A Sunday Drive

Hello again! Another installment of S&T with Mary today - go over to her place for other great stuff! Our little family jumped into the car on whim the other night and drove through the nearby provincial park. Because it is spring time, we were pretty sure we would get a look at some of God's larger creatures and we were not disappointed! Three seperate road side sightings:

The moose and deer population generally come to the road sides of the highway this time of year because the spring run off has the accumulation of 8 months of winter road salt in it. It can be dangerous driving through the back woods unless you are prepared to make sudden stops around any corner!

Even the young moose can take out the front end of your car if a collision occurs.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the moose, they are enormous animals when mature and although they don't have any serious teeth to show off, they are dangerous to be around. And it just so happens that I do have an interesting anecdote.


My father and his cousin used to own a piece of hunting property in the 'boonies' and on one occasion as they were heading up to that hunt camp they were driving a large cargo van with a trailer attached - quite a heavy load. They saw a moose on the road ahead of them and slowed down to wait for the moose to cross over into the trees. However, they did not come to a complete stop - just moving very slowly toward the moose to encourage it to move along.


The moose took exception to their approach and rather than get off the road, it (a large bull moose with full rack of antlers) turn toward the van and lowered it's head. This is sure sign that it will charge and trample anything in it's path! My father, who was the driver, quickly hit reverse and made the fastest retreat possible with a trailer attached! Even though the moose would have lost the battle, it would have done serious damage in the process.

That's my show and tell! Join in the fun at Mary's site!

Titus 2 Study Questions for May

I am very late in posting the questions from our Ladies' study this month. These questions were prepared by someone else in the group who offered to lead this time. It was nice to sit and listen more as she led - and always nice to see women step out in faith to try something new in serving the Lord! Remember that we 'study to show thyself approved'.

1. Would I be comfortable reproving another woman? Why or why not? Are my reasons based on God or myself?

2. How would I define the right or wrong time to reprove another woman? What are some things I need to take into account?

3. Am I seeking godly interactions and relationships with other women?


4. Do I truly understand what it means to love my husband sacrificially?


5. Do I put time and effort into my husband/marriage? Would my husband agree?

6. Do I see changes in my relationship based on God's plan?

7. Do I express joy and happiness with ALL the children that I know? Do I provide encouragement and sharing the love of the Lord with them?

8. Do I see changes in myself, my thoughts, my words and my prayers as a result of studying Titus 2?

In the Beginning

I was rummaging through my craft box and came across an old treasure. I found the first testimony I ever presented. This was from the first time I had been asked to speak in front of a crowd about my personal walk with Christ - it was a ladies' conference. Even though I had been saved in my late teen years, there was so much I didn't learn until I became a member of my local church at 30 years old (BTW, it is important to every Christian's spiritual growth to find a local church that actually feeds them!).

Reading the old speech through was kind of neat, nostalgic and eye-opening to where I was in my walk with Christ back then (8 years ago) compared to now. I am very grateful that I can see growth in my understanding of His will in my life, as well as in my husband's life. So I thought I would reprint it here. Hopefully, everyone will enjoy it:

Hi. My name is Kim. My testimony today is to share with you some of the recent changes that have occurred in my life.

Let me start with some background. At 27 years old, I had achieved the position of head nurse of a nursing department of 20 staff. At 30 years old, after my daughter was born, I became Executive Director in charge of an 86 bed retirement facility with 50 staff members, 6 directors and managed a million and half dollar annual budget. I did this for four years - and LOVED IT! I was the BOSS, the HEAD HONCHO, and the QUEEN OF THE CASTLE!

I loved the problem solving, the labour negotiations, the delegating of authority, the whole ORGANIZATION of everything! The POWER.


I was good at it, too. And I was paid very well for my performance. SO well, infact, that I couldn't imagine going into anything else.


I got very comfortable, even sedentary. I was a Christian, all right...on the weekend. Because this lifestyle was so comfortable, I wasn't looking for changes.

The problem that kept coming up was whenever I looked into God's word and how it applied to my life, the more uncomfortable it became to try and apply it to my life. There wasn't a connection with the way I was living and the scripture I was reading. So...I stopped looking, or became annoyed with God for His unreasonable expectations of a woman in TODAY's world. I would read 1 Peter 3:1a 'Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands'...and skip ahead to Peter 3:6a 'Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord...'


Has God met my husband?


Doesn't the Lord realize that obedience is for those who need to be lead? That's not me!


As far as I was concerned, we had the perfect set up for our marriage, why would God want us to change it? I was a nurse...I was serving Him by being in charge of the care to all those vulnerable seniors, right? I was supporting my family and doing well enough that my husband could stay home and raise our daughter. Obviously it was His will because He had provided me with the job in the first place, right? Those were some of my arguments - I had many.


I tried staying away from His word, but in His gracious and loving way, He always pulled me back. And I started reading passages like:

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. Ephesians 5:22

This was a verse that was talking about God's way of family structure, and one of the first things that I noticed was He was talking to me. It doesn't talk to the husband here and say 'husbands, force your wives to be servants' - and that is how I had been viewing it. I began to see the difficulty in calling myself a Christian woman, if I couldn't submit or obey as the Lord wanted me to do. It wasn't about me being subjugated by someone else, it was about my willingness to obey the Lord and His authority structure.


Over several months I continued to study Ephesians 5 and read verse 23:

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

I had no problem accepting Christ as the head of the church, but letting the man be in charge of the family? The old feminist training that I had as a kid kicked in - not just influence from family, but from school, too - young women should be equal. But now I began to see that this worldly training was directly in the way of my spiritual growth. I had been trained to feel it would be too degrading to simply let my husband be the head of the family. Would I be a lesser person if I obeyed this? Or more to the point, could I live with the decisions my husband would be in charge of making? Could I humble myself to give away the control?


Reading verses 24 & 25:

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

This is where I began to see that husbands were built for responsibilities. God didn't want women to have to bear the stresses of being the leader - of taking a man's role in the family or the workplace. So...why was it considered equality to take over the man's God-given role and still try and fit my role, too? It was a real conspiracy - men and women weren't equal with liberation, women were a little on the stupid side. Maybe I could do the job well, maybe I could even do it better than a man, but why try to keep doing it when it was making me miserable?


God continued to open my eyes as I read verses 26 - 29:

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

This part really struck me. No only was I not fulfilling my role as wife and mother, but I was contributing to my husband not fulfilling his role. I wasn't letting him.


I still argued with God. 'My husband won't take charge' or 'my husband doesn't want to be in charge like this'. God's answer was always "LET ME SHOW YOU".


My denial over the need for change went on for a little over a year, and I became more miserable everyday that I went off to work, or every time my cell phone would ring during off hours. Fortunately, God was working on my husband at the same time so we could be miserable together.


We made excuses together, too

-we needed the money I was making
-I was good at my job
-I wasn't capable of obeying


Again, He said, "LET ME SHOW YOU"


Step by step, and day by day He made it harder for me to stay in my lifestyle. He gave me a hunger to grow spiritually and set up a certain circumstances where I could no longer deny that He wanted me to become a real Christian woman - not a worldly Christian woman. I had been keeping one foot in the world and giving Him what was leftover. It was so hard to be the boss all day and then come home and let my husband be the head of the family.


One day a situation arose that was the final blow to my career. It was a situation that was mandated from head office that I completely disagreed with - but couldn't change it or fix it. How appropriate that He took the power away from me in the very place I was trying to hold onto it. That was a Friday - I emailed my resignation on the Monday.


As of June 30, 2004, I was unemployed for the first time since I was thirteen.


In the past year, God has shown His faithfulness to me and my family over and over again. My husband's employment brings in less than half the income my job produced - but we haven't been in need of anything. I have been the cook in the family and no one has died.


I have come to revel in my role as wife and moter. The skills that I have for organizing have just been modified for the the household instead of a business. I have been able to show my daughter that obedience to the Lord is more important than following what the world says is right, acceptable or even necessary. I am proud to be what I used to look down upon - a housewife.


Psalm 119:65-72 has come to teach me that there is peace in wisdom (looking at life through God's eyes) and in trusting Him.

Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Now, I am not perfect in my spiritual growth. Not by and means. I still have alot of difficulty in NOT directing my husband. I think I will always struggle with obeying.

I will end with this thought - I am often reminded of when I have had to train many of the large dogs I have had in my life. Sometimes it is necessary to pin the animal to the floor to teach the need to obey...God sits on me regularly.

Funny Thing Happened on the Way Home...

I generally work the night shift as as a part time nurse in a local nursing home - because I am convinced that my first priority is at home but I still have consequences of past sin to pay for, working the night shift ensures very little interference with home life. There is a blessing in it where I am able to sleep anytime, anywhere. So the few shifts I do work do not knock me out for the whole next day.

The walk home at 7 AM has been a pleasure, as well. Regardless of the weather, I really enjoy the half hour walk through our little village. The fresh air and exercise give me a boost of energy later in the day, but also ensure a good sleep when I get home.

On my way home last week I was enjoying the spring temperature and a light rain. However, the light rain started to get heavier, and the wind picked up - which isn't a big deal, but it was the kind of wind and rain combo that guaranteed my pants were getting soaked not matter how I held my umbrella. Again, no big deal. However, as I shifted my umbrella to match the wind and juggled my totebag, I began to feel my middle/upper back tighten up. It reminded me to watch my posture, but not soon enough to stop the 'crick' in my spine. So I began to look for a place to crack my back into place. I crack my back the same way now as I did 20 years ago; by sitting cross-legged on a hard, flat surface and rocking back to my shoulders. It feels great (to me anyway) and works everytime.

Now...this is not an easy thing to do during a walk home. Not because everything was closed - that actually worked in my favour because I was looking at all the village shop doorways for a dry patch to sit down in. I did, however, want a spot that was out of the line of sight of the few cars going by me - it's not a very attractive process/position after all!

There was no place in sight. All the doorways I was passing were either too open to the traffic, too wet or too dirty. Finally, right at the four corners of our downtown I spotted the gazebo in a small corner park.

Perfect.

I walked over and it was dry, mostly out of sight and as clean as could be expected of an outdoor gazebo. I stepped in and set my open umbrella at the doorway to block myself even more. I sat in the middle and rocked back to my shoulders. CRACK! Oh, yeah...it felt sooo much better.

I laid flat, still cross-legged and listened to the rain hit the roof for awhile before heading out on the walk again. It was really quite nice. I laid there and planned my day.

All of a sudden I heard a loud noise. I sat up quickly and looked around a little stunned. The noise had been loud and gruff...and familiar. You see, it was half snort, half snore.

It was me.

I had fallen asleep right there in the gazebo. I got up quickly and started walking. Checking the town square clock told me I had slept approximately 15 minutes.

I wasn't kidding when I said I can sleep anywhere - anytime. So if you're driving through small town Canada and see someone in a nursing uniform asleep, cross-legged downtown, don't worry...it's just after a night shift.

Today's Hard Times

Are you feeling the pinch of the hard economic times? Actually, I have to say "no". According to the media I should be very, VERY concerned - so I asked my husband. He tells me he's getting a raise, our savings continue to grow normally and it is positive to see the prices of used vehicles coming down as we will need one soon.

Now, I do feel the pinch (more of a cramp!) each time I see food prices rise - it drives me nuts! But, my vegetable garden is doing well in the green house and we'll be transplanting to the outdoors in the next week. This has me smiling over my own tomatoes, corn, beans, peas, cucumbers, squash and let's not forget rhubarb. AND - Looking over a wild patch of grass near my rhubarb, I recently discovered chives and garlic growing (there is apparently a potatoe plant growing there, too, I must have tossed a potato there - ?). AND - To add to all that, just the other day an older fellow at church handed my husband a bag of wild leeks he found near his property. AND - We continue to have a regular provision of free bread given to us, too (a long story for another time)!

Our bills are paid monthly, we pay cash for everything and I never, NEVER cease to be amazed at how the Lord provides.

Hard times? Only for those who were taking the easy way before - those who had money on paper (or computer) only. Those who buy into the marketing schemes of credit companies.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Phillipians 4:19

Caution: Sarcasm Ahead!

I'm starting a new club. Originally it was meant for locals only, but after some consideration I believe an international association would be a grand success.

It's called The Pansy Association. A social network for men who have forfeited their God-given responsibility of leading their wives and children. An association that would provide the opportunity for these men to feel accepted among those of like-mind in their weak willed approach to being a husband and father.

Speakers would include feminists providing strong encouragement messages telling members they are on the right track by supporting their wives as the authority in the home. There would be speakers with practical instruction on how to 'cow-tow' to their wives without actually handing over their pants.

Testimonies would be encouraged for these Pansy members to share some basic points:

1. how their lives are so much easier when they hide in garages or on golf courses to avoid any kind of confrontation with their wives;

2. how allowing their wives to raise the children without any interference as a father has ensured the next generation of The Pansy Association will carry on;

3. how they realized early into their marriages - thanks to the wisdom of their wives - that all biblical scripture referring to men being the head of the wife is culturally based for the time of its writing and therefore completely outdated for North America today.

The Vision Statement: This association is intent on providing men who live under the authority of their wives with a surrounding of other sympathetic and pathetic men in an arena where they can openly discuss their excuses to justify their lack of action to be a real man.

The Motto: Ask my wife.

In order to be accepted, all applications for enrollment must be accompanied with a permission note from the wives involved.

Be Careful Little Eyes What You See

Does everyone know this Sunday school song? I love to hear our little kids at church sing these songs - they hold so much truth in them. This particular one has been ringing in my ears lately. Before I tell you why - I have to make a confession.

I like reality TV.

It's true.

Not perverse stuff like Survivor or Big Brother, where the whole premise is surrounded with sexual innuendo. I like The Amazing Race - fun to watch and exciting, too. We have even held a homemade version with our church family a couple of times.

The problem isn't the TV show, it's the commercials! It is impossible to watch the show without being assaulted by previews for other TV shows and movies that are completely inappropriate for me to see - never mind my 9 year old Duck! It seems harmless when a 30 second commercial goes by and enters your head, but htere is a basic saying that stands here: garbage in/garbage out. Once this garbage enters us in such simple and unnoticeable fashions (which is the techniques that marketers love), our heart and it's natural state churn out garbage.

There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. Matthew 7:15

How do we solve this issue in our house? We have had to start recording the show and watching the following night. This way, we can fast forward past the commercials and just watch the show. Even Duck knows to fast forward without needing to be told. The garbage that is broadcast as 'previews' reminds me (as if I needed the reminder) that I never need cable TV or satellite. There isn't anything worth the cost of it. The cost of it is too high in many ways.

The Secret is in the Sauce

Alright...I can't stand it anymore! Without the regular use of my computer I am going through some serious withdrawls. Two weeks without being able to play Show and Tell with Mary. So used my girlfriend's computer and emailed myself a picture so that I can place it on this post from my workplace tonight - is that a little pathetic?

Oh, well.

Today I am showing and telling about the sauce that has saved my dinner times many times over - Sweet and Sour sauce. When I am running late or running short on pantry items I pull out the ingredients for this sauce and make up a quick and easy meal.

Sweet & Sour Sauce

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 cup cider or wine vinegar

1 tbsp. ketchup

1 tbsp. hot pepper juice

1 tbsp. soy sauce

1 can pineapple

green pepper chopped in 1" pieces

1. mix top 7 ingredients into frying pan (I use a wok) and bring to slow boil while stirring,

2. Add remaining 2 ingredients and stir until boiling again until thickened

That's it for the sauce. I have used meatballs (as in the picture), stir fried chicken pieces, and pork chunks. The pineapple and green pepper are really just options - if I have them. Sometimes I'll caramelize onion wedges to add in, too, and the bed of noodles in the picture can be replaced with rice.

It really is a 'search and rescue' pantry meal - and my family always likes the different versions presented to them. It's the sauce that sells it!

For more S&T, go see Mary!

Blessings

I mentioned here of a recent trip we made to Niagara Falls, and had promised to tell more of the blessings we experienced in just that short period. So here we go...

The Lord shows himself strong in the lives of believers when trials do come our way - sometimes the time between the hardship and blessing is short lived, and sometimes not. This situations make for great testimony material to give praise and glory to Him. However, sometimes the smaller blessings can go by unnoticed - almost as if they are coincidental or even unimportant.

In our house, we have been trying to point out the little blessings to each other so as to make a habit of praise for God. Little blessings that, in the eyes of unbelievers would be simply a coincidence. Let me list the small and not-so-small blessings from the few days of our trip:

1. when my husband first started planning the trip there was (as always) strict consideration about cost. After spending time researching hotels online we found a 3 star hotel (pool and free breakfast) for $56 per night - awesome!

2. we have a dog and for as much as he thinks he would like to travel with us it doesn't generally work out well for him to sit in the car. So a young lady at church, who is not necessarily a pet lover, agreed to sleep over at our house while we were away to care for him. Normally the cost for dog kennels is $25/day - she stayed for 3 nights and didn't ask for anything (but we did paid her for her time).

3. just two days before we left, we mentioned the trip and the hotel cost to our close friends and jokingly suggested they come along...they took up the offer! Mister H had no trouble arranging for two days off work and they packed up their 6 kids (including Ducks BFF) and we all drove down together.

4. when we arrived at the hotel, our friends were told that their reservation had been lost - so they were offered a suite to replace the two basic rooms they had booked! They had a king size bed in one room with a livingroom/kitchenette and a connected room for the kids with two queen size beds and a pull out couch. All for the originally quoted price!

5. the weather was questionable as far as rain, but our entire first day there was clear and sunny. We hiked around the Niagara river all afternoon.

6. my husband has been dealing with some health issues (I keep telling him it's just part of getting old) but the entire time we were away he was feeling great.

7. Our second day there we had planned on more walking in tourist trap areas but it was pouring rain. While the husbands were sitting in the breakfast area of the hotel trying to figure out some plans, a bus tour company was pushing their all-day tour - $160 per person. As my husband talked with the driver of the bus it turns out they played soccor together as kids and he let both families join the tour for FREE! We travelled all over the area on this bus with several stops of interest for the kids.

8. Because we were having so much fun; because we had such a low hotel cost; because we homeschool; because the weather cleared up - we decided to stay another full day and hiked through the region again.

It was a fantastic trip with great company and many, many blessings. Always look for the blessings in each and every day - they are there!

Struck in the Real World

I'm still without a computer at home. Well, I have a computer at home, it's just unreliable for operation. We've had to uninstall all the software, including antivirus - so no internet ((sigh)).


For over a week now I've had to spend my late nights in the real world. Usually my time for blogging is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. - not necessarily the whole four hours, but some of it. I use this quiet computer time to organize my pictures and home movies, read other people's thoughts on their blogs and research bible study material. ALL computer stuff, and I do miss it.


I keep repeating "patience is a virtue" as we deal with computer technicians who appear to be more interested in selling us new things rather than fixing what we have.


I did think I could use this time for other hobbies: knitting, sewing, baking, etc. - but it doesn't work out that way because these can be noisy or require alot of lighting. That doesn't help the other members of the family to sleep. So, I've been going to bed earlier ((double sigh)).


The posts that I do add on this site are written out long hand and then when I have access to a computer, I load up blogger and post them on a schedule. It makes me feel like I'm still involved. So, please keep visiting me! Sooner or later my computer will let me back in!


Let me end with this: CONGRATULATIONS to the Parunaks - another baby blessing for a lady who has blessed so many with her biblical insight (click on Pursuing Titus 2 on the side bar)

Don't Kiss Pigs

I don't want to shock anyone but when I, or anyone in my household, have cold or flu symptoms I do not generally see my doctor OR report to any public health agency (don't tell the World Health Organization!).

With the swine flu burning up the media, my Duck has asked alot of questions about wearing masks and getting flu shots or vaccines. My answer fits into the whole socialism = foolishness category. If we wash our hands regularly, cover our mouths when we sneeze and stay home to recuperate when we are sick, then there is no need (NONE!) for the over reaction that is happening now. Our culture is turning into a culture of germiphobes.

As a nurse, I can say with all certainty that I would rather have the flu than the flu shot. That goes for my child, as well. The World Health Organization (and it's blind followers) would have us believe the world will die out without their direction in our lives. They propogate their image as one in the "almighty, higher power" category - "Follow our orders without question and all of us will live forever". (Okay, maybe I'm paraphrasing there, but not by much)

Yes, the flu can be debilitating. Yes, people can die from complications of the flu. These deaths are not generally occurring with otherwise healthy people. The flu drastically effects those who are already weakened by 1> age (really young or old), 2> a previously existing medical condition (COPD, brittle diabetes, etc). People in these categories need to be more careful about prevention and more diligent to care for themselves when the flu hits. However, I still do not see the flu shot or antiviral medications as necessary.

I know, crazy talk.

Let's think it through people. Our bodies become stronger by fighting off the bad bugs - that's how God created our immune system to work. Our bodies become more susceptible to the bad bugs when they have never had to fight them. By protecting ourselves with basic hygiene methods (just plain soap, not anti-bacterial), healthy diets and exercises and being conscientious to stay away from others when we are sick, we would all be far better off for it.

And for good measure, if you have to kiss a pig - make sure it isn't showing flu symptoms.

Pierogi Beef Skillet

This is a new recipe that has been a real hit in my house. It is cheap, quick to prepare and also easily adjusted for taste preferences:

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 can of beef broth
1 pkg. frozen perogies (16 oz), thawed
2 cups frozen, mixed vegetables, thawed
1/2 tsp. salt (or garlic salt)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. italian seasoning
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (for a sprinkled garnish)

1 - fry up beef and onions and drain (leave a little fat for next step)
2 - sprinkle with flour and stir until blended
3 - gradually add broth; bring to boil and cook x 2 minutes or until thickened
4 - add perogies and veg and heat through

The flour blends in better (step 2) if you leave a little fat undrained from the beef. I also fried up the perogies before adding them, because I prefer them a little crispy on the outside.

Give it a try!

A Sudden Death!

What will I do! How will I make it through!

The death occurred so suddenly, with little warning. Early May 1st (approximately 3 a.m.) my beautiful computer died!

Okay, maybe I'm overreacting a little...but I use my computer daily -for everything! It manages our photographs and home movies. It stores school projects and schedules. It is a large (very large) chunk of my day missing.

Currently, it is at the repair shop. They, however, are not being very optimistic about a resurrection. So I am preparing myself for the withdrawls. My husband says I'm just silly. I say I'm just practical - that little machine makes my life alot easier!

I won't go so far as to ask for your prayers for the computer - but maybe you could remember my dilemma the next time you are petitioning the Lord for anything ;o)

In the mean time, I have access to this blog occassionally at work - but the library is about to get alot of my business!

My Day Off

This past Saturday my Duck and her dad went on a date. They are hunting buddies (and fishing buddies, and motorcycle buddies, etc.) and they headed off for a gun show that was happening about 30 minutes north of us. As my husband was leaving, he kisses me and says "enjoy your day off."

A day off...cool.

I sat in my pajamas in the quiet of my livingroom - feet up in my recliner - and considered what I would do with my day off.

Maybe edit some home movies on the computer? Maybe read one of the many books I have on the go? Maybe finish one of the sewing projects gathering dust in the sewing room? Surf and blog? Dig up a garden?

So many wonderful ways to take up my time on ME stuff for this day off. No interruptions. No meal planning or prep to do. No supervisory mommy duties.

What did I do?

Dishes and laundry!

I did turn on some music as loud as I wanted. I did sing and dance while I worked - causing the dog to question my sanity. And, believe it or not, I enjoyed every bit of my day off!

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessolonians 5: 16 - 18