Life Goes On

In spite of trouble and sorrow, life must go on. The ticking of the clock, and the passing of time, is a blessed thing. We need distance from our sorrows, and as the days proceed, distance is given. Hearts begin to heal. Perspective is gained. Hope is found. Forgive all the passive voice verbs; even in distress, I'm still an English teacher. Okay: God heals hearts, gives perspective and grants hope. Much better :)

The day before Adam lost his job, we went to WalMart and finally bought a pool for the summer. Oh, the foolish things we do when we assume we'll have money! Well, what can be done? Can't return it after it's been opened and dirtied on the ground. We decided we might as well enjoy it.

Adam developed a new, brilliant leveling system this year for the 16-foot Easy Set pool. Here it is. He put another extender-board on that, so it went out to almost 20 feet. It was flat as a pancake.

He and the kids stacked the pavers from the patio back behind his bread oven, to be pulled out next fall.

Peter is finished with school for the year. Now he's a senior! Next fall, he's decided he wants to be in band, and the teacher has lent him a huge concert tuba to practice on for the summer. Peter has never played a brass instrument before, in his life. But Philip has been having fun with it! It's massive.

I haven't  made strawberry jam in years. I first began canning when I lived in Iowa, I think. The garden was fabulous there. I've been hoping to use our own strawberries, which really didn't produce this year, or go picking strawberries, which we never did. I bought these at Aldi, and I suppose they'll do fine. They smelled good -- very strawberryish -- when I bought them.

I think jars of canned fruit are so beautiful.

Whate'er My God Ordains Is Right

Whate'er my God ordains is right: his holy will abideth.
I will be still whate'er he doth, and follow where he guideth.
He is my God; though dark my road, he holds me that I shall not fall.
Wherefore to him I leave it all.

Whate'er my God ordains is right: he never will deceive me.
He leads me by the proper path; I know he will not leave me.
I take, content, what he hath sent; his hand can turn my griefs away.
And patiently I wait his day.

Whate'er my God ordains is right: though now this cup, in drinking,
May bitter seem to my faint heart, I take it, all unshrinking.
My God is true; each morn anew sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart.
And pain and sorrow shall depart.

Whate'er my God ordains is right: here shall my stand be taken.
though sorrow, need, or death be mine, yet am I not forsaken.
My Father's care is round me there; he holds me that I shall not fall;
And so to him I leave it all.


Text by S. Rodigast, translated by C. Winkworth
Tune: Was Gott Tut

I love this hymn, a precious favorite. Its strong words of faith have been a support in times of trial, repeatedly. God has a path for me in this life, and I will walk it with him, accepting each step, trusting, contented. I find this extremely challenging, but knowing that men 400 years ago struggled with this task also, and succeeded, reassures me.

Trouble

We had some really, truly horrible news yesterday. I don't care to go into details now, but suffice it to say that my husband is again unemployed. The church position which was given to him, was taken away again. Any of you who have ever been on the receiving end of ugly church politics, understand. It's very sad, and we're are: heart-broken, shocked, disappointed, anxious, a little angry. Yep -- a very bad day.

And the big, painful knot in my stomach tells me that, regardless of how I try to tell myself to relax and not stress, it's not working. My stomach always knows better.

So I'm trying something else. I'm gonna try being thankful. I'm gonna turn my eyes away from the awful truth of that bad news, and get a new perspective (at least temporarily) by thinking of the blessings I do have.

1. A wonderful marriage. Adam and I love each other more fully and more dearly now than we ever have. This is a huge gift, and one with which almost any trouble is endurable. And going through this trial together, cuts the burden in half for each of us. It's true.

2. Children -- four of them, who are healthy, bright, and generally good. I'm so thankful that they are supportive of us during times like these.

3. Homeschooling. Next year it will only be Julia, but it is a joy, and it keeps me focused on something specific and material, each day. I have her books already for next year, and it's a great comfort to me to know that, no matter where we are, or what we're doing this fall, I have her schooling in hand.

4. Beauty. When my eyes are glazed with sadness, I need to blink and clear them, and see the glory of sunshine, forests, flowers, smiles, music. Even in disaster, beauty quietly accompanies us through life.

5. Support. What a support group I have! Parents, siblings, in-laws, friends near and far. I recently had a birthday, and I had about 140 separate birthday greetings on facebook alone. That's crazy. I have friends, such friends. And they pray such prayers. I know this strengthens me, and moves God to action on our behalf.

6.  A God with a Plan. What is the plan? I don't know. But how horrible it would be to live life thinking there was no plan -- just random happenings and desperate control efforts on my part. Frankly, I don't know what's going on, particularly today. But He does. If that sounds trite, I should add that we've been in this situation numerous times. God always comes through, usually in the most astounding ways.

That's all I can say for now. We're still trying to grapple with the shock we feel. Prayers are appreciated.

Blogasbord Time!

Hypnotist knocks himself out, leaving hypnotized people on stage. This was just too funny for words!


Obesity - it's mostly genetic. Skip through all the evolution mumbo-jumbo, and read about the genetics, at the bottom of the article. This is one last form of stereotyping and discrimination that we need to get rid of, in the US.

Suicidal man left to drown. I found this incredibly sad and maddening. Particularly in the wake of the death of Dr. Kevorkian, aka "Dr. Death," I'm bemused that our authorities could simultaneously put Kevorkian in prison for giving someone a drug to end his life, but policemen and firefighters could also stand on the beach and watch a suicidal man drown, doing nothing. I don't advocate Kevorkian's acts at all, but the double standard enrages me.


Ayn Rand, the GOP's beloved atheist. If you're a Christian, before you get all excited about Atlas Shrugged, know the author's worldview.

WalMart vs. The Dollar Store -- the gloves are off, y'all! Meet "WalMart Express."  Just when WalMart left all those "little" stores as empty eye-sores on our landscape, and built the mammoth "Super Centers," now they're going the other way. Ugh.

Bank of America gets what's coming to them! I just love this story! Go read it! Finally, a homeowner doesn't let this behemoth get by with murder - yes!

Golden Grits

Meet my grits. Stone- ground, heirloom white corn. $4.50 for a 2 pound bag. I buy them from an organic farmer I know. Visit his farm blog here. Milk and Honey Farm. These grits are natural, chunky, delicious, and good for you. No genetically-modified corn, pesticides or chemicals of any kind. All pure.

I put a cup of whole milk in a sauce pan, added 1/2 tsp salt and some butter. Let it almost boil. Pour in 1/4 cup of grits, stir well, and reduce to "low." Allow to cook while you do something else, until it becomes a smooth, silky, creamy mass. Pour into a bowl and add more butter. (My husband like strawberry jelly in his grits, but that's just plain WEIRD.)

Wonderful!

Holiday Cottages

My casual reading is usually an old Victoria magazine. Do we ever tire of them? No! When we've read the stories over and over, then we enjoy the pictures. So, I was reading through the March 1995 copy of Victoria. They had an article on some "holiday cottages" near Stropshire and Cheshire, an old place called Combermere Abbey. Here is a picture of the "cottages" near the abbey. We don't have cottages like these in the U.S.  Just sayin'.

One of the guest cottages is called Wellington Cottage. It has a shower room in the turret. How'd you like to shower in an old turret?

My favorite of all the cottages is this one, Stone Lodge. It's separate from the rest of the complex;  it's the old gate house. Isn't it precious?

I'll say this: I noticed a distinct difference between the decor of the cottages on the website, and the one in the Victoria article. The actual cottages are outfitted neatly, cleanly, efficiently ... but they're not very, um, "Victorian."  In other words, they're not cluttered, dark, romantic, bookish, winish, nappish. Y'know? The magazine article did say, to be honest, "...Victoria [filled] the cottage with lively colors nad all those little luxuries -- from reading lamps to downy pillows -- that one longs for on a perfect weekend in the country."  Yeah, Bertie Wooster style :) They did their photo shoot, and then took their lovely things away!

Victoria entices us to long to travel to Victorian England. But Victorian England doesn't always await us there! Modern England does, with its stainless steel and it's bright white walls and vivid yellow curtains. Maybe that's why so many of us prefer to travel via the magazine.

With one caveat -- this bathtub in Stone Lodge. I'd love to soak in a tub with a deep ledge next to it. Up to the neck in bubbles!

Cool Summer Tea

I found this sweet tea recipe at Mommy Coddle, and made it this weekend.

Here's the recipe:

Put 3 family-size tea bags in a quart mason jar of water, and screw the lid on, leaving the tags hanging out.
Place jar in the sun.
Forget about the jar for about a day. (I really did forget.)
Pour dark tea into a large pitcher, and stir in 1/2 cup of sugar. Stir to dissolve.
Add 2 more quarts of water.
Add 1/2 container of frozen lemonade concentrate. (I only had limeade concentrate, so I used that.)
Stir well, add lots of ice, and let the refreshment trickle down your throat :)

Okay, I do think the limeade made a difference. At first I didn't like the taste, but after a day or so, I liked it much better. Next time I'll use lemonade though.

Go read about this recipe over at Mommy Coddle -- her tales of her grandmother will make you smile!