Something old, something new, something borrowed...

Today was an interesting mix of old and new. We used an "old" sunbeam meat grinder (that we inherited) to process all the fat trimmed from an old cow (that some kind ranchers in the valley gave us). Then we spent the day melting it down on our modern gas range. (All day I was thinking about how they used to have to do things.) Had to raise and butcher the cow... had to cut the fat in bits with a knife...had to render the fat over a fire...had to make soap in order to have soap. I don't have to make soap..but I like to. And today we learned what cracklings are. They're all of the itty bits of meat that are still on the fat that sink to the bottom of the pot when you render the fat. Back in the day I'm sure they ate this but today we recycled it into dog food. :) It felt good to make so much of something, that would have been pitched, into stuff that we can use. Now we can look forward to making sweet smelling soap. That's another study in recycling..something that once was woodash (lye) and fat...combining to make new soap. It's quite an amazing process.

Love and Bundling

Seth has always been into being
"side up down" as he calls it.



Growing up in Michigan, my sisters and I had no need to fear the cold! By the time Mom got us wrapped and ready to go outside to play, in the snow, we felt as though we would melt.
Mom was especially good at bundling us! Bread bags over the socks, snow pants before boots, mittens and then the coat (so that the cuffs stayed inside), hat then hood and finally the scarf. Now, there's a special knack to wrapping the scarf; twice around the face (so that only the nose and eyes peek out) and tucked it in at the back so that it stays,and Mom knew it. Before any of this, of course, she had us go potty! She was a wise woman.
Once we'd built and dressed our snowman or made igloos or ice angels and had stayed out until we were positive that we'd been frost bitten, we would amble stiffly inside, sniffling and crying. And there would be Mom. We'd sit down and she'd pull off our boots , strip our wraps and wipe our noses and our tears. "Put your hands against your armpits" she'd remind us or (worse yet,) "run your hands under cold water". Slowly and painfully the burning tingle of warmth and feeling would return to our frozen, red fingers and toes, while we sipped hot cocoa made from Mom's special mix. We took comfort in knowing that Mom's love would get us all warmed up again. Many, many years later, it is 7:30 pm and 13 degrees outside here in Northern California. Most of my kids, with the exception of the two littlest ones, are heading out to go sledding. They won't be gone long. I will close and get the hot chocolate ready. Thanks, Mom.



Here are Sarah, baby Peter
and snowman, all bundled up









No help needed here! James, Grace, Seth and
friends, snowboarding in the Sierra's.









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Beyond what we could ever ask or think...Our marriage, a work of God!

365 times 27! I'm too tired to do the math, but that's how many days we've been married! It's funny to think back over so many days at once. So many details, it's hard to focus on any one. It's like one long happy moment. And the hard times, scary times, hurts and wrongs somehow add to the mix in a positive way; like adding just the right amount of black to get the perfect shade. All of the victories: letting Love cover that multitude of wrongs, enduring in prayer until His answer comes, taking care of each other through thick and thin and staying up late until every one is in. And the trust and comfort in just knowing we are loved. Nothing we could ever do or say will change that. (Or else it would have by now). The three cord strand is not easily broken. God is the Strong Strand, we are the weak. Trials are like a hatchet striking to fray our strength. When that happens (everyday in some way or another) God wraps His strand around ours, imparts His strength, and we somehow mend even stronger than before. All because we ask Him to.

This my sound incredibly strange and naive but, when I had my first babies, I knew we were having babies but didn't realize we were having grown-ups. Guess I was really shortsighted. But then what does realize mean? It means when something becomes real, right? After all, those babies were babies and not grown people. But knowing this now, that they are adults..makes me see things so differently. Some are no longer little ones with all of their sweet and winning ways. Now they are comrades, supporters, friends, advisers and hopefully, ultimately Sisters and Brothers in the Lord! Neither of us can dwell for very long on any one of our children without joyful, thankful tears welling up from our hearts. No matter what, the love is there; strong and deep. It is unconditionally felt and given. Parents know what I mean. Man is the crowning glory of creation; children are like trophies. They are gifts from God. We cast those crowns at His feet. Amazing God! He alone can take the love of two people, add His life and breath and Spirit and gift the whole world with a person made in His image with the capacity to love and bring more glory to Himself. Being so used is humbling. Being so blessed is exalting.

God is able to do for us above and beyond what we could ever ask or think. That's what He's done! That's what He does! That's what He will continue to do for all eternity. Beyond what we could ever ask or think! Through all of the hard and scary times, the hurts and wrongs and through every aspect of our future... there is God blessing us beyond imagination. That's what we have to look forward to. That's where we rest.


We rest on thee
Our shield and our defender
We go not forth alone against the foe
Strong in thy strength and in thy keeping tender
We rest on thee in in thy name we go

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
And needing more each day Thy grace to know.
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing.
We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.

We rest on Thee,
Our shield and our defender
Thine is the battle,
Thine shall be the praise.
When passing through the gates of pearly splendor,
Victors, we rest on Thee through endless days.
When passing through the gates of pearly splendor.
Victors we rest on Thee through endless days.

Dear Lord,
Thank you so very much for blessing our lives with all of these years of happiness. Never let us take anything for granted, not our health or your provision. Hold all of our children in the palm of your hand and use their lives for your glory. Thank you that whatever the future brings we can rest in you. And thank you for special days like anniversaries to help us number our days and reflect on your mercies.

Yours,
Leslie

The other morning I re-read the third chapter of Ecclesiastes. I read it slowly and as I did... memories washed over me. The joy of my children's births and the agony of losing my Dad, building relationships and having to let them go, times of defeat and victories, enjoying crazy laughter and sobbing depleting tears..times when I've spoken well and times when I've had my foot in my mouth.. What an intensely profound passage! It is at once timeless and timely.

Spend some extra time s l o w l y reading and re-reading it! Let God show you how it applies to your experience. You will be blessed!

Alma Mater

Okay Lord, here goes. Seems I've been loving you, my hubby and my children for so long that friends want to know what I'm learning along the way. So, I begin this blog.

This week in our English studies we learned that the Latin root word for Mother is Mater. And that Alma means nourishing or kind. So...Alma Mater means "nourishing mother" Thinking of how this term is applies to the school from which one graduates...made me shudder. I'm so blessed that my children are not in a public institution feeding from the god of this world's philosophies, falsehoods, myths, and lies. Imagine trying to nourish a child by teaching them that rather than being created on purpose for a purpose, they are simply an accident (a freak one at that when you consider the notion of a big bang beginning).That's not kind and it's certainly not true! Read Romans chapter 1 beginning with verse 16. "I am not ashamed of the Gospel". If we are not to be ashamed it follows that we are certainly not to BAN truth from our children's education!!! Anyway, studying roots words is fun! And you never know what thoughts it will lead to.

Thank you Lord, for the freedom and awesome privilege of teaching these, your children. Please impart your wisdom to me. Enable me to be the nourishing mother you created me to be. Help me to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of you.