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The Hard Thank You's

2012-02-01T21:49:00.000+02:00

At the end of 2011 I longed to name the year 2012, Eucharisteo - a year of deliberately giving thanks to the Lord. Little did I know, God wants to unveil to me one of His character traits I didn’t quite understand and He sparked in me the desire to give thanks, not just a mere ‘new year’s resolution’.

It is Satan’s ultimate goal to make me believe God is not good. Since the time of Eve in the Garden it was his gaol to deceive us humans. From as early as my childhood he would make me doubt God’s love, through the lie of focusing on feelings of rejection, disappointment, failure, periods of fear and anxiety. In the process these feelings weakened my trust in my Loving Father, to work all things for my good.

I recently started reading Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts. I was not at all expecting God to address my lack of trust. God at first only introduced to me the habit of giving thanks. After reading the first chapter or two, I didn’t read for a few weeks, and just tried to establish the habit of giving thanks on an ongoing basis. Making giving thanks a habit is not just ‘slapping a sloppy brush of thanksgiving over everything in my life. That leaves me deeply thankful for very few things in my life’ (Ann Voskamp). A habit of thanksgiving includes to name the things I’m thankful for. I really struggled to make it a habit. I first had to recognize my habit of complaining, discontentment, feeling empty, asking for more. After identifying this bad habit, I deeply desired to change. But, I couldn’t merely decide to stop the bad habit and start the new thanksgiving habit. I had to drive out the bad habit, and in the same time fill the empty space with the new habit. This was a challenge, but I believed, I could. It is fairly easy to give thanks when life is running relatively smooth. A few up and downs here and there, some things not quite as you planned, but still there are so much to be thankful for.

While I was working on my habit of giving thanks , I made progress in reading more in One Thousand Gifts. To my surprise I discovered giving thanks in everything, feeds trust. Count blessings and discover Who can be counted on… (Ann Voskamp). What an interesting, new idea! The more I read and succeed in the new habit of giving thanks, the more it fed my trust in God.

I was even more convinced by reading Phil 4:6, with ‘new eyes’. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” Giving thanks, trusting God and make your requests known to God all in the same sentences.

But what about giving thanks in a world of certain loss? Those times when it feels like life itself is giving away underneath us. Times when dreams are crushed down, when we have no control. When pain, disappointment, uncertainty and fear is everywhere. Trusting God’s goodness, having faith, thanking God during these times is a tough call! In my perception a person would need a very special gift to even consider giving thanks. But every time when Jesus performed a miracle He first gave thanks. Most of all He gave thanks hours before He gave His life as a ransom for us, performing the miracle of winning back eternal life for sinful human beings. And I’m back where I was when I named the year 2012 Eucharisteo - longing for more miracles in my life, giving thanks in everything, including the impossible - giving thanks in difficult situations.

Most of all I was thankful that I wasn’t in a particular challenging season in my life. Life was good.

But life can change in the blink of an eye...

Two weeks ago I experienced symptoms/signs that reminded me of my miscarriage in March last year. Life caved in on me - not again! Please Lord, not again, I cannot do this! By Wednesday noon I was laying, waiting for an ultrasound scan... and the monitor was silent... no heartbeat for my tiny, tiny baby. Baby was developed to about 8 weeks, although I was 11 weeks pregnant.

In the next 24 hours, fear was creeping in on me, it was all over me. Fear for living life! Fear for the unknown of the next few days. Fear for my own health. Fear of not being able to stay strong for my children. Fear for losing the joy of my family. Fear for my oldest daughter who was devastated by the news. Fear for how this news will influence my dear husband who was already carrying a heavy load. Fear for what this year of 2012 has still in store for me.

Doubt of God’s goodness was a natural reaction. But due to the habit that was now almost established in my daily life, I was desperately looking for thank you’s, thank you’s that would precede the miracle. And the miracle did follow! I experienced my God as I never have before. God was everywhere. Never before did I see His fingerprints over my daily life as during that week. I couldn’t help but give thanks for how He was guiding me through heart breaking pain.

I was giving thanks in the heart breaking situation. Writing them down, one painful memory after the other - giving thanks. These Thank You’s are so personal, but I have to write them here, declaring victory over the Enemy of my soul, reminding me: God is good, all the time.

#37 Thankful for running into our trusted doctor friend on Monday night, as Christo and I walked to the car after our date night. On Wednesday he would write my ‘referring letter for the ultrasound

#38 Thankful for a dear friend who delivered a message from God, of love, grace and encouragement the morning my dream was crashed down, without her knowing what was happening in my live

#39 Thankful for the network of Godly women who is currently intimately walking with me the Hello Mornings challenge. So much love, encouragement, prayer for us as a family.

#40 Thankful for the friendly personnel at the Radiologist’s, who fit me into their very busy schedule, even before my Dr’s letter came through the fax machine

#41 Thankful for a sonar picture of my baby

#42 Thankful for my understanding, caring, loving husband who stays strong for me, while he carries his own share of problems, worries and his own dreams for this baby crashed down, constantly pointing me back to my faith in the Lord

#43 Thankful for my strong oldest son with the gentle spirit who took me to the ultrasound, held my hand all the way and showered me with love and care in a very dark hour

#44 Thankful for what ever the Lord is teaching my dearest oldest daughter in the safety of her parents home, through her deepest pain and disappointment in losing another sibling

#45 Thankful for people smiling on me in the supermarket a few days later, while shopping with my five little ones, calling me blessed, delivering me a personal love letter from God, reminding me I am blessed

#46 Thankful for the song God put in my heart minutes before we left for the sonar:

“Be strong and take courage

Do not fear or be dismayed

For the Lord will go before you

And His light will show the way

Be strong and take courage

Do not fear or be dismayed

For the one who lives within you

Will be strong in you today”

#47 Thankful for the same song the next morning, while I was crying my heart out before the Lord:

Why don' you give him all of your fears

Why don't you let him wipe all of your tears

He knows, He's been through pain before

And He knows all that you've been looking for

So,…

#48 Thankful for the most beautiful bouquet of flowers delivered by a dear, dear friend, reminding me of the beauty all around me

#49 Thankful for the most beautiful pictures I’ve taken of my tummy

#50 Thankful for the pictures dear Heidi-Mary took of the little ones gathered around my growing tummy, already loving and caring for their little baby brother or sister

#51 Thankful for all my children who are around me, every day of my life, but especially during these days, to comfort me, love me, remind me of the purpose of my life.

#52 Thankful for this season of bearing and raising children

#53 Thankful for the privilege to be part of giving life to another Eternal Human Being who is right now praising and glorifying our Lord in Heaven, alongside his/her 4 siblings

#54 Thankful for the hope of having eternity with these 5 precious children

#55 Thankful for God’s timing of my miscarriage, early morning, while Christo was still at home, to help me

#56 Thankful that I didn’t need to go into hospital.

And as I was giving thanks, I could breathe again, fear was pushing away from me, further and further away. Replaced by faith and trust in my loving Father. Peace and true thankfulness was all over me. I could get out of bed, not afraid of what the day will hold. I am not alone - God is all around me, knowing my pain even before I know, going before me, carrying me, holding me, caring for me, loving me with His deepest love.

Often we will only be able to see through our pain when we look back, in the rearview mirror, after driving long, long distances. Maybe sometimes about as far as heaven - and therefore I can only keep giving thanks, stop questioning my Father’s love. And in giving thanks, I feed trust. Trust that God’s love, God grace will never ends.

Much love

Linnie

He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

So we may boldly say:

"The Lord is my helper;

I will not fear.

Hebr. 13:5-6

This post is linked with:

Raising Homemakers

Women Living Well Wednesday

Encourage One Another

Two Tone Berry Smoothie

2012-01-29T17:57:00.000+02:00

It has been a long time since I last did a posting, but I am back.

Over at Heidi-Mari's blog the first Fortnightly Baking Fun Challenge for 2012 is Smoothies and Cold Drinks! Since it is really hot in South Africa this time of the year, she got the most amazing entries!

We also made a few refreshing smoothies and I would like to enter our Two Tone Berry Smoothie.

125g Blueberries

125g Raspberries

¾ cup x 2 Bulgarian yoghurt

50ml x 2 honey

Place the blueberries into a blender and pulse until smooth.

Add ¾ cup yoghurt and 50ml honey, blend together. Put aside.

Place the raspberries into the blender and pulse until smooth.

Add ¾ cup yoghurt and 50ml honey, blend together.

Holding the glass at a 45 degree angle, pour the blueberry mix into half of the glass.

Now, keep the glass at the same angle, so that the blueberry mix stays on the one side. Insert a spatula into the glass and pour the raspberry mix onto the spatula, filling the other half of the glass, and hereby keeping the mixes separate.

Gently remove the spatula.

Bon Appetite!

Linnie

EXPECTations!

2012-01-10T21:57:00.000+02:00

It is a new year, and as usual I’m a little overwhelmed by what is expected of me as Wife and Mother. Our family is in the middle of watching a teaching by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson (our #1 Teacher and Mentor) on the Testing of Your Faith. This week’s teaching was on How to Pass the Test of Faith. You will never pass a test of faith only on determination! At one stage your knees will buckle and you will just be so tired and overwhelmed, the giants so big, the Enemy of your Soul will ensnare you with his lies and you will loose faith.

Being the Helpmeet to my Husband God intends me to be, and full time Mother to my precious children, is a constant test of faith. The job at hand is gigantic, more than what I will ever be able to accomplish by myself, even with determination, organizing and self discipline.

I need FAITH! And I can only step out in faith today by looking at the past and what God has done for me, and claiming God’s promises for me in the future.

Oh, God has proven Himself faithful over and over in the past. Over the past 12 years (that is only the time I’m homeschooling) there were many, many crazy years. Never, not once, did He not keep me from drowning or did He not make a way in the dessert. I need to remember and set my one foot solidly on those memories.

The next is claiming God’s promises for me, my family, the Saints. When I know what He is planning for me, when my other foot is solidly placed on the hope set before me, I will not stumble. Only then will I be able to face the giants set before me for 2012, and still rejoice and celebrate life with my family! Seizing the time and seeing God’s love and faithfulness in the little things.

I just want to share one such a recent Testing of my Faith with you.

As many of you know, in January 2011 we discovered I was pregnant with Baby #9 and we were overjoyed. The whole family was looking forward in anticipation to the new addition to our family. Sadly, at 12 weeks we couldn’t find a heartbeat and three days later I naturally miscarried our tiny baby. This was our 4th miscarriage, but the first after 7 healthy pregnancies and naturally delivered children and such an unexpected shock to our family. It took me months to emotionally recover from the loss and I still mourn the loss of my baby in this world, but do know I can look forward to spend eternity to get to know my child I haven’t known on earth.

As the months passed after my miscarriage and I didn’t fall pregnant again, I had to work through the realization that I’m probably entering a new season with my biological clock and would not hold another tiny baby of my own in my arms ever again. That was another loss in itself, I had to work through. Needless to say I spent hours of questioning and crying out to the Lord in 2011. Many dear friends gave birth exactly the same time I was due, and that didn’t make it easier. But the Lord had to work a good work in me, and it was all to my growth and maturity, though not the easy road.

By the 3rd of October, the day after my due date, I was hopelessly in pain, when I realized I wasn’t pregnant before Baby was due. With my previous three miscarriage I was always pregnant before my babies’ due dates.

It was a Monday morning and we were in the early stages for our Testing of your Faith Teaching. Christo and I did Testing of your Faith thirteen years ago for the first time, in a very challenging season of our life, and it had a huge impact then.

As I was listening to the teaching on that early morning in October, I realized that I was in a huge test of faith. For the following month I desperately leaned on the Lord, remembering His faithfulness in the past. (Please note, this is not how I would write the history of my life.) And claiming His promises to me, again not necessarily the happy ending of another baby, just the promises that He will never leave me, nor forsake me, never give me more than I can handle, working everything for good. Gradually I could feel my faith be strengthened through His faithfulness and His promises and by middle September I could hold a dear friends’ new born baby and know it is well with my soul.

I will always long for my tiny baby, but I could move on, trusting my loving Father that He works everything for good.

Then by the first week of December there were two pink lines on a pregnancy test… Yes, I’m pregnant again, now 10 weeks and rejoicing, trusting, leaning heavily on the faithfulness of my loving Father! Do my faith want to run out some days? Yes, with a little help of the Enemy of our souls and my human hormonal vulnerability, I’m bound to loose faith every now and then. BUT God instructed us not to live by feelings, but by Faith!

By having one hand on God’s faithfulness in the past and the other hand on His promises to me for the future, He guarantees I will stand solidly in the here and now - Passing the Test of Faith!

Will you please pray with me for the life of this tiny baby. That God will protect him/her in the secret place, weave him/her together in perfection and in due time send him/her forth to be born, to grow up and change the world for God’s Glory.

It is my prayer that you will look back in your past, remember God’s Faithfulness, then reach into God’s Word for His promises, claim them and step out in faith, conquering all the giants that might come your way in 2012, without fear!!

With much love

Linnie

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear,

but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

2 Tim. 1:7

This post is linked with:

Raising Homemakers

Women Living Well Wednesday

Encourage One Another

The Year of Eucharisteo!

2011-12-31T14:46:00.000+02:00

A year ago I’ve given the year 2011 a name… The Year of Rebuilding Relationships. Three hundred and sixty five days later I’m looking back. Did I accomplish my goal for the year? I’m not quite sure. There is still so much more to discover, improve, rebuild in my family relationships. But that is life, isn’t it? Always more.

I try to think what this year would have been like if I didn’t name the year. If my goal wasn’t to rebuild relationships. If I wasn’t crying out to the Lord to restore my relationship with Him, what He indeed did through the Fall Hello Mornings Challenge. Throughout the year the name was before me. Every time I was tempted to blow it all, the Lord gently reminded me of my goal and I could press forward.

As I look back I saw the changes, the softer hearts, the compassion, the growth. God bestowed grace upon me, and did amazing miracles.

And I’m longing for more grace, more favour, more miracles.

Abundance of miracles, in an abundance of grace...

Isn’t my God a God of grace who delights in miracles?

How can I experience more of His grace, more miracles, more of His joy?

Joy, as a fruit of the Spirit, is one of my biggest challenges. I remember studying Joy in Psalm 16. Struggling to understand the true meaning of joy.

I’m by nature a fun girl, someone who can laugh easily, seek joyful moments.

But:

Seeking the Lord’s pleasures apart from my pleasures and still be joyful and at rest?

Allowing the Lord’s joy to guide me through night seasons?

Being joyful in all things - quite a challenge.

How do I find this joy of the Lord?

How do I wake up to joy and grace, miracles and beauty;

all that is the fullest life?

How do I exchange a life lived in emptiness, for a life lived to the full?

I desperately need the code to the heavenly vault of joy and miracles.

And then I read it in Ann Voskamp’s book. It’s all there in Jesus’ example.

What did Jesus count as all most important, hours before His death and the miracle that would follow?

“And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Luk 22:19

“He gave thanks”

And I quote from the book:

“In the original language, “he gave thanks” reads “eucharisteo.”

The root word of eucharisteo is charis, meaning “grace.”

Jesus took the bread and saw it as grace and gave thanks. He took the bread and knew it to be a gift and gave thanks.

But there is more…

Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis.

But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning “joy.”

Charis. Grace

Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving

Chara. Joy

And the result? The miracle. The miracle of Jesus enduring the cross for the joy set before Him.

Is it possible that Eucharisteo - thanksgiving - always precedes the miracle?

Could this be? The code to the heavenly vault of joy and miracles, could it be Eucharisteo?

But this is a hard word? Can I really do this?

And then I realized this is the Name for the year 2012. This will be my goal.

Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving

In the year to come I want to practice this “Greek word with the hard meaning and the harder meaning to live - this is the only way from empty to full.”

From an empty life, trying in myself for a fuller life; to a life overflowing with grace, joy and miracles, through thanksgiving.

In 2012 I will embark on a journey of naming the gifts of God bestow on me in everyday life. Throughout the Bible, to name a thing, is to bless God for it and in it. (Alexander Schmemann)

In 2012 I want to cling to God’s Goodness, through thanksgiving;

Experience the grace and joy of the fullest life;

Wait in anticipation on the miracles that will follow.

“For of all the things our minds can think about God, it is thinking upon his goodness that pleases him most and brings the most profit to our soul.” (Julian of Norwich, quoted in Richard Foster)

It is my prayer that you all may enter 2012 with great expectation in the love, grace and truth of the Lord!

With much love

Linnie

What would you name your Year? You’re welcome to share in the comments below.

Read more about Name the Year here and here

Happy Birthday King Jesus!

2011-12-27T13:15:00.001+02:00

Birthdays are big with us. Currently we have 10 birthdays a year in our home, and some months up to three birthdays, which make it very exciting celebrating months!

Thus the days preceding Christmas day, the birthday of the King of kings, I was desperately seeking the Lord for fresh ways to share with our family the true meaning of Christmas. A way to celebrate the Birthday of all birthdays and familiarize it to our children. I longed to separate Christmas from everything common and commercial and make it a special God honoring event!

God is faithful! A few days before Christmas Ann Voskamp shared 10 Ways To Celebrate Christmas Morning. As I opened the posting, I could feel the anticipation, the knowing something special was going to happen. Rightly so - the first way just naturally fit into our birthday tradition. A Birthday cake for the King - with a twist - for breakfast!

Christmas day in our home is very, very relaxed.

We visit with family on Christmas Eve, but on Christmas day, we are just together as a family, enjoying each others company, getting little ones back in their familiar routine, after sugar spikes and a few very busy days. But I often felt we are so relaxed and relieved after all the Christmas celebration, we missed out on sharing the true meaning of Christmas. A birthday breakfast feast would be the perfect way to create a special atmosphere, honoring the King of kings and spark conversations with the children around the true meaning of Christmas!

Heidi-Mari and I immediately started to plan our special Birthday Breakfast Feast for the King of Kings. The whole festive season we wanted to bake a Panettone, an Italian Christmas cake and a favourite of Christo. We already had the ingredients, but just couldn’t find the time to bake it. So we decided on a Panettone for the birthday cake.

The breakfast feast, with the birthday cake would be completed with a very special Mango and Pineapple smoothy,

wheat free muesli, with organic Bulgarian yoghurt, flavoured with fresh fruit and honey, french toast, espresso and forest berry tea.

Heidi-Mari made a new overlay for our table cloth, and I had the most beautiful flowers, Christo treated me with at the Cape Flower Market a few days before Christmas.

The cake, colourful decorated with cream cheese frosting and fresh berries, and our self painted nativity scene would be the center piece on the table.

We laid the table with our best cutlery, after our guests left on Christmas Eve and went to bed exhausted, but with great anticipation!

On Christmas morning little children woke us up in great excitement, it was time to open the presents. They enjoyed every moment of it and while they played with their new cars, Heidi-Mari, CJ and I did the final preparations for our breakfast feast!

What a blessed morning we had around the breakfast birthday feast! The birthday cake and nativity scene wasn’t only the center piece of the table, it was the center of conversation. Never before did we experience a Christmas morning so filled with the grace and love of God, sharing the true meaning of Christmas on a level each one of our family could relate to and understood.

The rest of the day was filled with peace and relaxed conversations.

This is only the beginning of a tradition of a breakfast birthday feast on Christmas Morning! I can’t wait to see what the Lord is going to add to this, over the following years, as we seek to bring Him honor on Christmas Day!

I would like to share with you our special birthday cake recipe and enter it in Heidi-Mari’s Fortnightly Baking Fun Challenge.

The theme for this fortnight was Colour and our special birthday cake not only looked colourful, but also filled our day with special God honoring colour!

Panettone is a traditional Italian bread usually served at Christmas time. It gets much of its flavor from butter. It also get flavor from the candied fruits it contains.

Makes 1 Panettone

Ingredients:

2 ⅓ cups all purpose flour or 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons spelt flour

¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons milk, barely warmed

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 egg

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup cold butter, sliced

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

¼ cup diced dried apricots, steeped in just enough water to cover

¼ cup dark raisins, steeped in just enough water to cover

¼ cup golden raisins, steeped in just enough water to cover

¼ cup diced candied orange peel (see recipe below)

Candying Orange Peel

Lightly candied orange peel makes a delightful and intense flavoring for dessert soufflés, biscotti, panettone, and cakes.

To make 1 cup:

Peel 3 oranges in rough strips. You’re not zesting the oranges, but taking off the whole peel, including the pith, all the way down to the flesh of the orange.
Put the peels in a saucepan with enough water to cover and bring to a boil.
Boil for 10 minutes, drain off the water, add fresh water to cover and boil for 10 minutes more. Drain off the water.
Add 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups water to the saucepan.
Bring to a slow simmer over low heat and simmer very gently for 40 minutes.
If the syrup evaporates too much and you notice that the liquid is very thick and syrupy, add ¼ cup water and continue simmering over very low heat.
The peel is done when the white pith is translucent and waxy looking. If you’re unsure, bite into a piece - it should be sweet and not bitter.
Let the peel cool in the syrup.
Pour peel and syrup into a clean jar, making sure all the peel is covered with syrup.
You can use immediately or store for months on a kitchen shelf. (We candied ours last year and stored it in the fridge.)

Method for Panettone:

Combine the flour, warm milk and sugar in a bowl.
Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and let soften for 3 minutes.
Add the egg and mix for another 3 minutes.
Add the salt, mix and cover with an upturned bowl or plastic wrap, and let rest for 20 minutes.
Add the butter and the orange zest.
Knead the dough by hand for about 7 minutes or with a standup mixer fitted with the dough hook on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until all the butter has been absorbed and the dough is smooth and shiny and you can pull it up into a translucent sheet or ‘window’ (the windowpane test).

Turn the mixer to high speed if needed to get the dough to slap against the sides of the bowl.
Drain the dried fruits (very important) and mix them and the orange rind into the dough.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap pressed against the surface fo the dough.
Let rise at room temperature for about 3 hours, or for about 1 hour and then overnight in the refrigerator (what I did) until it increases in volume about 50 percent.
Press down the dough, shape it into a ball, and push in any protruding fruit to prevent it from burning.
Place the dough in a paper ring so it will hold its shape. You can buy traditional paper holders or improvise one with some brown paper and scotch tape - like I did.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap touching the surface and let rise for about 2 hours at room temperature, or until doubled in volume.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F or 190 degrees C.
Bake for about 1 hour, or until golden brown on top and 185 degrees F or 85 degrees C in the center.
If the top starts to brown to much before the panettone is done, cover it with aluminum foil.
Let cool on racks.

Frosting:

250g cream cheese (plain and smooth)

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for about 10 minutes or until smooth.

Spread the panettone with the frosting.

Decorate with fresh berries.

I would love to hear your fresh, new ways of celebrating the Birthday of Christ the King! Please feel free to share in the comments below.

With much love

Linnie

Then the angel said to them,

"Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings

of great joy which will be to all people.

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior,

Who is Christ the Lord.

And this will be the sign to you:

You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths,

lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host

praising God and saying:

"Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

Luke 2:10-14

No More Sloppy Mornings!

2011-12-18T20:37:00.001+02:00

In September I embarked on a very challenging journey. A challenge with thousands of women around the world, to Maximize Your Mornings, by starting the day with Bible Study, Prayer and Exercising, for 90 days.

… And it changed my life.

Let me start with a confession: I don’t wake up early in the morning to spend time with the Lord!

After having had 8 babies (and even before), I wasn’t always in the routine of giving the best time of my day - early mornings - to the Lord. The main reason, because early mornings isn’t MY best time of the day. I’m a night person, I’m not a naturally ‘early bird catches the worm’- kind of a person. Add to that countless nights I had to wake up for my babies, and I could very easily excuse myself from not waking up early to spend time in the Word and praying.

In September I learned about the Hello Mornings Challenge over 90 days. I immediately entered the challenge - it was only minutes before entries would close! I sensed the Lord was smiling on me and I was in anticipation, like looking forward to a ‘date’ with the Lord.

My excitement increased when I received the group list during which 1 700 women from more than 15 countries were divided in 105 groups. The ladies in each group would be accountable to each other to check in every morning.

Now since I’m not an early riser, I not only missed out on special time with the Lord, I also missed out on a smooth running morning. I would wake up as my children wake up, obviously the little ones first. The baby would call and be put with us in bed, and I would enjoy some more snooze while baby was nursing. Excellent excuse to stay in bed longer, isn’t it? The little ones would rise one by one, and all depending on how the little ones behave and how long it takes for them to get irritated with Mom in bed, I would be forced to get the older children out of bed. I need my cappuccino, and Christo his expresso, before we can face the day and that is one of the older children’s first chores of the day. But since Mom and Dad don’t model early rising, the older children aren’t early risers either. So getting them out of bed is a mission in itself, which drive me up the falls. In the meantime it is becoming late, Daddy has to get at work in time, my oldest son is actually ‘scheduled’ for some study with Dad before breakfast and the little ones are now really irritated due to low blood sugar levels, all due to a sloppy morning routine.

This was the point where I got persuaded to do the Hello Morning Challenge, together with the Maximize Your Mornings eBook, which challenges moms to stop waking up TO their children and start waking up FOR them.

Now rising early for your children isn’t just a mindset, though it is a good beginning point. In my case my sloppy morning routine, was due to a sloppy evening routing! Oh, I love the quietness after all the children are in bed. This is when I can write blog postings without interruptions, read my favourite blogs and take care of e-mails, but it results in getting in bed way to late. And that brings another bad habit, not having time with my husband. I would be on the computer even before he return from putting the older boys in bed, and then he would get on his computer and by the time we shut down our computers it is way to late for sharing in each others’ day.

About 14 years ago we threw out our Television, due to the un-productivity of just sitting in front of it and change channels every now and then. But with my current evening routine I was quickly falling for a similar bad habit. Being on the computer all night long, under the impression I’m doing something, but actually my time was stolen by an empty space.

I fell for the lie, that my husband and I were spending time together while we were on our separate computers. I remember the many peaceful evenings, before we had our own laptops, we would read, each his own book, but chatting to each other in between, discussing interesting or controversial issues in our books. I thought we were still there. My wise husband showed me the difference between us ‘being together’ on our computers in comparison with ‘being together’ reading uplifting books. On the computer we are actually in conversation with the world out there… Even though I’m busy writing in pages, an e-mail will pop up and I will open it, or I’ll get a FB comment and hop over to FB or I’ll read one of my favourite blogs, start reading the comments and before long I’m in a secluded world of my own, often not even able to hear when my husband talks to me, or when I do hear, I just quickly have to finish this… or that… You get the picture?

So to get back to Maximize Your Mornings, I had to change my evening routine, to get to my morning routine. I didn’t open my computer (as the next obvious thing to do) the moment my children were all tucked into bed. I wait on my husband and we got back to basics. I even got to read a few books over the past three months, which filled my evenings with peace. I’ve noticed I’m almost in a rush when I get on the computer in the evenings - no winding down.

So we got in bed earlier, put out the light earlier, and I was able to wake up earlier. What a refreshing time of the day! How could I ever have thought I’m not a morning person? I love the quiet of the early morning; the freshness of a new day; looking forward to the peace as a result of spending time with my Lord. The anticipation of His revelation through His Word: the crying out in desperation, focused prayer - knowing my Lord is listening; the time to journal again, spilling out my overflowing thankfulness to His faithfulness in my life and openly share my heart desires with my loving Father; or just be at the Feet of Jesus, some days no need to say something, some days nothing left to say….

Over the past 90 days I got addicted to my early mornings. Even when I don’t get enough sleep at night, due to sick children or an occasional late night, I’m still able to rise for my appointment with the Lord. I remember listening to a teaching CD of Evangeline on Motherhood, and she passionately declared, “I’m in a love affair with the Lord.” Oh, how I desperately longed for such a relationship with the Lord. I’m not there yet, but I can sense moving into a new season with my God.

The Maximize your Mornings Bible study covered the Fruit of the Spirit. Wow, did the Lord change my heart and believes and engaged me in serious battles with the flesh - what a journey. But that is what it is all about.

And my nursing time with the baby? That was often my biggest challenge for early morning quiet time. Since I’m very easily distracted, I argued that it would not be worth it. How could I focus with a baby crawling all over me? I did try in the past.

This time was so much different. Maybe the planned bible study with the Hello Mornings was the reason; maybe knowing thousands of women all over the world was awake with me; maybe the accountability to my group motivated me. Maybe my changed attitude made the difference. At least once a week baby Michael would wake up the moment I sat next to my Bible. I would pick him up, and just kept on with my Bible Study, journaling, prayer while nursing. It was amazing how he didn’t distract me.

And my morning routine with the children? It still sometimes run wild, when I get carried away in my Bible study, or get a revelation or just don’t want to leave the peace at Jesus’ feet, BUT I leave the room also with Jesus’ peace inside of me and that influence my behavior (most of the time :-)).

The 90 days of Fall Hello Mornings Challenge (LOL - in the Southern hemisphere it was spring, but I can live with that) has just come to an end - BUT the 2012 Winter Hello Mornings Challenge is NOW up and running!

And here is my challenge to all my South African Blog Readers: We were only two South Africans in the previous Challenge. Can we change that for the next challenge? Can we put South Africa on the map and join thousands of women around the world in leaving sloppy mornings behind us and reach out to maximize our mornings for the Lord’s glory? Greeting the morning with a smile and start waking up FOR our husbands and children?

When you join the challenge, you can choose three possible ways to check in each morning. Either by e-mail, Twitter or Facebook. Depending on what method you choose, and what time zone you are in, you will be divided into a group. Let’s have at least a couple of South African groups? Our challenges are so different from those of women in the rest of the world. For a start it will become a bigger challenge to wake up, when the night’s start to become longer, with the opposite happening for women in the Northern hemisphere.

Please sign up today for the next Hello Morning challenge, which will start the 15th of January. I did…

Hope to see you in one of the many South African Groups. Call if you have more questions or need help with registration!

With much love

Linnie

I Don’t Want To Be Like Chocolate!

2011-12-08T11:24:00.001+02:00

Over the past few months, Heidi-Mari and I got hooked on the Lindt Chocolate Studio. In October CJ, Heidi-Mari, Josua, Christo and I did the Chocolate Appreciation Course as part of Christo’s birthday celebration.

It was such a treat! I never knew it was possible to experience chocolate with all 5 senses and having so much fun decorating Lindor lollies!

Then a few weeks ago Heidi-Mari and I went on the Chocolate Decoration Course!

This was quite an intense course.

Before we could even start making any exotic chocolate decorations, we had to learn about the very delicate structure of chocolate.

A few interesting things about chocolate:

When melted chocolate returns to solid form, the cocoa butter in the chocolate forms a crystal structure. The strange or amazing, depending on who you're talking to, thing about cocoa butter is, it can crystallize in six different forms. The crystal structure they take on depends on the temperature at which they are formed. If the chocolate is allowed to cool on its own, the crystals of fat will be loose, resulting in a chocolate that is dull in appearance, with white or gray streaks, soft & malleable, greasy to the touch and a chalky taste.

That can be quite unappetizing.

Below is a table of the six crystal structures of cocoa butter (thanks to Wikipedia.com), the temperature at which the crystal is formed and their characteristics:

Crystal	Temperature	Characteristics
I	17°C (63°F)	Soft, crumbly, melts too easily.
II	21°C (70°F)	Soft, crumbly, melts too easily
III	26°C (78°F)	Firm, poor snap, melts too easily.
IV	28°C (82°F)	Firm, good snap, melts too easily.
V	34°C (94°F)	Glossy, firm, best snap, melts near body temperature (37°C).
VI	36°C (97°F)	Hard, takes weeks to form.

Making chocolate considered "good" is about forming as many type V crystals as possible, which results in a shiny, smooth in appearance and taste Chocolate, and it breaks with an audible snap. After the Chocolate Appreciation course that is just as an important point, as the melting sensation in your mouth or the amazing aroma of different cocoa beans.

So how do you go about to produce enough ‘good’ stable crystals so the chocolate will harden into a very stable hard chocolate with a slight sheen, snap when broken, and will keep for months at cool room temperature? Well, that was exactly what our very experienced Chocolatiers taught us for the first hour of our course! You have to temper the chocolate - forming the most of the type V crystals by carefully manipulating the temperature during the crystallization.

At first all six forms of crystals have to melt (different temperatures for dark, milk and white chocolate too!) Then the chocolate is cooled while solid chocolate is stirred into the melted chocolate to ‘inoculate’ the liquid chocolate with crystals (again different temperatures for dark, milk and white chocolate). Crystal types IV and V will form.

The chocolate is then gently warmed to working temperature, eliminating any type IV crystals, leaving just the type V (again at different temperatures for dark, milk and white chocolate). After this point, any excessive heating of the chocolate will destroy the temper and the whole process will have to be repeated.

The chocolate has to be kept at the tempering temperature while being used.

On Saturday, Heidi-Mari and I tried tempering our own chocolate for the first time! We had all the right tools, the right chocolate, and were excited!

One hour after we started tempering, it was clear we did something wrong and the chocolate didn’t want to set. Somewhere along the process it was exposed to too much heat! It was so sad. We had to start all over again. Thankfully you can use the same chocolate again, just add a fresh batch ‘seeds’ or solid already tempered chocolate. The second time we were successful and we could start our chocolate decorations!

But what an effort. The whole time we had to keep an eye on the chocolate’s temperature. The chocolate would cool down below the ideal temperature range, then we had to heat it up, but extremely careful to not overheat it. All the time we tried to enjoy the moment, but it was a stretch!

And while I was in the flesh, thinking of chocolate, searching the internet for some more tips on how to ensure perfect tempering with the first attempt, I was in spirit studying the Fruit of the Spirit, yearning to be more of Jesus, especially for my husband and children.

This week I studied Gentleness. According to the Spirit Filled Life Bible’s Word Wealth, Gentleness is: A disposition that is even-tempered, tranquil, balanced in spirit, unpretentious, and that has the passions under control! The person who possesses this quality pardons injuries, corrects faults and rules his own spirit well.

And it hit me like cold water!! The opposite of gentleness is to be like chocolate!

I recently listened to a teaching by John Maxwell. He teach specifically on leadership. I love listening to his teachings when I have the time. A mother is a leader - probably the most important, influential leader in all the world, leading foolish and immature human beings,to become mature people who can change the world! In this teaching by John Maxwell, he specifically focus on leaders who are high maintenance leaders. Leaders who are more impeding, than leading. More path blockers, than path finders.

As I reflected the implication on me as leader in my home, I had to ask myself: “am I leading or am I impeding?” Am I a path finder or a path blocker, a high maintenance leader and the biggest problem in my own home? I once heard, “Mothers is not supposed to loose it, they are supposed to find it.”

Immediately I saw the correlation between a high maintenance Mother and chocolate!

Sadly I pinpointed some characteristics of a high maintenance leader in myself.

Wide, mood swings

I’m a drama queen, one day up and the other day down, often it is impossible to quite figure out where I am. Some days I’m not approachable at all and my family have to tip toe around me. My wide mood swings cause them to stay on edge, kills consistent communication, having them on guard all the time. It’s especially weary on my dear husband and older children.

Not in control of my passions

I’m a passionate person. I do everything with passion, unfortunately not only the good things, also when things get stressed and I’m not in control, I react passionately wrong! When I’m busy with something I struggle to leave it to help a little one or stop when time doesn’t allow to carry on.

Overload and under underpowered

I often overload my children with tasks, without making sure they understand or have the physical or emotional ability to do the task. The results, a low moral and lost of creativity.

Think of themselves first

How often I’m concerned about how am I going to look when my children are acting foolishly. Or even worse, what is going to happen to me, in a difficult situation? Selfishness is a sure sign of insecurity. Did I mentioned I’m insecure?

I often manipulate others, devalue servanthood, undermine teamwork, and bring out the worse in my children.

According to Maxwell, leaders cannot afford to be insecure. Leadership needs maturity, it is hard work, high expectations!

Leaders need to be responsible and accountable to themselves and others;

Leaders need to set positive examples and are valued by their production;

Leaders are subject to others opinions and continually face people challenges;

Leaders serve.

Negative

A negative attitude make everyone around me sad. Negativity limit creativity, fail to express gratitude, hinder communication, is the lid on the growth of the people in my home.

Now, there are three kinds of people.

People who know their weaknesses, but that are unwilling to change;
People who is to insecure to ask, “What am I doing wrong.”
People who know their weaknesses and change.

Since I’ve studied gentleness, I’m conscientious to be even-tempered. I especially take care to be balanced in spirit and have my passions under control. I don’t want to be like chocolate. Just the slightest change in temperature or drop of water added and its a mess and you have to start all over.

Thankfully our Heavenly Father is a Father of second chances and we can always start over.

I’m up to the challenge to change, I no longer want to be a high maintenance Mother, it is weary on my family and weary on me too!

Who is taking up the challenge with me? Face the facts, dear Mother and let the truth set you free!!

In 2 Peter 1:2-8, Peter (a man of great passion, who allowed God to temper him) encourage us with:

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Fruitful Growth in the Faith

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I need knowledge of the Word of God, along with diligence, self control and perseverance, to see sweet fruit in my home. What do you need to be tempered?

Come my fellow Mothers, are you up to the challenge? You are welcome to share your challenge or part of it, in the comments below.

With much love

Linnie

Health Talks and Some More Recipes

2011-11-28T14:25:00.001+02:00

Over the past three months, Christo started to give Health Talks once a month on a Monday evening at Eirene Health Shop. It appeared to be quite popular. The latest talk about Natural First Aid in the Home, being a full house of 25 people!

In the Natural First Aid in the Home talk, Christo shared mostly out of our personal experience of having a house full of children, six of them boys, who tries anything from climbing trees, falling out of swings, hitting their heads on stairs - leaving blood everywhere, stepping on bees, riding wild horses and getting thrown off; to unforeseen burns in the kitchen; to a mother who cut open her head while spring cleaning the house (LOL); to babies developing high fever or diarrhea in the middle of the night.

Christo demonstrated how to support a lightly injured arm or green wood fracture with apple cider vinegar, Traumeel S and lots of cotton wool.

He showed what he did with my head when I cut it a few weeks ago while spring cleaning the house. The application of yarrow (soldier’s bush) to instantaneously stop bleeding, cleaning the wound and ‘stitching the tissue’ with ordinary maizena.

Maizena saved us a few thousand rand, which would be what it would cost going to the emergency room for stitches, and I don’t have any stitch marks were the wound was.

We also shared our well known remedies for shock and pain. Each attendee received a small Yarrow plant.

Don't miss out on these Health Talks.

Book now for December's In-Store Talk "How to Enjoy the Festive Season and Still be Healthy" on the 5th of December 19h00 - 20h30.

Every talk evening Heidi-Mari and I prepare a salt and sweet snack for the attendees. This month we gave Spinach packets made of croissant dough

and

Rolled Danish Pastries.

Both baked with spelt flour (thus wheat free) and whenever sugar is needed, Rapandura sugar.

To make the Spinach Packets you will need:

½ recipe croissant dough

spinach filling (recipe below)

egg wash (1 egg and 1 egg yolk)

To make the spinach filling you will need::

300 g organic spinach (snipped into pieces)

1 onion (chopped)

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup organic ‘biltong’ (snipped into pieces)

1 cup plain cream cheese

½ t salt

black pepper to taste

3 eggs

100 ml organic cream

In a saucepan, melt the butter. On medium heat add the onion, stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent.

Turn up the heat, add the spinach and stir it around over high heat until it wilts and all extra liquid has evaporated.

Add the biltong.
In a separate bowl mixed together the cream cheese, salt, black pepper, eggs and cream.
Add to the spinach.
Allow to cool.

To make the packets:

Line a sheet pan with baking paper. Roll the dough out big enough to fit into the sheet pan, about 5 mm thick, trim the rectangle to fit into the sheet pan and transfer it to the prepared sheet pan. Refrigerate the rectangle for about 20 minutes, or until firm but not brittle. Reserve the trimmings in the refrigerator, until firm.
Cut the rectangle into 10 cm squares, put back into refrigerator.
Roll the reserved trimmings into 15 cm long strips. Halve each strip and put back in refrigerator.
When ready to fill the squares take 4 squares at a time, out of the refrigerator. Don’t allow the dough to get to room temperature, on a warm day.

Put 2 slightly rounded teaspoons of spinach in the center of each square.

Fold one corner over the filling and brush the tip with egg wash.

Fold the opposite corner over the first and press gently to seal them.

Brush the top with egg wash, fold up another corner, brush with egg wash again, and fold up the last corner. Gently push down on the center to hold the flaps together. Pinch the corners and edges to seal them.

Take 8 strips at a time out of the refrigerator and place 2 strands over each packet and tuck them underneath.

Place the packets on a sheet pan, lined with baking paper and cover with plastic wrap.
Let proof until the dough’s almost twice as thick, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Brush the packets with egg wash. Bake for about 20 minutes, then check whether the pastries are browning too quickly; if so, turn down the oven to 160 degrees C. Bake for about 10minutes longer, or until golden brown.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

For the Rolled Danish Pastries you will need:

1 recipe croissant dough

1 cup hazelnut frangipane (recipe below)

2 tbsp rapandura sugar

3 tbsp hazelnuts, crushed

3 tbsp raisins

2 tbsp finely grated cacao

½ tsp ground cinnamon

egg wash

apricot glaze

To make the hazelnut frangipane:

1 cup hazelnuts (peeled as much as possible)

3 tbsp rapandura sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch or maizena

1 egg

2 tbsp butter

Peeling Hazelnuts: Roast the nuts in a 180 degrees C oven for 15 minutes. while still hot, rub them vigorously together between two towels.This procedure gets rid of most of the peel.

Grind together the hazelnuts and sugar in a food processor.
Add the cornstarch and egg and process for about 1 minute, or until smooth.
Add the butter and process for 30 seconds more.

Making the Rolled Danish Pastries:

Line a sheet pan with baking paper. Roll the dough out big enough to fit into the sheet pan, about 5 mm thick, trim the rectangle to fit into the sheet pan and transfer it to the prepared sheet pan. Refrigerate the rectangle for about 20 minutes, or until firm but not brittle.

Spread the hazelnut frangipane over the rectangle in an even layer.
Mix together the sugar, crushed hazelnuts, raisins, grated cacao and ground cinnamon.

Sprinkle the above mixture over the hazelnut frangipane.

Begin rolling up the rectangle by pinching it along one short end.

Continue rolling, as tight as you can, alternating between tucking under the dough with your fingers and rolling it with the flats of your hands, until you’ve rolled it up into a log.
Line sheet pans with baking paper.

Slice the roll into rounds by sliding a piece of fishing line under one end of the log and

pulling the two ends across each other.
Truck the little flap of dough from the end of the roll under the center to hold it in place and arrange the rounds on sheet pans, leaving at least 5 cm between each one to allow for expansion. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof until each layer of dough has expanded by 50 percent, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Brush the pastries with egg wash. Bake for about 20 minutes, then check whether they’re starting to get too brown. If so, turn down the oven to 160 degrees C. Bake for about 15 minutes longer, or until golden brown.
Remove the pastries from the oven and brush with the glaze while still hot.

I’m entering the Spanish Packets in Heidi-Mari’s Fortnightly Baking Fun Challenge.

This fortnightly theme is Anything Goes!

Bon Appetite!

Linnie

A Walk Through my Vegetable Garden

2011-11-23T09:56:00.001+02:00

Summer is here and my Vegetable garden is well under way!

Last summer I harvested some lettuce, a few peas, beans, corn and squash (not nearly enough to feed us once a week for a month) and NO butternut pumpkins and NO watermelons.

But I got buckets and buckets full of tomatoes! The tomatoes just didn’t stop, and I was able to harvest tomatoes well into the middle of winter!

My herb garden thrived over the past year yielding thyme, rosemary, marjoram, celery, parsley, basil, spring onions and yarrow.

For the winter season I had plenty of peas in the beginning of the season and one bed of carrots.

I knew one bed would not even be enough carrots to sustain our family for one week (carrot salad is a standard side dish for supper), but the idea was to see how it goes, if my soil was right this time. We have terrible clay soil and in the past had NO carrot harvest. I also wanted the children to experience pulling their own carrots!

And they did!

We could start harvest carrots in October, and it become a ritual for the little ones to pull their own carrots, while I watered the garden, every morning. Sadly, I had to clean up the bed two weeks ago.

I believe I had such a marvelous tomato harvest, because I’ve put all my time and efforts into the tomatoes.

I studied tomatoes and looked after my little tomato plants with great care. So, I decided from now on to focus on one specific vegetable in a season, study it and try to make a success out of it. This way I will not waste my time and money on a variety of vegetables with little or no success.

With tomatoes I know now more or less what work, and decided to focus on pumpkins for this season! Yes, I desperately want to harvest pumpkins!

I only plant heirloom seeds in my vegetable garden and get my seeds mainly from Livingseeds.

Over the past two years, I got quite a number of different seeds, from various heirloom seed suppliers. The seed packages were all just thrown in a box, so in the beginning of this season, I organized my seeds in a filing box.

I attached the seed envelope to cardboard. On the cardboard I can make notes whether the specific seed fit into our climate, what kind of soil worked and success or failure.

Since I started my vegetable garden two years ago, I yearned for a permanent hot box.

Every summer we had to repair our cardboard hot boxes.

This September, Christo and the boys, built me a permanent hot box.

This hot box can take 24 seedling trays at a time.

The men did a great job on the hot box and it works perfectly.

It has air holes, which I can cover with masking tape when it is cold outside, or open when it is too hot outside.

It also have growing bulbs inside.

The box fit on a piece of wood, so I can carry the seedling trays outside on warm days.

It is painted with a waterproof paint, so I can water the seedling trays without damaging the wood.

I sowed my first seeds the third weekend of September and by the end of September the first plants were ready to be transplanted in the ground.

Another huge improvement in our vegetable garden was cutting down the last trees in the current designated patch for the vegetable garden.

First were the one small tree in the right corner of the vegetable garden.

We took it out during the winter months to open up more son for the existing raised beds.

In October it was time to take out the last and biggest tree. This tree had split in two, three winters ago and though we tried to save it, it had a very strange look and this past winter split again. There was no way we could save it anymore.

CJ and Josua was a great help for Christo, and the little ones enjoyed playing between the branches!

Now the vegetable garden looks much bigger and with a little imagination, it could actually give the impression of a vegetable garden!

This summer I sowed 5 varieties of pumpkin, peas, 3 varieties of bush beans, lettuce, watermelon and cucumber.

Cucumber is a first for me, and I thought I would just give it a try, alongside the pumpkin.

I also sowed our rainbow corn, harvested during the previous summer season, directly into the ground.

I didn’t need to sow one tomato seed. We took out the previous season’s tomato plants in July, and since I knew they liked these particular beds, I just let it rest until it was time to plant my tomatoes.

Great was my surprise when early spring came and tomato plants sprouted in clusters all over the two beds!

A few weeks ago I thinned them out, and replanted some of them. I sure have more tomato plants than the previous summer season.

In the past two weeks I’ve start finger prune the small side shoots, also called suckers, growing between the main stem and the leaf stems, and gently pinch these off with my fingers.

I have no idea how many plants I have on the three different varieties I grew the previous season, but sure do look forward to a plentiful harvest, again!

The tomatoes we grew last year were stacked against wood trellises and by the end of the season it couldn’t hold the tomatoes any more.

So, Christo and the boys are busy making me iron trellises.

In the process the boys learn working with metal which includes welding skills. Josua paints it with metal paint to keep it from rusting.

It seems like I’m into a vertical garden this Summer!

So far my pumpkins are doing great.

I’ve planted honey suckle in the same beds as the pumpkins to attract bees, and also do hand pollination every morning.

I already have two big pumpkins,

but there were also a few pumpkins who slipped through during the hand pollination process :-(

We already harvested some peas;

plenty of beans;

and Lettuce!

Yarrow are growing everywhere!

And the Fig tree is full of promise too!

I also only wet the garden by hand, which do take a lot of time, but I see it as part of my summer program!

Who of my blog friends has a vegetable garden and how are your gardens going? Please share in the comments below.

Much love

Linnie

"Moreover I will appoint a place ...

and will plant them,

that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more;"

2 Sam 7:10

PS. This was God's promise to me 7 years ago, after we rented different houses for several years.

I pleaded with God for a place where I could grow a garden of my own!

Thank you, Lord!

SACHS Blog Carnival #11 - Philosophies of Homeschooling

2011-11-11T11:11:00.000+02:00

My homeschooling journey is currently at a very challenging place! Four boys between the ages 2 and 6 years old - a challenge in itself; a child in primary school - who needs a lot of attention; two children in middle school - who hunger for knowledge; and a young man, who I desperately want to get through school, while he is exploring the world and experiencing the favour of the Lord on His life.

Many days, I have no idea what I’m supposed to do, but one thing I know, this is exactly what the Lord had instilled for the Lues family and I will never turn away from this road the Lord has placed me on.

Our homeschool philosophy is very much based on personally taking responsibility to give each individual child life skill opportunities within a Bible believing environment while teaching them how to search for information in a culture saturated with information, but hungry for knowledge. We believe God will make a way for their future, we only need to work passionately and diligently with them every day.

Over the past ten years I experienced and observed a few interesting things:

Commitment

The most important decision Christo and I made as parents, were to commit ourselves to our homeschooling journey and never looked back or looked for a way out when things got tough. I constantly remind myself where I’m coming from - When and How the Lord called me to homeschool the children He gave me.

I’m homeschooling, because God appointed me to homeschool. There is no two ways about it.

These children are His children. God only gave them to me for a short period of time, during which I should train them up in the way they should go. Without commitment I would be like a wave on the see, unstable in all my doings. In particular my homeschooling doings.

In the beginning I constantly searched for new curriculums, until I realized I must get settled in my homeschooling approach. The Lord appointed specific curriculums with a purpose, with my children’s personalities and learning approaches in mind, I just have to put my mind on making them work for our situation.

Over the years when things got difficult, it never appealed to us to put our children back in school, or even get a tutor. This was God’s calling on our, but more specific, my life. And I somehow knew that through the hardships, He would make a way. As long as I stay committed and obedient, He would lead me in wisdom.

“Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” Ps 37:4-5

Unity between Christo and Me;

I cannot thank the Lord enough that Christo was the first one convinced to homeschool. There is no way I could have kept at it through the hardships and doubt in myself as homeschooling parent, if Christo was blowing in my neck all the time, checking on the children and even threatening to put them back in school if I (and they), didn’t perform to his expectations.

Whenever I got discouraged, Christo would be there to uplift my spirit. He would remind me why we were homeschooling, and who my only Hope was and just put me to ease in the circumstances. Unity between husband and wife is of the utmost importance. Christo constantly reminds me, we only need to fulfill God’s expectation for our children, not our own, or the World’s expectations.

“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

... and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Never Compare My Family or Children with Others

When we started homeschooling years ago, we were in the “privileged” situation that we knew nobody who homeschooled. We were just a family whom the Lord miraculously prompted to homeschool in a certain way and we had nobody to compare ourselves with. By the time I got to know more homeschooling families, I was secure in the way God intend us to homeschool. Oh, I did listen to other homeschoolers every now and then when they talked about their amazing curriculums, and even tried out a few, with no success. My husband kept my feet on the ground, when it came to comparing my family and children, curriculums and extra murals with others.

I’ve said it so many times, no two families are the same. Even two families who do the exact same curriculum, will have a different approach and different outcome. There is nothing wrong with observing and learning from other families, but never get discontent because your family ‘doesn’t perform’ like another families. Over the years I’ve tried to install certain habits in our family, which I observed as great habits in other families. Interesting, when my motivation was from the flesh and not from the Lord, it only drained my energy, put me and my family in bondage and we got stuck!

“...be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5

Stayed out of the system, but now what?

Over the years I observed an interesting phenomenon in homeschooling families. Families will start homeschooling, because they don’t want their children in the school system, for various reasons. For better education, or because they don’t want their children to be conformed to this world, or their child had special needs, etc.

For years they would then homeschool their children ‘out of the system’. They will teach their children to think out of the box, believing their children needed more than head knowledge to make a success out of life. They needed life skills and real life situations. They believe God has a purpose for their child’s life and through the homeschooling approach, real life experiences, personal involvement of parents and installing Godly character in their life, they would be more equipped for the calling on their lives.

Then all of a sudden at the age of 13, parents would get anxious because their children isn’t in the school system! Deep inside they fall for the lie that their child will not be able to get a job or make a success of their lives, because they weren’t in the (real) school and wouldn’t have papers to proof it. It appeared that all the reasons why they homeschooled their child for years, suddenly was no longer valid. They believe they need the approval of the exact same ‘system’ they rejected for years, to give their child a future.

The anxiety, stress and turmoil caused by this is tremendous. Homeschooling needs to be a deep conviction or else you will hit a place where your morning and afternoon thoughts won’t match and again you will be like a wave on the sea. (A double minded man…)

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6

Our Homeschool Philosophy:

Commitment and a deep conviction, in the sweet harmony of marriage, to teach our children through real life experiences and then leave the rest to God, to make a way! He has a calling on each of my children’s lives, and though I don’t have the full picture right now, God knows the history of the future. Each of my children’s names are written in the palms of His hands and He will make them shine for His glory!

Other Homeschool Philosophies

But how do other Homeschooling families define, formulate and came to the conclusion of a homeschooling philosophy?

What do they use for their specific needs?

What do they look out for as distractions to their homeschooling philosophy?

This week the South African Carnival of Homeschool Bloggers focuses on Philosophies of Homeschooling. Click on any of the following links to inspire you, guide you in your Homeschooling philosophy.

Karen from Karen's Clan share in her post Philosophy of Homeschooling, what they do on their journey and a little touch of insight as to why!
Taryn from Hayes Family share in her post Our homeschooling journey ... the philosophical framework how organized, methodical people would gather lots of information, read through various philosophies of education and come to a conclusion. She came to a conclusion and worked backwards. The conclusion for them? Literature-based education with a Christian worldview is the way to go." This post details how they came to their conclusion and how much they enjoy using the Sonlight curriculum for their Christian focused, literature-based education.
Olivia from Easy Upstream share in her post Kids and Schooling Upstream a more general comment… making people aware of the fact that the choice to educate at home is, in fact, a philosophical one.
Shirley at Under and English Sky wrote about the heart behind homeschooling, as God has convicted her, in A Vapour in the Wind, It's Simple... They Belong To Jesus... and Homeschooling for Homeschoolings sake? She have experienced the distraction of to many curriculum choices, too many tried and tested methods. Each one of them distracting her from the 'WHY' they home educate. She took a look into homeschooling that goes beyond method, curriculum or style, rather into their families heart, the true reason why they educate their children at home.
Trys from Trixi's HomeEd Academy share in her posting Home Educating a Struggling Learner their experience, as well as the teaching methods they’ve used successfully, after removing their very active, yet highly intelligent 7-year old from private school in August 2010. Their son was struggling with reading & writing due to his gross & fine motor skills foundation not having been addressed properly at a Gr. R level, hence the learning problems. He is a Right Brain Kinesthetic as well as Visual Spatial learner & his learning styles are not catered for in most of our schools today.
Esther from A House-A Home and Learning got inspired by the theme of this blog carnival to formulate a homeschool philosophy for their family. In her posting Formulating a Home Schooling Philosophy, Esther share what they have formulated so far and the website that guide her to do so.
Lindy from Homeschooling in South Africa loves the Unit study approach to homeschooling since live is so interrelated and that naturally subjects are not separated, except at schools. She also favour hands on curriculum, as children remember so much more of what they do. In her post A Bible Centered Unit Study, The Weaver Curriculum, Lindy shares their unit study approach with a difference - The Weaver Curriculum.

This is the 11th SACHS Blog carnival under the theme "Philosophies of Homeschooling" which is part of the South African Carnival of Homeschool Blogs. To join the carnival or visit past carnivals visit the SACHS Blogs page. We hope you enjoy browsing!

Much love

Linnie

“And do not be conformed to this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,

that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Rom 12:2

Roller Coasters, A Give-Away Winner & A Sweet Reward!

2011-11-05T16:30:00.000+02:00

To my shame, I’m way overdue with this posting. Please forgive me!!

October was a roller coaster month.

That is apart from the fact that I was on a real roller coaster too! For the first time in my life I rode the Cobra, though it was the 3rd time I paid a visit to Ratanga Junction in Cape Town. Both the previous times, I was over 28 weeks pregnant! Me, a Fun-Girl, enjoyed it tremendously! But it was quite a challenge to juggle the children.

The older children wanted to have the most out of their rides;

The little ones need to get their share of fun;

Then to figure out how Christo and I could have one or two rides together.

The main ride was the Cobra. Heidi-Mari and Josua could hardly contain their excitement. There was a queue of at least 20 minutes and CJ, Heidi-Mari and Josua also wanted to ride, but what about Danika, Andrew, David, Daniel and little Michael? Leaving the little ones with the big ones, while Christo and I went for our ride and then keeping the little ones with us again, while the older ones fell in the queue for their ride, would take us at least an hour and it was already noon. Besides, Heidi-Mari wanted to go for a second time, this time with me! So we all fell in the queue, the little ones with Christo and me, yes, we did get a few strange looks, and the older ones about 5 minutes behind us. As we were nearing the end of the line, I took the little ones to the older ones. They would keep them with them, while we went for our ride. When I got off the roller coaster I would ask the personnel if I could fetch my little ones from their older siblings.

Everything went according to plan and as Christo and I were on the landing, waiting to get on the ride, I asked the one very friendly personnel if he would just keep an eye on my children, who have their young siblings with them, about two rides behind us. On hearing how many children I have (LOL), he was so accommodating and immediately called all our children out of the line, (causing quite a stir among the people) and let them stand on the landing, while promising me he would take care of them. How cool is that!? As Christo and I got off the Cobra, me with wobbling legs, he escorted me through the people and helped me gathering my little ones. Since CJ, Heidi-Mari and Josua were waiting with their siblings in front, Heidi-Mari and Josua got the bonus of getting the front row seats on the Cobra!

Wow, did they enjoy that, although an extra dose of panic was added!

The first ride was quite a shock for my system, I thought it would never end! But with the second ride I could actually open my eyes and enjoy the ride!!

But to come back to my overdue posting. Here, I did a review on the Visionary Womanhood Gathering e-book, with a give away, kindly sponsored by Natalie Klejwa from Visionary Womanhood.

I’m proud to announce Mignon as the winner. Congratulations! Mignon, I’ll send you an e-mail shortly, to give you instructions on how to claim your Visionary Womanhood Gathering e-book.

In September two very special Christian Girls honored me with a sweet award, the Bloggers For Christ Award.

Dear Kelly-Anne from Beautiful Girlhood and my own Heidi-Mari from Heidi’s Crafts. It just warms my heart when I look at these two beautiful girls, who put Christ first in their lives, bringing Him glory daily by creatively making use of their special talents, serving their Mothers and family with a joyful attitude and still make time to nurture their special friendship!

Kelly-Anne and Heidi-Mari, I’m so proud to know you and love you lots and lots!! I can’t wait to see what God has in stall for the two of you!

The object of this particular award is to award bloggers who believe in Jesus Christ and write freely about Him and His glory on their blogs and encourage others. The requirements for this award are to:

1: Explain three things that have encouraged you on your walk of faith, like a particular verse in the Bible or a prayer, book or someone who has really touched your life. It must be a certain moment, whether in church, a retreat, etc.

2: Pass this award onto three other Godly bloggers.

The verse / couple of verses, that encouraged me the most in my walk of faith is Psalm 37. With the dawn of the 1st of January 1998 the Lord gave me Psalm 37 during a time of recommitting my life to God. Little did I know that the following years would be challenging, evil would try to oppose us in our new walk with God and ungodly people, as well as fellow Christians would disappoint us in more than one way. Through those years as well as today I hold on to Psalm 37 and the Lord at least once a month prompt me to re-read it and so encourage me to press on!

Two ministries changed my live for good: Walk Through the Bible with the teachings of Dr. Bruce Wilkinson;

Above Rubies and the teachings of Nancy Campbell.

God used Walk Through the Bible during the period 1999 till 2003 and amazingly Above Rubies ministries entered my life in 2004. The truths I’ve learned through the Walk Through the Bible courses (Biblical Portrait of a Marriage, The Three Chairs, The Foundations of Faith, The Testing of your Faith, The Prayer of Jabez, Secrets of the Vine, A Life God Rewards) laid a foundation in my spiritual life, that changed my walk with God forever, resulting in a journey of becoming a true Disciple of God. Amazing, how the truths taught by Nancy Campbell from Above Rubies, built on the truths we’ve learned with Walk Through the Bible, in the following years. Above Rubies, renewed my mind on Motherhood, in a way I could never have imagined. Through Above Rubies I’ve came to know my value of being created in God’s image and given the freedom to serve the Lord right here in my home, with my talents, gifts and strengths, becoming everything God wants me to be.

I never again felt the need to make excuses that I’m just a Mother, but knowing it is the Most Important Career in the Universe!

Except for the Bible, the book that touched my life the most and encouraged me in my walk as a woman is, Created to be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl.

I read this book for the first time in 2007. At that stage I had six children, four of them between thirteen and four years old, a toddler who just turned two, a baby of 10 months old and my marriage took much strain. This book renewed my mind and changed my attitude towards my husband, forever. I still mess up big time in being the wife God created me to be for Christo, and God periodically reminds me through Created to be His Helpmeet that being a godly wife, following the instructions in His word, is His perfect will for my live, no matter what the World would want to make women to believe!

Pass on this Reward.

I’ve recently got introduced to some very inspiring ‘new’ (for me) blogs.

Inspired to Action By Kat

Thanks to Kat’s Hello Mornings I’m experiencing a new level in my walk with God.

Do not Depart by Katie

I’m currently doing Katie’s Fruit of the Spirit course Abiding Fruit. You can still download it here.

Visionary Womanhood administrated by Natalie Klejwa

I hope you enjoyed this Roller Coaster Posting!

With much love

Linnie

The Decimal System

2011-10-27T13:26:00.001+02:00

I absolutely loved my Maths Teacher from middle school years. His whole person would light up when he worked, taught and talked about numbers, symbols and formulas. One idea stands out like daylight when I think back to the days in his class room - the decimal system and place values. He believed it was of the utmost importance that a child understood the decimal system and he did everything in his power to make you understand it.

Today, being a homeschooling Mother, with one child busy with Algebra, three children on the go, a fifth on the brink to start and three more to come, I cannot agree more. Maths is just so much easier and much more fun, when you understand the decimal system.

Thankfully, the Lord sent Steve Demme from Maths-U-See over my homeschooling path. He reminds me in so many ways of my Middle School Maths Teacher - his countenance lights up when he starts teaching maths and his whole curriculum evolves around the decimal system and place values.

Math-U-See is the best curriculum I could possibly have chosen for my visual learners.

My little ones, absolutely love the story of “Decimal street” with houses for “ones”, ‘tenths’ and “hundreds”. Only nine beds fit into each house. Nine green (the colour of ones) beds in the “ones-house”, nine blue (the colour of tenths) in the “tenths-house” and nine red (the colour for hundreds) in the “hundreds-house”. This immediately gives them the concept of a maximum of 9 units in a decimal place value. As soon as my little ones grabbed this concept they were able to write any number from one to hundreds. They also understand what is in a number and not only recite numbers in a specific order when counting. With the manipulates, the abstract of maths constantly links back to the concrete.

Do you have experience of the confusion between writing twelve and twenty?

My children all struggled at first writing twelve and twenty in numbers. 20 for twelve and vice versa. After playing with the manipulates for a period of time, they came to understand the concept of the decimal system, place values and the difference between 12 and 20.

Another reason why I chose Math-U-See is because every single calculation from adding to algebra is possible with different kinds of manipulatives.

My children are all visual learners and these manipulatives, which encourage them to constantly build, say and write their math problems, as well as Steve Demme’s DVD explaining every single new concept, with fun connotations turned Maths into a positive experience. So much so, that not one of my children ever resisted maths over the past few years! Even though they were challenged in more than one concept!

Something like teaching little ones reading a face clock is made simple and full of fun with the Maths-U-See manipulates.

I was astonished by the way complicated multiplication calculations were made concrete with the manipulates.

And fractions has nothing to feel anxious about.

The manipulates also make my children “see” patterns in maths, which make skip counting and eventually multiplication much fun.

I remember, as a nine/ten year old, hours of driving to and from school while my mother checked my multiplication tables. Oh, I hated every moment of it. Before we used Maths-U-See, I believed that it was a good idea to check CJ’s (then only eight or nine years old) skip counting and multiplication facts, to and from supermarkets. Unfortunately, he hated it too, and one day asked me if we can please use driving time to chat about nice things… I immediately stopped it.

Can you see the pattern in skip counting in 9’s?
There is a pattern in the one place value, as well is in the tens place value!

Shortly there after, we started Maths-U-See. My children that followed, do skip counting only with the manipulates and in a much more relaxed, fun way. This past week Josua even managed to identify a pattern in skip counting in 7’s, boosting his self confidence with Maths!

Math-U-See teach maths by mastering one concept before moving on to the next concept. Students will first learn the concept of counting and adding. All practices in the first book will evolve around counting and adding.

Then subtracting will follow. Next will be fast counting or multiplication, which start with skip counting as the basis for multiplication. It will only be at the age of ten or more that the concept of dividing and factions will be introduced. On completion of each level the child will know everything possible about adding, subtracting and multiplication.

He will also be able to apply the different concepts in very simple pre-algebra problems, as well as use these concepts in any possible word problem. I remember from school years the fear involved for me with the mere mentioning of the word: “Word Problems”. Word Problems is in my opinion the one and only way of implementing maths practically in life. Math-U-See’s end goal is making children ‘see’ why they need maths by implementing it in every day life or Word Problems, as we know it.

Maths-U-See makes Maths fun and that is exactly what I want my children to have when playing with numbers, while learning a very important, but challenging life skill.

This post features on the South African Carnival of Homeschool Bloggers (SACH Bloggers) where South African home schoolers share experiences, ideas, philosophies and much more. You can join the carnival too by heading to the South African Carnival of Homeschool Bloggers sign up page. We hope you enjoy the carnival as much as we have!

SA Home Schooling Blog Carnival #10

With love

Linnie