It's Summer!! Almost...

What is it about boys?  These two were barely out of bed, and already wrestling.  

We can declare the school year officially over after a little cultural open house on Friday night.  Everyone was hard at work preparing...well, except Josiah, but he wanted a project just like everyone else.

Spending time with the youngest cousin...so fun!!!

More proof that teenagers are weird.  

Well, maybe it runs in the family.

What Do Fossils Tell Us?

I've been hearing this song being sung around my house often since our trip to Funk's Gem and Mineral Museum.  Enjoy!

Little Gem on the Prairie

Today the kids and I headed just a bit south of Bloomington to our last field trip of the school year: the Funk Prairie Home and Gem and Mineral Museum.  Micah had been here several years before on another school field trip, and we'd heard great things about it again through a friend. 

Our tour guide emerged from the barn, where he invited us to join him as he finished feeding the animals.  Then we went on to the house, where we had a tour combined with a fascinating history lesson.  My children really appreciated the hard work, determination, and character presented as we learned about the Funk family.  The things this modest family was able to accomplish for the time period in which they lived boggled our minds.  Electricity, running water, inventions were far ahead of their time.

We felt like we barely scratched the surface at the Gem and Mineral Museum, but Micah was in his element as he learned about the evidence for rapid fossilization pointing to a catastrophic world-wide flood.  We held fossils collected by a Funk family member that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world!  It was past lunch and my kids, though fascinated, were growing beyond hungry so I had to ask if we could come back for more another time.  After a quick tour of the mineral collection, we headed home. 

Tours are by appointment only.  We'd highly recommend it!  The house tour might be a bit much for small children (Josiah did very well* although it was a stretch because we heard so much history), but the gems and minerals would be fascinating for all ages from early elementary on up.

*There are several things in the home that they ask kids not to touch.  We heard this often, but the guide was also very patient in working with Josiah and explaining things to him.

How has homeschooling changed us?

We are finishing up our school year!  Last week was the end of our Sonlight work, and all that remains is a little math and science for my 7th grader.  This is the week of field trips and fun.  There are some things we will work on this summer...the never ending chase to learn all those math facts for the 5th grader, perhaps some handwriting for the preschooler.  But wait, now I have...an 8th grader, a 6th grader, and a kindergartner!!!!

I've often pondered over the past few months how this year has changed our family.  How can you make a lifestyle change this drastic and not be changed yourself?  Yet my guess is that what has really changed may not even be evident to those of us who are in the thick of it.  Here are my best attempts to capture a few things I've noticed.

-We really are closer.  The kids have always been close, in that way we are exceedingly blessed.  Yet this year has brought them together in a new way.  They are each other's friends, companions, cheerleaders, and they have sharpened each other.  To see a Jr. High boy include his preschool brother in play is truly a gift, and the Rachel and Josiah have grown so close that Josiah sometimes cries when he has to leave his sister at home.

-I know my kids better than ever before.  Their strengths, weaknesses, personalities, and learning styles have come alive to me.  We've worked hard not just on academics but on responsibility, and I know who I can count on for help in different household tasks.  Their walk with the Lord has become an open book, and my walk with Him is open to them as well.  That is both humbling and exciting...humbling because I often fall short of the being the woman of God I long to be, but exciting because I love sharing my passion for Christ with them and seeing them catch a little of that for themselves. 

-Josiah: Wow!  He started this year barely able to write his name, knowing letter sounds, and how to count to 20.  He is ending the year knowing how to write all his capital letters, reading, and counting to 100 along with doing simple math problems.  It is so exciting to see how much children this young can learn in such a short span of time!  Yet even more exciting to us have been the changes we've seen in his behavior and attention.  Being home makes experimenting with food much more manageable, and we have come a long way this year in finding what works for him.  He has matured beyond all I could ask or imagine as God has continued to answer many prayers on his behalf.

-Rachel's vocabulary is growing and growing.  I love to hear her use words that I know she has picked up from her reading this year: like horde (from Genghis Khan) and the word trio, even though she didn't quite know how to pronounce it.  We just giggle with her when she says things like she can't wait to get her driver's "permanent" (instead of permit).  Vision therapy has made such a difference in her reading, and she has become a huge bookworm, which means her vocabulary is expanding...and well, there's a snowball effect going on there!  Giving her one-on-one attention has meant vastly improved math skills as well.  I look so forward to seeing where she is a year from now!

Oddly enough, Rachel has really grown in her friendships this year at home.  She seems to have gained confidence and compassion in reaching out to other girls her age.  This could be partly due to having all all girls Sunday School at church and all girls for her Awana group.  It is so sweet to hear her talk about how many more friends she feels like she has made this year.

-Micah has grown the most in the areas of maturity and responsibility.  He started the year fairly disorganized and under-motivated and has just grown into a young man who is taking these things very seriously.  Next year I plan to turn most of the responsibility for scheduling over to him; he is more than ready to take on the challenge.  His writing skills have advanced greatly, and I can't wait to read the papers he will write as he continues his education.

I honestly do not know how long we will continue to homeschool, but do treasure every day in my heart as a gift from the Lord.  If He had given us only this one year, even that has blessed us as a family and my children as students of His wisdom in immeasurable ways.  The Lord calls some of His dear children to do this as a lifestyle for all their schooling days, and I am now often in awe of the hard work and dedication it takes to pull off such a feat.  From now on, if I ever attend a graduation party for a homeschooled student, the mom is getting a card as well as the graduate!!  I sense that our years of homeschooling will be for a just a season in the education of my children, but for the years we are in the midst of this great adventure, I'm on board with everything I've got, and holding on to the Lord for everything He will give.

Hooray!!

Josiah got his ear tubes pulled today!!  Just in time for the summer swim season.  For some reason, I am thankful that his eardrums will heal and his inner ear will no longer be exposed to the pool water.  Until then, look for him in the water with blue putty in his ears.

In true Josiah-form, he made his own humor at the doctor's office today.  His ENT is named Dr. Russell, and Josiah asked him, "Do you like to be a doctor, or do you like to wrestle?"  It took me a minute to catch on.  I'm not sure if the doctor ever did.

Gluten Free Lemon Coconut Muffins

If there is anything gluten free cooking has taught me, it's how to play with my food....er...my recipes.  That's not to say every kitchen experiment turns out wonderful.  Recently I tried replacing the dried cranberries in this recipe with dried mango and pear.  The results were not spectacular, even though they were edible.  (One dried fruit OR the other would have probably been better, but my daughter actually thought they were the best muffins she'd ever had!)

One of my favorite recipes pre-GF was this one from $5 Dinner Mom's Breakfast and Lunch Cookbook.  While I could have easily substituted a GF rice flour blend in the recipe and had a similar result, my mind kept turning to coconut flour.  With more protein, fiber, and nutrients, it always seems like a better option for my youngest son to keep his tummy full and blood sugar stable.  So, this morning, I sat down with my other coconut flour muffin recipes, my $5 Dinner Mom cookbook, and came up with this.

Coconut Flour Lemon Coconut Muffins

1 c. coconut flour
1/2 t. sea salt
1 t. baking soda
12 eggs
3/4 c. coconut milk
1/4 c. lemon juice or juice from 2 lemons
1 t. lemon extract (make sure it is gluten free)
2/3 c. sugar
1 c. coconut (I used unsweetened)

Fill muffin cups until almost full and bake on 400 for 20 min.

I did learn yet again from my kitchen experiment...I forgot to add the coconut milk.  The results were still good, but would probably be better and apt to stick less to the muffin papers if you include it.  Enjoy!

natural remedies that really work

When our family started following the Feingold program almost 2 years ago, I never realized how avoiding food additives would change how we do so many things.  Shopping and eating a different way are one thing, but in almost every medication in our medicine cabinet were dyes and flavorings.  Experience had already told me that my youngest son did not respond well behaviorally to medication; now that we had made the diet link it made so much more sense why he had such a difficult time.  At first I worried a lot about what we would do if he got sick again, but slowly we are discovering there are ways to manage illness and still avoid the "nasties" often added to children's medications.  Here are a few things we've learned.

1. Eating right does lead to better health.

When we started Feingold, all of us were on some kind of long term medication.  My trips to the pharmacy were not just once in awhile, they were sometimes several times a week.  What I thought was normal childhood ailments were actually our bodies' response to too many toxins in our food.  We have seen a drastic decrease in trips to the doctor and pharmacy, and I've been able to wean us off many medicines whether for allergies, heartburn, or other chronic problems like maintance antibiotics for my daughter's UTI's.  FG is even great for relieving anxiety, PMS symptoms, and moodiness.  Ask me how I know.

2. If a prescription is necessary, there are ways around food dyes and flavorings.

This takes some creativity and certainly cooperation with your family doctor.  Compounding pharmacies can be a great help if something special is needed for a child who has reactions to food dyes.  There are other options like asking for a pill or capsule that may be given to an adult and adjusting it down to a child-sized dose.  Tylenol and ibuprofen are both available in dye free pills, and these can be cut to make a child-sized dose and mixed into yogurt or applesauce.  (Always check with your doctor for the right dose.)  The Feingold program does a wonderful job in supporting parents with ideas to use if they have sick children who need help getting the right medication.  It takes a change of mindset to go the extra mile in making medication requests: these things are really NOT good for my child, just like some kids can't take penicillin and others can't do gluten.  So far our son has not had to take any antibiotics, but I have all these things in mind if and when the time comes.

3. There are vitamins and supplements available free of fillers and artificial ingredients.

When we started FG, my son need additional iron.  He was on iron drops, which had artificial flavoring, and this was the last thing I removed from his diet before we were following FG 100%.  Removing the artificial flavoring did make a difference in his behavior.  After some searching and talks with the doctor, I found small capsules he could swallow (even at age 3) that were the right dose for his weight and needs.  Kirkman Labs and Freeda make additive free vitamins and supplements, and there are several things offered on websites like Vitacost, iherb, and Pure Formulas that will help families with their supplement needs.  We love Pure Formulas--free shipping!

4. Natural remedies are a good first step before medication.

Please use your discretion and do your own research as I offer these ideas.  If a child is desperately sick, they need to see a doctor.  Strep throat is nothing to mess around with, for instance.  But for coughs, colds, fevers, and other common ailments there are other things you can try before calling the doctor.

-Honey is great for coughs.  Really, really, really great!
-Oil of Oregano helps relieve sinus pain, stuffiness, and pressure.  This should be applied topically to children's skin rather than by mouth.  Please read up on it before trying, but I can say from my own personal experience it does help.  My kids have not used it--yet.
-Ginger and even baking soda can help calm an upset stomach.  I buy empty capsules and fill them to make things go down more easily, because baking soda mixed in a drink does not really taste very good. We've also discovered taurine helps my oldest son's MSG reactions but my husband has also used it for stomach upset and says it works great.
-Baking soda actually relieves my food-related headaches more than Tylenol or ibuprofen.  I recently learned that cream of tartar may have the same effect but have yet to try it.  Do not use baking soda if you need to be on a low sodium diet.
-Digestive enzymes are one idea to try for chronic heartburn or other health-related problems caused by GERD.  I was able to wean myself off of Nexium using these.
-Probiotics are great for tummy issues as well as yeast-related concerns.

5. If you or your children struggle with allergies, do what you can to reduce the allergy load.

My oldest son really struggled with this.  Once we eliminated MSG (which did cause some sinus symptoms), cut out artificial ingredients in our food, and cleaned our heating ducts, he started to feel much better.  The child who once had to take nasal spray, Singulair, and allergy meds can now get by with NOTHING!!!

These are just a few ideas to get started on the path to feeling better when illness rolls around...without ingesting dyes or flavorings!

Scripture Memory

I love this simple, inexpensive idea for scripture memory from Simply Charlotte Mason, and the video that walks you through the set up!  They also have a list of verses to memorize if you need help getting started.  What a great habit to start this summer, if it's not already in place!

cinnamon muffins, gluten free!

For months I have wanted to make Josiah some gluten free cinnamon rolls.  He seems to think this recipe is the next-best thing!  We don't often have dairy free yogurt on hand, but using coconut milk instead worked great.  Somehow I'd like to cut down a bit on the amount of sweetener used, but they must be good because even Rachel is asking that I make these again.

Cinnamon Bun Muffins

Muffin Ingredients (makes about 8 muffins)


•1/2 cup of coconut flour

•1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

•1/4 teaspoon of sea salt

•4 eggs

•1/3 cup of yogurt

•1/2 cup of honey (or other sweetener)

Cinnamon Topping Ingredients

•2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon

•4 tablespoons of honey (or other sweetener)

•2 tablespoons of coconut oil
•1/4 cup of chopped walnuts (optional; or other nut)

Method

1.Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

2.For the muffins, combine all the dry in ingredients and blend well.

3.Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a mixer to blend (get rid of any clumps of flour), or blend well by hand.

4.Fill muffin or cupcake liners about 3/4 of the way with batter.

5.Drip the cinnamon topping over the top of each muffin. Some of it will sink into the muffin batter. You can use a toothpick to poke the topping into the batter, to get more of the topping to spread into the batter.

6.Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

7.Cool and enjoy! Store for a few days at room temperature (covered) or keep in the refrigerator for a week or so.

The journey of sanctification

For those who (like me) might at times become discouraged or confused about their part in the process of sanctification:

"You are not under the law, with its inexorable Do, but under grace, with its blessed Believe what Christ will do for you.  And if the question be asked, 'But surely there is something for us to do?' the answer is, 'Our doing and working are but the fruit of Christ's work in us.'  It is when the soul becomes utterly passive, looking and resting on what Christ is to do, that its energies are stirred to their highest activity, and that we work most effectually because we know that He works in us...

This connection between Christ's work and our work is beautifully expressed in the words of Paul: 'I press on, if so be that I may apprehend that for which I was apprehended by Christ Jesus...'

Paul's expression, and its application to the Christian life, can be best understood if we think of a father helping his child to mount the side of some steep precipice.  The father stands above and has taken the son by the hand to help him on.  He points him to the spot on which he will help him to plant his feet as he leaps upward.  The leap would be too high and dangerous for the child alone; but the father's hand is his trust, and he leaps to get hold of the point for which his father has taken hold of him.  It is the father's strength that secures him and lifts him up, and that strength urges him to use his utmost strength."

-Andrew Murray, Abide in Me

count by 100 song

My littlest has learned to count by 2's and 5's, but his favorite number is 100.  Why not have a count by 100's song? 

To the tune of "Are You Sleeping?"

100, 200,
300, 400,
500,
600,
700, 800,
900, 1000,
I can count by 100's,
Up to 1000!

He might have a new favorite number soon!

Cooking Around the World: Africa

Our tour of the Eastern Hemisphere...is almost finished. 

Next week, we complete our Sonlight Core and shut the book on a fabulous journey around the world.  While remaing in Illinois physically,  our minds and hearts have been captivated by peoples, foods, and cultures on the other side of the world.

Our last section of study was the continent of Africa.  The history and stories have been fascinating, but once again, when choosing a project, my children chose to sample the food.

Here is the last stop on our cooking around the world series.  If the sighs and delighted sounds at supper were any indication, it was perhaps the favorite!!

From East Africa, Micah chose to make Ethiopian Flat Bread (Injera):

Injera

3 c. warm water
2 1/2 c. self-rising flour
3 T. club soda
vegetable oil

Pour warm water into blender or food processor.  Add the flour, cover, and blend on low for 10 sec.  Turn blender on high and mix for 30 sec., until smooth.  Pour batter into mixing bowl and add club soda.  Mix with spoon.  The batter should have the consistency of heavy cream. 

Bring 10 inch skillet to medium heat.  Spread 1/2 t. oil over the pan with a pastry brush or paper towel.  Use a ladle to pour 1/2 c. of the batter to one side of the pan.  Quickly tilt pan to spread the batter evenly over the bottom.  Small bubbles will soon appear on surface and edges of "pancake" will curl away from pan.  After 1 minute, use spatula to flip.  Once done, place on paper towel to cool.  Repeat process until batter is used up.

Fold each injera in quarters and stack on a plate to serve.

These injeras can be made FG stage 1.

From North Africa, Rachel and made meatballs which are gluten free, and when made without the sauce, FG stage 1:

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce with Eggs (Tagine Kefta Mkawra)

1 1/2 lb. ground lamb (or beef)
2 c. finely chopped onion
3 T. finely chopped fresh parsley (we used dried parsley from last year's garden)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I think you could substitute allspice if cinnamon is not well tolerated)
3/4 tsp. salt (we used 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Cooking spray (we used coconut oil)

Preheat oven to 400.  Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in medium bowl.  Mix well.  Shape mixture into 1 inch meatballs.  Spray 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Arrange meatballs in pan and bake for 25 min.  Drain in colander before adding to sauce.

Sauce:

3 T. olive oil
3 c. chopped onion (we used 1/2 of an onion, but more would have been very good)
4 c. chopped tomato (about 1 1/2 lb., we ran ours through food processor to take out lumps)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (use gloves)
3 T. chopped parsley
3 T. minced cilantro
3 large eggs
cilantro sprigs for garnish (optional)

Heat oil in large, heavy Dutch oven.  Add onion and cook about 3 min, stirring occasionally.  Stir in tomato, sugar, salt, garlic, and jalapeno pepper and bring to simmer over medium high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and cook 20 min, stirring occasionally.  Stir in parsley and cilantro.  Add meatballs.  Gently break eggs over simmering liquid.  Cover and cook 10 min, or until eggs are set.  Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired, and serve with warm bread.

My kids asked that we not add eggs to their meatballs, so most were made without.  However, I was curious what the recipe would taste like when made according to directions, and made part with one egg.  Eric and I loved it!

Recipes taken from Cooking the North African Way and Cooking the East African Way.  We are thankful there is a good ethnic food selection of cookbooks in our children's library!

The kids were being absolutely goofy in the kitchen, obviously enjoying themselves very much.  I have about 4 pictures like this one.

Now, finally a nice picture!

It has been fun to see how open the kids have been to trying different foods this year, and they have both learned a lot about cooking.  Micah seems to enjoy frying things in oil...

Josiah enjoyed his meatballs but also had a good old North American hot dog.

Micah, a look of delight beginning to form on his face.  He savored his meal.

As you can see, Rachel is once again sharing this moment with today's favorite critter.

Eric had worked hard digging holes in the yard all afternoon, and said this meal filled the hole in his stomach!

precious moments, precious memories being made

I have often heard my mother-in-law say wistfully that if there were any age she wished she could freeze her children, it would be when they were 8 and 3.  (She liked having the youngest potty trained.)  Well, I would have to echo her sentiments about the ages of my children right now.  What a blessing it is to have them home with me at this stage in their lives!

Last night we had a used Sonlight Core delivered to our front door.  Although it is intended for Micah, Rachel quickly nabbed a book and began to read.  She has become as much a bookworm this year as her older brother.

Rachel is never far from some beloved creature.  Her whole closet is filled with stuffed animals, which we don't mind except when they are all on the floor.

Josiah made a birthday card for Dad.  He rarely draws but when he does, it is so cute.  Here "Dad" is holding two birthday balloons that are his favorite color, and underneath is a ladybug.  He later added fireworks and the word, "Boom!" as well as a picture of Dad holding scissors cutting Josiah's very long hair.  (No idea where he got that?!)

Teenagers are just weird, but I'll spend time with this one any day.  Micah wore sunglasses the entire day, pretending to be a secret agent.  You might blow your cover taking them off, even for a dictation test.

Josiah is constructing what he called, "The Ants' Doom."  If an ant walked by, it was crushed by rocks.  In spite of his bent on destroying ants, he has been telling us lately he loves nature and that "science is awesome."

A quick sketch by Rachel says at the top, "Josiah, you are my pot of gold."  That captures what this year at home has meant to my children--closer relationships with each other as they have learned how valuable each one is.

when you put it that way...

Rachel has discovered the antidote for aging:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

She wrote this on her father's birthday card so "he wouldn't feel as bad about being old."

Gotta love kids.

sharing a most treasured book

I've been waiting a long time to share this book with my children.  Now that we are finished with our Core read-alouds, we have time to tackle it!

My mom read Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard to my brother and I, when I was about the same age as my daughter now.  I loved it!

"The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like Hinds' Feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine High Places."  Habakkuk 3:19

"...the High Places of victory and union with Christ cannot be reached by any mental reckoning of self to be dead to sin, or by seeking to devise some way or discipline by which the will can be crucified.  The only way is by learning to accept, day by day, the actual conditions and tests permitted by God, by a continually repeated laying down of our own will and acceptance of his as it is presented to us in the form of the people with whom we have to live and work, and in the things which happen to us.  Every acceptance of his will becomes an altar of sacrifice, and every such surrender and abandonment of ourselves to his will is a means of furthering us on the way to the High Places to which he desires to bring every child of his while they are still living on earth."

-from the Preface to the Allegory

If we think of High Places as prosperity and peace, they are unattainable in this world.  However, if High Places are considered to be power to overcome selfish tendencies in spite of adversity, to love even when it hurts and to learn to consider it a small thing not to be loved in return, to offer grace and forgiveness in spite of sin, then those heights are accessible to the child of God by trusting and submitting to the life of Christ dwelling within.

Maybe I loved it as a child simply because I could identify so well with a character named Much Afraid, who shrank back from companions like Sorrow and Suffering.  How little she knew of the Shepherd's ways when she began her journey, nor how trusting Him through it would truly transform her.

*Not because transformation is the goal...it is the result of taking part in the journey.  Showing forth the beauty and trustworthiness of the Savior...that is the aim of this traveler!  And when it is not...well, God has a way of putting that right, too.



please, please, please, please, please....

Today, for the first time in almost 2 years, Josiah had chocolate.  A handful of Enjoy Life chocolate chips, to be exact.  And he did not have a reaction. 

We have also tested things like applesauce (which he's always seemed to be fine with, but we wanted to keep it out while we found all his sensitivities just to be sure), grapes, and Amy's brand gluten free dairy free pizza.  He does well with all of them, unless we give him too much pizza at a time.  There can be a bit of a build up reaction with salicylate foods, so a little goes a long way.

But a little is more than he used to be able to do, so we are excited!!!  Hooray, Josiah!!!  Thank you, Lord!!!!

I think chocolate cupcakes might be on the menu soon.

discouraged? take heart, the Lord is in it

There are many secret griefs in the inner heart that can never be truly shared with another human being, yet are laid bare before the eyes of a God who knows and understands us better than we know and understand ourselves.  So often we find ourselves in circumstances not of our choosing, learning nuances of things we hoped we would never have to understand, and burdened by weights we never hoped to bear. 

There are times I wish that I didn't have to think so hard about what kind of food gets placed on our table each day, when I long to be back serving in a ministry I dearly love, and when I could simply cast aside the lure of sin as if it were some light weight instead of the humanly impossible entanglement it can sometimes be when I neglect the strong power of Christ to overcome.  In short, I'd really like everything to be easier and a whole lot less painful.

"Practicing joy" is more than just a blog name for me; it is my goal.  Perhaps it is no coincidence that the words below came to me this week from a Bible teacher in the midst of a study on 1 Peter, the very same book with the verse on my blog header.  May this piece minister to others as it did to me!

This Thing Is From Me

1 Kings 12:24

My child, I have a message for you today; let me whisper it in your ear, that it may gild with glory any storm clouds which may arise and smooth the rough places upon which you may have to tread. It is short, only five words, but let them sink into your soul and use them as a pillow upon which to rest your weary head.

"THIS THING IS FROM ME"

Have you ever thought of it, that all that concerns you, concerns me, too? For "he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of Mine eye." Zechariah 2:8. "You are very precious in My sight." Isaiah 43:4. Therefore, it is My special delight to educate you.

I would have you learn when temptations assail you, and the "enemy comes in like a flood" that this thing is from Me, that your weakness needs My might, and your safety lies in letting Me fight for you.

Are you in difficult circumstances, surrounded by people who do not understand you, who never consult your taste, who put you in the background? This thing is from Me. I am the God of circumstances. "Thou earnest not to thy place by accident, it is the very place God meant for thee." Have you not asked to be made humble? See, then, I have placed you in the very school where this lesson is taught; your surroundings and companions are only working out My will.

Are you in money difficulties? Is it hard to make both ends meet? This thing is from Me, for I am your purse-bearer, and would have you draw from, and depend upon Me. My supplies are limitless. Philippians 4:19. 1 would have you prove My promises. Let it not be said of you, "in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God." Deuteronomy 1:32.

Are you passing through a night of sorrow? This thing is from Me. I am the "Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." I have let earthly comforters fail you, that by turning to Me you may obtain everlasting consolation. 11 Thessalonians 2:16-17,

Has some friend disappointed you? Was it one to whom you poured out your heart? This thing is from Me. I have allowed this disappointment to come that you may learn that: The best friend to have is Jesus, He will hear you when you call, He will keep you lest you fall. The best friend to have is Jesus.

I want to be your confidant. Has someone repeated things about you that are untrue? Leave them to Me, and draw closer. unto Me, thy shelter, out of reach of "the strife of tongues." For "I will bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday." Psalm 37:6.

Have your plans been all upset? Are you bowed down and weary? This thing is from Me. You made your plans, then came asking Me to bless them, but I would have you let Me plan for you and then I take the responsibility, for "This thing is too heavy for thee, thou art not able to perform it thyself alone." Exodus 18:18. You are only an instrument, not an agent.

Have you longed to do some great work for Me, and instead been laid aside on a bed of pain and weakness? This thing is from Me. I could not get your attention in your busy days, and I want to teach you some of My deeper lessons. "They also serve who only stand and wait." I want you to learn to sing:

I am not eager, bold or strong, All that is past;
I am ready not to do, At last; at last!

Some of My greatest workers are those shut out from active service, that they may learn to wield the weapon of all-powerful prayer.

Are you suddenly called upon to occupy a difficult and responsible position? Launch out on Me- I am trusting you with the "possession of difficulties," and "for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto." Deuteronomy 15;10.

This day I place in your hand this pot of holy oil; make use of it freely, My child. Let every circumstance as it arises, every word that pains you, every interruption that would make you impatient, every revelation of your own weakness, be annointed with it. The sting will go as you learn to see Me in all things. Therefore, "Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day . . . for it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life, and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land." Deuteronomy 32:46-47.

--Laura Barter Snow

kids and nutrition

I recently picked up the May issue of Delicious Living and discovered two excellent articles that address children and their nutritional needs.

The first is how to spot food intolerances in your children.  From ear infections, to picky eaters, digestive issues, and behavioral issues, this is packed with excellent information.

Then on to 6 nutrients your child may need.  From the reading I've done, the top three to look at if your child is eating a typical American diet could be Vitamin D (especially during the winter months), essential fatty acids (unless your family consumes plenty of fish), and probiotics.