Monday, June 27, 2011

Strays

Yesterday I found a stray dog. He's cute and loving and stinky and dirty and flea ridden and I don't need another dog. I have to keep reminding myself that he's not our dog and won't be our dog. A little over a year ago I discovered I have severe allergies- to cats, mold, dust, cedar, and dogs. I already had a dog at the time and ended up getting another one not long after that. My allergy doctor told me that most folks with allergies will do any and everything possible to stop being sick EXCEPT get rid of their dog. I am not the exception apparently. I know, despite the happiness my children now feel at the thought of having another dog, he will have to find a new home. I know, although my husband LOVES animals (especially dogs) he can't keep him. In fact, my Honey has made it perfectly clear that he doesn't clean up after the dogs so it's not really up to him. I have a hard time turning away living things that are lonely, sick, endangered, hungry, cold, sad looking, cute.....anything that would make anyone take pity and love them. This doesn't just go for dogs. I have had cats, birds, reptiles, etc... all in the name of helping out. Of course, the birds were solely for the purpose of rehabilitation. Injured wild birds don't make good pets. Over the years, we've had a few people we've taken in too. I'm a sucker for a stray. I think it comes from being a stray myself and being taken in by kind and loving people.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Habits

 Be not deceived ; God is not mocked : for whatsoever a man soweth , that shall he also reap . For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spiritshall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.~ Galatians 6:7-8


"Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character."


This is a very real thought for me.  I look back this evening, while talking to my youngest, and discovered that so many things in life just got away from me. 

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Bread


I have had no mill for over a week now. I normally mill my own flour and make bread on a weekly basis, but now for going on two weeks we've been without bread. I started milling grains almost a decade ago. Why would I do this you wonder? Well, whole grains are much more nutritious than flour stripped of all it's goodness (and left only with the starch) then having only a few vitamins added back to avoid the diseases eating this way causes. Monday a dear friend sent us a loaf of her homemade whole grain soaked bread (I'll have to blog about soaking bread later) and it's almost gone. We've been rationing it. We purchased some bread from the grocery store and it's not going to be a healthy alternative for the long term. We live in the middle of nowhere and it's not easy to find whole foods locally. We have a small garden (in need of weeding) and we hope to have some good crops this year, but none of that is bread.


Here is what I know about whole grain: There are three parts to the grain (which is a seed). Imagine this all like the parts of an egg. There's the bran which is the outer coating (like the egg shell). It contains fiber, B-complex vitamins, phytonutrients and trace minerals. Then there's the germ which contains essential fatty acids, vitamin E, more of the B-complex vitamins and trace minerals. In the egg illustration this would be the yolk. Finally, there's the endosperm. It contains complex carbohydrates, B-complex vitamins, and proteins. It would be like the white of the egg. So, what is the difference between plain white flour and freshly ground whole wheat flour? White flour is made only from the endosperm. Oxidation and superheated in the milling process which actually denatures the protein as well as the essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Not all mills heat to destruction of these things. Home mills usually don't get hot enough nor are they running long enough to get that hot. After milling, the three parts are separated with the germ and bran being sold as additives for bread rather than a part of real bread. The endosperm is the starch we all hear makes us fat. It's considered "fortified" by the USDA because iron, some B-vitamins and sometimes calcium is added back to it to keep the consumers from getting diseases such as beriberi. Endosperm alone, devoid of vitamin E and other things that oxidize are able to be shipped and stored for much longer than ground wheat with the rancid oils.


 I also know that God made grain for our good. I also know that He made it good (Genesis). When the famine came to the fertile crescent (Genesis 41-48) and everyone had to come to Egypt, to Joseph to buy grain stored up for this purpose. It had been stored for seven years! Then there was seven years of famine, so altogether there was fourteen years that some of this grain was stored and was still full of nutrients! Also, when Joseph's brothers were to come the second time for grain, along with Benjamin, 


 " And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spice, and myrrh, nuts and almonds.... (Genesis 43:11).”


 There seemed to be *some* food in the land, but no grain with which to make bread. Later when the Egyptians had no money with which to purchase grain they sold their livestock (Gen. 47: 16-18). Obviously, God has made bread very important to mankind. In the New Testament, the Messiah compares Himself to bread (John 6: 33,35,48, and 51). Clearly bread isn't devoid of nutrients. It's complete nutrition! The Lord isn't comparing himself to something that can cause sickness. Rather, he is the sustainer of life! All this of course has spiritual connotations, but I believe it to have physical ones as well. We are much better off in life to have the best that our Creator Father made for us, His creation. 


I miss my mill. I pray the Lord restores it soon. In the mean time, we shall purchase better bread from dear friends. We should all realize how blessed we are to have a Father who made wonderful things for us, for our own good.  

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Stayed Home

It's funny how things work out. This morning I was all ready to go. The girls were even in the car (it takes Mina a little time to get in because of an injured ankle) as was my knitting bag, purse, cell phone and keys. Then Honey decided he was too unwell to go. He was sure he wouldn't get anything done feeling the way he felt. So we stayed home. It's a good thing we did because he really just slept all day, except meals. There wasn't any real fever- maybe a low grade one. Either way, it was a blessing to get some things done today while we were here. I have written a menu for the rest of the month. Anyone who knows me will know I struggle with daily meal preparation. I do love to cook and bake, but I'm not very organized. Hopefully a summer of just being home (mostly) will help get me on the right track with that.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Decisions, Decisions

This morning I had a decision to make. I went to bed knowing I still needed to make it. I didn't think about it as I drifted off to sleep, nor dream about it. At 7:30 a.m. when I woke up, I opened my eyes and it was staring me in the face. I hate indecisiveness. It's not a life or death thing. It has nothing to do with any of the hard things in life we find ourselves doing. It's a very simple question that I could not find an answer to....so I flipped a coin and left it to the Lord. It's how I make decisions that don't really carry weight but have as many pros as cons.

"The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD." ~Proverbs 16:33



I know it seems ridiculous but really, when I remember that the Lord is in charge of my day, it seems so simple. I don't want you to think I would just never make any kind of decision with knowledge and getting wisdom from council. Of course when faced with hard things, we pray, study, research, and then wait on the Lord, but I'm not talking about those life changing decisions (as far as I know). How do you make decisions that aren't really important?


By the way, us girls are riding into town with my Honey earlier rather than waiting to come later for our homeschool picnic. :) 

Monday, June 13, 2011

Beginning blogging....

....but not necessarily beginning writing my thoughts. I love sharing what's going on in my life with friends and family! Since I have so many things going on in life (and really who doesn't) that there may not be a thread to tie it all together except that it is my life. :) Hope you enjoy reading!