mother to mother · work and have to hire a girl for even a day, that will cost him far more, so he...

For Today

I must do my work tomorrow, but today

I will help my eager daughter mold some clay; We will make some muddy pies, We will catch some butterflies,

We will dabble in the moss along the way.

I must do my work tomorrow, but today I will help to dig some tunnels in the hay;

We will watch the birdies fly, Find the pictures in the sky,

And we’ll giggle at the donkeys when they bray.

I must do my work tomorrow, but today I will try to keep some daily chores at bay;

Work can wait, for children grow – I will let my youngsters know

That I treasure them by sharing in their play. -Lydia Hess

Mother to

Mother

May 2016

Please direct all correspondence to:

Glenn & Mary Beth Martin

595 Skyline Trail, Chester, MA 01011

Phone: (413) 354-7860 Fax: (413) 667-5227

Email: [email protected]

Hello, friends… “If the praise of man elates me and his blame depresses me;

If I cannot rest under misunderstanding without defending myself; If I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve,

Then I know nothing of Calvary love.” -Amy Carmichael

I recently came across this quote and was inspired by it. It contains

a lot of food for thought!

I’m enjoying spring – the miracle of new life emerging from tiny dry

seeds never fails to thrill me. I feel quite motherly toward the tiny onion,

radish, and red beet plants in my garden. And I’m carefully nourishing

some plants in the house till the end of the month when we trust the

temperatures will stay moderate. Hopefully by then the wind will not be

as wild as it was yesterday when the towels wrapped themselves three

times around my pulley wash line and popped one end off its wheel!

This is an exciting time for our children. Tomorrow is their school trip

(and we’re planning to go along) to an aquarium and in exactly one

week is their last day of school for the year. Hurray! We are helping

with activities at the picnic and I need to go shopping for supplies one

of these days. Anyone want to try your hand at pinning the tail on the

donkey? Or fishing for marbles with your toes? I have an idea that

one could be popular; children and water go together handsomely!

Then when the picnic is past, summer begins – no matter when the

calendar says it does. We have had a good school year, but are

ready for vacation.

At 40 years old and counting, I know I am blessed to still have all

four of my grandparents. I’m glad our children have had the

opportunity to know their great-grandparents. It’s a little sad to see the

unmistakable evidence that they’re not the strong healthy people I

remember from my childhood; I think it hits me every time I see them.

One set of grandparents recently moved to a nursing home after

Grandpa’s stroke, and that means a family sale this summer. I’m

looking forward to that – and am especially hoping my out-of-state

sisters how their faces. I think that in our busy lives, keeping up good

relationships and family ties cannot too soon be overrated.

I enjoyed the excellent response to this month’s questions. Cutting

corners to reach around (#1) was a popular one and I’m sorry I can’t

use all your helpful ideas. Thanks anyway – and keep writing!

mailto:[email protected]

You Ask, You Answer…

I think one of the biggest places I cut corners is in my kitchen. I do not

spend lots of time making time-consuming recipes. Plan easy, yet

delicious and nourishing menus. I often serve meat-potato-vegetable

style meals, so for me to make a casserole feels like it takes up more

time because you often have to fry meat, cook potatoes or veggies

and stir them together. Then you also have all those dishes to wash.

Meats can take some time to prepare, but maybe you could make

enough for two meals while you’re at it. My mother said she often

made pies without crusts when she was busy with little ones and farm

chores.

I usually do not plan what to have for lunch. If there aren’t enough

leftovers available, make sandwiches. Employ the children that need

jobs to make them. Or you could cook a quart of green beans or have

carrots and celery sticks.

Shopping can be a place to cut a corner. When I shop, especially if

I get to a discount store, I stock up. Watch for bargains and buy a

case. The fewer times you have to get your children ready and go get

groceries, the more time you have for other things.

I do very little ironing. Basically the only things I iron are the men’s

Sunday shirts in the summer when they don’t wear suit coats. I wash my

Sunday laudry on a delicate cycle with cold water and then I put a

few garments into the dryer and run it on a delicate cycle. I let them

dry a bit – maybe ten minutes – and then I pull one or two pieces out

and restart the dryer while I hang those two on hangers. Then I get

another piece out and restart the dryer; that way the wash isn’t just

lying in the dryer getting wrinkly. I don’t have trouble with things

shrinking, and it saves so much ironing time.

There are other ways to cut corners that cost more money like

wearing Pampers on the baby or using paper plates (I do on church

evenings), or buying bread. It can feel like a sacrifice to help with the

barn chores, but count your blessings. A farm is a wonderful place to

raise a family! -Pennsylvania

“No modern pain medicine gives a child better relief than

does a mother’s kiss”

Question : I’d like to hear what corners you have learned you can

cut or eliminate to reach around to all that needs to be done in your

family. How can I meet my family’s emotional and physical needs

(sewing, for example), in addition to helping with farm chores several

hours each day?

Everybody's short cuts vary depending on what is most important to

them.

I notice that many moms take short cuts on food during the busy

times of life. Sometimes I do feel like I spend entirely too much time in

the kitchen, but to me the quality of food I feed my family is important

enough that I would rather find another place to compromise. But

there are many short cuts that can be made in the kitchen. For

example, frozen shredded potatoes can be bought in bulk and are a

great time saver in breakfast dishes or casseroles. Frozen cookie or

bread dough can be bought ready to bake. I know of a family that

freely uses popsicles for dessert in the summer.

My husband begs me to use all disposable diapers, no matter the

cost. He says that's one way he can be my maid. If I get behind in my

work and have to hire a girl for even a day, that will cost him far more,

so he feels Pampers are paid off in short order.

I buy clothes freely at second hand stores even though I love to

sew and hardly can get my fill of it. Dresses can be altered in a short

time. There are usually families willing to part with outgrown clothes.

If space is not a problem, having several coats and boots per child

saves greatly on washing. Sometimes it can go all winter till I wash

some of those extra things because everyday things are allowed to be

dirty. Make the children change as soon as church or school is done,

so you don't have to spend time scrubbing good clothes. Some

clothes can be worn more than once before washing.

My husband makes everyone in the family use their bath towels

quite a few times, and I appreciate his thoughtfulness. I know some

adults couldn't tolerate that, but his logic is that if you did your bath

right, you should be clean by the time you dry! Make sure towels can

dry quickly and they will have no bad smell at the end of a week. If

you have several small children, you may prefer using the same towel

on all of them and maybe even use it yourself. A towel that was used

to wipe up a water spill doesn’t need to go in the wash. It could be

hung over a line in the basement and used for several meals.

It's okay to have simple meals. Bake a huge roaster of rice on

Sunday morning (for an hour on time bake). Have some for dinner.

Make a pizza rice casserole for one evening meal that week, and

chicken rice soup for another, and Mexican fried rice for another. I do

the same thing with baked potatoes. Potatoes can be used for quick

soups or casseroles later in the week. In fact, every Sunday my oven is

full of twice as much food as we need for that meal.

Buy a duster! You can do the whole house (even a big one) in a

few minutes. Buy a handy little sweeper. It can do quick "touch up"

jobs throughout the day. Keep a broom or dustpan and brush in rooms

where you use them often.

Make some days very busy by canning, even if you have to pay a

maid! Can hamburger, shredded potatoes, and green beans. Even

meatloaf can be canned in jelly-style jars to slide out and slice in

"patties.” It may take several jars for a meal, but you will not mind that

when it is a "life-saver!” Breakfast casseroles, pizza, or Sunday dinners

can be a whiz with a variety of things to pull straight from the canning

shelf ready to use. Fry lots of burger and freeze (or can) it in the right

amounts for pizzas and taco dips.

Keep large quantities of non-perishables on hand if you’re not

limited in storage space. Not only is it usually cheaper, but it saves time

shopping.

Use the OHIO method – Only Handle It Once. If it’s a bill, pay it as

soon as you bring the mail in, if possible. Don't put junk mail on a pile if

it will need to be pitched eventually.

My husband says we could improve greatly on getting rid of "stuff.”

Imagine how much time we could save every day, and especially

when we have visitors, if we didn't have so many toys. I'm still working

on my own clutter. Maybe someday I’ll get to that, hopefully before

the children are grown!

A helpful tip that I learned from a friend's family is to pay your

children to do jobs. (She said it is cheaper to pay her children all week

than to pay a maid for one day and the same amount of work gets

done.) I've noticed that children actually look for work to do when this

plan is in action, and it's surprising how many of Mom's jobs even get

snatched away! For more on this subject, you can read Living

Virtuously by Erin Harrison. I put a much smaller reward on jobs than

what is described in the book, though. My children are happy with 5

cents for emptying the dishwasher, 3 cents for sweeping the steps, and

1 cent for everything they pick up off the floor (which must be put

away) or every piece of laundry they fold. After they earn a dollar, I

either give them the money or they may pick something out of the

"treasure drawer" within their price range of savings. Some moms even

use this method for behavior enhancement. Forgot to say “please?”

Forgot to hang up your coat? Caught you chewing your finger nails?

Lose 25 cents!

Two things I learned from a book I read: Are you too unscheduled?

Work on self-discipline and a little more order, and you will feel like you

have more time in a day. Are you too particular? Loosen up a bit.

Nobody will be emotionally damaged if you don't get your

housecleaning done this month. No one will suffer for life if you eat

soup for a week. -Illinois

One thing that has helped me is to double my supper recipe when

making supper, then put half of it in the freezer. Then when I am having

an extra busy day I can just pull something out of the freezer for

supper.

Another thing I do at times when I am busy is pay someone to sew

my dresses. I seem to have time for little girls’ dresses, but mine take

longer to get them done. -California

Dear farmer’s wife, I also love the heart and hold the hand of a farmer!

God has blessed our home with ten children. Here are some things that

have helped me through the years.

If you find yourself responsible for more barn chores than what you

can handle besides your housekeeping and mothering duties –

perhaps it’s your fault (ouch!). Some of us would rather do barn chores

than housekeeping because it is outside and seems more important

and we can be with our hubby. Be honest with your husband about

your workload. My husband preferred hiring a young boy from church

several hours a day rather than have a frazzled wife.

Or maybe it would be easier to find a hired girl to help you one day

a week. No excuses like “we can’t afford it” or “what will more efficient

moms think of me?” I look back and realize I should have accepted

help more than I did.

Laundry shortcuts: A clothes-chute saves lots of steps. So does a

pulley wash line. I don’t iron shirts in the winter when my husband and

sons wear suit coats. How many Sunday dresses do you really need? At

times I had only one or two. Sunday shirts the same way. Don’t clutter

your life with more clothes than necessary.

Kitchen shortcuts: Plan meals ahead. Thawed meat really does

save time. Double or triple recipes and freeze meals for days that you

want to sew. Wash dirty dishes immediately. If you must feed the baby

first or drive school children, fill the sink with the hottest tap water and

soap, with the dirty dishes soaking till you can get to them. Plan a

major grocery shopping only once a month. Shopping takes so much

time and money!

Meeting the emotional needs of your children: Read to them at

naptime or bedtime. Pray with them and sing as you work. Give them

jobs their size. Most children love the attention of working with Mom.

Do go to the barn if you can! Chore time is a wonderful tonic for

bored children and a tired mom. Be a happy wife and mother.

My husband and I knew that raising a large family on a farm would

be a lot of work. We just didn’t know how much! God’s grace is

always greater than our challenges. -Pennsylvania

Think carefully about what your husband’s and children’s needs really

are. These needs change as children grow and circumstances

change. Your first priority is to meet those needs, and the corners to

cut are the ones that don’t matter right now – and that will be different

for each of us.

When my husband comes home with ice cream and doughnuts,

I’ve learned not to worry about the price. He just cut a corner for me,

and it keeps him happy!

Have a routine chore time, if at all possible. Have rules about where

the children may and may not play, give them chores to help with,

and make it good family time!

I have a different color towel for each child, and room to hang

them. After a bath, we always hang up towels, and they only need to

be washed once a week for the little ones.

My sisters-in-law and I usually say this quietly – our children don’t all

get bathed every time on evenings we go away. I bathe mine the

night before, and wash their barn coats if I think of it. We wash the little

ones up good with fresh-smelling soap.

I make two pizza crusts and freeze one. I make a big batch of

meatballs, freeze them (raw) on trays, slide them into gallon Ziploc

bags, take out what we need for one meal, pour home-canned

barbecue sauce over, and put them in the oven on time bake while

we go to the barn. I often melt butter in a baking dish (1 Tbsp. per

large potato), peel and slice potatoes into the dish, and sprinkle with

any combination of these: salt, seasoned salt, onion salt, pepper, and

thyme. Cover and bake beside the meatballs, and add a little cheese

on top at the end if you wish.

Last fall when my girls needed dresses, I made a goal to arrange

my day to have at least 15 minutes of uninterrupted sewing time a

day. It didn’t always happen, but I was surprised how much I could get

done in that short a time if I could just stick at it!

This spring my mother offered help with sewing. I’m trying to learn to

take help whenever and however, and know when to ask for help.

Home-Sew Designing patterns have been a help to me. They are

available from Martin’s Clothing Shoppe (Ephrata, PA) at 717-738-4133.

Sewing simple dresses with the same basic pattern saves me time.

I’ve just learned that automatic toilet bowl cleaner tablets with

bleach save cleaning time. I take the dishcloth along to the

refrigerator and keep after the spills and smudges regularly. I give the

3-year-old a rag and spray bottle with water and only a little cleaner

and let him clean doors and woodwork. I’m still working on “a place

for everything, and most things in their place.” Piles of clutter don’t

save time! -Pennsylvania

The April 2016 Young Companion “Can You Help Me?” section deals

on this subject from a young girl’s perspective. There is also an article,

“Rest for the Tender Conscience” that might help you out. I was

thankful for some of these pointers. -Ohio

Question : I would appreciate help in struggling with a super-sensitive

conscience, especially if you have dealt with this or helped someone

come to rest with it. How do you know when you need to correct

yourself or when you can just let it with Christ, knowing you weren’t

trying to deceive? Did any of you deal with this as a result of hormone

imbalances soon after having a baby? Did you get help through

medication or something natural, in that case?

I know the misery and turmoil a conscience like this can bring. It makes

a person weary!

When you face a situation that makes you wonder, “Was that

wrong or wasn’t it?” or “Do I make it right or don’t I?” stop and

consider. “What do I really think, deep down in my heart or mind, that I

should do?” No, don’t evaluate your feelings but your heart or mind. I

think often we have an idea whether we should make it right or let it

rest, but we are afraid to come to a conclusion for fear we might not

be thinking right. “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our

heart, and knoweth all things” (1 John 3:20).

Once you’ve evaluated what you think you probably should do

(and even if you don’t know what you should do), tell God your

situation and tell Him what you think you should do. Tell Him your

desire to please Him. Ask Him to make it plain to you if you are thinking

wrongly. “...[He] committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously” (1

Peter 2:23).

Then rest in Him. Try to avoid thinking on the situation. I know that

will make you feel like maybe you are pushing God and His voice off,

but it isn’t. You asked Him to make it plain to you if you are wrong, and

He will decide on the opportunity He wants to use to make it plain to

you. He knows the turmoil of your feelings, and if He wants to show you

that you are wrong, He will impress it on your mind some other way

than by you trying to repeatedly mentally sort through the situation.

“[He] is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or

think” (Eph. 3:20).

When you are tempted to pick up the situation again, tell God

again that you want to be open to His voice and ask Him again to

make it plain. “For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we

are dust” (Psalm 103:14).

Sometimes it is helpful to trust another’s judgment, such as your

husband’s or another trustworthy friend who knows you well. -Bahamas

I have dealt with this a little myself and have helped others. I find it

helps if you have someone to talk with. Let them know what your

struggle is and they can help you decide if it is something to leave with

the Lord or if you need to correct yourself. Try to find someone who

may have gone through this or knows something about it. Not all

people understand. I know some who are on medication and it has

worked wonderfully and others who have done things naturally and

changed their diets. You have to decide what will work for you. I will

be praying God will help you through this. -California

“I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.”

(Psalm17:6)

I have struggled very much in the past with a super-sensitive

conscience and also with anxiety. At times I wondered if my problems

were emotional or if they were actually spiritual. When I wasn’t doing

as well emotionally, my brain would work overtime, and I’d think back

over the things I said. I’d think that maybe I should go back and fix up

what I said because it might have had a different slant than what I

intended, or later I found out it wasn’t exactly the way I said. I also

struggled with my conversion experience. Was I really a Christian? I

tried to forget about the issues that bothered me, and just rest assured

that I had confessed the things that needed taken care of and that

God had forgiven me. But it would surface again and I’d have to work

through it again.

Have I gotten help? Yes! Thank God, I have! My husband helped

me so much. When I was struggling to know if I should go back and fix

up what I had said, or something was bothering my conscience, I’d

unload to him. He’d help me think logically about the situation, and

usually I just needed to drop it and rest. But you also have to choose to

believe what you have been told. I could worry he told me the wrong

thing. Choose to believe what was told you and let that between

them and God. Usually just unburdening my weary mind to my

husband helped a lot.

One of the things that helped me the most was a little meeting we

had with an older brother and his wife. They came from a setting that

didn’t put much emphasis on the conversion experience and both of

them said that they don’t know exactly when they became a

Christian. But there’s no doubt now that they are Christians and have

been for many years. And here I was in my “hole” of questioning my

conversion because of the things I didn’t say and do like I should have.

God forgave me then and continued to work in my life to bring me to

where I am today.

I still struggle sometimes with my conscience, but when I do, I know

that I’m not as good emotionally as I like to be. Medication has played

a role in bringing clarity to my thought processes. I always make sure

that I’m on medication after a baby to help me pull through.

For those who struggle, my prayer is that you can find the help you

need to overcome this problem. Spend time reading and studying 1

John and claim the promises there. It is bondage to live with a

conscience that works overtime and makes you feel like a sinner. Talk

to someone who can help, even though the things that bother you

most likely sound foolish. May God lead you on to peace and

calmness, knowing that all is well between you and your Savior. -Pennsylvania

“A real friend is one who overlooks your broken-down gate and admires the flowers in your garden.”

I can sympathize with you in your struggle with a super-sensitive

conscience, as I struggled intensely with that for a number of years. I

counseled with a minister quite regularly for a while. If you are not

intentionally trying to deceive someone, you should let the matter rest.

Don’t go back to previous conversations and rethink everything you

said. For a while you may need to let another trusted person help you

decide whether or not to make something right. Sometimes this kind of

struggle is a result of chemical imbalance in the brain. The last several

years I have found medication to be very helpful. And yes, for me the

problem does seem to increase after having a baby, during an extra-

stressful time, or when I get less sleep than usual. May God grant

wisdom to find your way through this difficulty. -State withheld

What starts out cute as a baby loses its appeal by age four! Our little

girl sucked her thumb too since birth and we had quite a time helping

her over that habit. We tried many incentives – Thum, dusting her

thumb with red pepper, a new doll – but nothing fazed her. We were

reluctant to start spanking for it because I didn’t feel like beginning

every morning with a spanking.

Finally as her fifth birthday neared, we told her she would not

receive her birthday gift until she quit for a week. Unfortunately, she

tried us out, sucking up to the day of her birthday. It was heartbreaking

for my husband and me to have to set all those pretty boxes, bags,

cards, and even gifts from her friends back in our bedroom. We almost

gave in, wondering if anything would help, but that was the breaking

point. She stopped sucking and everyone rejoiced the day she

opened her gifts!

Wishing you success! -Georgia

We’ve had success with wearing a sock on the child’s hand at night. -Pennsylvania

One grandmother sewed nightgowns with extra-long sleeves with the

ends sewed shut so the thumb-sucker couldn’t get to her thumb. -Pennsylvania

Question : Our 4-year-old daughter goes to sleep sucking her two

middle fingers, while stroking a satiny ribbon in the other hand. She

has done this since babyhood, only when it’s time to go to sleep.

What is an effective method to break this habit? I’m afraid it’s starting

to affect the way her teeth and fingers are growing.

Your daughter sounds like some of our children. We had three who

sucked their thumbs or fingers. They were such content babies.

We talked about what we planned to do to get them used to the

idea and soon they were willing to give it a try. I stocked up on small

gifts such as stickers, gum, a small matchbox car, doll bottle, and

candy.

At bedtime we put adhesive tape around their thumb. If it was

wintertime, we sometimes used a safety pin to attach a thin mitten

onto their pajamas sleeve instead. This also helps to prevent them from

sucking on it after they fall asleep.

It was hard for them to fall asleep the first few nights. Sometimes I

laid down with them and held their hand. I promised them a surprise

gift in the morning if they went to sleep nicely. I can’t remember how

long I did that – maybe ten days. At the end I gave them a bigger gift

and told them no more surprise gifts. We kept taping their thumbs for

as long as needed.

I felt it was important that the child wanted to quit. If she doesn’t

cooperate, maybe it would be better to try again in six months or so.

My goal was to have them quit before they went to school, but they all

quit at age four.

I hope something works well for you and your daughter! -Pennsylvania

As a 4-year-old I still sucked my thumb while stroking a certain corner of

my blanket across my cheek – and not just at bedtime! I don’t know

what all methods my parents must have tried to break my habit – but I

remember the one that worked!

One day Mother showed me the picture of a toy stove she had

clipped from a catalog. She explained that if I would not suck my

thumb at all for seven days, this stove would be mine. It was an

unbelievable offer. No one, no one I knew had anything like that! It

looked like a wonderful stove with red-hot burners and knobs to turn.

And an oven with a window in the door! And it could be mine? Then I

will stop sucking my thumb! And I got that stove in seven days.

As an adult, I marvel at my parents’ wisdom in choosing this

method to help me. What made it such a success? Part of it was the

big prize. It wasn’t just an old common thing; it was worth sacrificing

for. Maybe it helped too, that incentives like this were rare in our home.

Our parents trained us by discipline, not with bribes. I guess I proved

that breaking this habit was simply a matter of the will, of making up

one’s mind to do it. I doubt whether that resolve to stop could have

been spanked into me. I’m not saying there’s never a place for

discipline in things like this; I’m just sharing my experience of positive

results with an incentive method. -Pennsylvania

Keep each size of elastic in a different zip-top bag and keep all elastic

bags in a gallon-size zip bag. It’s amazing how compact you can

make it, because you can "vacuum seal" it by pressing out all the air.

Buttons store well on large safety pins; sort by colors or sizes.

Another way is using a piece of heavy string or thread elastic to thread

them all on. When you want a certain button, move them around till

you find the knot and snip it at the same place every time so your

string doesn't get full of restricting bumps.

I collect little clear snap-shut containers at yard sales, or use the

kind of container nails and other small hardware come in to store pins,

needles, and odds and ends.

Depending on the style of your box, you could possibly sew a liner

with compartments. I stitched sturdy cotton to a piece of old vinyl

table cloth and folded it up to top stitch pockets for an organizer to

hold special markers, scissors, rippers, tape measures, and so on (I

made mine to hang on the wall). -Illinois

New Questions…

1. I would love to hear suggestions for activities for quality time with

preschoolers – things that will help in building a relationship and filling their

“love tanks” and understanding their love languages.

2. Does anyone have tips for helping an 11-year-old girl learn to stick at her

work and not get distracted by every little thing?

3. How do you transition your toddler from sitting mostly with Mom in church to

sitting with Dad? Our children go through a stage when they fuss and cry

when it’s time to sit with Dad.

4. Does anyone know where I can buy play food that looks very realistic?

Please respond with answers by June 15, 2016.

Question : My husband gave me a sewing basket for a gift when we

were dating. It's a nice one, but it's just a simple box-type with no

dividers or compartments in it. How do you keep your sewing notions

organized in something like that?

Fox Tales from the Northwoods…

A Trial in Tripping by Florence Fox

When warm weather reaches Michigan in May, I never fail to get

wandering feet. New places to see! More adventures to experience!

And such a short summer to cram it all in.

Early last spring Marlin and I decided to take a family trip several

hundred miles away. Since Jacia joined our family in January, we

hadn’t done any significant traveling, but that fact didn’t discourage

me because Jacia slept well in her car seat. The other children were

accustomed to long road trips, so I didn’t foresee any problem with

them, either. We made plans and counted days and grew excited

and stuffed suitcases and – finally! – hit

the road.

The novelty of traveling supplied

optimism for the first while. When

cheerfulness ran low, we started our

customary cycle of books, snacks, and

story CDs – the lower the morale, the

faster the rotation. Since we divided the

journey into two days on the way out,

we were still smiling when we arrived at

our destination. But the way home….

We squinted under the porch light in

the wee hours of Monday morning as

we piled luggage into the back of the

van. The children slept and I dozed while Marlin navigated traffic. After

two hours, Marlin hit the rumble strip once too often, and we traded

places. Thankfully, the children continued sleeping. I’m not used to so

much quiet time to think and had plenty of time to deliberate over

which subject I wanted to think about.

Marlin was driving again when the children woke up. From her

blanket cocoon on the back seat, Kenzie opened her eyes, looking

pleased to know she had slept. “Are we almost home, Dad?”

“Sort of,” Marlin said. “More like four-and-a-half hours closer than

when we left.” He slowed to exit the interstate, and everyone piled out

for our breakfast break.

The miles gradually disappeared behind us as Laramie listened to

Charlotte’s Web for the third time, Colton played with a little tractor,

and Kenzie rearranged stickers in her sticker book. Kenzie shouted,

“Mom, he grabbed!” and Colton shrieked as Kenzie tugged on her

sticker book. I turned around and restored order. Laramie hugged the

CD player, and Wilbur the pig shouted, “I don’t want to die!” and I

was suddenly so tired of listening to Charlotte and Templeton and

Wilbur that I wished Wilbur would die.

Jacia started to cry, and I dug in her car seat for her pacifier.

Colton’s tractor roared around the edge of his car seat, and Laramie

shouted, “Mom! Tell Colt to be quiet! I can’t hear my story.”

I couldn’t help but empathize with Wilbur, and wanted to cry just as

he had. The van floor was covered with blankets, a pillow, two dolls,

doll clothes, books, tractor magazines, two battery toys (both with

dead batteries), an empty Pringles can, four pairs of sandals, a

cardboard tea set box, and a torn gift bag. Surely in this mess

somewhere there should be a helpful Charlotte spinning miracles.

“Why did we ever clean the van before we left?” I asked Marlin,

who only mumbled a reply.

I have no idea why we do this to ourselves. Why do we stuff

everyone and everything into the van for hours on end and believe we

are going to have a good time?

Somehow we tolerated each other in close proximity for several

more hours, and we arrived home in the middle of the afternoon.

Colton climbed onto his tricycle and rode up and down the lane.

Kenzie and Laramie helped Marlin unload the van – a sizable

undertaking – while I emptied suitcases and started laundry.

The table was heaped with contents from the van, and I bravely

attacked the mountain of miscellaneous. Make Way for Ducklings and

The Caboose Who Got Loose – on the bookshelf. New thread and

sewing supplies – down to the sewing room. And then – a tray of

homemade cookies. I paused. These came from our good friends in a

chance encounter, their family so grown up we scarcely recognized

them. Oh, how special to see kindred spirits and visit with them.

I folded a pile of blankets and unearthed my computer bag.

Digging in the pocket, I pulled out the notes from the writers’ meeting

and scanned the wrinkled pages. What a fun day that was, talking of

writing dreams and book ideas with girlfriends.

I thought of the chats I had had with several mom friends. Hearing

of other parents committed to raising their families for God

encouraged me in my parenting journey.

And then I realized: If we hadn’t taken the time and effort to visit

friends far away, we wouldn’t have the good memories, the

encouragement of other Christian parents, and a cleared perspective

of life at the grindstone.

When the opportunity for another trip arises, we will probably take

it. The mess and hassle of traveling will be long forgotten. And like

Wilbur, we not only survive, but we build friendships, too. _______________________________________________

Even though Florence has been privileged to see California’s redwoods,

Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, and Florida’s palms, her favorite spot on earth is

at home with her husband and four children in Michigan’s Northwoods.

Food for Thought… The Brain Boost by Regina Rosenberry

So I eat a good breakfast, drink lots of water, and take my vitamins,

but I'm still dragging and my brain feels shrouded in a fog. What do I

need?

How about good yummy fats? Yes, you heard right.

Did you know the human brain consists of 60% fat? This organ

requires healthy fats to build its cells so we can think and problem-

solve. This especially applies to our children whose brains and cells

need fats to develop as they grow. When the brain doesn't get

enough healthy fats through the diet, its fatty acid content declines.

This creates an imbalance which causes mood swings, depression,

foggy thinking, hyperactivity, and anxiety.

Our bodies need fat to absorb and use the vitamins it gets from

food. Fat is also another source of energy that keeps us moving from

sunup to sundown.

Ironically, fats can keep us from getting fat. By eating a little fat,

we control food cravings and excessive hunger.

The fat-free diet trend in the last two decades came from the belief

that eating fat caused obesity, high cholesterol, and heart problems.

Lard and butter became taboo and margarine the hero. Eggs were

bullied by egg substitutes, skim milk, and fat-free breakfast cereals.

But obesity and heart problems continued, and health experts now

realize eating fat isn't the culprit. In fact, studies show what the oldsters

instinctively knew – natural fats are beneficial and needful for good

health. No matter what society says, God's foods are not unhealthy.

He has created them for a reason.

To define a good fat, think of fats in their naturally created state –

like whole milk which comes from a cow. From this natural product,

we churn butter. We also culture this whole milk to make cheese. The

fats in the whole milk are still intact and haven't been chemically

refined or altered.

Dairy fats such as, raw whole milk, butter, and cheese, contain

good brain-boosting and body-building fats for our children, especially

if they come from grass-fed cows.

Animal fats are another good natural source. Lard has withstood

the centuries even if society would say otherwise. Don't be scared to

use it in moderation for frying. Chicken fat is another God-created

source, so enjoy that crispy baked chicken skin. You can also use a

little chicken fat for frying and sautéing.

The best brain-boosting fats contain Omega-3. Omega-3’s are

known to specifically boost mental skills and the moods which may

“No matter what society says, God's foods are not unhealthy. He has

created them for a reason.”

help fight depression. Studies are showing the Omega-3’s may also

reduce hyperactivity in children.

Eggs contain five grams of fat, which includes the Omega-3’s.

Forget how society brainwashed us into believing eggs cause obesity

and heart disease. Health experts now realize eggs help fight heart

disease along with building brain cells.

Fatty fish like mackerel, tuna, and salmon contain some of the

highest amounts of Omega-3’s.

Ground flax seeds are another plant-source of the brain-boosting

Omega-3’s. To maintain their healthy qualities, flax seeds must be

refrigerated and not exposed to heat. Add them to your food after it

has been cooked.

Nuts such as cashews, almonds, and walnuts are the best nut fats

high in Omega-3’s. Peanut butter and almond butter are other

healthy fat choices that boost children's brains.

Olive oil is one of the oldest oils known to man, being mentioned

throughout the Bible. It's the best plant-based Omega-3 fat. Along

with vitamins E and K and other fatty acids, olive oil is high in

antioxidants, and contains components

that helps reduce inflammation in the

body. Not all olive oil is created equal,

so look for extra virgin olive oil, which is

your purest quality with the oil being

pressed from the olive, not refined

through chemicals.

Olive oil is best used in salad dressing,

sauces, marinades, and bread dips.

Olive oil is okay for light sautéing, but not heavy frying. Because of its

strong flavor, it does not work for baking.

Coconut oil doesn't contain Omega-3 but it is a plant-based fat

that has many antibacterial and antifungal properties. Coconut oil

stands up to high heat (meaning the fats won't break down or

change), making it a great choice for frying and baking. Look for

virgin coconut oil (you do not want to see listed “refined coconut oil)

which is extracted by pressing the coconut flesh and not by a refining

chemical process.

How can I work these good fats into my children's diets?

1. Use butter to make sandwiches and to fry eggs. Let the butter

lightly glisten on their baked potatoes, and serve steamed veggies

with a tablespoon of butter.

2. Give a handful of nuts for snacks. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over

salads and oatmeal.

3. Olive oil can be used in salad dressing, drizzled over steamed

veggies and popcorn, and brushed on top of breadsticks or toast.

4. Work in a serving of fatty fish through tuna salad and salmon

cakes, or scramble mackerel with your eggs for breakfast.

5. Enjoy farm-fresh whole milk.

6. Sprinkle ground flax over granola, oatmeal, popcorn, and salad,

or mix into smoothies.

So if there are good fats, what are the bad fats? Bad fats are fats

that have been chemically altered or processed – fats no longer in

their natural state.

To give food a long shelf-life, manufacturers discovered how to

cook oils (corn, soybean, and palm) at extreme heat. After injecting a

metal (often nickel or aluminum) into the oil, the oil turns into a semi-

solid state. This hydrogenation process keeps the fats from going

rancid, but turns the fats into harmful trans fats.

Because our bodies do not know how to use these foreign trans

fats, they collect in the body. Instead of building the cells, they work

havoc causing obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

If you see the words, “partially hydrogenated oil” in the ingredient

list, that food contains trans fats. Two major items made of partially

hydrogenated oils are margarine and vegetable shortening. Other

items include crackers, instant potatoes, whipped toppings, coffee

creamer, hot cocoa mixes, microwave popcorn, and commercial

baked goods.

Any vegetable oil also goes through a chemical process to extract

the oils from seeds, not vegetables as it may sound. In short, it is the

refining process used in extracting oils that turns them into a bad fat. In

any oil, look for the words, raw, cold-pressed, or extra virgin. These are

the oils that have been minimally processed and are not chemically

refined.

So how can I avoid trans fats and refined vegetable oils in our

diets?

1. Pitch the margarine and Crisco! Use butter or an animal fat in its

place.

2. Replace vegetable oil with virgin coconut oil, butter, or

applesauce in baking and olive oil in dressings.

3. Whip real cream and use instead of frozen whipped topping.

4. Make your own hot chocolate using cocoa and whole milk.

5. Pop your own popcorn and drizzle with butter or olive oil.

In conclusion, keep in mind that even though our bodies need

good fats, fats are still high in calories. A tablespoon of butter is 100

calories. A tablespoon of olive oil is 120 calories. These good fats will

cause weight gain if not consumed in moderation. Balance is always

the key! So check food labels to learn what a correct serving size is

and use these healthy fats accordingly.

__________________________________________________

Regina Rosenberry lives with her true love and six children in southern

Pennsylvania. A country girl, she's happiest when strolling through her flower

beds, getting her feet dirty in the garden, and discovering those hidden scenes

of beauty that leave her wordless. Forever 29 in her heart, she loves adventure

and trying anything new, which has turned her into a “jack of all trades and a

master of none.” But she keeps trying.

Across My

Kitchen

Table… “What do you serve for Saturday suppers besides pizza? Or for

Sunday suppers besides popcorn and ice cream? My ideas tend to run

out till the weekend!” If you share this dilemma, check out the

following recipes for some fresh alternatives… For next time, send recipes for meals that are easily portable.

One subscriber writes: “In the summer I take a lot of meals to my

husband in the field. I would like to see main dish recipes that are easy

and are easily portable.” Another subscriber would like recipes or meal

ideas that are easy to take to mothers with a new baby. You get the

idea! Send recipes by June 15, 2016.

__________________________________________________

Quesadillas Spread a tortilla with refried beans. Add whatever else you have on

hand – lunch meat, leftover grilled meat, chilies, etc., then top with

cheese. Lay another tortilla on top. Fry in butter or oil on both sides. Cut

in wedges and serve with sour cream, guacamole, and/or salsa.

Phyllis Eby, NM

Hamburger Cheese Dip 1 lb. hamburger, browned

1 can tomato soup

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 lb. Velveeta cheese

1 can cream of mushroom

soup

1 c. green peppers, chopped,

optional

Mix all together and heat. Serve with tortilla chips.

I usually heat this in a crockpot 2 or 3 hours before supper. This is a

family favorite and gets used very often for Sunday suppers. It’s so fast

and easy. Enjoy!

Laura Martin, PA

Mini Bagel Sandwiches Mini bagels (white or wheat)

Cream cheese

Ham slices

Cheese slices

Tomato slices

Onions

Oregano

Open each bagel and spread each half with a thin layer of

cream cheese. Layer a slice of ham, then a cheese slice, tomato slice,

a few onion slivers, and a sprinkle of oregano on each bagel half. Put

on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 just until the cheese melts.

These are so easy and one of our favorite sandwiches! Feel

free to make these to suit your family… skip the tomatoes or onions

and use different kinds of sliced cheeses. These sandwiches are fun to

make for a tea party or a special dinner, but they are perfect for a

Sunday night supper with your family too!

Laura Good, PA

Mini Pizzas Open a can of Pillsbury biscuits and flatten each biscuit into a

4-5 inch circle. Top with pizza sauce, sausage, peppers, onions,

cheese, and pepperoni. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

Regina Gehman, PA

Seven Layer Tortilla Chip Dip 1 can (16 oz.) refried beans

1 cup shredded cheese

1 can (2¼ oz.) black olives,

sliced & drained

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 cup sour cream

1 cup guacamole

1 cup salsa

1 bag tortilla chips

Spread the refried beans in a 10-inch pie plate. Layer the cheese,

olives, tomato, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. Serve with tortilla

chips.

This is easily adapted to what you have on hand.

Caroline Miller, PA

Deluxe Ritz 1 sleeve Ritz-style crackers

Pizza sauce or salsa

Sliced or shredded cheese

Pepperoni

Lay crackers on a baking sheet. Top each with a dab of pizza

sauce. Add cheese and top with pepperoni. Broil until pepperoni

begins to curl. We serve these with popcorn and apples and peanut

butter. Suetta Kauffman, IN

Pizza Dip 8 oz. cream cheese

½ cup sour cream

1 tsp. oregano

½ tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. red pepper, optional

Beat together. Put in a pie pan. Top with:

½ cup pizza sauce

½ cup chopped pepperoni

¼ cup chopped green

peppers

¼ cup chopped onions

Bake 10 minutes at 350. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake 10

minutes more. Delicious served with soft pretzels!

Regina Gehman, PA

Beefy Taco Dip 8 oz. cream cheese

16 oz. sour cream

¾ cup mayonnaise

1 lb. ground beef

½ envelope taco seasoning

1 cup salsa

2 cups shredded cheddar

cheese

3 cups fine-chopped lettuce

2 tomatoes, diced

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, and

mayonnaise until smooth. Spread on a 12-14 inch pizza pan or platter.

Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Brown beef and drain. Add seasoning and salsa. Cook and stir 5

minutes. Cool and spread over cheese layer. Refrigerate.

Just before serving, sprinkle with cheddar cheese, lettuce, and

tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips.

Michelle Halteman, PA

Stromboli Wraps 1 (10 count) package wraps

(Mission brand)

Butter

Parmesan cheese

10 slices provolone cheese

10 slices ham

10 slices mozzarella cheese

10 slices cooked salami

Spread each wrap with butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Layer with one slice of each of the meats and cheeses. Fold up like a

wrap. Place seam-side down on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350

for 20-25 minutes.

Serve with warm pizza sauce and sautéed peppers and onions.

Meats and cheeses can be varied according to taste and what

you have on hand. Leftovers are great for lunches.

Regina Rohrer, PA

Ham and Cheese Sticky Buns 1 pkg. dinner rolls – or make

your own

½ lb. ham, sliced

1 lb. sliced cheese

Sauce:

½ cup butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp. mustard

Heat sauce and boil 2 minutes. Take all of the dinner rolls and cut

the whole layer in half, without separating the individual buns. Place

the bottom half of the buns in a 9x13-inch greased pan.

Layer ham and cheese and cover with top layer of buns. Pour

heated sauce over. Bake uncovered at 350 for 10 minutes, then

cover with tinfoil and bake 10 more minutes.

A great way to use leftover dinner rolls after a company meal!

Bethany Rudolph, MD

Menu Ideas…. My husband enjoys grilling, so our Saturday supper menu always

includes something grilled. It can be as simple as hotdogs or

hamburgers or Italian sausage (with sautéed peppers, onions, and

mushrooms, sprinkled with Italian seasoning – my husband's favorite).

Or you can get more elaborate – chicken breasts or pork chops

marinated for hours, steaks marinated overnight, fajitas, kabobs, or fish

packets. We like to experiment with various marinades, sauces, and

rubs when we have time and inspiration.

For Sunday evening, I like something simple. Egg sandwiches are a

favorite, as are hot ham and cheese sandwiches. Meat and cheese

chunks or a cheese ball, with chips or crackers, are a sure pleaser.

Veggies and dip and popcorn, of course, finished out with ice cream

or milkshakes, round out the meal to satisfy our family.

Phyllis Eby, NM

For Sunday suppers I like to make breakfast dishes, like eggs and

scrapple, that I don’t often have time to make on a busy weekday

morning. Sometimes I make soft pretzels with a variety of toppings and

roll strips of dough around hot dogs. Toasted ham and cheese

sandwiches are also a favorite.

Rosanna Martin, PA

For Saturday supper I regularly make tomato soup. My husband likes it

well and it makes such an easy supper. Then when I’m having a busy

Saturday I don’t have to decide what to have for supper; I just know it

will be tomato soup. Sometimes we have hot dogs with it or something

like pretzels or crackers with cheese. We often finish up with ice cream!

Leah Hoover, PA

Priorities by Kayleen Stauffer

That day I did not feel like a good mom. In fact, I didn’t feel like a

good Christian. Too bad the day was almost over before I realized my

priorities were all mixed up!

Let me tell you about my day.

It was my week to drive school children. I quickly mixed bread

dough and put it in the oven to rise. I rushed to hang a load of laundry

on the line before we left so it could start drying in the beautiful fall

weather we were having. School starts at 8:30, so that meant I had to

leave the house at 7:50 to pick up the children from the three other

families on our van route.

I sent my first grader to brush his teeth before leaving. It’s taking

longer in the bathroom than it should just to brush teeth. Not that that

is unusual. My eldest son is easily distracted and needs many reminders

to be prompt and diligent.

“Are you coming?” I hollered back the hall as I helped the younger

ones with their shoes.

A quiet, “Mom, the paint spilled,” greeted my ears. Oh no!

We had been trying to do some painting and fix-it jobs

around our property to get it ready for public auction, with

plans to move to a house closer to the shop where my

husband works. My sister-in-law and oldest niece had

come the day before and painted the bathroom

walls for us (bless their hearts!) and the half-full can

of paint was still setting on the bathroom counter.

Too late, I found out the lid hadn’t been on tightly.

I raced to the bathroom, and you can imagine how I felt when I

saw the sight.

A big puddle of off-white paint was slowly spreading across the

gray Berber carpet (never put carpet on your bathroom floor, by the

way)! Paint was running down the freshly painted wall and the side of

the vanity. My son’s hand had paint on it and there was a spot on his

shoe, but miraculously it had not splashed on his clothes.

I quickly retrieved the paint can out of the puddle and set it in the

tub. I washed the paint off my son. We really did need to leave for

school.

I called my husband and he said he’d bring the shop vac from

work (six miles away). Could I please dump some water on the paint so

it wouldn’t be so thick till he gets there? And could I wipe the splatters

off the wall?

Till we were safely back from the 45-minute school run, my husband

had the mess somewhat under control. Thank God for a husband like

mine!

With me there to work on it, he left since he really was needed at

the shop.

It took lots of sweeping and scrubbing to get the carpet looking like

this had never happened. Actually, it took all morning to get it

cleaned properly and to get the rest of the laundry washed and on

the line.

Somewhere along the way, my three-year-old messed his pants. He

probably thought that’s the surest way to get some attention from

mom that morning!

After a simple lunch, my two preschoolers needed their naps. But

today of all days they didn’t want to sleep! I rocked and rocked the

one-year-old, but he just wouldn’t sleep. Maybe he couldn’t relax with

a mom as uptight as I was.

I finally decided to keep them awake till after the school run. A

short nap is sometimes worse than no nap, you know.

So I turned my attention to some apples that were in dire need of

attention. We weren’t getting them eaten so I thought I’d make them

into a dessert or two. And just like that, my peeler broke. My favorite

peeler! It just fit with the way this day was going, I thought darkly. So I

had to use a knife. It works, but it’s slower. There was no way to fix the

peeler.

We left a little earlier for the afternoon school run, so we could drop

something off at Grandma’s house. She was outside and came to my

van window to talk.

Feeling in need of a sympathetic ear, I started telling her about my

day. Suddenly it dawned on me. The bread dough was still rising in the

oven, since 7:00 that morning! That was the last straw. I felt like crying,

but I laughed shakily instead. I’d just have to shape it and bake it when

I got home, and we’d eat it no matter what it looked like because

there wasn’t any other bread in the house.

By 3:45 we were back home and all three boys went to bed and

slept.

My hands flew as I tended the bread dough, folded laundry, and

prepared supper. My mind was busy too.

Where were my priorities, anyway? All the things I was trying to

accomplish were just that – things. They were temporal, not eternal.

The whole day God was trying to slow me down and show me that

things are not so important and I wasn’t even listening. My dear

children had been pushed aside for things that had no lasting value.

Things that I was putting ahead of God and my family.

“Oh God, forgive me!” I breathed. “Thank You for reminding me

that I’m not in control of my days, but that You are. Help me to keep

my priorities straight and to keep You first in my life. Help me to keep

my family ahead of all the things I wish to accomplish.”

With God’s help I was ready to start afresh. My family and I would

feel the difference!

His Stones

“Oh, Son: more stones! Why do you bring Into the house Such dirty things? Take them away. I don’t know why You like that junk!” He wanted to cry But he set his lips And turned away With a sullen face. There was no use to stay. He’d brought her his treasures, And she had said That they were only Junk, instead. Well, after this, He guessed he’d never Show her anything – Ever, ever. He picked them up One by one And threw them hatefully Toward the sun. The limestone rock With a silver gleam, The water-smoothed pebble He’d fished from the stream; The dog’s-head one That could almost bark. The one that looked Like a Noah’s ark; This one, shaped like A lima bean, The sunset stone That was pink and green; And the very last one…

His face grew still.

The sun shone silently Down on the hill. It was the one He’d found just today, And he’d meant to show her And see what she’d say. It was a small thing Roughly hewn Like a timber cross Under Calvary’s noon. Just like in the story Of Jesus she’d read, And the cross that He died on With love, she said. But she didn’t have time To stop and see Even a cross-stone. Bitterly He flung it into The cold, blue sky. That story she’d told… He didn’t know why He had thought he liked it. And nearly cried For love of the Man On the cross, Who died. Or ever imagined She meant it true When she said that she loved That Jesus too! Well, after this, He guessed he’d never Like that story – Ever, ever. And he stood on the hilltop Silently Only a boy, But a man to be. -Sarah (Kraybill) Wagner

mother to mother · work and have to hire a girl for even a day, that will cost him far more, so he...

Documents