Keeper of the Home » Faith

A Gardener’s Look at Life

Anne Elliott — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:04:56 +0000

Written by Anne Elliot, Contributing Writer

I'm not much of a gardener, but over the last few years, I'm been attempting a little bit more each summer. It started three summers ago when I planted just a few things in a small bed in the back yard. A friend of mine had been gardening for years, and she came over and helped me figure out what to do when. My backyard was too shady for things to grow well, but it was a good start for this novice.

By the next summer, we had moved to a new home. I now have a larger yard with plenty of sunshine. Someone recommended that I try "lasagna gardening," so early in the spring we began preparing our ground. Our first garden came up so nicely, and I felt like the best gardener ever.

This year our weather has been totally different, and I tried growing plants from seed rather than transplants. Sadly, my garden doesn't look as good at this point. Maybe I'm not the best gardener ever. (Maybe I need to read some more books!)

I've learned a few things about life, though...

My garden before planting

Prepare the Soil

Lasagna Gardening has taught me that soil is a whole universe, a world of microorganisms that depend on each other for health and vitality. (And that's about the extent of my gardening knowledge. I don't even know enough to write about this coherently.) I just know that I want to garden organically, responsibly and sustainably. The only way to do that is to be sure that the soil in which my plants are growing is healthy.

It took us quite a bit of work to get the soil ready that first year, but it was worth it. We didn't till; rather, we spread down cardboard over the grass, added layers of peat moss and yummy bits from our compost pile, then we covered it with black plastic to "cook." The soil needed time to work its magic, and it had to be left alone so the ecosystems below could thrive. We added worms, then just waited six weeks or more. When the plastic came off, we were rewarded with beautiful, healthy soil that was ready to grow beautiful vegetables.

In the same way, some things in life just take preparation and time. My heart is soil, God says. When God's Word is planted in my heart, it can land along hardened paths, in rocky soil, or among thorns. It can also land on a heart that is prepared, softened, tender and receptive. May my heart always be prepared to listen to God!

Keep Things Where They Belong

What's the difference between plants that grow in the wild and plants that grow in a garden? Order! As a gardener, I plan out where each thing goes, setting plants in rows or other designs based on what things grow well together and how much space they need. Each plant has a purpose and is loved.

In the same way, God isn't haphazard with my life. He has a plan for my life and in fact, He's had a purpose for me since before the creation of the world. I'm not a product of chance but an important piece of His design. May I live for His purposes, not my own!

Now I Know Why They Call It a "Green Thumb"

Normally I don't like getting dirty or wet. I don't like bugs. I don't like thorns or sweat.

But each time I'm in my garden and come out with green and brown thumbs, stained from cilantro and basil and good dirt, smelling earthy and fresh, I'm pretty proud of my dirty hands. They represent a lot of hard work and some practically free organic food as a result.

In the same way, my body doesn't look as good as it did when I was a teenager. I've got stretch marks and some ugly veins in my legs. My new perfume is "spit up" from my baby. But these are badges of motherhood, of the hard work and love invested in each of my children. Not every woman has been given the treasure of a child. Rather than complain, may I thank God for each badge of motherhood!

Weeds - Which are Which?

Weeds are such a pain. This year, I didn't "cook" my compost as thoroughly as I should have. I didn't really understand why it was important. As a result, shortly after I planted my seeds, my garden began growing other things, too. Dandelions. Crab grass. Tomatoes from last year, but in the wrong spots in my garden.

Unfortunately, I'm still learning which plants are which. Weeds and proper plants all look the same to me at first. So which ones do I pull?

By the time I could tell the difference, I discovered something else about weeds. Boy, those roots are deep! It was a lot of work to dig them out.

Weeds in my heart are the same way. They usually start out as little habits, tiny actions that look like they would be no big deal. I can always stop, I reason, until one day I discover that a monstrous habit has grown in my life and will require major effort to change. May I learn to never let the weeds get started in the first place!

My garden now

Nothing Goes to Waste

Gardening has made me look at garbage in a whole new light. I never grew up with a compost pile, so it's a relatively new habit to throw my potato peelings into a bowl rather than the trash can.

I never knew how valuable garbage can be. Eggs shells and coffee grounds are pure gold, not worthless junk. It's also been rewarding to evaluate product packaging in a new light, to begin to take our bags to the grocery store, and to clean with rags rather than paper towels. Learning to be a good steward of the world God created means thinking about the consequences, good and bad, of each action that I take.

All my actions have consequences. When I choose to stay up too late at night, the consequence is a higher chance of being crabby with my children tomorrow. When I choose to spend time online rather than with a child, the consequence is a shallow relationship with my teenager in a few years. May I look to the future in all my todays!

It's Okay to Look Things Up

My style of gardening is to take my laptop computer outside with me. There I am, sitting in the grass next to my garden, using my big floppy hat to shield the screen of my laptop from the sun so that I can see pictures of the plants I growing. With the help of Google, I've been figuring out when to harvest squash and cabbage.

Learning new things by putting my nose in a book or computer looks a little silly to serious gardeners. But it's okay to learn from the wise. It's fine to ask questions and to consult with the experienced. I could try to learn it all the hard way -- by trial and error -- but why? May I never be too proud to learn new things!

Little Ones Just Want to Be with Me

For years, I've been learning a lot about parenting from the "Tomato Staking Mom" online. Now that I'm growing real tomatoes, though, I'm learning even more. Last year, I didn't bother to stake my tomato plants. I just never got around to it. The plants got really big, and we were shoving leaves aside to grope for tomatoes down by the ground. It was fine until we got a vicious thunderstorm one afternoon and the wind tore some heavy branches off. By then, the plants were too heavy to stake without harming them.

In the same way, our children need to be close to us if they're going to learn from us. We "tomato stake" them by keeping them with us through our days, so that we're always available to counsel and teach them, to answer their questions, and to immediately correct any little sins that crop up.

My little ones love following me around the garden, digging in their own little spots and pulling weeds of their own. Sometimes I feel a little frustrated, knowing I could get things done so much faster and more efficiently if I sent them off to play somewhere else. May I never despise the little tomatoes God has given me to nurture!

Gardening Next Year

A few times (okay, many times) I've felt like giving up on this garden. Why am I even bothering? I'm embarrassed by it some days, and other days I'm frustrated at the amount of work it is. I'd rather be reading a book....

I'm sure God is going to keep teaching me new lessons in my garden. Maybe He just wants me to learn how to keep on keeping on. Maybe He just wants me to "give thanks always" for the produce section at my grocery store and the local farmer's market. Maybe He just wants me to be amazed each year at how really wonderful He is, for making all things to grow -- and doing it so effortlessly. May I trust Him to do the same in my heart!

Anne is a pastor's wife and homeschooling mom to seven sweet kiddos, all living in southern Minnesota. Her passion is trying to discover what the Bible says about almost every topic affecting moms, and she blogs about it athttp://anneelliott.com/blog.

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

The Lesson of the Pickles

Beth Corcoran — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:00:01 +0000

Written by Beth Corcoran, Contributing Writer

As I am writing this, I am currently working on my third batch of pickles. I’ve been buying cucumbers from the farmer’s market and making all kinds of pickles, although garlic dill is definitely my family’s favorite. Pickles are just such a tangy and refreshing treat!

This is my first summer to try canning, drying, and freezing enough food to put away for the rest of the year. Last summer, I did some canning, but nothing more than a handful of jars.

So a few weeks ago, I bought a big boiling water canner, eagerly anticipating all the lovely jars full of a bountiful harvest. To me, jars full of all different colors of food are like artwork on the shelves of my pantry. But, alas, when I finally got around to using the water canner, I read the fine print. Apparently you aren’t supposed to use it on a glass cooktop, which, of course, is what I have at my home.

In my effort to improvise, I ended up boiling the water for the canner on the gas grill on my back patio. I have four kids of my own, and then two foster sons, so with six kids in my house, I don’t have much time to do any canning while the kids are awake. So, I found myself getting around to boiling the water on my grill at eleven o’clock at night.

As I was sitting out there in the dark waiting for the pot to boil (which it finally did after about an hour), I was getting eaten alive by mosquitoes and had June bugs crawling all over my feet. The warm thoughts of my lovely jars making artwork on the shelves of my pantry quickly faded. The thrill of being a good steward and providing healthy food for my family year round disappeared. I became cranky. Afterall, it was late—even my husband was in bed at this point—and I was hot and being eaten by bugs!

But it was there in the dark and humidity that God taught me a valuable lesson through those jars of pickles.

Pickles can be sweet and crisp and delightful for those who partake, but only with that valuable (although time consuming) step of processing the jars. Without processing the jars, any impurities that are left inside will putrefy the pickles and leave a stinky and poisonous result.

The same is true in our hearts.

How often have we cried out for mercy, wondering how long the Lord will let us go through a trying time in our life? I know. I’m there now. I’ve been there for a little over a year now—always asking God to intervene and rescue me. But just like my pickles, I need the heat of suffering in my life for the proper amount of time—the time that God deems necessary.

Suffering and trials in our lives gets rid of those impurities in our hearts—those impurities that cause the disease of sin to spread through our lives if left unattended. If we want to have our lives be a sweet aroma to the Lord and be refreshment to others, we must accept the trials that God allows us to experience. And most importantly, suffering produces endurance in our lives, much like processing my jars gives them a long shelf life.

"knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:3-4

Photo credit: z5

Oh, how I want my life to be refreshing to others—especially my children! But I must be refined. I must allow the heat and the pain because my heart is full of dirt. I must admit that many days, my words are more like the stinky pickles—hurtful to others. But the hard times in life clean that out and refine us when we turn to the Lord.

I started making pickles with a heavy and complaining heart, but just as always, the Lord was faithful to encourage me with something as simple as a few jars of pickles. I think it is so neat how God does that—how physical things around us mirror a much deeper reality in our hearts. And I hope, too, that what God showed me that night can be an encouragement in your life as you wait for the water to boil as you can your food this summer.

How has the Lord used difficult times and painful trials in your life to refine you and cause you to turn to Him?

I am the mother of four children (wait- make that six as of recently!)—two girls and two boys, ages 7, 6, 5, and 2 ½. While not homeschooling or chauffeuring the kids to their activities, I enjoy all kinds of craft projects and learning how to be a better steward of all that the Lord has given me. My blog is stewardshipnotconvenience.blogspot.com.

Top photo credit: biskuit

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

Coming Out of My Bubble: Serving Others by Serving Food

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 10:00:06 +0000

Guest Post by Hallee

I have a new venture in my life. One recent morning in Sunday School, our teacher announced that our class would be one of four groups who would be volunteering with a local church's soup kitchen. That immediately got my attention. I had no idea my little town in central Kentucky had a soup kitchen.

I have always felt a strong calling from God to serve. Lately, it's become an almost audible voice in my ear. I've discussed it with my husband, Gregg, feeling like the call was to go "out" - to join a mission group, pack a suitcase, and go -- which would be a lot easier to consider if my husband wasn't in Afghanistan, leaving me at home alone with three children. The conflict between this call versus my duties and responsibilities and love and life here occasionally overwhelmed my emotions. I felt like I was suffocating.

As soon as I heard the announcement about the soup kitchen, I wanted to get to work. I didn't want to tarry while everything was coordinated, schedules were created, for me to wait my turn to go work just once a month. I now felt overwhelmed with this urgent, immediate feeling of "NOW".

The next week, I fought the urge to call the host church of the soup kitchen all week which would have preempted my own church's plans. I planned my youngest sons' 2nd birthday party, entertained my parents from out of town, and enjoyed a weekend mini-revival at my church. Vacation Bible School started on Monday, and all day I would reach for the phone to call the soup kitchen, but set it back down again. That night at VBS, where I worked in the kitchen feeding the staff and helpers and serving snacks to the kids, I talked with our pastor while he ate, confessing my desire to step forward and work right away.

He told me he was going to the church the next morning with our youth pastor and the head of the men's ministry, and invited me to join them. We worked Tuesday, getting an idea of what was needed so that schedules could be coordinated, and as we finished the day, the pastor told the head of the ministry that we would start our volunteer rotation in July.

I told her I'd be back the next day.

I found out that just one elderly woman cooked five days a week all by herself. At one time, there had been 2 cooks, but one of them hasn't worked for the last two months due to illness. That left this lone woman to do everything all by herself, and she confessed to me that she felt "plumb wore out." It was very easy to step up and say that I would start cooking even more.

My prayer is to be a complete blessing to this wonderful ministry. My family follows a Levitical diet. Among other things, we don't eat pork. The first morning serving at the soup kitchen, we took big cans labeled with nothing more than "U.S. Government Pork". We picked through the canned pig flesh and pulled out big chunks of fat and threw them out, then mixed the remaining meat with K.C. Masterpiece Barbecue Sauce (second ingredient: high fructose corn syrup). This we served on pre-packaged white bread hamburger buns, with Lays potato chips and canned peaches for sides. Dessert was a sugar-free cherry pie artificially sweetened with sucralose.

Almost all of the food is donated by amazing companies. There is a huge warehouse filled with cans and boxes and bottles, and the woman who runs it all (and who is the only other cook besides myself) sits down with her inventory and creates a menu plan. She does this on her own time, completely volunteer, and out of her heart.

The donated food isn't piece-meal, as if the product of a community food drive. There are giant pallets of boxed mashed potatoes or gallon cans of green beans. Corporations give, processing plants give, grocery stores give. A local grocery store gives all of their day-old bread and desserts by the truck full, and what isn't served that day is set on a table to be given out.

And this leads me to what I perceive as a very modern problem.

I'm going to pre-empt this by saying that I in no way am criticizing the ministry. I am not criticizing the generous companies that regularly donate this food to this organization. Nor am I criticizing the people who work so tirelessly, as volunteers, to serve this food to those who are clearly in so much need. What I am criticizing is the very existence of this food in the first place.

A woman came that day we served the BBQ sandwiches. She had a terrible headache and collapsed in the arms of the head cook, just sobbing, because she was so tired and so hungry and hadn't eaten for two days. People come into this church and eat two, three, sometimes four helpings because this is the only food they're going to get all day.

But the food is poisoning them.

Image by NatalieMaynor

I think I have been removed from the real world for too long. I live in my "real food" bubble, with my fresh fruits and vegetables, good meats, free-range eggs, organic dairy, and fresh milled flour. We choose to spend more on groceries and take more time on meals so that our family can benefit from the extra cost and the extra effort. In the end, we spend much less on health care. And when I have occasion to walk through the grocery store aisles, I have actually found myself getting angry with the volume of just pure junk that crowds the shelves.

I wonder when the tables turned. When did processed, chemical laden, nutrient lacking pre-packaged foods became the most economical, the most convenient, the thing that everyone wanted. Why does society just accept that a meal-in-a-box sitting on a grocery store shelf for possibly months at a time is 'as good' as fresh meat and fresh ingredients being used to make a dish of the same name?

I watch these poor, hungry people; so many of whom are sick, toothless, wheezing, hurting -- and I want to hug them and then feed them GOOD food. I want to offer them rich breads and hearty fresh produce. I want to make big batches of a bone broth and load it down with fresh vegetables and aromatic, medicinal herbs and serve it with fresh-baked whole grain bread.

But there is no way I can do that. I can't afford to feed hundreds of people a day all by myself. Even if I could afford it, I'm facing a society of people who don't understand that there is even anything wrong with the mega-farm, factory-processed, all-of-the-life-sucked-out-of-it ultra pasteurized, ultra-homogenized, artificially colored, artificially sweetened food.

I think as I became a "real foodie" and started making the best choices for my family, and as the last six years have gone by and I've removed myself from the junk food world, that I've put on blinders.

I find myself getting angry in the grocery store, then pretend that it isn't there. What? Hallee the Homemaker angry? Yes. I am. I watch shows like Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and get fired up about our kids' school lunches and the health of the children today, and assume that everyone else has the exact same reaction that I have to it. I assume that people just naturally care about it, and are willing to make the changes that I have made, all of which have so greatly improved our quality of life.

I assume that corporations know that the artificial this and that, the preservatives and industrial grade chemicals, the processing that they put food through -- I assume that they know how harmful to the health of consumers these things are and they are are willing to make changes that will better serve us in the end. And I am so very disappointed every time I read the labels of new products to find hydrogenated this and high fructose that all sweetened with aspartame.

Now I'm in the mix of it. Now I'm cooking with it. There simply is no other option. You can't tell someone who hasn't eaten for two days that they can't eat this food because it isn't good for them. I mean, come on.

The biggest problem is the ignorance (and I use this term in it's purist meaning - as in a lack of knowledge and education - and not in a derogatory manner) of most consumers in society. What do you have to do to food to make it shelf-worthy in cardboard for months? What do you have to strip away from it and add to it for that to happen? And why don't we seem to care?

In my perfect world, the donated food would come from local farms. It would take a few more volunteers and a lot more time and effort (A LOT more time and effort), but the food would be wholesome, nourishing, healing, and healthy. And it would more than fill the bellies of the people who eat it - it would benefit their lives, too.

I feel like maybe God is using me for this. Maybe He's sent my family on this real food path, sent us seeking all of the books and information and education. Maybe my exposure to the real foodie community through my blog and through such amazing sites like Keeper of the Home and Kelly the Kitchen Kop has been to prepare me for this ministry. Maybe this journey has brought me to this soup kitchen so that I can help impact it and start getting these people good food.

Yesterday, I talked with the owner of the fruit stand the boys and I walk to a few times a week - where we shop for all of our seasonal fruits and vegetables. After he donated a huge portion of the apples, pears, and peaches I needed for a bake sale, I talked to him about donating produce that he couldn't sell anymore to the soup kitchen. With his supplier contacts and local farming networks, I think that we can start getting some fresh food coming into the soup kitchen.

It's a start. I'm happy to start somewhere.

Hallee Bridgeman is a homemaker and mother of 3 in small town Kentucky who juggles cloth diapers, grain mills, two precocious toddlers, a teenager, and a ministry that has her feeding hundreds of people a week -- all while her husband is in Afghanistan. She has been blogging since August and covers everything from fresh ground whole wheat bread bowls and the breakdown model for Biblical womanhood, to how to clean chubby little lipstick hand-prints off of eggshell white walls. Hallee the Homemaker is delighted to be guest-posting for Keeper of the Home.

Image credit

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

Celebrating Earth Day: A Christian Perspective on Stewardship of the Environment

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:00:26 +0000

Today I want to celebrate Earth Day by sharing just a bit about why I, as a Christian, care about the environment and choose to put time, money and effort towards practicing mindful stewardship of God's glorious creation.

Here are some of the main reasons that our family has made environmental stewardship a priority as we seek to honor the Lord in all that we do:

1. The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it (Ps 24:1)

Although we have graciously been given this earth to live in and have dominion over, it is not ours. It is His.

When I live and act in a way that shows disregard to that which God has created, I am not honoring Him. It would be unthinkable to be invited to Buckingham Palace to dine with the Queen, and leave a trail of rubbish in my wake. Dirty tissues on the bathroom counter, muddy footprints in the entry, garbage from my purse on the coffee table. We wouldn't dare.

Yet, we think nothing of weekly tossing bulging bags of trash into landfills that dot the countryside and mountains. We use products that seep toxic chemical waste into His pristine rivers, lakes and oceans. Why is it any different?

I love this Abraham Kuyper quote:

"There is not a square inch

in the whole domain of our human existence

over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all,

does not cry: 'Mine!'"

When we begin to view the earth as one of the domains over which Christ sovereignly declares "Mine!", it becomes much harder to ignore the effects of our (often thoughtless) everyday actions, doesn't it?

Image by tibchris

2. Dominion should not equal destruction.

“Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry around the ground.” Genesis 1:28

Multiply. Fill. Govern. Reign.

We have been entrusted with a high and sacred calling to govern over the earth and all that is in it. What a responsibility!

Sadly, we have taken this dominion mandate and used it as justification to do, well, whatever we want. In order to satiate the appetite of our society to have more and have it cheaper and faster, we greedily use up precious natural resources, fill the air, water and soil with dangerous toxic chemicals, raise animals in cruel and harmful ways, consume and then toss our "stuff" into landfills where it will sit for hundreds of years (or longer)...

The word "dominion" means to exercise control. I firmly believe that this earth and its resources have been given to us to have authority over and to use for the benefit of the human race. But rather than taking this as permission to do as we like, we ought to view this authority as a great privelege.

The longer I study natural living, nutrition, the human body, gardening and how things grow... the more in awe I am of our indescribably kind and intelligent Creator. He has given us the most intricate, beautiful world that I could ever imagine.

In my own life, beginning to understand and appreciate His creation has spurred on a much deeper love and respect for God himself. I increasingly long to be more mindful with all that He has graciously given me to steward, and this earth is one of those things.

3. We have a multi-generational vision.

Not one of us knows when the Lord will return. It could be tomorrow. It could be 800 years from now.

I long for Christ to return. Yet should he tarry, what will be left for future generations?

As a family, we have a vision for raising up godly offspring that will serve the Lord and will who will in turn raise up more godly men and women to continue serving the Lord for as long as we should remain on this earth.

Image by Arwen Abendstern

I want my children and grandchildren and grandchildren's children to have an earth that is still inhabitable. One where they can enjoy the good health, bountiful food and the wonders of creation.

This is possible, but it requires something of our generation. To think beyond ourselves. To consider what will remain and endure past our lifetimes. What legacy will we leave for our children and all the generations to follow?

"In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations."

(taken from the Seventh Generation website and the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy)

I celebrate Earth Day, not just because I am some hippie, tree-hugger who wants to save the whales. Indeed, I do want to save the trees and the whales and the rivers and the icecaps and the rainforests and the topsoil.

But not just for the sake of saving them, and not just for the sake of humankind. I want to save them because they are an expression of my glorious God and an important part of His loving provision for His people.

Is this the most important thing for me to focus on as a Christian? No, not at all. There are so many other critically important parts of the Christian life, but that doesn't detract from the fact that this aspect of life is also important and worthy of our thought and effort.

If I am to eat, drink and do all that I do to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31), then it only follows that my lifestyle and actions should also have the goal of bringing glory to God in the ways that they impact His creation.

How important is it to you that you are carefully stewarding the environment? Why do you feel that way?

Image by powi

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

Celebrating the Power of the Cross this Easter Weekend

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 10:00:10 +0000

I was recently reminded again of this powerful song, which we sang at our Good Friday service last night. Listen and be reminded of the best news ever... that through the cross, Christ has taken our blame, born the wrath of God, and now we stand forgiven at the cross.

Not sure whether you stand forgiven or not? Learn more about the choice we all face.

The Power of the Cross (Oh, to See the Dawn)

Oh, to see the dawn of the darkest day:

Christ on the road to Calvary.

Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten, then

Nailed to a cross of wood.

This, the pow'r of the cross:

Christ became sin for us;

Took the blame, bore the wrath

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain written on Your face,

Bearing the awesome weight of sin.

Ev'ry bitter thought, ev'ry evil deed

Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees; now the ground beneath

Quakes as its Maker bows His head.

Curtain torn in two, dead are raised to life;

"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

Oh, to see my name written in the wounds,

For through Your suffering I am free.

Death is crushed to death; life is mine to live,

Won through Your selfless love.

This, the pow'r of the cross:

Son of God, slain for us.

What a love! What a cost!

We stand forgiven at the cross.

May you all have a blessed Easter and celebration of the resurrection of our Lord!

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

It’s (About) Time for a Change

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:00:16 +0000

Photo credit robyn michelle-lee lifestyle photography

There's a change coming. It's been coming for a long time and I'm sorry that it's taken me so long.

I need to apologize to you all. For the past two years, I have been a member of the BlogHer ad network. I need to state right away that there is nothing wrong with BlogHer or with any other blogger who is a member of their network. Not in the slightest. They're fantastic ladies, a great ad network and I found them wonderful to work with.

The problem is with me.

I knew that 90% of the ads didn't really sit right with me. Yes, I opted out of some of the ones that were particularly not something that I wanted on my blog. But I also let a lot of other ads run anyways, even though they were something that I would never buy myself and would not actually want to promote.

Funny thing is, allowing the ads to be up on my site is pretty much condoning them, isn't it? Ouch.

I've known for a long time that I needed to leave the ad network and branch out on my own. Truth is, I was scared to. It takes a lot of hard work to run your own ads, and there is a significantly greater degree of risk involved.

This past month, however, God really convicted me that what I was doing was absolutely not serving my readership and was undermining the integrity of my blog and the topics and products that I share about.

Remember, stewardship applies to all areas of life and that would include the way that I am stewarding the awesome privelege of writing this blog and sharing the things that I am learning with so many other women. It is a great responsibility and in this area, I have not been faithful.

Can I just say that I'm sorry? Sorry for not putting my responsibility to be honest and integral with my readers above my desire to keep bringing in a reliable source of income. Sorry for exposing you to ads for things that I would never personally recommend to you.

All that is changing on March 1st. I am now running entirely private ads. The only things that you will see on my site from now on are either paid ads that I have personally chosen to run, or affiliate ads and links for companies that I believe in and would buy from (or do buy from) myself.

My criteria for accepting advertisements will now be for companies and products that fit well within the parameters of what my blog is about: natural and sustainable living products, real/traditional foods, books on Christian living or real food or natural living, small family-run businesses, homemaking helps, etc.

I am so excited to kick my first month off with advertisers like:

ListPlanIt (fabulous organization pages that I use all the time)
HopeInk Scripture Art (encouraging and inspirational and hanging in my own home)
Moukisac (a 6-in-1 reusable bag system that I have and love!)
It Starts at Home (a new book from Moody Publishers, intended to help parents learn to disciple their children)
Vintage Remedies (the fabulous reference book on herbs and natural remedies that I recently reviewed)
Your ad here (only one left- do you want it? Email me at stephanie (at) keeperofthehome (dot) org)

That's much more like it, isn't it? Phew... I feel so relieved.

The wonderful bonus? I have already seen God's hand of blessing as I've made this move, confirming that it was indeed the right thing to do. He is so full of abounding grace and kindness.

Thank you, everyone, for your continued support of this little corner of the blogosphere. You make it so worthwhile.

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

Living Simply Saturday: A Change of Pace

Seasons of Difficulty

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:00:39 +0000

As I wrote yesterday's post about our HOPE in the midst of trial, I was reminded of a series of posts that I wrote two years ago in response to our journey through my husband's cancer diagnosis and treatments. I thought they seemed relevant and timely considering where we're at this week, so I thought I would share them with you once again.

Reflection on a Difficult Year

Reflections on a Difficult Year, Part 2 (focusing on the body of Christ and how it functions)

Reflection on a Difficult Year- Practically Serving Those in Need

Any of your own reflections to add on walking through your own particular difficult seasons of life?

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

The Annual Organic Gardening Carnival 2009

Hope in the Midst of Trial

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 06:39:27 +0000

It's been a long, hard day. Today was the second day that my husband has been in the hospital, and at this point, we do not know when he will be coming home. Life since Friday has been a fairly exhausting mix of his illness, much work to be done (my own, as well as helping him with some of his that absolutely could not be avoided), children that are sad/tired/confused and missing their Daddy, a baby that's not getting enough sleep, and a mama who is just tired and weary and feeling a bit done with it all.

I wish that I had a wonderful update for you all, letting you know that the doctors know what is wrong and things are looking promising, but it's just not true. Every test so far has come back absolutely normal, and as our kind doctor said this afternoon, all that he has right now is question marks. Same goes for Ryan and I. Diagnosis, though difficult, can sometimes be easier than the not knowing or having no answers as to what will bring healing.

Today was also difficult in other regards. Around noon, we listened in disbelief and sorrow as one of Ryan's hospital roommates went into a code blue. His heart stopped, and he was not resuscitated, as his suffering was so great at the end of a long battle with lung cancer. We heard his adult children and his wife weeping openly, and then recite Psalm 23 as a family... "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures... Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death...". It broke my heart.

It seems that illness and death are all around us. Last night while watching a video with our children in the hospital lobby we saw friends from an old church, and discovered that he, too, was in a battle with cancer. My husband's father's wife who lives far away from us is currently in her own battle with terminal brain cancer and is literally hanging on by a thread the last several days.

Life is fragile. We are like the grass the grows and then withers and will one day be gone.

And yet, we have so much hope.

God, in His absolute goodness, has already met our greatest need by saving us from His much-deserved wrath and instead flooding our lives with incredible grace and mercy through Jesus Christ. We have never been promised lives of ease, free of pain or sadness or loss. We are broken people, living in a broken world. Yes, God can absolutely heal, and yes, I believe that He is more powerful than we can even imagine. I don't doubt His ability to do great and gracious things among us during our earthly lives, and yet that is not what I hold out hope for. I've said it before and I'll say it again... our hope is not in physical healing, in perfect health, in happiness here on earth.

Our hope is in what's to come. In the One who saves and whose face we will one day gaze upon, most likely with wonder that we ever doubted His goodness at all.

Are you certain today of the hope that you have and your standing before this God, who though He is merciful is also pure and incapable of allowing the wretchedness of our sinfulness into His presence? If you are, praise Him. Rejoice in what He has done for you and remember once again how fleeting our earthly lives are and how eternal He is.

If you're not sure, I beg with you to visit this site and learn more about the 2 ways that we can choose to live our lives.

Our family would appreciate your prayers throughout this week. For my husband's healing, and particularly for wisdom for the doctors, and for tests and specialists to come through quickly. For our children, to be surrounded by the comfort and peace that only the Holy Spirit can bring. For their mommy, to continue trusting in the Lord and in His goodness, in ALL circumstances and ALL outcomes, as well as simply for strength and energy to continue to take care of all that needs to be done. And especially that we would all look to Jesus through this trial, without fear or anxiety, and bring glory to His name in the midst of it.

I will try to keep you all updated, if not through my blog, then through twitter (@keeperhome).

Thank you, my friends, for the support and prayers I know you always give. I may not know you in real life, but your kindness still touches my heart and your prayers affect my life.

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

Celebrate with Joy: Epiphany and Reflections on Transforming our Christmas Celebrations

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:00:22 +0000

I found this year to be one of our most meaningful Christmas seasons so far. It has been such a blessing to begin implementing even a few new things into the way that we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Here are some of the things that we did this year:

Daily Advent devotions through the month of December (we learned about the many names of Jesus)
Made a "Names of Jesus" Garland with Abbie and Caden
Made shortbread cookies cut into shapes and symbols that remind of us the significance of Christmas-wreaths (symbols of God's everlasting love), hearts, a little boy (Jesus, who came to earth), stars (like the star over Bethlehem, and also to symbolize Jesus, the bright and morning Star), and the cross (because ultimately that's why He came to earth at all)
Made star ornaments for the tree, because Abbie particularly liked learning about how Jesus was the bright and morning Star.
Supported and watched Daddy take part in a beautiful Christmas performance at our church, focusing on the meaning of Christmas, from the manger to the cross.
Participated in putting together for a Christmas hamper for needy families in the community
Did a nativity version of an Advent calendar- one new fridge magnet each day (a stable, Mary and Joseph, wise men, sheep, etc.) until Jesus arrives on Christmas day!
Watched the movie, The Nativity Story, as a family for the second year in a row on Christmas Eve. Our new tradition.
Gathered on Mommy and Daddy's bed on Christmas morning to pray and thank God for sending Jesus, before opening our stockings together.
Ate a wonderful breakfast and then Daddy read the Christmas story out loud, before we gathered around the tree to open presents (keeping Jesus first, and presents secondary!)
Will be celebrating Epiphany tomorrow, Jan. 6th...

Epiphany and the 12 Nights of Christmas

One thing that I learned this year is that the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" (you know the one... a partridge in a pear tree) is actually referring to the 12 days from the day after Christmas up until January 6th, a holiday known as Epiphany. Epiphany literally means "manifestation" and is a celebration of the fact that God became man and manifested Himself on earth in the form of Jesus, His son.

In the book Celebrate with Joy, Sondra (the author) includes an entire chapter with ideas for celebrating these 12 nights of Christmas. Each night include a Christmas carol to sing, along with activities and a devotion to go along with that carol. She also suggests that this can be an excellent opportunity to complete any Advent activities, special trips or events, gifts to give or ways to serve others, etc. that you had hoped to do before Christmas but were unable to get to.

I felt that this year, I couldn't completely jump in and actually celebrate these 12 nights. Our family really needed some time to just rest, and that meant that Mommy couldn't be working to pull together any more activities, events or devotionals! Instead, I have opted to do something only for the actual day of Epiphany, as a way of starting out small this year. In the book, there is a focus on the wise men during these 12 nights and on their gifts to the Lord. So tomorrow we will take Sondra's suggestions of learning about what each of the gifts (gold, frankincense and myrrh) symbolize, and I will be putting on a treasure hunt for the children, using various decorations, coins, etc. that will look like "treasures" in my little kiddies eyes. After we've found the hidden treasures, we will do a devotional on giving all of our treasure to Jesus!

Some Reflections on Transforming our Family's Celebrations

To be honest, there was more that I had hoped to do. Even what we did still felt a bit minimal over the course of 5 weeks. It's hard to find the time to pull it all together with 3 young children and a busy husband. A few times I felt frustrated that I wasn't doing more or doing all that I had wanted to, but I finally had to rest in what I was able to do and let it be enough.

It takes time and effort to begin to implement these wonderful ideas and traditions in our Christmas celebrations. Though I was keen to do as much as I could, I had to recognize my limitations and accept the season that I am in... a season where each small child needs me so very much, in many different ways, and sometimes Mommy gets stretched too thin because all of the everyday stuff, so that adding in "extras" can be very challenging. I have decided that I need to trust the Lord to help me do what I am reasonably able to do, offering it up to Him as a feeble but hopefully precious gift in His eyes, as we all learn to honor Jesus more and more in our holiday traditions. I pray that He will grant us the ability to continue to build on what has been begun. I trust that He is faithful to reward our acts of obedience, no matter how small, as we learn to transform our celebrations to become more God-glorifying and I believe that over the years we will see the fruit of that obedience!

Preparing for Next Year

Personally, I didn't begin my Advent and Christmas preparations early enough this year. Not until basically the end of November, which is right when we needed to be beginning. Knowing this now in hindsight, I will be prepared to put some effort into my preparations in early November instead, because having a plan will help to ensure that my list of hope-to-do's actually turns into reality!

I spoke with Sondra about it a little while ago, and she said that she thinks January is actually the perfect time to begin thinking about next year. Perhaps this year didn't go the way that you hoped it would, or you were quite disappointed by the Christmas season and its lack of meaning, its busyness, etc. Or maybe this year was a more special year that drew your family closer to the Lord as you began to focus your celebrations and traditions more on Him, and you've been inspired to add even more meaning to next year's holiday season. Either way, now is the time to begin thinking and preparing for next year, while it's still fresh in our minds and hearts.

This is the last opportunity to purchase Celebrate with Joy from Keeper of the Home. It is available for $24.95 US (including shipping) and you can read more about the contents of the book in this previous post.

As well, Sondra has a number of copies that have become slightly damaged in storage, that she is willing to sell at a discount. The types of damage include small scratches or scuffs to the cover, slightly damaged corners, etc. They are completely readable and usable, just not in perfect selling condition any longer. These books are being sold for $19.95 US including shipping.

(Use this button for discounted copies, and the button above for regular condition copies)

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

We Are So Rich

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:36:58 +0000

**I've returned from a much needed week-long computer break and I'm glad to be back! We had a very blessed Christmas, rejoicing in our Savior's birth and enjoying special times with family. I'll post just a little bit this week and then be more back to normal posting by next week. I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday as well!**

It's easy to complain about what we don't have isn't it?

I often find that in the fall and winter, as the stores are absolutely bursting at the seams with all sorts of gifts and goodies for eager Christmas shoppers, I notice a whole lot of things that I think I need. Suddenly my wardrobe seems more lacking than it did before, my home decor more sparse, my kitchen needing a few more additions, and on and on.

Discontentment is a sneaky thing. Just when we think that we've learned to be grateful for all of the abundant blessings in our lives, a quick trip to the mall brings out that ugly green jealousy monster in us (otherwise known as sin) and we start looking around with eyes that see only what we don't have.

God has been so faithfully working away at this area of my life, chipping away the rough edges of greed and materialism and envy. Though I found that it did rise up again somewhat this Christmas season, I was so blessed to realize that (at least for the moment) the contentment side is starting to win out over discontentment.

I think that one of the main things that has changed in my heart and in my way of thinking is this... I realize now more than ever that I am rich. I'm not just saying that in the spiritual and relational sense (though that would also be true- I have a Savior who has met my greatest need, and I have been blessed with an amazing husband and children, and many, many other significant and beautiful relationships in my life).

What I mean is that I am really, truly materially rich. And most likely, so are you. I'm quite sure that most people in our North American culture would disagree with me. We don't own multiple vehicles and the one we do own isn't luxurious or new. We don't live in a fancy house, and for that matter, we don't own the one we do live in. I don't wear designer clothes. The only purse I own is from a garage sale.

So exactly how do I define being "rich"? Well, for starters, I live in a house. With heat. And running water. It's clean and sanitary (ok, except maybe the bathroom once in a while), with no insects or rodents to speak of. Our home has more than 1 or 2 rooms (in fact, it has 10 if you count laundry and bathrooms). Our furniture is not ratty or ugly (and for that matter, we actually have furniture). I have a closet full of clothing and much of it was purchased new. By my doorway sits 5 or 6 pairs of shoes. Even when our budget is tight, we don't worry that we won't eat. It might not be our favorite foods, but we have never come even close to experiencing hunger.

I live in a country where I can vote in a fair and democratic system. For the most part, the police and justice system is generally just and certainly not corrupt to the same degree as in many nations. I do not live in a war-torn nation, fearing midnight bomb raids or hearing random gunshots throughout the day. I go to sleep each night feeling safe. I do not experience the terror of fearing for the safety of my precious children. We have the freedom of attending church in public each and every Sunday, with no concern of persecution. We own more Bibles than I can count.

It is so easy to begin to swallow the messages that our culture wants to feed us... you need more, you deserve more, you should have everything you want, it's ok to treat yourself, bigger and newer is always better. What we forget is that beyond the place that we call home are desperate nations full of desperate people. People who would consider the clothes in my closet beautiful and plentiful. People who would consider my home a palace. People who would wonder that I could ever possibly feel stressed about my grocery budget and the foods I feed my family. People who are hurting and needing so much that even the simplest of human comforts (a comfortable bed, a bowl of rice, a bath, a hug) would feel luxurious to them.

Whenever I start to look around and feel that I am somehow lacking something, I remind myself of these things. It doesn't take long before that want or "need" dissipates and I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all that we have been blessed with and asking God how we can give of ourselves more to those who are without.

Do you struggle with feelings of discontentment? How do you deal with them? And am I the only one who finds that the holiday season makes it harder?

Want to remind yourself of all that we have to be grateful for? Check out the other Gratituesday posts at Heavenly Homemakers!

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy: