk and love of God in their hearts by your own example, precept, and teaching they will be filled with something else in their hearts. Where there is a void it will be filled, and you may not be the one who filled it.
Several years ago I heard the repeated testimony from the pastor of a church in California at the turn of the century. I wrote down the main parts of the testimony as it was shared on the tape. This man was praying about the children in his church. He was petitioning God on their behalf. In the answer he was given in a vision he was told to tell the parents they should try to create an environment in their homes that testified of Jesus Christ. The pictures on the wall, songs they sang, activities during the day, the magazines and books they read should all be selected with utmost care. The whole and total environment situation of the home can be used by the Spirit to testify of Jesus Christ. If parents would do this diligently, the Lord would testify to children of His divinity. This man was praying about the Sunday School classes at his church yet was given a answer directed to the parents. How many parents have this vision for their homes?
A friend was talking to my sister a few days ago. In the midst of a discussion this friend told her that in reality life is boring. What she meant by this is we need to have the strength to walk day by day for Christ in the midst of everyday life. As a young mother with 2 small children I know she deals with runny noses, lack of sleep, dishes, laundry, cleaning, and the ever present diaper that needs changed. It can be a daily hum of routine that becomes monotonous and yes boring. However, she was sharing there is a vision beyond the hum drum of daily life. That is the vision of Christ and what you will teach those children in the day by day at home. You may have seen a family whose children are faltering because mother and father are not teaching them and providing this home set on Christ. Only by the grace of God does the void created in those lives become filled with Christ despite all the parents will not do.
What kind of family vision will your family have? What legacy is there in your family already? If there is a godly legacy teach your children about it. Ask your parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles to share with your children the great things God has done in their life. If you do not have a godly family legacy your children can still learn from it. As they grow it can be pointed out how the ungodly choices or living has created a weakness in your family or that person’s life and the wisdom to avoid that path.
None of us can create and fulfill a family vision on our own. You can’t write out a 10 point family vision list and hang it on the fridge for all to see and expect it to come to fruition. It doesn’t begin with you, but it does end with you. If you want that family vision to follow through to the generations beyond begin with this passage of scripture. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage..for we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith..This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary one to the other; so that ye can not do the things ye would…but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh..If ye live by the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:1,5,16,17,22-25
If you need some encouragement in your vision for your family or home here are a few books to recommend that have encouraged me. The Home Beautiful by J.R. Miller, Mother by Kathleen Morris, and Homemaking by J.R. Miller. These are available at Vision Forum or call them at 1-800-440-0022. They also carry The League of Grateful Sons on DVD or VHS. I highly recommend it especially for your husbands and sons to watch.
God bless your family!

Hello Again

This blog has been neglected while I have kept up with other things in life. It can be hard to keep your priorities in order while you’re running a business! For Memorial Day weekend I was able to go on a vacation with my parents to Branson, Mo. We spent two of those days at Silver Dollar City. I have come to dislike most amusement parks but Silver Dollar City is not your usual amusement park! (The other park I love is Sea World in Orlando, FL.) The Glass shop, Basket shop, and Woodworking shop were my favorites to visit. There was some beautiful Fenton glass sitting on the shelf at the glass shop. Just a few days before an elderly lady was telling me the story of the Fenton glass company. She has a large collection of it in her home. It’s absolutely beautiful!
While we were at Silver Dollar City it was 91 degrees with Missouri’s high humidity. This was the first time we had gone to Branson in the summer. Usually we wait till fall. Our vote was unanimous to stick to the fall season despite the Bluegrass and Barbecue Festival that was going on. Walking on black pavement it gets beyond hot! I spent an hour in a line for a water ride. I knew at the end of the line was a 3 minute water ride that could get me soaked so I stayed in line. I'm still trying to decide if it was worth it or not!
I went in Marvel Cave at Silver Dollar City. It’s an hour long walking tour with over 600 steps. It’s amazing in that cave. The best part was the temperature. Nice and cool. :-) I loved the waterfall you walk past. At one point the guide turned out all the lights so we could see what a dark cave is like. It’s beyond normal black. He then asked everyone who had cell phones to pull them out and turn them on. About half of us had our cell phones and they lit up that room like a bunch of candles. Later in the tour he had us in a room explaining some history of the cave when all of a sudden a phone began ringing. There were 60 of us on the tour and we were all looking around at each other wondering where that phone was! I think we all had the same idea. A man next to me voiced it. “Okay, whose cell phone is ringing because I want to switch to your phone carrier!” We all had a good laugh at that one. It turned out the phone was sitting in a box hidden on a ledge of the cave. It is a line phone for the tour guide that connects to the office above.
My Mom and I went to some shops at the outlet malls in Branson. Neither one of us care for lengthy shopping. The Amish store, Kitchen store, and Christian bookstore were our stops for the weekend.
The Titanic Museum had opened recently in Branson so we stopped there too. I thought it was pretty neat how they had it set up as if you were walking through different parts of the ship. You could walk up the replicated grand staircase, see a large exact wood model of the ship, see first, second, and third class rooms as they have been made, and more. Since there are very few artifacts from the actual ship still around there are a number of photos in the museum. It was definitely worth a one time ticket of $16.50!
Since then I have been catching up with work that needed to be done with New Little Blessing and all the things around home. I’m have a list that needs to be made for the organizing I want accomplished for NLB. I know there are ways to streamline and be more efficient. I love “to do” list! It’s a great feeling to cross things off the list one by one. :-)
I have worked on this month’s e-newsletter for New Little Blessing. I stopped to help my sister because she was having quite the day. Her 2 year old son Mosiah decided to get into everything today. He took a stick of soft butter and I turned at a squishing noise to see him smearing butter onto the counter and dish washer. He is being potty trained and decided to use other places in the house besides his potty chair. During nap time (it was still quiet in his room while this was accomplished) he dumped all toys on the floor, opened drawers and placed contents on the floor…it was a long day for Caroline! Baby Israel at 8 months old is deciding it’s time to crawl and explore. Oh the adventures of young motherhood! On the plus side it's already apparent her sons are going to love playing together. Mosiah is very anxious to play with Israel and feels like a big boy when he says "baby no!" as Israel reaches for something he shouldn't. Usually it's a book. Israel loves to chew and drool over books. It's never good but it's an especially bad habit when it happens to be a library book. (Oh, you didn't know about that one Caroline?)I’ll let you read Caroline’s blog and read of her Memorial weekend camping adventure.