Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

I'm going try to be more "daily" about this!

Christ was called a glutton for eating and drinking though it is necessary to life.  How much moreso will we be slandered in ALL things we do! Why then, do we concern ourselves with the mutterings of those who are blind and deaf to scripture?  How did Christ respond to these situations? I hold the remote-and it has a mute button.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Blessed & Blissful: A New Kitchen Creed


This plate hangs over a perpetual pile of dirty dishes in the same kitchen I grew up in.  Decades have passed, and it is among the few relics left of a bygone era.  I've never really paid much attention to it.  I'd just clean it and move it once in awhile.  On the way back from the coffee pot, I stopped and read it.  Then I cried.
 


 

“Bless my little kitchen, Lord, I love its every nook.”


I was shamed from the first line.  I thought of a time when we were homeless – no kitchen at all.  Then another kitchen that was so small only one person could be in it at a time.  There was also a beautiful, spacious country kitchen that was lost to foolishness.

To love is to commit, and I am not committed to my kitchen.  I’m hardly in there, and when I am I feel anything but love for it.  I am critical of its condition, disheartened by our inability to get the necessary renovations done, and anxious when funds and food are running low.
Ouch.

“And bless me as I do my work, wash pots and pans and cook.”


I work full time now, and  I often think,

If only…


I got up earlier and stayed up later to clean, work on it, etc....

I worked harder to make more money to cover the cost of the renovations…

I could cut our expenses a little more…

I realized that my work is not in my kitchen right now.  I am working for my kitchen – my employment will see me through the payoff of this house and fund the repairs in time.

Another relic
 

“May the meals that I prepare, be seasoned from above.”


I don’t do a lot of cooking since I’m not home. I do, however, stock the shelves and prepare the menu.  These two tasks in themselves are tiresome and frustrating.  When we are low on funds and food though, I am thankful when provision comes.  What if I went to the store with a sense of gratitude every time?  What if I took better care of God’s provision: less waste, a better plan for menus, gardening, and food preservation?  What if I spent the energy it takes to be stressed and discouraged on planning instead?  Our health and home is suffering because of my ingratitude and selfishness. 
What was that about a foolish woman plucking down her house with her own hands?

“With thy blessing and thy grace, but most of all thy love.”


My baby Grace…my blessing (one of them) from above.  She is the one who feeds the hungry in our home.  She is the light of our kitchen – the kitchen I am ashamed of and have neglected.  Grace faithfully cooks our meals, cleans the kitchen, and teaches the younger ones to do the same.  She will have no trouble taking care of herself someday – a day that is far too close. 

How will she see her future kitchen?
 

“As we partake of earthly food, the table Thou hast spread,”


I’ve been feeding my family preservatives, chemicals, dyes, hormones, bacteria-feeding sugar, and ingredients that I can’t spell or pronounce.
What. Am. I. Thinking??

“We’ll not forget to thank Thee Lord, for all our daily bread.”


I guess It’s not truly gratitude to thank Him for our provision then use it to purchase health problems and complain about the means of acquiring it, is it?

Humble pie, anyone?

“So bless my little kitchen, Lord, and those who enter in,”


Please do so, Lord, despite my foolishness…

“May they find naught but joy and peace, and happiness therein.”

I want a kitchen that brings nourishment and joy to all it serves inside its walls – and out.  It doesn’t have to be magazine ready to do that.  It needs my attitude to change. 

 My new Kitchen Creed:

 
Welcome to my kitchen.
Humble it may be.
But nourishment and joy
Will everyone receive.
My kitchen,
It is truly blessed.
And I hope that you will see,
What makes it
A blissful place to be
Is you,
My guest,
And the Joy that is within me.
 
 

 

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Helping With The Harvest

Home Ec

If you are familiar with the schedule over at Mrs. Redd's Classroom, you know that Saturdays are dedicated to Home Ec and organization projects around the homestead.  This week's Home Ec is participating in the harvest and preservation of our garden goodies.


Puddin' n' Peanut Preppin' Peaches

The girls were a big help during this all day task! They learned about blanching, discoloration, making syrup, and the whole process in general.  I'm sure the free access to fresh, delicious peaches had something to do with their eagerness! 


Peaches and Tomatoes

We traded some of our peaches with the neighbors for those bright red tomatoes.  It was worth it!  




After trading and eating approximately a bushel of peaches, we ended up with around a gallon and a half in the freezer.  We weren't sure we would get any by the looks of our poor peach tree this year.  I'm pretty sure I heard a sigh of relief when we relieved it's branches of the weight!


Funky Tomatoes

Not sure why, but we grew some wacky shaped tomatoes.  I had to snap a picture of the heart shaped slice, especially since fried green tomatoes are a favorite for all of us.

 The basket in front of the window is full of apples the girls have been gathering.  The basket on the table is full of tomatoes, mostly green.  We have been blessed with red ripe tomatoes from our neighbor so I'm freezing green tomatoes to have this winter. (If they last that long!)




And this one is just funny...



Aw, Shucks!

Here's Peanut shuckin' sweet corn. 


A Family Affair

If you visit often, you will find that we learn together.  This is the first year we have had a garden and really followed through.  We have all learned quite a bit, and next year we will apply those lessons.  

Let's Chat

How did your garden grow this year?



Happy Homesteading!
Mrs. Redd

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Under Construction

Staying Afloat


Wow! This past two weeks have been a trial.  BUT I am overcoming.  With the  How Do I Teach For Mastery blog series out of the way over at Mrs. Redd's Classroom, I am going to tear into the homestead this week.  Specifically, our temporary work space.

Under Water

Our kitchen flooded.  Fortunately it wasn't a complete disaster, but trouble enough for sure! We almost lost our fridge and deep freeze.



Getting Organized

I've been organizing my blogs too.  I've got a schedule penciled out for this one that looks like this:

  • Monday - Cooking
  • Tuesday - Cleaning
  • Wednesday - Kids in the Kitchen
  • Thursday - Gardening
  • Friday - Decorating
  • Saturday - Organization
  • Sunday - Inspiration 

Stayed Tuned

I'm cooking up some delicious content so don't be a stranger to my kitchen!

Mrs. Redd





Saturday, August 3, 2013

Confessions of a Cluttered Kitchen: Admitting My Faults

Hello, My Name Is Rachael And I Am...

Impatient.  A workaholic. Unrealistic.

The Proof

I simply cannot justify nor can I accept that the house is going to be messy just because I have a (deserving) husband to dote on, 3 homeschooled children, an ailing mother to care for, an income to build from scratch, a garden to tend, and we just merged two households.

There is also absolutely no reason why I cannot get up at 4 AM every day so that I can get more work done.  It is a matter of choice.

The kids should be as fast and efficient as I am at chores even though they have less than half the experience.  I have taught them all they need to know to accomplish this.

The Results

Stress. Disappointment. Frustration.  Strained relationships.  Fatigue.  

What Works, What Doesn't

I happily stopped detailed menu planning because it wasn't working.  That was easy.  Obviously, some other things need to change.  Ahem...I...need to change.  

Homestead Hang-Ups

Much more complicated is the task of changing one's habits and perspectives.  Which 
is why I will be breaking all this changing down into blog segments called Homestead Hang-Ups.

I have dedicated August to figuring out what works and what doesn't around here, and to finding solutions.


Feel free to leave some advice. I know I'm not alone ;)