Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice..

We're having a baby GIRL!

Due June 28 (at least that's their best guess. I say June 15. We'll see!)

We're taking baby girl name suggestions.....

A Mother's Prayer

by Barbara C. Ryberg

I wash the dirt from little feet,

And as I wash I pray,

"Lord, keep them ever pure and true

To walk the narrow way."

I wash the dirt from little hands,

And earnestly I ask,

"Lord, may they ever yielded be

To do the humblest task."

I wash the dirt from little knees,

And pray, "Lord, may they be

The place where victories are won,

And orders sought from Thee."

I scrub the clothes that soil so soon,

And pray, "Lord, may her dress

Throughout eternal ages be

Thy robe of righteousness."

E'er many hours shall pass, I know

I'll wash these hands again;

And there'll be dirt upon her dress

Before the day shall end."

But as she journeys on through life

And learns of want and pain,

Lord, keep her precious little heart

Cleansed from all sin and stain;

For soap and water cannot reach

Where Thou alone canst see,

Her hands and feet, these I can wash --

I trust her heart to Thee.

Athiests Evolved from Chickens

I just love Ray Comfort.

Atheists Evolved From Chickens
by Ray Comfort

A loving Christian brother just emailed me and said, “Man-o-man. There are some bitter, furious, Christian hatin' bloggers out there!!!” I told him that he is seeing comparatively nice ones. I delete the bad blogs. He’s right though. Some of the atheists that are part of this blog are pretty nasty. So, I have decided to return a bit of the fire (in love, of course). My new theory is that perhaps atheists evolved from the chicken, because they not only have chicken characteristics--a head, eyes, mouth, skin, neck, heart, earlobes and legs (homology structures), but they also have the chicken’s tendencies--they are chicken livered. They hang around Christians like annoying little bugs hang around light, trying to inject their poison whenever they can. If you are an atheist, I hope I’m ruffling your feathers. I want to get under your skin and ask why you don’t have the courage to even whisper to Moslems what you keep shouting at Christians. Prove me wrong. Get onto a Moslem website and tell them that you don’t believe their god exists. Do your little “I don’t believe in Zeus” thing. Tell them they believe a myth. Talk about Mohammed as you do Jesus (use lower case for Mohamed). Do your “I don’t believe in the flying spaghetti monster” thing. Tell them that we weren’t made by a god (lower case), but that they evolved from primates (that will go down well). Also, let them know in no uncertain terms that the Koran is full of mistakes (give some examples), and that their mosques are full of hypocrites.You wouldn’t dare, because you are chicken-livered. You know that they are not like Christians. Despite the “anonymity” of your little chicken coop, they would come after you to lop off your head. And when they find you, you would fall on your knees and be praying to God for help, quicker than I can move a fly swat . . . and I'm pretty quick. So, think about what you are doing, and think about how much you value your life. Then think about what we are telling you. Think.
Distributed by http://www.christianworldviewnetwork.com/, see this link.



He is so right. Christians pray for their enemies. Muslims prey on their enemies.

It's not just America's problem....

Here are some startling statistics of abortion worldwide:

WORLDWIDE
Number of abortions per year: Approximately 46 Million

Number of abortions per day: Approximately 126,000

Where abortions occur:78% of all abortions are obtained in developing countries and 22% occur in developed countries

Legality of abortion:About 26 million women obtain legal abortions each year, while an additional 20 million abortions are obtained in countries where it is restricted or prohibited by law

Abortion averages:Worldwide, the lifetime average is about 1 abortion per woman

The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (http://www.agi-usa.org/)

"One death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic." -- Joseph Stalin

Do we live by the ethics of this mass murderer? Or do we live by the Word of God, which says that the abortionists are guilty, but those who deliberately hide their eyes are guilty as well?

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.

And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.

And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth his seed unto Molech, and kill him not: Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people."

Leviticus 20:1-5

Here's Ron Paul's solution to abortion in America. Finally, a real solution, not just another "positive step" that is nothing more than a big puff of hot air. (I think that I am justified in saying this, 35 years and 46 million abortions after Roe vs. Wade.)

I dare you .....

not to believe everything you hear!
If you have the nerve, read the links below.

First
Second
Third*
Fourth

*read what praise and adoration a certain "reverend" bestows upon Margaret Sanger, communist, champion of abortion, and founder of Planned Parenthood

In honor of this government-created holiday, MY family is going to celebrate the Real King today by reading Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount. If everyone in America would do that, perhaps we could begin to unravel the pathetic mess that the past 40 years of dwelling on someone else's delusional (plagiarized) dream has given us. Instead of abortion, hatred, welfare, government programs, moral degenerates, overcrowded prisons, and fatherless children, we could have love, forgiveness, brotherly kindness, family revival, and a True Blessed Hope.

"Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 7:21

He Maketh Me to Lie Down

...well, it wasn't exactly green pastures yesterday, it was a beautiful white. Either way, it was such a fun and relaxing day for us. Jason and I both had tons of work to do and projects to finish, but how nice it was just to lay everything aside and enjoy that beautiful snow blessing.

We took a lovely walk through the woods,

then came in to dry off and warm up

with a nice cup of hot cocoa!

Then we finished off the evening with a fun game of "Horse-opoly" (no, that's not a misprint) in which Jason skunked us all!

Introducing Annie Oakley...

and the Stringer Gang!

We had a great time this weekend celebrating with our little cowgirl.

Baby Maggie just loves KK's hair!

All these 2 had on their minds was "fire" and cake!

Seth always goes straight for Jessie.

He told me the other day,

"Mama, I don't like girlie things, I just like girls."

Sanctity of Life

As you may know, January is Sanctity of Life Month. As founder and executive director of a crisis pregnancy center, abortion is obviously something that is close to my heart. January 22 of this year will be the 35th "anniversary" of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision, which (unconstitutionally) overturned all 50 states' laws banning abortion.(GO RON PAUL!! American citizens, it's time we take the government back into OUR hands! .....sorry, just had to get that off my chest!) Since then, 46 million babies have been massacred legally (at least legally by man's standards, but man can't overrule God's laws).

I'm going to include a link to an article that I read this afternoon about how the abortion rate is declining. It's very short and very interesting. Of course the tone of the article is that we should be worried about this decline, as if enough women aren't able to practice their "choice", and freedom is on the decline! Of course this is absurd. But, realistically, I know there are probably several reasons for this decline. First, there is no longer any tabu associated with an unmarried woman raising a baby; it's just considered "the norm" now. Secondly, birth control is passed out freely (at TAX PAYER'S EXPENSE) to everyone, even middle schoolers. While a decline in abortion is good, I don't really consider the above reasons "positive steps" for our society. On the other hand, I believe there are a couple more reasons for the decline in abortions that are encouraging. One is the internet. The generation that is coming up now is more prone to go to the internet for their information than the (liberally owned and run) newspapers, magazines, and TV networks. Praise God for this! If one gets all her information from TV, she will only hear about freedom and rights and choice when it comes to abortion. But if she goes to the internet, she will find information about prenatal development, post-abortion syndrome, the abortion breast cancer link, health risks of abortion, and even actual photos and videos of abortions. In other words, she will have access to some factual information, not just emotional rhetoric. This is good. Another reason that I can't help but believe has contributed to a decline in abortion, is the existence of more than 3,000 crisis pregnancy centers that are located in the United States. Most centers are small and struggle to even stay open with lack of funds and lack of help; but it has been shown over and over again, that one on one Christian love and counseling is much more effective than any multi-million dollar government farce of a program. I thank the Lord for the volunteers at our center who are so faithful to this important work! Please remember them when you pray.

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set

before you life and death, blessing and cursing:

therefore choose life,

that both thou and thy seed may live"

Deuteronomy 30:19

My Doodlebug

Today, our little Sis turns 8 years old. She is the cutest, sweetest, roughest, toughest, smartest, most beautiful, most gentle, coonhunting, sewing, cooking, creating, drawing, painting, helping, loving little girl you'll ever meet. Below you'll see her in her new boots we got her for her birthday. As you can see, they are John Deere pink, and I think they describe my Madelyn's personality perfectly!

A tradition around our house is to have Monkey Bread for birthday mornings. (recipe below) Here we are for our living room picnic breakfast.

Happy Birthday, Doodlebug! Mama is so proud of you, and I thank the Lord for all the joy He's given me through you!

Monkey Bread (with the bread machine)

1 c. water

1/4 c. butter

1 egg

1/4 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. powdered milk

3 1/4 c. bread flour

1 1/2 tsp. yeast

Place ingredients in machine on dough cycle. In a small bowl, mix 3/4 c. sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. cinammon. Set aside. When finished, remove dough and cut in half continually until you have 16 pieces of dough (about tennis ball size). Grease large bundt pan. Take each piece of dough and pinch into 5 small pieces, dip them liberally in sugar and then place them in bundt pan. Cover and let rise 35 minutes in a warm place. In a small saucepan, heat 1 stick of butter and 1 c. brown sugar just until melted. Pour over bread. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and immediately invert onto serving place. Remove pan after 1 minute. Let Monkey Bread stand 10 minutes before serving.*

And remember, it's never too late to start a fun family tradition!

*CHEATER'S VERSION: (if you don't have a breadmaker)

Take 3 cans of Texas style butter flavor biscuits and cut into quarters. Dip into sugar and place pieces into bundt pan. Melt butter and brown sugar and pour over. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cover with foil and bake 5 minutes more.

Which came first.....?

I'm inclined to think it was Mama Hen and Daddy Rooster during Creation Week; and around here, the chickens definitely came first and now, finally, an EGG!!

Here's what I'll probably cook with our first egg, a way the whole family can share! (Go ahead and laugh! You'll be laughing with us, not at us...we know how corny we are!)

Whole Wheat Pancakes (delicious!)

Mix:

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. King Arthur white whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Separately, whisk:

1 large egg

1 1/3 c. buttermilk*

1 Tbsp. oil

Combine just until moist; batter will be lumpy. Pour 1/4 c. batter for each pancake onto greased hot griddle. Makes 10 4-inch. pancakes. Dried blueberries or fresh diced apples may be added. Serve with maple syrup. *(To sour sweet milk, add 1 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice and fill to make 1 c. milk; let stand for 5 minutes)

For the best pancake flipper in the world, check out my sister Keri's website and look on page 30 of the new Spring Catalog. It's called the extra wide turner.

Press On!

I just want to offer a little encouragement for everyone who is reading her Bible through this year. If you're following the chronological schedule, you should be in the book of Job right now. As I'm reading, I'm reviewing the study notes in my KJV Defenders Study Bible, with notes compiled by Henry M. Morris. (I own the first edition of the one linked above.)

Henry Morris is the founder of the Institute for Creation Research who passed away in 2006. He was a brilliant scientist and scholar, but more importantly, he was an unapologetic believer and defender of the inerrant Word of God. He has been called "The Father of Creation Science". I cannot say enough about what reading his books has done for my walk of faith, helping to right so many wrongs that I picked up in public school as well as "Christian" college. This Bible has meant so much to me (and I'm very cautious of "study" Bibles!) that it has been my standard gift for all high school graduates who are college bound for the past five years.

Here is an excerpt from his introduction to the Book of Job: "Except for the first eleven chapters of Genesis, ....the book of Job is probably the oldest book in the Bible. It contains more references to creation, the Flood and other primeval events than any book of the Bible except Genesis, and provides more insight into the age-long conflict between God and Satan than almost any other book. Remarkably, it also seems to contain more modern scientific insights than any other book of the Bible." It's been so exciting to learn about the ancient world through the eyes of Job, who lived so soon after that catastrophic global Flood that so changed the created world! Dr. Morris points out so many references to creation, the flood, the Ice Age, constellations and the gospel of the stars, the unseen spirit world, and so much more.

Another great companion while reading Genesis and Job is God and the Nations by Henry Morris.

It is a wonderful explanation as to where all civilizations, past and present, originated, and how the Tower of Babel rebellion forever changed mankind. It truly makes Genesis 10 and 11 come alive for the child of God!

I hope you are enjoying your reading as much as I am.

Hi, Honey!

....and all the other wives' honeys out there too!

Isn't it just cute how the men read our blogs? Jason comes in from a long day's work and takes a minute each evening to check the news and weather and Coondawgs.com, but first, he has to stop by all the passionate housewives' blogs!

Gentlemen, we thank you for the opportunity to stay home and care for your home and children while you are working each day. And we promise, we do LOTS more than blog!

The Twelve Days of a Large Family Christmas

My sentiments exactly!!

It's a girl! and a boy!

Meet the newest members of our family: Samson and Delilah.

Daddy is so proud!

Here's Bub dancing with joy in his "chicken boots".

(If you click on this picture up close, of course you will again see

Bubbie's perpetually dirty mouth!)

Huckabee's Phone Call From God

Please forgive me...I don't normally post blasphemy on my blog, but this is of extreme importance. Call this man an ordained minister if you like (they're a dime a dozen!), but, please, for the sake of all those ordinary men who were just living life minding their own business when the God of Glory arrested their souls to preach His Glorious Gospel, please, don't call this man a preacher.

Cooking Venison

Ever since my Affordable Organic post, in which I detailed our deer meat processing, several people have asked me about cooking venison. (This is especially for my cousin Jeana!)

Deer meat can be a delicious and much healthier alternative to traditional red meat, but it does take a little more time in preparation. Here are a few tips I've learned through the years, and feel free to post any other tips you might know.

1. When eating ground deer, it goes best with soups, chilis, and burgers. To make patties, add a little thickener to help hold the patties together. I like to add 1-2 eggs and about 1/2 c. oatmeal for about 2 lbs meat. You could also soak a couple pieces of bread in milk and work into the meat, much like you would do a meatloaf. Also, to remove some of the wild taste, add a clove or two of fresh garlic to the mixture. Garlic and deer meat are a great combination.

2. To cook a great burger, add a little Dale's sauce to your patties as you cook them. It's best to let them brown completely on one side before flipping, to help hold the patties together.

3. To thaw deer meat, plan ahead and thaw it slowly in the refrigerator. Remember that it can be bloody, so you'll want to place it in a bowl.

4. For a boneless roast, a shoulder or hind quarter, or for tenderloin, I always marinate my meat. Thaw one day, marinate the next, and cook that evening. This isn't really a marinade so much as it is a "soak". In other words, you soak the meat in it for a day or overnight, then drain and lightly rinse it before cooking, and it removes the wild taste and blood, and makes the meat very tender. I've worked for years to perfect this, and now I can truly enjoy cooking Jason's (and Caleb's!) game.

1 1/2 c. water

2 Tbsp. salt

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 c. olive oil

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

Remember that this marinade is not for flavor; it is to remove the blood and wild taste from the meat. You'll still need to season it as you cook it, and I always add meat tenderizer as well. (I personally like Kroger brand seasoned meat tenderizer.)

5. My favorite way to eat deer meat is fried tenderloin patties. (Isn't everything better fried?) Marinate your meat; drain off marinade; tenderize meat with tenderizer seasoning as well as a tenderizing kitchen gadget. Dip in milk and then flour, or just flour, then fry. Add biscuits and gravy for a good Southern meal that was definitely worth your time.

Enjoy!

New Year's Eve

Here's a group shot of our church fellowship we had New Year's Eve at our house. Of course, everyone from the church could not attend, but we had a wonderful time!

If you judge a church by its numbers, then you would not even give ours a second thought. But if you judge a church by its members, and by their faithfulness and love for the Lord and each other, then you would see why Jason and I feel so blessed that the Lord has led us to these people.

(It kind of looks like Jason has antlers, doesn't it?)

Here's a shot of our family: