Simple Home Living: family and life

Showing posts with label family and life. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Vacations

I've been on vacation. And, now it's over. In spite of the beauty and rest, there's still no place like home.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

God's An 11th Hour, 59 Minute, 59 Second God - Often

I was born to want things right now, in my way and just how I like it and how I think it should be.

I have a story to tell you that I hope will encourage you (soon).

The main lesson I learned was that God is (often) an 11th hour, 59 minute and 59 second God.

My/our faith and trust in Him is so important that He does things NOT in my way, timing or how I think He should - but in what always seems as if the last minute.

Story to come. . . until then, I'd love to hear how you've seen God work in those "last minute" ways.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

About Twenty Five Years Ago. . .

. . . I lived on a small Texas "farm" and raised a few dairy goats. My girls were five and seven at the time and both had responsibilities to carry their little milk pails out to the barn, coax the doe onto the milk stand, put some sweet grain in the feeder and then milk them.

When I think back to that time I remember it being hard - but good. I thought nothing of it to send them to the barn to take care of their "morning chores." It was a natural part of life that I think today, is often missed.

Character was developed. Thanks was instilled. There was no sense of entitlement, but instead acceptance and appreciation. It was a hard but good time in my life and I know that partly they're the women they are today, because of those hard but good times. My little girls (now thirty-four and thirty-two) learned the value of hard work and they learned to conquer their fears. If you know them, you'll have to ask them about the "pecking chicken."

Perhaps because I know that these sorts of things are important in life - it's one of the reasons why I so love living together with our daughter(s) and their husbands and all the grandchildren (at one point we all lived together and at another time the other daughter and her family lived with us). I get to re-instill and model (along with my husband) those principles of working hard and not complaining while doing it.

I want them to know that eggs come from chickens and that carrots grow in dirt and that you can eat pansies. I want them to learn to be thankful. As a matter of fact, every time we bring in the daily ration of eggs, I exclaim with utter joy, "Look what God gave us today! Who wants to thank Him?" And they both, usually, chime in, "I do."

What are you doing to instill life skills and principles into the little lives around you?

Monday, September 14, 2009

Her Legacy Continues

One of the very beautiful blogs worth visiting is Prairie Flower Cottage. Today, I read her post and am reposting it here with her link back. A lovely story - indeed - about the value and worth of a woman in her home and the legacy we all need to consider and evaluate if we're leaving or not . . .

Gayla writes:

Many years ago while spending time with my husband's family, I learned about my father in law's mother, Fern. She has such an incredible legacy that it is as if I knew her personally. I have spent many hours listening to stories about this woman, all from admiring children and grandchildren. She was a descendant of people from the Isle of Mann,which is a little island in the Irish Sea, between GreatBritain and Ireland. My husband and I took an ancestral trip a few years back and we were blessed to visit there.

We were able to see the actual place where the ancestor was martyred and we stood on the land that belonged to him. It was an amazing trip... but that is another story. My husband's grandmother loved to grow flowers and garden. She raised six kids, east of Windsor, Mo.

In her young years, she was a one room school teacher. She was also a writer, and wrote for the magazine Kitchen Klatter. We have a few of those articles, but not many. Sunday a lady at my church came up to me and told me that she had several magazines that I could look at. I took them and found five articles written by Fern. What a treat! It is wonderful to sit and read to your children words written by their great grandmother about things she remembers from childhood.

Tonight we read an article she wrote talking about an era that I only wish I could be experiencing. It was titled I Remember Grandma's Kitchen. In it she talks about when her grandmother would bake pies from the berries in season. She described what her grandmother's house looked like on the inside. She talks about family gatherings at the house... it was just a wonderful walk down a lane of family history for my children.

How many people can say they can read about what their great -great grandmother did or how her kitchen looked? It was a time of hard work and a wonderful sense of accomplishment. There was one thing she did say that I found to be profound. She closed her article saying, " Yes, I remember Grandma's kitchen. It was important in my learning, for Grandma loved being a woman and making a home just as I do. When I read articles on women's liberation, I feel slightly ill. Perhaps women's place is in the home; otherwise, what is going to become of homes?"

I want to raise my daughter with the same beliefs that her great grandmother had. As a strong woman who is very resourceful, yet gentle and motherly. I want her to see the importance of being a mother and wife. She needs to learn that she will have to go against the grain of society, because society will tell her that she has no credibility as a mother, and be a woman of virtue. I want her children to rise up and call her blessed. I pray the Lord will continue to show me how to do this. I have wonderful stories about my own grandmothers but I will write about them at a later date.

Until next time...

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

A New Sense of Community: Front Yard Gardens

I've become this crazy avid gardener - not that I have a ton of experience under my belt, but I sure love it.

While in Portland a few weeks ago, this front yard garden thrilled me terribly.

I'm thinking - what would (could) happen if - in every neighborhood - every home had a front yard garden? And what would happen if within a two block radius - some families grew certain kinds of food while other families grew others kinds and then . . .

. . . what would happen if neighbors shared freely with each other what every they grew and whatever other families needed . . .

. . . you think the sense of community might have a new meaning?

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Living in Community

Whatever you do - get into community and don't hide from living in community. Have a great weekend!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Who Is In Your Circle?

Life goes better when we have people in our life that surround us. We need people to play different roles to have our back, keep us accountable, help us grow, love us, confront us and care enough about us to take one of those seats in our life.

Who has a seat in your circle?

Monday, August 17, 2009

The Joy of . . .

Just this morning Michael and I were enjoying our morning breakfast alfresco style in our garden. So sweetly he listened to my heart's passion for women to discover and to re-discover the joy of the ministry that flows from the kitchen.

It's not just about cooking. It's not just about feeding the family. It's more . . . .

It's about creating and discovering all the food that God's given us to richly enjoy. It's about becoming thankful and giving thanks. It's about turning a heart toward home and family. It's about one woman having the potential to influence the world and turn the tide back toward things good and wholesome. It's about turning God-ward in a godless culture.

Your thoughts?

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Busy Hands

In case you've noticed, I've not blogged much lately. In case you wonder why - it's because my hands are busy on random and necessary home front projects. Some projects left undone a year ago. I know. I know. Shoulda, woulda, coulda - it's just life sometimes.

It's amazing just how much one woman can acomplish within her home when she isn't on the computer! Amazing.

Yesterday, I spent about five hours in my garden. Gardens are lovely, but need a boat load of tending - in order for there to be fruit, things must be pruned, pinched, guided, given extra water and good nutrients. Kinda like children and training them.

In and out of those outside hours I also made the BEST - I'm talking the BEST ever lemon poppy seed muffins. One little four year old wants to have a tea party and I thought I'd make scones - until I found this recipe (another post).

I also made amazing apple crisp, and started a batch of home made whole wheat bread with a new recipe that I'm loving (another post).

All this to say, is that I'll be in and out of blogging as I'm realizing how far more productive I can be with my time by keeping my hands busy - not on the lap top.

What about you?

Monday, April 27, 2009

Blessed to Be a Blessing

Days of hardship, trials and unknown tomorrows are opportunities to do two things: trust God for provision and bless others with the little that you have. If we hold on to what we have, we just might loose it anyway - so why not start thinking about how you can bless others with what you have.

While Michael wrapped up his Sunday talk to the community of faith that we belong to, I did my morning trek out to the garden to survey the land, gather eggs and look heavenward toward the one that truly has blessed us with these baskets of bounty.

Then, the thought came: put some baskets together with ALL the eggs I had and gather the BEST looking chard and then pull up those nice looking beets. So, I did.

The next thought that came was to take three of the four fresh loaves of bread that I'd just baked Saturday night (mind you - this is a two day process for me - a joyful labor of love for my family) package it up in small portions and add it to the basket. I almost felt like that little boy in that Jesus story who brought his two loaves of bread and five fish that fed five thousand or so.

I got so excited to set my meager blessing baskets on a back table - just to bless others. If you think about it - we have been blessed to be a blessing and unless we get our attitude fixed, we'll miss out on the blessings of being a blessing.

Now, I'm a hunt for mini bread loaf pans to triple my weekly bread baking amount. Who know what'll happen with that blessing.

What can you do to be a blessing to someone else?

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Sons

Bob , Michael and Art Ledner

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Wednesday, April 01, 2009

The Women's Liberation Conspiracy

XXX Womens Liberation Conspiracy

The Women's Liberation Conspiracy. Sound off - I'd love your thoughts?

Monday, March 30, 2009

Roots

Roots. Legacy. Connection. History. Her-story.

Everyone has a story and that story is what makes us the people we are. My past story of the good, the bad, the ugly, divorce, rejection, pain, hurt, shame, and overcoming it all - making is part of what makes me the woman I am today.

I've chosen to take all the good, the bad, the ugly, the pain, the hurt and the shame and make it work for me to live as an On Purpose Woman today.

I have one chance to make a difference in this world and believe me - I'm gonna make that choice to make that difference.

The last hour of my trip to Texas Dad took me to the cemetery where my legacy lies and and yet still lives.

Three influencers who immigrated from Germany - 1928. Two brothers and one woman.

This man influenced me most. He was my known to me as Grandfather and to my children and to their children as Opa. He immigrated from Germany May 18, 1928.

Read here how you can give the gift that keeps on giving. He passed away the day of my first granddaughters first birthday. He'd had a stroke and his death was from consequences of his stay in a care center - he contracted a staph infection which went septic.

This is Grandfather's older brother who was the only other sibling in their family to immigrate to the US. My daughters remember him most for his Mulligan's Stew. Mulligan's Stew is the name he gave for all the left overs tossed into a big pot.

He was killed when a young woman caused a car accident while he was driving on an overpass in Wichita Falls, Texas

This is Grandmother, Grandfather's first wife and my father's mother. She also immigrated from Germany and it was in NYC that she met and fell in love with Grandfather. It seems as if they had all odds against them - odds they were not skilled enough to overcome - and their two worlds collided more times than not. While in the cemetery my father tells me that his mother was Jewish. She died from complications of a stroke and subsequent pneumonia.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Going Back to School

Seems as if this gal's going back to school.

I'm learning about food (thanks daughter Jenni for some help)

I'm learning that I really love to garden and I could be messin in the dirt all day (almost) and that creating beauty is something I love!

I'm learning about organic sustainable urban living and being challenged by it.

I'm learning about canning and plan to take a class on the 18th.

I'm learning and will continue to learn how to love (show respect) to my husband.

I'm learning to use my solar cooker.

I've learned the story behind Red High Heels.

I'm learning how to develop my One Year Long Pantry and make it work for me.

I've learned how to plant flowers.

I've learned that I love and crave Kale and make an awesome Tuscan Kale Salad.

I've learned that Michael and I love gardening and the pursuit of a sustainable urban lifestyle together.

What have you learned lately?

Sunday, March 22, 2009

The Story Behind Red High Heels

Sunday, March 15, 2009

A Texas Size Visit

I've been planning this trip for the past three weeks, ever since my brother Rick ended up in ICU in a Wichita Falls Hospital. Several from his world tried to kill him. The complete reasons are yet to be told. His head was bashed in and somehow he made his way to a day care center where ambulance rushed him to the hospital. Emergency surgery was performed to remove a blot clot among other things.

His life was definitely in the balance for a week and I believe it's the prayers of all who new, that caused my God, in His mercy, to spare this man's life. For that, I thank you.

My flight from Phoenix to Dallas to Wichita Falls was nothing less than delightful. I thank all my FB & Twitter friends for welcoming me to this fine state.

My youngest brother picked me up from the WF airport. I haven't seen him for at least six years. A little surprise included his fourteen year old son, Payton. My how these kids grow up. He's taller than me.

My second surprise was waiting for me at my parents home. Brother Rick.
My prayer is that he'll get what God wants him to get from this second opportunity to make something of his life and give back from what he's been given.

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Monday, February 23, 2009

The Lady at Walgreens

About two months ago I did a quick run to Walgreen's while Michael waited for me in the car. We were in a bit of a time crunch to hustle over to CVS.

So, I'm standing at the counter and this Walgreen's woman starts up a conversation. Normally, I'm all about conversations with strangers, but in this instant, felt a big of pressure because my darling husband was waiting in the car and I promised him, "I'll be real quick."

So, Walgreen's Woman says, "What do you think is happening with our economy? I think people are nervous with their jobs." My response, "Oh, yes, I'm sure." (If you know me, that's not a normal response. I'd typically engage in that conversation and purposely lead it somewhere by asking some good questions.)

Walgreens Woman kept going, "My daughter works at the other Walgreens and they just reduced her hours down."

My response (while thinking of husband waiting in the car), "Oh, that's too bad."

Walgreen's Woman has more to say, "I don't know what we'll do. She depends on those 40 hours for her health insurance. And, what will people do without health insurance? Will they go to the government for help?"

This response was horrible, "Yeah, they will but the government will run out of money and then not provide that kind of service again." That was real stupid.

Then this poor woman says, "My husband has been out of work for a year and a half and we're living on my income of $6.75 an hour and it's really tough. What will people do."

This was a stupid on a stick response, "Probably there will be martial law." Oh, gosh, why in the world did I say that? Michael's in the car, waiting and I blurt that one out.

Slowly, I walk away. . . and say another stupid thing, "Well, bless you."

HUH? Bless you? To a woman wanting some hope - wanting some answers to a dark night of the soul. And, me, who does have the potential of hope to give an answer - did not.

I walked away from the Walgreen's Woman very grieved, mad at myself and so sad that I did not take the time to touch a heart that was hurting and asking for hope - the hope that's within me.

So, how will you answer the Walgreen's Woman (or any other one) - not in a trite - "Trust God" statement (even though that's true), but in giving her an anchor to look to the One who is the Hope and Help of Us All.

I'm told to be ready to give an answer to the hope that lies in me. I wasn't that Sunday night at Walgreen's, but I am now. What's your answer?

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Friday, February 20, 2009

This Makes Me Smile

This Little Guy Makes Me Smile!

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Monday, February 16, 2009

What Would You Like to Know?

Lately, I've not been posting so much mainly because my heart's wrapped around my brother Rick. And, yet, my head's spinning with ideas for new posts.

I'm working on a post on re-organizing my pantry into a year long pantry. I've realized that doing a year long pantry is frugal -with time, money, energy and more.

I'm also working on another passion of mine: single women waiting for a husband. Last week, I went with three moms - thirty and under to see He's Just Not That Into You. I could have directed that movie. It's the thing I try to tell single women - so, I've got something to say about that movie.

I'm also working on the garden - pulling up, digging up, and reading the soil to plant an early spring crop.

Besides those posts, I'd like to know what YOU would like to read from me? Is there anything on your heart that you'd just love to know? Any subject I've addressed in previous posts that you want to know more? Do you have any burning questions? Bring them on. . . .and I'll do my best.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

My Brother & His Father's Heart - Letter to the Editor of the Wichita Falls Times Newspaper

I've been deeply touched with the out pouring of the love and prayers by so many of my Twitter Friends and family.

Yesterday, my father, sent the following letter to Deanna, the Chief Editor of Wichita Falls Times and Record News. She responded immediately to my fathers letter. With his permission, I'm adding to my blog today.

Last Thursday, my brother Rick, was brutally beaten with some kind of instrument in the head by unknown people. The circumstances surrounding this attempted murder are unknown as well. His skull was split open as well as the right side being crushed. He spent approximately three hours in surgery.

Today, my parents called - there is no reaction to any family member's voices and his legs move involuntarily. Needless to say, I'm so incredibly sad and in between baking bread and kissing babies, I find myself weeping.

I don't know what the outcome will be. I do know that God knows and He sees and that His hand is on this situation. In that, I must trust. Again, thank you for all the encouragement, prayers and love. It deeply touches me and my family.

Deana
I have written you before when you first became editor. My note is not about publicity but about a wider more acute problem this community with it's pockets of crime and drugs that need addressed..

My son age 50 is the elder son of four siblings with an elder daughter living in Scottsdale, Az. Son has always lived on the fringes of the law, for instance defying the city code and receiving numerous code violations on his property. He has been a user of the wacky weed and who knows what else. He is a talented child and more often than not willing to get involved and help someone in need. He lives in an antiquated trailer off from Iowa Park Rd without utilities and much to the chagrin of code enforcement he gets numerous code enforcement citations. He has spent numerous days in our local pokey on his principals which may not conform to society's standards.

I can't explain his choice in life. This gifted son chose his own road. But there is no reason to have the following happen.

On Tuesday afternoon in the vicinity of Kemp and Winona he was brutally assaulted with a baseball bat or other unknown instrument. From what little I know he stumbled into a day care business on Kemp and somehow arrived at URHC and has been ICU on life support to this time. The surgeons speculated that he had numerous blows to the head and it will be a miracle if he ever recovers. If he does he will probably will be a vegetable and a burden on the community and it's taxpayers.

There has been no mention of this assault in the media. This community has a violent person on the loose that has committed heinous crime and needs to be apprehended. We parents grieve for our son but we do not wish this happen to another in our community.

Your help and understanding would be appreciated. I have attached a photo of our son. Sincerely,

Richard. H.....