Large Family Mothering: Should we put a limit on children?

Large Family Mothering: Should we put a limit on children?: We talk big, but our actions reveal the truth. Armed and dangerous? Confident in our promise of heaven after death, we fill our minds wi...

Psalm 121

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Spicy Ranch Chicken and Cauliflower Rice

I love when I find new recipes that are both easy and yummy! We tried two new recipes on Tuesday that were delicious and simple. I adapted a recipe for Spicy Ranch Chicken from Mennonite Girls Can Cook to use what I had available and then "winged" the Cauliflower Rice recipe.

Spicy Ranch Chicken

Mix up some ranch dressing by mixing minced onion, parsley, garlic powder, and dill with some buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, mayo, and milk. I didn't measure anything so I can't give measurements. I know I ended up with 2 cups "liquid" with a combination of buttermilk and goat milk.

Pour 1/2 the ranch dressing in the bottom of a crock pot. Then pour in a 1/2 jar of salsa and mix together. Place in a whole chicken, in which you have cut off most of the skin, breast side down. Mix the remaining dressing and salsa and pour on top. Cook on high for one hour, then turn to low for 4-5 hours. Remove chicken and shred the meat. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a pan, whisk in 1/4 cup flour and then add sauce from crock pot (this thickens it a little). Add the shredded chicken back in and serve over rice.

Cauliflower Rice

Coarsely chop a head of cauliflower (we would have to do at least two for our family if we all had the cauliflower rice, but some of them had brown rice). Saute for a few minutes in some olive oil. Put a lid on and steam lightly for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add some butter and sea salt.

The Cauliflower Rice was a great substitute for regular rice for my daughter who needs to be grain free for a couple of weeks. I'm trying to increase my vegetables to aid in weight loss so I had the cauliflower rice as well. My youngest (1 year old) devoured it as well.

Fulfilling Needs on a Budget

For two days, I’ve discussed about the need to help those around us who are in need. This might be the single mother, the widowed man down the street, the family with the father out of work, or it may even just be a family who is going through a difficult time right now. God calls the church to take care of the needs of its people and the people of the community.

Many people give the excuse that they don’t have enough money to take care of their own family let alone someone else, but that is a pretty poor excuse. I know of churches who say similar things when it is struggling to pay all of its bills. But if God calls us to do something, He will provide a way for us to do it.

While there are definitely more ways you can help, some ways our family has been able to help those in need around us even when we have to rely on God to help us pay our bills sometimes are:

Share We’ve had people come and pick green beans from our garden, or given a dozen eggs, or even given goat milk to a friend who needed some to feed her animals. We have also given canning jars to a friend who needed them. Even though I “might” have needed them later, we knew God would provide and He did—the very next day!

Barter You might think this is a way to get your needs met, but it can also be helpful to someone else. They might need their car fixed, but they don’t have the cash to pay a mechanic right now, but they do clean houses. You could have them clean your house in exchange for working on their vehicle. Be creative with this idea. Sometimes people don’t want “hand-outs” but they are willing to work for something. Even if you don’t necessarily need someone else to mow your lawn, barter with them so they feel good about working for whatever need you are filling for them.

Be a Go-Between You might not be able to fill the need, but you might now someone who can. I had a friend who didn’t have money to buy her son a Christmas gift. I didn’t have extra money to go and buy him one either, but I wanted to help. I contacted someone who I new had an extra of something this young man wanted and asked if they would be willing to give it so she could give him a Christmas present. Praise God, they not only filled the need, they gave him a brand new item instead of a used one (although he would have been happy with the used one!). I have often seen something for free or great prices that I know a friend needs and have either just gotten it myself or notified her of the great deal so she could take advantage of it.

Time Give of your time. There may be a young mother who would like to just take a nap. You could watch her children for her. You might do your elderly neighbor’s grocery shopping for her so she doesn’t have to try to manage the crowds. You might be able to fill a need for companionship just by sitting and visiting with a lonely neighbor. You may man a table at a craft show for a friend trying to sell items to raise money for an adoption. The possibilities are endless!

Pray Don’t neglect to pray for those needs you see arise around you. This is the most powerful tool we have. Through prayer, God might just show you a unique way you can help or answer it in a way no one thought imaginable.

Large Family Mothering: Design without a dime {photos}

Please check out this excellent post on decorating for the frugal woman. I'm inspired to refresh my home!

Large Family Mothering: Design without a dime {photos}: Cowboy Grandpa's hats hanging on the wall. There used to be a popular cable show which encouraged interior design on a budget. Each episo...

Oppressed—A Look at Nehemiah 5, Part Two

If you missed Part One, you can read it here.

As Nehemiah did, so should we, “And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.” (6). God’s people should be angry when they see people in their church going to the government for help. God’s people should be angry when they see people in the church encouraging others to go to the government for help. I am only one person and I do what I can, but if everyone in the church worked together they could help those in the church who need help.

As Nehemiah said, so should we, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?” (9) We should be taking care of those around us not only because we fear God, but also so that we are giving a good testimony to those around us.

We need to step up and do what is right. It might not be easy, but God doesn’t call us to do what is easy; He calls us to do what is right. We might have to go without a dessert every night or without the daily latte or without those two hours in front of the television, but that is a small sacrifice to make for God.

The last verse of this chapter was Nehemiah’s prayer and has become one of my prayers as well. “Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.” (19) We shouldn’t take care of the poor so that others will pat us on our back. We should do it because it is God’s command.

I have to admit that I still have a long way to go myself in taking care of the needs of others, but I have made a conscious effort in the past few months to not only look for the needs of those around me, but also to do my best to help fulfill those needs.

Be watching for a post on ways you can fulfill needs around you even if you don’t have extra money in your budget.

Oppressed—A Look at Nehemiah 5, Part One

When reading this chapter, I was constantly reminded of the United States of America. The rich were oppressing the poor and it is still the same today; greed is still a major issue. There is nothing wrong with people having more money because they are working harder, saving more, etc., but what is wrong is when people deliberately take advantage of someone else because they don’t have money, exploiting a situation out of proportion just because they can, or because they are not being obedient to God’s laws.

I continue to be amazed at all the “rent to own” places that keep popping up along with check cashing places. The amount of interest these places charge is outrageous and they play on making people think they “need” something when they can’t really afford it or tell them they would be stupid to wait until they save the money for it first. In my opinion, this is a prime example of the rich oppressing the poor.

Another situation is when someone can charge a shocking amount for a product or service just because they are the only one in the area. I’m not saying it is wrong to follow the flow of supply and demand, but there comes a point where you are just being greedy by the amount being charged. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. We can follow Nehemiah’s example in this instance. He lived without taking the provisions due him as governor for the twelve years he served as governor. He also gave the use of his servants for work for Judah and withheld from buying land to sell as a profit. He had the right to do all those things, but he chose not to do them to keep from burdening the people more.

The third situation is the most important because it is going against what God commands of His people. We are called to care for the poor, the widowed and the orphaned. I firmly believe the reason the government felt it needed to step in with social programs is because the churches weren’t doing their job. If we see someone hungry, we are to share. If we see someone without clothing, we are to share. If we see someone in need of a helping hand, we are to be that helping hand. There should be a need for people to be on food assistance because the people of the church should be providing food. There shouldn’t be a need for people to apply for cash assistance from the state because we should be helping with free labor for a roof to be redone, or cleaning the home of a disabled person, or whatever the need might be.

Check back tomorrow to read part two.

The Sovereignty of God—A Look at Chapter 14 of Be Fruitful & Multiply

I Surrender All 

All to Jesus I surrender;

all to him I freely give;

I will ever love and trust him,

in his presence daily live.

Refrain:
I surrender all, I surrender all, 
all to thee, my blessed Savior, 
I surrender all. 

All to Jesus I surrender; 
humbly at his feet I bow, 
worldly pleasures all forsaken; 
take me, Jesus, take me now. 
(Refrain) 

All to Jesus I surrender; 
make me, Savior, wholly thine; 
fill me with thy love and power; 
truly know that thou art mine. 
(Refrain) 

All to Jesus I surrender; 
Lord, I give myself to thee; 
fill me with thy love and power; 
let thy blessing fall on me. 
(Refrain) 

All to Jesus I surrender; 
now I feel the sacred flame. 
O the joy of full salvation! 
Glory, glory, to his name! 
(Refrain) 

I wonder how many people actually stop and think about the words they are singing when they sing this song. The song doesn’t say “I surrender some” or “I surrender almost all”, but says, “I surrender all”.

Doesn’t surrendering all include surrendering your family size? Doesn’t it include your finances? What about your comfort levels? Most people who limit the size of their family do so because they don’t think they can afford to support more and/or because they would have to give up some of the amenities they have come to enjoy (driving new vehicles, cable television, fancy vacations, etc.).

Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Campbell states of this verse, “Here we are exhorted to present every member of our body to the Lord. Would this not also include our reproductive organs?” I think it is common sense that our reproductive organs are a part of our bodies that we are to present to the Lord.

I know many families in which the husband underwent a vasectomy because they didn’t want to have any more children or they thought God had told them that they had enough children. I always wondered why they would undergo a surgery that was linked to prostate cancer, but now I am even more curious Campbell lists 25 more diseases linked to vasectomies (I don’t have time to research these right now, but if you and your husband are considering him having a vasectomy, you may want to do some research on possible side-effects). She suggests reading Is Vasectomy Worth the Risk by Dr. H. J. Roberts as well as A Physician’s Case Against Vasectomania and Is Vasectomy Safe? Medical Risks and Legal Implications also by Roberts.

The part that gets me the most on the topic of vasectomies is that is it not only accepted but also promoted by the church. Christian parents, elders, mentors, pastors all recommend limiting your family size. These are the same people that will sing I Surrender All the following church service and not bat an eye.

God is sovereign whether we want to admit it or not. He is in control. He is master of this universe and all in it. Why don’t we just let the One who knows all be in control of all?

Divine Appointment—The Resolution for Women

Cookie Cutter Life I grew up wanting to fit in with everyone else. I lived my life trying to please others and be who and what they wanted. I wanted to look like the other girls. I wanted to act like them. I didn’t want to cause any waves or draw attention to myself in any way. I wanted to live a cookie cutter kind of life.

Living Differently What I never learned until much later in life was that I wasn’t supposed to be living that way. I was supposed to stand out. I was supposed to be different. If I wasn’t different in any way, then how would the world have known that I was a Christ follower?

“We ought never to be lost among the shuffle of worldliness . . . driven by lowly pursuits and interests, becoming so similar in appearance to everyone else that we can’t be singled out in a crowd.”

I have come to the realization that I don’t want to be lost in the shuffle anymore. I want people to talk about how I am different. It isn’t a bad thing to be different as long as you are living your life for Christ.

People often say that I am wasting my life and my degree by being a stay-at-home mom; they say that I was destined for far more important things than cooking, cleaning, and changing diapers. But what they don’t realize is that I am exactly where God wants me. He made me a mother of nine beautiful girls. He placed the desire in my heart to stay home with them. He designed me to be a keeper at home. If I am in God’s will, then how can I be wasting my life? Shrier mentions Moses in this chapter and how he took on the job of a shepherd after being raised a noble. While it didn’t look “right” to the world, he was exactly where God wanted him.

My life is standing out for Christ now. Many aspects of my life go against what normal society says I should be doing and I’m okay with that. When people feel the need to bring it to my attention (and not always in a nice way), I am thankful for the opportunity to share God with them. It is because of Him that I am the way I am and am experiencing the many blessings He has for me. I am far from living the life He has for me perfectly, but I am trying to live it with purpose. I am trying to bloom right where He planted me.

Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

I've never cooked or baked with rhubarb before. In fact, for many years I thought I didn't like rhubarb because I had tried it once and didn't like it. Then, a couple of years ago I ate a dessert at a church potluck and was surprised that it was rhubarb. Since then, I've had more and more rhubarb and enjoyed it. While at my in-laws house for Mother's day, I mentioned that I would like a little rhubarb to try cooking/baking with it. My father-in-law ended up giving us a large box of it so I have lots of rhubarb cooking/baking in my future!

I figure rhubarb is a frugal food to use because it grows about anywhere and it grows in abundance. I am looking forward to finding new recipes for my family.

The first thing I made with it was a rhubarb pie which I thought was pretty good. Yesterday I tried strawberry-rhubarb muffins. I took a recipe I found on Pinterest and of course changed it to make it a bit healthier and to use ingredients I had in the house. Everyone liked it so I will probably just stay with my version instead of some day trying the other.

Here is my version of Strawberry-Rhubarb Muffins.

• ¼ cups Coconut Oil
• ¾ cups Sugar
• ¼ cups Safflower Oil
• 2 1/4 cups whole grain Spelt Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 whole Egg
• 1 cup soured milk
• ½ teaspoons Almond Extract
• ¾ cups Chopped Rhubarb
• 1 cup Chopped Strawberries
• ¼ cups Brown Sugar For Tops

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease your muffin tins (approx. 18 muffins).

With an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and oil until smooth. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the egg, soured milk and almond extract to the creamed sugar mixture and mix well. Slowly add the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Add the chopped rhubarb and strawberries and lightly mix in.

Scoop the batter into tins. Sprinkle a little brown sugar on the top of each muffin.

Bake for approx. 15 minutes until golden on top.