God's Plan For Us

Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

Proverbs 31:11

Women, this is what we need to be working towards.  I can honestly say that I don't meet these standards right now but the Bible says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. So this is obtainable by the doing of the Lord and not myself.  My job is to submit to His will and be obedient.

Confidence - full trust

Value- worth, merit, usefulness (notice it isn't necessarily a materialist notion of value)

Off To The Theatre!

Yesterday was City Girl's first Theatre Lesson at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre And School Of Theatre Arts.

She has recently become interested in acting and wanted to try it on for size.  We covered the cost of a Christian homeschool summer day camp for the arts for her and she loved it.  She decided that she wanted to try out for the winter play this group puts on.

It costs $175 to participate in the production and Farmer John and I had to tell her we couldn't afford that.  But because she was passionate about it we found a fundraising site and she gathered a portion of the money from donations of family, friends and blog readers and then Farmer John found her a summer child care position for a couple of weeks. Between the two she was able to cover the cost.

Audition day for Peter Pan came and went.  Finally the cast list was posted and ache of all motherly aches, she didn't make the cut.  She didn't get a part, not even a small one. To keep total devastation at bay I quickly got online to find out if there was some other drama program she could take part in.

I found out that the local Grand Rapids Theater did indeed have classes available for her age group and the cost was $135- money she had from above.

So for 10 weeks she will learn the basics of acting.  I wish it was under the shelter of the homeschool group instead of the Civic Theater but it is only a couple of hours a week for ten-weeks.  I will be praying for discernment for her.  Worldly theater can be, well, wordly.

I'm a firm believer that modern "culture" is the way it is because we Christians have abandoned it.  We should be leaders of culture and that is the reason I am letting my daughter foray into this field of interest.  Should she feel led by God to continue on then we will discuss ways for her to study to the fullest glory of her Savior, The Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank goodness the Lord knows the plans he has for us! 

Homesteading Means Staying At Home

Just a couple of nights ago I was sighing and feeling extremely stressed out and unhappy because all I seem to be doing lately is running around.  An errand here, the library there, this child here, that child there... Frustrating! I just want to be at home doing the things that need to be done.

Well, today the Lord gave me a nudge to remind me that He is in control.  The brakes on my car are failing and Farmer John deemed the car unsafe to drive.  BOOM!  Just like that I don't have to run around anymore.  I get to stay home.  Now, it actually is kinda inconvenient (Had to put my son's guitar lessons on hold and when do I grocery shop?) but really it is a blessing in disguise.

My husband's work schedule is such that he will be home so that I can have the car for Wed. evening church services, and city girl's theater lessons  (for 10 weeks) and he will be off most Sunday's as well. Those are the important things. Everything else will work itself out.

We currently don't have the funds to get the car fixed so we are going to be living life as a one car family for a while but I really don't mind. The Lord never works in ways that I expect but he knows what is best for me.  The Homestead is where my heart is!  Thank you, Lord Jesus!

Happenings Around The Homestead...

This is the first year we have ever grown cabbage.  I love fresh from the garden cabbage but do not enjoy it cooked or fermented.  However, my husband loves sauerkraut so we are experimenting with our first ever batch.  It's sitting on the counter as we speak.  We don't have a crock so we are using (re-using) a Costco pickle jar covered with an old t-shirt rag.  It's high tech, let me tell you.  I may (or may not) try some when it's done.  I know, I know, kraut is supposed to be really good for you.

We have also yet to have a frost in my area so the tomatoes are still coming on strong.  The kids are getting good at prepping the tomatoes for canning.  (Apples too.)  When they start to complain, I simply say, "You like to eat, don't you?"

This is a pic of the bag City Girl whipped up in about 15 minutes.  She wanted a certain size and everything we had was either too big or too small so she went down to our "craft" room and created what she needed.  The body of the bag is a bottom leg of a pair of jeans she had made into cut-offs earlier this year.  She merely had to sew one end shut.  For the handle she made a braided rope made from old t-shirts and sewed it on.  We had some iron-on decals laying around and she embellished the bag with those. (The decals were marketed for the back of jean pockets... who wants their daughter wearing kissy lips on her backside? This is a much more tasteful application.)

There are so many possibilities for this bag.  It is really only limited by your imagination.  It is a quick, easy, and cheap project.  Goodwill stores are great sources of jeans and t-shirts!

What have you all been up to?

Art Prize 2013

'Tis the season!  Grand Rapids annual art competition has arrived once more.  Since our daughter had a doctor's appt. downtown we took a field trip day and saw just a very small portion of what was entered in the contest.

 

 Pastels on wood- a rendition of the Last Supper

 

Even the River gets art in it.

 

...And the bridges...

 

Using recycled or found objects is always popular .

Sculpture and bells made from old oxygen tanks. My kids enjoyed those.

 

The Artist and an attendee play Amazing Grace on the bells.

 

Who doesn't love a family of giant yellow ducks?

 

Nemo was there.  This was made with tack nails and sequins.

 

Giant "recycled" dragon... old metal and tires, tube lights and a big propane tank to make it breathe fire in time to music.

Owls

 

Pandas

Bronze sculpture...

 

Or is it performance art?

Living plant wall art

 

We enjoyed ourselves and there was plenty of eye candy.  But after we got home my husband and I discussed that there was nothing we saw that really blew us away.  I guess I'm a traditionalist and am looking for art that I can't replicate, that takes real talent and skill not just a clever mind.  I'm sure that those pieces exist in the competition but we didn't come across them.  Again, we saw only a very tiny bit of what was on display. I will try to post and link to the winners when they are announced.  I'm sure those will be more traditional "fine" art.

God's Plan For Us!

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

 

Proverbs 31:10

 

Wife:  A woman married to a man

 

Noble: Exalted moral excellence

 

Character: Moral quality or integrity

 

Moral: Ethics or standards

Ruby: One of the rarest, most precious of gemstones

Are women these days striving to be a wife of noble character or are we merely rubble?

Sickness Is Finally Retreating!

I don't know about you but this was a hard week for me.  Not much got accomplished.  My brain felt like it was wrapped in a wool sweater for most of the time.  This week's word was BEFUDDLED.

I spent most of my time resting and reading.  I blew threw many a tissue and also Veronica Roth's Insurgent.  Great read and I can't wait for the third installment in the Divergent series to come out. (Due out Oct. 22nd of this year.)

Today my brain is finally full speed, my house is clean and jars for canning apples and tomatoes are washing. A time of rest is always welcome but I'm ready to get back moving! 

I drank half of Lake Michigan while I was down and consumed a lot of citrus in the form of orange juice and lemon water.  Herbal Teas w/ honey also are a favorite of mine when sick along with one comfort food that probably has no health benefit but it is tasty... Red Robin Clam Chowder.  When I'm sick I'm their best customer.  (I'm fairly certain it tastes so good because it is thoroughly laden with msg but when I'm sick there is nothing that I want more.)

What do you all do when you are sick?