We just survived some massive winter weather last month! We had subzero temperatures and copious amounts of snow blowing into substantial drifts. Our barn doorway was almost completely drifted over. County roads were unpassable. The snow plows finally quit going because the wind blew drifts stronger and faster than they could keep up. Most people who were housebound or should’ve been housebound! It was unwise to risk being caught off the road in this kind of weather. It wasn’t safe to be out longer than 10 or 15 minutes with the wind chill at 20-30 below zero! But we still went out for chicken chores and fresh air every day. I feel it’s a version of excitement to experience dipping temperatures for a short time.
Our barn doorway
To be sure, it was the kind of winter to keep in the memory department for storytelling to grandchildren. You know how grandparents always survived epically dramatic times. Well, we are now prepared for those kind of stories!
And now here we are; just a couple weeks later, with sunny skies and a warm 60 degree breeze that hints at spring! I know it can’t stay but we’ll enjoy it while it lasts! I’m airing my house at the moment – it feels absolutely delicious to replace those stale, germ laden particles with fresh, new sustance!
I’m not a garden geek. However, the freshness of earthy soil and spring flowers popping up are some of the simple pleasures in life that I think every soul loves. (At least, I’ve never heard one say, “Oh,those yellow tulips are soooo depressing! When I see them, I know winter is about gone, and it makes me weep to see those snow piles melting!”)
Back in the good old days when I was a spry, young bride, a friend graciously gave me a start of some of the most beautiful bulbs! Well, let’s say flowers. Bulbs aren’t necessarily lovely; we simply like what they promise!
Unless you’re from the south, I know we’re all a long way from planting flower bulbs! But virtuous gardeners always plan well in advance, don’t they? I’m attempting to be virtuous in getting this post out long before Spring.
Have you heard of tuberoses? Some might call them tubelilies. They are little pearl type of blooms, clumped together on a stem. The bottom ones always open first, while the top blooms are still squeezed shut. It’s a sorrow they don’t all bloom at once! But I pluck them anyway, discarding the bottom blooms as the upper ones open.
The tuberose is actually a southern flower that grows well in hardiness zones 7-11. Here in Nebraska we are zone 5b so they have to be dug up each fall or they will freeze in the winter. They take the heat well but do enjoy frequent watering and will grow to a height of 2-3′. Be sure to plant them where you can conveniently sniff the luscious fragrance!
Each summer, I highly anticipate these delicate, fragrant blooms! I go out in the golden, evening sunlight, sniffing and snipping. I promise you, they always smell strongest in the evening! Even when I have bouquets in my house, they give off the most fragrance at night. I’m not wise enough to give the science behind that, though.
I have given starts of these tuberoses away multiple times. It’s one of those things in life that keep multiplying as you give it away. Kind of like Love. Which reminds me of Valentines day, which tells me it’s already February!! Who’s sad to see winter disappear? Anybody? See, what did I tell you?! Silence gives consent. Let’s get on to the Spring topic at hand.
If you would like a chance at growing some, then you’re at the right place! It’s been a while since I did a giveaway, so I have decided to bless someone with a start of these through a drawing. To participate, please take the following actions-
Send an email to jeraldsflower@gmail.com with your full name and mailing address.
Share with me what you enjoy most about the blog.
Do not put your info in the comments section of this post. If subscribed via email, do not respond to this email. You will need to send your name and address to the email above.
I will only ship to a US address.
All entries must be submitted by February 10, 2024
Some weeks ago, I was shopping in Hobby Lobby. This is one store that can rapidly bring on ‘needs’ that we were quite unaware we had before entering. The store also has a sly way of bringing on discontent, if we’re not careful. (Yes, discontent, not discount as my auto correct thought I wanted!) Although they have that as well, which tends to increase the ‘needs’!
I wasn’t looking for much; I wanted to browse their Christmas decor and look for placemats to make pillow covers for the couch. I was pleased to find some on sale with a touch of Christmas color.
To transform from placemat to pillow cover, simply rip open one of the narrow ends, zigzag the two edges to keep from fraying, sew velcro at the opening, insert pillow and voila’, you’ve got a new look for your pillow!
As I strolled the aisles, the Christmas grinch was all over in the decorations. How disgusting. As if Santa and the reindeer, trees, ornaments and socks aren’t enough to distract from the real reason of Christmas, now there’s the ugly, old grinch yet too! Ok, he was around before, but this is the first year I noticed him. I can certainly make do quite well without him!
Satan doesn’t care what distracts us from Jesus. As long as he distracts us, he’s pleased. Maybe we don’t have all the fanfare of Christmas displays as our neighbors do, but what about the fanfare of overloaded schedules and dining tables? The overload of gifts, the stress of baking every single kind of cookie because that’s just how we’ve always done it!
For far too many people, Christmas has become a god of pleasure seeking, inordinate gift buying, (and may I say inordinate food making and eating?!) stress, discontent, hurry and worry. Certainly, we can enjoy special foods we only make for the holidays, but we don’t need to make every kind of special food every year, do we?!
It’s not my intention to cause guilt for anyone. There are circumstances that we can not control. But there are things we can control, and one of those is the issues of our own heart. Guard your heart with active intentionality! Cut out unnecessary activities and senseless decorating. If you’re feeling irritated at the overloaded schedule, ask Jesus what you could cut out. What is most important to Him? He will give wisdom and direction if we ask.
It saddens me how much Santa, gifts, lights, trees and festivities have become the focus of Christmas more than that of Jesus’ birth!
Christmas is Jesus leaving His heavenly throne; coming to earth through the miraculous virgin birth, as a tiny, helpless babe, to save His people from their sins!
Jesus is the Redeemer of hearts! He’s the Bringer of peace, the Healer of the sick, the God of all Comfort! There’s no greater gift than the gift of Jesus, our Saviour, redeeming sinful man! Praise to God for this gift of all gifts!
With the rapid approach of the biggest holiday of the year, how many thousands of people are spending millions of dollars on gift giving?
Gift giving is not wrong. In fact, a giving heart is a character trait of God’s children. Giving gifts doesn’t automatically make one a Christian, but as God’s children, we will be giving people. Who doesn’t love kindhearted, generous people?
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17
Our heavenly Father loves to bestow His children with abundant gifts. He is truly the best gift Giver there ever was or ever will be! He gave His absolute best gift when He sent His only begotten son into the world. Let’s never forget the sacrifice He made when He sent heaven’s best and allowed Him to die for us poor sinners! He’s done so much for us; can we not pass His love on to others?
It’s the lavish hoarding of things here in the ease of the American lifestyle that repulses me! When there are millions of people around the globe living without the bare necessities! Could we, instead of spending so much money on things nobody really needs, give that amount of money to go towards the needy around us or in other countries? The Lord sees your heart and will bless you for giving!
In today’s post, I would like to explore two methods of giving that will not break the bank and will not add more clutter into the life of the receiver. Far too many of the gifts given today are simply unnecessary gadgets, toys, etc that we don’t really need and only add clutter to our homes and lives (minimalism anyone?) Read on to find new ways of giving that will truly bless the lives of others!
Acts of Service
Acts of Service are small (or large) deeds of kindness that only require a loving heart and physical effort. They don’t break the bank and often times these gifts are far more appreciated than material items that are so often given. And don’t forget these are not limited to the holiday season; they can be done year round!
Give someone a compliment.
Give someone an encouraging card. Yes, take time to write it out and send it the old-fashioned way. Postal service still works!
Bless someone with encouragement in a text message.
Offer to take another person’s turn cleaning the church house.
Bless a Mama by offering to babysit her children for a day or a couple hours. Not because she’s busy but because she’s a mama. (You won’t be turned down!)
Make a list of things you appreciate about a person and give it to them.
Offer to take the children to school for a busy family for a week or couple days.
Clean windows for an elderly couple. (Or anyone!) Who wouldn’t enjoy clean windows without exerting the energy involved!
Offer to babysit your minister’s children some evening so they can enjoy a date night. The hassle of lining up a sitter or feeling guilty for bothering someone is a real thing.
Print or design (if you’re good with creative writing) a Bible verse on card stock. Bless someone with an inspiration to display in their home or work place.
Bless someone with a casserole or main dish just because. Don’t procrastinate because you don’t have time to make a full meal. When you are preparing a meal for your family, just double the recipe and you have a gift ready for giving! You could even stick it in the freezer to give to someone at a later date. To make it more special, buy a pretty casserole dish to put it in and tell them it’s theirs to keep.
Consumable Gifts
Consumable gifts are a great way to gift someone with a tangible gift that does not create clutter or require storage for long term (ever think about that gift you got that you didn’t need so you put it in storage where you don’t even use or enjoy it? Minimalism anyone?!) Consumable gifts can often fulfill an immediate need in the life of the receiver. Again, these ideas are not limited to the holiday season, you can give them year round.
Drop off a special drink for someone going through a difficult time, or just because
A box of groceries for a family struggling financially
Order pizza for a family and send it via pizza delivery or door dash. Have fun texting them that their supper will be delivered!
Fill a gallon size ziploc with water bottle, gospel tracts, McDonald’s gift card, toothbrush and toothpaste, pair of socks, pair of gloves, granola bars etc. Keep these in your vehicle and pass out to the homeless beggars on the street corners.
Give gift cards and/or cash to a family with a loved one in the hospital. It takes a lot of gas and food for being in and out of a hospital for an extended time.
Another idea is to give a basket filled with easy mixes/quick meals and fun foods (for the children) if there’s a family member hospitalized.
Ask a friend (or anyone you want to improve relationship with) to meet you for coffee/breakfast/ lunch to simply chat and listen to what’s going on in their lives. Then pay for their food.
Give money or gift cards to a missionary family for use on their furlough.
If you do your own butchering and have plenty of meat on hand, bless a needy family (or anyone) with a few pounds of fresh beef, sausage, or venison.
Give money to pay a seamstress for new dresses (or sew them yourself) for a struggling or busy family
Tell your neighbor to meet you at the gas station and you will pay to fill their tank.
Christmas Plates
Do you like to give your neighbors and friends a Christmas food plate? There’s already an endless supply of sweets and chocolates this time of year, so why not give something “outside the box”? Many elderly are diabetic or have special diets so keep that in mind and try to give accordingly.
Basket of fresh fruit
Jar of homemade granola
Jar of homemade soup
Jar of homemade (or boughten) relish or pepper jelly, along with a box of crackers
Homemade bread or dinner rolls along with a jar of jam
Jar of mixed nuts- although be considerate of the elderly or someone with false teeth. This will not be a good gift for them.
Homemade casserole in foil pan
Special spices – someone who enjoys cooking would love this!
Body products such as sugar scrubs, soap bars, lip butters, bath bombs, etc. Homemade always makes it special, but if that’s not your thing, there are plenty of safe, clean body products available without the typical synthetics.
Sweet tea, green tea, or iced coffee concentrate
The ideas in this post are collected from a couple different resources, with some of them my own experiences. But just to clarify, although I enjoy practical, consumable gifting, I’ve certainly not done all these. Just so nobody thinks I’m this astronomical giver!😂
It feels like the playful temperatures of Indian summer have indeed left us for the fierceness of winter. Still, the dreary, chilled days make it feel cozy inside with warmth of heat and the ambiance of candles. I’ve started burning my favorite Welsh Mountain Candles. I love their clean wax and essential oil scents.
My stomach ulcer has been flared up considerably the last 2 months. Anytime I have too much going on, it gets worse. My brain tells my body I can’t handle much stress. We have intentionally needed to cancel some events and plans to lighten things up for me. It feels rather intimidating when others can be busy and going full throttle, yet they don’t seem worse for the wear. But then I have to watch my thoughts, or I’ll be slipping down the well-worn tracks of despondency at an alarming speed, for this treads closely to comparison. And, comparison is the thief of joy. But more than that, the Bible admonishes us that we are not to compare ourselves among ourselves. (1 Corinthians 10:12) Nobody is superwoman anyone, right?! Even when it may look like it from a distance.
And so it is, I’ve been puttering around home trying to rest both mind and body. There’s still the daily care of my family and house work, but prioritizing naps and saying “no” to big projects has felt amazing. I’ve definitely not been doing major things like fall house cleaning or sewing or decluttering or the like. I did very little canning this fall too. And this restful mode has felt so so good! I get a sort of panicky feeling when my week fills up with lots of outside obligations. Anyone else know what I mean, or am I the only weirdo?
So here’s a glimpse into what I have been doing. If you get bored, you’ve got full permission to read other people’s posts with more flare.
With the fall season, there seemed to be a need for pumpkin pies. Two weeks ago, I made two pies and took one to carry in dinner at church. It felt like minimal work since I had crusts in the freezer. Plus, I also baked 2 dishes with only filling because we don’t eat much gluten around here. I don’t know how to adequately describe the lusciousness of my mom’s pumpkin pie recipe, but I’ll have to say it’s the best there is! Rich, creamy, and comforting goodness! Mom always made large batches of this pie when I was growing up. Large as in a dozen pies! It’s like, if you’re going to the bother of making pie, make it worth your time and make a bunch! (I still like big batch cooking for efficiency.) She frequently made pumpkin pie for company, plus, I had 5 big brothers who ate a lot of food! The boys loved when the basement refrigerator was stocked with extra pies because this is one kind of pie you can sneak and eat on your way out to do chores! To this day, it is a favorite for me and all my siblings.
We don’t have the brilliant display of leaves in this area like the trees up north. Ours are more dull colors of rust, gold and pale yellow. This has its own kind of beauty, but I miss the mountains with their dazzling splendor of maples in autumn garb.
I was hankering for fall colors inside my house the other week, So one afternoon, I decided to bring fall foliage inside to spruce things up. I parked the Yukon and climbed up the bank beside our road and feverishly cut weeds with a scissors that was much too small. It was windy and cloudy with a chill and beginning to rain. I fervently hoped no one would come along and ask if I needed help because I didn’t. It just looked like I did. Of course, someone had to stop just as I was getting back into my vehicle. I quickly informed them of my mission but figured they probably questioned my words. I mean, who would be out picking crusty bouquets in this weather?!
Here’s what the bouquets looked like a day or so later. Even though they dried up a lot more, I still enjoy their rustic, natural beauty.This maple is in our front yard and one of the precious, colorful trees around! I have so enjoyed it’s magnificent display! But it didn’t last. Within a week or less of this picture, it was swept bare and bleak.
One day the other week, I met a friend at a cute coffee shop to chat about life. It was such a refreshing time. I came away grateful and thanking God for the privilege of friendship!
I felt very accomplished to be able to defrost both my freezers in the last weeks. That and the pumpkin canning I’ll tell you about later, are the biggest jobs I’ve done the last month. Defrosting freezers is a job I hate. But find it’s best to do it twice a year to simplify the process. What really irritated me was that the very week I cleaned my chest freezer, was the week we put in our jugs of apple cider. About half of the jugs spilled out their stickiness and made a brown river down the center of the freezer! It was like the rest of the freezer items whispered cold secrets to the cider that they were in a freshly cleaned space. And the cider decides it should do its share of “mess- making” in an effort to give the housewife job security. I’ll admit I re-cleaned the freezer with plenty of groaning and moaning as I saw the entirety of the mess and all the food that was required to move to clean underneath! At last, my freezer and I can both rest in peace!
Here’s a few tips for freezer cleaning:
* Unplug the freezer. (In case your blonde and might forget this step)
* Use ice chests or coolers to stack in the majority of the food.
* Set up a table to pile other things on that don’t matter to set out for a few hours.
* When it’s totally empty, get a rag and a bucket of hot water and a scraper of some sort. Soak the frosty spots with hot water and scrape off chunks the best you can.
* When all the sides are cleaned of frost, get a dust pan and scoop up the water and pour into your bucket. This is a quick way to rid all that water and ice chunks.
* When it’s mostly emptied of liquid, get rags to wipe out remaining moisture. Lastly, get dry rags to wipe down the whole freezer.
* Now you get to organize and stack your foods back in. I love the dividers and baskets that came with this freezer. But in our upright freezer, I find it very beneficial to use baskets to keep the variety of meats and things separated. Adding labels is always a good idea.
* Plug in the freezer and enjoy your chill food space!
I was also pleased to restock my freezer with Sunday dinner mashed potatoes last week. I made a tremendous batch that should last until the end of the year. This includes a Sunday or two of being gone plus carry in at church 2 Sundays. And oh, yes! I must tell you I changed up my recipe again🤭 We had red garden potatoes that needed to be used up, so I cooked up a batch of mashed potatoes without peeling! Still added the cream cheese and sourcream, etc. They freeze fine, and we don’t mind the peelings and little chunks of potatoes in it. We all love these potatoes just as much or better than the instant ones. After eating these a couple of Sundays, I got kinda convicted about eating instant potatoes on a regular basis. Not peeling them is key to speed, which is why I decided I could go this route. You won’t catch me peeling 10 lbs of potatoes on a regular basis.
I cooked the potatoes in this big kettle, then used my hand mixer and made it in here too. Ready for the freezer. I tell you folks. This is an amazing feeling!
One evening when Jerald was gone, I mixed up a batch of Caramel popcorn. The children enjoy making popcorn, but the Caramel makes it extra yummy. It’s a special treat now and then, and the reason it’s special to me is that it does not have corn syrup in it! The children sat coloring at the bar while the popcorn toasted in the oven. Along with stories, the evening passed rapidly. With the ages of my children, I enjoy doing these sort of things with them. They both get so excited about being all coo-zzy inside on a cold or rainy day/evening. Playing games, reading stories and drinking hot chocolate rate high on their list of all things cozy! It’s these kind of moments we all want our children to remember in years to come, isn’t it? And so much of it is up to us moms to make those moments happen.
With the recent freezing temperatures, I brought in our butternut squash and pumpkins that we had for fall displays. I bit off more work than I expected when I started this project. The squash was minimal effort- the pumpkins a different story. I baked the squash and scooped out the meat. Reece and I have been eating it for lunch topped with butter, salt, and nutritional yeast. We deem it tasty and nutritious!
Butternut squash Our fall display
I wanted to be this frugal, virtuous, homesteading sort of wife. So I thought I ought to save those pumpkins to can. After all, we had paid good money for them at the Pumpkin stand. (Honestly, if I was truly homesteadish and frugal, the pumpkins would have been homegrown.) But if I could can them, it would help combat the cost. I had two hefty ones that I cut in halves and baked. Three of the pumpkins were the kind without much flesh; I was awfully grateful I didn’t need to process all 5!
I rose up early, while it was yet night (dark) and prepared meat for my household.
I placed pumpkin halves on cookie sheets and added water, not realizing how much liquid they make as they bake. And did I have a mess! Two of the cookie sheets were just at the brim of overflowing when I caught it. So imagine trying to dip out or dump water off a cookie sheet with hot temperatures all around, without creating a flood in the bottom of the oven or scalding my hands in the process! I had both ovens going and had the privilege of cleaning them both too! Scooping out the flesh was easy. But then I had to put it all through the blender and fill jars. Out of those two pumpkins, I got only 14 pints.
But the labor was not over. The dishes kept cropping up as if thrilled to be adding to the workload. The pumpkin skins had to be taken out to the pigs and chickens to keep up with this homesteading life. My son and I traipsed down together laden with slop. Ah, but the animals were so grateful! And I was glad to contribute to their joy, for it could not be anything but dismal to be an animal out in an old cold barn. At least we got fresh air and a bit of exercise to benefit us. But now on to the next step.
Homesteading?! Those seeds ought to be drying out in the sun and fresh air!
I rinsed the seeds to save for roasting. I read how they must be thoroughly dry or they won’t crisp up well. So I spread them on a towel and ran a fan over them for an hour or two. Finally, I divided them in bowls and made 3 different flavors. They crisped up pretty well and they look great stored in glass jars on the counter. But. I’m sorry to say, they have more to their looks than their taste. Actually, two of the flavors are pretty good. Perhaps it’s more the way they gum up in your mouth. We find ourselves chewing them, and depending who the chewer is, we have the need to spit them back out, which is not frugal at all!
I really ought to sell these seeds to help pay for my efforts. Anybody interested?
And would you like to know how beat out I was, when my husband comes along and asks me what the price is of a can of store bought pumpkin?!! He quickly did the math and obviously, my ambitions completely missed it when it came to being frugal! A dollar and twenty-two cents for a 15 oz. generic brand of pumpkin is not unreasonable. My precious, home canned pints of pumpkin came to about 3 or 4 dollars a jar! And to think of all the time and energy I put into my attempts at being frugal! There may be more reasons I don’t can all kinds of food. But I’m hoping my hard, honest toil would allow me to be ranked among the virtuous.
As I took the jars out of the oven, I said to myself, “this would be the last straw if they wouldn’t seal!” But thank God, they innocently sealed, knowing nothing about the hard work they cost me.
If you’re interested in the canning process, here it is: Simply fill your pints, wipe the rim, and add lids and rings. Place jars on bread/cookie racks on top of your oven rack. (This adds stability to the jars) Turn oven to 250*. Bake for 4 hours. Turn oven off and let set until cooled- at least 10-11 hours. I got mine started around 4:30 pm and turned it off at 8:30. The next morning, I got them out around 7.
My pressure canner sits neglected on the shelf since I’ve learned the ease of oven canning.
What better way to celebrate Fall than getting together to make fresh apple cider?!
Last Friday night our church did just that. We got together for a big evening of pressing apples. There were truckloads and many buckets filled with apples! The weather was crisp and clear, making it perfect for the event!
There isn’t a recipe or scientific method for making the cider. Each family simply makes it a point to gather up apples the week leading up to the event. Many of us scavenge our neighborhoods gleaning from old neglected apple trees. There does seem to be an abundance of them around here and most of the old homesteads will have upwards of 8 trees. Our next-door neighbor has over 10 trees that he graciously let us pick from! One of the locals told Jerald that this corner of Nebraska was widely known for its apple orchards in the early 1900s.
Norman and Kathryn Farmwald graciously allowed the use of their shop area for making cider. It’s an ideal place because they have a sloped concrete pad out front where all the excess water can run off. Then they have a sink and a bit of seating area in the shop too.
Mrs. Farmwald, our cheerful host 😍
So back to the recipe (or lack of)- we all bring apples of all shapes, colors, and varieties and they inadvertently get mixed as they are quartered and ran through the chopper and press. The resulting cider can be summed up in one word- luscious!
There’s always a hubbub of working people all around. Even a bunch of the men were snagged into washing and cutting spots off the apples, because there were not enough men type of jobs for them all. Then there’s also the kind of people- (some little and some big!) who need to hold down chairs, sample hot drinks and exercise their vocal cords. (And we need them too!)
Drink sampling!These two young men were in charge of dumping apples in the chopper. (Some people aren’t afraid of work- they’ll put their hands in their pocket and stand right beside it! 😆)I wonder how many bucket loads of pressed apples were dumped out that night!
I started out filling jugs, but then actually spent the evening simply organizing everybody’s jugs, while two other ladies filled them. It kept me hopping for sure! I found out the amount each family wanted, unlidded (is that a word?!) their jugs, and kept their jugs separate from the next person’s. Also wiped down the jugs and capped them. As soon as one person’s were filled, I marked down their amount of gallons, and told that person their jugs were ready to be hauled out to their vehicle, so as not to get confused with the next person’s. Most everybody brings their own used jugs, so there is one grand conglomeration of jugs to be filled and kept straight. I absolutely love to organize, so I was in my element doing my job!
Please notice the jug situation. And this doesn’t begin to show the whole! We made over 200 gallons in 3 hours!
Jerald and I got this idea that we’d like to make a vegetable stew over the fire for supper that night. It’s something he grew up with on the Schrock side of the family. Every October, they’d get together to cook apple butter over the fire, then they’d cook this stew over the fire for lunch. He had been wanting to try it sometime and this was the prefect opportunity!
So Thursday I hauled off to town to fetch the vegetables and Jerald ordered in and picked up the stew meat and beef bones. Friday morning I spent about 3 hours peeling, and dicing vegetables and frying up the meat. I must say I felt like I’d nearly done a day’s work by the time that was accomplished. After all my hustling with the cider jugs that night, I was completely exhausted. I didn’t actually feel that bad because I was running on adrenalin. It was midnight till we dropped into bed!
The ingredients that needed prepped for the stew. There was 10 lbs. potatoes, 4 lbs of carrots, 2 lbs. onions, 2 bunches celery and 20 lbs meat. I also soaked 4 cups of navy beans in preparation for the stew. Jerald isn’t much for cooking, but he did a good job mixing up this delicious stew. And thanks to Fred Halteman for allowing us to use his cast iron cooking kettle. The rest of our Supper The fire was a hot attraction with the chilly temperatures
I feel blessed to be part of a good church family, where we are able to spend an enjoyable evening working together like this! In this day and age of independancy and loss of love for God and our brothers and sisters in Christ, this is a definite privilege!
Photo credits- Drusilla Halteman, Kathryn Farmwald, and Jerald Rhodes
Is there anyone else frantically savoring the fragments that remain of sweet summer days? Maybe there’s no such thing as frantically savoring. But I’ve been doing something of the sort…
I used to get peeved at people who roared loud and long about all the glories of summer. I mean, summer also means sweltering heat, and ugly things like ticks and weeds. But I’ve come to appreciate summer. (If the heat stays in moderation.) My mental health needs the warmth and light of sunshine! The coming winter and all its grayness can look a tad intimidating. But as I say goodbye to summer, I’ll anticipate basking in the autumn sunshine and crunching orchard fresh apples before I meditate on the harshness of winter.
Here are some highlights of our Summer:
The first part of June we made a trip to KY for my family’s reunion. Enroute, we stopped at the Ark Encounter. A first for our little family. The first evening at the reunion we had supper at my sister Geneva and Paul Peachey’s back patio.My sister Faith and my mom are on the glider. Otherwise, it’s all neices and in-laws on the picture 🥰 Low country boil supper one night at the reunion We were happy to get our Grain Bin gazebo finished out with a custom made sign and a clock. (Jerald sells grainbin gazebo kits if any one is interested) The children have spent many hours in this cow tank turned pool! Sometimes mom joins them. We enjoyed having my brother Millard and Carolyn Yoder and family stop in the first part of July on their way out to Montana. We had a grilled supper in our grain bin, then finished off with smores. The little ones made good use of the pool. We were blessed with pleasant temperatures in July, so that our church was able to enjoy a hymn singing out in the Halteman’s back pasture one Sunday evening. Kettle corn and other snacks were served afterward. For my birthday we ate at this wonderful place. They have the best food!! This southwest chicken salad was my choice and it is over the board delicious! The owner of The Bread Bowl tore down multiple old barns/houses to build his restaurant. Unique indeed. If you’re going through Hiawatha KS be sure to check it out!
Late July, we were back to Southern Indiana for Jerald’s brother’s wedding. The four wedding pictures are credits of Jamie Lynn Photography.
Roger and Janet Luke and Arlene Rhodes familyThe Rhodes siblings. And yes, in case your curious, Roger has a twin. Rodney is on the other side of their only sister Kaylene The bride’s family- Darrell and Becky Wagler Some Greene Co. Indiana beautyWe celebrated Reece’s 4th birthday July 27The children on top of their makeshift playhouse in the pines Inside the playhouse. I love seeing their creativity come out as they make stews and soups with all manner of greens, pines, mud and sticks. Jerald has experimented with smoking cream cheese a couple times. It is delightful served with a raspberry chipotle sauce and crackers!We were blessed this summer with rain and thunderstorms in abundance. These tube roses are my favorite flowers around the house. Their delicacy and scent fills me with nostalgia of late summer evenings.We celebrated Josie’s 8th birthday on August 22nd. She told me what kind of cake she wants, but wanted me to decorate it when she’s not around “so it’s a surprise“, she said. 🤩 She also had her best friend over for supper and a sleep over. Josie is becoming my right hand laundry girl. When she can’t reach the bottom, little brother comes to the rescue. And for the curious, the silver machine on the right is our Waterwise distiller. We are quite partial to distilled drinking water! This one has served us well for 9 years. These are the days I will miss all too soon.Sunset in our backyard
Intentionally pick yourself a bouquet of summer flowers, sit outside in the gathering dusk and remember the day’s blessings. Just because summer brings bountiful blessings, does not mean the next season won’t. God’s gifts are always abundant, no matter what season we’re in. When we choose to pause and reflect, we will be sure to find the blessings! 🤍
Are you one of those churchgoers, who, like me, know the struggle of dealing with a rumbling, Sunday stomach? Food for famishing bellies becomes high priority come dinner time. We as Mennonites call it Sunday dinner, but we’re talking about the mid day meal here, not an evening dinner.
Seriously, what is it about sitting through a sermon that makes for ravenous appetites? Social stress of being around people? I realize this is not an issue for some folks but I can identify with this idea. Or maybe it’s only because we’re eating later than on weekdays? Either way, we Moms know the necessity of having food prepared to feed our starving tribe.
Some folks are perfectly content to arrive home from church and fry up pancakes and eggs, or consume a sad bowl of cold cereal. Hey, if that’s your jam, more power to you. But I’ll assure you, my family and I are far from that stripe of Sunday dinner folk.
Both my husband and I grew up with the Sunday dinner tradition. The classic meat and potatoes affair, complete with veggies/salads and often a dessert. And that’s how I cook for us now too. I don’t mean a holiday feast, but a well prepared meal. The catch is, I don’t like to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen on Saturday. Been there, done that!
Sunday is a day of rest; in order to honor that, I don’t like to get up and spin around my kitchen for 3 hours, feeling like I’ve done a day’s work before we ever step foot in church. My Sunday mornings vanish like foam anyway.
About February or March of this year, I had an epiphany. I started making basically the same menu every Sunday. I was looking for ways to cut back on Saturday food prep, yet still be able to arrive home to a tasty dinner.
Remember, we don’t like pancakes and eggs for Sunday dinner? Sure, that doesn’t take any Saturday preparation, but it’s not our style. Here are a couple of theories why I don’t like that method. You don’t have to agree with me.
1) Who in their right mind feels like stirring up pancake batter or frying eggs and bacon after your home from church? When the whole gang is an hungered and nigh grouchy from empty tummies?! Efficiency and time are of utmost importance when we arrive home- we don’t want to wait yet another half hour or more, fixing food!
2) Sunday is a special day of the week. It’s nice to honor that day with some extra special food. We don’t always have dessert with our everyday meals, but I like to have a dessert around for the weekend. It doesn’t always happen, but my hubby appreciates it when it does. Sometimes I manage his favorite custard, or a gluten free cake or bars. Other times it’s simply ice cream from the freezer.
Some people may feel they don’t want to eat much on Sunday because they’re not working hard physically. Maybe they’d rather settle for cold sandwiches for Sunday dinner. There’s nothing wrong with that. But for myself, I’m next to ravenous when we get home and needing something more substantial to fill up on; not empty calories.
So let’s dive into our Sunday dinner menu. It doesn’t require any Saturday preparation (unless you make a dessert or prep salad ingredients/ dressing, etc).
Every spring and fall, we raise our own pastured broilers. A freezer stocked with homegrown chickens feels rich indeed! Every Saturday night before going to bed, we pull one of these whole chickens from the freezer and set it in the kitchen sink to thaw. The next morning, I pop it into my Princess House miracle dish, add water for plenty of broth and slide it in the oven. I bake it at 350 for about an hour, then at 9:00 when we leave for church, I turn it down to about 225*. It’s tender and pull-apart delicious when we arrive home around 12:45.
I don’t worry a thing about all those fancy roasting recipes. Rubbing it up with seasonings, squeezing it with lemon juice or filling the cavity with onions. Our chickens still have the skin on, so I find the flavor doesn’t go into the meat anyway. I save myself time and energy and bake it plain as day. Then we serve it with a sprinkling of Nature’s Seasoning or whatever strikes our current streak. And by the way, the skin is a coveted delicacy at our table. Crunchy goodness, dripping with healthy fat vibes!
After feasting on that succulent chicken, I immediately de-bone it. Then we’re left with a treasure trove of cooked chicken to use for another meal. Hallelujah for leftovers.
Now on to the potatoes. Mashed potatoes was something I did not make often, simply because of the effort it took. You can be sure my family is thrilled to have a weekly dose of creamy potato goodness! Nobody has tired yet of eating these every Sunday.
Here’s my secret. Once a month, I make a super size batch of instant mashed potatoes and freeze them in 3 meal sized portions. (We have potluck at church every 3rd Sunday so I can get by with making enough for the remaining 3 Sundays of the month.) I like using foil pans so I’m not holding up my casserole dishes in the freezer. On Saturday, all I have to do is pull a pan from the freezer and let it thaw all day. I cover it with foil, then refrigerate overnight. About 8:50 A.M, Jerald takes the potatoes to the downstairs oven and puts it in at 175 degrees. It’s such a routine by now, I no longer even remind him to do that or even specify the temperature! With the potatoes being cold from the fridge, this time frame and temperature is perfect to have them thoroughly heated, but not dark around the edges. I love the convenience of two ovens for differing temperatures.
Now I hear what your thinking: instant mashed potatoes?! That’s not healthy! I admit, they’re not the epitome of wholesome food, but I’ve finally concluded, for convenience sake and for my happy family’s sake, we can surely eat this once a week without spiraling into a health apocalypse. Instant potatoes are soooo much easier than peeling aaalllll those potatoes! Plus, these freeze so well! Now back to the potato method….
I hesitate to share my recipe because it’s never exactly same from one time to the next. But here’s my estimates:
Instant mashed potatoes
7 cups milk/ water. I use milk but sometimes add in water to stretch it. Add a couple Tablespoons butter while heating.
3 ¹/² – 4 cups Idahoan potato flakes
1- 1 ¹/² blocks cream cheese- 8 oz. size
1 large scoop sourcream- probably about 1 cup
1 good teaspoon salt
A good sprinkling of ranch dressing mix- probably 2 Tablespoons or so. (I use a different version of ranch mix because I like to avoid the MSG in the Hidden Valley Ranch stuff.
I get this mix from Nature’s Warehouse I keep a big box like this on hand. It feels safest to not study the ingredient list.
Heat the milk to warm but not scalding. Pour in abouthalf of the potatoe flakes and beat well. Add in the remaining ingredients and beat again. Last, add in the remaining flakes as needed. This can vary quite a bit. I’ve learned it’s best to keep them pretty runny! So if in doubt, go for the runnier side rather than too thick. They will thicken right up as they heat. So if you get them to the right consistency while making them, they will end up too thick once heated. Always do taste testing to check about salt,ranch mix, or the desired taste of cream cheese.
Every Sunday, my family raves about my potatoes. It makes me feel like I’ve aquired a Master’s degree in Culinary Arts.
Now, let’s get on to the veggies. The first 6 or 8 weeks, our vegetable was green beans fried with bacon. We’ve discovered we like them blanched and frozen better than canned. Plus, the long beans look so dressy fried up with bacon. Not to mention delicious! But I’ve changed it up lately, with a variety of hot vegetables. Partly because the green beans took too long to cook after we got home. Although I did discover it works to put the frozen beans in the oven, covered, with a little water, just before leaving for church. (Same temperature as the chicken) Then they’re ready when we come home. If I want to fry bacon for the beans, I’ll have it diced and frozen, then dump it in the frying pan just as we leave. It can thaw all morning. All you need to do is turn on the burner as soon as you get in the door. Better yet is fry it ahead of time and you’ll only need to reheat it.
As soon as we’re home, I drain the broth off the chicken and make gravy. At first I didn’t even bother making gravy, (because of the time factor,of course) but we’ve got onto it now. And I can do it real swift like! In the morning I put my gravy shaker with water and pan for the gravy right by the stove. The pan is ready to grab when I drain the broth. The shaker is ready to add my thickner.
If I need water to cook veggies, I fill the kettle half full in the morning and set that on the stove top too. Just before going out the door, I grab a bag of frozen veggies and throw them in the sink to thaw while we’re at church.
If I make a lettuce salad, I like to have it prepared ahead of time. I don’t add soggy things like cheese or cucumbers until we’re ready to eat. But sometimes I make it after we get home while I’m cooking the veggies and stirring gravy. Or if it’s a salad witha dressing to stir in, I’ll have all my ingredients prepared ahead of time. When you get home, grab, dump and stir and it’s ready to eat. Pulling a prepared bowl of salad out of the fridge not only feels efficient; it is efficient!
As for the dessert, I will generally make it on Saturday. Unless I have something I can pull from the freezer.
Our Sunday dinner often includes sweet tea. And to satisfy your curiosity about the leaves in the jar, this time I was drinking chilled mint water.
And that’s it! There’s no energy spent every week, figuring out what to have for Sunday dinner. It’s speedy and not much time spent cooking. It’s all routine. All it takes is some fore thought and preparation. Did you ever think of it that waiting until the last minute to decide a menu really cuts down on options? It does! Just pause a moment and think about it now if you’ve never done so.
Figure out what your family loves and work ahead to make that menu happen. Maybe your method is a crockpot meal thrown together Sunday morning. Or maybe you like putting a roast in the oven on low heat all night. Plan ahead; you will love the convenience of being prepared! And you’ll get to relish a satisfying Sunday dinner without sacrificing your precious Saturday. Bon Appétit! May your Sundays be filled with a delicious helping of joy!
It’s been over a decade since my husband and I have said “I do.” That basically makes us ancient, right? There are more indicators of antique vibes popping out on my head that would agree with the thought. So with my advanced knowledge of married life and its unexpected twists, here’s a glimpse of adventures we’ve had along the way.
What newly weds don’t thrill with delight at setting up their very own house?! The joy of dispersing all the things to their designated stations, scrubbing off sticky tags and liberating everything from its cardboard prison. Who knew there could be so many strings and tags to cut through?! Oh, and the not so pleasant surprise of those fuzzies floating around whenever you wash the new towels! I remember the flinging and winging and flapping of those towels! In vain I tried to rid those flying fuzzies. Time and wear were the only solution to eradicate the stubborn fuzz.
As the years go by, the wear and tear on everything becomes more evident. The rags get frazzled and stained. The sheets fade and tear. The knives, once sharp and reliable, transform into dull cutlery. The pans have lost their shine; the dish rags begin to stink….
The bride and groom settle into routines. Real life slowly but surely starts to chip away at the initial shiny glow of new love. The feelings start to fade. Ordinary life gets a bit dull. The wife gets frazzled and worn, dealing with the challenges of keeping mini people alive and a house in order. The husband’s cologne is not as enticing as it once was, and now his feet begin to stink. Somehow, as the years go by, it’s like a symphony of fraying nerves and housewares…..Welcome to the reality of married life.
Any well seasoned marriage partner knows, it takes effort to keep the sparkles in romance alive and glowing. But it is worth the effort! Our love is better now than it was when we began. And if it keeps getting better, I don’t know how we’ll manage at 40 or 50 years! Married for 12 years, it’s not like we’re overly seasoned, but I’d say we’ve aquired the salt and pepper.
Real life throws setbacks of all sorts. It not only requires effort to keep the marriage in shape, but it also takes effort to keep the house in shape and flowing. If you’ve been married for 5 years or longer, you know what I mean. The wedding gifts and new housewares begin to wear out. Particularly around the 10 -12 year mark. They ought to do showers for couples at every 10 year increment. That’s when things really start giving out- the linens, the appliances, the nerves, the health. At least that’s been our experience.
Nowadays, it seems like many couples have every need supplied before they ever leave for the honeymoon. Even if they can afford it, how good is it for young couples to buy all things brand new? A freshly renovated house complete with all new furniture, a whole bedroom set, and new appliances. Can they learn the value of waiting and doing without, if they never have to do without? It doesn’t hurt anybody to sit on used furniture or at an 80 dollar kitchen table.
I’m going to risk sounding like a complete old timer, but when my husband and I got married, we were broke as a joke. We didn’t have much but we had love. Don’t get me wrong- we had our needs well supplied but we certainly couldn’t afford all things new! The house we were able to purchase after 6 months of renting a humble abode, came with a refrigerator and stove. The stove was nice, but the fridge clattered louder than a leaf in a hurricane with the ending of every cooling cycle. But hey, it kept our food cold, why should we complain?! Our washer and dryer were lightly used, purchased at an auction for a good price. I was tickled how clean they were and hubby was tickled with the bargain.
I was pumped to find a small kitchen table with seating for 6, at a yardsale just a week or two before the wedding. It was oak with white legs. Adorable! Only paid about 75 dollars for it. It worked great for us, but whenever we had more than 4 other people over, we needed to set up a 6 foot plastic table to accommodate the extras. Didn’t hurt us a thing. We did this for about 10 years. Then we found a used, bigger table for a very good price. It still wasn’t quite as big as we’d like but we decided to go for it. Sure enough. Right at about 12 years of marriage, we finally had the funds to buy a new kitchen table. It had a scratch and was returned, thus it was sold to us at a discounted price. This table stretches longer than we ever had before. We love the style, color and everything about it. But it was only after the good man of the house sold a portion of his toy tractor collection, that we felt like we could actually afford it. (I used to think his collection was a lame waste of money; now I see it was a quite profitable endeavor!)
Our living room furniture was a mishmash of bargain finds and auction treasures. I was thrilled the chair and love seat was new and still had the plastic over it because I’m extremely wary of hairy couches. It wasn’t until around 10 years of marriage that we bought a new matching set of recliners and sofa.
We didn’t have a big budget for themed rooms and extravagant purchases, but I had so much fun decorating our house! I used what I had brought from home, plus decor from our wedding and gifts. It thrilled my heart to walk through our cozy house with all the little lights and candles glowing…. romantic vibes indeed! It is still one of my favorite things- puttering around my house rearranging this and removing that, lighting a candle or arranging plants, all in the face of having a new look to my surroundings! And it doesn’t cost a cent.
Our bedroom set was from a college student looking to rid her apartment furniture. It worked, but the bed frame squeaked worse than a mouse on a cheese run. Since we never spent much on our bedroom set, we upgraded 7- 9 years later, but again stuck with used. Finally, right around 11 years of marriage, we sold the set we had, and upgraded to a minimalist type of frame. We still don’t have matching nightstands/dresser, but we’re fine with that. We like our room less crowded and don’t miss a big, bulky bedframe. Plus, less squeaking more sleeping!
Now let’s talk about appliances- the unsung heros of every household. I’d say investing in new appliances is better use of your money than splurging on fancy furniture. Appliances work hard and can take a knocking after 10 or 12 years. You need a stove and refrigerator but you don’t actually need a designer sofa to survive. And very possibly, if you buy a brand new refrigerator, you won’t go through them like we did!
Within a few months of moving into our house, we found a used refrigerator to replace the clattering one. It ran well for us, but we left it at the house when we moved to NE. We had a second fridge in our garage, ancient though it was, which we brought along on our move. Less than a year after its moving experience, it died on us. Providentially, it was on the coldest day of the year. I could merely place the items in baskets and stow them in the garage. That self same day, we found another used fridge but heaps newer than our old one, for only 400 dollars! This is what we’re running on yet. I expect it’s only a matter of time until it’s days are over. But maybe. Just maybe. When that day comes, we can afford a brand new refrigerator!
Now for the washer and dryer experience. They both ran faithful and steady for many years- a real bargain! Until one day last summer. I got my laundry started as usual and went to prepare breakfast. Suddenly, I became aware that the washer was filling for a very long time! Sure enough. It was an old top loader and this time it literally had no discipline to stop filling. There were rivers of water flowing over. Out of the laundry room, into the kitchen and down the register. It was like the love of Jesus- spilling over everywhere it went! I stopped the washer instantly; my elevated shrieking skills bringing my man around in short order. After the disaster response service, he was off on a quest to purchase a new washer. I stubbornly refused to embrace a front loading machine. I’ve had a good deal of battles with those when I used them at others’ houses. Just please give me a humble top loader. They’re so rare, we barely managed to find one. It’s still more advanced than I prefer, but it beats a front loader in my opinion. I don’t even care if that makes me old fashioned!
After this episode I reminded myself the dryer is the same age as its departed companion; I ought to prepare for its demise as well. What do you know. Not 8 months later it started giving fits and totally went kaplooih. There goes hundreds of dollars for another new appliance! I could’ve went without one a little longer, but this was in the dead of winter and who wants to embrace that chill?
God hasn’t blessed us with a quiver full of children like many couples, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have lots of expenses. I’ve accumulated more like a quiver full of health issues, which rapidly and vastly consume finances. But I thank God for providing us with income so that we’ve been able to doctor for my health. Otherwise, I don’t know if I’d be here writing this substantial post. And the Lord has surely blessed us! We’ve got two precious children, and my health seems to be slowly improving. There’s always something to be grateful for!
My advice to newly weds? You don’t have to buy it all now! Learn to save and do without. You’ll certainly want to save up for that 10-12 year mark. When life throws those curve balls, you’ll need that extra cushion of funds! Whether it’s for stalling appliances, the fraying nerves and linens, the Dr appointments or dentist visits. Life has a way of keeping the green backs from collecting dust. So be prepared. Embrace the quirks, the worn-out house wares, and unexpected expenses. It’s the journey together that truly matters. Buckle up and enjoy the ride! With a dash of humor and plenty of love, you’ll navigate the choppy waters of marriage with laughter in your hearts and a well-worn house to call home. Happy nesting!
This post is an account of something that happened to me last year on Mother’s day.
That Sunday’s message was on Mothers. I sat attentively and thoroughly soaked up the words.
We know Mom’s lives are filled with all manner of sacrifices. When you have a baby on your lap, you know the sacrifice of walking out be-times in one church service. This Sunday, I was musing how blessed I was, to be able to sit and enjoy this whole Mother’s day message without disturbances. No restless baby needed my attention. (Not that I would mind the sacrifice, coupled with the joy of another baby on my lap again!) But this year, my high tempered 2 year old sat with his Daddy. My daughter was old enough to sit quietly beside me while I focused on the message. Inwardly, I thanked and praised God for this special privilege. Not many minutes passed until I was interrupted. I had just thought today was about blessing; not sacrifice.
Jerald had taken Reece out for a potty stop. The little boy was also wrought with that typical church thirst, so they used the water fountain close to the kitchen. Suddenly, Jerald became aware of someone rooting through the kitchen cabinets. Definitely no one from church either! Unsure of what the best thing was to do, he walked over to the disheveled, rough looking woman and asked “Can I help you?” The starving vagabond kept right on searching the cabinets and curtly responds, “why do you ask?!” After a few more tries, Jerald realized she was oblivious of his presence. That’s when he decided maybe another woman would be able to help out this homeless lady. So it was, he enters the auditorium, taps me on the shoulder and asks me to come.
I was promptly alarmed when he proceeded to explain the situation. A bum off the street making herself at home in our church kitchen was not a normal occurrence! “She’s snappy,” he warned, “be careful!” He hung around to watch from a distance.
My fears and prayers ascended simultaneously as I approached the homeless woman. I proceeded with caution and tried to appear casual. “Hi,” I said, but received no response. I walked around the bar, stopped next to her and tried again. “Can I help you with something?” “No, I’m fine!” she snapped. She stirred tan colored liquid in a glass as she spoke. Empty creamer cups were scattered across the counter. She tipped her head back and drank a few more cups of creamer. I was dubious. What in the world should I do?! Will she lash out and give me a whop if I keep insisting on helping her? She was wearing men’s work boots and an army-green colored back pack. This was loaded to capacity with who knows what kind of paraphernalia.
I scanned the fridge and cabinets for snacks. I offered her monster bars that I had brought that morning to share with a friend. This lady needs the food far worse, I thought. But she turned it down. I offered her packets of instant oatmeal but got the same response.
I left the kitchen for a few moments. I was intimidated by her demeanor. “Lord, help me know what I should do,” I prayed desperately. “This woman needs help and she can’t just be left on her own destroying the kitchen.” With confidence from God, I reentered the kitchen and made myself in charge. While I was gone she had opened a packet of oatmeal and was stuffing it into the empty creamer cups, dumping it into her mouth, trying to eat the dry stuff! OK,this woman is for real starved! I decided.
Once more I asked if she wants oatmeal, to which she surprisingly agreed. Grateful to be busied, I set about making several packets. This hoodlum emitted a putrid oder that penetrated the whole kitchen! It wasn’t Jovan Musk either. But God supplied the grace I needed to not mind while I was right next to her. Soon, I noticed she was messing with a large coffee percolator. She definitely wanted coffee but had no clue how to run a 30 cup percolator. Neither did I want to see her attempts! I quickly got the 12 cup coffee maker over and said, “Here, let’s use this one.” I poured in about 8 cups of water- plenty for now and some to send with her, I thought. Next, I asked her how strong she wants it, because I myself am no coffee drinker. She opened a drawer, pulls out a cookie scoop- “About like this,” she says. “One?” I asked. “Yeah,” she muttered. And I laughed to myself! I don’t know much about coffee but I do know this is gonna be some weak stuff!
I sliced apples I found in the fridge and placed two monster bars on a plate. I was going to feed her as well as I could, despite the sparceness of food in a church kitchen.
By this time Jerald had got another church brother back there to help. (He was once homeless himself, so we felt like he knew better how to handle the situation). He had the homeless woman sit down at a table and tried visiting with her while I fixed her plate. He reminded me to pray with her when I take her the food. A good reminder for this flustered cook!
As soon as the coffee was ready, I took her a large cup along with plenty of creamers! As soon as the oatmeal was finished, I took her a big bowl of it along with the apples and bars. I set it down and asked if I could pray with her. She mumbled something incoherent. I took to praying and she took to eating. Whether she understood, I have my doubts. As she ate, I sat nearby, desperately racking my brain as to what I could converse with her about. I didn’t want to appear like I was feeding her, then wanting to get away from her as soon as possible. “Where are you headed?” I ventured. “I’m going that way,” she replied, with a nod of her head. I assumed she meant out of Auburn. My social attempts seemed dismally lame. She mumbled around and chuckled to herself. The doubtful person I am, I wondered if she was laughing at me. There was no sense in her talk and no eye contact. It was a one sided conversation with an abundance of offers for more food or coffee, to which she always accepted. I asked if she’d liked food to take with her. Her ready reply was “No.” I should’ve known by now to not even ask. Still, I packed up several apples, a partial pack of Saltines and half a dozen monster bars in a gallon ziploc. When I handed it over, she gave no recognition. But when she got up to leave, that bag was securely clutched in her arms.
As church dismissed, people came back trying to visit with her, but didn’t get anywhere. Repeatedly someone would ask her name. For this, she always responded “I’d rather not say.” Hmmmm, maybe she wasn’t as drugged as she appeared??
Our church ministers were trying to figure out how to best handle the situation on our hands. After some discussion among the brethren, they didn’t feel it was wise to take her into our homes unless she would provide legitimate information- i.e. clarify who she was, where she was from or what her mission was. People were leaving, and we couldn’t just let her sit at church. So two of the brethren offered to take her in the direction she was headed, to the next bigger town of Rockport MO. There they dropped her off at the McDonald’s/truck stop.
Besides the bulging pack on her back, she was pulling a red wagon heavily loaded with mishmash. As the men loaded her wagon into the back of their vehicle, they spied 3 deceased birds amongst the bags. We can only imagine what the motive was behind hauling that sort of carnage!
That was the last we saw of her, but definitely not the last time we thought of her. I prayed for her and kept thinking of her that night when we had a thunderstorm come through. Where was she? Huddled beneath the bridges? Did she get a ride on to the next town? I felt guilty that night as I crawled into my clean, soft bed. I was snug and dry. I had food to eat. I had family. I had love. Most importantly, I knew Jesus! So rich am I! How could I ever dare to complain?!
Questions still haunt me today. Where was she really going? Was she truly walking for weeks or months? Our small town is not a place we typically see tramps. We have no idea where she was coming from. It was all so mysterious. I have my doubts, but I’ve wondered if she could have been an angel unawares? (Hebrews 13:2)
While we felt she was heavily drugged, we certainly don’t know if this was the case. We have no way of knowing her true situation. For whatever reason, God brought her to church that very Sunday and asked me to serve. I’ve often wondered since then, why He chose me.
Maybe it was to teach me a thing or two. This is embarrassingly true but Jerald tells me I’m a little like that homeless lady…. Sometimes I’m in such a distressed state of mind, I act like I don’t need help. I even refuse help or at times make no comments when in reality I need help! (you know how we women sometimes think our men should know what we need or want without us asking?!) “Now you know what it’s like!” He tells me with that chuckle in his voice.
Maybe it was to teach me more about sacrifice. It was a sacrifice for me to miss the remainder of the message and especially the testimonies. That morning there was an extra lot of testimonies. I so much wanted to be in there listening.
It’s not often that we as stay at home Moms get to interact with the vagabond type of needy souls. Yet we’re surrounded by needy people in the form of our families. But I reminded myself, it’s not any more noble to feed a poor beggar than it is to feed my own family. They are both service for Jesus, just the same. When you feel you aren’t reaching out to those wandering mendicants behind the cardboard signs, remind yourself of this. You’re serving Jesus just as much by serving your own needy people. God calls Mothers to live a life of sacrifice. And He’s got significant variety of sacrifices to go around. Some days it comes in the most unexpected ways.
I don’t know about you, but I won’t be doing any hollering…… I get enormously weary of washing clothes. That’s why I have certain days of the week to complete the job, so I can have a break on the remaining days. But then accidents happen, or somebody needs jackets washed or who knows what, and I end up doing 3 loads of laundry when I wasn’t planning to do any! That’s when it really annoys me. But I’m grateful for raiment and more grateful for my family, so I’ll keep pluggin’ on that laundry. ♥️
What I do enjoy is the homey feeling of a laundry line filled with flapping garments. And the feeling of crisply dried sheets and towels! Some people hate stiff, sandpaper like towels for drying. I prefer those kinds because they dry better. Ever use those fuzzy, fluffy hotel towels and you still barely felt dry? Me too. I’ll take the sandpaper ones.
It feels like extra work to hang up laundry outside, but I like the feeling of saving energy. Well, let me clarify. It’s great saving electrical energy but it requires a good deal more physical energy! There’s plenty of times, fatigue, and low energy are big factors in my life. Then is when I show my dryer much appreciation by putting it to good use.
Then there’s days the wind is a exactly like a tall tale- It’s so windy you wouldn’t believe it unless you see/feel it. So let me tell you what I’ve come to believe is crucial to keeping those clothes hanging securely.
I bought a couple packages of PolyGrip clothespins in Ohio last summer. You know, there where they have all kinds of stores and places to buy anything a person could possibly need… Amish country? You’re covered!
I love these Poly clothespins!! No more twisting wooden marriages apart when the wind jerks fiercely on the innocent, bouncing clothes. No more match making of wooden divorcees dropped over the grass in rejected loneliness. No more running to fetch a fleeing sheet or towel hanging on by its last thread. Believe me, these clothespins are trustworthy!! These marriages will last! No more will I buy those pinsley little wooden clothespins.
These clothespins also make wonderful toys. I went out to hang up another load of clothes one day, to find Reece had hauled a pile of them up into the playhouse. He had them pinned together in neat rows. Making families, I suppose.
I prefer keeping my clothespins in this bucket for easy access, rather than a typical cloth hanger of sorts, because I like the easy access. It hangs on the line with the S hook. Although after hanging up clothes on windy days, I’ll set the bucket on the ground instead of on the line to prevent the risk of spillage.
You can purchase these PolyGrip clothespins on Amazon or from Georgetown Sales. You can contact them at 610-593-5193. Or if you live anywhere close to Amish country, I’m sure you could find them at their local stores.
of windowsills and breezy hills 