Embracing Beauty

An Alternative to Superwoman Syndrome

June 18, 2013 By

I’m sharing with you the path the Lord is leading me on towards freedom from the sin of anger. I’ve not arrived yet…but can’t deny He’s working. Here’s Part One and Part Two.

Last time I talked about how I have started to recognize some of my anger triggers—the things that start the pot simmering, and, when added together, result in my blowing my lid.

It’s interesting to note that I seem to always blow up about the smallest thing. Spilled water. Poor cell phone reception. Laundry in the wrong place. I mean–good grief–what is my problem?

My problem is I let these things build. God is teaching me I need to deal with them as they come, running to Him at the least hint of negative emotion, rather than trying to deal with it myself and only using His grace for the ‘big’ stuff in life. I need Him every moment, oh yes. No denying that anymore.

So, He is teaching me about what to do when  trigger comes, but He’s also given me another soul-refreshing insight, like an oasis on this sometimes-dreadfully-parching journey:

He has told me that it’s ok to try to avoid some triggers. To map a path around them, to stop before I come up to them, to even run the other way.

Oh, my goodness. That seems like the chicken’s way out, doesn’t it? I mean, I should be strong enough, right? I can handle something little like a bit of mess on the floor, hungry kids, or being late to a park date, right?

Um, wrong. So very wrong. So very prideful, as well as so not what He’s called me to be. He hasn’t called me to be superwoman. I venture to say, He hasn’t called you, either. What He really wants are daughters who rely on Him and do nothing in their own strength, so that in every area of our lives, He gets the glory and His power shines through.

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Running Straight Toward a Fracture

This truth was impressed on me last month when I got it in my little hare-brain to run another 5k. (Oh, yeah? Did you know? Last year I officially became a wanna-be runner, completing not one but two very slow 5k’s. Oh, yes. This was very good for my superwoman ego. Not so good for my humility, can you tell?) If you’re new around here, I shall explain one very key reason that this is a crazy idea: I’m currently 5 months pregnant. Here’s another great reason: I haven’t run since my last 5k, 7 months ago.

So, yeah, I got it in my head that I could do a 5k next month, that I should do a 5k next month, so I bought some running shorts that fit this month’s waist line, set my alarm for 6:30, and went out and started training. (I swear by the couch-2-5k app—walk, run, walk, run, building up the amount of time you run each day, sweet female voice prompt telling you when to stop and start so you can just concentrate on panting and putting one foot in front of the other.)

Day 1: I ran/walked 2 1/4 miles, and felt A-Ma-Zing.

Day 2: I was so sore and was limping and all that, but I kept telling myself it was awesome and I’d feel better soon.

Day 3: I again walked/ran 2 1/4 miles, pushing through the soreness from Day 1, but man, it hurt. Especially my left foot.

Day 4: The initial soreness from Day 1 had finally wore off, and I was hopeful Day 5 would be the turning point to enjoying the training process. Except, my left foot was hurting more than ever, and I realized this wasn’t just your average sore muscle.

So, I called my friend and fellow runner, Kristina, who had had some similar pain in her foot last year. And she told me what the doctor had told her—”You’re headed for a stress fracture if you don’t take it easy.” She told me to keep it wrapped and forget the whole idea of running a 5k next month.

What a relief it was to be given permission to take it easy.

Superwoman Syndrome

I like to think I am a strong woman. As in, strong enough for This, and That, and That and That. I think it’s called Superwoman Syndrome in psychology textbooks. (I’m just kidding on that—I’ve never seen a psychology text book. Can’t even spell psychology—thank you, spell check!) Commitments, expectations, dreams, goals, tasks, and responsibilities pile on me until I fracture (usually in the form of a verbal explosion aimed at my *usually* innocent children). I’ve been telling myself my problem is I’m just not strong enough, and I should be able to handle the stress if I just Try Harder.

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But this month the Lord gently released me from that expectation of myself, and I have begun to see that pushing myself through the stress of facing multiple triggers each hour of my day may be the last thing my soul needs.

Instead, my soul needs splinting. My spirit needs rest, and permission to avoid as many anger triggers as possible. Maybe just for a season till the weakness heals, maybe for long term because He never called me to be Superwoman.

So, along with dealing with triggers when they pop up, I’m also learning to strategize to avoid them. Next time I’d love to share with you a few of my main triggers and what I’m doing to navigate around them…

Have you fallen in the trap of thinking you should be stronger, instead of embracing the fact that He hasn’t called you to be superwoman?

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Healing Cavities (A True “We’ve-Done-It!” Story!)

June 17, 2013 By

Oh, peoples. I”m about to reveal something to you that has taken me months to work up the nerve to confess.

Are you ready for this? {I’m not sure I am, but here goes…}

I haven’t used toothpaste in over a year.

Oh my gosh. I can’t believe I just said that out loud. On the internet.

I guess now I have to explain myself, huh?

Exploring alternate tooth care…

Over a year ago now I started looking into natural tooth care, as part of my goal to make better, more natural choices in each area of my health and my household.

I thought we had been doing good in this area, using a ‘natural’ brand toothpaste. Until I realized that even my natural toothpaste had stuff I realized I wanted to avoid–like sweeteners, fluoride, and glycerin.

It didn’t take long as I looking into natural, holistic approaches to tooth care to realize that what we eat has so much more of an affect on our teeth than the substance we scrub them with, and maybe my search for a ‘safe’ toothpaste was a waste of energy. And then I read about people not using toothpaste at all, and, well, since toothpaste (and the alternatives people talked about using) has always given me the ibby-jibbies, I decided to just quit the habit entirely.

So, I just scrubbed with water. And it seemed to work fine.

What in the world is Oil Pulling?

Later, I heard about oil pulling. It was such a strange term, I didn’t even look into it for a while. Till I realized that the pain and sensitivity I had been experiencing in my teeth off an on for a while might be remedied through this idea. So, I read up on it—it made sense (coconut oil is anti-bacterial, and could pull toxins from your mouth when you swished it in your mouth for 15-20 min.)—and I tried it.

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I posted the above photo on my facebook page and had a lot of friends ask me to report how it worked. So, here’s the report:

I loved how my teeth felt on this new cleansing routine—I felt it reduced plaque and made my teeth stronger. Within a month, all sensitivity I’d ben experiencing in my lower molars was gone.

So, I quit toothpaste, and replaced it with oil pulling, and my teeth have never been healthier.

Now, that’s my story, but I put a ‘we’ in the title, because Jeremy’s got a story, too.

And Then Mr. Holden Tried It…

Several months ago, my husband came up to me and said, “I think I have a cavity.” I looked in his mouth and was mortified. His back wisdom tooth was—I kid you not—green and brown and black and pitted, and definitely did not look healthy. Neither of us had ever had a cavity before, but I was pretty sure this was a case study.

I said, “Honey! You need to start oil pulling right away!”

Well, you know, he kinda looked at me the way I imagine you looked at me when I said I quit toothpaste.

But a week later, he felt a chunk flake off of said tooth, and the next morning he pulled out the coconut oil before breakfast. (They say you should rinse first thing in the am).

He began oil pulling faithfully every morning, as well as taking cod liver oil (upping nutrition was something I read was key to regenerating tooth decay). Within 3 days, he said the pain was gone. And a month later, after oil pulling 5-6 times a week, I looked in his mouth, and his tooth was—are you ready for this? White. White with a bit of yellow, but the black and green and brown were all gone, and the surface of the tooth was smoothing out instead of being pitted.

People, I am not lyin’ here.

Tooth regeneration is possible, and surprisingly simple…

God designed our bodies so incredibly. If we are nourishing our bodies well, He designed them to be able to heal from injury and disease—even our teeth.

I share our stories because the idea of ‘healing your teeth’ is quite foreign to people. But listen to this…

“That tooth decay is caused by nutrient deficiencies and not bacteria has been proven in both animal and laboratory experiments published in books and dental journals…

…If brushing, flossing, massive fluoridation campaigns, and dental surgery were effective in preventing tooth decay, it would not get worse over time. It would stay the same, or get better.”  (Ramien Nagel of CureToothDecay.com)

But that’s not what’s happening, is it? It has become normal to have our teeth rot out of our head, starting not in our 60’s, or 40’s, but as children and even babies.

“What is missing from the ADA’s bacteria theory of cavities is that strong teeth resist acid and bacteria. And when you, the consumer, understand that a strong tooth resists acid indefinitely, then the next logical question is, what makes a tooth strong?” (Ramien Nagel)

The answer, which Ramien details in his ebook (linked below) is good nutrition. And you know what it means when I use that term around here…lots of whole foods, good fat, raw milk, tasty meats and properly prepared grains and veggies.

So, gotta a toothache? Wish you had stronger teeth? Don’t despair. You can actually do something other than have them all pulled and getting dentures. (Oh, yay!)

Here’s some resources for further reading on Healing Tooth Decay…

So, has this post convinced you that I’m crazier than you initially thought, or simply confirmed your suspicions??? 

31 Comments, Filed Under: Mothering, Real Food

What Potty Training is Teaching Me About Anger

June 15, 2013 By

Read the first part of this story here…Of Volcanoes and Scenic Overlooks

And so it was, that, for the first time ever, instead of trying to reason my way out of anger, or willing it to retreat back to the volcanic chamber it was rushing out of, I tried surrender. Not to the anger, mind you, but to God. I said, “OK, God, you’re right, I so cannot handle this. I am desperate not to be a yelling mamma, who wounds and terrifies her children with her words and volume. You told me to come to you, so I do—desperately crying for deliverance.”

And in that moment, the He lifted the anger right off me. I felt the pressure of steam and heat and the hot magma of irrational emotion diminish like a puff of smoke. I still don’t know where it went. I’ve never diffused that quickly from hot rage, so I know it was God. He delivered me.

And then, in the quiet of the early morning, minus the steam venting from nostrils and ears, He gently counseled me and began to teach me about triggers, and what to do with them.

What to do with those nasty triggers…

Triggers are another common word when one talks about anger management. “What are your triggers?” we are asked. This month I’ve become aware of a few of them, and had been trying to avoid them, but they can’t all be avoided, so I usually still have plenty to deal with.

And, due to my previous notion that anger was something I needed to control and overcome, my past strategy for triggers has been to stomp on them. To shove them down into my subconscious and ignore them and the wrong thinking they represent.

But you know what happens when I think I’ve stomped out those triggers? When a child pees their pants before 9am, when the act of serving breakfast totals the kitchen, when plans carefully made collapse with one phone call, when my hope for an afternoon nap is dashed and I somehow still maintain my calm exterior? They have not gone anywhere, they are just glomming together somewhere deep inside me, one upon another, until one more tiny trigger and—BOOM. I will blow my top, guaranteed.

And the simple truth that God revealed to me as I hung the laundry was this:

I needed to apply potty training principles to my anger issues.

 

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The Seth Man. Not only is he potty training, he’s learning to dress himself…or not! lol

 

This month we are half-heartedly, off and on, getting-slightly-more-serious-about potty training Seth. Some days he cues me and we do our business in the potty. Some days he doesn’t. Some days I get all brave and put training pants on in place of the diaper and say, “We are really going to do this now!” And on those days, I know the only way we will have victory is to regularly empty that little bladder, or we will have an accident.

Application: When a trigger comes, I need to deal with it–not stuff it–or there will be an accident.

 

Simple. Very simple. So simple, a sleep-deprived, foggy-brained pregnant momma can get it. Diffusing anger is like potty training. I must make regular trips to the place of relief, or the emotion I carry will overflow.

If this is TMI for ya’ll, I DO apologize, but I can’t not share what to me has been a life changing truth housed in this bathroom-based analogy.

So, I’ve been trying it. When I feel the heat begin to rise, I go to my place of relief: I stop and ask God to lift it from me like He did that morning by the clothesline. When He faithfully does, we then have a nice little chat about that particular trigger, and usually discover what lie I’m believing that led to that trigger, and what truth I can dwell on instead to effectively resolve that source of lava-producing emotion.

And I go about my day with an empty lava chamber, instead of one waiting for one more teaspoon of irritation to send me over the top.

Oh, how I wish I could tell you that in a week I’ve come to complete victory in this area. Truth is, I have not. But I realize, you may not want or need to hear the story of quick and fast deliverance, because you may not have the faith for that miracle. I know I’d have trouble believing an insta-fix story. Maybe you, like me, need to hear of the small, hope-inducing victories that one mamma is experiencing so that you may know that He is with you on your journey, as well.

So, I will keep sharing the bits of beauty and truth I’m finding as I walk this path of Freedom from Anger, and am delighted by any who may join me.

Next time: another strategy God has revealed to me about finding freedom from anger.

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Of Volcanoes and Scenic Overlooks

June 14, 2013 By

This week some bloggers I know and love ‘went public’ about their struggles with anger, and how the Lord is meeting them in their place of need. These posts ministered to me so much, I felt like it might be time to share what the Lord has been teaching me in this most-heart-wrenching area of my weaknesses as a mother.

But  a little voice said “You are not qualified to write about anger. You haven’t conquered this mountain—how could you help anyone?”

So I took notes in my journal of what the Lord was speaking to me, saving it for I time when I felt more worthy to offer it to you.

Then a voice—a kinder, gentler, loving Voice—whispered, “You are definitely still in process, but must one wait till the end of the journey to share the beauty found along the way?”

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Scenic Overlook on Skyline Drive in VA, taken last fall

The truth is, sisters, anger is a terrible problem in my life and my heart. One I have wept and raged over for years. I have silently feared the fruit of an angry life, cringing when I saw its blossoms swell and explode.

But this month (this month I backed off social media to embrace quiet and listen more—coincidence? I think not) God has been speaking little truths and insight into my struggle against the anger monster, and once or twice I have experienced a small victory. Ever so small. Ever so humble. Not worth speaking of, if I listen to the first voice. Something I should share along with songs of praise if I listen to the second Voice.

And so, I will open up my journal, and my heart, and what I am struggling to grasp this week, even before I have a handle on it myself, because I so desire that you might glimpse the very real hope that I have experienced this week, in realizing that God is bigger than my anger problem, and He is strong enough to deliver me. And you.

Come, walk along with me on my journey…

Early Morning Rumblings

It was 6:30 am and I was already boiling, ready to explode on the next thing—inanimate or human—to cross my path. Luckily, I was the only one up. 

Is it any coincidence that we have been studying volcanoes in homeschool this month, and I constantly feel such kinship with these vents of the earth’s boiling magma?

Much of the advice that I have reached for and held onto and tried to apply when it comes to overcoming anger goes along the lines of detaching from it, giving yourself time and space to cool off. My anger has only built when I have tried that strategy, because as a mommy to three small children it is nearly impossible and quite unsafe for me to leave the room when I’m in the middle of an anger-triggering incident. I can’t just go and lock myself in the bathroom, people. You know what would happen? Disaster. It would just make matters worse.

But in this one instance, for once, I did not only have a chance to detach and cool off, I was forced to. We were leaving at 8am (for a prayer meeting. I know. If my life is nothing else, it is entertaining for the irony factor) and I had a load of laundry that needed to go on the line before we left. The family was still sleeping, getting outside and into the quiet of the early morning was the next and only thing to do.

And in that quiet, God began to speak to me about my anger.

The first thing He showed me was so breathtaking, it was like one of those spots on the highway where you pull over for a scenic overlook. So, though I haven’t arrived on my journey, I share it with you. Come on, friend, there is beauty on this journey…

His Beautiful Truth to me…

God told me my anger was not something I needed to overcome. I know that’s a common word used in conjunction with anger problems. And for some people, overcoming may be the recipe for moving on. But for me? My Father said, no, nu-uh.

He told me that the solution was not for me to become stronger than the anger.

What a relief. Because I’ve been trying that route for 30 years. When the anger rises in me and begins to vomit out, I often experience a moment of clarity in which my heart screams, “No! I don’t want this! I must stop this!” but the explosion continues, outside of my desperate desire to control and stomp it back down.

No, overcoming hasn’t worked for me. I’m not strong enough to fight this. That’s why I’m so glad to be told that wasn’t the way I would find freedom.

In that moment of forced quiet as I hung laundry, steam venting from my ears and nostrils, He told me that the solution to my anger was surrender. Admitting I couldn’t fight this, and handing the battle over to Him. In that moment when I feel myself begin to boil over, He told me the action I was to take was to Cry for Deliverance.

He would fight the battle. I could lay my feeble weapons down, and all He asked of me was to call to Him.

And, glory be and waddyaknow—I found that God WAS strong enough to overcome my anger. Next time I’ll share what happened when I cried out to Him in the middle of my fury.

Have you felt like your anger was something you were obligated to manage or control? I know the guilt that comes from failing in that area, sister. Perhaps it’s time to try a different strategy, to admit you aren’t strong enough for this battle, and to hand the fight over to Someone who is. Tell me, is this an area I can pray for you in?

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My Year Begins With Willow

June 10, 2013 By

You know that first day in March or April when you breath in and the air has a scent again because it’s no longer frozen? That was the time of year we moved to the homestead, and that is always the first day of my personal New Year.

That is when the air tells me it is Basket Making Season.

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Fresh willow scythes

That first spring on the homestead, our neighbor girl showed us the acres of gold that grew in a low spot below where we had pitched the tipi. Though my mother had woven beautiful red and jute baskets for years, Kateri showed us a new technique using wild willow. Delighted with the opportunity to create with materials off our own land, we spent hours (between wood-cutting and water-hauling and while dinner was simmering in the cast iron pot in the fire pit) tromping through the swamp clipping armloads of willow, hauling it back up to the campsite, and weaving it into baskets large and small which we dreamed of using to harvest veggies from our garden that summer.

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the beginning of a basket

Every spring since, I have gotten a strong urge in my fingers–like sap rising in twigs–to bend and bow willow scythes into golden cages of sweet-smelling symmetry. I have made big baskets, little baskets, berry baskets, and half-bushel baskets. I just love weaving.

And every place I have lived since we left the homestead I have taken willow with me and planted it in preparation for the urge to weave. Alas, I’ve had to move away from each little stand of willow before it was mature enough to give me basket material.

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sections too thick for weaving will be planted

Lucky for me, my best friend likes to plant willow and, unlike me, she’s stayed in the same spot long enough to reap a harvest.

And lucky for me, I just happened to visit on a day she had a bunch of fresh willow lying around just waiting to be woven.

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Twining the first weavers to make the base

She made lunch while the kids played and I wove to my heart’s content. Though it had been 3 or 4 years since I’d last made a basket, my fingers remembered what my teachers had taught me, and by lunch time, a small bread basket was complete.

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the technique for building the basket’s sides, called randing, always makes me wish I had 4 hands.

Weaving is something that, when I do it, I feel such joy and satisfaction in the deepest, most Trina-ish part of me, that I know it is something God made me to do.

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Once weaving is complete, the basket gets a ‘hair cut’, then it’s finished!

I’ve always been grateful to the women who taught me to weave: my mother, my friend Kateri, and finally, the world-renown English basketry expert Bonnie Gale, whom I just happened to meet when I was 19, and who just happened to live in the same town as I (coincidence? I think not) and who trained me in the more intricate, traditional techniques of English Basket Weaving.

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not to be confused with weeping willow trees, basket willow grows as a tall bush. I planted mine along the edge of our yard. In 3 years this row will produce enough for a basket.

I’m just so excited that last year I finally got some willow planted in our yard, and in a few more years I should have a harvest of my own.

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Meanwhile, if I go missing on a warm day in spring, you’ll probably find me in my friend’s back yard playing with her willow.

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10 Things I Discovered in May

June 4, 2013 By

Life is like sifting for gold…you spend day after day doing a lot of monotonous stuff, when suddenly a little gem shows up, making the whole day (or even month!) bright and worth it all. When I took my blogging break, I realized the two things I missed most were telling stories and sharing with you the little discoveries that made my day. So, here’s a collection of my finds from May. I hope at least one of them makes your day brighter!

1. A unit study on volcanoes is a perfect excuse to make a Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten Lava Cake. I love homeschooling. When it involves chocolate, it’s even better.
2. I can make Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten Lava Cake in my crockpot. Now I don’t have to turn my oven on when it’s stinkin’ hot and I want cake! Stacey taught me this.
3. I can live without facebook. I know, incredible, right? Two whole weeks, and the internet didn’t break without me, and I did not break out in a rash. (There was that funny twitch in my left knee cap, but I’m choosing to believe that was unrelated.)
4. Books by the particular publishing company David C. Cook have this cool thing after the book called an “AfterWords” which is a little delectable interview with the author.  They say,

“When a delightful concert comes to an end, the orchestra might offer an encore.  When a fine meal comes to an end, it’s always nice to savor a bit of dessert. When a great story comes to an end, we think you may want to linger. And so, we offer…AterWords—just a little something more after you have finished a David C Cook novel.”

My favorite book on my Kindle (app) this month was Composing Amelia and it was so good, I was sad when it ended. The AfterWords made the hurt all better. I’m such a fan. (and you remember I get nearly all my Kindle books for free thanks to this site, right?)
5. We’re supposed to reject idols in our life. I had been trying to ‘manage’ some idols in my life. Nope. Wrong approach. Gotta get rid of them people. Two of mine are ‘sleep past a certain time of morning’, and ‘social media outside of set times’.
6. Chocolate Avocado Pudding should not be considered a health food. This undersells this amazingly delectable treat. I know it’s great for those who are sensitive to dairy or trying to avoid sugar, but seriously. This stuff is purely craveable. I promise you do NOT taste the avocado. And there’s not lingering aftertaste of guilt, either. Whoever was brave enough to invent this stuff has my highest respect. (Here’s a recipe I’m going to try) My friend Sarah first made this for me–you can find all kinds of goodness on her amazing Pinterest Recipe boards  of GAPS-friendly food. (She and her whole family have been doing GAPS for 4 months now and they are seeing amazing results!)
7. Whole chicken really is the cheapest way to buy your chicken. I already knew this, but I confirmed it to myself on a recent visit to the grocery store. Instead of buying parts for all the grilling we like to do when warm weather arrives, I’m sticking with my whole roaster bird, and cutting it up when I get it home. 
8. Pineapple contains a protein-digesting enzyme called bromelain, meaning eating it with protein helps you digest said protein better. So it’s one of the fruits you should eat with other foods. Unlike watermelon. Oh, please. Melons: Eat them Alone or Leave them Alone. (you know what happens, right? Are you really gonna make me say it out loud on the blog? It can make you throw up. It almost always has this effect on my kids if they eat it with anything else. There. Only for you.)
9. Peanut Butter and Jelly stirred into plain yogurt makes a great, high protein snack. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. 

10. My mother-in-law made a natural mosquito repellent the other day and it actually works! We tested it on Jeremy, who the bugs love more than anyone else in this family. He swears by it. Well, Jeremy doesn’t swear, but you get what I mean. Here’s what we used…

  • 15 drops lavender essential oil
  • 3-4 T. vanilla extract (make your own!)
  • 1/4 C. lemon juice

Combine in a 16 oz. spray bottle and fill the rest of the way with water. Shake and spray on to enjoy the outdoors without the bugs enjoying you.

Hmmm. Looking over this list I realized 6 out of 10 of the month’s bright spots had to do with food, and 4 involved chocolate. (Do I need to add another item to my idols list?) You can definitely tell I’m preggo!

Tell me what’s brightened your life since the last time we met here!

9 Comments, Filed Under: GAPS, My Life, Read, Real Food, Recipes Tagged With:

When Your Soul Needs Splinting

June 3, 2013 By

As a wannabe runner with a few {slow} 5k’s under my belt, I often have questions about my new hobby. When I do, I call a more experienced friend of mine. Such was the case last month when a pain in my foot persisted past the usual soreness one would expect from running for the first time in, ahem, months.

My girlfriend had experienced similar pain and her doctor said she was on her way to a stress fracture if she didn’t take it easy. Her advice to me? Wrap it and take it easy, girl. 

The wrapping is easy. It’s the taking it easy that isn’t so…easy. But it got me thinking…

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I’m back to blogging this month with a post on Allume. Read how I”m embracing soul rest here. I’ll be back with a post here for you all in a just little while!

 

1 Comment, Filed Under: Blogging, Mothering, My Life

You know those things called seasons?

May 17, 2013 By

May is always a tricky month for me. I think many of you who live in colder climates can relate. May is when the weather finally begins to moderate, and though we love it, it always brings an interesting challenge: how to adjust our daily rhythm to include as much outside time as possible!

(photos are all of my gardens this week!)
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Instead of the freedom spring weather should bring to our souls, it often brings the added stress of fulfilling all our indoor responsibilities even as we long to migrate outdoors (if only to keep an eye on the kids, who only come inside to sleep these days).
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The transition to a new season cannot be complete until we let go of the old one. (<–Tweet that if you thought that was a surprisingly profound statement to come out of pregnancy brain fog. I sure did!)

For me, winter is a time where I snuggle down deep into writing and engaging in my beloved online community.

But summer simply can’t look the same, or I will never get the Vitamin D I need. (That’s the crunchy mamma’s way of saying “I need to get a tan!)
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So, this is a little farewell for now. I find I need to completely let go of the online realm for a little while in order to discover how blogging will fit into my summer routine (instead of trying to get summer to fit in the cracks around my blogging, you know? just doesn’t work).

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It’s been an awesome season here on the blog–new friends, deeper community, and publishing that book that God put on my heart to share with you. It’s been one of the most exciting seasons since I started blogging, and it’s been so delightful to be on the journey with you.

I’ll miss you, but I’ll be back. (You know I’ll be back. I just love people and telling stories too much to be quiet for long!)

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I’ll be sending out one more newsletter before I pull the plug on my computer for my scheduled social media fast for the rest of the month. Sign up over in the sidebar if you want to keep in touch with me via email (yes, I will still be checking email! Hello!). Also, I’ve written a few guest posts that have yet to go live–I’ll have Jeremy post them to our facebook page when they do, so follow me over there if you are addicted ahem, don’t want to miss anything. ;)

Here’s to embracing seasons!

(is there anything you need to let go of to enjoy the present? C’mon–it’s fun!)

6 Comments, Filed Under: Blogging, Gardening, My Life, Writing

In Which I’m Late All Day and It All Turns Out OK

May 11, 2013 By

Thanks for your enthusiastic response to the direction the Lord is leading my blogging this summer! All requests have received due notice, creative juices are beginning to ooze, and I can hardly wait for all the writing time I’ll find when I unplug in just. Eight. More. Days!

And? I have a story for you already! But first, some housekeeping details I don’t want you to miss (because, though I love story telling, the Lord has also called me to steward the opportunities He’s brought my way, and He’s been opening so many doors lately!)

1. I blogged at Allume this week, sharing 4 {Great!} reasons YOU should write an ebook. Writing my first book changed my life, even though it was ‘just a cookbook’. My second book is doing the same thing. Book writing has been a place I have met God, and come away changed. Books are like altars of rememberence to me. So, yeah, I’m always encouraging  those with the dream to write a book to follow through.

2. I got to talk to my Allume roomie this week. Sounds like no big deal, ‘cept she’s like a famous author and we were chatting on live radio. I was a hot mess. My hands were sweating–OK, everything was sweating. I can’t remember anything I said, but I do have this vague recollection that it was actually a lot of fun. And it was recorded–you can listen to the podcast here. (I was her second guest, so my part doesn’t start till half way through, but the author she interviewed before me was really cool!)

3. Finally, it’s Mother’s Day this weekend, right? We talk a lot about Motherhood on this here blog, because that’s a huge part of my life right now. But my heart aches (and not just on this particular weekend) for my friends who long for babies but struggle with infertility. That’s why I’m excited to share with you about a Natural Fertility eBook Bundle. 29 eBooks about nourishing your body for conception, treating PCOS naturally, and real food cookbooks (including that ice cream book I raved about last week!) for just $34.95. You can find out more about this great resource for would-be mothers HERE.

And, now it’s story time. ;)

I was running late all day.

I slept in. (sleep, how I love thee) I took a long, hot shower (my coffee alternative). I spent time putting my hair up so I’d have curls for our outing that night. Finally made it downstairs to begin on breakfast. Eventually looked at the clock and realized I needed to kick it in to High Gear if I was gonna get out the door. I was planning on running a meal to my dear friend, the one who my Claire is named after, because she just had a baby. Although she lives an hour away, we wanted to help them celebrate, and I wanted my kiddos to meet a brand-new baby so they can begin to imagine what we’ll be welcoming around here in the fall.

So, food and pots and pans came out,  and I chopped an onion after gobbling my french toast (eww!) and coaxed (to put it lightly) my kiddos to clean the dining room while I raced around like a chicken with its head cut off. An hour…or two…later, a meatloaf stuffed with sauted veggies and herbs (recipe from Nourishing Traditions) and Rosemary Potatoes from Pioneer Woman, and Avocado Chocolate Pudding (made by someone more amazing than me) and a jug of cider from the freezer, we were ready to go.

But you know, then comes the ‘getting into the car’ ordeal.

By the time we were on the road, I was a hot mess. I told the children we would be having Quiet Time on this trip so mommy could cool down. Only  a few moments of silence were necessary for the Spirit to whisper that some repentance was in order. With apologies and gentle tones, the kids and I made peace. But I still required silence for most of the ride.

All the way there, I worried at how my late start would affect the rest of my day. I had two hours of driving time, plus as many minutes cuddling and smelling a new baby as possible, but I had a friend stopping at my house after lunch—how could I fit this all in? And when was I gonna eat lunch???? (because I’m ALWAYS hungry!)

Did I mention I was a hot mess? I could fill the stress settling into my trapezius muscles, and began questioning my sanity and my ability to make sound scheduling choices.

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A few minutes of snuggling a handsome, 6 day old baby boy and I knew I’d made the right decision to come…but how would the rest of the day pan out? And when would I eat?

Relaxing in the familiar environment of my dear friend’s home, I told myself everything would be OK. And it was. She had packed a picnic, and planned a quick jaunt to the park near her home where our 6 (combined) mobile children would enjoy the new swing set. I decided, despite my schedule, to go with the flow and milk every ounce of goodness out of this day as possible.

On the way to the park, I called my friend, due to arrive at my house by 1:30, and told her I was over an hour away…would she mind if we rescheduled for 2? She was fine with that, so I let myself enjoy the park with my kiddos, and enjoyed an Open Faced Rueben Sandwich with homemade dressing, sauerkraut, and nitrate-free roast beef. It was as awesome as it sounds. Oh, and a glass of Peach Kombucha that was as yummy as my old summer favorite, Snapple Peach Ice Tea. God had provided lunch, through my sweet friend (and I was supposed to be bringing HER a meal!)

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(The best picnics include raw milk!)

Finally, back into the car, back to the house for a potty break, and by this time I’m getting stressed again, because despite my best intentions, I’m 20 min. late for my next ‘appointment’. We say rushed goodbyes and head home. I picture the house in the state that I left it—cooking dishes covering every available counter in the kitchen, laundry in spring-sorting-piles all over the laundry room floor, and the carpet in desperate need of vacuuming. I contemplate the very real possibility that my friend will take me up on my offer to make herself at home if she gets to my house before I do. I close my eyes to try to digest how crazy my life has become–and then remember I’m still driving.

I tuned up my radio to distract my spinning thoughts, and heard the announcer, a friend I know and love in real life, say that she’s broadcasting live from the Pennsylvania Homeschool Convention and will be speaking with the Money Saving Mom in a few minutes.

I looked at the clock with the realization that if I had been on time, I would have missed this precious opportunity to hear two sweet friends’ voices on my radio as I drove home.

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I cranked up the radio and savored every decibel of Terese and Crystal’s delightful conversation, which finished up when I was just two miles from home. I turned the radio back down and glanced at Jesse in the rear-view mirror.

“Jess? You know how stressed I was about being late? If I hadn’t been late, I wouldn’t have been able to hear my friends on the radio! Will you help me remember next time I get worried about being late, that God is taking care of all the little details in our lives?”

He nodded in agreement, and we pulled into our driveway.

Yes, my friends had arrived before me. Yes, they had made it past the kitchen and the view of the laundry room into my living room. I walked into my own house and called out a ironic “Welcome!” and exchanged hugs all around.

And you know what? It was OK, because they had made themselves comfortable in my absence, and I’ve always said, if there’s room for people to sit on the couch, then there’s room for hospitality. My worth is not based on the cleanliness of my house, anyway, right?

P.S. Neither is yours.

5 Comments, Filed Under: My Life

OK, Here’s the Story…

May 9, 2013 By

Whoa, the blog has been quiet this week. Had you noticed? No, probably not. But I did, and it was bugging me. I just feel all awkward that I haven’t shared any good stories or a helpful tutorial, or some awesome links with you here this week.

Funny, isn’t it, what I let stress me?

Here’s the thing. I am a very goal-oriented person, and my blog is no exception. I have all kinds of goals and lists and once even put together a blogging notebook similar to my homemaking notebook.

But one of my blog goals is not something you can plan, or that you will see on a list of top-ten steps for building your blog.

It’s just this simple little idea that overshadows every other goal I may have in this little space.

I wanna be a Spirit-led blogger.

This doesn’t mean I never hit publish without praying for confirmation–that would be legalistic. It’s more like background music that I sometimes consciously and often sub-consciously move in rhythm with.

But last Friday I actually stopped for a few moments and asked God what He thought I should blog about next week.

He’s answer came too clearly to deny. A whisper, yet loud and clear:

“Nothing.”

I freaked out. I thought how that would look on my blog. For me to simply disappear for days on end, without any warning to my faithful followers, or an announcement to new stoppers-by. This. Was. Not. Good.

But I couldn’t deny the whisper. So I called in reinforcements. Put out an SOS email to another friend who I admire for her Spirit led words. She confirmed to me that God was also whispering to her to ignore all the rules for wise blogging practices, and wait on Him in quietness. Another friend, the one who has mentored me in learning to hear His voice, reminded me that God may more to say to me, and that be could why He asked me to stop talking for a season.

So, I sat on my hands and swallowed my pride, and let my blog sit quiet.

The Lord is gentle with me. He only made me wait 5 days before He spoke again.

Today He used another fellow blogger to confirm what He’s been leading me toward for months.

It’s time for some story telling on this here blog. It’s time just to write. For me. Maybe for you, if you care to listen, but mostly for me. Because when I’m writing–that’s often when He speaks to me the loudest.

After a little more of a break (if you get my newsletter, you know I’ve been planning a blogging and social media break for mid-May) I plan to be back–maybe not till June, maybe sooner. But I’m warning ya’ll. When I come back, stories are gonna get top billing around here. 

Do you still like a good story? I do. What stories do you want to hear? And, what stories do you wish to tell, if it was OK to just. tell. stories?

10 Comments, Filed Under: Writing
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