We've got corn coming out our ears!

My neighbor kindly gave us three bags of freshly picked corn.  There's no way we're going to eat it all before it spoils, so I'm processing it for the freezer now.  Yay! for free corn!  Thanks, Kristin.

Blog Revival...maybe

Facebook is so easy.  I log on, take a quick look.... Or maybe NOT so quick. But it's immediate.  I don't have to come up with a decent-sized post; it could just be a quick sentence or even a sound effect. Aaargh!! And the feedback is fairly immediate too.  Sometimes it becomes a chat time with somebody. BUT.... I sort of miss blogging.

I spent a few hours today dusting off this old blog.  It had broken links and other outdated features and I couldn't fix them without updating my whole template to Blogger's "new" format which is actually years old now!  So, I finally took the plunge and switched to the new template and then worked to make it look as much like the old one as I could.  Can you tell I hate change?!

In the left-hand sidebar (unless I've moved it to the right) you will see an archive of my blog.  Beside the year it shows the number of posts for that year. Notice that in 2008 there is a remarkable drop in the number of posts.  That was the year that Levi was born and I got a lot busier.  After 2008 my blog pretty much died.  Why?  I signed up for a Facebook account in December of 2008 and basically neglected my blog from there on out.  Maybe nothing will change now, but at least my links and things in the blog are current and I can make quick fixes again as necessary.

See you around.  Maybe!

What baby bump?

These pictures were taken on April 26, 2012 at 33 weeks and 5 days.  I'm 37 weeks and 4 days now.  You'll just have to imagine what the last four weeks have done to my belly!! :)

Philippians 1:6 & Lamaze

I don't really use Lamaze per se as a labor/delivery tool but I do have the "hee-hee-hoo" breathing patterns pretty firmly embedded in my psyche since first learning them almost 16 (!) years ago. It doesn't take too much contraction activity for me to lapse into some form of that relaxation/breathing technique.

I usually start having contractions fairly early in my pregnancies and sometimes I'll wake up from a sound sleep with a "heeeee-hooooo." This pregnancy, for the first time, my brain has been following up that "hee-hoo" with "began a good work in you.... ." So my Bible verse for this pregnancy is:

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

Or as the Steve Green's song says, "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it in you." I've been singing that song a lot too!

Cruising along D'Nile....

There are three biggish things looming ahead of me with regard to this pregnancy that make me feel really unprepared:

1. We don't have a vehicle yet that will fit our new family of 8
2. We haven't settled on names yet
3. I haven't figured out yet what to do about my doula's unavailability

I'm still working on just trusting God to sort it out and to provide what we need when we need it. I struggle with knowing what my own involvement should entail, but overall, I realize that I can trust Him!

Number 3 on my list is the hardest. I don't even know my own mind on this one. I really want to have that support person there whom I can trust to be my advocate in the hospital setting. If I were at a birthing center or birthing at home, this wouldn't be so much of an issue to me, but our situation is that we're doing this at the hospital... again. The cost of a doula is somewhat of an issue but the idea that I'd have to get to know someone new is more daunting to me. Part of me wants to just skip it this time, but I think I'd probably regret it. Meanwhile, time is slipping away and I've made no decision. I feel like I'm kind of cruising along in denial. Not my usual approach and I need to do something about that. I don't like making decisions by default. I'm praying for wisdom and decisiveness!

10 weeks and counting....

Spooning

I've been in need of spoons. We've lost a couple to the garbage disposal over the years, we've added a couple of people over the years, and my pattern (Amadeus) was discontinued YEARS ago. I watch eBay and I've picked up a few that are similar but not quite as nice and they're about $3 PER spoon!

Fast-forward to today >>>>>> I'm cleaning in the garage, organizing my canning jars, etc.... I come across a box I have no recollection of. It's a 45-piece set (UNOPENED) of MY silverware! What an unexpected blessing. I must have bought it some time ago and put it away for later. Well, it's later. I pilfered the spoons and put the rest away... for later. Hopefully I'll remember it's out there.

The Sacrifice of Parenting

Some people say that motherhood, that parenthood, is a sacrifice. On one hand I disagree with that sentiment because it implies that since it's a sacrifice, there's something better or more desirable that I could be doing with myself and that I'm giving it up. In my heart, there's nothing I'd rather be doing than being a mother.

Okay, once in a while I wish I could just sleep in, just be sick and have no one depending on me, just do what I want to do without having to consider someone else. But that thought just brings me to my other hand, my other thought. Motherhood IS a sacrifice. But let's think about what's being sacrificed.

In my list of things I sometimes wish, I find some pretty selfish wishes. Seems to be the only real sacrifice to be found in parenting is a sacrifice of self. But isn't that something we're supposed to be doing anyway? This life isn't about us. As Christians we are to live for Christ, reflect His image, die to self and let His life become our own. What a profound gift parenting is. What an opportunity for Christ to accomplish His work in us. What a blessed vehicle through which we can be molded into Christ-likeness. It's a very rewarding way to do what we're supposed to be doing anyway: decrease so that He might increase.

My opinion is that it would probably be much more difficult to die to self if one didn't have children. I would likely be much more selfish than I am if I didn't have the constant reminder that it's not about me.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2

Decrypt . . .

Didja miss me?

It's been well over a year since I've posted anything on this blog. Sad. I was just saying on Facebook that I miss blogging but I love FB more and I don't have time for both. But within 5 minutes here I am....

I'm sure the links on my sidebars are outdated and broken. Maybe I'll get around to fixing that... maybe I won't.

Facebook sure provides me with connections to people, daily, that I wouldn't otherwise have. That has an instant gratification element to it that blogging doesn't provide. But blogging provides a digital diary of sorts that I can't achieve at FB. Hmmmm. What to do... Maybe try both again. We'll see.

Anywhooo, nice to be back. For a minute anyway! ☺

Mission Minded

My 6.5-year-old son is on a mission to save our neighbor's life. The other day Adam said, "I don't think Jantzen's dad is very healthy." I asked why he thought that. He said, "Because he smokes." I agreed that wasn't a very healthy thing to do.

Several days later Adam entered our house saying, very dramatically, through clenched teeth, "I'm doomed!" Then he hid out it a darkened room. I asked why he was doomed. Adam explained that he was trying to save Jantzen's dad's life. "How?" I queried. He went on, "Well, I asked Jantzen if he wanted to save his dad's life. He said, 'Yes' so I told him to tempt his dad not to smoke." I interrupted at this point to say that USUALLY we are tempted to do something that we SHOULDN'T do not something that we SHOULD do, and then Adam continued. "Well, Jantzen went to his dad and said, 'Adam doesn't want you to smoke.' So I'm DOOMED!!! Those weren't the words I wanted him to say!" When I asked Adam what he did want Jantzen to say he said he didn't know but not THOSE words. I guess Adam wanted Jantzen to talk his dad out of smoking but to leave Adam out of it! :-) Adam thought he was doomed because he figured that Jantzen's dad would be mad at him. I told him that he probably wouldn't be mad.

Today, Rebecca brought me a picture that Adam had requested that she deliver to the neighbors. She delivered it to me instead. Good call, Rebecca!

Simply Complicated!

Why is simplifying so incredibly complicated?!?! While too much stuff is truly an issue, I'm really speaking about the systems I've created or adopted. While I don't mind working hard, I'd like to feel like I'm being efficient in my hard work and that I'm accomplishing and doing well the necessary tasks. Sometimes I feel like I'm spinning my wheels and a slave to the "system". I’m so busy keeping the machine going, I don't have the time to determine if I'm using the best machine... Know what I mean?

Yogurt-Making Tutorial

Here is the process I use to make my own yogurt. You might need to tweak these instructions to tailor them to your situation and taste.

Make sure all tools you use are VERY clean. Getting any bad bacteria into your yogurt will ruin it.

You will need:
-thermometer
-large sauce pan
-whisk
-jars or plastic containers
-milk
-plain yogurt (to use as a starter)
-powdered milk and/or gelatin (optional)
-insulated cooler
-towels

I use powdered milk and gelatin in my recipe because I like the consistency better that way. It makes a firmer yogurt. It’s not a necessary ingredient but the result will be a softer yogurt.

STEP 1: Heat milk (and whisked-in powdered milk & gelatin) to 145° - 160°F.

STEP 2: Remove from heat and cool milk to about 125-130°F. If the milk is too hot you will kill the starter when you add it. If it's too cool you won't activate the cultures.

STEP 3: Inoculate with starter yogurt. (Plain, no sugar added, with LIVE cultures) Whisk starter yogurt into the milk and then pour into your containers.

STEP 4: Incubate @ about 130° for 4-6 hours. I do this by filling an insulated cooler with very hot water and letting it heat while I get the milk mixture ready. Then I pour out the water, put in my filled jars and refill with fresh, hot water up to the neck of the jars.





STEP 4 (continued): Wrap the cooler in towels or blankets to help hold in the heat and let it sit for 4-6 hours. Yogurt likes to be VERY STILL while it's culturing so be careful not to jostle it.

STEP 5: Remove jars from the cooler and refrigerate. The yogurt will firm up more after refrigeration.

---

Ingredients for each quart of yogurt:

4 cups milk
2 Tablespoons powdered milk
1 teaspoon gelatin
2 Tablespoon plain yogurt

Here is a link to a printable copy of my basic recipe: www.cindee.net/Yogurt.pdf

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

Why I don't trust the swine flu vaccine

There is so much information out there to sift through in order to formulate an opinion on this that it's a bit daunting. There's a lot I could talk about here but I just don't have the time or energy to do it. However, I do want to touch on some things.

Thimerosal- Some formulations of the vaccine contain thimerosal and some do not. Pre-filled, single dose syringes contain no thimerosal or have it removed to trace levels. Multi-use vial DO contain it. Know what you are getting before you get it! Here is a table (Table 1) at the FDA website that has this information detailed. (It's on page 3)

Before I continue I want to say there are four FDA approved vaccines. Three injectables:

• Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine (CSL Limited)


• Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine (Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited)


• Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine (Sanofi Pasteur, Inc.)

And one intranasal:
Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine (MedImmune LLC)

Pregnant Women- In every list I can find, including the Center for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration (page 3), pregnant women are at the top of the list of the ones who should be getting this vaccine. YET..on the package insert found at the FDA’s own website (page 12 section 8.1) I read this: “Pregnancy Category C: Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine or FLUVIRIN. It is also not known whether Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine or FLUVIRIN can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect reproduction capacity. Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed. (emphasis mine) Even with that admission, they say that “If you are pregnant, you should get vaccinated against H1N1 (swine) as soon as possible. So, on one hand they say a pregnant woman should only get the vaccine if it’s "clearly needed" but then on the other hand they indicate that being pregnant is reason enough to be vaccinated! I do not trust these people. Furthermore,

Nursing Mothers- Do nursing mothers know that “because many drugs are excreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine is administered to a nursing woman? It’s on the package insert. (page 12 section 8.3)

Young Children- Children from age 6 months up are recommended to be vaccinated, but in the package insert for the vaccine it says, “Safety and effectiveness in pediatric subjects below the age of 4 years have not been established. (page 12 section 8.4) So we don’t know if it’s SAFE OR EFFECTIVE but go ahead and vaccinate them anyway! I don’t think so.

The links to the package inserts I've included are all to the Novartis vaccine. The other two injectables say essentially the same thing about pregnant and nursing women, just a little different wording. However, the CSL Limited package insert says this about pediatric use: “Neither Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine nor AFLURIA has been evaluated in children. Safety and effectiveness in the pediatric population have not been established. (page 8 section 8.4) The Sanofi Pasteur insert says, “Safety and effectiveness in pediatric subjects below the age of 6 months have not been established." (page 10 section 8.4)

Maybe I’m missing something or I’m misunderstanding something here but this vaccine doesn’t seem like a good thing to me! Aren’t you glad I don’t have the time and energy to get into the other aspects of this that are unsettling to me!! ☺

A convergence of thoughts

Opening our fists, releasing our hold, and giving financial gifts to individuals and/or organizations becomes really easy if we recognize that it's God's money in the first place. Dave Ramsey says, in his Financial Peace University, that, "You and I are asset managers for the Lord, so if we view it properly, we aren't giving our own money anyway." It's really easy to give away someone else's money! Fun even. I really appreciate Dave Ramsey bringing that principle into focus for me. It's not mine anyway, I can give it away freely. Now hold that thought a moment...

Often I feel stretched to my limit, spread to thin. There's not enough of me to go around. This one needs a diaper change, this one wants me to read a book. That one needs to talk about friendship issues and the other one needs his tail kicked because he got side-tracked from doing a chore. You know the feeling, right? On top of that, I'D LIKE A NAP! Or to read a book, or write this post without interruption! There isn't time to do it all and certainly not time to do all the the things I'd like to do and do them well. So I have to choose. I have to NOT do some things. Then my Sense of Entitlement rears it's ugly head. I get grumpy. I feel sorry for myself. I start thinking that too much is being asked of me, no one appreciates me, and "why can't I just DO this thing I want to do without anyone bothering me?" (stamps foot!) See how ugly it can get?

One day a Scripture popped into my head (thank you Mr. D for requiring me to memorize Scripture in school!). "...you are not your own. You have been bought with a price..." 1 Cor. 6:19b-20. Now I wasn't remembering the Scripture perfectly and the issue being written about was s3xu@l immorality, BUT... I think I can still make an application. Here's where the two thoughts converge. I'M NOT MY OWN. I've been called to be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). My life belongs to Jesus. SO...it doesn't need to be difficult to give myself away. Now it's not as hard to just put the book down and go meet the need of a child. It's not such an irritation to stop in the middle of a project and resolve a squabble. Why? Because I AM NOT MY OWN. I'VE BEEN BOUGHT WITH A PRICE. I am not mine anyway, I can give myself away freely. It's easier. Fun even.

Hold that thought too.

Because he's beautiful...

Levi Quinn - 7.5 months

Levi at 6.5 months (2-18-09)

I'm still alive. I just got sucked into the black hole of Facebook. Oh. My. Goodness. It's been so fun reconnecting with SO MANY people from my past. I swear it's a little taste of heaven. Except for the guilt associated with spending so much time on it. I just keep thinking that in heaven I'll get to do this but to perfection and with no time constraints and no guilt. And then I think that however exciting and enticing that sounds it will be nothing, NOTHING, compared to the sweet fellowship with the Creator of the universe and the Saviour of my soul and the Keeper of my heart.

I feel it more and more.

This world is not my home, I'm just a passin' though.

Those with young

Do you have young? Do you need encouragement? I do. On both accounts. I'm tired. I'm overwhelmed. I cannot do this on my own power. Here is a Message:

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; He gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:11

Our Lord is not heavy-handed nor is He absent from our lives. Take heart in that!

Advent Season

I want to share a couple thoughts from the sermon I heard today. I've never really known what the Advent Season is. I've always just figured it had something to do with Christmas since that is the only time I've ever heard it spoken about. I learned something new today.

Advent (from the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming") is a season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus, in other words, the period immediately before Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western Christian year and commences on Advent Sunday.

Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming. Christians believe that the season of Advent serves a dual reminder of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting that Christians today endure as they await the second coming of Christ. (From Wikipedia)

I think that the Advent we should focus on is the one yet to be. The preacher said, "While Jesus' birth is important, His return is imminent. ...It's hard to see what's ahead when we are always looking backward." We can get so distracted by what was that we forget that something is still to come. His return IS imminent...are you ready? Are you watching? Are you expectantly waiting and preparing?

O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Refrain

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." Matthew 25:13

Cardboard Testimonies

I had never seen any Cardboard Testimonies until today when a friend sent me a link to the Cardboard Testimonies at Richland Hills Christian Church in N. Richland Hills, Texas. The idea is that everyone has a story and the testimonies tell various people's stories before and after Jesus. I went looking for it on YouTube so I could embed it here on my blog but I couldn't find it there. What I did find was there are several CT's to watch on YouTube, just not the one I saw first by following the link. Sooo, click on the link and spend a few (worthwhile) moments seeing the difference Jesus has made in people's lives.

I've embedded a different one below from YouTube. It's good also. Of course it's good...It's God working in the lives of people...that's always good.