Well, it was just buggin’ me that I had a list of errands and deliveries to make and I was going to miss all the action.   In my absence, I asked my resident photographer to log the fondant cake that Kathy started about 9:00 this morning.  Well, by started I mean that she already had the cake made, the icing made, and supplies purchased.  This cake was a three unit cake which made a sheet cake and three baby circular cakes.  Today was reserved for decorating.  

Here she is covering a miniature cake that will become the big yellow “bump” on the top of the cake.

Fondant is basically edible play dough, although most people discard it because of texture and taste.  It really is more of a decorating fancy.  It puts the cost of a cake up considerably too.  Fondant and marzipan are used mostly in the United Kingdom.  It has caught on in the United States over the past few years.  Buttercream has been popular for decades in the U.S. but unheard of in the U.K.  Kathy has received instruction from a British cake maker that detailed other differences. 

More fondant.  This is royal blue.  She also used regal purple, egg yellow, teal, super red, and leaf green.

This is the baby circular cake pan that is used for the bump, the fondant circles, and the additional two layer baby cake you will soon see.  All these circles made the project proportional and well matched.  We have learned over the years that proportion is everything …. especially when making wedding cakes.  There’s kind of a knack to it and sometimes we get it right, and sometimes we don’t get it right.

Kneading purple fondant.  It takes a long time to get the color through even a small lump.

And the teal.

These are bowls of buttercream icing matched to the fondant colors.  These will trim the cake which has been frosted in white buttercream.  In the right lower corner you can see the two layer baby cake which has not yet been frosted with the yellow and two fondant circles.

By now you may guess who this is.

The yellow bump with a fondant smile and antennae.

All done!  This was an all day project.

It was a humid and warm day so a fan cooled and dried the cake before it melted away.  The two layer baby cake also has a fondant smile on yellow buttercream.

You are right! It is Baby Einstein….

and baby cake Einstein!

What a buggy day!

This morning it appeared that something was going to take place.  But where?

For weeks I have wondered which house on our street would have the honor of being the first to have the shovel touch the dirt.  And wouldn’t you know it?  It was the Spangler’s front yard that took the honor!  We were blushing with excitement that we had been chosen to go first.  That was in the morning, but …

In the afternoon the big shovel moved to the other side of the driveway, dug a big hole, and …

Plopped one of the Lego pieces right in our yard!

Something happened on our street.

 I walked down to see them.  Look like giant Legos.  Hey, that’s pretty neat.  Our driveway is going to get its very own Lego.

Recently we completed 14 centuries of history based upon the Mystery Of History Volume II, but with all kinds of detours and supplemental study.  Along the path of 14 centuries of history we made a timeline as shown below.  Our study started with the birth of the Church and the Fall of Jerusalem (AD 70) but we reviewed the life of Christ so our timeline starts just before AD 70. 

One of the best reasons to home school versus government school is that real history is taught in the home school because history is God’s story.  This story is not told in public schools, and in fact, most of what is in the history books in state schools is propaganda and not truth.  I am thankful that my children have travelled from 70 AD to 1456 AD with teaching that tells the real story from the Christian worldview.  I can not imagine telling my children what happened without explaining the church, religion, and man’s quest for meaning.  So in our history curriculum we studied the creeds and the main players in the church.  Every event in history we evaluated with the Bible as the basis for truth, and not man.   It was a fascinating study.  Here is our timeline picture for the Nicene Creed.  Some people are afraid of creeds and confessions, but we believe that they are pillars against lies.

We started with Creation (well actually before Creation) two years ago and it seemed as if everything built up to the life and death of Christ and the Roman Empire.  It was something else to see the Empire crumble and the chaos that followed.

We did not ignore legends, and of course Robin Hood is a favorite.  For the occasion we selected a very old film of Robin Hood to view that was delightful.  We even had a few sword fights in our living room.

The Vikings are such an interesting and fearless people to study.

We studied people groups around the world. 

Medicine was not neglected.  The history of medicine is fascinating, and we found out that our present modern day medicine, for all of its advancements, is still rooted in pagan practice and thought. 

We admired the brave…

and especially those who were martyred for the Gospel.  John Huss (rhymes with goose but in America we rhyme it with fuss) leaves an incredible historical record.  He, along with Wycliffe, laid the foundation for the Reformation.  Since we stopped at 1456, we are on the verge of what I consider to be the marvelous time period: the Reformation.  Not only theologically and academically, but in the arts.   We are gearing up for all kinds of good things to happen.

I search for old books to tell the stories and for Masada I found an old archaeological book that was fascinating.  This story brought a discussion of ethics to the foreground.

We studied how source documents are important.  The quantity and quality of source documents for the Bible are far more than any other ancient literature.

Prior to every major portion of history study, I go back to a study that I wrote a few years ago that tells what happened BEFORE time began and what God’s purposes in history are.  I print these out at the beginning of each major section of history and hand them to our children.  They are then given a highlighter pen and we mark words and ideas.  One of my disappointments in every history curriculum I have seen (including home school) is that no one seems to value what happened before time began.  It seems to me that this should be written about and expanded upon and placed in the front of every history book.  It’s the true starting point.  We study several Old Testament passages and Ephesians 1.  In addition to that we take a look at the attributes of God and the cycle of history. 

Then we discuss man’s beginning and the three jurisdictions of authority given to man:  Family, Church, and State.  That sets the framework to study any period of history. 

Any imbalance in the jurisdictions causes such problems.  The study of the jurisdictions is what Christians of the last 150 years have not understood at all – and one of the reasons why we are in such sad shape today.  Christians have abdicated the responsibility given to the Family and instead have transferred their duties to the Church and the State.  The last century was catastrophic as fathers and mothers farmed out their spiritual responsibilities to Sunday schools and youth groups, and they delegated education to the State which means that Christian children have been and are educated by the heathen.   This means they believe what the heathens tell them, and they VALUE what the heathens value.  The counterpart to this is that the Church is consumed with programs to cover responsibilities that aren’t hers – instead of remaining faithful to her own duties, and this programmed, man-centered approach to ministry has left it ineffective in proclaiming truth and pursuing bibilical worship.

My husband and I believe that corporations have formed a fourth jurisdiction in our present day world that has not been approved by God.  There are other jurisdictions that Christians in the Reformation movement are pushing as authorities, or running to for advice and authority and admiration.  It’s much harder to work with those we know locally with all of their imperfections that we see on a weekly basis.  There are para-church organizations who are usurping the value of the local Church and are draining resources.  In my opinion, these organizations with all of their bells and whistles should scale back and offer help to the local Church or spend their resources on planting local Churches, and not take on the roles that they are.  The continuing immaturity of men to lead their churches and families is a direct result from draining resources from the local Church.  We need men on the local level to pursue God’s Word and disciple others locally.  Long distance discipleship does not cut it in the end.  The virtual youth groups and internet church also drain the local Church.  My husband and I have a large vision for the local Church, even in the huge metroplex we live in that seems to swallow us up.  My husband and I have experienced so many battles on this front in recent years that I know the enemy does not want a strong local Church here.  It has been very discouraging, and I find myself faint at heart and weary.  Yet we are thankful because God is pruning things out of our lives that do not matter for eternity and even just this past week He showed me how this trial is calling me to walk more holy in the little every day things I perform.

Today we are thankful for the resurgence of homeschooling and the restructuring of churches across our nation, but I personally feel that it is too early to call this a reformation.  For one, I see a restructuring of the social structure of the Family and Church, but a resistance to reforming the content.  And for two, I see too much emphasis on the Family where the Family actually becomes the center of everything and Church is an outsource.  Family kingdom building has taken precedence over the local Church and the Great Commission.  In some cases it is a form of idolatry.  I see that we are still out of balance as far as jurisdictions go and so our gains are rather small.  It is even possible that our gains will be easily stamped out as the State grows exponentially, which if you have read the news in the last month you see that plainly.  Neglecting the Church in favor of the Family is not the solution.  I believe that if we are to survive the oncoming battle with the State, we must have a strong Church.

To peak your interest, I’ll list here the cycle of history for you to ponder.  For some time I was bitter about my place in the cycle since I interpret current history to be in the #8 and #9 categories, but I have come to understand that God’s sovereignty over my life is the rockbed of my salvation and my eternal hope.   As I see it, regardless of where I am in the history cycle, I’m just overwhelmingly grateful that He chose me and that when my pilgrimage on earth is over, that I will be finally Home.  I truly am amazed that He chose me.  It is beyond me that I will spend eternity with God.  So until then I’ll trust in Deuteronomy 29:29.   The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.  I also see a strong thread of Christianity in my family history regardless of the failures and hinderances in previous generations.  May we be ever so careful not to inflict our own children with the refusal to live biblically, but may we all cast ourselves upon the Lord, depending on His grace and truth.

The Cycle of a Nation

1.  Bondage – captivity, slavery

2.  Spiritual Faith – turning to God

3.  Acts of Great Courage – doing what is right despite difficulty, danger, pain

4.  Liberty and Abundance – freedom and great blessing

5.  Selfishness – regard for one’s own interest (at others’ expense)

6.  Complacency – quiet satisfaction

7.  Apathy – indifference, lack of emotion

8.  Dependency – control or influence by another

9.  Bondage – captivity, slavery

My Valentine’s Day Present.  If we ever move, in addition to the kids and the piano, I want to take it along.

Treasures come in all forms.  Especially those things we treasure in our hearts.

Many days I miss my mother, who died when I was in first grade.  It seems I miss her more now than I did in earlier years.  I own only a few photographs of hers, and nothing else that belonged to her and my childhood.  That does not stop me from remembering.  I have treasures stored up in my heart.

One of those treasures is that my mommy sung to me.  All kinds of funny, silly songs.  Country western songs.  Popular songs.  Hymns.  Christmas.  Even Elvis Presley!  All kinds of music.  The songs I remember the most are “On the Good Ship Lollipop” and “How Much is that Doggie in the Window?”   I sang these songs to Karen and Kathy when they were young.  Karen figured out how to take childhood songs and record them on the electronic piano with some fantastic settings and create accompaniments. 

I did not know that Karen and Kathy have been singing certain songs to Kimmy.  It was to my delight that this week I discovered Kimmy singing her own version, with headphones, pretending to play the accompaniment.  My mommy would have loved this if she were here today with her grandchildren.  For Kimmy’s version, click good-ship-lollipop

This morning we watched the first step of construction on our street.   To correct the drainage problem on our street, our town will be changing the landscape a little.  This morning, flags on stiff wires were inserted into the ground to mark something.  Not sure what.  Now my job is to keep the little people in our house from playing Capture the Flag.  I am very glad for the mess we are going to deal with over the next two months.  While our house does get some water in the yard in heavy rain, it is really for my neighbor that I am glad as her backyard is troublesome when it happens.  So I will be very glad to be inconvenienced for these weeks while the solution is being landscaped into our turf.

As I thought about road this morning, I was reminded that we are walking a pilgrimage here on earth and at times things seem rather shakey.  Sometimes we see the future as bleak because we know that our nation has turned from God and the results have not been good and the downhill snowball is gaining momentum.  The waters are murky and we await an avalanche of trouble.  I am reminded, however, that in Pilgrim’s Progress the pilgrims, Christian and Hopeful, are crossing the scary, rushing river with the Celestial City just on the other side.  Christian is overwhelmed and begins to sink, but Hopeful cries out, “Be of good cheer.  I feel the bottom, and it is good.”

There are things that happen in this world that shatter our lives, break our hearts, and cause much grief.  We either go into denial, or we try to defend ourselves and be swallowed in self-sufficient efforts.  Instead, let me encourage you to place at least one toe on the bottom and say with me, “I feel the bottom, and it is good.”  And here is the bottom your toe feels: 

God only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.

Psalm 62:6-8

This is not in the format that it is on my computer.  My computer prints this out in two columns on one piece of paper in size 11 print.  I print out a stack of these and pull one each week and put it on a clipboard.  With a pen, I circle the items that are needed.  Anything not preprinted is written on this list under the category or on the blank back side of the paper.  This list is set up according to how the SuperWalmart is arranged in my town.  As I walk around the store counterclockwise, so do I walk around my paper.  It’s very easy and eliminates having to run back and forth over the store.  If I have an extra shopper with me, I can cut the paper in half and send the other person to do the other half of the store.  Some Walmarts are set up exactly opposite of this so it works then too.

Because I shop a buying club I take a yellow highlighter and mark those items and shop that store first, crossing off what is purchased.  If my buying club does not have something in stock, it remains on the list and is usually found at Walmart.  I have large coolers in the van to store the purchases from the first store while shopping the second store.

What do I do with specialty items that are not found in either the buying club or the discount store?  I still use the master list as I go through my house and circle those items just for the convenience of doing it all on one piece of paper.  I then transfer them to a 4 x 6 card (or I do it straight to the card if I have it on the clipboard).  These would be things like agave nectar (found cheapest at HerbMart), makeup (Karen’s shade of foundation powder is only found at Ulta), high efficiency laundry detergent (cheapest at Sears – yeh! a little Sears store just went in nearby) and so forth.  I will run these errands every other month as they collect into a list.  If James is picking up something for us then I hand him a card with those items.  Some items are purchased in bulk from local farmers, such as chicken and milk.

Once a month we go through our house and do a big sweep of paper products, cosmetics, office, and so forth – things that are not food items.  So once a month the shopping does take longer because I buy all of that stuff for the entire month.   As to where we shop (Walmart vs. Sams vs. Target vs. Costco vs. chain grocery stores), well that is a topic for another time, but you can check the Human Rights Index for 2008 to understand a little of our point of view.  There really is no good place to put our money these days, although Walmart has a better rating than most, so I am comforted by the fact that the Lord had the Israelites buy from the heathen nations multiple times in the Old Testament with no bad commentary on the action.   Sometimes we are sustained outside of the Christian community yet we remain faithful to serve our Lord.  Well, here’s the list.  Have fun making yours or if you are in McKinney, copy mine and edit. 

SUPER WALMART SHOPPING – HIGHLIGHT SAMS ITEMS

Cosmetics & Jewelry
lipstick, brow pencil, eye liner, eye shadow, mascara, blush, foundation, compact powder, loose powder

Office Supplies
stamps, envelopes, stationery, greeting cards,
address labels, checks, rubber bands, paper clips, pencils, pens, markers, crayons, copier paper, staples, cardstock, tape, glue, scissors, packing tape

First Aid
bandaids, peroxide, antiseptic, antibiotic cream, alcohol, medicines

Toiletries
liquid hand soap, bar deodorant soap, bar gentle soap,  toothpaste, toothbrush, baby wipes, hairspray, hair gel, shampoo, conditioner, maxi pads, thin pads, mini pads,  qtips, baby powder, body lotion, razors, sunscreen, fingernail polish, polish remover,

Pets
cat food, dog food, parrot /cockatiel/ parakeet food, millet

Kitchen & Aluminum Pans & Storage & Bath

Light Bulbs & Auto & Electronics
fan light bulbs 60 lg or sm base, lamp light bulbs 40/75/100, buglights, auto maintenance, electronic equipment

Crafts & Clothing

Dairy
popcorn, can chips,  butter, yogurt: strawberry, blueberry, cherry, vanilla, other, sour cream, cottage cheese, ricotta, orange juice, other juice, milk, buttermilk, cream, half n half, eggs, tube rolls, cheddar, mozzarella, jack, swiss, feta, cottage, parmesan, romano, cream cheese

Meats
lunchmeat, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, chicken, turkey, beef, fish, frozen meats

Beverages
gallon water, snack water, Perrier, wine, chips, pretzels, cheetos, tortilla, can nuts, Pepsi, Dr. P, 7 Up, Root Beer

Laundry
laundry detergent, fabric softener, dryer sheets, powdered bleach, liquid bleach, dry cleaning refill
   
Housekeeping
ammonia, bathroom cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, windex, pledge, bon ami, comet, liquid dish detergent, dishwasher detergent, SOS pads, sponges, brushes, Lysol wipes

Paper Products
Kitchen trash bags, small trash bags, plastic wrap,
wax paper, tin foil, bread bags, sandwich bags, snack bags, food storage bags, napkins, paper plates, paper cups, straws, paper towels, toilet paper, tissues

Food Aisles
cereal, granola bars, oatmeal, cream of wheat, rice milk, white flour, whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, rye flour, cornmeal, white sugar, brown sugar, honey, 10x sugar, vanilla, other extracts, maple syrup, agave nectar, salt, pepper, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, yeast, oil,
olive oil, cooking spray, shortening sticks, coconut oil, coconut, dry milk, raisins, cranberries, mixes, spices

cranberry juice, apple cider, vitamin water, wheat crackers, saltines, cheddar bunnies, graham crackers, oreos,
car snacks, applesauce, can fruit, can vegetables, can beans, rice, dry beans, potato buds, soup, gravy mix

spaghetti noodles, macaroni, lasagna, egg noodles, macaroni,  tricolor,  lasagna, fettucini,   ch noodle mix, ramen, tuna, sardines

spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, tomato sauce, rotel,
petite diced tomatoes, sloppy joe, green chilis, taco shells, taco seasoning, salsa, asian foods

green olives, black olives, dill pickles, sweet pickles, relish, white vinegar, other vinegar, salad dressing, croutons, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, bbq sauce, peanut butter, strawberry jelly, grape jelly, coffee, tea, hot chocolate

Breads
tortillas, English muffins, bagels, French, croissants, hamburger buns, hot dog buns, sub buns, ww bread, rye, white, pita, ciabatti, cinnamon, specialty bread

Produce
red apples, green apples, oranges, clementines, bananas, grapefruit, grapes, plums, strawberries, nectarines, peaches, pears, lemons, limes, oranges, watermelon, cantelope,
honey dew melon, pineapple, avocado

potato, sweet potato, onion, spring onion,  garlic, tomato, celery, cucumber, mushroom, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, string beans, corn, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, green pepper, red pepper, radish, fresh salad dressing, raw nuts

Frozen
orange juice, ice cream, popsicles, pizza, corn, peas, veggies, hash browns, Texas toast, French fries, meals,
mix fruit, blueberries, breakfast rolls/streudel, lean pocket

Batteries
AAA, AA, C, D, 9 volt

Supplements & Vitamins

I have been asked how I do the menu and shopping, since I have mentioned that we have the same breakfasts and lunches every week.  If you wonder how we could eat the same things over and over, my opinion on that is the purpose of food is foremost for nutrition and fuel, and then after that comes enjoyment.  We may have that too often reversed in our culture where food is plentiful and appetites rule.  In our home, we are so used to doing it in a patterned way, that there are few squabbles over the menu.  And predictability brings more cooks to the kitchen to help since little ones can learn the ropes on repeated meals.

We live on a budget so having a predictable menu helps me keep to my food allowance, thereby pleasing my husband when I hit the target number.  Although it would be fun to experiment with many more kinds of foods and types of cooking (especially since all of us enjoy cooking and baking), it has been a lesson in contentment to stay within our box and yet do it well.  My daughters may not have large food allowances when they are married so this is preparation for contentment in all situations.   A predicatable menu also makes shopping easier because I can basically shop the same buying club and grocery store each week and find everything I need.  Once a month James stops at specialty stores on his way home from work to get the odd ball items.  This also saves on time and gasoline. 

Before I give the details of our menu, allow me to share two things.  The first is that James and I have spent our married life researching nutrition and different diets and our conclusions at this point in time (and it may change with new information) will not be what others conclude.  We tried many diets, including the 85% raw one, and through reading, trial and error, and other means we have landed on this menu for now.  It does not reflect food combining because although I know about some of the research on that, it frustrates me to implement it. 

The second thing I’d like to share is that for those of you who wonder how a family of nine could afford such a specific diet, let me be frank.  We aren’t affording it so we are not able at this time to purchase everything in the purest form that we would like to.  Presently we are substituting and cutting corners in order to meet our food allowance.  I would also do more with eggs in the menu, but finding raw eggs has been difficult and expensive.  Regular supermarket eggs (including most health food store eggs) are such a poor product that I would rather use less until I can find the real thing.  If you wonder about grocery store eggs, well you have to have pity on the chicken.  With just 67 square inches of space in which to live, she can’t even flap her wings, let alone build a nest, perch, dust bathe, or perform many other natural behaviors.   These chickens are in chronic and acute pain.  This definitely affects the quality of the eggs.  The labeling of eggs has no definition legally – including cage free, free range, and organic.  And if that were not enough, eggs are now pasteurized (heated) before reaching the grocery shelf.  I am able to purchase real eggs from happy chickens from a farmer so until his supply takes off again in the spring, we will use less eggs.

Back to affording specific foods, my husband is also very giving with his finances and if another family has a food or home need, we will give to that first.  So this menu and its specifications are only a guideline.  We have to be flexible.

At the end of the menu I will give the specifics of how we would purchase if we had the finances to completely cover it.  My eldest daughter questioned if I should stick my neck out and give these details since people will wonder about many things or disagree.  I am going to do it anyway since I am being asked for these details by several people.  I think most people will know too that if one of us should come down with a serious health condition such as an immune deficiency disease, we would alter things according to that.  These guidelines are not set in concrete.

Several years ago I was frustrated that our food allowance was not more to cover everything (plus peer pressure from other families who did have the means to purchase better food) and so I purchased anyway and created a small debt load on credit even though we avoid credit.  God so convicted my heart that I was not in submission to what my husband could provide for me that I had a lot of repenting to do.  Since then I am joyful for what goes on the table. 

Well, enough of that.  Here is our menu, which is on my computer in a different format (looks like a calendar) on something called Excel.  I transferred it to Word for this post.  Once a month I tweak it a little if needed, print it, and then my grocery list is generated from it.   It hangs on the side of the frig so anyone in the family can help with meals.

Breakfast

Sun - Hard boiled eggs and cinnamon bread or
          Egg casserole prepared day ahead and cinnamon bread
Mon - Homemade bread and nut butter or jams
Tue – Homemade bread and nut butter or jams
Wed – Yogurt and handful of Kashi Island Vanilla cereal or other
Thu – Homemade bread and nut butter or jams
Fri – Homemade bread and nut butter or jams
Sat  – Choose: fruit plate, pancakes, waffles, or new recipe
 
We might substitute hot cereal on cold days.  We might eat leftovers for breakfast if they are not being used at another meal.
James and I do not eat in the morning.  We drink kefir smoothies and some of our children have a small glass too.  Mine consists of homemade kefir, orange juice (opt.), mixed frozen fruit, mixed frozen berries, banana, and half of a very small avocado.  James is made more tart to the taste and no orange juice.  Occasionally I’ll have agave in mine which is a treat.  I sip a quart of this throughout the morning.

Mid-Morning if Hungry
I put out a chip and dip container that holds several kinds of nuts, seeds and raisins and my children are allowed to have a small portion in a cupped hand.  There is always a variety of fresh fruit available too.

Lunch

Sun – Fellowship meal at church
Mon – French fries (healthy packaged ones) with dips
Tue – Sandwiches and apple slices
Wed – Pizza with raw veggies on the side or top
Thu – Hard boiled eggs or string cheese with granola bars
Fri – Grilled or plain cheese sandwiches with grapes or berries
Sat – Annie’s cheese noodles

There is always a salad in the frig and several of our children start with that.
James has raw veggies dipped in homemade coconut oil / raw egg mayo for lunch.
I usually eat only a salad.

Supper

Sun – Bagels with cream cheese or other toppings such as nut butters,
 hummus, or other healthy spreads.   The grain can be changed to
 pitas, ciabatti, or whatever.  This is an easy supper after a full day at church.
Mon – Whole grain spaghetti with healthy marinara sauce and an
 assortment of toppings: cheese, mushrooms, onions, garlic, fresh basil
Tue – Fish, brown rice (plain or new recipe), steamed veggie – or stir fry rice with veggies and leftovers stirred in – or just bowls of rice if the budget is tight
Wed – Caesar salad and crusty bread
Thu – Baked potatoes (may sub sweet potato) with toppings: chives,
 cheese, sour cream, salsa
Fri – Wild card – either company is coming or we make a family favorite
 This is the night to try new recipes.  I keep an index card of eight or
 so dinners to try and choose from that based on what is happening
 during the day on Fridays.
 One piece of chocolate awarded for completed Bible memory.
 (There has to be chocolate somewhere for it to be a perfect menu!)
Sat – Baked whole chicken (put in crock pot in the morning straight from
 the freezer), rice or some kind of potatoes, steamed veggie,
 whole wheat corn bread or other, sometimes homemade ice cream

Four Company Menus (that seem to consistently work)
#1:  Baked Rice Krispie chicken, hash brown casserole, steamed veggie, salad with Ranch, whole wheat rolls, apple dumplings, ice cream.  (Pennsylvania Dutch …well, not quite.  Where’s the creamed celery, pickled beets, spiced watermelon rind, dry corn casserole, dandelion salad, apple butter on cottage cheese, and ROOT BEER?)
#2:  Taco soup with toppings: tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.  PBJ on the side for any non-takers.  Chocolate chip cookies.   (Mexican type.)
#3:  Jumbo baked potatoes with toppings: sour cream, cheese, chives, any cooked meat, steamed broccoli, and so forth.  Quick bread such as banana, pumpkin, peanut butter, carrot, or coffee cake.  Sliced tart apples, dried cranberries, and walnuts.  (Yankee)
#4:  Brisket with bar-b-q sauce on the side, whole wheat rolls, chips.  Optional potato salad or veggie/olive tray.  Any desert.  (Texan)

Good Rule of Thumb
Design the dinner plate as follows for adequate portion size.  Protein is the size of a deck of cards.  Vegetable is the size of a tennis ball.  Carbohydrate is the size of a light bulb.

Our Current Menu Guidelines

Spangler Revised Food Pyramid:
  Sweets 
  Fats & Oils
  Dairy & Meat
  Grains
  Fruits and Vegetables
(Yes, we recognize that there is controversy over the placement of grains, but we think if the bottom of the pyramid is in place, then the grains next up make more sense.  We also agree with many researchers that putting the proteins a level down is asking for heart problems and cancer even if they are clean meats.)

On holidays and birthdays, the guidelines change quite a bit.

All foods soy free.  Yes, the men in this household have soy allergies, but our research and our physicians have told us to abandon soy so we would anyway.   

Seeds and nuts:  Raw, Best ones are pumpkin, sunflower, walnuts, almonds, flax.
Beverages:  Filtered water, herbal teas, fresh juices
 And all shower heads in our house are filtered.
Fruits and veggies:  Only those with PLU codes beginning with 4 or 9
 4 is conventional, 9 is organic
 GMO codes have five numbers starting with the number 8 so none of those!
 Choose locally grown first, then organic (USA only), then conventional
Sweeteners:  Honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, stevia
Fish:  Any of these: herring, wild salmon, haddock, flounder, fresh trout, whitefish, pollock, sardines.
Meats:  Organic, hormone free, free range.  We tend to eat red meat only once every two months so we do mostly chicken.  
Dairy:  Organic, hormone free, non homogenized and raw.  Includes milk, eggs, and cheese.
 Note: Europe has banned growth hormones so are a better choice for
 cheese than conventional U.S.    Less expensive than organic health store cheese but not always organic.
Oils:  Butter, olive, coconut, flax.
Grains:  Bread is homemade from a variety of grains.  I also purchase from Central Market since many of their breads are soy free.  It is hard to find soy free bread.  Central Market has delicious breads too in many combinations.

Also good for health …

Observe the Sabbath (Isaiah 58:13-14)
 Obey parents  (Ephesians 6:1-2)
 Fasting – one meal or one day (Isaiah 58:5-12)
 Sleep – best hours before midnight, stay resting 8 to 9 hours (Psalm 127:1,2)
  No computer, reading, or lights for 8 to 9 hours consistently night after night.  The reading I have done indicates that if I look at my sleep patterns 10 years ago, it is a picture of my health today.  Therefore, I can make an educated guess at my health 10 years from now by reviewing how well I have slept this past year.  Poor sleep equals poor health.  It’s not worth cutting corners here for any reason whatsoever.  
 Daily exercise – at least walk 30-45 minutes (I Cor. 3:16, Psalm 19:5, I Cor. 9:24, Heb. 12:1 all practically applied!)
 A cheerful spirit and trusting in the Lord  (Proverbs 3:5-8, 15:13, 16:24)
 Less medical intervention
 Refrain from medications if at all possible, even when ill
 Use natural body products (good resource: – cosmeticsdatabase.com)
 Accept aging by refraining from anti-wrinkle injections, artificial skin intervention, dyes, permanent makeup and so forth 

I hope you enjoy making your menu for your home!

A “Normal” Home School Day:  Wednesday, February 4th

4:45 I awake but the first thoughts on my mind are worries about my husband, my children, my church, and the extended church.  My thoughts not only include my home, but there is a heavy burden for the church because I am an elder’s wife in our local church.  These roles change my perspective on every single day.  I ask the Lord to comfort me and give me thoughts from scripture.  Those scriptures start coming to mind and I meditate on them before crawling out of my warm bed.   Not every day starts like this, but the cares and worries of the world came tumbling into bed with me before I tumbled out.

5:00 I remember that I am going to write about a home school day.  Over the past few years, several women have asked me if they could come over to our house to see what is a normal day for a home school family or if I would write about it.  I don’t know which “normal” one to choose.  So today I elect to journal for no particular reason.   I decide not to buckle under the pressure to make the journal sound good and instead be transparent.  I have prepared nothing special in advance of this day.  I’ve been asked … how do you fit in all the music practice?  … just what do you do with adult daughters, like are they your slaves, do they have a life, or are they bored, or just what? … how do you handle ages 5 through 22 all at one time? … do you keep your house clean? … what about laundry and meals?  … how do you figure out what to do academically?  … how do you handle the needs in your church in addition to everything else?  … how do you support your husband in his split job responsibilities?    The answer:  One step at a time.

5:15  In the shower I decide to forget the journal.  Impossible task.  There is no such thing in my home that is normal except for a setting on my clothes dryer.  Besides, all the home schooling magazines have published these kinds of journals.

5:30 I decide to do the journal and start waking everyone up.  Lots of sleepy people.   James, my sweetheart, delivers a kefir fruit smoothie to the bathroom counter for me to sip while doing my hair and makeup.  He is a dear to do this every morning.  He is really into kefir.  He has already put a quart of this recipe in the frig for me to sip all morning.  I mentally check if we have all three meals covered for the day and conclude that nothing needs to come out of the freezer for the day.  When he delivers the kefir in the morning, we usually have some kind of biblical discussion.  I’m not a morning person so this has been a challenge to have my mind ready for when he arrives.

5:59 I put on some great classical music.  Today’s selection:  James Galway’s The Man with the Golden Flute. 

6:00 Chores begin on time.  This should be a great start to the journal.  Wednesday chores include cleaning all the bathrooms, washing all the towels, collecting all garbage and taking it to the street, and doing the shopping list.  Except that we already went shopping yesterday because we ran out of food.  While chores are in full swing, Kimberly, who is five, comes to me half dressed and says she was freezing all night and I look at her and indeed she was.  We dress her and brush her hair into blonde silky strands. 

6:15 James leaves for work.  Last night I asked him what I could do for him today so I already have those things tucked away in my head.  Most have to do with scheduling and instructions for the children.   He leaves with a smile on his face though he is very tired this morning. 

6:30  I remind Abigail, who is six and just got her new top teeth, that she should try to not suck her thumb when the sun is up.  That is the first step in protecting those new teeth.  We’ll work on the sun down part soon.  Kathy is finished with her chores and puts breakfast in the oven.  Yes, I confess it is a prepackaged breakfast, which we have not had in a long while that will break the standard of our homemade breakfast.  I quickly check email, send back a speedy reply, and then review photographs that Karen wants to enter in a contest.  We delete several and decide to look again later when our minds are fresh.

6:45 I pull Richard Baxter’s “Christian Directory” off of the shelf because I have been intrigued on how the book is organized and am craving to scan the table of contents.  I give it just a glance, but I have an idea of how to integrate that massive volume into Family Hour.

7:00 Breakfast.  I opt out of the streudels for another smoothie.  It looks like we will start “school” ahead of time.  Boy, is that ever going to be great for this journal!  We might even stay ahead and do some fantastic extras later on in the day.  I actually think all of life is a classroom so we have been doing school all morning, but for those looking for something organized, it’s just up ahead.

7:30 We gather in the den for Bible Memory.  Each child has their own memory book. 

7:33 Annie calls from the hall bathroom that she is going to vomit.  Yep, she’s right.

7:35 I tell everyone to keep on with the Bible memory. 

7:36 Yep, Annie was real right.

7:45 This is Family Hour.  This is the time when we do our family Bible reading (along with our church who reads the Bible through each year) and we pray together.  This year we have been looking for key verses in each chapter.  When this is completed, I do a history lesson, and usually read a story or something comical or a novel, and then we talk through a Latin root, a literary device, and a rule of etiquette.  This is also a time when discussions are sparked, or we do family planning of our day or week.  This hour begins our day with a sense of community and lots of love.

7:50 It is apparent to me that Annie and I are going to be in the bathroom for a while.  I call to Karen to go ahead and start Genesis 43, 44, 45.  This is my favorite story in the Bible, but I am going to miss it.  Karen, who is 22, and loves theology-history-science is good for this task.  She organizes everyone and starts the reading.  She also probably added all kinds of historical details to it, along with Kathy who is an ancient Egypt buff, but I don’t know since I wasn’t there.

8:05 I  call to Karen from the bathroom to go ahead and have someone read Matthew chapter 22. 

8:10 I move Annie to the sofa, hopeful to read to the children from a book that I have been reading that is terrific.

8:12 Back to the bathroom.  Annie looks up at me and tells me I am the best mother in the world.  I smile.  Not quite!  But it does make me wonder about those medical daycare places where mothers drop off their sick children so that they can go to work.  I sigh with a sense of satisfaction that although my little girl is feeling so poorly that at least I can be with her through it.

8:20 I move Annie to my bed and spontaneously rethink how to handle the coming mathematics hour. 

8:25 I attempt to deal with a character issue that has risen out of our need for flexibility this morning.  The response from my child is lack of understanding but also a spirit of rebellion – a lack of being teachable.  I address the latter but feel that resolution in the heart is not achieved.  Feelings of failure invade me.  I send up a prayer for help.  Lord, please soften and change this straying heart.

8:30 Everyone goes for math … except Annie, of course.  I ask Kathy to teach the little ones their math while I stay with Annie who has begged me not to leave her.   Usually Kathy oversees Annie’s math while working on a college business math course herself.  Karen oversees Emily’s math while she works on the same business math course.  Both Karen and Kathy are working through this course so that they can be good home administrators and have a general idea of how to run home businesses.  I return to my bedroom, rearrange the furniture so that I have the rocking chair right by Annie.  Matthew has a math test today so he tackles that.  I return to my room.  Annie is relieved that I am there.  I put on calm, sacred music with piano/orchestra.  Annie calms down.  I pick up a book from my nightstand that has been a balm to my soul and I read, realizing that God has given me a small pocket of time to be nourished with this book. 

(Are you SURE you want me to keep journaling at this point?)

9:00 Annie falls asleep.

9:05 I return to the den.  Kimberly and Abigail are happy to report that they did two math lessons, and Kathy is now reading some great children’s literature with them.  Kathy is excellent with little ones and is thankful for this time with her little sisters.  She loves substitute teaching.  I am glad.  Even with my public school teaching degree, I was afraid to home school in the early years.  I am delighted that my daughters do not have this fear of teaching little ones. 

9:30  I think I have been asked a million times if Annie has a stomach bug and is it contagious.  Matthew has already moved everything that belongs to him into his room and has committed to be a hermit there for the day.  He has a zealous passion against germs of any kind, especially ones highly suspected in this case.

9:45 We gather back in the den to think through how to handle the rest of the morning since Annie is asleep in the room where we have all the rest of our books and desks and pencils and crafts and puzzles and ….   (Yes, my bedroom is the schoolroom.)     Abigail tells me she is bored and I remind her that we do not say the B word in our house unless she would like to wash baseboards.  She considers this and says she is just fine.  I settle everyone down in the den and read aloud the last chapter of a humorous outdoorsmen book that we have enjoyed over the last month.  While listening, Emily finishes a beading project that produces a new bracelet for Abigail.  Matthew folds a rather intricate paper airplane from his 2009 Paper Airplane Calendar.  Kathy spins yarn.  Karen snuggles the little ones while I read.

9:59  Since 9:30 I think again I have been asked a million times if Annie has a stomach bug and is it contagious.  And if I think she will be better by her birthday which is April.  Yes, I think she will be better by April.  No, I do not know if she is contagious.   I start putting the pieces together and remember the past 24 hours.  It could be that her stomach is sick because she did not want to eat supper last night since it wasn’t pleasant to her taste buds.  We stuck to our guns and said we were not making her an entirely new menu.  She ate little.

10:00 Annie wakes up and calls for me.  Her stomach is empty.  Could she have a drink?  Like a fizzy soda? 

10:01 I have Pepsi hidden outside in our RV for such special occasions.  I go for it and discover that since it is freezing outside, so is the Pepsi.  I wonder what would happen if I put the Pepsi in the oven to thaw it.  Should I open the top a little?  I discover there is some liquid in the can to pour so I deliver that in a sippy cup along with a story CD to Annie to keep her mind occupied.

10:05 Karen and Kathy practice piano.  (We have three pianos.)  The others grab their journals and books to practice penmanship, write entries, and copy the book of Proverbs (10 verses at a time).  I teach phonics to Abigail and Kimberly after geographically locating us to the den.  There is a squabble in the den as everyone is on top of one another plus the electric piano is clicking away – thankfully Karen is using headphones for this occasion and is not playing the grand.  I stop to remind everyone that we have to be even more sensitive and kind to each other since we are mixed up today.  At the end of the hour I check everyone’s work, noting areas where special help is needed such as repeated spelling mistakes.

11:00 FIPT time.  That is the abbreviation for Family Integrated Physical Training.  Since it is too cold, we put on an exercise DVD that lasts 30 minutes.  (We have to turn the music sooooooo low.  When is some home schooling family going to produce a terrific exercise program with great music?)  Emily asks if she may stay with Annie and keep her company.  I say yes as I suspect  more and more that this is not a bug but a case of not eating supper last night.  We turn on the DVD.  One of my goals as a home school mother is to emphasize the daily habit of exercise, particularly for those of us living in suburban lifestyles because it is essential for a lifetime of health.  Matthew is excused to play chess when we exercise indoors.  If we are outdoors then he joins us on his bike or rollerblades.  Today we barely watch the DVD even though we keep exercising …. because Karen launches into a speech about the Vulgate, the Wycliffe version (we just studied him), and the King James.   She explains the origins and differences between the three to me.   Then she launches into another historical perspective she found in great-grandfather Franklin’s library on the RSV.   As if that were not enough to mentally digest, she gives me a thorough opinion on why that perspective is wrong.  Kathy, between breaths takes off on Middle English and quotes Shakespeare’s Sonnet #116 to me which I had not heard before.  Then they talked about Shelley and Longfellow and their world views.    I realize once again that I am simply an enabler to learning and that I will not be able to learn all that my children have learned or will learn.   I’m very glad for this.  I am one of those who would benefit from a library of those yellow and black books that say “for Dummies” on the cover.  I also have discovered that although my children know lots about some things, they know little about other things.  It is impossible to cover it all and there is no perfect list of what to know and not to know.  (Except that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.  Start off on the right foot and you’ll be fine.)

11:30 Annie is better.  I think Matthew is more relieved than Annie is.  We move her to the sofa and she eats a tiny granola bar.  We are glad her sick tummy has been short lived.  I also suspect she has learned a lesson about not eating supper.   At 11:30 I use my weights and do 30 minutes of back and arm exercises since I’m trying to strengthen a failing back.  I feel discouraged over this – it is such a down part of my day, but then I ask the Lord to give me thoughts of comfort.  My mind centers on what seems a hundred verses in Psalms and Proverbs that talk about walking uprightly or having an upright heart.  I ask the Lord that if I can’t walk uprightly physically, would He help me walk uprightly in spirit?  I also ask the Lord if He would see fit to eventually put us in a one story home.  Other needs flood my mind and I feel rather lonely, though I know that I am not alone.  I remind myself to take all thoughts captive and trust in Him.  All the girls make lunch in the meantime.  Our breakfast and lunch menus are the same every week so they automatically know what to make.   Today is pizza which I buy freshly made from a local store that makes it soy free and fairly healthy.  I can even choose lots of veggies on it, though my children prefer it plain, except for rabbit Karen.

12:00  Lunch.  I have a huge salad while trying to ignore the pizza.   After that I  deal with a handful of administrative details for church to help my husband.   As I use the church directory, I pray for each family.  I make notes on a special sheet of things we need to do for specific families and make a mental note to check back on these in a day or two.  Abigail and I walk out to the mailbox because she insists that someone has just stolen the mail out of the box.  We discover that the mailman has delivered the mail so the envelopes were going in, not out.  The sun is bright, but the air is cold!    I allow Annie to watch a short video and before I know it all the little girls are with her snuggled up under a blanket.  I sure hope I am guessing right and she doesn’t have a bug.   They look like a bunch of little lovebugs.  Karen and Kathy graciously clean up lunch since Emily and Matthew catch up on things we lost time on this morning.  Then Kathy puts another row of shingles on the dollhouse project in the den.  I take a look at our clothing lists in preparation for changing over clothes in the spring.  I glance through the rest of my notebook to make sure I’m not forgetting some task that will snag me later if delayed.

1:00 This is my special time with my babies.  No, they aren’t babies, but I wish they were!  (Aren’t they all babies until they are 20 or so?)  Abigail and Kimberly snuggle up with me for the reading of several Bible stories, a chapter or two in Little House on the Prairie, and some poetry.  Then we play a game before they have some quiet time.  We end our special time by making the filling for German chocolate cookies.  We will just make the filling today and do the cookies tomorrow and then freeze them for our church fellowship meal.  In the meantime everyone else goes into independent studies.  Karen works on the hymnal project.  This is not just work, but is an education in itself historically, theologically, musically, and of course technologically as it is being created on a computer.  Kathy tackles accounting work that James has given her on two separate jobs.  She will soon do some tax work as it is tax season.  Matthew practices recorder, guitar, and piano.  He also does some computer work for James as he is entering data to create a list of everything we own in our library.  Emily practices recorder and piano and then practices typing and plays chess.  Annie falls asleep again and has little color in her face.  She awakens and wants to do something so I suggest a little piano practice.  She finds her books and heads off for the piano in the back room. 

3:00 I realize that there are two items in the freezer that I should have thawed for supper.  Emily paints the window frames for her dollhouse which takes her a good hour.  I make the call to go ahead and make the cookies, not just the filling, so Kathy starts baking those.  Karen locates Annie and helps her with music theory and some of her piano lesson assignments.  I realize that supper and clean-up, along with preparing nine people to go the library this evening, and cookies is pressuring me.  I lose my cool and become frustrated with myself that I went to step two on the cookies.  After a few, “It’s OK, Mom.  Everything’s under control.” I start to calm down.  I remember my Mission Control mug from NASA that sits on my desk.  Then I listen to phone messages and realize that a friend called three hours ago and wanted me to call her back before she was at the store. 

4:00 I help Abigail count money and tell her not to trust in riches.  She’s old enough to learn this based upon her response.  I find out that what she wants to do with that money is buy something to give to someone else.  Kathy dutifully tries to keep everyone out of the cookie dough, particularly little Kimmy who is helping keep the bowl tidy!  Karen starts supper which will be Chicken Caesar Salad and Garlic Sourdough Bread.  This is an easy supper that we have on Wednesday nights.   We decide Annie is well enough for the library so we do baths and fresh clothes and hair.  The entire house is red up (Dutch for straightened.)

4:45 James arrives home and goes straightway to teach Matthew his piano lesson.  He reports that Matthew did some excellent practicing this week.  They move to the den and do duet work on the electric and grand. 

5:30 Supper is on the table.  Annie is not fond of this one either, but she has learned a lesson and eats a small portion of salad and a large portion of bread.   In compassion I hold out a portion of salad that does not have dressing on it for her since that is the offensive taste.  James launches into a discussion of current events.  Several jokes are passed around the table.  A short theological discussion sparks but can not be put to full flame if we are going to do the library.  We also will pass over family worship tonight which is a regular and consistent time in our home.    James cuddles Kimmy in the den while the rest of us hustle to get ready.
 
6:30 We leave for the library.   We end up checking out almost 150 items.  That sounds like a lot, but divide it between seven children and one homeschool mom and it comes to 18 items per person.   I thank James for taking us.  In the past I have taken the children by myself and it had gotten to the point where I could not effectively help the ones who needed help and at the same time keep the little ones safe since this is a public place and frankly I am fearful of kidnapping.  (True confession time.  I am very careful with my children when out.)  James helps each child in one way or another.  Kimberly asks to go upstairs to the adult section to find Karen and ask for a shark book.  I find out that Kimberly is terrified of the elevator so we take the circular stairs in spite of my back and knee.  Once again those discouraging thoughts charge at me but I lay them to rest while searching for the sharks. 

8:30 We return home.  Pajamas.  Book organization.  One German chocolate cookie.  Teeth brushing.  Hugs and good nights.  Except for one little girl who wants Mommy to read a book to her before bed.  We snuggle up and read.  I am so tired that I go to bed.  We usually are home in the evenings and it is in the quiet of the night that I have my devotions, not in the morning.  (In my defense remember that to the Jews their day started in the evening.  Plus the Creation account says the evening and the morning were the first day.)  As I put my head on the pillow, I hear a cockatiel whistling, coyotes having a hoop-lah, and the dog snoring in her bed.  I thank the Lord for many things and then pray that He will be glorified.  I tell Him my cares and rest in Him.   Was it a normal day?  I do not know.  It was just our day.  It was just what Providence gave us to do today.  Nothing dramatic.  Nothing spectacular.  Just a day.

Three notes:
#1.   I asked Annie if it is OK to publish the lesson she learned today and she said it is fine to do so.  Maybe another little girl will learn from her mistake.

#2.  Some of our normal days end up in all kinds of problems.  This day was more problem free than others.  There are some times that I totally blow it as a mother and become increasingly frustrated.  Yes, I have had some days where I have yelled.  (You thought I was going to say “raised my voice,” weren’t you?)  There are some days when I am feeling poorly or become confused and can’t keep momentum going.   I think the key is consistency in repetition of tasks and living in the peace of God.  Otherwise frustration mounts and joy disappears.   Maybe the best advice for home school mothers is :  Trust God and Get to Work.  Make these a pair.  Don’t do one without the other.  It is labor that we should embrace.  And it is God we should trust, not ourselves, and not a curriculum.

#3.  A note here since we have been asked about this repeatedly … James and I have spent countless hours discussing our adult daughters and their future.  We have also spent many hours with them discussing what they could be doing at this young adult time in their life.  It is our consensus that family integration would be the most fruitful way to live their lives.  They could spend much of their day in their own studies and spend hours pursuing their own interests, but all four of us agree that this is counterproductive to their calling to be wives, mothers, daughters, sisters and aunts.  (Yes, granddaughters, nieces, and cousins too.)  Too often we have seen this self-serving type of lifestyle produce young women who have an independent spirit in their knowledge, in their finances, and in their attitudes.  And so many young women are not prepared to mother the next generation because they did not live with their family and fulfill family purposes in their young adulthood.  

Even in the home school community many girls live in the family home, but that does not mean they are living in community with their family.  This is why we have chosen at this time to place Karen and Kathy as a part of the very fabric of our home.  While we are dedicated to developing their talents and learning, we also believe that they are daughters and sisters and these roles should never be ignored.  If you follow them through this homeschool day, you will see them in a blended approach of serving in the family combined with time allotted for personal learning.  In the morning they have individual time for music practice and business math (or whatever course of study is most needed).  In the afternoon they have time for home industry and studies that relate to their giftings as they serve their father.  Beyond that, they are integrated into family life.  When they are wives and mothers, when will they have huge blocks of time to just take off and do their own thing?  It is a hard transition for a girl who has served herself in young adulthood to lay aside her self when she is a mother.  Why not just avoid that transition and keep an attitude of service in family-blending all day long?

This does not harm our daughters.  For example, having a college degree in music myself (music education, church music, choral conduting, piano) I can honestly say that Karen has gained more skill and knowledge in several areas than I have, others she is equal to me, some are not important to all music fields and she will not need, and the rest she has yet to learn which we are providing for her.  At the same time, we are choosing not to go the college route because nowhere else in society is the college social structure found nor do we find this social structure biblical and beneficial.  It is poor preparation for adult living and responsibilities.  There are many creative and exciting ways to educate our daughters and promote their giftings without compromising the call to biblical womanhood.  Emily, who is 12, is interested in elderly care or midwifery and if this interest continues then we will research how to develop these skills in a wholesome way even though James and I are limited in this area.  There is also the thought that if local college courses are needed, that I as her mother could attend those classes with her or that we could find them on-line.  The internet has exploded with a wealth of resources.  Or she could apprentice with another family who is living biblically without compromising our convictions.  For now we are supplying her with books to read to see if the interest continues.  It could be that her interest in elderly care is God’s way of supplying for James and me when we are senior citizens.  She may have a real in-home ministry there and she has the attention to detail coupled with a heart of compassion to be effective in this.

As to activities outside the home, our daughters are sent to other homes to teach and help.  This is an application of the Great Commission and also the building of the Church.  Not all the children they help know Christ.  So they are a Christian influence in those little lives.  And for the children who are believers, this is a strengthening time for all involved.   We also have a plan in our heads that if God ever moves us to another community that our girls could teach literature and reading classes in our home during after-school hours to public school children and reach them for Christ in this way.  We have tons of other ideas.  We do not suffer for a lack of ideas, but are waiting on God’s timing for the next step in these things. 

We will go outside of the home to find instruction for our girls if it is needed and if we feel comfortable with the authority they will be learning from in that it would not cause them spiritual harm.  At the same time, we do not want to create an appetite for going out of the home since homes are the very fabric of our nation and our churches.  It is the home that has collapsed in our nation.  A strong home is one where people actually live there, work there, worship there, and apply God’s commandments daily.  It is the training ground for public life.

I think the bottom line with our daughters is that they have purpose and don’t sow their time to the wind like our culture does.  We are not doing everything perfectly but we do by the grace of God commit ourselves to walking in His ways and ask Him for His insight in the days to come.

Last, we have been asked how we can afford to have our adult daughters at home.  This is almost a laughable question because if they were in a four year college institution we would be easily strapped with a $100,000 plus college bill plus the need for a car and trendy clothes and the financial trappings of college social life.  Multiply that by two girls in college at the same time.  $200,000 plus in college bills plus two cars plus two sets of trendy clothes and two college lifestyles.   Instead, our girls are a financial asset to our home.  Because they cook so much, we rarely go out to eat, thereby saving much money.  They also do the mending for our family, thereby helping with the clothing budget.  They themselves wisely shop thrift stores for their own clothes and don’t have the need to have trendy, expensive clothing.  There are so many things they do to save us money I could not possibly list them here.   We also consider any financial liability to us is actually an investment in the church.  We don’t mind financially supporting our girls at home because we are investing in the future of the church and therefore our nation.  Soon both girls will be bringing in income from home businesses and these funds will be used both in the home budget and in wisely investing in our girls.   Perhaps the real reason behind the question of financially keeping adult children at home is really rather a need to reconsider the definition of basic family economics and question if our society doesn’t have it all upside down. End of notes.