Smartness

Remember back when you were in school and grades were so important?  Well, maybe they weren't important to you, but they definitely were to the teachers!  With five kids in school we hear about grades quite a bit these days.  Those kids that do get good grades are praised for being so smart but those that don't are badgered and put down for not trying.  

Personally, I think our school system doesn't do a very good job of judging how smart someone is.  I think everyone is smart in some area.  One of our kids can read people very well. He is very intuitive about how people think and why they do what they do.  Another one is very good at finding lost items because he has an eye for detail.  Unfortunately no one ever grades you on those things.  Have you seen this cartoon before?

Isn't that the way it is?  It makes our job as parents a lot tougher because while we know our child is smart, the school tests ask all the wrong questions, so the child who isn't school-smart always feels like they're dumb.  It's kind of sad.

I wish that in about the eighth grade the school would sit down with the parents and child and figure out where the child's talents lie, and then have different career tracks in high school to prepare the child for life.  But since they don't we have to be more proactive in helping our kids realize what area they are smart in and what talents God has given them, so they can figure out what type of work they would enjoy in life.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 

1 Peter 4:10

Tidbits

 

Our harvesting is done and our wheat is planted!  We are thankful to God for giving us a good harvest this year.  He has blessed us in so many ways.  I really enjoy farm life, and one of the reasons is because we live so close to the land.  We are completely dependent on God to send us rain at the right times.

 

I decided to delete my Facebook account.  It was just getting to be too much, if you know what I mean.

 

The trees are getting bare around here, the leaves that are left are mostly just brown now.

 

I am really looking forward to Christmas this year!  I am playing Christmas music already.  For a change I'm going to put my Christmas village under the tree this year.

 

We are going to make a trip out to Colorado to visit family pretty soon, so we are all looking forward to that.  Hopefully the weather will be nice, you never know at this time of year.

 



I was reading some old newspaper articles from our small town from 1918-1920 that I found online.  Our small town now has a population of about 200, but back then they had a revival that lasted several weeks, and they had 1400 people attending each night.  So many of the small towns in our area are looking pretty sad these days.  I wish we could have a revival like that again!

I haven't felt seizurish for a couple months now, thankfully, so the family is starting to let me drive short distances again, yay!

Abiding

Sometimes joy is hard to find.

 

But isn't the Christian life supposed to be full of joy?

I mean, it is one of the fruits of the Spirit after all.

 

 

A few months ago I couldn't find my joy.  Here I've been a Christian for 35 years and I still don't know how to find joy?  But God is slowly teaching me the secret to joy-- it is to simply abide in Him.  Listen to these words of Jesus.

 

Remain in me, and I will remain in you.

No branch can bear fruit by itself;

it must remain in the vine.

Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

John 15:4

 

It's amazing, when God wants me to get something he hits me with it over and over till it finally registers, and that's how I've felt lately.  Abiding in Jesus brings such rest- it's like we just sit in his hands and relax while he does the work.  But it does take total surrender of our will to his.  I feel like I'm on the brink of understanding it all, but I certainly haven't mastered it.

 

"Jesus, I am resting,

Resting in the joy of what Thou art;

I am finding out the greatness

Of Thy loving heart.

 

Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,

And Thy beauty fills my soul,

For by Thy transforming power,

Thou hast made me whole."

~Jean Sophia Pigott~

 

Sometimes I have felt like having joy is all up to me, like I need to just fix my attitude or something.  But I don't have the strength to do that.  Thankfully, I think I have been wrong.  If I am totally surrendered to God, and am letting Him take total control, I won't have to worry, no matter what happens, because God is completely trustworthy.  I just need to be still and let him handle my problems.

 

Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 46:10

Fall is getting here...

On Friday we had a cool front come through, so it was the perfect time to enjoy some hot chai tea outside under the changing trees!  As the cool front was blowing through, the sky was filled with dragonflies and monarch butterflies on their way south for the winter!  It was quite something to see.

Remember the rag quilt I started a couple months ago?  Well, I got it finished so I decided to use it for our tablecloth today.  I was able to clean out my scrap drawers, and since I also had leftover scraps of batting, I was able to make the whole twin size quilt for just the cost of thread. (:

As you can see, apparently Miss E is impressed.

The last of the garden marigolds gave us a little more fall color with our blue transferware.

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.

He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow,

will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.

Psalm 126:5-6

I will be joining Tea Time Tuesday again this week.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake

 

Last week when Miss E and I had our tea party we had Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake.  This is one of our favorite cake recipes so I thought I'd share the recipe with you all.  It also works very well to use this cake in a chocolate trifle, layering crumbled cake, chocolate pudding, cool whip and chocolate chips twice in a trifle bowl. 

 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake

 

1 3/4 c. boiling water

1 c. uncooked oatmeal

2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter

2 large eggs

1 3/4 c. flour

1 t. soda

1/2 t. salt

2 T. cocoa

1 pkg. chocolate chips

 

Pour boiling water over oatmeal and butter.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Add sugar and eggs and mix well.  Add dry ingredients to mixture, using half of chocolate chips.  Spread in greased 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Harvest Time Decorating

 

Even though temperatures are in the 90s all week,

corn harvest is in full swing around here.  So I decided

it was time to do a little harvest decorating.

Come on, and I'll show you around!

 

My mom found me this amazing large Thanksgiving platter

in the Historical America pattern.  I can't wait to serve turkey on it!

 

And speaking of turkey, this glass turkey candy dish looks

great with our red transferware collection, doesn't he?

 

I love how the sun shines in through the punched tin of

my Great Grandma's pie safe in the mornings.

 

I always enjoy decorating our mantel behind the wood stove

for the different seasons.  This year I used the harvest theme,

with the different crops that we raise around here displayed.

 

The milo in the enamel pitcher is from last year,

ours isn't quite ripe yet.  The old canning jars are filled

with wheat and corn.

 

 

Although we do not raise corn, the fields around our house

are all corn this year.  After harvest, our kids like to go out

and find the ears the combine missed!

 

This beautiful fall arrangement was made by my Mom.

She's great at floral arranging!  I found the old sewing

machine drawer at a garage sale when I was in high school,

and it makes a perfect table centerpiece.

Fall is such a cozy time of year!  So burn a harvest scented

candle and enjoy a cup of hot tea and maybe a caramel or two!

 

 

Peacemakers who sow in peace

raise a harvest of righteousness.

James 3:18

 

I am joining Home and Garden Thursday today.

Late Summer Tea

 

It's time for tea again!  If we haven't had tea in awhile,

Miss E will point at the china cupboard and say "tea pahty!"

She's such a sweetie.

 

I made this delicious Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake

for our tea today.  It's even gluten free.  Can't have

too much chocolate, right?  My doctor says dark chocolate

helps when you're stressed.  Bring it on! (:

 

Miss E wanted to use our red transferware for our tea today.

One thing I love about red transferware is that it goes with

everything, whether it's Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter,

or old quilts and garden flowers out in the yard!

 

This is my newest tea cup and saucer, my Mom found it at

a flea market.  The pattern is "Bristol".  I love it!

 

Miss E always makes sure to add an extra large

spoonful of sugar to her tea. (:  She's using our

mini tea cup and saucer, with scenes of Washington D.C.

 

I hope you have a lovely end to your summer,

and enjoy these nice coolish days!

 

I'll be joining Sandi for Tea Time Tuesday again this week.