One night after coming home from work I was in a hurry to make dinner and couldn’t figure out what to make, being as I’m not in the habit of meal planning (shame on me!). I threw these items together, and Mike enjoyed the dish so much, that I’ve continued to make it. Necessity is the mother of invention? Is that how it goes?
Recommendations
Eight Cousins, written by Louisa M. Alcott, is one of my favorite stories. There are 24 chapters, each several pages long. Its style is enjoyable for the teenager. A young person under the age of 12 might find it a challenge because, I’ll admit, it’s not one of those attractive, easy-read stories that capture your attention entirely by the fifth line. Mom is now reading it aloud to Grace (age10) and she is thoroughly enjoying it.
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Never Alone
Motherhood can be a lonely profession at times, can’t it? I was surprised when my first baby was very little how lonely the days became. Sure, it was rewarding and delightful to care for her and interact with her all day. But she napped a lot and doing laundry and changing diapers over and over and over again became monotonous. When we did go out into public, she was the center of attention. People fussed and oohed and aahed over her. When daddy came home from work, he couldn’t wait to bounce her on his knee or fly her around the room. Sometimes Mommy can feel a little alone and dare I said it, forgotten, can’t she?
In the Midst of Doubts and Fears
Darkness and fears over took me. I was overwhelmed and could not look up. The shadows of death surrounded my heart. Wisdom faded from view and I could not trust my own thoughts. Discouragement cut into my heart like a knife and joy escaped me. The terrors of the night seized my heart. I found no peace. My prayers seemed far from me and God was not in all my thoughts. Have these thoughts ever penetrated into your heart? If so, you are not alone in your fears and doubts. There are others that faced the same thoughts.
Kristin’s February Update
And he’s off!! I cannot believe that my baby Luke is walking and running.
It’s always so exciting, yet sad at the same time since he’s growing up SO
FAST! This new milestone and the phenomenon of now having 3 children running
around has ushered in yet another stage of life. I’ll be completely honest
and admit that most of this month, I feel like I’m in survival mode!
For One Step More
Psalm 9:10 – “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.”
Do You Really Need It?
Contentment. What comes to your mind when you think of someone or something that is content? I think of a fat cat asleep on a sofa, that’s the first thing that comes to my mind! 🙂 Isn’t contentment a hard character trait to cultivate in our materialistic society? Everywhere we turn we are bombarded with commercials, billboards, banner ads on our computers, sale flyers, catalogs, with messages communicating our need to buy more, have more. We couldn’t possibly have a successful or even normal life without the advertised item. To this I say, nonsense! All we need are the basic essentials of life to survive and thrive.
A Note from Juli
At the present, Mum’s off visiting her mother in AZ, leaving me as head hen over the coop. Dad’s done an amazing job of keeping up with the daunting piles of laundry and helping out with Brianna’s innumerable questions. Meanwhile, Dyanna, with the expert help of her friend, Amanda, is just about to wrap up her 2 month-long project of sewing cushion covers for our bus.
Avocados
Avocados are a wonderful fruit that contain a powerhouse of health. Typically grown in the southern hemisphere, avocados are also grown in California and Florida. The two types of avocados are Haas avocados, which have dark, bumpy skin, and the Fuerte avocado, which is larger and has a smooth green skin. They have a pale, greenish-yellow fruit with a single stone, and a delicious buttery rich taste.
Attentiveness
I’ve mentioned before our imaginary little princess living in a beautiful castle with lots of servants to take care of her every need. Her servants, no doubt, display the character trait of attentiveness as they wait on her all day long. But does our little princess have this same quality? Do you?
A Love Story
Just a poor, beggar girl I am, deserving of nothing. He is so great and so far above me, like a Grand Prince over all – fine, educated, rich, handsome, kind. So far above me – wretched, dirty, stubborn, ugly, stupid me. “What about your self-image?” you might say. And this is my self-image – that I am a dog, that I am a sinner, and that I was incurable.