Boy, oh boy, I have been so negligent to post! I am embarrassed to even try to catch things up, but I will persevere. It has been a scorcher of a month, in more ways than one, for me. My health problems escalated last month and I ended up in ER twice in two days, but I am stabilized again. God continues to show me new insights into his goodness. I have feasted on His word this summer through a study of I Peter and through scripture memory inspired by the Bible Bee program (biblebee.org), and it was just what I needed to weather the storm of my health challenges. For the umpteenth time I am on another treatment that I HOPE will solve all my problems, but I must remember that my hope is in the Lord.
John has again outdone himself this summer, making the rec room library more beautiful with new floor, paint, a/c unit, trim, window, etc. The laundry room also has a new floor, and the backyard pond has gotten a new rock wall and cement spillway.
The exterior of the house was completely repainted by our friend Lloyd. Everything is so nice! The swimming pool also has a new pump/filter, and I have been eating my complaining words about the cost as I have used it several weeks for my exercise when the Y pool was too hot for my burning feet. I have kept a few vegetables producing in the garden in spite of my need to stay out of the heat. God has been too good to me, far more than I deserve.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Sono Sato Harris Dies July 4, 2010
Read Randy Alcorn's tribute to Sono at his blog here. I was so impacted by Sono's life and death. She was as Randy says a world-class wife and gold-medal mother.
How fitting that her life passed while fireworks filled the Portland skies around her. She joins other famous Americans who have died on our nation's birthday, including John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Sono, though I never actually met you, you were a great inspiration. Thank you for your phone calls and emails, offering advice and assistance. You helped us start our speech club by answering my many questions when you had way more important things to do. You tried to help me improve my health with special water; though it didn't do much for me, your interest and care meant a lot.
See you in heaven!
How fitting that her life passed while fireworks filled the Portland skies around her. She joins other famous Americans who have died on our nation's birthday, including John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Sono, though I never actually met you, you were a great inspiration. Thank you for your phone calls and emails, offering advice and assistance. You helped us start our speech club by answering my many questions when you had way more important things to do. You tried to help me improve my health with special water; though it didn't do much for me, your interest and care meant a lot.
See you in heaven!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Thoughts on Psalm 65
This is my journal entry for this morning:
Reading Psalm 65 today.
Ps 65:1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.
I am struck by the second clause. When we make a vow, any vow, we must remember that God sees and hears us and expects us to keep it, even if the vow is to another human. Marriage vows, contracts, etc.—all are to be done as to the Lord, who holds us to our word. My study notes point out “When Israel brought petitions before the Lord, they frequently promised to offer sacrifices in response to answered prayer”.
v4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple. (I am satisfied! Better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere.)
v. 9 You visit the earth and water it…”
We would not survive w/o God’s continuing visitations upon our land, to water and enrich it. Let me not forget we are wholly dependent upon Him every moment of every day.
v. 9 continued: “the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it” God's supply never never runs out.
cf. Ps 46:1 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved.
This river can refer to three things that I can think of:
1. a river existing in heaven, before God’s throne, in the spiritual realm
2. a future river to exist in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 22), which may someday be one and the same as #1
3. the spiritual “river” of the Holy Spirit, that flows with living water out of the heart of every believer in Christ.
A song comes to mind:
I’ve got a river of life flowing out of me
makes the lame to walk and the blind to see
opens prison doors, sets the captive free
I’ve got a river of life flowing out of me
Spring Up O Well
within my soul
spring up o well
and make me whole
spring up o well
and give to me
that Life Abundantly
Reading Psalm 65 today.
Ps 65:1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.
I am struck by the second clause. When we make a vow, any vow, we must remember that God sees and hears us and expects us to keep it, even if the vow is to another human. Marriage vows, contracts, etc.—all are to be done as to the Lord, who holds us to our word. My study notes point out “When Israel brought petitions before the Lord, they frequently promised to offer sacrifices in response to answered prayer”.
v4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple. (I am satisfied! Better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere.)
v. 9 You visit the earth and water it…”
We would not survive w/o God’s continuing visitations upon our land, to water and enrich it. Let me not forget we are wholly dependent upon Him every moment of every day.
v. 9 continued: “the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it” God's supply never never runs out.
cf. Ps 46:1 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved.
This river can refer to three things that I can think of:
1. a river existing in heaven, before God’s throne, in the spiritual realm
2. a future river to exist in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 22), which may someday be one and the same as #1
3. the spiritual “river” of the Holy Spirit, that flows with living water out of the heart of every believer in Christ.
A song comes to mind:
I’ve got a river of life flowing out of me
makes the lame to walk and the blind to see
opens prison doors, sets the captive free
I’ve got a river of life flowing out of me
Spring Up O Well
within my soul
spring up o well
and make me whole
spring up o well
and give to me
that Life Abundantly
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Home Alone and Loving It
My husband and three children are vacationing in Kentucky and DC for two weeks while I hold down the fort here at home. THe first few days were a little rough as I tried to do too much, but on the whole I relish all this time on my hands to read and prepare for the next school year. Not to say I have been totally reclusive; my married children have both come by to see me and help me out when I needed it, and our friend and construction guy Jim M. has been working daily on our kitchen-dining remodel. Also my faithful housekeeper has been coming each week to get the house cleaned and in shape in time for the family's return.
I am enjoying Genesis in my daily morning devotions again. Genesis has always fascinated me. It is a glimpse into a long-ago mysterious world far removed from our own. My imagination runs wild trying to grasp what life was like for Adam and Eve and their progeny, when dinosaurs roamed the earth. It also strikes me how many things remain the same--i.e. the sinful nature of man. I invariably pull out one of my favorite resources, given to me by Caleb for Christmas a couple of years ago: the Adam's Synchronological Chart or History of the World. This marvelous 22-foot timeline is based on Ussher's Annals of the World, another wonderful book I purchased a few years ago from Master's Books. Ussher's Annals were universally accepted as the most reliable source for dating the beginning of human history based on scripture for centuries after its first publication in 1659. In the last 150 years that it has been largely ignored and discarded.
I believe every homeschool mother or father should own these resources. They were both produced before the influence of evolutionary theory had poisoned the minds of many Christian scholars and commentary-writers. Even to this day it is difficult to find prominent Christian teachers that do not reflect evolutionary influence on their thinking, though they may deny it. My ESV Reformation Study Bible, edited by R.C. Sproul and written by evangelical Christians who profess to believe the Bible as infallible, displays a disappointing cynicism towards some passages of Genesis such as the post-Flood genealogy. In contrast, the Adams-Ussher duo shows an uncompromising trust of the word of God, for saying what it means and meaning what it says. It is a breath of fresh air.
I am enjoying Genesis in my daily morning devotions again. Genesis has always fascinated me. It is a glimpse into a long-ago mysterious world far removed from our own. My imagination runs wild trying to grasp what life was like for Adam and Eve and their progeny, when dinosaurs roamed the earth. It also strikes me how many things remain the same--i.e. the sinful nature of man. I invariably pull out one of my favorite resources, given to me by Caleb for Christmas a couple of years ago: the Adam's Synchronological Chart or History of the World. This marvelous 22-foot timeline is based on Ussher's Annals of the World, another wonderful book I purchased a few years ago from Master's Books. Ussher's Annals were universally accepted as the most reliable source for dating the beginning of human history based on scripture for centuries after its first publication in 1659. In the last 150 years that it has been largely ignored and discarded.
I believe every homeschool mother or father should own these resources. They were both produced before the influence of evolutionary theory had poisoned the minds of many Christian scholars and commentary-writers. Even to this day it is difficult to find prominent Christian teachers that do not reflect evolutionary influence on their thinking, though they may deny it. My ESV Reformation Study Bible, edited by R.C. Sproul and written by evangelical Christians who profess to believe the Bible as infallible, displays a disappointing cynicism towards some passages of Genesis such as the post-Flood genealogy. In contrast, the Adams-Ussher duo shows an uncompromising trust of the word of God, for saying what it means and meaning what it says. It is a breath of fresh air.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Feminine by Design: A Great Book
Feminine by Design: the Twelve Pillars of Biblical Womanhood by Scott Brown is a must read for every woman and young lady! I got this short 85-page large-font paperback from Vision Forum and have found it expresses what I desired to share at the upcoming Mother-Daughter tea at my house in a far superior way. There are many quotes I'd like to share from this book. My favorite is Pillar 6: "A Helpmeet":
"And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.'" God designed women to be helpers, not leaders. This statement in Genesis 2:18, which makes them helpers, applies to all women. Some think the helping role applies only to married women. On the contrary, the Bible declares women to be helpers by nature, not only by marriage. This quality is part of her intrinsic constitution as a woman as Eve is the representative of all women--not just married women. In this way, a woman does not instantly become useful as a helper only when she gets married. She is a helper by nature, and a beneficial presence her whole life long...This means that parents need to specifically equip their daughters to play that role..."
Then speaking to daughters, he says:
"Since you are an unmarried daughter in your father's house, you are not the helpmeet of you father, in the same way that your mother is, but you are in training to be a most excellent helpmeet. By helping your father and mother, you are learning to someday be the helper you were designed to be."
Some might react to this teaching by saying, "But what if I NEVER get married??" But the answer is already given--you are ALREADY a helper. Continue in the role and help your father the best you can; you are of inestimable worth. You can help other women in their homes when they have a quiverful and are overwhelmed--come alongside and teach her children or do housework or use whatever gifts you can which are still home-centered.
The epilogue, written by Scott's wife Deborah, reads in part:
"Scripture indicates that the home is designed to be the central place where women glorify God. They do this through their obedience to the commands of God as they employ their gifts and fulfill their callings...Why then are we training our daughters toward a career outside the home? Why are we sending their hearts and affections in a different direction? What if we instead trained oru daughters to fulfill the biblical role of helper to a husband?...What if we truly trusted in the biblical pattern for our girls and deliberately prepared them for that and that alone?
"Is your heart overcome by fears of 'what if'? 'What if she doesn't get married? What if she has a passion for...?' 'What if her husband dies?'
When asking these questions we should remember that since the days of Adam and Eve God has taken care of mankind's fears and 'what if's. He has made provision for His people through the promises in His Word. We must trust His instructions all the while remembering that He "shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory" (Philippians 4:19
"It is for us to train our daughters after God's glorious design! It is for us to help them love the way of a woman!..."
Feminine By Design is written for teenage girls [I think it applies to all ages] to help them understand biblical femininity. Here Scott Brown explores some of the major passages of scripture that explain it. You will find the biblical texts that he used to teach his own daughters as he sought to "bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:$). His intention was to fulfill the appeal of Jesus in the Gard of Gethsemane, 'Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."'(John 17:17)
It remains for us as mothers to properly disciple our daughters, but we must first have their hearts. It is a challenge for me to win the heart of my daughter and have her full attention, when I try to speak to these matters. Maybe I preach down to her too much. I must spend more time with her in hang-out time and just let her do the talking. She loves to do that :). I would be interested in any ideas you mothers have for others regarding winning the heart of their daughters.
Finally, a daughter must entrust her heart to her father as leader and protector of her while she is in his home. We will be giving tokens of our hearts to the daughters at the tea, along with note paper on which to write to their fathers. We will use Raising Maidens of Virtue by Stacy McDonald (another must-read) for letter-writing models.
"And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.'" God designed women to be helpers, not leaders. This statement in Genesis 2:18, which makes them helpers, applies to all women. Some think the helping role applies only to married women. On the contrary, the Bible declares women to be helpers by nature, not only by marriage. This quality is part of her intrinsic constitution as a woman as Eve is the representative of all women--not just married women. In this way, a woman does not instantly become useful as a helper only when she gets married. She is a helper by nature, and a beneficial presence her whole life long...This means that parents need to specifically equip their daughters to play that role..."
Then speaking to daughters, he says:
"Since you are an unmarried daughter in your father's house, you are not the helpmeet of you father, in the same way that your mother is, but you are in training to be a most excellent helpmeet. By helping your father and mother, you are learning to someday be the helper you were designed to be."
Some might react to this teaching by saying, "But what if I NEVER get married??" But the answer is already given--you are ALREADY a helper. Continue in the role and help your father the best you can; you are of inestimable worth. You can help other women in their homes when they have a quiverful and are overwhelmed--come alongside and teach her children or do housework or use whatever gifts you can which are still home-centered.
The epilogue, written by Scott's wife Deborah, reads in part:
"Scripture indicates that the home is designed to be the central place where women glorify God. They do this through their obedience to the commands of God as they employ their gifts and fulfill their callings...Why then are we training our daughters toward a career outside the home? Why are we sending their hearts and affections in a different direction? What if we instead trained oru daughters to fulfill the biblical role of helper to a husband?...What if we truly trusted in the biblical pattern for our girls and deliberately prepared them for that and that alone?
"Is your heart overcome by fears of 'what if'? 'What if she doesn't get married? What if she has a passion for...?' 'What if her husband dies?'
When asking these questions we should remember that since the days of Adam and Eve God has taken care of mankind's fears and 'what if's. He has made provision for His people through the promises in His Word. We must trust His instructions all the while remembering that He "shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory" (Philippians 4:19
"It is for us to train our daughters after God's glorious design! It is for us to help them love the way of a woman!..."
Feminine By Design is written for teenage girls [I think it applies to all ages] to help them understand biblical femininity. Here Scott Brown explores some of the major passages of scripture that explain it. You will find the biblical texts that he used to teach his own daughters as he sought to "bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:$). His intention was to fulfill the appeal of Jesus in the Gard of Gethsemane, 'Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."'(John 17:17)
It remains for us as mothers to properly disciple our daughters, but we must first have their hearts. It is a challenge for me to win the heart of my daughter and have her full attention, when I try to speak to these matters. Maybe I preach down to her too much. I must spend more time with her in hang-out time and just let her do the talking. She loves to do that :). I would be interested in any ideas you mothers have for others regarding winning the heart of their daughters.
Finally, a daughter must entrust her heart to her father as leader and protector of her while she is in his home. We will be giving tokens of our hearts to the daughters at the tea, along with note paper on which to write to their fathers. We will use Raising Maidens of Virtue by Stacy McDonald (another must-read) for letter-writing models.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Oats, Peas, Beans, and...Phytic Acid
Oats, Peas, Beans, and Barley Grow,
But better to soak them first. :)
Are you spending a lot of money on supplements to try and increase your mineral intake? I was until two months ago. I have been battling iron deficiency for years and relied on iron supplements to keep my levels up. Then I discovered I was probably wasting my money on supplements that my body was not even absorbing properly. Sally Fallon's book, Nourishing Traditions, has helped me realize the role that phytic acid plays in inhibiting mineral absorption. Phytates, or phytic acid, are responsible for inhibiting absorption of several essential minerals and is present in most nuts, grains, beans, and cereals. In addition, these foods have enzyme inhibitors that block the essential work of enzymes in breaking down all of our foods into absorbable forms. Usually, one can solve the problem by soaking these foods for 12 hours prior to cooking. The simple action of water neutralizes the phytates and enzyme inhibitors. The process is further aided if one adds probiotics or raises the pH by adding lemon juice to the water.
Now, I've made a new discovery about oatmeal and phytates. Amanda Rose, Ph.D. at Phyticacidresearch.com has written a white paper on exactly how much phytic acid is present in a wide gamut of foods, and offers some very helpful kitchen techniques. Oatmeal, it turns out, is an exception to the rule. Soaking only reduces 30% of phytate levels in the oatmeal. So can you do about it?
The solution is adding 10% freshly ground wheat before soaking. Why? Wheat has phytase--an enzyme that breaks down phytates. See this link.
Unfortunately for gluten-sensitive people like me, this is not a good solution. However, Amanda also gives other solutions, such as eating a vitamin-C-rich food in that same meal.
There is also advice about corn and beans. Check it out.
Friday, March 19, 2010
A New Song: God Made Me A Helper (To the tune of I Love You A Bushel and A Peck)
God made me
A Helper-to-Be
A Helper-to-Be
For my family
My mom and daddy
and I can start right now
To please the Lord,
He'll give me strength somehow
I'll start now
To please God
Right now
Doodle-oodle-oodle
Doodle-oodle-oodle
A cheerful Helper I will be!
Just a simple little song for the younger girls at our mother-daughter tea. Listen to the original tune here, done by a cute couple of girl friends in nice harmony.
A Helper-to-Be
A Helper-to-Be
For my family
My mom and daddy
and I can start right now
To please the Lord,
He'll give me strength somehow
I'll start now
To please God
Right now
Doodle-oodle-oodle
Doodle-oodle-oodle
A cheerful Helper I will be!
Just a simple little song for the younger girls at our mother-daughter tea. Listen to the original tune here, done by a cute couple of girl friends in nice harmony.
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