Thursday, October 30, 2014

The Benefits of Islam


This morning I read a news article about a Marine father that had been banned from his daughter's school because of a ruckus he'd caused about a school assignment.  Apparently, a history assignment was given requiring the students to list the benefits of Islam.  The father had a visceral reaction to this particular assignment and strongly stated his case with school officials.  The result was the fathers banishment from the school grounds.

My first reaction was disgust but then, I started thinking about it.  Within minutes, I was doing the assignment in my head.  The more I thought, the more benefits I came up with.  Here are a few....

The Benefits of Islam
  1. Economic.  Islam benefits the economic structure in so many ways.  When a terrorist bomb explodes, hundreds of economic entities go work.  Police and Rapid Response Teams flood the area.  Paramedics and EMT's respond.  ER rooms go into overdrive and funeral homes experience a boom in business.  Once the dust has settled, municipalities, insurance companies and contractors go to work.  The economic impact in the area can go on for months.  Reconstruction, heightened security and PSTD treatment can last for years - adding even more of a financial windfall.
  2. Education.  If you want smaller class sizes and streamlined education - Islam is your religion.  When you educate boys only, effectively eliminating roughly 1/2 of your student burden, you have the ability to work closely with each individual student.  Because you only teach a few core subjects - the Koran, Jihad and a few other choice electives, you have the ability to study your subject matter in depth, producing exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable scholars.
  3. Political.  The benefits of Islam in the political arena are myriad.  By doing away with pesky freedoms, both of speech and action, you simplify the political process significantly.  Swift elimination of political opponents, specifically by beheading, streamlines the political process and most often brings about a calming sense of continuity to the voting public.
  4. Military/Defense.  This is one area where Islamic nations really shine.  Their countries benefit immensely from the non-structured yet mandatory implementation of aggressive para-military organizations.  Not only do they recruit from within the borders of their own countries, they effectively recruit members from all over the globe.  With the promise of eternal glory, their fighters are arguably the most dedicated in the world.
  5. Environmental.  Islam is very environmentally conscious.  Rather than developing carbon fuel based guidance and delivery systems for their rockets and bombs, they use the much more environmentally friendly camel and donkey delivery systems.  In some cases, they use simple rocks (completely biodegradable) instead of manufactured munitions in their bid to protect mother nature.  And when using a more sophisticated delivery system (usually in the form of a Toyota pickup or Landcruiser), they make sure to use the most fuel efficient model.  Another aspect of environmentalism that is unique to Islamic nations is their fervent adherence to population control.   In an effort to keep their numbers down, their women are stoned at the first hint of an indiscretion and their children are regularly sacrificed to their cause.  Such a dedicated approach to saving the earth is rarely seen in the modern world. 
  6. Social.  The social benefits of Islam are too numerous to mention.  In their quest to reduce envy, covetousness and lust, they have established a proven system of dress and manner that greatly benefits society at large.  Covering their women from head to toe and not allowing them to speak in public has produced a contented, joyful female population.  The men are equally happy, as evidenced by their quiet lives and tender reverence for their families.  All is well in the Islamic world.
This list could go on an on.  How clever of our schools to assign such thought provoking assignments!  Without effective dialog, how will we ever come to understand other cultures?  Score one for a good, ol' fashioned American education! 

Would I get a good grade on my paper?

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Reality Blogging


Human nature is a funny thing.  We seem to live in a constant state of comparison.  We compare every aspect of our lives with others, either feeling superior or inferior, depending the circumstances.  We compare our spouses, our children and ourselves.  We compare our clothes, our cars and our fences.  We compare ourselves with our friends, with people on television, in magazines and we even compare ourselves with fictional characters.  And more often than not, we don't measure up.

I'm sure that people have measured their lives by the perceived successes and failures of their neighbors since mankind populated the earth - but our modern technological age has created a plague of discontent that is eroding the soul of our nation.

I have never indulged in social media.  I don't have a Facebook account or Twitter (I'm still not sure what that is) or Instagram or any other social interactive site, and I haven't missed them at all.  Over the years I have had friends tell me that I just had to sign up, however, I have a couple of serious problems with our social media culture.  The first issue I have is that you can be anybody you want to be on the internet!  There is no accountability, no truth.  People only post what they want you to see.  You see the successes only - rarely the failures.  You see those few shining moments when a persons life measures up to their own standards of success.  You are inundated with EVERYONE's success and pretty soon you can see nothing but your own failures. 

And we wonder why we are nation depressed!

When I blog, I share snippets out of our lives.  You get to hear about Master Hand Grenade getting his first job and Miss Serenity dropping a buck with 1 shot.  You hear about Maid Elizabeth delivering babies and Princess Dragon Snack riding her first motorcycle.  You see pictures of Master Calvin decked out in his "Gentleman Adventurer" gear and Sir Knight testing tactical equipment.  You read accounts of lessons learned and prayers answered.  But there is so much I don't write.  I don't write about children with bad attitudes or baking projects that end up feeding the dogs.  You don't read about marital difficulties between Sir Knight and I or the bitter disappointments that seem to visit our home with reliable frequency.  You don't see the mess or the failures or the really rotten parts of life that I would be loathe to share.  You don't see the messy stuff. 

I only show you what I want you to know.

But there is another reason I'm not a part of the social media frenzy.  Quite frankly, I don't want to be a busybody.  For a while I "spied" on people via Maid Elizabeth's Facebook account.  I would check on them every week or so, just to see what they were up to.  Maid Elizabeth didn't have many "friends", but I found that often they would post things on their account that I would not have known any other way.  But then, as I was wandering through Elizabeth's "news feed" one day, I suddenly realized that I was like the "busybody" that the Bible talks about!  I was checking in on other people's lives, reading all of their gossip, when I would be much better served by taking care of my own life!

I think blogs, Pinterest and a whole lot of other sites on the world wide web can be wonderful - if they are used with discretion.  There are so many things to learn and so much encouragement waiting for us online, but we have to be discerning.  Remember, behind every website is a real, live, human being that isn't perfect.  Their spouse isn't perfect, their kids aren't perfect and their house isn't perfect.  They don't have the "perfect" survival location, the "perfect" survival plan or the "perfect" survival skills.  They have good days and they have bad days.  Whatever you do, don't look at the lives people present online and assume that your life is in the toilet!  We are all in this boat together - success, failure and everything in between.

Believe it or not, the world is not populated by people that have a perfectly decorated, spotlessly clean home, as they cook organic, homemade meals, while raising 8 impossibly polite children and being the quintessential Proverbs 31 woman (oh, and the perfect wife, of course!).  It is filled with people just. like. you.

Welcome to my reality.  Imperfect. Messy.  Just right!

About the photo --  A snapshot of our imperfect life.  The window is broken (an accident two years ago).  There are little buggy's, dead, between the two panes.  The window can't be cleaned (the dirt is between the two panes) and we can barely see through it.  Such is life!  Someday....

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Graham Crackers and Cocoa to Drink....


When my children were smaller, one of their favorite poems was "Animal Crackers and Cocoa to Drink".  Every once in a while, on a blustery day, I would give the children their own box of animal crackers, stir up a pot of cocoa and we would play games in front of the wood cookstove.  There could be nothing cozier than a cup of cocoa and a crunchy, sweet cracker to warm your soul on a late fall afternoon!

Today, I was out of animal crackers (we don't buy them very often) but the cookstove was singing it's siren song and the children and I couldn't resist a game of Yatzee while sipping on cocoa.  Being out of animal crackers, I decided to substitute homemade Honey Graham Crackers.  They take only minutes to put together and are worth every minute.  These crackers can be slightly soft (like a cookie) or crispier (like a cracker), depending on how long you bake them.  They are perfect if you don't have much in the pantry because they only require basic pantry staples - other than the butter, which can be easily substituted with shortening.  These graham crackers are full of flavor and good-for-you ingredients.  I highly suggest baking a batch today!


Honey Graham Crackers
1 C whole wheat flour
1 1/2 C all purpose flour
1/2 C dark brown sugar (packed) can use light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 C butter, chilled (or shortening)
1/4 C honey
1/4 C water
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking soda.  Cut in butter (or shortening) with a pastry cutter (or you can use a food processor for this part) until the mixture resembles a course meal.  Add the honey, water and vanilla.  Stir until blended.  Stir with your hands until the mixture becomes a softened, cohesive dough.

Putting the dough on a lightly floured surface, roll to 1/4 inch thick and cut with cookie cutters (or cut like crackers).  I used a fork to prick each cracker, although this step is not required. 

Place on cookie sheets and bake for 15 minutes.

____________________________________

I gave a couple of these crackers to our mail lady (fresh from the oven) and she said she had just seen a recipe for graham crackers but thought "who on earth would make their own graham crackers!".  So, I guess now she knows!

And for all you romantics out there, our favorite "Animal Crackers"...

 
Animal Crackers
Christopher Morley
 
Animal crackers and cocoa to drink,
That is the finest of suppers I think;
When I'm grown up and can have what I please
I think I shall always insist upon these.
What do you choose when you're offered a treat?
When mother says, "What would you like best to eat?"
Is it waffles and syrup, or cinnamon toast?
It's cocoa and animals that I love the most!
 
The kitchen's the coziest place that I know;
The kettle is singing, the stove is aglow,
And there in the twilight, how jolly to see
The cocoa and animals waiting for me.
 
Daddy and Mother dine later in state,
With Mary to cook for them, Susan to wait;
But they don't have nearly as much fun as I
Who eat in the kitchen with Nurse standing by;
And Daddy once said, he would like to be me
Having cocoa and animals once more for tea.
 
Graham Crackers go with tea as well as cocoa!
 


Monday, October 27, 2014

A Matter of Consequence


A few years ago I visited a friend whom I hadn't seen in a long time.  As we visited and I was given a tour through her home, I noticed her teenaged son sitting quietly in a corner of the room.  His mother introduced him to me and without looking up he mumbled his hello.  Another friend and my mother had accompanied me on this excursion and my mother, noticing the quiet young man, attempted to engage him in conversation.  Her attempts were met with downcast eyes and mumbled, one-word answers.  This young man was not indifferent or rude, rather he was painfully shy.

As I sat visiting with his mother, I asked about her son.  She told me that his grades were excellent but he that he had a visceral reaction to school because he was so badly bullied.  He also suffered from severe headaches (due to the constant downward slant of his head, which was his method of avoiding eye contact).   It was the mother's opinion that her son would grow out of his shyness and everything would be fine.

I have to admit, I was rather shocked.  Never in my life had I met ANYONE with that degree of "shyness".  He was so withdrawn that he was, without a doubt, handicapped.  My heart ached for this young man.  His pain in attempting to interact with other human beings was almost palpable.  It broke my heart.

Waving as we drove off, I looked at my mom, aghast, and said "Mom, that isn't O.K.  That boy is 15 years old and cannot look another person in the eye (including his mother), much less hold a conversation - something must be done!".   From the back seat, the friend that had accompanied us on our visit piped up.  "Enola, he'll be fine, there are a lot of socially awkward guys that work on computers and make a lot of money - just leave the poor kid alone".  I was stunned.  This was a mother - couldn't she see what would happen to this young man if his family didn't help him through this difficulty?  He would never be able to function in society without the ability to communicate.  How his parents dealt with the situation now would determine the future for this young man - and it would determine if he would contribute to society or if he would drain society of its resources.  This was a matter of consequence!

The brief visit with my old friend brought the challenges of parenthood into perfect clarity.  In our desire to love and accept our children as they are, we often handicap our children for life.  Somewhere along the line we forgot that love doesn't necessarily mean acceptance.  When we love our children we see them clearly, honestly.  We walk beside them as they struggle to mature and sometimes, oftentimes, we push them past their comfort zone.  We see how their behavior will affect their future and we take the necessary steps to correct their path - even when those steps are painful. 

I have watched my children struggle.  I have been tough on them.  I have drug them past their comfort zones kicking and screaming.  But I have done all of these things because I love them.  I want them to succeed.  I want them to be capable, to be able, to contribute.  I want them to walk through the hard stuff now, when I am able to encourage them and walk beside them, rather than waiting for them to learn their lessons in a cold, uncaring, unforgiving world.

I think we confuse the meaning of the word love.  Love doesn't mean blindly accepting bad behavior, or behavior that will prove detrimental.  Love means disciplining your children when they're naughty, because if you don't, people won't like them.  Love means requiring your children to finish what they started because it will teach them to persevere.  Love means giving your children the gift of consequences, whether for good behavior or bad.  Love means knowing your children,  acknowledging their shortcomings and being willing to do what is necessary to see them through to the other side.

We live in a world that has mistaken love for acceptance.  They are not the same thing.  In fact, acceptance can be on of the most unloving act any parent can commit.  How we love our children truly is a matter of consequence.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Havesting Pearls


There are things in life that irritate me.  Often, they're not huge, earth-shattering situations, rather just small, constant, wearing irritations.  And it's the small, constant, wearing irritations that bring people to their breaking point.

Last week, I was irritated past the point of reason and was on the verge of becoming unreasonable.  I wanted to throw a temper tantrum and make sure that everyone around me  knew of my displeasure.  Instead, I sat there and stewed (getting more irritated by the minute).  While I silently fumed, my fingers brushed the pearls that encircled my neck.  As I fingered the satiny smooth pearls and wondered at their magnificence, I realized that they owed their precious beauty to a tiny, almost imperceptible irritation.

I unclasped the necklace and held the pearls in my hands.  A tiny grain of sand, a parasite or even a sliver of shell had deposited itself in the innermost part of each oyster that had produced these pearls.  Normally, the oyster would have spit the invader out, but for each one of these beautiful pearls, that had proven impossible.  As a result, the sand had rubbed the inside of each oyster and the oysters had responded by coating the sand in a lustrous coating, soothing itself while transforming the irritant.  Month after month, in the unseen darkness of the oyster's secret places, that grain of sand, that constant irritant, produced a glorious gem of untold worth.  What each oyster would have rejected as unwanted - irritating, had, in reality, produced in it something far more valuable than itself.

I am guilty.  I often resent struggles and irritations.  I try to avoid them rather than allow them to change me, to polish me. 

As I gazed at my Great-Grandmother's pearls, I realized that I wanted my life to produce pearls of great worth, even if that meant embracing the irritants that life always seems bring in abundance.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Off-Grid Gear -- Refrigeration


One particularly challenging aspect of being non-electric is the need for refrigeration.  When we first moved into Little Shouse on the Prairie we were completely non-electric.  No. Power. Anywhere.  I had a milk cow, which resulted in fresh cheese and butter and yogurt, and nowhere to keep any of it cool.  The cheese and butter were somewhat forgiving but the milk was not.  If I couldn't cool the milk in a relatively short amount of time, and keep it cool, I ended up with a curdled mass that was only fit for animal use.  Desperate for a solution, Sir Knight and I bought a heavily insulated cooler and filled it with blocks of ice.  Although better than nothing, the cooler was a sad substitute for a real refrigerator.

Within a few weeks of moving in, we had a large propane tank installed and plumbed to the Shouse.  Originally we had intended on using the propane only for our range.  Quickly, however, we realized that we needed another solution for refrigeration. 

Our original propane stove was an enameled Wedgewood from the 1950's.  It was the gem of my kitchen!  At the same yard sale that we had purchased the stove, we stumbled across a 1950's model Servel propane refrigerator.  For a few hundred dollars, we bought the stove and the refrigerator.  My initial thought was that we could use the propane stove only when we really needed it, but we couldn't turn the refrigerator off if we weren't using it, so not wanting to waste propane, we didn't hook up the refrigerator.

More than a few gallons of spoiled milk, blocks of ruined cheese and pounds of rotten meat later, we finally gave in and lit the propane refrigerator.  Oh, it was heavenly!  Although rather small for a refrigerator, the Servel was huge compared to a cooler.  No longer did I have to fish wet packages, bags and bottles from the bottom of a swampy cooler!  Now I could keep gallons of milk ice cold, leftovers fresh and I even had a small freezer for ice cube trays.  Wow!  What a difference a tiny blue flame could make!

Over time, I found that I absolutely loved our propane refrigerator.  It was small, but efficient.  In the whole scope of things, it used relatively little propane and made our lives so much easier.  But, out of all of the reasons to love the Servel, silence was at the top of my list.  Really!  Propane refrigerators are completely silent.  They don't cycle off and on.  The flame just burns silently, steadily, providing continuous, silent refrigeration.  Oh how I loved that little workhorse.

One morning, after using the Servel for about 6 years, I awoke to a warming refrigerator.  Laying on the floor to inspect the burner, I quickly discovered that the flame had gone out.  Sir Knight re-lit our refrigerator and it continued on as before - for about 2 weeks.  Again, a pool of water on the kitchen floor indicated the burner has gone out. Sir Knight surveyed the situation and discovered that the burner had burned out. Calling a propane refrigerator repair center, I was quickly informed that the older model Servel that we owned had been part of a lawsuit (the burners quit working after over 50 years and a number of people had died of carbon monoxide poisoning in their cabins) and there were no replacement parts available.  We were sadly reduced to the cooler once again.

Shortly after our propane refrigerator quit working, we helped a friend move his entire household.  A week later, a pick-up came rumbling up our driveway bearing a gift from the friend that had moved - an older model Sunfrost refrigerator, specially designed for off-grid use.  The Sunfrost was electric, however, it was designed with the alternative energy household in mind.  Our refrigerator was large, with two compressors - one for the freezer and one for the refrigerator.  It was short and wide, making the refrigerator inconvenient, however Sir Knight remedied that problem by building a sturdy box for the refrigerator to sit upon.  Now, not only was the Sunfrost at a convenient height, but the box also provided extra kitchen storage!

I had a love/hate relationship with the Sunfrost refrigerator.  It was huge, but had only three awkward glass shelves in each section.  The shelves were positioned so that it was difficult to fit anything into the refrigerator except into the voluminous middle shelf.  The refrigerator was so deep that I was constantly digging everything out to get to items in the back.  It was nothing short of frustrating.  Along with the poor organizational qualities, we found that our Sunfrost didn't work particularly well.  The refrigerator froze everything that migrated to the back and the freezer refused to freeze anything other than ice cubes.  While researching our refrigeration issues, Sir Knight discovered that Sunfrost tested their refrigerators differently than industry standards for a "regular" refrigerator.  Sunfrost tested their refrigerator efficiency at significantly higher temperatures than their Energy Star counterparts.  What this meant for us was that our refrigerator required much more energy than advertised.  We turned our refrigerator down, trying to keep things cooler, causing the compressors to cycle off and on more frequently and still not achieving the cooling that we desired!  On top of that, the fridge was not frost free.  The entire top and back of the fridge would turn into solid chunks of ice, all while not freezing anything in the freezer!

After eight years of no popsicles, no ice cream and forgotten left-overs, we made the jump.  For my birthday this year, Sir Knight bought me a used, Energy Star Amana refrigerator to replace the cursed Sunfrost.  I was so excited!  My "new" fridge had drawers, shelves and cubbies everywhere.  It was a simple refrigerator with the fridge on top and the freezer on the bottom.  The evening we brought it home, I anxiously waited to see how it would respond to the modified square waves of our off-grid system.  I wasn't sure if the surge (when it came on) would be too much for our inverter, or if it would use a ton more power.  I wanted to have a "real" refrigerator so badly that I was constantly checking the Tri-metric (volt meter) to see if it was going to be viable.

As soon as we plugged the fridge in, it cycled on.  Really, it only used a little bit more power during the surge than our Sunfrost (our Sunfrost surge was about 12 amps and the Amana topped out at 15 amps).  But, the really cool thing was that when the fridge was running it used less electricty (about 6 amps versus the Sunfrost's 8 amps) than our old refrigerator!  Less!  And, as icing on the cake - the Amana Energy Star refrigerator could freeze anything - hard, and it was frost free!

Suffering for eight years with a substandard refrigerator was ridiculous!  We had read one too many solar articles, listened to one too many experts and based our decisions on faulty information.  We couldn't be happier with a plain old Energy Star refrigerator, despite what the "experts" say.

All in all, my favorite fridge was the propane Servel.  It had drawbacks (tiny freezer and small fridge) but I LOVED it's silent operation (and it was pretty cute!).  But, if I had to do it all again, I would definitely choose a plain jane Energy Star refrigerator.  When we had no alternative energy, the Servel was the only way to go, but with solar panels, the Amana is wonderful.  It runs flawlessly, keeps cold things cold and frozen things frozen.  It is convenient, easily organized and just plain awesome.  Sometimes I walk into my kitchen and think "where have you been all my life" (I know, sad isn't it?).

If you are just starting your off-grid adventure and you have a reliable alternative energy system, I would highly encourage you to buy a simple Energy Star refrigerator rather than an expensive "off-grid" fridge.  Although a DC Sunfrost might be worth the investment, we found that our AC model certainly wasn't.  In the worst case scenario, a root cellar would still be the best off-grid cooler, but if you can get your off-grid system set up now, an Energy Star refrigerator is your best bet.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Cultural Paradigm Shift


The equality of men.  That ideal was the hallmark of America.  It was spoken of in hushed tones across Europe and lured men from every corner of the world.  The promise of equality caused men to quit their meager comforts and embark on a journey that could easily cost them their lives.  To be considered an "equal", to own property, to help make laws, to be limited only by their own willingness to work hard - for such a life as this, men were willing to risk everything.  And they did. 

The people that built America came from all backgrounds and walks of life - but the majority had one thing in common - their lot in life.  They had a station and were unable to change it regardless of hard work or circumstances.  The people in positions of power ruled those beneath them, some kindly and some cruelly, but the separation between those in power and those without power was absolute and complete.  The peasant, the regular Joe, was at the mercy of his better.  There was no recourse, no redress.  America promised an evening of the playing field.  Here, you could be whatever you wanted to be - you were ruled by your peers, not your masters.  But it went even further than that.  In America, any man could become a lawmaker.  They could determine the law for their fellow man and then live under the laws they created.  The founders of our country created a government of the people, by the people and for the people.  Just the utterance of the word "America" brought hope to the masses.  The downtrodden sought equality and found it in the arms of America.

Slowly, insidiously, our culture has shifted.  Almost imperceptibly we have allowed ourselves to transfer power from the people to the state.  As we slept, cocooned in our comfort and safety, our self-government has slipped away and been replaced by an unforgiving master - The State.  No longer do we live in a land of equality, but a land of "Them" and "Us".

To illustrate a tiny microcosm of this paradigm shift, read the following excerpt from a local paper:

WSP trooper, pilot caught on tape
(Reported in the Spokesman-Review 10/12/14)

Excerpts from scanner recordings made by Bill Gillam, of Arlington, Washington, on U.S. Highway 2/97 between Cashmere and Wenatcheee, where the speed limit is 60 mph;

Patrol trooper:  "Yeah, it's another officer."
Patrol pilot in airplane: "That's a pretty good one."
Trooper:  "Yeah, I had, uh, 86 on that one."
Pilot:  There's a car doing 73, just pushed traffic out of the way so its got open road again inside a mile to you."
Trooper:  "That 75 ain't ours, Chris, looks like it had a light bar on it."
Pilot:  "Did I miss a memo today?"
Trooper:  "There's a DRE (drug recognition conference) conference in Chelan tody that starts at noon."
Pilot:  "Ahh, OK."
Pilot:  "I got a pair coming but I'm not super optimistic about 'em, if ya know what I mean.  I'll hold off on the speeds until you guys can check them out, just in case.  It's a white SUV, followed by a gray car."
Trooper: "Yes, they're going to the conference."
Pilot:  "All right."
Pilot:  "I don't know if it matter or not but all the ones I'm calling the speeds at have been over 80."
Trooper:  "They will make a little announcement at the conference."
Pilot: "Yeah, that'd be good.  I mean, I understand you don't want to be late but that's a little too much."
Trooper:  "Yeah."
Pilot:  "A motorcycle made an unsafe lane change."
Trooper:  "Seventy-two with an unsafe lane change.  He cut the black car off.  So 78 was the high.  You're not going to believe where the motorcycle's going."
Pilot:  "Let me guess - the DRE conference."
(At end of video)
Pilot:  "Sorry we couldn't get more."
Trooper:  (laughing)  "We got plenty."
Pilot:  "There will just be one more page in the reg manual.:
Wenatchee World

As I said, this is just a tiny illustration.  We have allowed so many usurpations of our rights as free men that it would be impossible to recapture them.  We have allowed a President to remain in office that doesn't agree with the Constitution, therefore he doesn't enforce it.  We have allowed our Representatives to implement a (mandated) health care system that they have exempted themselves from.  We have allowed law enforcement officers to disregard the law for themselves and only impose it on "civilians" (that means you and me).  We have replaced  the equality of a government of the people with a glorified caste system and now we are enjoying all of the accompanying atrocities.

It's time to make the State aware that we, the People are the true and rightful heirs.  This is OUR land - not theirs.  Stand up and be counted.  Our founders made sacrifices for this land, are you willing to do the same?

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Slaves to the King


Reading the daily news headlines, I often wonder "How".  How did Americans become a people I hardly recognize?  How did we become a people willing to sacrifice our rugged independence for the unrealized (and quite frankly, impossible) promise of safety?  How did we become a subservient people, willing to comply with laws that rob of us the very freedom of our souls?  How did our once proud countrymen become willing slaves to a tyrannical "King".  How did these things come to pass?  In one word - Rebellion.  We have reaped what we have sown.  We have obtained the desires of our hearts.  The harvest is now ripe, and more abundant than we could have possibly imagined.

America has chosen to follow a "King" rather than God.  In our desire to conform to the standards set by other nations, we have sacrificed everything that made our country great.  And, had we had the eyes to see and the ears to hear, we would have known what was coming....

And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 
 
And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you:  He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 
 
And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, to instruments of his chariots.
 
And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
 
And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
 
And he will take the tenth of your seed, and  of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
 
And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
 
He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
 
And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
 
Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
 
1 Samuel 8:10-19
 
 
Choose you this day what King you will serve!

Monday, October 13, 2014

Feathering the Nest


As most of you know, one of my great joys is preparing my home for the winter.  I love to pull things together for the winter and make everything cozy.  I dress the garage door with drop cloths and curtains, switch out the tablecloths and prepare the oil lanterns.  In short - I nest.  And here, my friends, is a little peek into the Shouse....

Until next time,

Enola

I use dry erase markers on an old window to write a new proverb every week

Master Hand Grenade and I cut galvanized metal and made a wall in the loft-
I LOVE IT!

We left a portion of the loft open - I hung another antique window
that had the panes painted in chalkboard paint, to add a bit
of privacy upstairs.  In the three panes I wrote
Grace
Hope
Charity

My favorite corner in our bedroom

Dressed for winter



I used an old tank cartridge box to create a centerpiece for the table (it's more red than pink)


Friday, October 10, 2014

A Little Bit of Fall


I can't believe it's October!  Why?  Because our days are warm and sunny and there isn't a hint of that nippy autumn air that I so love.  With such warm days I haven't felt compelled to do much baking but yesterday the girls and I wanted a little something to accompany our afternoon tea.  The pumpkin scone recipe I recently came across looked like it was just the thing, however, it only used 1/2 cup of pumpkin so I scoured my other recipes to see what I could bake with the rest of the pumpkin in the jar.  Oh, did I come up with something wonderful!  Texas pecan cake.  Umm.


If you are hankering for a taste of fall, these recipes will fill the bill.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Scones
2 1/2 C flour
6 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 C butter, cold, cut into chunks
1/2 C pumpkin puree (or other winter squash)
3 T heavy cream (or milk)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Thick Glaze
1 C powdered sugar
2 T milk

Pumpkin Spiced Glaze
1 C powdered sugar
2 T milk
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
pinch cloves
pinch ginger

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

For the Scones:  In a medium bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.  Cut in butter (with a pastry cutter).  Add the pumpkin, cream, egg and vanilla.  Stir just until a soft dough forms.  Knead 4 or 5 times or until the dough comes together well.



Pat the dough until it is about 1 inch thick.  (I pat it in a circle).  Cut wedges in the size of your preference.

Place scones on a baking sheet and bake for 14 to 18 minutes or until done.  Allow to cool on a wire rack.

For the Glaze:  Stir the ingredients for the Thick Glaze together until smooth.  Spread over cooled scones and allow to set for about 10 minutes.  Stir together the ingredients for the spiced glaze and drizzle over cooled and frosted scones. 




Texas Pecan Cake
1 C butter, softened
2 C sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 C butternut squash, pureed (I used pumpkin)
3 tsp. vanilla extract
3 C flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 grated coconut
1/2 pecans, chopped

Glaze
1/4 C butter
1/2 C pecans, chopped
1 C brown sugar
1/4 C cream, plus a glug (about 1 T)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

For the Cake:  Cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs beating well after each addition.  Add the squash (or pumpkin) and mix well.  Stir in the vanilla.  Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and mix well.  Fold in the coconut and pecans.  Spoon into the prepared pan and bake for 50 or 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes then turn out onto a cake platter.



For the Glaze:  Melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the pecans and stir for 1 minute.  Add the brown sugar and cream and bring to a boil.  After glaze comes to a roiling boil stir constantly for 2 minutes.  Take off heat.  Allow to cool then drizzle glaze over cooled cake.

NOTE:  I like this cake best without the glaze!  Just slice in small pieces and butter - out of this world!

Thursday, October 9, 2014

A Case for Mothers


As a mother, my job is always changing.  What my children need from me as infants changes when they are toddlers.  My toddlers needs are different from my little kids needs and my little kids needs are different from my teenagers.  What has surprised me the most are what my adult children need. 

When my children were little my job as mother was all consuming.  They needed me for everything.  I fed them, I taught them and I discipled them.  I read stories to them and prayed with them and tucked them into bed.  I thought they would be little forever and that I would spend the rest of my days wiping noses and drying tears.  Suddenly, they were big. As their world began to expand, I became their touchstone, their sounding board.  Their questions began to get "bigger" and their observations more discerning.  They didn't need my constant physical attention, however they needed much more of my emotional energy.  They needed me to see them and hear them - not what they seemed to be on the outside, but who they really were, on the inside.  They needed me to encourage them and to chastise them.  They needed me to constantly turn their hearts back to the Way.

And now I have grown children.  Maid Elizabeth and I are close - we talk about everything - hopes, dreams, disappointments.  We share our laughter as easily as we share our tears.  Master Hand Grenade, however, has taken me by surprise.  He has taught me so much about  being a mother.  Master Hand Grenade has taught me that young men need a woman in their life.  He seeks me out to talk about life's challenges and disappointments.  He wants my opinion about the qualities to look for in a wife.  He wants to know what I think about the music that he likes and the movies he watches.  Sometimes, he doesn't want my opinion at all - he just wants to talk, to vent, to connect.

And Master Hand Grenade is not alone.  Most of the young men I know, whether the sons of friends or the checkers at the grocery store, want the input, the encouragement of a woman.  A few weeks ago as Miss Serenity and I were checking out at the grocery store, the young checker (he was about 24) began talking.  He told me that this is not were he thought he would be at this point in his life.  He said that he had gone to school and had hoped he would be a mechanic somewhere but he hadn't been able to get a job.  He said he had talked to the manager at the mechanics shop across the road, but he hadn't gotten back to him.  I asked him if he has a resume (which he didn't) and encouraged him to make one.  I told him to visit the shop about once a week and enquire about a job (that would let them know that he was serious).  I told him to make sure that he did the best job he could while working at the grocery store so that his employers could give him the very best recommendation.   That young man spent about 15 minutes talking - about his life, his future, his dreams. 

Miss Serenity was a little put out.  "You are my Mom, not his!"  She stated rather vehemently.  "He can't have you!".  In that moment, I understood Master Hand Grenade a little bit better.  As a young man, he needed feminine input, counsel - just as the checker in the grocery store had.  He needed a mother. I've found that my job doesn't stop when my children are grown - it's just getting started.

As I pondered the relationship between young adult men and their mothers, I thought of King Lemuel and the prophecy of his mother.  When King Lemuel was young (probably about Master Hand Grenade's age) his mother spoke into his life.  She gave of her wisdom to encourage and direct her son.  Mothers, let us continue in our feminine duty and strengthen and encourage all of the men God has given us.

This is how I will instruct my son - as King Lemuel's mother instructed him....

The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and please the cause of the poor and needy.
Who can find a virtuous woman?  for her price is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good:  her candle goeth not out by night.
She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
 
Proverbs 31

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Solar Panels, Outhouses & Canned Meat


September marked the 14th anniversary of our family's move to "Little Shouse on the Prairie".  A lifetime has been lived in these last 14 years. 

When we moved here, I was 31 years old.  Sir Knight and I had three children - Maid Elizabeth, 11, Master Hand Grenade, 4, and Miss Serenity, 1.  Never would I have guessed that by the time I was 45 we would still be living in a shop in the middle of a prairie.  I couldn't have known that our family would swell to 7 and that our children's fondest memories would be of oil lamps, generators, solar panels, outhouses, canned meat and afternoon tea in front of the wood cookstove.

When Sir Knight and I embarked on this great adventure, we had visions of a huge garden, a barn full of stock and a cozy house keeping the prairie winds at bay.  That vision never materialized.  Instead, life happened.  When we weren't looking, Maid Elizabeth grew up.  Master Hand Grenade became a man and Miss Serenity became my right hand and an accomplished young woman. Princess Dragon Snack was a gift that added mirth and joy to our family and Master Calvin brought with him blessings untold.  Our adventure is beautiful - but it is not at all like the vision that I thought was our future.

When we moved into Little Shouse on the Prairie, we became pioneers.  We did everything the hard way.  We had no running water, no electricity and no bathroom facilities.  The first night we spent in the shop was sobering.  We had made our move on a wish and a prayer and now the reality of our lives came into sharp focus.  It was 17 degrees and we had no heat (we hadn't run our stove pipe through the roof yet), no way to cook, a cow to milk and a baby to care for - along with a four year old that had a hard time walking and an eleven year old that wanted to help but wasn't prepared for pioneer life.  I cried - a lot.

After three weeks of feeling sorry for myself, I had a heart to heart talk with God.  He reminded me that His mercies were new every morning and that I came from good pioneer stock.  As long as I kept my eyes on Him, He would give me all of the strength that I needed.  I straightened my back, squared my shoulders and went to work. 

First things first. We came up with a system for household water.  Filling a 7 gallon barrel with water from the neighbor  (I made sure to use the one that Sir Knight had fitted with a spigot), we hefted it on to the industrial racking in my kitchen.  Instantly, with the flip of the spigot, I had running water in my kitchen.  The next order of business was creating a somewhat functional bathroom.  Although we had plumbing in place for a toilet, we had no running water or a septic system.  Our short-term facilities consisted of a camp toilet that used plastic bags for waste, strategically placed behind a few barrels in our shed.  The camp toilet was rickety and the shed did little to lessen the forceful blasts of wind sweeping across the prairie.  I didn't like using the bathroom, so potty training was definitely out of the question!  Surveying our options, I decided on the closest thing to indoor plumbing I could come up with - a real toilet.  Throwing away the camp toilet base and securing the seat (plastic bags and all) to our "real" toilet (currently sitting on our bathroom floor) we had makeshift indoor facilities.  I positioned the toilet behind a screen room divider and suddenly we had at least a modicum of privacy, and non-breezy privacy at that!

Due to the early cold weather, my dad cleared his schedule and came up to help Sir Knight install stove pipe so that we could hook up our wood cookstove to heat our shouse (and our water and our food!).  As winter closed in we drew close, knowing one another as only quiet conversation and complete silence will allow.  While the wind howled outside (shaking our very roof), we sipped hot cocoa and read aloud by oil lamp.  Our kitchen became the center of our home. Heated by the cookstove, it embodied everything a home should be - warm, embracing, welcoming.  In that small room our pioneer family braved our first non-electric winter.  We knew nothing but the gentle hiss of Coleman lanterns, the joyful singing of the tea kettle and the simple pleasures of hearth and home.



In our 14 years on this windy prairie our lives have changed drastically.  We now have electric lights (from our solar panels and battery bank), running water and a washing machine.  We have indoor plumbing, a refrigerator and a propane cookstove.  Although we don't live in a "regular" house, we have all the comforts of home.

Our pioneer life has become less rustic and more modern with each passing year.  Although I still cook on our wood cookstove, use the outhouse regularly and home can most of our food, our children long for the simple life of pioneer living.  Not too long ago, Princess Dragon Snack came up to me and said, "Mom, do you think we can turn all the lights off, light the oil lamps and pretend to be off-grid?".  I grinned and said, "Let me get the hot cocoa".

Our lives have not turned out the way I had expected.  Our adventures have taken us on the road less traveled.  We have made mistakes, we have had bad attitudes and we have almost called it quits.  But we have persevered and learned more than any smooth road could have possibly taught us.   We have learned that real life happens when you're not looking.  That your darkest days are your best memories.  And that "someday" is right now.

The days that we are living now are my children's best memories.  They won't remember what they got for Christmas or how many times they were told to do the dishes, but they will remember oil lamps, generators, solar panels, outhouses, canned meat and afternoon tea in front of the wood cookstove. 

If you are like our family and your reality is different than your dream, don't let your reality slip through your fingers while trying to grasp your dream.  Make your reality beautiful.  These are our "good ol' days".

Friday, October 3, 2014

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

Watch this video.  You'll get angry - keep watching.  You'll think "I knew it!" - keep watching.  Your heart will soften - keep watching.  Watch and witness the transforming power of Christ!  In Him, there is always hope.....

If the video doesn't load, click here.