I have been on the look out for some new and encouraging natural, frugal, Christian homemaking reading… anyways, I came across this

http://www.westonaprice.org/modernfood/dirty-secrets.html

and thought it was way too informative not to share. I have decided that I am going to try and make my own dairy products, particularly kefir and yogurt. I found someone in the area who sells the grains to get started… I am pretty excited to be able to make my own nurtitious foods from scratch and also save money at the same time! I will keep you posted on how it goes.

I figure since my mom will be here for the next 3 weeks, that this will be a good time to experiment with “from scratch” things like kefir, or soaking grains before baking. She is so good at all that sort of thing. And with her help when the new baby finally decides to show up, I won’t feel so overwhelmed:) This little girl is 2 days late… but as I was talking with my midwife, she was telling me how the “wheel” that all doctors use to estimate your due date is not based on very good research in the first place. And that a more accurate prediction would be adding 10 days to that date for a first-time mom and 5 days for mutiple children moms. So, really Monday would be a more accurate due date for me… I guess I say all that to say I am not overdue at all! hehe… And that my other children were actually right on time. Well, at least for me. Every woman carries differently.

Nonetheless, hopefully the next post will be a birth story.

Ok, so I have a new favorite something or other like every other day. I guess that’s because I am always on the look out for more information, more knowledge, more wisdom on how to live this life the way God intended it to be:)

So, this website came from my wonderful and ever resourceful neighbor, Jodi:

http://www.ezhealthydiet.com/

As with everything, this website is not the be-all-end-all in health or healthy living, but I give it two thumbs up for the recipes and the major ideas of where to start in eating right.

Hope everyone who is at the campground is having a good time. We are enjoying it online:) Thanks to those who have put such an effort into making that possible. It’s been a blessing to listen. I really appreciated what Brother Buzzard had to say. Gotta love people who do their homework.

http://www.ezhealthydiet.com/healthy-breakfast-idea.html This is the cereal I am going to try tomorrow… I will let you know how it turned out. Thought it would be a good alternative to half-baked granola.

I have been trying to find a way to make healthier baked goods for our family, which are also cost-effective. I have been using speltr baking needs. However, the price of wheat and spelt are tripling this summer due to our ridiculous government tax and gas politics (that’s a whole other blog).

Anyways, I had been buying the Ezekial bread for our regular bread and have been very interested in the whole sprouted grain bread concept. So, I did a bit of research was amazed at what I found. Turns out that when you sprout a grain, it changes the make-up to that of a vegetable like substance, instead of a starch.

So, if you’re interested, here’s a website that tells all about it: http://www.creatingheaven.net/eeproducts/eesfc/about_sprouted.html

I think I am going to have to look into sprouting my own grains, dehydrating them, and then grinding them into flour as I need it. We’ll see. Not sure how much a good mill will cost, but it’s definitely something I want to look into:) Always up for healthier eating, in the most cost-effective way! I think I just need my own farm so I don’t have to rely on buying so much of my food. Some chickens, a milking cow, few acres for crops and I should be good to go…

Ok, so I am little late getting out the details; but here they are nonetheless. Every year the church we attend here has an International Meeting over the holiday weekend. Fellow believers from all over the world gather together once a year to fill our sanctuary and our homes. I have always loved being able to keep people for a meeting. It is such a blessing to be able to serve God’s people in a home environment. I have always wanted to have a huge house where I could house families for varying periods of time and help them out. When I first got saved, or gave my life to Christ, an older couple took me in and gave me a good home to live in while I got myself on my feet.  I learned so much while living in that communal atmosphere, good examples and not so good:) But all in all, it put a deep desire in my heart to want to do the same for other young families. I want to be able to minister to them, show them a godly and biblical pattern for family life, for living healthy, for raising children for the glory of God.

Anyways, so if you hadn’t guessed, acts of service is my love language and I love to “do” things for others. And it also means to much to me when someone “does” something to me. It speaks volumes to me. (That’s why I rave over my new friend Jodi for helping me out at the end of our first homeschooling year - she’s awesome, by the way.) So, being able to keep my friends and their parents that past weekend was truly a blessing to me. They wanted me to sit down and relax, but I tell you, I got more pleasure and joy from serving them than I ever would just resting:) So, thank you my sweet friends, Amber and Rachel, for allowing me to take care of you for a few days. I had such a great time of fellowship and wished our time had been longer where we could have just spent days talking and working together. Rachel’s mom had suggested that I open a “wellness center” where I would take people in and teach them how to live a healthy lifestyle and prepare/cook healthy meals and snacks. If I did, Rachel and Amber would the perfect people to help me pull that one off:) I am blessed to have such wonderful friends.

I am sure the messages were great during services. I did not hear all that much, working in the nursery most of the meeting. But the night service that I was out (and the one I snuck out of during song service) the Spirit was rich and I had a wonderful time praising and worshipping the Lord with friends I do not see so often. I know some might call this just an “emotionalism”, and you can call it whatever you want. God made us with emotions and if He wants to use those as a vehicle to allow me to “feel” what being in His presence must be like, I am totally in for it. I know that serving the Lord is not all in what you feel and that your feelings will often lead you astray, but it is refreshing when God uses them for what He created them for - to assist us in praising Him. As the song says, “The reason I live, is to worship Him.” I was created to serve and bring glory to God. And I have to say, it is the most fulfilling reason for living I have found, and trust me I looked.

Well, I was asked for some recipes that I used this weekend. So, here they are:)

Partially Baked Granola

2 cups barley flakes

2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup raw honey

1 cup sunflower oil

3/4 cup flax seeds

3/4 cup sesame seeds

1 cup mixed premium nuts

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, apricots, etc.)

dash salt

cinnamon to taste

Mix all dry ingredients first, then add oil and honey. Stir. Bake in glass casserole dish in oven on the lowest setting your oven will go (mine was 170) for a few hours (you could leave the door partially cracked if you don’t have little ones running around at that time). If you have a dehydrator, that would be the ideal way to have some raw granola. (But for me this, is just going to have to work. I consider it to be partially raw, kind of like Ezekial bread.) Stir occasionally. Remove when slightly browned. Place on aluminum foil to dry and cool. When it has cooled, place into an air-tight container. And enjoy:)

Double Chocolate “Oatmeal” Cookies

Preheat oven to 375

1 cup butter

1 cup turbinado or raw sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 egg

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cup whole grain flour (I use spelt)

1 1/2 cup barley flakes (or rolled oats)

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Mix. Bake for about 10-12 minutes.

I usually double this recipe for my family (cookies don’t last very long around here).

Nut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat oven to 375.

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup nut butter ( I use sunflower)

1 - 1 1/2 cup raw sugar cane (the less sugar the better;) I often use 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce as a substitute for 1/2 of the sugar allowance, then I just have to add a bit more flour to make the consistency thick enough)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cup whole grain flour (still using spelt)

2 cups rolled oats, or barley flakes

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Mix. Bake for about 10-12 minutes.

Oat Bran Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Preheat oven to 400.

1 cup whole grain flour

1/2 cup flax meal

1/2 -3/4 cup oat bran

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 beaten egg

3/4 - 1 cup milk ( I use vanilla almond milk) (May need more milk, oat bran seems to absorb the liquid)

1/4 sunflower oil

1/3 cup raw sugar (or use some applesauce, or honey, or xylitol)

1 cup chopped apples

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix. Fill paper muffin cups about 3/4 way full. Bake for 20 minutes.

I usually triple this recipe so that they will last for a week or so around here. They make great quick breakfasts for the kids on busy days. Add in a protein smoothie and they’re good until lunch.

Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake

This is a treat around here. I was glad I was able to make it and enjoy it with my friends. It’s a lot of work, but worth it for those who truly appreciate a not too bad for you, once in a while treat.

Preheat oven to 325.

1 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely ground

1 cup cookie crumbs ( I used the double chocolate cookie crumbs that are left in the bag)

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons raw sugar

12-16 ounces of dark chocolate, cut up

1 cup milk (I use the vanilla almond)

5-6 beaten eggs

3/4 cup raw sugar

1/3 cup whole grain flour

1. For crust, combine pecans, crumbs, melted butter and 2 TB sugar. Press onto the bottom and about 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a greased ( I use coconut oil) springform pan. Set aside.

2. In a large saucepan or double boiler, melt chocolate and milk over low heat till completely melted. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, 3/4 cup sugar and flour; beat 10 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Fold 1/4 of the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture. Fold chocolate mixture into the remaining egg mixture. Pour into crust-lined pan.

4. Bake cake in a 325 oven for about 45 minutes or until puffed around edge and halfway to center (the center will be slightly soft). Cool pan for 20 minutes. Remove sides of pan. Cool for 4 hours. Serve with fresh strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.

Cover and store any leftovers (yea right) in the fridge.

Be careful! This stuff is really, really rich. A small piece goes a LONG way:)

Okay, I think that was all the recipes I was giving out. The grilled Mahi-Mahi recipe I got off of allrecipes.com, and the wild rice vegetable side dish as well. Oh, eggplant! Okay, here’s how I do mine:

1. Peel eggplant. Slice into 1/2 inch circles. Set out on towels and sprinkle sea salt over all. I use about 2-3 eggplants for my whole family. Let the eggplant dry out for as long as possible (all day, or all evening and then dry and put in the fridge for the next day). Flip eggplants and re-salt.

2. After they are done drying, I rinse off the excess salt and pat dry. Now you’re ready to assemble your “lasagna”.

3. Put it together just like you would lasagna. Layer of tomato sauce, then eggplant, then ricotta mixture, then sauce, then cheese and repeat until eggplant is gone.

4. Bake covered for 40-45 minutes in 325 oven. Remove cover and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until liquid is dried and top is slightly browned.

Ricotta mixture:

1 tub of ricotta

1 beaten egg

1 TB of parsley

1 cup Parmesan cheese

For the cheese on top, I use a mixture of Asiago, Romano, and Parmesan (all freshly grated).

I can’t give away my famous Italian tomato sauce, sorry;). (Just kidding, if you really want it, email me.)

Enjoy!

I am really looking forward to seeing everyone at Campground next week (Lord willing that we can make it!). I also had a great time visiting the White Bear Lake assembly in Minnesota. Hopefully, Aaron will post some pictures from our trip to the zoo online. It was fun. The kids had a great time. The Patton family in White Bear are such wonderful hosts and always treat us so kindly. Makes us want to stay longer and visit more often:) I had a really, really awesome time fellowshipping with Priscilla, Jessica, and Rebecca (and the guys too). I especially enjoyed our late night talk. Why is it that we always bond over those last few moments before we turn in for the night? I always have such good conversations then! Anyways, I am thankful to be able to call them my friends and look forward to seeing them again.

Looks like we are going to get as much traveling in as possible before our newest arrival makes her long awaited debut. I love this time of year when we get to visit and spend time with good friends and make new ones.  Looking forward to seeing more of everyone next week!

It’s been forever since I blogged! I have had so much I wanted to write about, but fear that my incredibly blunt presentation would ruin it:)

The weather is finally gorgeous and I have officially shut the heat off! Hurray! We have been trying to get the house ready to keep our wonderful friends from KY and MI this weekend. I am really looking forward to fellowshipping with the Hunts and Halls, as they are such delightful people with whom I have much in common. It is always nice to be able to be around others that share similar views on health, and children, and of course God:)

The children are doing a lightened load of academia for this week of just one lesson in their Saxon Math. We do schooling year-round, as the whole purpose of the summer break was devised during the time when so many children had to leave school to stay at home to help with the crops and harvest.  We will be taking time off here and there for times we are out of town or for “field trips”, but I do not ever want my children’s minds to be idle. There’s always reading time each day - from the classics and pre-1960’s literature (before children’s reading materials were “dumbed” down). Being an English major, I am prone to not want my children to feed their minds “fast-food fiction”; but rather, want them to enrich and challenge their minds to rise above the mediocrity of today’s youthful literature.

Anyways, I have quite a tendency for going off on tangents, huh? I have about 9 weeks to go before the birth of our sixth blessing! Hurray! The last trimester is always the hardest, isn’t it? I feel absolutely gigantic! I got that waddle thing going on in the evenings when my lower back starts telling me how annoyed it is that I have used it all day long. Oh well, I still think it is all worth it. 9 months of some personal suffering for a lifetime of joy is hardly worth comparing. And the healthier one is before they get pregnant and during pregnancy, the less problems there are anyways. I am very thankful that I have not had any complications or problems (besides the varicose veins - ew!) with any of my pregnancies. God has been good, allowing me to find and learn, study and research in the area of health and wellness. It also helps when you’re mom is a CNHP:) We are getting a birthing “hot” tub for this birth. I am super geeked about this. I have read so many helpful and good things about water birth and am looking forward to adding this to my experiences.  I thought home birth was the best ever, but home birth with a hot tub might just be the absolute tops:) Of course, I will have to chronicle the experience. Maybe I will even have newborn pictures! hehe… We always have the camera out and ready when we do and go places, but forget to use it. So, we’ll see.

Alright, enough of the ramblings! I am praying that God will meet with us this weekend and bless the efforts of all involved; that those traveling will be covered and the fellowship will be uplifting and insightful. The meeting review will be up shortly after this weekend, I hope:) God be with us all.

Okay, so today is get involved day…

 But seriously, we watched The Business of Being Born last night on netflix. It’s crazy, because I knew like the tip of the iceberg when it came to the state of the billion dollar birthing industry we have in America; but this documentary went further. It went to the roots of where this all came from and where it is trying to take us, if we let it. I am disgusted with the false amount of information American women are being fed; and also disheartened to know that we digest it without doing our own research, or checking up on things.

Even if you are done having children, or too young, this documentary really should be seen by all Americans. This is our children and our lives that are being harmed, put in danger.  Our way of life and all its natural principles, put into place by God, have been altered to fit an industrialized country since the 1920’s. We have not progressed as a nation, but rather have digressed. We have put the good of nation-building before God, before family, and before the health and well-being of children and mothers. 

As I have been researching and listening to various films about this and other issues regarding homeschooling, and even entrepreneurial avenues, I am finding that our country took a serious nose-dive for the worst when it began its nation-building during the early 1900’s. It was at that time that our country really lost its focus. No longer was the family, freedom, God, or biblical principles the lead, but instead it was power,money, and greed of the few “most important”.  “Social efficiency” became the accepted philosophy of the day - and has continued since.

Family businesses were discouraged and the spirit of independent thinking and the entrepreneurial spirit was broken as “bigger” businesses became the thing to do. Public schooling was introduced and enforced as the corporate powers realized that if you can control the mind of the youth, you can control the mind of the nation. Evolution and other philosophies were placed into the curriculum that directly challenge God and biblical teaching.

Hospitals were introduced as the “safe” place to give birth. In 1900 almost all births were done at home (like over 80%). By 1955 only 1% were at home. What happened? And since that time our country has become second in the world for the highest number of infant deaths. The philosophy that “professionals” are smarter, better qualified, and better equipped to handle the issues of life was largely promoted through propaganda. Ads portraying scary looking, backwards, “old-world” looking, uneducated, unintelligent type of women as midwives were shoved down every American’s throat as the hospital and medical field went out to convince people that birth was a medical procedure to be handled by “trained professionals”, of whom, not one had actually witnessed a human birth.

America has been on a slippery slope since that time. That was also the time where the government illegally slipped in the 16th Ammendment  that would create income tax for all Americans, since they were all employees now of the large industries that were coming into power… Our constitution was being thrown out even then, and has been snowballing ever since.

I find that I cannot just sit on false information. Especially information that I once believed and now am coming to terms that we have been lied to over and over again. We are in a spiritual battle. I do not believe that any one person is to blame for what has happened to our country; but I do believe that the devil is trying his best to destroy a country who started its journey because they wanted to worship God the way He was leading them to.

The battle is not over. And if you read the back of the book, we win. I am determined to fight this good fight of faith until God sees fit to move me out of the way. When our world gets the darkest, now it is when our Lights will shine the brightest. It is not time to cower back in fear, or retreat to our own little corners of the earth, but it is a time to stand boldly for all that is holy, true, and right in the strength and power of the One who created the heavens and this earth. 

I haven’t bought and cooked eggplant in forever, or so it seems. Well, we’re having this “Italian” themed marriage class tonight, and I was asked to make something Italian (my mom was born in Sicily). Anyways, I, of course, love cooking Italian food. But I didn’t want to do the everyday Italian that everyone thinks of. I wanted to make something different:) So, I decided to make eggplant paremesan. I hadn’t made it in a while; so I was surfing around seeing if there’s was any new way to try and make it. The problem I run into with the eggplant is the bread crumbs used to bake the eggplant in first, before assemblying the sauce and cheese. The ones you get at the store are LOADED with all kinds of perservatives, and partially hydrogenated bad oils, etc. So, I was definitely NOT going to use that. I also shred my cheese instead of buying the already shredded ones at the store (because they contain a perservative used to prevent caking).

Right, so anyways, I decided to use crackers instead (the “natural bread crumbs” at the health store were a little on the expensive side for me). I love those TLC ones and they sell them at Walmart for like $2.74. I put those in my blender, added some freshly grated parmesan and parsley and I was good to go.

Anyways, here’s the directions, in case anyone is interested. Even for those who do not like eggplant, you can’t hardly tell it’s there, because it tastes almost exactly like lasagna, only without the pasta!

Wash and peel 2 eggplants. Cut into 1/4″ slices and place on parchment paper. Salt each slice and let sweat for at least 30 minutes. (I just cut it in the morning and let it sweat until I was ready to bake them.)

Wash off excess salt and pat dry well. Whisk 2 - 3 (start out with 2) eggs in a medium sized bowl. Get those bread crumbs ready in a separate bowl. Using a fork, dip the eggplant into the egg and coat, then place it in the crumbs. Using a different fork, coat the eggplant with the crumbs. Place finished product on a metal tray - with raised sides (and a thin layer of olive oil on it).

Bake in the oven at 450 degrees for 10 minutes each side.

This should fill up about 2 trays. While I am doing the eggplant, I have the pasta sauce simmering (the longer it simmers, the better). I use the organic Barilla (because Walmart carries it for less than $2 a jar and it tastes really good:). I used about a jar and a half for this. I sautee onions and garlic first, then put in the sauce and add about 2TB of red wine.

I shredded 1 package of parmesan, 1 package of Asiago, and 1 package of sharp white cheddar ( I don’t use mozarella because aluminum is absorbed into the cheese during its processing).  In a separate bowl I mixed 1 container of ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan,  1 TB of parsley, and 1 egg.  Mixed it all up.

Assembly: One thin layer of tomato sauce; then the eggplant, preferably not lapping; next a thin layer of the ricotta mixture; then some tomato sauce; and finally the shredded cheese mix.

Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes (or until the cheese is melted).

Yea, so long post for some eggplant. But if you’re looking for some vegetarian recipes and you love Italian food… this will definitely hit the spot:)

I can’t believe I am so excited about cloth diapering… it’s quite funny. Anyways, I met with a lady who makes them here in Des Moines. I wanted to buy like everything she made! I got 4 for Hannah to start and ordered 4 more; I got training pants for Nathaniel, and like 2 dozen cloth wipes, and the cutest baby carrier called a Mie Tei (not sure that’s spelled correctly). She also makes adorable leg warmers for babies, so I just had to get a pair for Nathaniel and Hannah. They are indispensible! They wear them everyday under their pants to keep them warm; Hannah wears hers to church on top of her tights. I just love them!

The cloth diapers are awesome. They’re so easy to use. After I change them, I just throw them in the washing machine on the way downstairs. I have to do 2-3 loads per day anyways, so this is no big addition for us. I can’t believe I am just now on my fifth baby doing this! Always learning something, like knitting, huh Sarah:) I totally want to check that out!

Anyways, I can’t wait to get my other ones that were ordered in another week or so. I am going to have to get a few other accessories while I am there:) When I travel, though, I think that I will be using disposables, though she does make large waterproof/odor proof bags to contain while away from home, I just don’t have 5 days worth of diapers for them:) I only bought 1-2 days worth of diapers, which really is all I need. I will definitely be taking a picture of Hannah in her adorable pink stripe diaper with her leg warmers on:)

Just wanted to give a quick update on how the trial went. And I must say that cloth diapers win hands down:)

I received these guidelines from my midwife, whom I met with for my first prenatal. It’s always neat to hear the baby’s heartbeat for the first time. I am about 12 weeks along now (yippeee… only another gazillion more weeks to go - seems like it anyways;)

 Right, so I thought these guidelines were good… they basically sum about how I believe about health care:

1. Holistic practitioners embrace a variety of safe, effective options in diagnosis and treatment: a) education for lifestyle changes and self-care, b) complementary approaches

2. Searching for the underlying causes of disease is preferable to treating symptoms.

3. It is preferable to diagnost and treat clients as unique individuals rather than as members of a disease category.

4. Lifestyle modifcations are preferable to any drugs or surgery.

5. Prevention is preferable to treatment and is usually more cost-effective. The most cost-effective approach utilizes the client’s own innate healing capabilities.

6. Illness is viewed as a manifestation of a dysfunction of the whole person, not an isolate, random event.

7. Practitioners greatly influence clients by their example. (Practice what you preach:)

8. Optimal health is much more than the absence of sickness. It is the conscious pursiot of the highest qualities of spiritual, mentla, emotional, physical, environmental, and social aspects of the human journey.

Anywho, I just thought I would share that with you all:) I would like to become a holistic, certified natural health professional someday (after I am done with the whole baby phase of our walk:) ). This is what my mom does and I have learned greatly from her experiences. I love how she helps people who come to her, with despair, with no hope from their doctors who have given up on them, and the journey as they recover their health through natural means is just wonderful. Truly, God created our bodies to heal, if we would only give them what they need to do their job.

 Alrighty then… no preachin today, promise;) Just some thoughts to munch on…

Well… it’s definitely been a while. Funny, I had started the whole blogging thing because I wanted to be able to keep my “creative writing” juices going as a stay-at-home mommy - guess that only works if I actually keep writing, huh?

I am finally recovering from a bad bout of food poisoning from eating out at some restaurant (can’t say I will eat there again). I always thought food poisoning was caused from some bacteria of some parasites of some kind that had infiltrated the food and then gotten into your system. However, that is not the case. It is just what the name says - poison from food. The poison is actually an overload of toxins that react in your body as poison would. It’s nuts. Your joints art so full of toxins that they ache, and often people can’t move about. You are so weak you can hardly get around or do anything at all… because your body is so focused on cleaning up the mess you ingested. Your skin is soooo sensitive because your skin is an area of release for these nasty toxins exit, so there’s a lot of build up there. Crazy stuff. I am so thankful that I am better.

I think God allows us all to get sick so that we are thankful for the simple things - like being able to take care of your household, or your children, or your husband. I don’t know what I would do if I were sick all the time. I try not to think about it, but instead be thankful for the health God has blessed me with and the knowledge He’s allowed to come my way to keep things going well.

If you haven’t noticed this is just a rambling blog… I don’t think I actually have a topic at this point, though sometimes halfway through I sometimes stumble about one… not sure how that works. But this method helped me write countless introductions to my papers in college ( I always seemed to find the purpose to my paper after I had written most of it and then would re-work the first part to fit the newly found purpose - completely random info, I know).

Anyways, back to my completely random story. I was in the store today and… have you ever noticed that when you have a baby under the age of 1, someone during the course of your shopping excursion will stop you and make some nice comment about your baby? Well, I had yet another one today while out and about. I had Hannah in that nifty sling that Rachel and Amber got me (super kudos to those two for this incredibly handy gift) and some lady comes up to me and says, oh what a neat little thing there (talking about the sling). Yes, I say, it’s quite comfortable. (At this point Isaiah comes back up the isle carrying the item he was commissioned to obtain - I see this as an opportunity to get out of having a conversation with a complete stranger and start talking to Isaiah.) That was the end of our talk and off we went to our separate isles.

Afterward I felt so rude. Like, what’s wrong with me? Why am I so insanely struck with stranger phobia whenever something like this happens? What about the great commission to preach the gospel… to tell others about Jesus? If it’s that easy for a stranger to come up to another and start talking about little babies in slings, why can’t I share the good news that I have been blessed with? It just makes me feel awful. But then I got to thinking, maybe evangelism is not my ministry. I mean, if it were, wouldn’t I be good at it? Or at least excited about the chance of ministering to others in that way?

Then I remembered reading somewhere that whatever ministry God has for you, it would be something that you love doing in the first place… and when you are using those gifts for the service of others, nothing else could make you happier (in this life - well besides worshipping Jesus, but I guess you are in a sense when you are doing His will… but that’s another random topic).

I guess I said all that to say, that I don’t have to feel bad about what I am not good at. God can use my weaknesses for His glory, if He so choses. But while I am waiting for that… I can be using the strengths He has gifted me with to be of service to others. I just pray that I can always be of service to the Lord through His people.

The other random thought I had while I was trying to sleep tonight, was on something someone said in church last weekend that really stuck with me.  He said, you know… just as a leaf floating down a river does nothing to prevent it’s destination, so all we are doing when we are drifting from God is nothing.  Goes with the saying all that evil needs to prevail is that good men do nothing.  On one end, you might think that going with the flow is a good thing, right?  Don’t let life rumple your feathers.  But really it’s not a good thing when you’re service is to God.  You have to fight the good fight of faith.  It’s an action; an active participation, not a passive float. It is so easy to let life keep you “busy” floating along, or even just trying to stay afloat as others may say.  But we’re not here just to flow through life.

It takes effort to stay close to God and not drift off.  We have to stay active as we make time to pray; discipline our minds to “think on these things…”; to keep our eyes focused on the eternal puzzle picture and not on our own little corner piece; to maintain godly standards; guard against ungodly influences; diligently teach God to our children; exercise charity to others; hold on fast to the truths that have been handed down to us; and ever working to manifest the fruit of the Spirit.

I know I am guilty time and time again of just going with the flow of life and not fighting upward in this walk of faith. But I don’t want to just keep going with the current of this day and age.  Lord, help me to stand and give me the strength to press.  I have always heard that this is a “pressing way”.  Funny how God can keep making little things connect throughout your walk with Him.  I hope He always connects things for me in ways that I understand; for as another one this weekend figuratively put it: “It’s the experiences we have with the Lord that act like the glue that sticks this Word to us.” I could always use more glue;)

God bless you all for sticking with my random blog:) I will try to be more “professional” next time:)