We can't do everything, but everyone can do something.

I have been absent for a while from here due to all the summer projects going on. I'm sorry I haven't been posting updates on here. I'm so tired and my brain is filled with a million projects at once. My library stacks are full of books on perennial vegetables, organic gardening, foraging, cooking with garden veggies in season, etc. So I've either been working outside or reading about what I'm working on outside. 

And honestly, the gardens in real life don't match the pictures in my head.....yet. I have a lot of weeding and mulching to do, and gardens are much prettier later in the season once everything is growing big. 

(the beginning of an herb bed)

I was reading in Matthew 25 today about the parable of the talents, and it struck hard. In this parable, Jesus shared how each person got varying amounts of talents to go use. Each person used those talents in different ways that payed off to varying degrees. The only person who was rebuked was the person who hid in fear and did nothing with the talents given to him. 

The point in the parable wasn't a comparison of who accomplished the most, or who did the coolest things. But rather the point was.....we each are accountable to do something with the gifts and opportunities God gives us.  

There are so many things I wish I was better at.  I'm limited in time, ability, and resources. But to sit and do nothing, because my talents won't turn out as good as someone else's is a waste of the talents I've been given.  Jesus isn't asking for us to accomplish a certain success rate, He's asking for us to serve in the areas around us and to use the talents we've been given. The results are his, the willingness to be used is ours. 

Honestly, I live overwhelmed due to all the dreams we have. Sometimes I wonder what we signed up for and I (for a brief moment) wish we could live simply on packaged dinners in a small apartment with zero maintenance.  Not to speak badly of those seasons. There is a season for each type of living. 

Do you know why I feel overwhelmed? It's because I didn't sign up for something that I knew I could do on my own. I can't do it. I'm always praying for God's blessing on what I plant for I have no control of weather and germination. Jesus gave us the dream.......and I said 'yes'.   He knew I have limited talents and I'm filled with struggles and issues. But I signed up for His project (so it's bigger than me). The results are up to Him. My job is just to offer my talents and show up for work. 

In Matthew 24:45 and 46 it says, "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing."  He told me "Feed people spiritually and physically."  I want to be found doing that. 

I submit to you, that if you offer your talents back to the one who gave them to you......the results will amaze you. It's like planting a seed. When I stick that green bean seed in the ground, it's so small and it wouldn't feed anything except a mouse. But when I plant it, it grows into a thriving plant sufficient to feed a person. 

We can't do everything......but we are accountable to do something with what God has given us and to serve where God has placed us. 

Happy gardening, 

    Felicia

What's cooking?

Someone asked me recently what happened to my goal of cooking 52 new recipes this year.  That made me think how I haven't shared anything food related on here in a long while. I have been slowly working on my goal, even though I haven't shared them here. And many of them have turned out quite yummy! 

1.Fermented Veggies: I'm just starting to get hooked on these!  I had a cabbage, some golden beets, and green onion in the fridge which I tossed in a salt brine for a couple days. Seriously, it felt so empowering to be able to just toss veggies in for a couple days, see the bubbles rising up, and know that I was increasing the bacterial activity.  See this blog post for the books I've been reading about our gut microbiome system and how eating fermented foods really promotes overall health.

2.  Broccoli Cheddar Potato Soup: I have both the From Freezer to Cooker and From Freezer to Table books.  They both provide easy meals you can make and eat, or make and freeze for later. The first book provides options for the instant pot and the slow cooker.  This soup was family approved!

3. Buttermilk Biscuits and Sourdough Biscuits. 

While this may not fit in the new category this year, I have used them to invent a cream of chicken over buttermilk biscuits delicious dinner. Every recipe I've tried in the Prairie Homestead Cookbook has been delicious!  I love how the author uses real ingredients from her garden and homestead to create wholesome meals for her family. :-)  Here's the recipe from her site so you can try it too!  To substitute for the buttermilk (which I never have on hand), I add 1 or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to regular milk for about ten minutes until it starts to curdle. 

https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2011/02/soaked-buttermilk-biscuits.html

4. Kimchi: Somethings I make are 'family approved' and other things are 'family tolerated'.  They tolerate the smell, that is. Kimchi is fabulous for the gut microbiome and I've heard that the combination of onion and Korean Red Pepper help to fight viruses. I'd love to try it again and adjust some of the seasoning.   Kimchi made with Korean Red Pepper. 

5. Sauerkraut: Being my first attempt to ever make sauerkraut, I learned some lessons in this process. Namely, don't shred your cabbage with the food processor.   It will be too small to stay under the brine, and will expose itself to oxygen and go bad. I'm hoping I'll be able to harvest cabbage from our garden this fall, and try this process again with better success. :-) 

 

Cleaning out the junk

If you recall, last fall we moved to an old farmstead. We had been very busy finishing the inside of the house during the winter, and now we have started working outdoors on the property. There was an old farmhouse garage on site that had seen it's better days. The ceiling was falling in and I'm sure it had many stories to tell from the last 100 years

We had it burned down, and started work on cleaning up the site.  Hours were spent on cleaning up. First, the steel beams, metal pieces, and chunks of insulation had to be gathered. Then the ground had to be gone over with a magnet bar to lift hundreds of nails out of the ashes. I feel like no matter how many times I go over the site....I still find more nails. The weekend we worked on cleaning it up , I had so much quit in me.  I wanted to pack up and move back to town. I wanted the easy life of zero outdoor maintenance and food from a box. This road was hard. But something drew me on.....

After cleaning out the garage site, I started tilling the area around the old garage. History kept being dug out of the dirt. First I tilled the area, then I picked up all the junk brought to the surface. Bits of glass, a licence plate, insulation, and metal pieces were brought to the surface of the previously "clean site".  After raking it clean, it looked good again.  Until I used the magnet bar to pick up the hidden nails, bolts, and metal shards hiding at the surface. 

As I did that, I kept thinking of our women's Bible study lesson. In Ezra 9 and 10, the people are dealing with issues of repentance. Issues they would have rather stuffed under the rug. Repentance is messy labor intensive work. It's dirty and hard. But nothing of beauty will come unless we go through it. 

Seeking forgiveness isn't a one time clean up of the big sins/wrong doings in our lives.  Our lives might look pretty good after that. But just as with that old garage site, the Holy Spirit comes in with his 'tiller' and digs up everything underneath.  The junk from the past comes to the surface, things we never remembered were there. Then after we seek forgiveness, God comes back with his 'magnet bar' to clean out the small hidden sins there. 

You guys I hate cleaning things up. I hate sifting through ashes to find glass bits and metal wheels. I would much rather plant flower seeds. 

But I can't do the working of building, until the site is prepared. 

God wants to create things of beauty in our lives. He wants to build something new and use us to bless others in His kingdom. But it's not enough to look good. The strawberries, potatoes, and endless flowers I desire to grow will never thrive trying to wrap their roots around metal wheels, and hundreds of screws. No, the soil of our hearts must be cleaned out and the junk removed in order to make room for new life. 

If you could see this site through my eyes, you would see the fence line covered in flowers, a border of flowers and herbs along the 103 ft fence, and a strawberry bed planted next to a large garden area. I have soooooo many flower and vegetable seeds that I worry if I'll have room to plant them all!

God delights in restoration.  

As I looked at the junk being pulled out from below the surface, and looked forward in anticipation to how God wants to restore this piece of dirt into something beautiful......I just kept thinking.....

"Me too, Lord. Do this in me too."

Sojourning with you, 

Felicia

10 things to when you are practicing 'social distancing'.

These are different times! My daughter and I are pining away for the time we can meet up with our friends. It's hard not having church or playdates. We are trying to make use of our 'extra time' to get some much needed projects done here.  I'm realizing I can either read the news/social media and pine away my time, or I can invest it. It's time for some creative living to keep ourselves occupied during this 'social distancing'. Here are my ten suggestions for staying occupied:

1. Pray!  If nothing else, spend some extra time praying. There is so much pressure on our president, governors, and mayors from all sides.  I don't know all the right decisions they need to make, but I know the ONE who does.  They need wisdom, strength, courage to face those who critique them, discernment to know the truth. Pray also for your neighbors, city, family, and those in your social sphere.

2.Read: This should be no surprise that I'm suggesting this one!  Now you don't have an excuse of being too busy. :-)  If you need some ideas, here is my list from last year

Last year I read,  Cozy Minimalist Home, Peter Pan, Sacred Holidays, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle , Farmer Boy, Faith, The Life Giving Parent , The Middle Matters, and The Prairie Homestead Cookbook, How to Raise a Wild Child, Teaching from Rest, Action Bible, The Trumpet of the Swan,  and Loving the Little Years (such a great book!).

This spring, we finished Stuart Little, The Tales of Peter Rabbit, and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. Now we are reading (and enjoying ) Missy Piggle-Wiggle and the Won't-Walk-The-Dog-Cure. It's so fun to see our read alouds become part of the children's background knowledge. In the middle of a conversation, a child will suddenly remember, "Mama! It's like that boy did in _______(insert name of book)!"

Personally, I'm trying to read all the gardening books (surprise, surprise). But real life isn't allowing me much time to do that now. If you don't enjoy reading, perhaps try listening to a book. Most libraries have audio books available through their websites/apps and Audible is offering free children's stories while schools are canceled. 

(currently reading)

3. Organize: If you remember my goals for this year, I mentioned needing to clean out/set up the school room.  It's done!  Of course, more stuff will be added or tossed as we realize what we'll actually use. But it looks so welcoming, and the cozy chair with the view out two windows is easily one of my favorite spots to sit. We always say....'when I have more time I'll clean that out'. Well....now is the time as everything is canceled.

4. Home Projects: I had also listed hallway trim and stairway carpet on my beginning of year goals list. Thankfully, that was finished also. Now, we are digging, digging and more digging as we dig the post holes for a large fenced in yard. As tiring and sore as we are (and will be when it's done), there's something fulfilling about watching the kids play out in the dirt hill with their dump trucks, while my husband and I take turns with the post hole digger. It's like outdoor family time...while accomplishing a job. I saw a news head line that mentioned we could tell what people are up to during quarantine by checking out the city landfill.  Cleaning out junk and home remodel projects seem to be on many people's brains. Last week, when my husband took our load to the dump, it was the longest line he'd ever seen.  This is the perfect time to get those projects done, when we aren't distracted by everything else.

5. Grow something: I will always encourage growing more things!

Our little greenhouse is stuffed full of thyme, holy basil, oregano, tatsoi, tomatoes, asparagus, chives, and radicchio.  At least half the seeds are sprouted, while the others still sit waiting. I don't have much experience in getting plants to survive long enough to transition to outdoor living. But I figured, if I don't practice I'll never learn. I'd love to be able to grow fresh greens and herbs indoors all year. Fresh Food from Small Spaces  was really inspiring towards using any available space to provide food for yourself.  Growing something, even just one plant, provides a food source and emotional satisfaction in providing for yourself.

OK, I know I said 10 things....but I think the next five are suited for another post. I'd love to hear what you've been up to during this season. Remember, we are all in this together and we need to hold tight to those around us. 

Sojourning with you,

 Felicia

What goes in.....will come out.

Like I mentioned in my goals post, I've been skim reading a lot of nutritional information books lately. There's so much to learn about .....everything, that I can't read everything for detail. So I speed read/skimmed, while taking notes on the important take-aways.

So far I've read:

Eat to Beat Disease: I loved this book! (my husband will probably say that about any book I've done lately as I've eagerly shared stuff with him)  It went through 5 different protective systems in our bodies (Angiogenesis, regeneration/stem cells, microbiome, DNA protection, immune system) and what to eat to support each system. Literally, what we place in our bodies will determine if we are working with our bodies or against them. Everyone knows that if we use the wrong fuel source for our vehicles, or swap the windshield washer fluid with the oil in your car, then it won't function properly. Eventually it will break down. Yet, we think we can put anything in our bodies without consequence.

We are uniquely designed by our Creator with protective systems in place to protect our health.  I love this Hippocrates quote: "Let food by thy medicine and medicine be thy food." The more we can get back to only eating what God made, the better our bodies will function.

Brain Maker: This book discussed the interesting connection between our gut bacteria and our emotional/mental health. Good gut bacteria (eating a diverse source of plant based foods) leads to a more balanced emotional state and reduced risk of Alzheimer/mental disorders. Eating foods rich in prebiotics and probiotics (including fermented foods) sets your gut and emotional/mental health on the right course.

The Art of Fermentation: I truly skimmed this one. It is very in-depth on the cultural background behind each type of fermented foods, which was way more information than I could process. Basically, you can ferment anything you want to.  Cultures around the world have made it part of their dietary regime for thousands of years.

Whole: This book was quite fascinating as it provided an inside look at the biased medical world's treatment of disease and prevention programs, and the one sided reporting of scientific studies, medical successes/failures, and hospital outcomes for patients.  When dealing with health, it is important to get the 'whole' story to heal the 'whole' person.

The China Study  The main idea behind this study, was to eat a whole foods plant based diet. According to the researcher, eating animal products leads to increased heart problems and cancer risks. Eating a plant based diet, reverses heart problems and alleviates many common diseases. I agree that we definitely need to increase our plant based food sources considerably, but I'm not ready to jump on the non-animal food train due to the benefits of bone broth, etc.

The Plant Paradox: Seeds are created to be tough enough to withstand being tossed to the wind, pooped out a bird, or trampled on in the dirt. The author of this book said it's how  we eat plants that causes us problems. His theory was that unless we remove seeds or process them completely, the seed defense systems will work against us in our guts.  While I understood what he said, I don't think I can get completely on board. Though, I will start de-seeding my tomato sauces, and pressure cooking more things.

Cultured:  This book was a fascinating read on the connections between our food sources, gut bacteria, food allergies, inflammation and disease.  The author also included personal stories from his visits with small town farmers, and companies dedicated to creating fermented foods using age old practices. The lack of plant fiber in our diets starves the good gut bacteria in our bodies, which makes them ineffective in doing their jobs. The gut bacteria of an 'average' American is limited compared to someone from a less industrialized area. This book was well written!

Just as with our bodies, what we feed our minds will come out in our lives. I've been feeling so pressed lately trying to keep up with three little ones clambering for food, dogs asking to go out, laundry and dishes piling up, and food to cook/bake. A question I have to ask myself is: "Is this best? Will this information source or activity achieve my desired goals?"   The podcasts and music I listen to, books and news sources I read, and activities/discussions I participate in are part of forming my life. What goes in, will come out in my attitude, expectations, and ability to achieve personal goals (or lack thereof). 

On a small scale, I see it when my kids relate to me concepts they picked up from kids books and shows. Ideas that weren't overtly taught are picked up on, and expressed in future situations. This definitely makes me a lot "choosier" when it comes to books/shows for them. This last week, at the used bookstore, my daughter was perusing the books trying to find the perfect one to take home. I was getting impatient ready to head home with the cranky baby, but she was taking her time to find one that wasn't "dumb" or "creepy". It was time well spent waiting as she discerned what would be good food for her brain.

Whew!  There's so much to learn in life, isn't there? I'd love to hear what you've been learning about! Please send me a DM on Instagram or leave me a comment. 

Sojourning with you,

 Felicia

What to do when you are aching for a dream.

Spring feels so far away, as I zip up my coat and pull on my hood to keep me warm from the February wind. Yet, it taunts me with patches of brown grass, lakes of melted snow under my van, and the feeling of warm sunshine. If it would actually help speed it up, I would plug my hair dryer into an extension cord and start melting each snow drift one by one. I desperately long to be warm and to not get stuck in snow drifts or slide on ice in my yard. I'm waiting for the day when I don't have to bundle up against the strong arctic wind.

What do you do when you are longing for a dream? Do you sit and idle the time away? Do you watch the clock and desperately mark off calendar days?  It may seem like nothing else matters if we can't have the dream. Everything else feels worthless without the one thing we are hoping for.  There are times to sit and let yourself be sad. We are only human, not superheros. But is there something we can do in the difficult waiting?

Instead of focusing on what you can't do, focus on what you can do. I can't plant my garden, build a fenced in yard for the dogs, or enjoy a deck now. But I can start seeds now so I can transplant them outside when it's warm enough. I can read gardening books or peruse seed catalogs and websites, to decide what I'm ordering for seeds vs. plants. (Side note: There's these blue potatoes I'm super excited to try this year!  And dragon carrots! That's a carrot even my kids get excited about. Dragons....who wouldn't get excited?) And I can work on our kitchen and school room projects. We'll obviously
need those rooms even when it's nice out, so I might as well finish them now while I'm waiting to be able to work outside.

Perhaps it's a friend or family member I can't spend time with now. I only see my brother and his family twice a year, but I can send video messages, social media messages, and texts to maintain frequent contact. I can make sure the time we do have together is intentional and special. I can also invest in near-by-friends who feel like family, the same as I would want others who live near my family to invest in them.

Sometimes it's easy to get consumed by what we can't have now, that we miss what we do have. (see my previous blog post for more explanation)  There are so many opportunities to love people and invest in them all around us. Sometimes I feel useless in this small child stage of life, and that people must think bad of me for not volunteering to help with a lot of group projects. Realistically, it's just not possible to visit sick people in hospitals, or visit older people in homes with lots of breakable things. I can't help much with projects, when I'm trying to keep toddlers from running off. But I can pray for people. I can bring meals or send cards. I can check on them to see how a big event went in their week.

Most importantly, I must make sure I am ready when that dream comes true. Imagine if the captain of the ship ordered the anchor raised, and the sails made ready to leave, but the crew hadn't packed their stuff or gathered provisions for the journey yet. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the 10 virgins waiting for the bridegroom to come. They knew he was coming and they eagerly anticipated this 'dream' coming true. But only 5 made sure they were ready by purchasing extra oil for their lamps. The other 5 were caught unprepared, and missed the wedding feast. I want my ship to be prepped for sailing when my captain tells me to lift anchor.

What can we do to prepare ourselves, our surroundings, or others? Make a list today. If "_____" were to happen today, what would I need to have ready? Who do I need to talk to? What do I need to learn first?

The story is told of a mom who often gave jobs to her kids as they waited for supper to be cooked. The hungry, whining kids were given jobs of setting the table, putting away groceries, cleaning the kitchen etc. The idea was to 'be busy while you wait'.

Whether we are waiting for Jesus's return (how exciting that will be!), to see a family member or friend, an exciting trip/adventure, or simply spring to come.....there is much we can do. Let's 'be busy while we wait', and not be caught unprepared when our captain calls us to sail.

Grieving the loss of a dream

We can make the best plans, pray a lot, and do our part in following through on a dream. Yet, some dreams will not happen.....or at least not in the time frame we were hoping for. Lost dreams and plans stink. Some are gone forever...and some just require a longer wait time. We don't always know why it happened, or even the deeper reason of why God didn't make it happen. But we can trust that it wasn't a surprise to Him.

January didn't happen as expected, hence my long absence here. It was an exhausting month, from which we are recuperating. Within a matter of weeks, we had a blizzard (which required hours of digging/snow blowing), my brother's wedding (which we were all involved in), and a miscarriage at 11 weeks. Needless to say, some parts of life had to be put on hold so we had time to shovel, celebrate, and mourn. 

I (as most moms) always fear miscarrying a child, as the statistics are 1 in 4 women will experience one. And I never take my lovely healthy kiddos for granted. Indeed I have much to be grateful for in this situation.....though I still mourn the loss. I feel like a new member of a sad club of people whose heart will always be missing a piece. 

(my husband's work sent us a memorial candle)

What do you do when your dream is lost? When timelines come and go that would have been filled with meaning...but now lie empty? When others continue to celebrate their dreams and you sincerely rejoice with them.....yet feel an inner ache? 

Here's some thoughts for responding to lost dreams...whatever type they may be. 

1. Let yourself grieve.  

Don't keep it pent up inside. Sometimes all I needed was to post it on Instagram for it to be acknowledged as real, and then I could move on for the day. Sometimes.....you just need to eat dark chocolate (which has some serious health benefits, by the way!) Give yourself space, and breathing room in your schedule to just 'be'. 

2. Tell people. 

We are meant to live in community, with each person supporting the other. We each have our seasons of hardship and celebration, and we need each other to pull us through the one to anticipate the other. 

3. Be thankful.

In the midst of grieving what you had hoped for, don't forget what you already have. To cling too tightly to what you can't have, is in a sense, to negate the value of what you do have. Focus on the gifts you have received. 

4. Look forward.

A loss is not the end. It hurts like a gut punch, but it is not the end. There are second chances, new opportunities, and possibilities of this dream being fulfilled at a different time. There are also ways God wants to work in and through you in this tough season. He can use this to draw you to Himself, and help you pour blessing into others. 

At the funeral for a dear elderly member of our church who had fought long and hard with cancer, I overheard her daughter sharing about her dad.  She said they 'had plans'. After he took the time to grieve and go through his wife's possessions, he wasn't going to just stay in that moment. They had travel plans and adventures to live. I was impressed with their attitude. If anyone deserves to just sit in that grief, it's a spouse who's been married for decades. But he realized that his life wasn't over, though he had lost the one most dear to him.  To keep on "living" was also a way to honor his wife's wishes and legacy. 

If you are sitting with the loss of a dream, remember to let yourself grieve. Don't ignore it. Tell someone who can provide support. Be thankful for what you have been blessed with and look forward in anticipation for how God wants to work in your life. 

Sojourning with you, 

Felicia