In Memory

Terri Schiavo
December 3, 1963 - March 31, 2005

To all parents, if your children don't know who Terri Schiavo was, today would be a great day to educate them on this lady, and one of the saddest events in our nation's history. A time when an innocent women was condemned to death by the judiciary. Not death by lethal injection, or some other "civilized" method, but death by thirst, a method that would be considered cruel and unusual for even the most gruesome murderer.

The Culture of Death Advances by Pat Buchanan

Doug's Blog, Archive, March 2005 (Doug Phillips of Vision Forum had so many good thoughts that he posted to his blog during this time. Click on the link and scroll to the bottom to read them in order, especially his posts "A Cup of Water for Terri," Part 1 and 2.

The Terri Schiavo Story DVD available for Vision Forum for $20, or you can download the same film at Behemoth.com for only $8.95 and watch it on your computer or iPod.

The Terry Schindler Schiavo Foundation

Mr. Mom and Mrs. Dad

What a disturbing reflection on our backwards society. Where have all the men gone? What kind of men allow the women to fight their wars and build their cities? Where is the glory of motherhood? Part of what makes a woman "virtuous" by definition of Scripture, is her willingness to cheerfully, productively, and efficiently manage a home, so that her husband is free to go out and sit "among the elders of the land" in the gates of the city. (Prov. 31:10-31)

I read a very interesting article the other day, "The Madonna Syndrome" . When you have time, you must click on the link and read this piece. It is an honest admission by a die-hard feminist. She tells her story (and stories of many other women she personally knows) who lived the feminist dream (that is, no ties to husband, children, home, relationships...only self-fulfillment and career); however, now.....for some reason unknown to her and all other lost people.....she writes this:

"I am a failure in my own eyes. Somewhere inside lurks a woman I cannot control and she is in the kitchen with a baby on her hip and dough in her hand, staring me down. She is saying: “This is happiness, this is what it's all about.” It's an instinct that makes me a woman, an instinct that I can't ignore even if I wanted to."

How sad!

So I guess now the natural progession for this generation of emasculated men is for them to take over the home and childrearing. I wonder if these men in this video, 30 years from now, will look back and see how ridiculously stupid they looked walking around with pink diaper bags and a baby tossed over their shoulder. My, how things have changed! Not even 100 years ago, the men aboard the Titanic considered it their God-given, honorable duty to die so their women and children could survive; now, we dress Mama in combat boots and send her off to war while Daddy stays home and changes diapers. I guess all those years of being slapped in the face for trying to hold the door open for a lady, of having to apologize for taking God-mandated dominion over the earth and building civilizations and countries from the ground up, of being made to feel guilty for not being able to bear children and being physically stronger than women....men have given up. They are a dying breed. No wonder we are being overrun by sodomites!

What you see in the above video is not a group of men. They might be of the male species, but they are not real men. Real men rise to the occasion of hard times and do whatever it takes to provide for their families. They see to it that their wife and children are cared for physically, emotionally, and also spiritually. And even if their wives are in the workplace, they still don't abdicate their roles as leader and protector.

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." I Cor. 16:13

To my husband, Jason. I love you and am so proud of you. Thank you for going against the tide and working so hard to allow me to stay home and raise our children. (P.S. This doesn't mean that real men never change diapers!)

A Master Plan

Being a stay at home mom means different things to different people. To some, it's a thought that makes them cringe! Others feel sorry for women like me, as if I'm only here because I couldn't find a decent job. Others would love to do it, but just can't, for whatever reasons. I sometimes wonder what other people think I do all day. Do they picture me lying on the sofa eating ice cream and watching the Lifetime channel? Knee deep in laundry with kids pulling on my skirt all day? My obedient children lined up in rows of desks listening and smiling while I draw math problems on the dry erase board? The truth is, with the exception of ice cream and the Lifetime channel (replace that with coffee and a book), my life is little pieces of all these and more. Every day is an adventure and a lesson in team work. Some days are more productive and more fun than others, but at the end of the day.....good or bad....we faced it together as a family.

That's what being a homemaker (and homeschooler) means to me. It's the daily fellowship that I have with my kids. Those every day moments that life offers. There's no way to remember every delightful moment, although I do try to write down as many as possible. Sometimes I am able to catch little moments on video, like this one with Seth.

This morning, he was counting his money and found a coin with a picture of the carving on Stone Mountain. I was trying to explain how large the carvings were, that a man could actually sit on General Lee's nose, and he immeditely jumped up and ran to the school room. He came back about 2 minutes later with a drawing and this elaborate plan to climb up to the top of the mountain. He's quite mechanically minded, as you can see by his drawing, but his plan tells so much about our family. First of all, it occurred to me that he would not even consider making this journey without the rest of the family. Even Mama and the baby. And then I noticed that he even remembered that we would need to bring the baby's seat and her bottles and her Doodle and passie.

I know, it's a funny picture, but we never go anywhere or do anything around here without me delegating out responsiblities to even the little ones. "Bubbie, put Doodle in the carseat." "Seth, buckle Bubbie into the van." "KK, crank the van and turn out all the lights in the house." "Sis, pack the diaper bag." I heard myself echoed in his words. Yea, we do Math and Language and History and Science (most days, at least), but even if we don't make it that far, the kids are learning about real life, responsibility, planning ahead, team work, selflessness. Yes, I do a lot of laundry, wipe a lot of behinds, wash a lot of dishes, lose a lot of sleep, and I don't have a snazzy wardrobe....but I praise God for this privilege of being a stay-at-home mom.

And even if you don't agree with my rantings, you have to admit this video is just plain cute, especially when he scrapped the whole climbing plan for the moon shoes. I didn't have the heart to tell him there was already a cable car; the moon shoes seemed much more fun!

Sunday Dinner Part 4

Here are 2 more quick recipes for the crock pot (for you slow cookers out there...LOL Melanie!)

BEEF TIPS IN MUSHROOM GRAVY

2 lbs. stew beef, cut into bite size

2 envelopes French onion soup

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 (soup) can water

Place beef into slow cooker. Combine soup mix, mushroom soup, and water. Pour over beef and cook on low for 6-8 hours. (Variation: For thicker gravy, you can dredge the beef pieces in flour an oil, then drain on paper towel, before placing them in the crock pot. This is very good, but obviously takes more time.) Serve over rice or mashed potatoes. Add some broccoli and cresent rolls, and you've got a quick delicous meal.

SHREDDED FRENCH DIP ROASTBEEF SANDWICHES

3 lb. boneless beef chuck roast

1 can condensed French Onion soup

1 can condensed beef consomme

1 can condensed beef broth

1 tsp. beef bouillon granules

8 or 10 hoagie or sub rolls

Place roast into crock pot. Combine soups (all these flavors are available in the Campbell's brand) and bouillon. Pour over roast and cook on low 6-8 hours. Shred beef and serve onto sandwiches with a slotted spoon. We toast our buns lightly, then serve the sandwiches with Provolone cheese and Claussen dill sandwich slice pickles. Serve with a salad or pasta.

Ten Peas in a Pod

Follow this link to download a FREE copy of a wonderful book for the whole family called "Ten Peas in a Pod" by Arnold Pent III. Behemoth.com is offering this free only for the month of March, so don't miss this great opportunity. I bought the book in print several years ago, and we read it aloud as a family. It is the true story of a family of 10 who traveled the country, home schooling before it was cool, serving the Lord and sharing the gospel everywhere they went. What stands out most in this family is their amazing commitment to Bible memorization. This is what inspired me to give my children the gift of memorizing Scripture, not just a random verse here and there, but in entire portions as the Lord intended for it to be read. The audio version includes recordings of the family singing and quoting Scripture. It sends chills down your spine to hear that much scripture quoted by heart in unison.

You can go to Behemoth.com and create a free account, then download this to your computer. You can burn it to disc, or drag and drop it into your iTunes for your iPod, or of course just listen to it directly from your computer. This will be the last week to get it for free!!

The Rulers of the Roost

Meet our roosters....

Our Buff named Goliath

General Lee, the Barred Rock

Sheriff, the Rhode Island Red

and last, Sam, the little banty with the big attitude

Spring has sprung!

Been Busy!

If you look closely, you can see what Summer Rose has been up to lately. Three weeks ago, she didn't have any teeth, now she has 5! Isn't this such a precious stage of childhood?

Sunday Dinner Part 3

I have previously shared my recipe for crockpot spaghetti , which is a meal that is a favorite of everyone in my family, and certainly appropriate for a Sunday dinner. Now I'll share 2 other recipes that are definitely crowd pleasers. The first, Crock Pot Ribs, is my favorite way to prepare ribs, and is so tender and delicous that it's a great meal to serve guests. The other, Steak Burritoes, is a little spicy, but not too much for even my 4-year-old. Enjoy!

CROCKPOT RIBS

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. soy sauce

1/2 c. ketchup

1/4 c. honey

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

4-6 lbs. country-style pork ribs

1 onion, sliced

Combine first 9 ingredients. Place onion in bottom of crock pot. Add ribs, then cover with sauce. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. (Remember pork is done at 160 degrees, sooner than most meats, so you don't want to overcook it and make it tough.) Leftovers (if there are any!) make great hot sandwiches.

STEAK BURRITOS

2-3 lbs. chuck steak

1 envelope taco seasoning

1 envelope Ranch seasoning

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 4-oz. can chopped green chilies

1 Tbsp. vinegar

8 large flour tortillas

shredded cheese (I prefer Monterey Jack for this meal)

chopped tomatoes

sour cream, opt.

sliced green onions, opt.

Rub meat with taco and ranch seasoning. Spray crockpot with nonstick cooking spray, and place meat in bottom. Top with onion, chilies, and vinegar. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred meat with fork, and serve on tortillas with desired toppings. Add some Mexican flavored rice, or tortilla chips and cheese, and you've got a quick delicious meal.

Be Watchful

I don't know all the details of this story, and it involves a bitter divorce, but the rough details are that a judge has ruled, solely on the basis of a mother's conservative religous beliefs, that her children be enrolled in public school, to ensure that the children receive a "more well rounded education". The judge himself admitted that the children were thriving academically in the homeschool setting, but that they needed to be exposed to beliefs other than that of their mother.

Folks, this is scary. Since when did an unelected judge, or even an elected one for that matter, acquire the right/responsibility to decide what "well rounded" means for your kids, and what they need to be "exposed" to. Follow these links for some more information, and please stay updated on what happens in this case.

World Net Daily: Judge Orders Homeschools Into Public District Classrooms

Judge Rips Homeschool Mom's Choice of Churches

Blogroll: Homeschool Injustice

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.
Ronald Reagan

Shucks, I missed it!

Well, unbeknownst to the likes of me, Tuesday, March 10 was National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers. Don't believe me? Check out this link:

National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers

(seriously, here's another link!)

If I had only known, I could have purchased one of these cool T-shirts to wear:

or maybe even a onesie for the baby....


or a cool logo for my car....

or even a new pair of tennis shoes!

Oh, well, better late than never.

THANK YOU, friendly local abortion provider, for mainstreaming infanticide.

THANK YOU for exploiting the lonely, lost, scared, needy women in my nation.

THANK YOU for being able to stomach the butchering of millions of precious babies.

THANK YOU for polluting the ground of my beloved country with innocent blood.

THANK YOU for degrading Divine Image Bearing created souls, to the level of a piece of meat.

Thanks, but no thanks. Your services are not wanted here.

Almighty God (Whom is most assuredly not a "she"), could, in a sense, be called "pro-choice"; but it is more accurate to say that He has offered you free will. You choose not to confess Him now, and by refusing to confess Him in this life,you will damn your own soul.

Refuse Him now.......... but you will still confess Him one day.

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Philippians 2:9-11

Pima-Latas (Sunday Dinner Part 2)

Once a month, my sisters and I, along with our families, gather at our parents' house for supper. The menu is always the same, "Pima Latas". This is a meal that my mother learned to prepare while she lived in Arizona as a teenager. It is a favorite with us all, and quick and easy to prepare. Since it is so quickly prepared, I thought I'd share it today, as a great Sunday dinner meal. It's similar to tacos, but easier to fix plates when you have lots of kids in line, and also not as messy.

Caleb and Madelyn love JayJay's old air hockey table

These are my sisters, Keri and Jada

Here is the table, all set and ready

This is the finished product!

PIMA LATAS

Fritoes (regular does better than "scoop style" for these)

ground beef, browned and drained

(I usually prepare 2 lbs for my family)

shredded lettuce

diced tomatoes

diced onion (I prefer green onions)

shredded cheese (I prefer Monterey Jack)

jalapenoes (optional)

Layer in order, then top with Pima Lata sauce and sour cream.

SAUCE:

1 quart tomato juice

chili powder to taste

1 c. water

3-4 Tbsp. flour

Place tomato juice in large pot and bring to boil. Add chili powder to taste (approximately 1-2 Tbsp. , depending on how hot you prefer). In seperate cup, mix cold water with flour. Whisk into boiling juice, a little at a time, until desired thickness.

iBaby

Rosebud jamming out to Davey Crockett on the MP3 player.

(She's inherited Mama's love for technology and Bubbie's love for music!)

Fellowship and Dirt Cake

We had a great time fellowshipping after church last night. Rosebud is never lacking for someone to hold and play with her.

Jason only cooks outside or away from home! (?)

Here's Bub with his best friend "Brudder Damie"

These are the Bible Baptist Church cooks. They are actually very good cooks; UNfortunately, however, they sing while they cook!

And here's the recipe for Dirt Cake everyone was asking about. Love you guys!

DIRT CAKE

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 stick butter, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

Mix together with mixer.

1 small instant vanilla pudding

1 small instant chocolate pudding

4 c. milk

Prepare as directed.

12 oz. Cool Whip

In LARGE mixing bowl, thoroughly mix cream cheese mixture, pudding mixture, and Cool Whip.

1 large package Oreos, crushed

(I use a plastic bag and rolling pin)

Layer pudding and cookie mixtures as follows: 1/3 cookie mixture, 1/2 pudding mixture, repeat, and top with remaining cookie mixture.

For fun, add gummy worms, and serve in a pail with a shovel. (great for boy baby showers)

Refrigerate for 6 hours.

12-year-old speaks out on the issue of abortion

My Little Bubbas

I've blogged about "the boys" before, and for most of you who know them, you've no doubt noticed how much they've grown up and even changed personalities this past year. For 3 years, Bubbie hardly said a word, and Seth did all the talking for them both. Since Bubbie has become a talker (and believe me, he talks!), they have almost completely reversed personalities. Bubbie has become the outgoing, friendly performer, and Seth has become the shy, quiet, thoughtful boy. They have completely surprised their mama! I'm so thankful that they are close, but it certainly isn't because they are anything alike......

Seth is the student and scientist.....

Bubbie hasn't quite caught onto that yet!

Seth loves animals and babies....

Bubbie loves guns and bows!

Seth is a hobbit....

Bubbie is a cowboy.

Seth loves to charm the ladies....

Bub likes to fight!

As different as they are, everyday is such a blast with my little fellas. I pray that the Lord will take each one, and make a mighty man of God of him.

(can't you just see the mischief in those smiles???)

Sunday Dinner, Part 1

It has been requested by several of my kind readers that I post some meal recipes that can either be prepared ahead of time, such as in a crockpot, or can be prepared quickly; thereby making a great Sunday lunch menu. I am glad to do this, since Sunday dinners are a tradition at our house. I always try to prepare something special, and it seems like everyone is always starving, and we're all in good spirits after the morning service, and everyone is talking at once...it's a lot of fun and hopefully some good memories for the children. And, I have peace of mind knowing I did not contribute to another fellow human being having to miss church and break the 4th Commandment to prepare my family a meal. I have already posted one ideal recipe, Creamy Italian Chicken , and my goal is to publish at least 1 suitable recipe each Wednesday for the month of March. Also, you can always click on the "recipes" tab at the right of this blog for a complete list of previously posted recipes.

Today, I'll share my simple baked fish recipe, and my own original Tartar sauce recipe that you can make ahead of time. This recipe will season about 6-10 fillets, so you can adjust it to your family size. I usually buy frozen tilapia fillets, but you can buy whatever fish you prefer. We also love catfish fillets prepared this way.

Fish Cajun Butter Seasoning

1/2 c. butter, melted

2 tsp. cajun creole seasoning

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. basil

(Thaw fillets) Whisk together seasoning ingredients. Spray baking dish. Brush with seasoning and bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with fork.

Tartar Sauce

1 c. mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. dried minced onion

1/2 c. prepared horseradish sauce*

(*I use Beano's brand from the deli, or Kraft brand near the salad dressing or mayonnaise aisle)

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 c. dill pickle relish

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Mix thoroughly and refrigerate for several hours. Keeps for about 2 weeks. Yield: 2 cups (This is way more than enough for one meal with my family)

Throw in a salad and baked potato, and you've got a quick delicious Sunday dinner!

Fishing With Friends

(use your imagination!)

What is so cute, is that I did not tell them to pose or for Seth to put his arm around Jenna...they were just out there playing like this. He held her hand and guided her around the yard finding rock treasures (told her they were dinosaur teeth). What a sweet time they had!

Don't you just love Jenna's boots?