Violet Rhodes

Handmaiden

Published on December 15, 2025December 15, 2025 by Violet Rhodes1 Comment

With the Christmas season upon us, I have been musing about Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

I have long been impressed how she called herself a handmaiden, which is the main focus I’ve been thinking about. Handmaiden particularly means a female servant, who’s essential function is to serve. She lives to accomplish her master’s will. Willing to serve in whatever way or place her master asks. A true servant heart will serve without thought of personal gain.

Luke 1:28 reads, And the angel came in unto her, and said, hail thou that art favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

Long before she realized it, God had planned for her to be the favored, chosen one to carry His Promised Son. I believe she was living her life in a humble, quiet manner. Content to serve in the daily grind where she was called. She was not out soliciting attention to her good deeds or trying to shrug off her responsibilities. She was simply a lowly servant, faithful in the ordinary.

For most of us women today, our lives are similar in the repetitive, obscure places of service. We’re not pastors preaching powerful messages. Or leading massive Bible study or kids clubs. Cleaning the grimy bathroom or washing a child’s face is of no less importance. Can we find contentment in the service God asks of us?

God looked for a woman who would respond willingly. In complete submission. We see Mary’s response in Luke 1:38. …Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word.

It doesn’t mean she didn’t question or wonder at the astonishing news the angel brought. Verse 29 in this same chapter references her fears and confusion. She was a normal woman with hormones and feelings just like us. Who of us wouldn’t be disturbed by such exotic, yet heavy news?! And yet, she chose to believe! To submit. To release her fears and doubts to complete trust in her Savior God.

No doubt this new charge given her would bring accusations and gossip. Do you think she laid awake at night, playing conversations in her mind of how she would love to set them straight?! Did she wish to prove to them, she had nothing in this of herself? That she had not cheated on Joseph?

Are we humbly submissive in what and where God asks us to serve? Willing and ready, even when it takes us out of our comfort zone? Do we respond in cheerful obedience, even when it means sacrificing our time, or dreams? Can we forgive a misunderstanding or thoughtless comment made about ourslves? I’d dare say the gossip about Mary was much worse than most of us have faced. And yet, being the virtuous woman she was, I don’t think she retaliated. (Incase this is stepping on your toes, please know mine are being firmly squashed.)

What about our willingness to serve in some lowly place? There’s always needy spots in church. Are we happy to help? Especially in ‘behind the scenes’ service. Or do we wish we could serve in a more notable position? Or maybe we like to hide behind the safety of “others can do this job better“. While there’s truth to that, it’s not an excuse to not do our job. Suppose Mary had responded like that?

Some women want to travel, teach or serve in ‘noteworthy’ ways before they settle down and get married. But God’s call for them is to be a young wife. There’s plenty to be learned in marriage, or other noteworthy service so it’s not like you get out of bumpy terrain either way. Plus, I believe in God’s eyes, service is service. I don’t believe He measures it by noticeable or not noticeable.

Some young women would like to get married immediately or sooner. But God calls them to single service for Him for a few (or many) years. Neither is above the other. There’s lessons to be learned in either place.

Some women would love to mother a houseful of children, but find infertility to be their lonely companion. Some women had no thoughts on family size and fight tears and overwhelm at the realization of yet another little gift headed her way.

God calls some to walk the thorny path of cancer or precarious valleys of emotional health. Maybe your call is to walk beside someone precious who battles these things.

We all have dreams and heart longings. And God blesses each of us abundantly with good gifts! But sometimes the things He allows in our lives are way off our radar. Instead of curling clenched fists at the itinerary God asks of us, can we keep our palms open and uplifted to His will? It’s ok to feel that initial fear, confusion, and wondering questions with no answers. God knows. He sees our heart’s desire. Mary too was troubled. But her response then was humble acceptance, trust in her Savior, and eventually, a spirit of praise.

Luke 1:46 & 47 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.

Am I God’s handmaiden?

Christmas DIY’s

Published on December 6, 2025December 6, 2025 by Violet RhodesLeave a comment

Not only is the house beginning to look like Christmas, but it’s smelling like that too- I’ve just finished stringing up cinnamon ornaments and dried oranges.

Over Thanksgiving vacation, the children and I made the old fashioned cinnamon applesauce ornaments/cutouts as well as some salt dough ones. I had never made either one, although the salt dough ones are much like play dough except you then bake the shapes. Thanks to my friend Grace for recently sharing a recipe….

We don’t put up Christmas trees so we didn’t make either of these ornaments for that. But I think they’re very cute strung up with dried oranges!

For the salt dough:

Combine 2 cup flour and 1 cup salt, then slowly pour in 1 cup water. Knead 5 minutes. Let the dough rest in the fridge for 20 minutes. Roll out and use any sort of cookie cutters you like. While the dough is still soft, you can also make cute imprints by pressing on leaves, twigs or evergreen sprigs. Use a straw to punch holes in the top of each one. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake at 275 for 2 hours. You could also let these air dry but I preferred the baking so they’re done quicker.

Looks like sugar cookies, but the taste will quickly tell you otherwise!

This was a perfect project for the children the next afternoon. They’re always wanting something to paint.

These would look cute strung up with a garland of greenery. Or you can also use these as gift tags. Tie it on with a sprig of greens and gingham ribbon or jute cord for a cute, earthy look!

For the cinnamon applesauce ornaments:

Combine 2 cups cinnamon, 1 ¹/² cups applesauce, 2 T. ground cloves and 4 T. Elmers glue. Knead a few minutes. Sprinkle cinnamon or cloves on your surface to roll out the dough. We had some trouble with the dough cracking apart. We mostly used gingerbread men, stars and bells for the cut outs. Remember to use a straw to punch a hole for stringing. Let air dry for several days. I think these can baked at a low temperature, but we did the air dry method. We were waiting for the dried oranges to arrive anyway.

The cinnamon applesauce ornaments definitely won out in my opinion. Yes they were messier to work with than the salt dough, but the aroma!! It smells exactly like Christmas with no synthetics! And the dark color makes it pop more with the oranges.

I ended up stringing most of these since the jute cord can unravel as you thread the items on and the children quickly tired of it.

It’s best to tie the string and then evenly space them out.

This combo along with greenery also makes a cute centerpiece.

You can always use real greenery and add pinecones or whatever else you wish. I don’t like the mess of fresh greens, so I used some fake glittery greens.

The children also made paper snowflakes to hang by a couple windows. All of these extras hanging around makes things look full and a mite cluttered, but I’m OK with it because it’s temporary. And its cheap, simple fun for children and their mom.

You can dry your own oranges in the oven but I could guess how mine would turn out. (They wouldn’t! 🙂 So I opted to skip that and ordered these off Amazon. I don’t know if Hobby Lobby would have them this time of year or not?? I’m guessing Michael’s crafts would.

Would you just look at this sweet little girl?! Christmas of 2020, Josie and I strung cranberries and popcorn 🥰

October’s Food and Festivities

Published on October 31, 2025October 31, 2025 by Violet Rhodes2 Comments

This month was one of those when multiple activities and responsibilities involving church and school, happened to land on us. If you’re familiar with the Mennonite culture, we take our turns cleaning the church house, being Sunday lunch host, etc. I was on for cleaning, for school hot lunch and Jerald was on for school devotions. We also visited the classrooms that morning. Then it was our turn to host this past Sunday. There’s a family prepared each Sunday, in case there are visitors who may need a place for lunch.

For school hot lunch there’s always two people helping each other. For something fun, we took Nachos. We spread aluminum foil down the center of the tables, then spread out piles of chips, and in between, taco meat topped with cheese sauce. They fixed their plates with rice, beans, and veggies, but then they could dig in and dip nachos to their hearts’ content! We also served root beer floats and pumpkin muffins.

I’ll include the taco meat recipe I made, although it’s more guesstimates. I had done nachos two years ago for school, so mostly followed what I’d written down for that. I keep a tablet by my cookbooks where I write down my menu and amounts I make for hosting or other events. I love this for later reference! I also write down who we hosted or what the occasion was.

I fried 5 pounds of hamburger and added approximately 3-4 Tablespoons homemade taco seasoning, 2 pints salsa and 4 pints of pinto beans, pureed in the blender. This helps stretch the meat, plus I like the added bulk. And you’d never know there’s beans in it! The salsa adds in peppers and onions. 5 pounds was plenty of meat for our school, but I wanted leftovers for my family later. We served 16 people. It takes quite a bit more meat when you spread it out like this, so keep that in mind if you want to serve this. And here’s a tip- whenever I have large amounts of hamburger to fry, I’ll put it in a big roasting pan, add water and bake at 350 for a couple hours. It’s super simple. None of this standing at my stovetop stirring burger and splattering the top with grease!

When we visited school, I took caramel popcorn for a treat. This recipe uses coconut sugar and zero corn syrup!

For Sunday lunch hosting, I branched out and served pulled pork stacks, a newish menu for us. I like to think outside the box when I’m cooking for others, if it’s something doable and not overly time consuming. In my current stage, I need no fuss menus! Since we bought the meat from a local food trailer who smokes their pork, it was super duper simple! All I needed to do was heat it.

Pulled pork stacks consist of: pulled pork, barbecue sauce, baked beans, coleslaw, shredded cheese and top with Frito corn chips. It’s scrumptious!! Our guests loved it! This recipe idea comes out of Simple Cooking.

I also bought the baked beans. But I have a tasty recipe to make your own here.

I also served dinner rolls, apple crisp, and ice cream. Much as I love to bake fresh milled breads, my husband gave me orders to buy dinner rolls to save time. And indeed, I was grateful I did. My baby keeps me hopping; it seems I simply forget I don’t have as much time as I used to.

We had plenty of apples on hand that needed used up, so that made an easy choice for dessert. I baked it on Saturday and reheated it Sunday after we got home from church.

I often use coconut sugar for a brown sugar replacement, but it tends to make the food darker plus has a stronger flavor. Recently, I’ve started making my own brown sugar. I wanted to use that for the apple crisp, since it was for company. I use the Morena (zulka) cane sugar from Walmart and drizzle in molasses according to color. I don’t measure, but probably had around 8 cups sugar and 1/3 cup molasses. Mix thoroughly with your hands to completely combine. Don’t hold me to these amounts but it gives you an idea.

Here you can see the difference side by side.

When you think of fall festivities, you also think of plaids, burnt orange, or mustard colored sweaters, warm hats and cozy boots. Or that’s how my brain does it. But every outing this fall, except one, I was hot. How disappointing!

We’ve had a mild fall with downright hottish weather. I’ve been pining for cooler temperatures, especially since I’ve been on the excessive side of warm-blooded since Macie was born. (Either hormones or the mom flab that likes to hang on- uhhm) I mean, I like sweaters! But its ridiculous to wear them when it increases the heat.

Our church had an outdoor hymn singing one Sunday night hosted by Jonas and Miriam. The weather was almost perfect- just a little too warm in my opinion. There was a hottish sort of breeze, but as the sun set, it died down and became more pleasant. I wore boots and hoped for a sweater, but it was in vain. I was so warm I wanted to pull those boots off! We all brought snacks to nibble on afterwards, alongside a table of hot drinks. Although I, in my overheated state, had not the slightest desire to partake of anything hot.

Our church also got together to make apple cider again this fall at Norman and Kathryn’s farm. We ourselves don’t actually drink much cider, but it’s a fun activity to do with friends. It was a perfect evening with pleasant temperatures. Really, it was. I wore flops, no sweater, and was comfortable, if that tells you anything.

In the past, we would fill jugs with a funnel and measuring pitcher. This year we finally got efficient and filled jugs with a siphon.

Jerald enjoys cooking up this stew over the fire for our supper.

Another family made these ham and cheese bars.

There’s also plenty of yummy finger foods

One evening, our family had a fun little outing at a pumpkin farm near Avoca, Nebraska.

This was a smaller farm, but still had a lot of things for the children to enjoy. We were glad there were no Halloween decorations either.

And so it was, on this particular evening we were heading out to Bloom Farms, I was stewing about all the jackets and stuff we were dragging along. Earlier in the day it had been sunny. Backstory- twice, in just a couple weeks, we piled in all the things for outdoor evenings and, as I figured, it was useless. The children even ran barefoot the one night! It makes so much extra unloading when we get home.

So, on this night, I only grabbed a light sweater for me. Wearing flip flops raced through my mind as I sailed out the door, but it seemed a little off for a fall outing, so I slipped in shoes. And what a shame it was- I could’ve put my new boots to use! Late afternoon it clouded over and the north wind blew strong! It was COLD! For the first time in probably months, I was actually chilled. I was grateful the children had jackets and the thick blanket we had for Macie. Whenever I shivered or mentioned the cold wind, Jerald kept ribbing me that it was exactly what I wished for! He thought it was a good joke on me. I kept fearing for Macie in that cold wind. Lest you fear my mothering skills, I promise I had her bundled up. In typical dad fashion, Jerald kept saying, “she’s fine- the fresh air is good for her.” And so she was. She has not been sick yet, for which I am grateful!

A Nod To My Youthful Past

Published on October 16, 2025October 16, 2025 by Violet Rhodes2 Comments

This post would have been published two or three weeks ago, if I could’ve found the picture I wanted for this blog sooner. I located it this week in a tote of personal items, nestled among other random pictures of weird stunts I did in years gone by.

In my searching through old photo albums, nostalgia hit me full force. 20 years ago, I was teaching school and living life full blast. I loved humor and a good joke, of which I compiled my own joke book. (No it’s not published, ha ha.) I created skits and acted them out on my own, after making my audience promise they would laugh at me so I wouldn’t feel stupid. (Trust me, there were some lame ideas coming forth). My audience typically consisted of neices and nephews, my siblings and spouses, and my parents.

Musing over the fun-loving girl I used to be, brought a sense of sadness. I wish I could still be like that! In rare moments when I feel reeeeaaaalllllyyy good, the me of long ago pops up. Now days, I’m wrapped in the trenches of raising a family, having a baby this year, sleep deprivation, combined with physical and mental health challenges, doesn’t leave much space for lightheartedness. My life *feels hounded by difficulties. It takes the whole of my brain to focus on necessities, so there’s nothing left to exert to humor. (*not saying it actually is. I think it’s more feeling like it)

Then there’s energy needed for our children who need constant training and guidance. Plus the burden I carry that they’d grow up to see their need of Jesus. Life is hard. And I want them to realize and accept that life isn’t always fairness and fries, dished out with hot fudge sundaes. Can I blame my melancholy nature for the pessimism I’m feeling? Are these burdens, mid-life weights coming on? Could someone please identify with me?!

Set me straight. Yes, God is good. All the time, God is good! Life in my stage is a blessing, and I am thankful for my family!

It wasn’t that I didn’t have trials when I was young, it’s just that now I feel covered up with heavier responsibilities and cares of life, that there’s no extra mental space for friviolarity. Possibly, there’s maturity thrown in there somewhere too. But back to the girl I used to be….

When I was in my upper teens and early twenties, I wrote poems right and left. Sometimes they came together without much effort. Often, they came out of heart struggles or messages I heard. As you can tell by the one in this post, I wrote some with less than profitable content.

My dad bought this Chevy S10 truck for me to drive when I was teaching school. It was a stick shift, which was excellent for me to learn how to operate. Yes, I stalled it more than once, and yes, I learned how to squall tires- on purpose! I was glad I learned straight stick driving because the VW I bought when I was 22 was also a manual. But by then I was comfortable with driving a stick. And yes, here’s shocking truth; I used to drink pop and loved Dr. Pepper! Shivers! Or wait, maybe if I’d start drinking Dr. Pepper again my problems would disappear?!

My Truck And I

My little old truck and I

We go whizzin’ and sailin’ by

Past the slow folks that creep along

I hit the gas as I sing a song

Shiftin’ gears and grindin’ some

folks proly think “boy she’s dumb!”

But who cares- I don’t give a rip

I get my Dr. Pepper and take a sip!

Sometimes a wild streak gets in me

I slow to a stop and breathe deeply….

Then I mash the gas and turn the wheel

Spin the tires and listen to the squeal!

Then I sit back and try to calm down

And drive more carefully when I’m in town

In good looks, my truck ain’t got much for it

But I ain’t driving a truck on credit

We get along good without a guy

My little old Chevy truck and I!

I wrote this 4 or 5 years before I met Jerald. And 20 years later, I DO NOT get along good without my guy!! I love him like crazy for so many reasons. His kind, stable, God-fearing, forgiving heart melts mine to puddles.

Here’s my VW bug I had next. Ladybug and daisy seat covers were 100% my style! I loved my bug and made lots of great memories with it. We also used it on our wedding day! ♥️

Summer’s End Photo Journal

Published on September 4, 2025September 4, 2025 by Violet RhodesLeave a comment

Two years ago I did a blog like this. It was one of my most viewed posts, which tells me people like this sort. I certainly enjoy real life pictures in the blogs I read, so here’s some highlights of our summer. (I don’t so much like when bloggers use photos off Unsplash or the like.) Be real people. That’s my theory.

Most of the summer was spent at home staying alive. Eating, sleeping, feeding baby, napping, cleaning, washing clothes, cooking. Trying to keep the house and children under control and not get overwhelmed in the process. Not much excitement out of the ordinary, but that’s ok with me. Not all excitement is thrilling.

Josie was tickled pink to receive her perfect attendance award at our school’s year end program!

Grandpa and Grandma Rhodes came for the school program and to meet little Macie for the first time.

Jerald and the children’s Mother’s Day gift for me. I loved it! There were some handcrafted body products and a non-toxic candle.

We took a trip to Ohio to attend a reunion. On our way there, we spent one night at this cozy cabin in Jacksonville, Illinois. So quaint yet comfy!

Jerald led the hymn singing at the Schrock reunion.

I baked cinnamon rolls to serve at Jerald’s open house at his shed lot.

First we ever grew such beautiful broccoli and cabbage! We had a cooler spring, which largely contributed.

We get local jersey milk. This summer I started making butter with the cream. You should have heard me singing the joys of a simple wonder like homemade butter! It gives me homesteading vibes. I couldn’t believe how simple it was. I used my Bosch mixer but have since switched to my blender. It whips up butter in no time flat!

Reece’s old bike had quite the issues besides being too small for him. After prayers and much searching on marketplace for a used bike, we found this one for a good deal. His face says it all! “Thank you, God, for answering little boy’s prayers!”

My flower garden in early summer. I enjoyed hosting a couple parties for bouquet making.

Jerald and Reece building me this workbench for flower arrangement. It was part of my birthday gift and I love it so much! So handy to do all the trimming and snipping right there.

We got a new mailbox and improvised our old one to the flower workbench. It’s perfect for hosting vases and scissors. The 5 gallon bucket is for dipping water for bouquets.

If you’ve never tried a flower garden, you should. It was a small dream I had last winter when I was making my 2025 vision board. It’s one of the things we got accomplished and have thouraghly enjoyed! My goal was to have plenty to share with church friends as a small way of giving back for all they did for me last winter when I was ill. God has granted an abundant harvest and many bright bouquets! It’s therapeutic to meander out barefooted, into the evening sunlight, and arrange flowers. I’m already dreaming of next year.

Reece turned 6 in July. The Case is pulling the JD out of the creek. (Cake decorating isn’t my gift so figured I ought to explain) He was pleased with his pocket knife and ball glove.

Josie made this cake mostly by herself for a fellowship lunch at church one Sunday.

Our Josie Kate turns 10! Her gift was the seat for her bedroom reading nook.

We were thrilled to pick the first plums off our tree this week! Jerald has fervently endeavored to plant & care for fruit trees over the years. It’s been a battle; pessimistic me always wonders if it’ll ever be worth the effort. But these were delicious! I might start hoping for abundant crops in coming years.

The following photos are credits to Mary Steria. My flower garden was the perfect place for photo shooting at golden hour.

6 months. She brings abundant sunshine and joy to our family!

Incredibly blessed and grateful for the beautiful family God has given us!🤍

Tastes Of Summer

Published on August 13, 2025 by Violet Rhodes2 Comments

All summer long, I kept wanting to post a couple seasonal recipes. But time has seemingly picked up a rapid pace. Is it because I have a baby this summer? Or is it because I turned 40 in July, and now I’m picking up speed going downhill? Whatever it is, I find it hard to keep up with the hampster wheel speed that it feels like. It seems I spin circles just getting the basics done.

But I also enjoy a few hobbies like sewing or blogging. It feels rewarding to occasionally accomplish things of that nature, even in this busy stage.

So real quick here, before summer ambles off and completely forsakes us, I’ve got 3 recipes you need to try.

The lemon blueberry muffins and pesto definitely have got summer vibes! And I’ve been frequently making the chia seed pudding this summer and wanted to share that too. But on second thought, grapes are more of a fall thing. Well, in that case, at least I’m ahead of the game. Now you have it for September!

The basil pesto can be easily tweaked to your preference. Most recipes call for pine nuts which I never have. I substituted pecans and I’m sure walnuts could be used as well. Here you go.

2 cups fresh basil leaves, scant 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup pecans, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (the shaker kind) 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste, 1-2 teaspoons garlic, (I use minced canned garlic. Why waste time pressing garlic when I can buy it ready to throw into recipes?!)

If you put the nuts in first, and than the leaves, it blends better. As you can see I didn’t follow my instructions here, but I learned that the next time I made it! Drizzle in the olive oil as you pulse the blender. Blend until smooth.

This is delicious eaten with crackers or spread on a sandwich or on pizza instead of sauce. Add toppings such as fresh tomato and olives. Obviously, it has a distinctive basil flavor, which tastes so fresh!

I’m sorry if you don’t like lemons. Just because lemons are sour doesn’t mean it will make you sour by eating them. Lemons are always fresh looking, smelling and tasting- who can beat that?! Especially in something like cake or muffins. I revised this recipe using fresh ground flour, less sugar, more lemon juice and also added lemon essential oil for that extra punch of lemon. I used fresh squeezed juice, but I’m sure the bottled kind would work too. They were mouth-watering!

I revised this chia seed pudding to use grape juice concentrate instead of strawberries, like the original recipe called for.

Chia seeds have protein, fiber and Omega 3s. They’re best absorbed by soaking before eating or then grinding first. If you eat them whole in foods, good chance they’ll go right through you without any benefits.

We get our grape juice concentrate through our local bulk food store. It’s ordered in bulk from New York. It is a thick, rich, concentrate. If grapes had feelings, it would put canned grape juice to shame. You can totally use your own canned juice to make this or store bought concentrate. It just won’t be as rich, but I’m sure it will still be tasty. Thinking of school starting up, this makes a great lunch box food. A healthy alternative to sugary tapioca pudding!

Thanks to my sister in law Becky, for sharing the strawberry chia seed pudding with me years ago. That is delicious as well! Eliminate the water and soak 1 cup chia seeds with 1 quart crushed strawberries. Everything else is the same.

On Hair And Brushes

Published on July 14, 2025 by Violet Rhodes2 Comments

I’m a hair freak. A detached hair freak that is. It appears I magnetically find human or pet hair without even trying. Standing behind a person in town, I shriek inwardly at t-shirts absolutely covered in hair. I can’t help but wonder what their couch or bed looks like and I’m most grateful I don’t need to know! Scanning the motel bathroom, I’ll spy stray hair left behind by the cleaning lady. Washing dishes at church or other’s houses, there’s countless times I encounter hair among the dishrag. It creeps me to pieces, but I endeavor to stay calm, pull it out, and go on washing. I even notice stray eyebrows on dinner plates. If I’m at someone else’s house, I discreetly swipe it with any available paper product and discard it rapidly.

Is anyone else affected by this malady?! I’m getting rather derailed, but four quick tips here to eliminate hair where they don’t belong-

1. Do not wash dish rags with underwear and washcloths. I think most people do, but I’ve taken a stand against this for years. It grosses me out. I wash my tea towels and kitchen dishrags with towels but not washcloths. I have a separate load for items like underwear, socks, washcloths and cleaning rags. I know towels can have hair too, but it seems safer.

2. Run a lint roller over your clothes and floor after you’ve finished brushing your hair. Josie and I do this regularly. This removes complete congregations of lost hair! If you haven’t tried it, you should. Perhaps your vacuum sweeper would thank you by serving you an extra two years.

3. Ok, this may sound wild to some of you. But don’t do kitchen work or any food prep with loose hanging hair. When I wash and brush my hair, I change my garb or else throughly run my lint roller over me before kitchen duties. I notice more hair floating around my kitchen when Jerald and Josie help out. Is it because there’s more people in the kitchen? Or because men are more hairy and Josie wears her hair in a braid?

4. I know this won’t fly for many of you either, but don’t keep pets in the house. My house gets dirty and hairy enough without pets. Keep yours. But you won’t catch me with indoor creatures.

But now, back to hair brushing. Last fall, I ordered two Tangles B. Gone brushes for Josie and I. I had heard good things about these brushes. With a discount code, I finally ordered two to try out. Josie and I were super impressed! We looovveee these brushes!

These brushes are a definite asset for Josie to brush her own hair. She’s getting good at doing her own braid for at home too. But for going away, I still generally do it. Her head is loaded with a thick crop of long, blonde hair, just like I had at that age. It’s a real job keeping after it. Over the years we’ve encountered multitudes of hair rats. We’ve used hair masks, lots of conditioner, sometimes apple cider vinegar and various brushes. I’m not a fan of spritzing it with coconut oil/ water because of the greasy look. Sometimes, she still needs help after washing her hair, but mostly, she brushes it herself, which is a huge help.

Josie’s hair here was extra wavy after having it done up in a bunch of little braids for crazy hair day at school a few years ago.

Tangles B. Gone brushes:

* Are made of soft and dense boar bristles.

* Are large, which is needful with thick hair. Before we had these brushes, we used Lemongrass Spa hair brushes, which are also made with boar bristles. Nothing against LG, but these were so small! Especially with thick hair, they didn’t get the tangles out as well.

* They have a gentle contour to the head.

* They brush gently.

* They do a good job.

* They don’t pull out gobs of unnecessary hair. The first time I used mine, I was in awe of the tiny amount of hair I brushed out! I typically had a good sized hair ball, but this was an impressively little ball.

A little tip for making hair brushing more enjoyable is brushing it outside. This is my favorite place to brush mine! I always do this after washing my hair as long as the weather permits. I think it’s safe to say I’ve been out in 40 degrees or colder, just to brush my hair. Not only can the stray hairs go sailing in the breeze, but catching sunshine and air drying is lovely.

The other week, it was super hot and windy. And this is no dry joke or windy tale! I washed my hair and let it sopping wet. I stepped outside to brush, and by the time I was finished, my hair was dry. Nebraska wind for you. It was hot and windy, day and night for 3 days straight. It makes me weary listening to non-stop high wind like that.

If you’re looking for a quality hair brush that gets the job done, check out Tangles Be Gone.

Blessing Your Husband

Published on May 31, 2025 by Violet Rhodes4 Comments

With Father’s Day always falling in June, I got this inspiration today to post 30 ideas you can do to show love for your husband this month. One for each day. These are just little practical things we can do to show honor and respect to the man we married.

Not all of these ideas are original with me. Some are very common; things you may already do. Others are not as easy. Especially with a baby or many little people in the house. It’s easy to fall into the humdrum of daily life and be too busy or forgetful to make an effort for special moments.

Make a list of 10 things you appreciate about your husband. Lay the note in his Bible or somewhere to suprise him.
Listen to him speak without interrupting.
Be mindful of your actions and what they are speaking to him. Does he feel appreciated or degraded? We can become so calloused that we don’t realize our actions may be hurtful to him in some way.
Make him one of his favorite desserts.
If you don’t already know his preference, ask him which area of the house he prefers cleaned up. Then make sure at least that area is tidy when he arrives home.
When he’s relating a story or bit of information, don’t correct him. Definitely don’t correct him in public, but don’t in private either. (Is it just me, or do men tend to stretch jokes when they’re telling them?! I well remember my Dad doing this and now my husband does the same thing. I’ve learned it’s ok to just let it go. He’s not trying to tell an untruth. 😅)
If he has an errand to run, if possible, let your own work sit and ride with him. This is not always doable with a baby or toddlers, but it means a lot to a man for his wife to ride with him.
Let him drink his favorite beverage-tea, coke, iced coffee or whatever, without reminding him of the sugar content.
Look him in the eyes while he speaks.
Dust and clear his nightstand and place his favorite candy bar there for him to find.
Give him a foot massage as he relaxes.
Pick up trash and give his truck a little tidy.
Sit beside him on the couch for family devotions. Tonight the children can’t sit between you two.
Take a genuine interest as you ask him about his day. Don’t vent your day’s frustrations on him the minute he steps inside!
Ask him which dress he wants you to wear for church, then wear it with a smile. (I tend to have a premeditated idea which I was going to wear then he usually chooses a different one.)
Give him a card or note. Thank him for specific things he does for you.
Tell him about a verse that inspired you and ask his thoughts on it.
When he’s out mowing lawn or fixing something around the place, go sit and watch him. Men love to be watched working! (Isn’t that why they put up fluorescent orange signs with men working on them? Just kidding!)
As you lay in bed tonight, reach over and hold his hand until you feel sleepy. This is something we do regularly and it’s a sweet, silent way of showing love.
Do something you know he wants done, but you didn’t feel like doing or kept neglecting.
Serve him a special drink when he comes home from work.
Admire something about him and tell him so.
Brush your teeth, put on a face spritzer or good smelling lip balm and greet him with a kiss when he arrives home.
Set aside 10 or 15 minutes to pray intentionally for him.
Give him a foot soak.
If he doesn’t mind, clean up his desk and leave a sweet note. If he minds you touching his space, leave a note only!
Hold his hand as you walk into church. Not so doable if your hands are juggling babies, bags and Bibles, but at least walk beside him.
If possible, go suprise him at his workplace with a drink or snack.
Set the table with your wedding dishes and make his favorite meat and potatoes.
Give him a compliment.

Puppy chow is something my man loves. Occasionally, I make it for him to enjoy even if it’s not healthy. Perhaps I should have called it Hubby Chow. 🥰

I fixed strawberry lemonade for Jerald and all of us to enjoy one summer evening when he came home.

Make time for and be available to sit and chat with him on a regular basis. This takes a constant effort. It’s too easy to do life together without really connecting. We need strong marriages to have strong homes. And we need strong homes to have strong churches. If the Devil can divide you and your husband, he’s thrilled to be on his way to dividing the church.

And to any widows reading this, hugs to you! ♥️ I’m sure you all would have much good advice for the rest of us to cherish and show more appreciation to our husbands.

And an update on our laundry soap business, Tahor. It was right at a year ago that we launched Tahor, offering an all-natural laundry powder that is safe and effective! Over the past year the business slowly grew and was taking more of our time, especially evenings and weekends. We decided it was time for someone with more time and energy to take it on. We are happy to announce that Tahor has been purchased by Mckenzie Nisly who is local to our area. We are excited to see her take it and grow it! So, hop over to the website and purchase some natural laundry powder! You won’t be disappointed, your clothes will thank you, and McKenzie will be thrilled to earn your business!

Cortisol Levels

Published on May 5, 2025 by Violet RhodesLeave a comment

I’ll begin this post like a preacher; “Studying into this was good for me; I need it myself.” Hopefully, it can benefit someone else besides.

We hear a lot about high cortisol these days, and it’s not a wonder with this fast-paced world we live in. It can get our bodies stuck in the fight or flight mode.

What is cortisol?

Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It’s often called the stress hormone. It controls the parts of your brain that affect mood, motivation and fear.

Cortisol:

*Controls our sleep and wake cycles.

*It manages how our body absorbs fats, protein and carbs.

*Regulates blood pressure

*Provides energy in stressful situations as well as helps to balance our levels after the stressful moments. We need this, but too much makes our body feel like we’re always running from that booger man behind us.

So if our cortisol is high, it’s not a wonder we say hello to insomnia, high blood sugar levels and high blood pressure.

For years already, I’ve been prone to run in high gear. I’m not always doing 90, but when there’s work to be done, I like tackling it with vengeance and speed. It feels like a waste of time to putz around, and it’s hard for me to relax when I see work to be done. But working slow and steady is not a bad thing! I truly need my own advice here. I do better at this on days that aren’t packed full. Somedays, though, it feels like it’s not an option to putter. Especially when there’s responsibilities outside of home. Like this week. It’s the last week of school and with Jerald being Chairman, I have a good dose of other responsibilities not related to my home. It stresses me considerably! But what other choice than to keep going and plug through? This kind of stuff (and much worse!) for continued lengths of time, is what can really elevate cortisol. At least if you’re an introvert like me and hate being responsible for events.

With a new baby in the house, I definitely feel like my cortisol has been running high these first couple months postpartum. But that’s normal for moms, isn’t it? Google says it is. And between me and Google, what could go wrong? But it certainly doesn’t take postpartum to have high cortisol!

I’m always planning for the most strategic methods for managing my time. But when I’m so focused on my work that I turn the oven on and promptly forget to put supper in, there’s definite needs going on in this brain. Yes, this happened. I came back half an hour later to find the casserole still sitting on the stovetop. Hello mom brain.

The stress of pregnancy and delivery, sleep deprivation, and the 24/7 neediness of a tiny human is exhausting, to state it mildly. It doesn’t mean we as moms are not extremely grateful or that we don’t love our babies. It just means we’re made of dust. And there’s nothing stable about dust or women’s emotions.

I can tell the number of gray hair on my head have increased during my recent stressful pregnancy. I comb my hair in such a way to try covering up most of those silver streaks. Does that sound like pride? I thought so at first, but then I decided to call it humility. I’m covering up how wise I am.

Back to the high cortisol. For me, there’s always the daily stress of constant decisions surrounding household duties and baby care. When baby sleeps, which is the best choice? Zoom around and prep supper so I can ensure there’s food available at 6 pm? Go to bed myself? Sit down to read while I have a moment? Relax in the sunshine? Go on a walk?

Some days the answer is obvious. Sleep is high priority. I go to bed and pray for sleep. But then the little miss wakes up. “Well then, I should have stayed up and worked.” I hate the feeling that I made the wrong choice. Other days, she sleeps like a charm and I also get a nap- hallelujah! Other times, I accomplish my work at high speed. This too, is a hallelujah sort of feeling. The reason I work swiftly is so I can relax afterwards!

Maybe this doesn’t sound like much stress compared to performing surgeries or working for the President. Well, no. But it’s still stress to me. But we can’t compare stress. What is stress to me may not be much anything to another mom. We all live different lives and have a plethora of reasons that stress us out. Some to a greater extent than others. I mean, of course, my daily little stress is nothing compared to seeing a loved one dying, constant, debilitating health issues, relationship struggles and many more awful things. Stress will affect our health if we don’t watch out!

The good man I live with often reminds me to just sit down. Take it easy. Sit in the sunshine. To slow down. Ahh, such wise words. And I try to comply. I’m trying to slow down instead of always rushing. There is such joy in slow living. I might zip around my house, but I enjoy my days much more, by a slower paced life. Not packing my day or schedule too full. We must say no to unnecessary things.

It brings joy to live unhurrried and I’m a work in progress. To simply care for my baby and do the laundry. To have time for morning porch sitting. To have time for reading. To really listen to my children’s stories. To not schedule or attend too many activities that take me away from home every week. (Some thrive on this, but it wears me out) It takes intention to live life in the slow lane.

So where was I going. Oh yes! That high cortisol. With the rate of speed that thoughts cruise through my brain, it’s a good chance they’ll be forgotten if I don’t jot it down. Constantly distracted, that’s what you’d call this. If there’s important things I must do that involve others, it feels a kin to danger to not write it down. I rest much better if it’s on paper. Which is why there’s a pencil and sticky notes in my nightstand drawer. Not a notes-in-her-phone kind of girl here!

In the graphic below, how many of these can you relate to? Surprisingly, high and low cortisol can have many of the same symptoms, although high levels are most common. And it never hurts to try simple methods for reducing stress. Never have I ever heard someone say, “Wow, I loved that stressful feeling. Wish that season could’ve lasted longer!”

Many of these two graphics have the same symptoms, although there’s a few variations.

There are simple things we can do to help lower our cortisol.

● Firstly, if you can sleep, sleep! I don’t have pity for those who are sleep deprived from lack of discipline. I have pity on those who go to bed in a timely manner, yet can’t sleep. Or those who wake in the early morning hours, with a speeding brain. That sort of stuff can definitely raise cortisol because neither your mind or body is getting refreshed! But you can’t sleep if you can’t sleep! Been there countless times. It’s brutal.

Get out in the morning sunshine. This is much easier done in summer months than winter. Exposing your bare eyes to sunlight first thing in the morning before any screen time will help set your circadian rhythm and help your body produce its own melatonin at bedtime.
Eat real whole foods along with plenty of protein to help balance blood sugar. Fresh vegetables and fruits. Real salt. Good meat without hormones and nitrates. Raw milk. Fresh eggs from backyard chickens. Nuts and seeds. Bake with freshly milled flour and good oils like olive, avocado or coconut. Or butter. Or lard from hogs raised from a responsible source.
Eat a protein filled breakfast before too long in the morning. Intermittent fasting can be done if it’s done properly with adequate protein and food intake during the eating window. But IF is not for those with high cortisol. It puts undue stress on an already taxed body. We want to make our bodies feel safe. Not stressed- because I’m starving!
Breathe deeply. We underestimate the power of deep belly breathing. Spend 5 minutes deep breathing when you feel yourself getting stressed. It signals your body to relax. Look up Wim Hof breathing techniques. Breathe deeply for a few minutes, hold your breath for a minute, and then breathe deeply again. Each time you do it, try holding your breath a little longer. This brings oxygen to the brain. I’ve done it and it works! I can feel it in my head.
Wim Hof also recommends a cold water bath or shower. Initially, this makes your cortisol rise, but as you relax and do this regularly, it can help reduce cortisol levels. This takes a substantial amount of courage! Besides making you shriek and shiver, it also helps your overall hormone production in a positive way.
Stay well hydrated! Add in a pinch of Real salt to your water for electrolytes. Along with this, follow my example and don’t drink coffee. Ha. Well, at least limit your caffeine intake! And definitely don’t drink coffee on an empty stomach.
Limit or exclude time in front of computers or phones before bed. Blue light disrupts our natural circadian rythm and suppresses melatonin, our sleep hormone. This is hard to do, because if we’re relaxing in our chairs at night, we’ll catch up on our phones, right? At the least, wear blue light glasses and/or turn your lighting waaaay down! But even so, it’s stimulating to the brain- not a conducive way to promote sleep! Read a book or visit with those closest to you instead.

Disclaimer here- I endorse relaxing and Bible meditating but not yoga. 🫠

Here are a few more informative graphics in regards to food.

In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength…..

I read this verse in Isaiah 30 this morning and felt like it was exactly what I needed. I’m asking God to give me a quiet heart in spite of a stress filled week. Being intentional with our time, and beginning to prepare for events early on, helps it feel more manageable.

If you hear me huffing and puffing this week, you’ll know why. I’m just trying to lower my cortisol!

Simplified Breakfast

Published on April 8, 2025 by Violet RhodesLeave a comment

Over the winter, when I wasn’t feeling well, our church family blessed us with lots of yummy food. Not just suppers but also breakfast items, which were super helpful. Especially since Jerald would be up with the children, helping them with breakfast, so I could get extra sleep.

I have found how lovely it feels to simply pull out breakfast items from the freezer for less stressed mornings! And I’m going to share ideas and some recipes with you.

I’m sure breakfast looks different with large families or depending what stage of life you’re in. But for us moms with young families, keeping your freezer filled with ready made (homemade) foods is extremely helpful and freeing. You feel prepared instead of scared!

When my Mom and sister Geneva were here after Macie was born, I had them stock the freezer with food and one of those was sausage gravy and biscuits. They filled pint size freezer boxes and bagged up 4 biscuits per package. Now I simply pull out a pint of gravy and bag of biscuits the evening before. It’s ready to reheat in the morning for a nourishing breakfast my children delight in.

Biscuits and gravy in my fridge freezer. The other container has fried bacon.

Sausage Gravy

1 pound ground sausage, 3/4 cup flour, 1 ¹/² teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 4 ¹/² cup milk.

Fry sausage, add flour and seasonings. Stir in milk and cook until thickened.

Used with permission from Stutzmans Culinary Secrets

This is a very delicious and super easy gravy recipe!

The biscuits are the buttermilk biscuits out of Prairie Flour cookbook, which I don’t have permission to share. But I’m guessing many of you have your favorite recipes anyway.

This cookbook is filled with recipes using fresh milled wheat flour, besides much information on a variety of grains, using sourdough and such like. A very worthwhile investment! You can find it online at Amazon or some book stores. You can also purchase it directly from the authors by emailing them at prairieflourcookbook@gmail.com

Another helpful tip is to keep fried and crumbled bacon and sausage in the freezer. Geneva filled a container of each when she was here. It’s perfect for pulling out a handful and adding in with eggs. Scrambled or soft. Make a few pieces whole wheat toast for a no fuss healthy breakfast. Josie is good at making this simple breakfast.

Avocado on toast is another delightful breakfast in case you didn’t know! I have a whole post dedicated to that. Avocodos are still dear to my heart. But I don’t eat them on toast anymore, since I’m breastfeeding, and am currently trying to avoid wheat for my baby’s sake. (tummy ache) Although I’ll still eat plain avocodos sprinkled with salt and nutritional yeast. A squeeze of lemon juice over it is tasty as well.

Another easy breakfast is Dutch Babies, although these take about 25 minutes to bake. I have another post dedicated to these as well! Anymore, Josie is often the one to make it for a weekend breakfast.

One of the church ladies gave us these breakfast bites the children loved. They’re very simple and I’ve made a batch myself to have on hand for easy breakfasts. These freeze well!

You can use 2 tubes biscuits or crescent rolls. For the biscuits, you press into greased muffin tin, then fill with the following mixture, and bake at 375 for 13-17 minutes

For crescent rolls, roll out in rectangular shape and spread with filling. Slice like a cinnamon roll and bake.

Filling mixture:

1 pound fried sausage, 1 8 oz soft cream cheese, 6 eggs scrambled, 2 cup shredded cheese. Stir together.

I don’t endorse using processed dough like this, but I’ve had to simplify and hope we don’t die in the process. Nonetheless, my goal is to make them again, but using my own homemade crescent roll dough using freshly milled wheat flour.

Another one of my church ladies gave us quiche. It’s something I rarely make, but hers was delicious! Since then, I made the same quiche but used fresh milled flour in the crust. Not only is it tasty, it’s also chuck full of protein with sausage, eggs, milk and cheese.

The recipe I used is out of Flour & Grace cookbook, so unfortunately I can’t share it here. But I’m sure you can find good recipes elsewhere too.

After baking the quiche, let it cool completely, then cut into pieces and freeze. Pull out a piece the evening before and set in the fridge. It’ll be ready to reheat and eat! (I say piece, because I ate it more than my children. The spinach scared them away, unfortunately!)

Now for a breakfast I’ve been eating lately. Eggs and oats both bother my baby, so I need to avoid those, which is hard when it comes to breakfast time! But a good replacement is quinoa.

Quinoa is a complete protein and is rich in fiber. It’s also low on the glycemic index, which means it doesn’t spike your blood sugar levels. If you want a savory dish of quinoa to replace rice, I suggest cooking it with broth. Not only does it taste better, it’s even more nutritious with the broth! After it’s cooled, quinoa is also a great addition to or a base for salads.

But for breakfast, I cook a big batch using water, and then keep it in the fridge and reheat a bowl as I need it. It’s delicious sweetened with stevia and a drizzle of maple syrup. Then I add fruit, pecans or almonds, and a splash of milk. Sometimes I’ll sprinkle on ‘no sugar added’ chocolate chips yet too. A hearty filling breakfast!

And just a side note. It’s been a number of years since I’d written about the Bolivia stevia. I’ve heard concerning things about that, so have discontinued using it for a few years now. I’ve experimented with different brands. The one I’m currently using is this microingredients brand organic stevia. It sweetens nicely with very little bad after taste. I hardly think of the taste, but I better not say there’s no after taste because some might pick up on it. But it does seem to be a reputable brand and I’m pleased with it. I’ve ordered it off Amazon.

For drinks, I still like the liquid stevia glycerite shown below. Also available on Amazon or health food stores.

I hope I’ve inspired you with ideas you can make to feel prepared for those busy school mornings! There are still days my children eat cereal or granola, but I prefer to have them filled with more nutrition and protein than that. So much of healthy eating takes intentional planning and preparing!