Kegel.
You will never
regret doing these pelvic
exercises---but you will regret it
if you don't.
Walk whenever possible,
Drink lots of H20 and
sleep well!
This is my blography - simply my personal thoughts; this blog is just a small part or purpose of this website. The chief aim of this site is to bring glory to God and good food of His Word to families. May each visit fill you with fresh bread and lingering words to savor.
Someday maybe my children will read "mama's blog" and catch a glimpse of some of what was "important" each day, "snapshots" of the day, what was going on in the world and what really stirred up some of my thoughts. Whatever is written or "documented" here will pale in comparison to the importance of their lives to me: really, my husband, my children —they are my story — they are my legacy.
So... I'm a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ, my LORD and because of Him, I'm a help-meet for my husband, the mother of eleven children and a daughter-in-law and happy gramma to three. I share slices of life because of what God is doing and has done --- and with the hope of being an encouragement to others to press on toward the mark (Philippians 3.14)
Some days I find it difficult to escape to the quiet area to write. But, it is on those days I am most likely perfecting domestic skills or the craft of being a keeper at home.
But that's one of my life goals after all... that of being a quintessential keeper at home and all it connotes.
Would that it be said of me in my home and of you in yours:
Proverbs 31.28-30 "Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."
I've not "arrived," but in the course of following and serving the LORD Jesus, and being a help meet for my husband, that's where I'm headed.
dear-to-me Blogs I try to read at least every couple of days: in no particular order no particular agenda; some thoughts might surprise the reader, some might astonish; but all inform.
Of the gazillion best blogs out there, here are a few of the best and worth reading.
And do you know that there's like a gazillion other great blogs? Be careful... you'll end
up like this: at your computer all day. Do you think I am kidding??!!??
I'd probably link to Phil Johnson's stuff but... which would I choose to post here? (as always... my disclaimer:
As with any link on our site: we don't necessarily endorse everything that's said and, of course we don't endorse every link that may be posted on a site. As Sarg (hillstreetblues) used to say: Be careful out there!
Making It Home magazine Making It Home
Rediscovering the power of Homemaking
A magazine for homemakers
and families, Making It Home
is not a "professional" or corporate magazine, does not have a 'commercial' feel or look.
It's a magazine written by brothers and sisters in Christ
for encouragement and edification.
Titus 2.3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
oikourov oikouros, oy-koo-ros' from 3624 and ouros (a guard; be "ware"); a stayer at home, i.e. domestically inclined (a "good housekeeper"):
a keeper at home.
Hence this blog: Views and slices of life; and thoughts, between sips of coffee, of a quintessential keeper at home
Those who know me better, know that I tend to remember things by how the moon looked at the time of the event...
or that wherever my loved ones happen to be, we can look up and see the same moon... the same moon smiling at them is smiling at me.
I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places That this heart of mine embraces all day through In that small café, the park across the way The children's carousel, the chestnut trees, the wishing well
I'll be seeing you in every lovely summer's day In everything that's light and gay I'll always think of you that way
I'll find you in the mornin' sun And when the night is new I'll be looking at the moon But I'll be seeing you
My VOCABULARY and stuff
Yes, I do use an inordinate amount of olde English
spelling. (I use the KJV, too)
bcz
= because
I use bcz, bcz because is longer to type.
Truthiness
= using
concepts or facts one wishes to be true, rather than
concepts or facts that are true.
It's noon!
This
pink robe is code for: I should be working, cleaning,
teaching or gardening or doing something other than
blogging (and it's also a pretty fair indicator that
it's also still my attire on any given morning)
Big Jar Mayonnaise Mama
refers
to Barbara's
blog comment on moms who shop at Costco
I don't know who this picture came
from, so I cannot credit it
properly.
Day after day we have to sweep and
vacuum our home... as the floor
always seem dirty or at least dusty
and in the winter much is tracked
in. Maybe our boys would enjoy
helping with the housekeeping if we
had different cleaning tools.
a new little life
January
20,
2007
Naomi, 'melia and I had the honour
and privilege to hold
Our neighbor's
brand new baby...Isn't she an adorable tiny doll?
pregnancy prayers
January
20,
2007
Day after day we receive
letters---guest book entries and
requests for prayer on behalf of
couples who long to have the
blessing of conception and
pregnancy. The letters are so
often the same... years of praying,
trying, crying out to the LORD for
His provision... and to, seemingly,
no avail. But in all
sincerity, I trust the LORD as I
post these requests from believers
all over the world. I trust
the LORD for He is only good and His
mercies endure forever. Now
this may sound all easy and all good
and like a pat answer from a woman
who's borne eleven children.
Probably more shocking to those
who've never had the experience of
conception, pregnancy and live
birth, is the reality that those
who've borne children and have given
the LORD the "lordship" of the
womb---when the season comes to
closure, there is a certain grief as
if "the last one" had not been born
- strange as that may seem.
Probably seems greedy and uncaring,
too. But I must assuredly say: The
Word is true when we read and see
that "the barren womb" is listed
among things that: "saith not, it is
enough."
I ache for the couples who write...
seeking prayer support. I ache
because in all likelihood, some will
never experience that for which they
truly long. Some will never
know that particular way of birth.
But though that may be true, I do
not give up hope. I pray for
each one - but for more than their
stated hopes and requests. I
pray for God's Will to be done - for
I know that outside of His will
there is no peace and there is no
joy. And for each of the
couples who write... I seek for God
to be the central reality of their
lives.
Prayer
requests for conception and
pregnancy... updated as soon as
possible when requests are received.
The only problem with the
"guestbook" is that the entry space
is 500 characters + spaces.
Sometimes it's hard to articulate a
request in less than that amount of
space. We never mind receiving
mails concerning prayer needs.
water
January
17,
2007
A couple of nights ago I was getting
ready for bed and turned off the
water at the sink... and continued
to hear water running. I said
to Wes... do you hear that? It
faintly sounds like water is running
somewhere. I'd already run
upstairs to see - ah, only sleeping
children. So, I joined the
peacefully sleeping Wes. Well,
I wasn't feeling like peacefully
sleeping but eventually my worrying
about that sound gave way to sleep
and then came the morning light.
I could still hear that faint sound
of water... still running.
First Wes had to spend a little time
crawling around under the house - bleck!
Not his favourite pastime. A nearly
hundred year old house has many
surprises. Fortunately no real
water problems. A couple of drops
here and there were addressed with very
quick minor fixes... but the sound of
running water -somewhere - was still
present. He found the problem was
an outdoor faucet... but where was the
break? Digging around, he located
the problem... and assessed the
necessary parts. I was glad for a
little bit of time.
An
alert to everyone in the house that the
water would soon be shut off made for
some fast action around here.
Start the washing machine. Start the
dishwasher. One child ran to take shower
and a mama ran to the other. Soon
the house was a bustle of filling
buckets with water. My rationale
was that we might not have water on for
a day or two or... and so I wanted to be
sure to get some things underway and
prepare for more. So, some for
washing, some for drinking, some for
flushing, some for cooking... how
precious water becomes when it has to be
measured! Most of us in the States
have little concept of the great value
of water.
Wes
allowed just enough time for each of
those processes to be completed - I was
so glad! After the flood this past
fall, I am glad to have had a lesson in
how to instantly slip into survival mode
and quickly get things together for
whatever the situation might warrant.
Somehow I think I am going to be needing
these skills again.
Then it was time to locate the water
main in the snow.
After a bit more digging, a little more
snow and a few parts, the problem was
tackled - the water line restored and
laundry washing resumed. The
mama was glad and the house was happy
again.
early this
morning...
January
14,
2007
amazing to think of these two littles
playing in the yard
all lush and green just a few months
ago.
Timothy's on his way...
January
12,
2007
Not so bright but very early
this morning,
It was pretty early in the
morning... yep, tearful on the
porch in the pink bathrobe.
and then...
Timothy headed out
to pick up Nathaniel for the
probably cramped, thrilling and
nail-biting long ride.
I've no doubt it would be the
thrill of a life-time for those
two boys. They're on their
way to Mission's/Bible school in
Bend, Oregon.
I don't know if they've got
everything they'll need or
not... but I'm sure they've got
lots and lots to eat!
I'm finally able to see the
computer screen without wiping
my eyes. What a morning!
But they look pretty happy,
don't they!!!
This pic, courtesy Larissa, is
quite typical of Timothy...
looking all whoa!
posing for the camera and of
Nathaniel: Smiling!
and one more...
I guess it's Bend or Bust!
A few shots of the days in Idaho
January
6,
2007
the barn on the way to Grangeville
Snow at Grangeville, Idaho
baby loved the snow... but stuck
pretty close to hannah and kathryn
just your typical wired homeschool
room
I was going through a batch of pics
tonight... missing our Hannah who
stayed behind in Grangeville, Idaho,
to help a mother who just gave birth
to their fifth child. She'll
stay a few weeks to help with
housekeeping, ordering and childcare
while the sweet mama, hopefully,
gets some much needed recuperative
rest. The above pics are
indicative of the way we spent the
several days in Idaho last week with
the Bruzas family. What a
precious, blessed time it was!
Everyday News
January
6,
2007
It's always a sweet thing to witness
the maturing and enthusiasm of
little children. I often find
myself wishing my zeal for life or
enthusiasm for living and creating
things was as lively. I
mulling over that "liveliness" today
as I am cleaning in our home and
preparing to attend the wedding
celebration of a friend of our
family. I'm asking myself why
I let the everydayness of every day
get in the way of creativity and not
seeing every day as a new day of
tremendous opportunity.
A little friend of ours shares a bit
about their little town, Dichton, on
the
Everyday News Network. A
division of the Vision Forum, the
Everyday News Network, presents
short video stories highlighting
everyday things of family life.
Every family can benefit from the
seeing and hearing of others'
"everyday events" and stories of
life in other families.
I might add that the short video
doesn't aptly portray the intricacy
and care that has gone into the
creation and maintenance of Dichton...
the little town in the drainage
ditch. The countless hours
invested in the gathering, creating,
ordering and maintaining each aspect
of the whole town is really
commendable. The gathering of
needed items for the individual
homes and community has been sweet
to watch — every discarded thing in
the parent's home becomes a
potentially useful addition to
Dichton. Had I not seen it for
myself, I might've dismissed it as a
"child's-play" and not seen the
tremendous value and effort and
cooperation. Anyway, it's neat
to see the orderly dedication to the
project that has grown from playing
with dolls and animals to creating a
functioning community. I know,
I know... it's just pretend... but
with that kind of care, it'd be a
wonderful place to live!
I missed the old format...
January
5,
2007
I'll use this blog or journal as the "old way"
of posting family stuff, pictures
and other things that require a bit
more formatting. This way, I
can use the "word-press" blog for
keeping track of posts and a place
for comments to be posted. I'm
really not into the whole "blogger"
deal... I guess. I suppose
that when I started blogging, it was
simply a way for me to do a little
online journaling as a means of
encouragement to sisters who don't
have many sources of daily
encouragement. It's sort of
for personal accountability, too ---
I am living what I write about.
This format also allows me a bit
more flexibility in "decorating" and
posting pics, articles and other
things. So... it's sort of
back to my home... or, at least
that's how it feels to me.
Over the past weekend we were
reminded that the road to the home
of a friend is never long.
This is my blography - simply my personal thoughts; this blog is just a small part or purpose of this website. The chief aim of this site is to bring glory to God and good food of His Word to families. May each visit fill you with fresh bread and lingering words to savor.
Someday maybe my children will read "mama's blog" and catch a glimpse of some of what was "important" each day, "snapshots" of the day, what was going on in the world and what really stirred up some of my thoughts. Whatever is written or "documented" here will pale in comparison to the importance of their lives to me: really, my husband, my children —they are my story — they are my legacy. 
like a gazillion other great blogs?
Hence this blog:
This
pink robe is code for: I should be working, cleaning,
teaching or gardening or doing something other than
blogging (and it's also a pretty fair indicator that
it's also still my attire on any given morning)
I don't know if they've got
everything they'll need or
not... but I'm sure they've got
lots and lots to eat!
