Laura Story's Song - Blessings

One of my new favorite songs is Laura Story's song - Blessings.  I'm going to post the lyrics and then talk about them!  The song is SO true and Laura's voice is beautiful!

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
* It's not our home *

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?


I can 100% say that all the times in my life that were hard and grueling were the ones that stick out the most when I look at my past.  Yes, they stick out because they were hard.  However, they stick out the most because that is where God grew me and turned me more towards him and away from this world.  The second paragraph says that He loves us way too much to give us lesser things.  Sometimes I think that everyone believes that following God will give them prosperity and all the things they want.  I don't think we (myself included) realize that God's ways are above our ways. Something we might view as difficult or a bad lot in life just might be a blessing.  We can't always see how situations are gonna play out.  We don't trust God with that future whether it is great or not.  I personally didn't trust the Lord for awhile when I found out we were moving from Michigan.  I couldn't see that beyond my selfish desires there might be something God had for me down here.  As I look back over the year I've been down here I can describe NUMEROUS times of God's grace and placement of me where I needed to be.  See, God DOESN'T give us lesser things.  Alot of times the hardship IS the better thing for us whether we see that or not.  What do y'all think?  Have hard times changed you and drawn you closer to Jesus?


p.s. here's the link for the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mmgV6mPvb0
~morgan

To Save A Life

Hey!  Haven't posted in awhile :(   Today I'm going to talk about an issue that's really been on my heart lately.  My family watched a movie the other night and it was extremely poignant to my life right now.  To Save A Life is a great movie just to let you know!  There is a part or two that parents may have to fast forward for younger children.  The story is about a popular, handsome high school athlete and how he handles his best childhood friend committing suicide.  It chronicles his searching and finding Jesus; his dealing with the consequences of his former life.  It displays how he starts to view life differently, and picks up on the ostracizing of certain kids at school.  He changes his attitude and actions as God begins to convict him in areas of his life.  What struck me was at one part in the movie, he leaves a party where everyone has been drinking because he doesn't like himself anymore when he lives like that.  His girlfriend follows him out and is freaking out because she doesn't like how he is changing.  She asks him if this weird behavior is still about his friend committing suicide and then reassures him that it's not his problem and he shouldn't be worrying about it.  Basically, she tells him to get on with life; it isn't his responsibility.  In my opinion it's almost the best part of the movie, because in response to her he says in frustration, "Then who's is it??" Isn't that the truth?? He is convicted because he knew it WAS his responsibility!  God says to love Him first, then others, then ourselves.  Too often, we put ourselves first, then maybe try to put God second, and everything else drags behind like an old bumper.  If we weren't so focused on ourselves, if we weren't too busy with our own problems (I'm not saying you shouldn't be concerned for yourself at all, it's perfectly o.k. to do that, just not in excess!)  maybe we could see the person desperately trying to dry the tears before someone gives him a funny look, or the single mom who is exhausted and could use a friend's thoughtfulness in bringing over dinner, or the child whose hopeful eyes are just looking for someone to love them.  Maybe if we could clear the soundproof room of self away and actually hear the Holy Spirit's proddings on our heart we could help more of our brothers and sisters!  The fact is: everyone has a responsibility to care for everyone else because that's what Jesus would do.  Think about it.  He even felt the woman who touched the edge of His clothing!  He never missed a detail :) We will never be the Perfect Friend He was.  Hopefully though we can strive to have His heart for people and in so doing save some lives.  What do y'all think?  How are ways we can reach out to others?  Do you pray for God to open your eyes to things that others just pass by without a glance?

~morgan

Selling Makky's cards at the Lexington Farmer's Market.

Yesterday was a fun day enjoying our first venture selling at the local farmer's market.  My second daughter Makenzie definitely has the crafting gene and loves to make things.   In the last year and a half she has really been creative with cards and even had a lady wanting to buy some at a yard sale.  That got her thinking and she has been creating many cards in the hopes of either selling them online or at craft shows and farmer's markets.  So, we finally got our act together and tried out the local market here in Lexington.  Not bad for a first time.  She covered her cost of the market and made a few dollars even though there was not much traffic yesterday, I believe, because it was an extremely hot day!  The experience was fun though in spite of the heat and I am excited for her.  Here is some of her handiwork! :D

Maryanne Godboldo ~ A Detroit mom who was punished for protecting her child!

It's sad that I even have to write about this, but I decided to because her story needs told!  A lady from Detroit (right around where we used to live), Maryanne Godboldo, is now in a fight to get her daughter back.  And it's all because Child Protective Services and the Michigan government have told her she is unfit to be a mother.  Honestly, I have to ask - who are they to decide?? Now, I'm not trying to bash CPS or anything.  There are some legitimate cases in which the child needs to be taken from a parent/s.  However, when it comes to a mother's decision to not give her child the potent, mind-altering drug Risperdal which she considers harmful and poisonous - there should be NO interference whatsoever.  She has a right to make that choice! She was looking out for her child not harming her!  The CPS agents need to read the list of side effects for Risperdal which include:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing or swallowing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; unusual hoarseness); abnormal thoughts; confusion; drooling; fainting; fast or irregular heartbeat; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; inability to control urination; increased sweating; new or worsening mental or mood changes (eg, aggression, agitation, depression, severe anxiety); seizures; severe dizziness; stiff or rigid muscles; suicidal thoughts or attempts; symptoms of high blood sugar (eg, increased thirst, hunger, or urination; unusual weakness); tremor; trouble concentrating, speaking, or swallowing; trouble sitting still; trouble walking or standing; uncontrolled muscle movements (eg, arm or leg movements, twitching of the face or tongue, jerking or twisting); unusual bruising; vision changes.


Maybe after seeing the horrors (and this is not the whole list of side effects...I didn't have room to post more!) this drug could cause they would be on the mother's side.  This is the problem - the CPS and Detroit police department are just blinding following orders.  They don't educate themselves on the fact that she's not a threat - just a concerned mother! You can get the whole story at  justice4maryanne.com which has links to news reports and everything.  
Also, if you go to naturalnews.com (a great independent resource on natural health) and type in Maryanne Godboldo in their search engine you will find many good articles on her full story and updates on her trial.  
Here is a interview with her about her situation:
http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=8B81912F9B1AD317AE3DBBD4896C61AA
I for one am going to donate some money for her cause.  Court and legal fees are mounting and she needs help.  Through PayPal on the website justice4maryanne.com anyone can donate to help her.  God calls us to stand up for the people who have injustices happen to them.  This is one of those instances.  

3 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP MARYANNE

1.) Pray!! Lift her up to our Heavenly Father and pray for her daughter's (Ariana) health

2.) Donate to help her fight against CPS to get Ariana back. 

3.) Spread the word to everyone you know and post on Facebook so that people are educated about the rights being taken from parents. 

Goat Cheese Tart! :D

Here is a yummy goat cheese casserole we made a few weeks ago topped with our own fresh basil!  So good!  Being that Morgan and I are gluten free now, we buy our gluten free crust frozen because it is easier.  I would like to play around with a few recipes for my own crust, but just haven't taken the time.  Someday, I hope! :(  Anyway here is the recipe. I got two full pies from this! :D

10 1/2 oz goat cheese (the recipe calls for garlic and herb - but I used plain.)
1 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
1/4 cup basil leaves
salt and pepper to your liking
 2 TB butter
onions (as little or as much as you like)

Cook your onions in the butter for 5 mins and spread evenly over the bottom of your two pie crusts.  Then place goat cheese, cup of cream, eggs and basil (although if your basil is fresh you might want to stir in by hand or you will get a light green goat cheese tart - lol - but still just as tasty) into a food processor until blended well.  Pour into your pie shells and bake a 350 for 30-40 minutes.  Top with some more basil and enjoy!

Joy - the stuff we should have all the time!

Have you ever been friends with someone who is always genuinely joyful?  They always have a smile on their face and a kind word to say.  Even if they are struggling through a difficult time their demeanor is peaceful and sure that they will get through it and be a stronger person from the experience.  I've been thinking about this lately...it's really captured my attention!  It's forced me to look at myself and ask "Am I always joyful?"  I want to be salt and light to this world.  I want to show them the hope of our Savior.  However, if I groan and complain and act like whatever's happening to me shouldn't be happening to me, how am I showing them Christ?  It's so easy to do.  Matthew 7:13 and 14 (NRSV) says "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it.  For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it."  Some days when I would get up for massage therapy school all that would go through my mind is how tired I was and how I didn't want to work later that day.  It was all negative and very ungrateful for the amazing life I have.  I should be thanking the Lord for one more breath on the dawning of a new day!  This is something I want to strive for - to be joyful always even in the hard times.  It is SO easy to be joyful in the good times - so easy to thank God and think he's awesome.  But I believe we all need to thank God in the hard times too and remember his goodness and promises.  Here are some of his amazing promises to encourage you!

~Jeremiah 31:3b-4 ~  I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.  Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel!  Again you shall take your tambourines, and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.

~Ephesians 2:3-5~  All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else.  But God, who is rich in mercy, out of great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved -

~Revelation 1:17-18~  When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.  But he placed his right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living one.  I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and of Hades.

~Revelation 7:15-17~ For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship Him day and night within His temple, and the One who is seated on the throne will shelter them.  They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

When I read these verses they give me such hope!  Hope births joy.  We have an Everlasting Hope so we will never be without the capacity to have joy.  One of my favorite quotes goes like this:  Life is hard and then you die.  It's kind of pessimistic but it's just a fact and plainly stated.  Although, I believe the author missed an important point!  I would have put it like this:  Life is hard and then you die but thank goodness for Jesus who loved us enough to save us from all this crap.  :)  Jesus never said being a follower of Him would be easy.  But I think that without Him it would be more awful than we could imagine.  I am so thankful for God.  I look to Him for my example :
Hebrews 12:2 ~ Looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the JOY that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
In Him is ultimate joy!

~morgan

Toxic Mold

I saw this story recently about a family (The Fabry's) and their journey in dealing with mold in the home.  It made my heart break for the them.  I remember dealing with a very similar situation in our family and while ours did not turn out to be mold (ours were chemicals in the environment  - mainly styrene and formaldehyde). It was very much a struggle and something that was not recognized or even looked at as a real problem.   My hope and prayer is that through families like the Fabry's and my own that people will learn the truth and be able to help themselves.  There are many stories out there just like these and real people dealing with these situations.  I have been able to meet people like the Fabry's that have had to deal with these health problems after exposure to toxic mold. The ladies I met had been shunned by former coworkers and others.  Sadly,  ignorance closes the door on many good people! Fortunately, they were able to find the same doctor we did that was willing to look for the cause of their problems  Through him we were all blessed to be able to get the help we needed.   We will be forever thankful to him for helping us when no one else could or would.  We were told like the Fabry's to take our daughter on to the "head doctor"  because there must be something wrong with her!  It could not possibly be that they did not know enough or have the willingness to learn something new.  It was just Morgan, her fault and her problem!  Out of all the doctors we did see, I can only remember one kind enough to say that he just did not know.  All the others knew exactly what was wrong, wrote a prescription and sent us off.  Problem was when that failed they never helped us from there, so I guess, so much for knowing what it was!?!?  Also, we learned just as the Fabry's have that the insurance does not pay for the things that actually work and the bills are not small.  I know I sound really anti-doctor and I can assure you I am NOT!  There are plenty of good, kind, and helpful physicians out there.  It is just unfortunate that they are in the minority!  I pray this will touch all that need it! :D Check out the Fabry's story below.
Teresa
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscience/2009/December/The-Hidden-Dangers-of-Mold-Exposure/

Fruit Salsa with Brown Rice Tortilla Chips

If you have kids you know you are always looking for something to fill them up as they can go through spurts (long ones sometimes) of endless eating!  And we want to fill them up with something that is good and wholesome and helps them be their healthiest. Enlisting the help of your kids just makes sense. They appreciate their snack more and learn that good food takes a little time and is worth the effort.  This is definitely one of our favorites!  Try it out and I think you will find that it becomes one of your favorites too!

1-1/2 - 2 cups frozen peaches (organic to avoid pesticide exposure)
1-1/2 - 2 cups frozen strawberries (organic too - same as peaches)
5 - 6 kiwis
 4 - 5 granny smith apples (organic -  another high risk for pesticides)
1 whole fresh pineapple
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime

Chop all fruit into small bite size pieces and add together in bowl.  Juice 1 lemon and 1 lime and pour over fruits and mix well.  We let this sit a bit and let the frozen fruit thaw some, but sometimes can't wait and dive in right away.  Remember, if possible get your thin skinned fruits organic.  These are the ones that have the highest amounts of pesticide contamination.  The kiwi and pineapple are on the list for a lower risk of contamination and do not need to be organic.
We like to make brown rice chips to eat with our fruit salsa.  We buy brown rice tortillas and spray or brush them with grape seed, safflower or olive oil then sprinkle with cinnamon and bake in the oven at 350 or 400 degrees for 12 - 15 mins until lightly browned.  Eden organic blue corn chips work well too but not quite as tasty.
Check out the pictures below and see how yummy!

My helpers

Whole Fresh Pineapple

 Baked Brown Rice Tortilla Chips w/cinnamon

 Finished product!

Sunscreen!

We are less than a week away from the official start of summer!  Yay! :)  In the south, we have been experiencing high heat for the last month so sunscreen use started awhile ago.  Since you need to protect your skin at certain times when you are outside, we thought we would provide some information to help you make the best choice possible when it comes to sunscreens.

We always hear how beneficial wearing sunscreen is and how damaging the sun can be.  Doomsday predictions of skin cancer from sun exposure cause consumers to slather on the white stuff.  Is it really all true though?  I mean common sense tells us that if anyone stays out under the sun too long it's not good!  Red, sore, peeling skin is not fun! However,  no sun exposure at all can be extremely problematic too.  At naturalnews.com, a wonderful alternative news source, you can find studies on how vitamin-D deficient the American population is.  Vitamin-D is produced from a chemical reaction that happens when sunlight hits cholesterol packets on your skin.  Too many of us stay indoors and in front of the television.  Go outside, take a walk with your family to get some fresh air and sunlight!  But to get back on track (you can tell we are a.d.d. can't you?) , God didn't screw up by making the sun!  Why do we fault God's creation and think nothing of the man-made product we are using.  Could it be that it is not all sun exposure to blame but the myriad of chemicals in the skincare industry.

Oxybenzone is a common sunscreen additive, synthetic estrogen, and potential hormone disruptor.   High levels of xeno-estrogens (synthetic estrogens) have been linked to cancer.   Other ingredients include nano-particle sized titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.  Nano-particles are EXTREMELY  small particles of substances that are usually created in a lab.  These tiny particles have not been sufficiently studied or observed in the human body.  We don't know if they can affect people at the cellular level.  Nano-particles are known to be harmful to the environment and aquatic life.

Some of the worse sunscreens on store shelves according to EWG.org (a non-profit consumer-adovacy group that works to keep the public educated)  are:

• Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection SPF 55 - the label reads "keep out of reach of children" and "get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away"  Huh??? SO we can put it on our skin (the LARGEST organ of the body that is highly absorbent) BUT we can't ingest it....hmmm...let's think about that one for a moment.....

• Banana Boat Sport Performance Active Max Protect, SPF 110 - this one has a supremely high SPF.  However, having a high SPF only means that you can expose yourself longer without getting burnt.  This doesn't mean that the sun's radiation isn't harming your skin.  You see when your skin goes red out in the sun, it is your body's way of telling you "Enough! time to go in!"  

This is just two of the many!  You can research everything on the EWG.org website.  They are extremely helpful and the site is easy to navigate.  Two other good sources for information on toxic sunscreens, good sunscreens, and vitamin-D are mercola.com and naturalnews.com/naturalnews.tv.  It is well worth the time looking into these ingredients that will affect you and your family's health!  

Now to give you some good news. :)  There are good sunscreens out there and you can support these smaller companies who are making a safer product.  

• Aubrey Organics Sunscreen 
• Badger Brand Sunscreen

We have used Jason's and Burt's Bee too,  although the first 2 brands are higher quality.  Just a reminder to that we should drink lots of water!! Our bodies and our skin NEED water.  What do we see on the beach?  People laying in the sun drinking soda.  That's really not what your body needs especially when you're in the sun!! Soda will dehydrate you completely so drink the H2O.  

Our suggestion from personal experience is to go outside and enjoy the sun for 15-30 minutes at a time.  If you do this, you will build up a tan which is your body's natural sun protection!  Plus, you get your dose of vitamin-D for the day which helps your mood and all other body processes. :)  So, we hope this information helped.  Here's to summer and the beautiful sun!  

Gardening! :D

Getting started

Almost there!

Finished box!

For some reason she thought the soil need some foot mixing

 

Dirty job!

My one raspberry I just couldn't eat and

should have because a bird did!  Didn't

make that mistake again!! lol

Yummy blueberries!

slicing tomatoes that are flowering but not producing  

I think they need more sun (at least I hope that's all)

cherry tomatoes and jalepenos

cucumbers

We love gardening and these are some photos of our newest plantings a few weeks ago.  We have planted cherry tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, jalepenos, and a few more herbs, dill & rosemary.   There is nothing better than working for what you will eat. You really appreciate it more and our kids learn to appreciate fresh food more often.  Helps so much with groceries too, especially the herbs as you only cut what you need. Knowing where it comes from and what it doesn't have sprayed on it is another great benefit!    Now that we are pros (lol) at building garden boxes I will be looking to see what I can grow even though it is late in the season!

Teresa

Massage Therapy

Hey!  I thought this would be a good topic to write a blogpost on since I only have 13 days left in massage therapy school!!! Yes, 8 months of hard work is bringing forth a sense of accomplishment. :)  After classes are done I have to take a board exam to get my license and then job-searching!  It's all so exciting and I'm really glad I chose this path.  I've met some amazing people at school and learned alot about the crazy-cool body God has given us.  I find it interesting that in the gospels, whenever Jesus healed people, He often touched them.  Another human-being's comforting touch can help the body in more ways that I believe we will ever discover through scientific studies.  Though I will admit, it is fascinating to look at what has been discovered as far as the benefits of massage therapy.  Massage therapy:

• promotes lymph circulation
• improves blood circulation 
• increases red and white blood cell count
• improves skin conditions
• decreases pain
• increases dopamine and serotonin levels
• reduces cortisol levels
• reduces stress and anxiety
• relieves muscular tension
• reduces muscle soreness and fatigue
• increases flexibility
• increases mineral retention in bone
• reduces excessive scar formation
• reduces fatigue
• stimulates digestion

and the list goes on!! This is what is great - no drugs or surgery required.  The more the body is able to keep itself in a state of homeostasis the less diseases or problems occur.   So find a local licensed massage therapist to go to!  Even if you can only go once a month your body will thank you :)  Especially if you exercise - this is a great addition to keep your body in tip top shape.

~morgan

Fruit of the season

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/06/03/why-are-nonorganic-watermelons-exploding-in-china.aspx
We are all, no doubt, enjoying the beautiful weather as the official day of summer approaches.  Hopefully it is filled with all of the wonderful fruits out this time of the year!  The information I share today will help us all to make better choices on one particular fruit, the watermelon. Should we be using chemical like forchlorfenuron that does have side effects?  Is using this chemical that stimulates cell division and makes the fruit grow faster a good thing?  Our family loves watermelon as I am sure most do.  So much of the time though we notice, that like so many other fruits,  there is just no flavor and the fruit is bland! I believe this has to do with all the chemicals and depletion in our soil thus ruining all the benefits to be had in God's creation.   The belief that you are just paying more when you go for organic food is not true.   When you do your research you will find that this is not the case. Organic fruits have more antioxidants and minerals than their conventional counterparts and they always taste better! You can avoid these chemical by shopping for organics when possible and even better and much more fun is to shop at your local farmer's market.  It is a great way to avoid many pesticides and support your local farmers.  While they do sometimes use them you will find it is far less and you are able to find out just what it is they use so that you can do some research to decide if it is something that you will be ok with. Produce at farmer's markets do not have to be shipped and retain more of the nutrients that you want.  While watermelons do have a thicker skin so your pesticide exposure is low compared to other fruits like say strawberries and peaches (two of the worst offenders for pesticides)  watermelons are also being given hormones to increase farmer's yields.   So, just be informed and know what risk you are taking with your health!  As the saying goes "You can pay for your health now or you will pay later!"   Read the above article to get some more information of what goes on with our produce!
Hosea 4:6a
Teresa

No God, BIG problems

This blogpost was inspired by the amount of problems I see in our world.  Problems created and exacerbated by ignoring our Heavenly Father's commands and taking control of life in a way we were never meant to.  Whether it is science teaching us it's o.k. to play God, or government cheating the sovereign people and taking kickbacks for themselves, or just in general people's selfishness and lack of respect for others - all of it is caused by one thing...yes one alone!! First I will say that I do NOT know everything! Please don't take this as my arrogant tell-you-what's-wrong end all be all.  It's not.  I think alot of people I know would agree with me.  Here it is:  There is a correlation between a crumbling country and  people turning away from God.  The reason we see crime going up, national debt going up, pollution going up is because America (and the rest of the world) are not digging into and following the truth in God's Word.

 Hosea 4:6 says "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge"  What is knowledge? Proverbs 1:7 says "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."  The respect and honor of God is the beginning of EVERYTHING!! This is where it starts!  He IS knowledge and without him knowledge would be nonexistent.  It's like the verse from Amazing Grace that goes - was blind but now I see!  He makes things clear to us.  There is a verse in the Bible and I just couldn't remember where it's from (if anyone knows please tell me!) that talks about how God makes things of great magnitude be understood by the simple, common person but confounds the person who thinks they know everything.  Searching His Word is where we find truth for every area of life.  I think that in our day in age the Bible has been labeled as a "spiritual" book and it is; but, it's so much more too!  It has precepts and wisdom for everyday life!  Physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual - God's Word has it ALL wrapped up.  We have to be willing to unwrap the beautiful gift and learn everything we possibly can about Him.

Think about the Founding Fathers (I love those guys - they were really amazing men of God - I will reference them alot)  They understood this concept.  The Bible was where they got the idea for the Constitution and a free republic by sovereign people.  God used them in phenomenal ways because of their willingness to be a vessel that God could direct and guide into works for his glory.  A secular history class I took at my college up in MI brought up how our nation is one of the greatest accomplishments in history.  My teacher said that the colonists' ideas about society and government revolutionized history.  He told us to think about it:

A constitution that has lasted over 200 years.
13 little colonies defeating the most powerful country of the world at that time.
Those same 13 colonies becoming a sovereign nation that now is the superpower of the planet.

And its' true.  The Founding Father's were extremely intelligent and very talented but there is no way they could've founded a free nation on that alone.  This is what my teacher missed.  Yes, there's no doubt they did an amazing thing but in their writings they were humble and honest.  They wanted this for His magnification.  They wanted to be able to raise their children and see their children raise their grandchildren in a free and peaceful land.  My teacher also never talked about the motivation behind these men.  Sure, alot of people want freedom of all kinds in the world today but does it necessarily happen.  No not usually, because as soon as the going gets tough people quit... guess they didn't want it as bad as they said they did!! I don't know if any of y'all have watched the HBO documentary series on John Adams ( great films though historically inaccurate because they left out any "Christian" aspects of the Father's lives) but the soldiers who fought the American Revolution didn't exactly live in comfort.  In fact, alot of colonists didn't live in comfort due to British blockades and shortages of supplies.  They didn't give up though.  What if they had??  Just a thought.....but I'm guessing we might not be here today or if we were it would be under different circumstances.  The courageousness of those people inspires me as it should everyone!! Thank goodness they obeyed God and sacrificed their lives, comfort, and stability so that we can have freedom even to this day.

Speaking of which, Memorial Day is tomorrow!! Like my pastor said this morning, too often people totally forget what this day means in lieu of going to the beach and starting their summer.  Please remember our fallen men and women who have given their lives so that America can remain free and safe.  I am so thankful for what they did!  Keep their families in your prayers. :)  Alright,  coming blogposts will show some more pictures!  Dad and Brady built a fire pit our backyard in the clearing in our woods :)  It looks awesome!! They also built Mom and I a raised garden box.  Mom planted lettuce and tomatoes and other stuff.  She's begging them to build 2 more! *laughing* Tomorrow, we are going to the Riverbanks Zoo here in Columbia.  I am really excited to see the penguins - one of my favorite animals.  We will be sure to take lots of pictures!

~Morgan

Starting From Scratch - Apples n' Oats

 

One of my kids favorite things to make and it is sooo yummy! :

They loved making this video for our blog! Look for more videos to come in the future!

Tomato Basil Soup

This is a great soup to warm you from the inside out! :D  Unfortunately, here in South Carolina, our soup days have been gone for a bit.  We have been in the 80's for quite some time now and soup is the last thing on your mind.  For today and yesterday though the weather has been cooperating (only being in the mid 60's and mid 70's) with my desire to have some tomato basil.  So today Parker and I enjoyed making our dinner.  I made the tomato basil and small salad.  Parker decided she would make us a gluten free biscuit to go along with the meal.  Tomato basil is a simple, but very tastey soup.  Here is the recipe:

Tomato Basil Soup
1 stick butter

1 medium size onion (diced small)

5 - 6 cloves garlic crushed (more or less to taste)

1/4 cup honey

5 - 28 oz cans of diced tomatos (preferably organic)

5-6 tsp dried basil
16 oz organic sour cream
pepper to taste

Saute onions and garlic in butter for a few minutes until translucent but not brown. Stir in honey.
Add cans of tomatos and heat through.  Next add the basil, pepper and sour cream.  We then use one of the hand blenders for the soup.  We used to do this job in a regular blender, but the hand blender gives it a chunkier consistency that we love!

For our biscuits we used:
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour (some white rice can be used)
2 cups arrowroot flour
1/2 cups sorghum flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsps guar gum (or xanthan gum)
1 stick of butter (shredded into flour)
1 1/4 cups of milk (can use almond milk)
1 1/4 cups of water
1 egg (can use an egg replacer)
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Mix all dry ingredients, then grate butter into flours.  Add liquid (water, milk, eggs and vinegar) slowly beating well into a smooth batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden.   

Side salad completed the meal with a
Honey poppy seed dressing which calls for:

1 cup olive oil
3Tbsps dijon mustard
2 Tbsps Braggs Liquid Aminos, tamari, or organic soy sauce
2 Tbsps honey
2 Tbsps lemon juice
1 Tbsp thyme
1 1/2 Tbsps poppyseeds

Tomato Basil

Side salad with almonds, cucumbers, cherry tomatos, raw pepper colby cheese topped with a honey poppyseed dressing! :D

Enjoy! 

Gluten-free Corn Casserole

Recipe:

This recipe makes a 9x9 pan so we doubled it for our family of 6 and used a 9x13 pan.

1 can organic corn

1 can organic creamed corn (can make this by gently blending 1 can of organic corn if you can't find creamed corn) 

1/2 cup water

2 organic eggs

1 cup organic sourcream

1 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder

1/2 cup organic cornmeal (you can find this pretty inexpensively in you health food store's bulk section)

3/4 cup organic corn flour

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

1/3 cup xylitol or organic sugar

1/2 cup grated cheese (any kind- we used raw milk cheddar!)

Mix together the first 5 ingredients.  Fold in the rest and pour into a well-greased (we used butter) 9x13 pan.  You can add some cornmeal to the greased pan before you pour in the batter to ensure no sticking.  Top with the cheese! Bake at 350 degrees for 35- 50 mins.  Ours took closer to 50 mins. to be fully done.  Something we have learned cooking gluten-free is that recipes sometimes take a bit longer to cook; but, it's WELL worth the wait!  Hope y'all enjoy :)

Before baking

Our side salad

After baking! So yummy!

An Introduction to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Hey everyone! Our next blogpost is gonna be a recipe for gluten-free corn casserole.  We will also include pics of how ours turned out!   Our family had a hankering for an old favorite; so we adapted it and the results were great! For those of you who don't know us that well yet, we try not to do a lot of corn unless it is fresh or frozen organic corn because around 90% of our conventional corn is a GMO.  If you are asking what are GMOs?  Well, we will be glad to let you know! Genetically Modified Organisms are when one species gene  is inserted into another species DNA  in a laboratory to create  new combinations of plants, animals and other organisms.  These organisms now can be equipped with genes that they could never acquire naturally. This supposedly gives them an advantage in growth, production and survivability. 

The problem lies in the fact that these GMOs have not been significantly tested to see the effects on people and our environment.  Testing that has been done has largely been performed by the bio-tech industry themselves (the ones who stand to profit from large scale acceptance by the agricultural community).  Common sense would say that this alone is a conflict of interest!   This is just one of many problems that became apparent to Jeffery Smith, executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, and a leader in education regarding the dangers of GMOs.   

A few of the studies he cites in his books Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette, show that: 

1.  Rats fed Monsanto Bt corn for 90 days showed significant 

changes in their blood cells, livers, and kidneys.

2.  After rats were fed GM FlavrSav  tomatoes for 28 days, 7 of  20  got bleeding stomachs and several died.

Some crops that are largely GMO are:

1. Soy

2. Corn

3. Cotton

4. Canola

A way to avoid GMO products is to eat  a diet as fresh as possible.  Avoid prepackaged, processed foods, as 80 % of processed foods contain GMOs.  Unless a company states that they do not contain GMOs you can rested assured they most likely do.   Eat organic and local foods,  check out the local farmer's market and see what great natural foods you can get!!  Also, become a label reader!  It is amazing just how many kids products are corn or contain corn syrup (corn syrup we will discuss in the future). When eating out or elsewhere, try to choose a dish that doesn't contain corn and ask about the dressings and whether they contain soybean and/or canola oil.  Some great websites to check out for more information are: 

www.responsibletechnology.org

www.nongmoproject.org

www.gmwatch.org 

Educate your friends and family on GMOs!  We believe people want a choice and that the more they learn about the problems with GMOs  and the corporate greed that is driving their mainstream acceptance, the more people we will have standing up and demanding that GMOs be labeled so that consumers have a choice.  

It always amazes us how God's Word has been so relevant across the ages and into the present day.  It just shows the awesomeness of Our God.   In Genesis 1:11-12 it says: 

“And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”

When God says something is good - you know that it's just fine the way it is.  We believe that even though humankind fell and sin came into the world, God's food is still the healthiest and nothing man invents in a lab will change that!!  This verse makes it clear that seeds of one kind are supposed to reproduce after THEIR kind.  Genetic information is supposed to stay within the species it was designed for.  This is God's plan and humans are messing it up by trying to play God.  

Can you improve upon what God has already perfected in his creation?  

Responsibility

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" ~Hosea 4:6a
 There are so many aspects of life that this verse pertains to!  One area where we, God's people, lack understanding is in the taking care of the temple that He has given us.  There is alot of confusion out there about what a healthy lifestyle is.  We believe a healthy lifestyle means eating the foods God put on this earth and avoiding the ones man makes!  Health is a responsibility that many Americans have taken far too lightly.  Our country has an epidemic of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases - you name it; we have it!  Many of these diseases (if not all) have a link to our diets.   We are constantly amazed by the gift of medicine God gave us through food and how it heals many problems! In our upcoming posts we hope to provide information to make healthy eating fun, family-friendly, and tasty.  As we grow and learn, we will share our trials and triumphs with you! :)