Winter Blues

I'm writing this while staying home again with sick kids.  This has gone on for 1 1/2 weeks now, and is looking brighter, but still not "normal".  I guess what I've learned through this round (and probably each other one when they come), is how little control I really do have over my life.  I would like to think that I have some semblance of control, organization, direction but when illness strikes, I realize that I am nothing.  This is not a bad thing, but a good thing.  It requires relying totally on my Lord and Savior, who provides healing, comfort, peace and all things good.

We started with puking kids, who somehow got reinfected and were sick twice.  And then I got the flu too, totally sapping my own energy and strength to keep on top of the germy laundry and dishes.  The kids have been troopers, but it's been me who has been the whiner.  I hate the smell/sound of puking and don't do well with it. (Who does?) I hate seeing them so helpless and miserable.  I even was at the point of wishing that I could take some of the misery away from them.  Then I got the bug and wished that I hadn't wished that, as now I was out of commission too.  Then dear husband had to work overtime so he's been pretty tired (and fighting all the germies himself) also.  I haven't even hardly left the house all this time (does checking the mail count?)  When I tried to go for a walk with a few of the "well" kids on sunny Sunday, the cold wind made my throat and ears hurt (even though I had a scarf and hat on).  We've missed 2 weeks of church now.

Then the fevers hit.  All the kids.  Then the coughing.  All the kids.  Now I'm doling out cough medicine (at night), vitamin C, immune drops and such all day long.  Hot steamy showers for them all.  Vapoizer on with essential oils.  Garlic laced food.  Vicks on their feet.  Honey-lemon tea.  To little or no avail.  We'll keep at it, but it's getting wearying.  A baby who thinks that he must wake up far too many times each night and needs his mom to put him back to sleep (sometimes awake for 2-3 hours).  We've been working on that for many months, and are no further ahead than when we started.  Each time we make some headway, then teething, or sickness or something (like a too-tired mom who can't get up and do the right thing, so she does the lazy thing) comes in and we start the game again.  My neck and back also go out of place every time I don't get enough rest and I haven't been well enough to even get it put back in.  So add constant stabbing pain to the mix too and a couple whiny kids who make it known how they feel.  I feel like that too, but at least try to control my whining and fussing!

I know that this is a season, and it will pass.  But, I'm tired.  It's hard to see past that.  We're 2 weeks late on getting groceries, which also makes it difficult to find nutritious things to eat for the picky kids who are hungry but don't want to eat anything I make or offer. (unusual for them, they normally eat anything)

But, we'll carry on.  Because it's worth it.  And because we have no other choice.  And try to be thankful for the blessings we have.  A warm house, some food to eat, a washer and dryer to clean dirty stuff.  Things like that.  So goes the day....

Oil Pulling Therapy - Book Review

Wellness Mama also introduced me to the 2000+ year old Ayurvedic medicine tradition of oil pulling.  Not sure what it was all about, I read the book!  Here's a sum off Dr. Bruce Fife's (the author) website.  If it works like they claim, this has got to be the cheapest, most effective, and easiest way of improving your oral health and detoxing your body.  Much cheaper and pain free, a huge at-home option compared to a nasty dental visit, that's for sure!  (he gives guidelines for using, and when to see the dentist)  The book was well referenced and a very quick, easy read.

"Dr. Karach’s method of oil pulling consists of swishing, not gargling, vegetable oil in the mouth. The oil is “worked” in the mouth by pushing, pulling, and drawing it through the teeth for a period of 15 to 20 minutes. It is done once (to three times) a day on an empty stomach. The best time is in the morning before eating breakfast, but can be done before any meal. The used oil is discarded and the mouth rinsed out with water. The oil is never swallowed because it is loaded with bacteria, toxins, pus, and mucous.

Sunflower and sesame seed oils are the most commonly used for oil pulling, but any vegetable oil will work. People have had success with olive, coconut, almond, and other oils. I prefer to use coconut oil because of its many health benefits. If you use a mild flavored coconut oil it is very pleasant in the mouth. Some oils, such as extra virgin olive oil, are so strong flavored that many people find them difficult to use.

The oil acts like a cleanser. When you put it in your mouth and work it around your teeth and gums it “pulls” out bacteria and other debris. It acts much like the oil you put in your car engine. The oil picks up dirt and grime. When you drain the oil, it pulls out the dirt and grime with it, leaving the engine relatively clean. Consequently, the engine runs smoother and lasts longer. Likewise, when we expel harmful substances from our bodies our health is improved and we run smoother and last longer.

As simple as it is, oil pulling has a very powerful detoxifying effect. Our mouths are the home to billions of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other parasites and their toxins. Candida and Streptococcus are common residents in our mouths. It is these types of germs and their toxic waste products that cause gum disease and tooth decay and contribute to many other health problems including arthritis and heart disease. Our immune system is constantly fighting these troublemakers. If our immune system becomes overloaded or burdened by excessive stress, poor diet, environmental toxins and such, these organisms can spread throughout the body causing secondary infections and chronic inflammation, leading to any number of health problems. "

http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/article%20oil%20pulling.htm

Deep Nutrition - Book Review

Keeping up on my usage of my library card, here's the next one.  Deep Nutrition by Dr. Catherine Shanahan and husband Luke Shanahan from Tucson, AZ.

I heard about this book from my favorite nutrition blog, Wellness Mama.  I was able to buzz through this, even though it's filled with statistics and facts (skimmed over them).  The point of the book is how much our genes can be encouraged or discouraged based on our nutrition.  And how the nutrition of our parents and grandparents affects our lives today.  And how if we are "destined" to bad genes from our ancestors, we are able to reverse many disease processes through nutrition alone.  How beauty is related to nutrition in many different facets.  That's the sum and total of it.  Here's Wellness Mama's review if you want more info.

http://wellnessmama.com/7859/deep-nutrition/ 

Tips of good nutrition (how to carry it out in your life).  She calls them the 4 Pillars of Nutrition (found in many different types of diets, but primarily think of gourmet French cuisine).  

1. Meat cooked on the bone

2. Organ meats

3. Fermented and sprouted grains and vegetables

4. Fresh food (raw milk, fresh veggies and fruit)

In a nutshell

TO DO:

-drink more milk (raw, organic, full fat as possible)

-sugar free nut butters

-sprouted grain breads

-instead of boxed and instant cereals, eat toast with butter or eggs for breakfast

-buy Bubbie's sauerkraut and pickles or learn to make your own lacto-fermented veggies

-eat lots of healthy oils- olive, coconut, macadamia nut, palm, lard, tallow, and butter

-make your own salad dressings

-eat lots of large salads

-use fresh herbs often

-use canned fish with the bones in (and eat the bones)

-eat more liver (1x week)

-make bone broth 2x week (more if you have any sort of health issues)

-eat bone in meats- whole chickens and turkeys, beef with bones (roasts) - make stock with bones after

-if eating boneless meats, make gravy with homemade stock to get equivalent nutrients

TO AVOID:

-any vegetable oils and margarines (canola, corn, soybean, sunflower, etc)

-sugars of all sorts (lower immunity and have no added benefits)

-juice unless freshly squeezed

-energy and health bars (anything prepackaged)

-boxed cereals

-fried foods

-powdered milks or things made with them

-premade salad dressings

-low-fat products including dairy, salad dressings, baked goods

She claims that vegetable oils and sugar are the two things that are the most detrimental to health.  Overall a good informative read.  It fits in with all the other nutrition books I've read which all encourage getting back to real food and saying goodbye to all the prepackaged junk that big box stores try to sell us.

Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Sally Fallon and Dr. Mary Enig

OK, now.  Onto the next book.  It's called Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Sally Fallon and Dr. Mary Enig.  Same ones who wrote Nourishing Traditions also.  Lots of great info on what makes fats good or bad (kind of boring) and then what the good fats do for you (amazing!)  I can't think that coconut oil is really that good for you (all good, no bad, a miracle basically), but I think that incorporating it into your diet is beneficial in so many ways. (as seen in this post)  Mary Enig is a Lipidologist (a doctor of fats, since the 1960's) and she knows her stuff.  She's one of the brave ones that went up against companies like Frito Lay to get bad fats labeled on their packaging (since obviously they weren't going to eliminate them!)

They answer these questions:

"-Have you relied on fat-free foods and counted fat grams to lose weight only to find that your weight has plateaued and you always feel hungry?

-Do you avoid red meats, butter and eggs to lower your cholesterol but lack sufficient energy to make it through the day?

-Do you eat margarine because of a family history of heart disease, but feel listless and depressed?

-Do you eat so-called healthy meals (like a salad with no-fat dressing), only to be overtaken by cravings that drive you to eat fatty foods, such as chips, french fries, doughnuts or ice cream?

Or perhaps you have these symptoms:

-Has your weight been slowly creeping up?

-Is it impossible to lose that last 10 lbs no matter how hard you try?

-Have your energy and enthusiasm drooped?

-Do you still feel hungry after you've finished a meal?

-Do you crave fried foods, sweets and sugary snacks?

-Do you experience a mid-afternoon energy crash and need caffeine or sweets to get you through the rest of the day?

-Do sharp cravings for fattening foods overwhelm your best intentions to eat healthy, wholesome foods?

-Do you feel too fatigued to exercise, though you know you should?

- Do you blame yourself for your lack of "willpower"?

-Are you resigned to weight gain and fatigue?

-Do you suffer from a chronic disease such as depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, hypothyroidism, digestive problems, or hormonal imbalances?

Every one of those symptoms can signify a dietary fat deficiency...Because we believe that fats are bad, we're afraid to listen to our bodies."  She goes on to add that most obese people are nutrient starved, rather than just uncontrolled eaters, like society would like us to believe.  By giving our bodies good fats, the cravings for bad fats will go away.

So, they answer these questions and tell how to solve those problems.  The book highly promotes coconut oil, but also cod liver oil too.  With these two oils, pretty much all health problems will be solved over time (along with eating the fats from our meats as well).

Anyhow, there it is in a nutshell!  For more information, go to:

http://www.eatfatlosefat.com/

I also read The Coconut Oil Miracle by Dr. Bruce Fife.  Alot of the same information, but from a different slant.  I won't write a whole review, but here's his website with all it's informational goodness!
http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/index.htm

Book Review- Digestive Wellness by Elizabeth Lipski (4th Edition)

Due to my recent acquisition of a library card, I've been ordering all the books that I've wanted to read for quite some time without one.  I had put them on my Amazon wish list, in hopes of buying them someday but then ended up being able to get quite a few of them through our local library system.  I'm a nutrition junkie who is always so curious about how the body works and what makes things better and worse, that sometimes I wear myself out.  (I also wore out my nursing school instructor with my millions of questions of how's and why's.  She'd say, "You don't need to know that, Rachel.  You'll have to stay after class if you want to learn more."  So I did.  Almost every day.)   Anyhow, I am going to try to share the wealth that I'm learning in case some of it may be of help or interest to you too.  These books are available in the Fort Vancouver system, for you locals.

Digestive Wellness by Elizabeth Lipski (4th Edition)

"Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion" is the motto on the front of the book.  That sums it up, but I'll add my favorite information too!

She starts out by explaining how your gut is at the center of all body functions, and if it isn't working properly, you'll end up with a host of different problems.  From allergies, fibromyalgia, autoimmune disorders, weight loss struggles, these all can be traced back to digestive roots, even if you have never had digestive complaints.   The saying that the gut is the second brain of the body holds true.

She starts at your mouth and goes through the digestive system to the other end, explaining all the nutrients extracted at each point, and then what happens if that piece isn't working properly, and how to fix it (most of the things you can do at home).  She talks about pre- and probiotics and how essential they are to all diets (due to our increase in "dead" foods), how we need to eat real food (quit reading labels so much and just eat meat, veggies, fruit, good fats).  Her idea is to eat 90% nourishing food and then let the last 10% be "fun" food.  If the food isn't nourishing your body, then what is the point of eating it?  And she explains that cravings are your body telling you of a lack, so listen up.  If you are craving fatty foods, you likely need some good oils/fats (not the doughnut that you think you want!)

She explains what a "leaky gut" is and how people get them and what to do if you have one. (Most Americans do these days for various reasons)  She gives many ways to heal it too.

There is also a few page checklist to see where your digestion may be lacking, and then a section to find out how to heal and improve it.  She talks about pH too. (Acid/base balance) What is good for your body's pH and what is not.  One quote that I thought was interesting was about soda.  She says how a can of cola has a pH of 2.8-3.2 and our body cannot excrete urine more acidic than 5.0.  This means that our body has to bring the pH up to 5.0 and it would take 33 litres of urine to do this (to dilute the cola).  Since nobody drinks that much water to do so, our body then has to pull alkalizing mineral stores from our cells (potassium and magnesium).  If there aren't enough there (which there rarely is in the standard diet) then our body will pull calcium from our bones and teeth (hence the dental epidemic these days).  Sugar has the same effect as cola in that our body has to use it's precious minerals to break it down, thus depleting our body of essential minerals.

I guess the sum would be how we can all improve our digestion since most of us are probably lacking in some way or another.  She follows an algorithm for healing the gut which is pretty straight forward and easy to do as well.  If you go to her website you can find out more, since I can't write too much due to copyright issues.   A very informative, educational read for a nutrition geek like myself!

http://www.digestivewellnessbook.com/  

Under "extras" she has her 10 food/diet guidelines and some quizzes to see what direction you should take with your own digestion.  Also look up "functional medicine" which is in that same section.  She explains how to find a good practitioner and what the differences are between it and conventional medicine (which is what most of us are used to).  She likes them to all work together, rather than in separate entities for overall good health.

Christmas Letter 2012

Greetings!  As this year comes to a close, it gives us time to reflect on the past.  In doing so, we hope that we have gained some wisdom and become more as Christ would want us to be.  Some lessons seem harder to learn though, so it’s a good thing we’re all a “work in progress”.  We are so thankful for forgiveness full and free through Jesus’ birth, death and glorious resurrection!

We’ve been occupying our time this past year mostly tending to the needs and wants of our 4 little ones (sometimes hard to discern the difference).  There just isn’t much time left after that!  With it come a lot more laughs and a few more grey hairs.

So, here’s Luke (7), “I like this time of year.  We get to stay inside and do fun things like projects and crafts.  I like to make cookies and cakes and bread and stuff like that.  I like school, especially writing stories in my journal and doing speed drills in math.” (Mom’s note: we rarely bake OR do crafts.  He does love it when we do though!)

Luke was a ring bearer in  Greg's cousin's wedding this summer.

James (5), “We are having a good time.  We are just having a good time.  I like to play with my cars and Legos.  I am learning to read and do my math with toy cars.  I love Christmas because it’s Jesus’ birthday and we get presents.”

James at the wedding (he didn't want to be in the wedding)

Elise (3), “I don’t know what to say.  I am wearing my sparkly dress that looks like a Christmas tree today.  I think that Santa should only bring presents to the poor children, because the rest of the kid’s parents can buy them some.”

Elise, flower girl extraordinaire

Isaac (14 months), “Da, da, do, da!”  (and “Dad” and “Mam”)  He’s busy getting into everything possible and destroying it (happily, I might add).  He screeches if anything doesn’t go his way, and is working on a couple more teeth (hence the screeching).  It’s a good thing he’s so cute, as it is much easier forgive his lack of social graces!

Isaac, glad finder of someone's forgotten cup

Greg has been busy all fall working on putting in a sauna for us.  We are so looking forward to that.  In this rainy climate, we must take extra measures to stay warm and comfortable, and I’m sure this will help.  I have just been sticking to the basic daily stuff.  It seems like the messes never end, the dishes never stop and the kids don’t quit growing.  Keeping up on it all is enough for me, as well as getting in our daily doses of schoolwork, reading, going for a walk, and playing.  We also enjoyed one nice dose of Canada in August, and a short dose of Florida (for Greg’s Grandpa Davidson’s funeral) in October.

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Wishing you God’s Peace and Love now at Christmas and always,

Rachel and all

Words, confusing old words

Do you ever have words that mean just opposite of what you think they should mean?  Words that you may have either learned the definition wrong when you were a kid and it's still backwards in your mind?  Or maybe they just sound like they should mean something else?  I have a few of them, and here they are and what they mean.

Amateur - to me it should mean "expert".  It sounds like something fancy, something good.  And when you put the appropriate French accent on it, it sounds like something quite fabulous and amazing. 

Benign/malignant - these are tricky for me.  Benign sounds boring and mundane (which it is) but I've always been confused.  To me, as a kid, malignant rhymed with stagnant, and so then I'd put them in the same category.  I knew that benign was pretty much the opposite, so then thought that benign was the bad guy and malignant the good.  (As a kid hearing adults discuss people's health issues).  I still get them mixed up.

Literally - This word messes me up still also, due to a misinterpretation as a child.  I always got it mixed up with "literary" so in my mind, it meant the same thing.  Still today, when I hear someone say "literally", I think they are talking about a hypothetical situation, such as one might find in a book.  I usually think that they are over-exaggerating whatever it is they are talking about, and that whatever it is they are telling me really never happened quite the way it's said.  A sentence such as, "I literally ate the whole box of chocolates" would be interpreted in my mind to say "I felt like I ate the whole box of chocolates" rather than "I can't believe I really did eat the whole box of chocolates".  It gives the benefit of the doubt in many cases, so actually improves some situations, but is a detriment in others!

Lucid - I don't think I knew what this word even meant until nursing school.  To me it should mean "loopy" or "out there".  Not what it does mean which is, "Showing ability to think clearly, esp. in the intervals between periods of confusion or insanity."  Or maybe it's that most people who are described as lucid are generally confused; I didn't know which it was, the sane or insane part!

That's all I can think of for now.  Do you have any words that you always get mixed up?  Or don't mean what you think they should?  Please share!

For the love of...(drum roll please)...Fuvvys

I don't know why it's taken me until kid #4 to figure out that I don't have to dress my babies every day.  I cringe at the amount of time I spent dressing and undressing my kids each day.  Oh sure, I occasionally leave them in their pj's all day, but it was the exception rather than the rule.  When Elise was a baby, an older lady at church said to me, "I don't know why people spend all that time and money putting clothes on their babies.  Back in my day you just left them in a sleeper until it got dirty and then changed it."   I took note and left Elise in a sleeper unless we were going out as a tiny baby, but was putting her in clothes each day by the time she was this big.  But, with Isaac I've been leaving him in his fleece pj's (known as "blanket sleepers" to our parents) and it is so much easier on everything.  Makes diaper changes easier (zip, change, zip) and they are roomier than pants for using cloth diapers (which we do at home), they are warm, their socks can't be taken off for cold days, the fleece repels water when they inadvertently splash/spill/dump water everywhere, they don't get chilly if their covers come off while sleeping.  Just simply amazing!  Here's the attempts at getting some pictures of my wiggly, busy rascal who is the recipient of this new protocol.

In our house we've always called these "fuzzy pj's" or "fuzzy's" but Elise has always called them "fuvvy's", so now that's what we all call them too!

Isaac turns 1

Well, our baby has now turned one (in September, but I'm late as usual writing about it).  This means he is walking, starting to talk and getting into plain 'ol mischief from sun up until sun down!  This little guy sure does make the messes and wreak havoc on our house, but he sure is cute too (which makes it much easier to forgive his misdeeds).

Isaac loves hats.  As you can see by this picture, he even wears two at a time sometimes.  He steals whom evers hat he can find and plunks them on his head.  He loves climbing and has now figured out how to get up on chairs so this means he can also get on tables and counters too!  (And falling off them of course!)

This was at his birthday party.  We couldn't get a smile out of him for anything as it was evening and he was getting tired.  I have to remember to have daytime parties for 1 year olds. (I remember Elise being in tears with a plug in her mouth throughout her party.)  Grandpa and Grandma Staudinger made it for the party, which was nice, since they have never been to any of our kids birthdays before.

Here's hat boy again.  He's also a shower crasher.  No one in the house can take a bath or shower without him trying to climb in with them.  If he's denied, the tears are pretty loud and long!  Most of the time it's just easier to let him in the shower, even if it means he gets more than would ever be necessary.  He also loves to be outside and cries if the other kids go outside without him.  He loves wandering about, helping Dad and just following the other kids.  Here he is in their car.

Here's one of Isaac in the new hat Kristie K. made for him.  She makes new ones each year, and we received them when we got back from our trip to Florida recently.  I think that they are just sooo cute!  He wouldn't smile for the picture though!

Lastly, here's a picture of Isaac with his cousin.  They were together in FL and were so cute in their little suits.  They tried to play together, as well as boys that age can.  Most of the time it was just one of them stealing toys from the other though!

It's a great milestone to turn 1 year old, but it also means more teeth (no fun), more adventure (more injuries), and more love (also more hitting people, in his attempt to play with them).  The only words he says are "Da" and "Mam".  The other night when I was rubbing his back before bed, I stopped to see if he was asleep.  Just then I heard him say, "Ma'am, Ma'am" as if to say "excuse me, Ma'am, you're not done yet..I'm still awake!"

My Gregory

It seems as though there are a million things to think about each day, and I regretfully think about too many trivial things (Well, could keeping track of diaper changes be classified as trivial?  Mundane at best!)  Anyhow, one thing that I daily regret is how little I think about my dear husband in relation to all the other things that occupy my mind in any given day.  I love him dearly, and think he's absolutely perfect for me (thanks to Divine Intervention as I can take no credit for such a great fit as we are) in yet I find every evening that I fall short in telling him how much I appreciate him, showing him how much I appreciate him and spending as much time as I can with him despite other distractions going on in our house. 

So, first I'm going to write a bit about what he does all day.  When I met him, I had no idea what a machinist was.  (Works on a machine?)  I still don't understand many of the aspects of his job (way too much math for me), but do know more about his skills and trade.  He's worked at 4 different shops since we've been married, and a few before that too.  He worked for GM Proving Grounds in Arizona a long time ago, and then for a polyurethane company that made all kinds of rollers.  One thing they made was rollers that roll the money in ATM machines.  Then he worked at Plastic Engineering where they made all sorts of things out of plastic.  Display cases that you see in stores for different products, etc.  When we moved up here, he got a job at Paul Shurman Machine, and there he moved onto mostly heavy industrial parts.  Lots of pieces for the windmill power generators out in the Columbia Gorge, as well as rebuilding pieces for the Bonnyville Dam and other dams along the river.  He build parts for the Hood Canal Bridge (Tacoma) and lots of big, big heavy stuff.  Now he's working at Williams Precision Machine and does lighter stuff again.  He builds custom forklift attachments, heavy duty electronics boxes (for police and EMS electronics), and recently built some parts for boats in the Israeli Navy! (he'll probably find lots of corrections in the information I just provided, but that's the gist of it)

Recently he built a cover for our chimney area from when we put our woodstove in.  This he machined, by taking a flat piece of aluminum, programming the computer to "carve" (machine) out the outline of some Haida salmon.  Pretty cool how he did it, and then he spray painted it black and then hand painted the fish in authentic colors.  He's now making a sauna out in our shed, and I'm excited to see how it turns out.

I guess because I don't see him at work much, I miss alot of what he does in a day.  He sees my "office" every day and can tell if we've been productive or not.  I feel like he has a much better view of my days than I have of his.  He calls me pretty much every day on his break, and I love it.  Lots of times we don't have much to say, but I appreciate the call anyhow, as it's just one more chance to connect in our often-busy-crazy days.

We borrowed our neighbor's canoe this summer for a glide around Kress Lake.

And for the amount I hate small talk (see previous post), this guy loves it.  He is great at it (which is such a blessing to me in a crowd) and usually sees groups of people as a challenge and game rather than dreading it as I do.  He's an awesome communicator in so many ways, which thankfully make up for my lacks in those areas.  When he and I first started talking (on the phone) back in the day, I remember thinking, "I could listen to this guy talk all day" and I still think that.  I could listen to him read a boring manual out loud, and I'd be a happy girl!

And, here's the man himself...
















I'm starting a book study this fall with some other ladies called, "The Busy Homeschool Mom's Guide to Romance" by Heidi St. John.  Hoping this gives me some fresh ideas to keep him second in my thoughts all day (after Christ), despite these little people in our house who are so much more demanding and needy it seems!

Dressers galore

I have developed an obsession with dressers.  Not only are they fun to find and buy, but they are such a great way of storing stuff, especially in our house which doesn't have much storage.  Every day I am filled with joy when I can put things out of sight, and have them somewhat organized.  So, here's their stories...

This is our first one we bought.  I was looking for a "baby dresser" before Luke was born and came across this one at a garage sale.  The lady wanted wayy too much money for it, so I was torn whether to buy it or not (since it was absolutely perfect!)  My mother-in-law (in her wisdom) said, "why don't we hit a few more sales and then come back and see if it's still here?"  Well, we did...and the lady's teenage kids were manning the sale.  The mom had left no prices on the dresser so I made them an offer, they accepted and and we loaded up the dresser and got out of there.  I have loved every moment of owning it.  My father-in-law made the changing table to match it as a baby gift when Luke was born.  Sooo love both of these!

This next one we acquired for free since we've moved up to WA.  It was my cousin's (2 boys) dresser growing up so was not only covered with stickers when we got it, but also dings, dents and in general rough shape.  We put a coat of paint on it, and brought it back to decency.  I've been looking for new knobs for it, but unfortunately that size are hard to come by (2"), so I gave up looking for now.  The boys have put their own set of stickers on it, so it's back to boy glory again!

This next one, I just love.  It's in my spare room (going to be my girl's room someday) and I have mostly white furniture, so wanted a dresser that went with that.  I happened to see one that was perfect in little old Kalama on a rainy weekday at an antique store.  When I stopped to inquire about it, it met all my needs perfectly.  I didn't have the money with me, so told the lady I'd be back to buy it later that day.  Unfortunately, I didn't leave my name and number, nor a "down payment", and the store owner sold it to someone else before I came back through town that day.  Hard lesson learned!  I looked and looked and finally found this one at a Goodwill store, many months later.  The bonus to this one (over the other) is that it has one extra drawer.  I was also able to get a much better price because one drawer was broken.  It only took less than 5 minutes with some wood glue and clamps and we were back in business.  Love this dresser too.  We keep movies and games in it.

This next one is Greg and my dresser.  My talented father-in-law made it too, after we were shopping for one and figured that we'd rather pay him to make one than pay someone else.  I think it ended up being an anniversary gift though, and we really appreciate it.  I had hoped to clean the top off before I took the picture, but of course that didn't happen.  My goal would be to one day have it clean always, but that's just not the way life goes these days!  This is also the dresser that little Lukey (3) pulled every drawer out of  (they are on sliders) and pulled over on top of himself.  Thankfully the dresser fell to the side and hit a door jam so that it didn't fall the whole way.  It's now bolted to the wall so it doesn't happen again.  I also now can't ever rearrange the furniture in our bedroom.  And I looove to rearrange furniture!  :/

This next one used to be Elise's and was painted/decorated by my Mom.  She loves painting stuff, and had found this at a thrift store and painted it up.  Unfortunately, little girls have wayyy too many clothes, and we had to upgrade Elise recently to a larger one.  This one got moved to the bathroom where it holds hair things and various other random stuff.

This one made me so happy too.  It's a bit boring to look at, but when I was shopping for it, I needed specific dimensions (to fit our laptop) and it fit the bill perfectly.  And I found it in Kalama.  And I didn't wait around, I just bought it.  I love the wood grain of it, and it works well to hold our books that we are reading right now, as well as other stuff.

This next one I found at a garage sale, and it's absolutely perfect for it's need.  It holds tapes, cds and records and each drawer is the perfect size for each.  It's rather boring but sturdy, and suits it's purpose well.  The cd player also has to be at the side, since the cord isn't long enough to center it on the top.  Oh, well!

This one I got at Goodwill too.  It had rather funky colored pulls, but I spray painted them all gold (since I already had gold spray paint) to unify it.  It's also rather ho-hum, but works for toys, toys and more toys.

This cabinet came as an answer to prayer.  I had been needing something to keep our homeschool stuff in the dining room, but my criteria was quite specific.  It had to be narrow (to fit in the width and not cover the nightlight), it had to be shallow so we could get by it.  It had to have doors to keep babies out and it had to have tall enough legs so that the register underneath wouldn't be covered.  I prayed about this specific need, and one day Greg's aunt called me and asked if I wanted this chest.  I said "yes", sight unseen, and here's what I ended up with.  Greg's own Grandpa Somero had built it for his aunt, and she was moving to FL and wanted a family member to have it.  It is absolutely perfect, and was FREE too!

This is my latest new one (and hopefully last one, as I don't have room for (m)any more).  It's Elise's new clothes one, and I absolutely love it.   I paid a bit more for it than I would have liked, but I figured that was okay, because most of the others were either free or very cheap.  It was already painted up, so that saved me refinishing any as well.  She loves it as well, and it fits all her girly clothes like tights and slips and 40 pairs of underwear!

Art of Conversation II and Time Spent

Lately I've been again pondering conversation.  You may recall my previous post here which is still quite accurate (in my humble opinion), but I'll add a few more thoughts today. I've been in a couple social situations recently where there has been excess quantities of "small talk". Now, perhaps I'm over-analyzing the subject, but I guess I just don't know what to do in these cases.  I'm really bad at making small talk.  And, I'm really bad at listening endlessly to small talk.  It's so lame and meaningless.  

This came after I was recently approached by an older lady who came to talk to me after walking away from a conversation that she labeled "shop talk".  She said that she could hardly stand there and listen to "shop talk" as it was so pointless.  She said that she had worked out of her home for many years when she was younger, and regretted the amount of time that it took away from the two things that were of so much more value- faith and family.  She went on wondering why people spend so much time in meaningless conversation that doesn't do the body or soul any good.  I really appreciated her candor and have been wondering how to be a person who pursues deeper conversation in those awkward yet frequent "light" social settings.

One thing I have come up with is (especially on Sundays) is to talk about the sermon at church.  Ask more questions, talk about the areas that were encouraging to you, or that you really needed to hear for the week.  Another is to ask how each others spiritual life is going.  In fact, in our pastor's sermon this past Sunday, he mentioned how many of us are eager to share our health struggles and work struggles and life struggles, but somehow don't want to share our spiritual struggles.  He said how frustrating it is for a pastor to hear round-a-bout of someone's spiritual challenges (usually much after the fact) and not be able to help.  The family of God is there to help and lift up each other, so let's take advantage of it.  Not only to ask for help, but to praise Him also for what He's doing in our lives.

I guess another thing that has come to me recently is about time spent.  Our influences, who we influence, our results of what we put into something, how our children behave, who influences our children, how much of a priority different things are.  They all come down to time spent.  The most time spent will yield the results of that time.  Time spent in the Word, will yield the blessings therein.  Time spent in front of the TV, will yield the results of that.  Time spent around bullies, will yield bullies.  Time spent around Godly examples, will yield as such.  Time spent eating junky food, will yield health problems later on.  We reap what we sow.    So many folks (myself included at times) think that by being lazy in certain areas that it will be not be detrimental in the long run.  Bad influences crop up here, there and everywhere; and especially as Christian parents, we can't afford to let them grow from shoots into full grown weeds in our children.  Galatians 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  I think of a former boss of mine, who reiterated to me over and over how much her children were her top priority in her life ("quality time", she quoted) in yet I could not see (as a single person at the time) how that could be possible.  When you spend 8 hours each day working, 8 (+/-) sleeping, add in meals (usually on the run before sports, school), chores and groceries, social events,  etc., there just aren't enough hours left in a day to have much quality time.  Time spent is time spent.  We can't get those moments back, so let's choose to spend them wisely.  A radio program I used to listen to in Arizona focused on "intentional living", and that is what we must do as Christians.  Every choice must be intentional rather than reactionary (after the fact).  Sure, there are times when we have to react after something adverse has happened, but the main direction of our life needs to be intentional.

Here's a few thoughts to close...do what you want with them!

And the most difficult of all...

To quote or not to quote

I hear things quoted pretty often, and am guilty myself of often misquoting things, but here's a few that I'd like to elaborate on, in case you've heard them used.

These quotes are all taken (loosely) from the Bible, and are not only quoted incorrectly much of the time, but also interpreted incorrectly too (or out of context).  

1.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)  ^"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

This first one has been quoted to me to justify someone's divorce and another person's homosexual lifestyle.  Umm...no and no.  That's not God's plan at all.  If you read the verse in context, you will find that God's plan for these people is the saving of their souls, not their prosperity and fun as is often implied.  Yes, He has plans for His children, but in the end it is the saving of our souls that He's worried about.  If you read the King James Version, it gives a much more accurate picture of not only what this verse means to us, but also what it means to the people held in captivity in Babylon.

 2.

"Moderation in all things, hey?" or "Be moderate in everything".  This has been used to justify plain old sin, lack of convictions, addictive substances, dieting, exercise, and just about everything else.  The real verse  states:  Philippians 4:5  "Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand".  It says nothing about encouragement of things that are not edifying to the body or soul all in the name of moderation.   The dictionary meaning is:  "MODERA'TION, n. [L. moderatio.] The state of being moderate, or of keeping a due mean between extremes or excess of violence.   eg. The General's moderation after victory was more honorable than the victory itself."  I guess I would encourage all of us to shape our behavior after this verse below instead (while adding our overall moderation to the list).  Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 3.

"God won't give you more than you can handle" is how it's often said.  Well, I just don't know about that.  It says here that he won't tempt you more than you are able.   Being tempted is much different than having your plate full and being overwhelmed.  Or being burdened by health concerns, job concerns or life worries of some sort or another.  Often I think that we underplay helping others or even believing those who are not coping by saying this incorrect phrase.  If someone is overwhelmed and needs help, then we need to believe them, and either help them ourselves or help them seek help.  Here's the verse itself:
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

For an example of this, I think of the many people who end up taking their own lives.  Why do they get to that point?  Is it their lack of faith that leads them there?  Clearly, no.  They needed help and it was not available to them (whether due to their own reasons or other reasons).  We often don't know why.   Or I think of a mother with many young children facing yet another baby when her husband is away working long hours.  Is she overwhelmed? Yes.  Is she trying to do God's will?  Yes.  Is she less deserving of help than the young new mother with her first baby?  No.  What are her options?  She either handles it or she ditches everything and everyone or she ends up in the nuthouse.  Was she being tempted?  No.  But she had too much on her plate and needed help.  Or I think of the many people in our world's history who died a painful, slow death.  I think of war heroes, martyrs, childbirth, suffering epidemics.  What was their way to escape?  They didn't have one and had to go to the death with their afflictions.  

I believe this verse is more talking about sin type temptations.  Having Jesus in our hearts gives us the strength to endure temptations that may lead us to sin.  We make choices all along the way, with the Holy Ghost dwelling in us guiding us and showing us right from wrong.  I know that in my life, the times I have ended up in sinful places or doing sinful things, I had lots of time and reasons to get out before I got there.  I chose to ignore those "red flags" and thus ended up where I shouldn't have been.  Sometimes sin happens out of ignorance, but most of the time our conscience is a pretty reliable navigator.

Let's not take this verse lightly or use it to minimize someone else's struggles, but rather use empathy and help out when we can.  

I don't claim to be a Bible scholar or anything like it, so if you have a different understanding, please share!  Thoughts?  

(I put in some of my favorite "Shepherdess" pictures for your viewing pleasure.  I absolutely love these old paintings, and wish I owned more of them.  I only own a copy of the first one.)