Spring's Slow Arrival

In some places of the world, spring's arrival is sudden. Not so where I live. However, we are finally beginning to see some definite signs of winter's thaw here in the High Arctic, and is it ever exciting!

Our days are growing longer. The sun is up hours before we are and sets at around 11 PM. It's incredible how quickly we gain it back. I love this time of year!

Acceptable Words

The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: 

but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

Proverbs 10:32

In the photo: Spring blossoms on a tree (Billings, Montana).

Lessons for Life

Life-lessons are so important to me. I love to see examples of timeless truths in daily circumstances, in God's works of creation, from the lips of precious ladies, and especially from the pages of the Bible.

I listened to the last paragraph of Beautiful Girlhood being read as I folded laundry last Saturday evening. It was a bittersweet moment. Beautiful Girlhood was one of the most wisdom-rich books I have ever experienced. Yet I felt there was so much more that could be said, such depths of wisdom that I still needed to hear and apply. As Proverbs tells us, "The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters." There is so much sweet, refreshing water in this book, and I feel that my bucket is far too small to bring up all that I want from it. I am more convinced than ever to share the entire volume on my blog, for I see how desperately young ladies today need to hear its timeless message, calling us to be all we can be as Godly ladies by God's grace.

Ladies, do you not see what a noble calling God has given to us? Why is God's standard for marriage and motherhood so despised? How did it happen? I feel like weeping as I see what has our enemy has accomplished in so short a time! One of God's best gifts has been turned into a curse, a burden, a hindrance to fulfillment and happiness, when that priceless gift is the surest source of satisfaction we can ever have. Satan is so good at what he does, and his best tools are those we possess ourselves: selfishness and conceited ideas shaped by society.

We are not going to find God's plan for us in the world.  God's plan is not popular; it is viewed as old-dated and confining to the abilities and rights of women. To hear people talk, God's plan is wrong! But God says, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isa. 5:20) The truth is, real freedom and fulfillment as a woman can only be found as we follow God's perfect plan for us. It has been hidden beneath the trash-heap of feminist ideas. We must seek God's wisdom out diligently or we will not find it.

Jesus Is ALIVE!

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

I Corinthians 15:55

He's alive! He's alive! Glory to God, my Jesus is ALIVE! 

A most glorious Resurrection Sunday to you!

"And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. ...They said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words..." (Luke 24:3, 5-8)

Silence fell upon that hill the day that Jesus died.
He cried out, "It is finished!" and hope was crucified.
The soldiers laughed and gambled for the robe that He had worn.
The women wept, His friends had fled, creation seemed to mourn.

They took his broken body down and carried Him away.
They laid Him in a borrowed tomb and then they sealed the grave.
The followers of Jesus hid, for hope, it seemed, was dead,
Yet in their darkest hour, would they remember what He said?

I will arise! I will arise!
Like the sun at dawn's first light I will arise!
You can bury Me that day, seal the tomb and turn away,
But the power of the grave will be denied.
I will arise!

His enemy, His ancient foe, content the deed was done,
Stood upon the battlefield, convinced that he had won.
As Satan rose in triumph to put away his sword,
From somewhere in the darkness came the Voice he'd heard before. 

I will arise! I will arise!
Like the sun at dawn's first light I will arise!
You can bury Me that day, seal the tomb and turn away,
But the power of the grave will be denied.
I will arise!

Death will have no victory, the grave will have no sting,
The promise of the Living One the whole world will see, will see!

I will arise! I will arise!
Like the sun at dawn's first light I will arise!
You can bury Me that day, seal the tomb and turn away,
But the power of the grave will be denied.
I will arise!
I will arise!
I will arise!

Written by Christopher Machen
Sung by Stephen and Adam Russ

In the photo: Aqpik (salmon berry) blossoms.

How to Keep Your Well Open

The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life:

but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

Proverbs 10:11

As I was looking through my photos and chapter ten of Proverbs, these two seemed to link up. If we have God's wisdom in our hearts, we need to be willing to let that wisdom flow out and refresh those around us. However, if we lack God's wisdom we had better keep our mouths shut so we don't pollute others. 

My thoughts took a different turn as I studied this picture and thought about the second part of this verse: "violence covereth the mouth of the wicked." What would happen if this drainpipe was covered? All of the water would back up and begin flowing from the gutters of the roof! I think God's trying to tell us in this verse that we're going to have problems if we don't have wisdom, and we won't have a word to say in excuse or defense of those dreadful consequences upon us. So, we'd best do as Proverbs 23:23 says, "Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding."

In the photo: A summer rainshower in Florida.

Six White Aprons

Last October I received an order request on my shop (currently down) for six white aprons. Sense and Sensibility has a lovely pattern for an Edwardian apron that I have used extensively. The lady who requested the order from me was needing the aprons for a Jane Austen Festival taking place this month in Australia. What an exciting opportunity! I agreed to the order and quickly got busy planning for the project.

Filling the order was a good experience for me, albeit a nerve-wracking one. Ordering fabric online has never been fun, but this one was a definite hassle. The shipping transit caused quite a delay, too. The huge bolt of white cotton fabric I ordered ended up being extremely lightweight and almost sheer -- not at all suitable for an apron! To my suprise, however, the lady who I was doing business with said the fabric wouldn't be a problem for her. What a relief!

By the time I finished the second apron, I was down to a system and had worked some kinks out of the pattern. Then things got busy with Thanksgiving and Christmas and I had to lay aside my sewing for days at a time. As it ended up, I finished the last apron and got them all sent off to Australia by January 11. What I thought would be a fairly simple order ended up being a two-month ordeal! (whew)

I absolutely love this pattern -- although, to be honest, as I was working on that last apron, I was not feeling at all kindly towards it. (chuckle) Below is another apron I made and sold on my shop last year. The fabric I found (at Wal-Mart, in person =) was simply perfect for this pattern. Durable and dark-colored fabric is ideal for aprons. I'll definitely be looking for more like it the next time I get to shop for fabric.

Website Designing

I have been busy this week with web designing. After many months of hoping to "get around to it one of these days," I finally found a chance to redesign my family's ministry website. It was a long, arduous ordeal to get it to where I wanted it as I had to learn some new terms and techniques, such as FTP and DNS. It made me dizzy. =) But all the hours and effort I put into it was definitely worth it. Now it looks and works so much better. I hope it will be a blessing to the dear people who support our ministry.

Also, today I finished making a few changes to my blog. My pictures never seemed to fit quite right and, due to the resizing, had such poor quality. With a wider area for my posts and my "widgets" now in the footer, plus a welcome message in the header, I hope your visits to my little home on the web will be much more pleasant.

What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Be Wise in Heart

The wise in heart will receive commandments:

but a prating fool shall fall.

Proverbs 10:8

In the photo: A leaf budding out of a tree limb and a fallen blossom. Taken last spring in North Pole, Alaska.

Simply Trusting Jesus, Part 2

From The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life by Hannah Whittal Smith (Chapter 6)

Remember, there are two things which are more utterly incompatible than even oil and water, and these two are trust and worry.

"Ye have not passed this way heretofore," it may be; but today it is your happy privilege to prove, as never before, your loyal confidence in the Lord by starting out with Him on a life and walk of faith, lived moment by moment in absolute and childlike trust in Him.

You have trusted Him in a few things, and He has not failed you. Trust Him now for everything, and see if He does not do for you exceeding abundantly above all that you could ever have asked or thought; not according to your power or capacity, but according to His own mighty power, that will work in you all the good pleasure of His most blessed will.

You find no difficulty in trusting the Lord with the management of the universe and all the outward creation, and can your case be any more complex or difficult than these, that you need to be anxious or troubled about his management of it? Away with such unworthy doubtings! Take your stand on the power and trustworthiness of your God, and see how quickly all difficulties will vanish before a steadfast determination to believe. Trust in the dark, trust in the light, trust at night, and trust in the morning, and you will find that the faith, which may begin by a mighty effort, will end sooner or later by becoming the easy and natural habit of the soul.

Simply Trusting Jesus, Part 1

From The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life by Hannah Whittal Smith (Chapter 6)

The child of God, having had his eyes opened to see the fulness there is in Jesus for him, and having been made to long to appropriate that fulness to himself, is met with the assertion on the part of every teacher to whom he applies, that this fulness is only to be received by faith. But the subject of faith is involved in such a hopeless mystery in his mind, that this assertion, instead of throwing light upon the way of entrance, only seems to make it more difficult and involved than ever.

"Of course it is to be by faith," he says, "for I know that everything in the Christian life is by faith. But then, that is just what makes it so hard, for I have no faith, and I do not even know what it is, nor how to get it." And, baffled at the very outset by this insuperable difficulty, he is plunged into darkness, and almost despair. 

This trouble all arises from the fact that the subject of faith is very generally misunderstood; for in reality faith is the plainest and most simple thing in the world, and the most easy of attainment.

Your idea of faith, I suppose, has been something like this. You have looked upon it as in some way a sort of thing, either a religious exercise of soul, or an inward gracious disposition of heart; something tangible, in fact, which, when you have got, you can look at and rejoice over, and use as a passport to God's favor, or a coin with which to purchase His gifts. And you have been praying for faith, expecting all the while to get something like this, and never having received any such thing, you are insisting upon it that you have no faith. Now faith, in fact, is not in the least this sort of thing. It is nothing at all tangible. It is simply believing God, and, like sight, it is nothing apart from its object. You might as well shut your eyes and look inside to see whether you have sight, as to look inside to discover whether you have faith. You see something, and thus know that you have sight; you believe something, and thus know that you have faith. For, as sight is only seeing, so faith is only believing. And as the only necessary thing about seeing is, that you see the thing as it is, so the only necessary thing about believing is, at you believe the thing as it is. The virtue does not lie in your believing, but in the thing you believe.

A Watered Garden

The liberal soul shall be made fat: 

and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. 

Proverbs 11:25

In the photo: My grandma's beautiful garden (Iowa).

How to Make Porridge

Yes, indeed! Porridge, a breakfast fare that has become obsolete with the introduction of boxed cold cereals (loaded with sugar, ahem). The only association most of us have with porridge today is the story of Goldilocks and The Three Bears.

(Source)

Oats are highly nutritious, containing seven B vitamins, vitamin E, and nine different minerals (especially a high amount of calcium), and also contain twice as much protein as wheat. "Oats are the third leading cereal crop produced in the United States (after wheat and corn) and the fourth most important crop world-wide. They were once considered a weed which grew right with the barley and wheat. One day farmers decided to "join 'em rather than fight 'em," and oats started being planted as a crop by itself. It fares best in cool, moist climates, which is why they are such a popular staple of the British Isles like Scotland, Ireland and Wales. The grain was introduced into the Americas in 1602 by a sea captain who planted them in one of the islands off the coast of Massachusetts. They were a popular grain, but corn had a better yield per acre crop, so their popularity wasn't as great as corn. Today, nearly half of the world's oat crop -- more than 4 billion bushels a year -- is grown in the United States and Canada." (Source)

(Source)

I'm sure many enjoy quick oatmeal prepared in the microwave or even on the stovetop, if you possess the patience to endure a lengthy cooking period and glue-like remainders in your pot. But what is porridge, and how do you make it?

Porridge is really no different than your standard oatmeal, but it's so much more than oatmeal! Porridge has a smooth, creamy consistency whereas oatmeal is rather thick, chewy, and (sometimes) dry. Quite simply, porridge is different as the oats are soaked for a certain period of time. However, texture is not the only benefit of soaking oats!

"All grains contain phytic acid (an organic acid in which phosphorous is bound) in the outer layer or bran. Untreated phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and especially zinc in the intestinal track and block their absorption... [leading] to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss. Soaking allows enzymes, lactobacilli and other helpful organisms to break down and neutralize phytic acid. As little as seven hours of soaking in warm acidulated water will neutralize a large portion of phytic acid in grains. The simple practice of soaking cracked or rolled cereal grains overnight will vastly improve their nutritional benefits." (Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon)

You see, when oats are not soaked prior to consumption, the phytates keep you from receiving all the incredible nutritional benefits that oats have to offer. And, there are still more benefits to soaking oats:

• Decreased cooking time: Preparing oats on the stovetop normally takes up to twenty minutes; after soaking, you can cook oats in less than five minutes!
• Expansion: An average serving of oats is one-half cup. This same amount, after soaking, can feed two hearty appetites. Oats have always been thrifty but when you soak, you can stretch your dollar even further!

Soaking oats does not have to be difficult. Really, it couldn't be more simple!

First, measure your oats. You can used quick or rolled oats, whichever you prefer or have on hand. I find it handy to dump my oats onto a flexible paper plate...

What I'm Thankful For Today

Light in the sky from the moment I awake, beaming into our home all through the day, softly glowing in my bedroom as I drift off to sleep. I love this time of year. The terrible darkness of winter is past! It's a glimpse of Heaven.

Laughter. It truly doeth good like a medicine. 

Joy and rejoicing in the house of God, and the blessing of cheerfulness.

Correction. Because I need it and it's good for me. =)

My God who specializes in miracles. "Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things." (Ps. 72:18) He never does things according to the ordinary! Everything He does is wondrous! He "is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." (Eph 3:20)

Grand old hymns written by Eliza E. Hewitt, especially Our Father's on the Throne. That song has been making melody in my heart so often lately. It reminds me that He really does have everything under control.

This amazing website I just found! Historic Hymnals. Wow, what a treasure trove! Oh, just take a look at this wonderful old song. Isn't that good!?

Answers to prayer that will come. He promises, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jer. 33:3) He tells us to ask. I'm beginning to learn it doesn't hurt to do that, because He is too faithful to disappoint. He is our Heavenly Father, we are His children. If He chooses not to give us what we ask for, it is only because He has something better in mind! He is worthy of my trust in His choice of what is best.

He gets all the glory when I ask and He answers!

God's perfect plan for my life. "Blessed is he who has never thwarted the working of the divine ideal." (F.B. Meyer)

Many projects to fill my days with. 

Material blessings in such abundance that I can share them with others.

Counting those good and perfect gifts... 96-108.

My First Herbal Tincture!

I'm so excited! Saturday I got a glycerite started in the Crock-pot using three herbs: echinacea, yarrow, and red clover. A glycerite is another way of making a concentrated herbal extract called a tincture. Instead of using an alcohol base to extract the properties of your chosen herbs, with a glycerite you use vegetable glycerine and slow, steady heat for three days.

Note to self: Do not stuff your jar FULL with herbs ever again! You will be sorry. 

Yes, silly me, I crammed too much dried herbs in my jar, not thinking that they would expand as they soaked up the liquid. Yesterday afternoon I was devastated to discover that my jar had leaked most of its rich liquid into the water in the Crock-pot. I was determined to make it work though, so I scooped out some of the herbs and added more glycerine and water, praying my final product wouldn't be too weak. We live and learn. =)

This morning my tincture was finished. If the smell is any indication (whew!), I'm pretty sure it's strong enough medicinally despite the mishap. Using cheesecloth, I squeezed the nutrient-rich liquid off of the herbs. I was so surprised: it gave me a whole cup, filling three tincture bottles!

It has a deep brown color... and a STRONG smell. (gag)

Three bottles full, ready and waiting for my family's next bout with the flu. Bring it on! =D