Joyful Mama

How We Seized the Extra Day ~ Leap Day 2012 {Carpe the extra Diem}

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:16:00 +0000

I'm shaking my head and laughing (well at least in my mind) as I write this post. Because really, we didn't have an extra day. In fact we all agreed that a real extra day would have been awesome. You know, a day not actually on the calendar? Not just another Wednesday? Because we still had to do all the things a Wednesday required, and then some. :-)

Nevertheless, the kids and I each picked one thing we wanted to do, and made the extra effort to make it happen yesterday. Which made it all fun and worthwhile.

My sweet hubby was busy working all day... then being interviewed on the radio, doing a podcast, leading worship team practice and finishing up his last songs for FAWM. His plate was uber full already. Though I suppose he probably would have counted "Be on the radio" as something he really wished he could do, so it all worked out.

Our girl knew right away what she wanted to do - make super fancy cupcakes.

Little Warrior first wanted to move to Hawaii. Since it didn't meet the criteria of something that he could do in an hour or so on Leap Day, he had to ditch that plan.

After a long internal tussle he finally decided that he wanted to play a game. We played Mancala. With his custom rules. That he invented as we went along. And that I completely did not get. :-) Mancala is our go-to game normally but that is what he wanted to do and I was all in. I got to kiss his soft cheeks while we played. Ahhh.

In an unprecedented finish, we exactly tied... both placing our last gem on the same round and both ending up with an identical score. We were pretty happy with that.

My big guy also just couldn't think of anything for a whole day. Seems he feels he gets to do everything he wants to do. Not a bad place to be in life, eh? So I kind of prompted him by asking some questions. Suddenly he got super excited when he thought of skyping his friend in Canada and playing a game they invented five years ago. Happy teen seized the extra diem. ;-)

And me? Well, I have been wanting to take my girl out for tea for a long time. And I was thrilled to discover a new local tea room during an online search. When I called them in the morning, though, I learned they had also become victims of the struggling economy. Thankfully I remembered that her favorite local restaurant serves lunch. We hadn't been there in several years so it was a special treat and she was delightfully surprised. Oh I love how that girl sparkles when she is happy!

The food was fine, nothing crazy out of this world, but the company was divine. We had a little fun with the phone's camera too.

All in all a fine Leap Day! I think it's a tradition we should keep. Since we have four years to plan for the next one, we might all be ready. Maybe.

Now your turn! What did you do to celebrate Leap Day? Did you leap around? Did you eat froggy food? Did you Carpe the extra Diem? ;-) I am having fun with my inventive Latin, can you tell?

You can link up your Leap Day post below, and grab the button if you'd like.

The Linky will be up until Saturday night. Can't wait to read your Leap Day stories!

Never Enough Time? Seize the Extra Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:20:00 +0000

You know there is never enough time. Not in America, at least, where we have ridiculous ideas about what is normal.

Tomorrow is Leap Day, and a new friend got me to thinking... an extra day. An extra day!

I mean, how many times have you said "If I only had more time I would..."

Well here's our chance! An extra day!

So around our house we are talking about what we will do with an extra day. Here's the challenge: pick one way to end this sentence "If I only had more time I would..." and then do it!

I'll post about what we each decided to do and you post too! We'll make a fun link-up and see what all we can do with an extra day. :-)

Of course we'll all be having so much fun having our extra-time adventures that we won't be blogging, right? So my post won't go up until late Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

Everyone in our house hasn't settled on what we want to do yet. All the five year old can up with, for example, is "Move to Hawaii." Would that we could, luv.

And as a fun aside, my absolutely amazing hubby is a songwriter, and is participating again this year in February Album Writing Month (aka FAWM), wherein music artists race to complete 14 songs in 28 days (and this leap year they are going for 14 1/2!)

Here is one of his (appropriate!) songs this year... "There's Never Enough". You know, never enough time. It's kinda romantic. Love that man!

Update: Here's a button you can use if you post about how you seized your extra day! :-)

original flickr photo of frog from Brisbane City Council

All Poured Out

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 07:00:00 +0000

photo ~ Liz West

Some days I feel all poured out.

I wake up tired and feeling behind, and can't shake it no matter how hard I try.

Sometimes I don't even try.

I'm not David. I've never killed a man and had to live with remorse, or been pursued by armies and had to hide in caves.

But I still connect on a deep level with this...

I am poured out like water,
And all my bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax;
It is melted within me. (Psalm 22:14 NASB)

Can I tell you? I want to be strong. Impermeable. I want to be the mother who doesn't waver, who doesn't question herself, who is tireless on her children's behalf.

I want to be the wife who weathers life's storms by her man, strong and true and beautiful.

But I am neither of these things. I am just a girl in a woman's body, trying to be all grown up in a sometimes overwhelming world.

My husband and I have both noted that I can almost be two different people when emergencies strike.

Sometimes I am calm, with laser-like focus. When my children get hurt, I tune all of my energy into them, intent on one thing only - to calm them and make them well.

Other times I am like a vapor, air showing between my ears. I was a vapor when the wildfire hit. I couldn't think of what we needed to take to evacuate. My mind was a complete blank. I was shaking.

photo ~ lydiashiningbrightly

Our recent hospital emergency? I knew pretty quickly that it was going to be serious, and was calm and sure, but once I had delivered my husband to the emergency room, the action was out of my hands. All the problem solving belonged to someone else, and there was nothing more I could do except be a comfort to my husband as he endured the tortures of un-kinking a small intestine.

Somewhere in the three days of jumping at his every twitch and translating his sign language for the nurses, I morphed into a vapor.

When things are out of my control I just seem to leak right out of myself.

How we rejoiced when we learned that he would not need surgery! How we danced when the wretched naso-gastric tube was removed! Shouldn't that have been when life restarted and energy was aplenty?

That was when I realized I was so exhausted my bones ached.

What kind of crazy am I to have a life with so little margin that a three day emergency stay in the hospital sends me into a tailspin when I come home? I feel like I am walking around with a cloud enveloping my head, thoughts muddled, words not coming out right, slightly panicky that I am forgetting something critical. I can't make heads or tails out of what is more urgent... the laundry or the dishes?

Where I am most myself right now is snuggled up on the couch or in bed with a child and a book. That's where I would stay if I could. Holding those small limbs close, smelling the soft hair, immersed in a world of words.

I just can't tie it up all nice and tidy like a beribboned package. There's no neat ending to this post because this is real life. Real life is messy and this worn-out sinner is just muddling through, looking for glimpses of beauty, clinging to her Savior.

For You have been my help,
And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me. (Psalm 63:7, 8 NASB)

I'm a ruffled little chick peeking out from under the wings of her heavenly Father, trilling a tiny song... "Can't do much but just be yours today, Abba."

photo ~ Patti Brown

Kinda makes me feel snuggled up myself.

I am so grateful for grace. Peep peep.

When the Plans Don't Work Out

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 23:26:00 +0000

I spent last Friday and Saturday at the Mom Heart conference in Irving. It was a wonderfully full two days of inspiring teaching and fellowship with new friends.

It was still black and cold as I headed my van south toward home on Sunday morning. I watched the sun rise in the east, spreading glorious colors over grey city. My heart and mind were overflowing. Ideas tumbled out of my mouth into the recorder on my phone.

I arrived at church just before the service started and whirled in, full of excitement and enthusiasm. Not only for mothering, but inspired to shine His light in this dark world to all in my path. The friends who asked how the conference went were treated to an earful!

I had plans, lots of plans. Big plans and little plans. Plans for now, plans for the future. PLANS!

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." (James 4:13-15 NASB)

The rest of Sunday was filled with family until my head hit the pillow. All those plans... I would start implementing them tomorrow.

Monday was back-to-business... school, housework, cooking, kids' activities. Busy busy. Filled with plans laid down long before the conference. I noticed I was being more gentle toward my children, assuming the best instead of the worst, expressing compassion. Well, that was good, some of those plans were taking root.

But my sensible plan to post some conference thoughts here on Monday was laughed down by the pace of regular life. Though only a beginning made it into Evernote before my head hit the pillow, I was sure that I'd edit and publish early Tuesday.

Tuesday' s 4:45 am alarm went off and once again my feet hit the floor running. After my quiet time, school and meal planning trumped writing, so with just a few additional notes scribbled, I jumped into the current of my waking family, and sped down the river of the day. Surely Tuesday night I'd be able to finish. That is, after I finished editing another small writing project I was working on.

Give God permission to invade your day and change your plans. Ask for grace to walk through that. - Sally Clarkson, Mom Heart Conference, Feb. 18, 2012

At dinner time on Tuesday my husband told me he was not feeling too well, and wasn't going to eat with us. Within an hour we were heading to Urgent Care. From there to the ER and by 1:00am Wednesday he was admitted to the hospital.

And now I write this, on day four of our unplanned hospital adventure, sitting across from his bed.

Not the dinner my husband would have planned

This man of mine and I, we are idea people. We are bombarded with ideas... there is so much we want to try out, so much we want to do. We make lots of plans.

We struggle to reconcile reality with our ideas. We can't implement them all and we wonder, are we trying hard enough? Are we committed to these wild dreams? Sometimes it really is us. We get discouraged, beaten down. Sometimes we give up.

But sometimes it isn't us. It is life. Sometimes it isn't in the master plan, or more accurately, the Master's Plan.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)

I doubt either of us will ever stop being dreamers, will ever stop making big, impossible plans. But I know that I am growing in my trust in the Master's Plan, and find myself holding less tightly to my own. I have learned through many apparent-trials-that-turned-for-good that I can wait, and trust.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5, 6 NASB)

I think some of those dreams and plans I was so excited about will come to fruition. But only those that are aligned with God's plan for me and for our family. And they may not happen when or just how I imagine them now.

Thankfully God's imagination is much bigger than mine and His timing perfect.

Sit in on the Mom Heart Conference With Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I am at the lovely Las Colinas Marriott in Irving Texas today!

The fabulous Sally Clarkson is hosting her annual Texas getaway for moms, from 3:00pm CST today Friday afternoon (2/16/12) until 4:30 CST Saturday (2/17/12).

Last year I shared many of Sally's points and how they intersected with our life:

This year the moms' bible study I lead is reading through Sally's book The Mission of Motherhood and studying related scriptures to each chapter's topic. Since none of my dear friends from the group could join me, I am going to be tweeting throughout the conference.

If you would like to follow along, please join me on Twitter!

When the Complaining Creeps Back In

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:45:00 +0000

It seems to come in cycles.

We'll be navigating our family life smoothly, and just as I shift into cruise-control-mothering it happens.

Game change.

The old rules and methods seem to stop working and one of the children starts behaving like a spoiled kid in a toy store.

Whining. Complaining. General unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

Years ago I declared the public space in our house a "No Whine Zone." This was remarkably effective, mostly in reducing the clamor in my ears.

But removing the sound from the living room doesn't address the heart issue. So we memorized scripture. Even the five year old can remember

That verse has been recited more times than any other in our house. By far. And it helps adjust our attitudes.

Nevertheless, the cycles of whining and complaining come around again.

One day not long ago I was extremely frustrated with one of my children. The complaining had escalated to the point where it was starting to be difficult to be around this child.

As I sat there and opened my heart to God's leading in that moment, I realized that the complaining I was hearing was not just words that were grating to me and disobedient to the scripture. More importantly, this constant complaining was reflective of an ungrateful heart.

And right away I knew what our new rule would be.

The first time you complain, you must say five things out loud for which you are thankful
The second time you complain, you must say ten things out loud for which you are thankful
The third time, fifteen, and so on
You may not re-use an item of thanksgiving in the same day
Each day you start with a clean slate

After slight hesitation the children have adjusted to this rule. Now all I have to say is, "I see, and what do you need to do now?" and off they rattle their thanksgivings.

The out-loud part of the rule has been key. Yes, we have had days when someone has said fifteen "thankfuls" in a row. It's delightful to listen to the change in tone from #1 to #15. There is something about speaking your blessings out loud that just makes you feel thankful. And cheerful.

I know from experience. <cringe>

It was a day that I woke up to a not-exactly-tidy house. I was behind on laundry, behind on dishes... just behind.

I was determined to take dominion over our crazy house, but that didn't eliminate the normal chores, schoolwork and activities. Then along came a few extra unexpected projects and interruptions. And a change to our afternoon activity that was going to mean less time at home.

The stress level was mounting in the mama brain, and the house still looked like a train wreck.

An hour before we needed to leave, as I was looking around me aghast that I was still woefully behind, Farmer Boy came in from the cold drizzle and announced,

"The goats are out. All of them. And they are spreading out in the woods."

To which I calmly replied, "WHAT??! I don't have time for this! We don't have time! How did this happen? Why wasn't this prevented?! Look at this house! It's a disaster! Aaaaargh!!!!"

My stoic eldest simply looked at me calmly (and somewhat quizzically.)

I growled "I'm sorry, I'm not mad at you, not at any of you, it's not your fault, I'm just so frustrated! I can't get everything done in the time we have in a day, even without disasters and interruptions, but disasters and interruptions just keep coming! And also AAARGH!"

It was one of my wiser and more joy-filled parenting moments.

So the goats were rounded up, the fence fixed, and the humans loaded into the van to leave for the kids' activity. At least we weren't going to be late. As we headed off one of the children fussed and fussed about how very hard life was.

Oh the complaining. Oh the whining.

And I realized I was listening to myself. Ouch.

"I think we'd both better say five things we're thankful for. I kind of freaked out earlier," I said into the rear-view mirror.

So we alternated listing five things each for which we were thankful.

By the end we were laughing. Because a cheerful heart is good medicine, and sometimes the best medicine for a complaining spirit is speaking thanks.

From Our Hearts to Yours

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:34:00 +0000

... we hope you had a lovely Valenstime Day (as Little Warrior calls it)...

If you think getting good photos of wiggly kids is challenging, you should try the four legged kind!

When a Superhero is Learning to Read...

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:45:00 +0000

... there is no reason for him to remove his head gear ...

... a mask does not prevent him from learning sounds...

... gloves just might help him follow the letters ...

... and he should be free to use his powerful superhero voice ...

... because learning to read is fun for superheroes too!

~ with thanks to our superhero's big sister for capturing this reading lesson in pictures ~

How I Simpified Meal Planning ~ a review and a giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:50:00 +0000

I love to cook. I like to make up new recipes, to find creative ways to make delicious food with dietary restrictions, to make a beautiful plate. Really I like to play chef.

Cashew Sesame Noodles

But I am also a mama, a wife, a housekeeper, a homeschool teacher, a chauffeur, a writer, a volunteer in my community, a goat nanny... the list goes on. It is a full life.

Unable to keep up with it all, I realized a few years ago that I needed a way to simplify my kitchen activities. I tried planning simpler menus but kept forgetting to actually plan, and would spend silly amounts of time each day figuring out what I could make with what I had on hand. I was terrible at getting dinner on the table on time.

So when a local homeschooling mom sent out a call for beta-testers of a new meal planning website a few months ago I signed right up!

Pepperoni Chicken

I was so impressed by Build A Menu's service, and their heart to do good, that I became a paying member this January after they launched their full site.

Since I am finding Build A Menu to be such a help to me as I go about my busy week, and because I feel so passionately about using our gifts to serve others (as Build A Menu does with its support of orphan care), I decided to do a review to let more people know about this wonderful new service.

Hash Browns with Greens (all steamy in the pot)

Build A Menu was started by sisters Karee Blunt and Lisa Holcomb to help families both simplify meal planning and stay within a budget.

My subscription costs me $2 per week, and allows me to customize a menu based on my favorite store. Every week they publish a great selection of recipes that take advantage of sales at that store. Hooray for the budget!

Each meal shows its total cost as well as ingredient list before I choose it, so I can make decisions based on price and the ingredients I already have on hand. Once I select the menu I want for the week, I print all of the recipes, as well as a shopping list (oh do I love the shopping list!)

A really cool feature of the service is that I am not limited to a specific seven meals each week like other meal planning websites I have looked into. I can pick any seven dinner recipes from across all of the menu categories. In fact, I have run into the problem of wanting to use more than seven dinner recipes in a given week!

The store options:

Fred Meyer
HEB
Kroger
Safeway
Walmart
Whole Foods
Any Grocery Store
coming soon Costco (YAY!) and Publix

And the menu category options:

family friendly
low fat
low carb
sensible portions
gluten free
vegetarian
slow cooker
soups on!
crowd pleasers
grill a meal
manly meals

These women totally get my life. It's like they somehow know that I have several days with afternoon activities so need a few crockpot recipes, and I cook low carb for my husband, and even occasionally prepare meals for friends who eat gluten-free! Regular people have complicated lives, sometimes even in the kitchen. I'm so glad Build A Menu doesn't restrict the menu options.

Now here is where my heart is completely captured by these wonderful folks. Karee and Lisa both mother biological and adopted children. Their passion for adoption led them to decide to give a portion of Build A Menu's proceeds to orphan care ministry. In fact, you can even choose which organization you want your portion to go to!

Please take a moment to read this beautiful blog post Karee wrote a few months ago. It is incredible to me that I can contribute in a small way by using a service that benefits me so much.

And now for some more yummy pictures! I made all of the recipes in this post in a two week period....

Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup

Crock Creole Chicken

Bean and Kale Ragu

Slow Cooker Artichoke Pasta

Curried Tomato Bisque

Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

Spicy Fish

Quiche with Hash Brown Crust

Thai Basil Chicken

I pay for this subscription because I think it's worth it. I emailed Karee and Lisa to tell them I was going to review the site, and guess what?

They have offered a free two month subscription to Build A Menu to one of you! I think you will find it a great blessing!

There are three ways to enter the Build A Menu two month subscription giveaway (please leave a separate comment for each... one comment = one chance to win):

"Like" Build A Menu on Facebook
Tweet "I just entered to win a free meal planning subscription to @BuildAMenu! http://goo.gl/NB0Qv"
Tell me... which of those yummy dishes above would you want me to serve if you came to hang out for dinner at the farm?

Please include a way to contact you (via email, twitter or facebook) in one of your comments.

The Build A Menu giveaway will end on Friday, February 10, 2012 at 11:59 pm CST. The winner will be chosen using random.org. This giveaway is now closed.

I hope you win!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UPDATE 02/11/12: Congratulations NeKisha! I think you are going to enjoy your new two month subscription to Build A Menu!

All photos by Patti Brown, all dishes made from Build A Menu recipes.

Disclosure: I am a paying subscriber to Build A Menu. I did not receive anything to do this review and giveaway. I just think you will love them!

Nibbles the Wonder Goat

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:38:00 +0000

Our little Nibbles...

he of the hypothermia and tub faucet nibbling...

the re-enactor of the parable of the lost sheep...

and the blessed recipient of an adoptive mama's goat-y love...

...is doing just dandy, thank you very much.

The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.

~ Psalm 145:9 ~

I Once Was Lost

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:16:00 +0000

Last week I shared a wee story at Do Not Depart about Nibbles. You remember Nibbles? Our orphaned tub-dwelling bottle-baby turned adoptee kid goat?

Well, the very first night that sweet Nibbles was left in the field with his brand new mama, things went awry. In the morning when my fabulous hubby, aka The Bard, went to check on the goats, Nibbles was missing. Gone.

The edge of the sun is just peeking over the horizon when the back door slams.

“I can’t find him,” my husband reports. Happily sleeping with the herd last night, one tiny goat has wandered off and is nowhere to be found.

I pull on my boots and a jacket and head out into the chilly morn. Walking the goat field, I carefully check every hollow and corner. Baby goats frolic near their mothers. It has been a good year for kidding.

But there is no sign of our missing baby. The lump in my throat grows as I open the gate to leave the field.

... read the rest of the story here...

You make me happier than a bountiful tomato harvest! {a paraphrase of Psalm 4}

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:10:00 +0000

A rockin' one-day tomato harvest in 2008

As always, I am enjoying the newest bible study from Do Not Depart. The current study is called Run2Him and is based on the Psalms. Last week's topic was "I Cry Out Because He Hears" and was based on Psalm 4.

As part of my reflection on the Psalm, I tried something new, and found it fruitful. I wrote it out in my own words, a paraphrase of sorts. Yesterday at our morning family bible time, my husband read Psalm 4 to us all, then I shared my paraphrase. He thought I should share it with you all, so here it is (remember this is not ME speaking, but the psalmist, lest you think I am boasting about good behavior)...

Psalm 4
Patti's paraphrase

(1) Please listen to me God, because you have before!

(2) People around me, when will you shape up? My good behavior makes you look bad! When are you going to stop loving worthless things and trying deceive?

(3) God has set apart godly people for Himself, and He hears me when I call Him.

(4) You should be afraid! Don't sin! Lie on your bed, silent and still, and think long and hard about your heart.

(5) Offer PROPER sacrifices, and trust in the Lord.

(6) Many are asking who will show them even a little bit of good. Lord, please look at us with your light-filled face.

(7) You have put gladness in my heart, God... YOU! Even more than when the harvest is amazing and there is an abundance of food and wine.

(8) I will lie down and go to sleep peacefully because You, and only You, make me dwell in safety.

Kind of makes me wonder if this is how Eugene Patterson wrote The Message. :-)

Babies Are the Sweetest Interruption of All

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:52:00 +0000

I thought I knew what I was going to do last week.

I had planned a typical week of chores, homeschooling, some writing, and a day of fire relief work, plus a few special meals with my dear aunt who was visiting the area from Boston.

... you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow...
James 4:14

I did not know I would be a goat mama.

My husband came in from chores, a week ago Monday, with a cardboard box, and in that box were two shivering, weak baby goats.

Thus began my ongoing stint as a goat mama, a nanny I suppose you could say.

I filled my tub with pine shavings.

I turned up the heat.

I treated wounds.

I cut umbilical cords.

I researched.

I mixed bottles.

I fed (and snapped pictures while children fed.)

I buried.

I watched a real goat mama, bereaved of her own babies, take interest in the surviving kid as I brought him to bottle feed in the fields.

I watched her come to consider Nibbles - named for his propensity for nibbling the tub faucet - her very own.

And the day little Nibbles got a real mama, Tiny became my new ward.

Eleven days into being a nanny and my plans have become... feed the goat, homeschool, feed the goat, do chores, feed the goat, make dinner, feed the goat. The children like to take a feeding or two, so it really isn't hard at all. We look forward to it. A sweet interruption.

We are hoping that one of the expectant mamas will adopt Tiny when her babies come, but for now, he drinks from a bottle.

And Nibbles is healthy and happy and growing like a goat kid should.

Lessons From the Knitting Chair ~ Sometimes You Just Need to Tink

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:54:00 +0000

About eight months into my journey of finally-really-knitting I started thinking about Christmas. Oh the socks I would knit, oh the hats I would create!

So I picked a lace scarf pattern for my sister-in-law and got to work.

Yes, you read that right. A lace pattern. Because I did not have enough time to finish the socks and hats I had already planned. Why not add more?

We've already discussed how lace is not for beginners. Here's the thing: lace is not difficult, per se. It's just that it require focus. As in every stitch focus. You have to know not only what row you are on but which stitch. Or. Else.

Ever tried to focus with a toddler around?

But I was determined to knit. After a rotten start on the scarf (I seem to recall I had to start from scratch twice) I decided that I had one rule and one rule only.

Don't give up.

I can assure you that this did not mean don't mess up. Because I did. A lot. But I didn't give up. And the way I managed to finish that scarf despite all my errors was by tinking.

What is tinking? How do you k-n-i-t backwards? You t-i-n-k!

When I discovered a mistake, I would painstakingly undo each stitch one by one, not by pulling it out, but by knitting (or purling or yarn-overing) backwards. Whenever the pattern looked normal again I would resume knitting normally.

I still tink when it comes to lace, but now I see my mistakes much faster.

Lace washcloth needing a good tinking

Isn't tinking kind of like life with kids?

We go along and have our little routines, then bump! something is just not working. The pattern is not looking right, but you're not really sure what went wrong.

Usually this is because somebody has grown and changed and needs something different. All of a sudden you're looking at a big hole in your family's life pattern where one does not belong. So you tink. You back out of that misstep and find the thing that works for right now.

All better!

As a homeschooling mom I feel like I get a double dose of this. Not only am I undoing and redoing parenting stuff (oh look, child #2 is old enough to cook... time to change the chore chart!), I am also constantly looking for dropped stitches in each child's educational plan (good grief, this child needs more handwriting practice!)

It's not exactly like tinking, I know, because life's daily pattern is meant to change as time passes. But if the overall goal is a pattern of peace and life-giving in a family, it's not all that different.

All done!

The bottom line is don't give up.

The scarf that taught me not to give up

Something beautiful is bound to come of it all.

The Inevitable New Year's Decluttering Urge

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:44:00 +0000

Our silverware drawer is right underneath the spot on the counter where our coffee maker and grinder live. Because of this (as well as scientific mysteries I am not smart enough to solve) the utensil drawer and organizer seem to be the favored place for miniature rockies of grounds and crumbs to appear.

These little mounds multiply practically overnight, and recently led our eldest, not exactly the most tidy person in the house, to declare, "Based on the state of this drawer, I am starting to wonder if any of these utensils are even clean!"

Well that will stop a mama in her tracks!

If I had been grumpy, I might have mumbled something about how those who find problems ought to fix them, but I was of a cheery disposition, agreed heartily, and immediately divested the drawer of its contents.

I scrubbed the drawer, scrubbed the sorter, tossed a bunch of broken plastic utensils that we never use, rewashed a few rarely used but beloved bits and pieces, and found myself ecstatic.

Cheerful to ecstatic. Not bad for 20 minutes of work.

Now when I open my drawer I see this:

Okay, you might be thinking, but the silverware isn't in perfect stacks and wait, aren't those multiple styles of cutlery all mingled? Yes, all of this is true, and no, we will never get into Better Homes and Gardens. But today we might get into Cleaner Drawers For Your Personal Satisfaction. A fine magazine, at least in my dreams.

When I look at this drawer I see nothing floating around randomly out of the organizer, no crumbs or coffee grounds, and an ability to lay my hands on exactly what I want instantly. <ahhhh>

It's the little things, people.

On the decluttering urge, I have been trying valiantly (and admittedly in spurts) to follow the decluttering calendar from My Simpler Life. It is really taking the brain work out of where on earth do I start in this cavern of stuff?

I have been doing pretty well, although some days I do two days of the assignments.

Have you been consumed by the inevitable New Year's decluttering urge too?

Lessons from the Knitting Chair ~ Love is More Powerful Than Perfection

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:24:00 +0000

When I was hugely pregnant with The Princess (and I mean hugely), a sweet friend sat next to my massive form on the couch one afternoon, handed me two wooden needles and a ball of yarn, and taught me how to knit.

Being slow to warm up to projects of a creative nature (ahem), I immediately decided to knit a blanket. I wish I could blame it on pregnancy hormones, but this is a handicap that afflicts me regularly... if I can do it in miniature I get the wild idea that I can do it on a grand scale.

So I waddled off to the local craft shop, bought the only 100% cotton I could find, along with some hideous aluminum needles, and set to work. Naturally I picked a lace project.

If you don't know anything about knitting, let's just say that starting with lace is kind of like starting school by going to Harvard. Who cares about kindergarten when you can go straight to college!

I did not finish that lace blanket in time for the baby's birth. It sat in my closet while I nursed and rocked, and homeschooled our oldest. Then my husband started traveling for his job. Then we moved. To a farm. And had another baby. And on and on like this... for six years we did things that required my hands and that made me hesitate to pull out the blanket. Note that perfectionism had nothing to do with my hesitation. Nothing at all.

But one day, I felt that blanket calling to me, and I decided that by sheer force of will I was going to finish it. Not only finish it, but finish it with a simplified pattern and with all the mistakes left unfixed.

This was huge.

Leaving mistakes is not natural for me. I do not like mistakes. I accept that they are going to happen, but I try to remedy them, not leave them intact.

My new goal had become to finish, not to perfect.

So on a March evening in 2008, I finally finished the blanket for my six year old baby.

I was utterly shocked when she swooned over it. I mean swooned. She gushed and oohed and aahed and made me feel like the best mama on the planet.

And when we evacuated because of the fire last September, it was one of the things she wanted to have with her.

Apparently my daughter understood that while I was knitting holes where they didn't belong and dropping stitches with that cotton yarn, I was also carrying a strand of love with each dip and twist of the needles.

If I hadn't embraced the mistakes and forged ahead, there would still be a pile of unfinished yarn in my closet.

If I hadn't just gone forward without regret, my Princess wouldn't have her treasured blanket.

Love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

All of messy muddled up me was in those loops of yarn and that was enough for my girl. Holes and all.

The Curious Case of Overwhelmed Paralysis Syndrome

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 04:13:00 +0000

A new condition has recently been discovered in which the sufferer breaks down in a most unusual way. Generally brought on by oodles-to-do and perfectionism, the patient simply ceases functioning as a reasonable adult.

Symptoms include to-do lists littered about the house, piles of materials for unfinished projects, anxiety when speaking to people whose phone calls and emails have not been returned, and lots of time frittered away on useless pursuits. One alarming aspect of this condition is the tendency for the patient to add several new major projects to her to-do list daily, regardless of the fact that there is not enough time for her to accomplish those already on her list.

The patient finds it difficult to sleep, consumes too much caffeine, and asks for forgiveness regularly. She also is prone to making ridiculous faces.

Curiously, the patient tends to neglect first the things she cares about most. Thankfully this does not include people.

A recent study undertaken in my very own home has shown that this condition is self-replicating. The less the patient does to manage her spinning-out-of-control life, the more overwhelmed she becomes. During the study the patient was heard to say "The state of my house is directly correlated to the state of my mind. And where are my keys?"

A telling moment in the study was when it was discovered that the patient planned to hand-knit five hats, one flower, one pair of socks and a washcloth. In six days. One of which was Christmas.

The only way to cure Overwhelmed Paralysis Syndrome is to make a clean break. In dire cases the patient must relocate, even if temporarily.

I am happy to report that in the case of the study undertaken in my home, a six day vacation was more than enough to reset the patient's brain. Post-vacation she reported the following:

"I am so glad we went away. If we had stayed home I would have continued to work, yet feel like I was accomplishing nothing. When we came back I felt like myself again, like I could think. I felt motivated and ready to get things back in order and back to normal."

Due to the fragile nature of the patient's condition and her ongoing recovery, no one pointed out that there is no such thing as "normal." And no one laughed at her too-big hand-knitted hat, too-small hand-knitted hat or very lacy hand-knitted washcloth.

Sometimes the Gift that is Needed Most is the Hardest Gift to Give

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:31:00 +0000

Thank you for walking through the Give Back Giveaway with me.

It has brought me much joy to highlight these ministries for your support, to see the hope and healing being brought into lives around the world, and to give away lovely and delicious gifts to you from these ministries. I do hope you will seriously consider supporting them as you give this Christmas.

But I will confess that reading and writing about the brokenness and need in the many precious lives served through these programs has grieved me. The hiddenness and magnitude of the problems threaten to overwhelm this tender heart.

Can we be honest?

There is never enough that we can do. Because the hurt is so huge.

But we must do something. Our love for Jesus, because of His love for us, simply must overflow and embrace those who hurt.

In the end, we truly are never enough. But He is enough. He is enough for us, He is enough for all who suffer. He is the only hope we have.

We can be His hands and feet, His eyes and ears, pouring ourselves out in love and service right here and right now.

This may sound funny, given that I have spent a month sharing various ministries with you, but I believe this firmly...

If you have a choice to send money somewhere, or to reach out and touch a hurting person right near you, turn to that hurting person.

Yes, money matters, it does make a difference and people and ministries REALLY need it. So many are struggling financially.

But you have neighbors who don't have a group ministering to them. So you be the ministry, you minister to their needs. You are equipped for this in Him!

I look around me now, here in the middle of a burned out forest, and I see an incredible amount of real and present need. When 1600+ homes and businesses are completely destroyed in a rural community, the list of needs is overwhelming.

Sometimes the way to meet a need does require money. But creative lovers of Christ can serve, no matter the circumstance.

The balm for all wounds, ultimately, is love, and love doesn't require money.

If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that love may be the more costly of the two, as it requires giving of our very selves.

This is what is required of us, I believe. And I fail abysmally most of the time. But I long to live love and pour out my life as an offering.

Will you try with me?

Open your heart to the need right next door, and give yourself away this Christmas.

photo by JoyLove7

The Give Back Giveaway ~ Women at Risk International AND Christian Freedom International

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:58:00 +0000

Okey doke, dear ones, time for the final Give Back Giveaway!

First off, allow me to introduce you to Women at Risk International. These folks work in countries around the world serving women in danger and crisis. They do quite a bit of outreach in the United States as well.

A bulk of the focus is on human trafficking. It is hard to wrap my mind around the reality that in New York City alone there are 3500+ children being trafficked. WAR, Int'l has multiple approaches... prevention, education, raids, job training, safe houses, and more. From their website:

Women At Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) is a nonprofit organization established to place circles of protection around women at risk. The purpose and passion of this organization is to wrap arms of love around women and children, whispering the message that they were created for purpose and dignity. Creating safe places for women and children rescued from many abuses including human trafficking/sexual slavery, WAR, Int’l desires to give voice to their silenced cries.

Take some time to read their website. It's a very rich site with lots of hidden treasures, much like the women they serve.

They sell items to raise funds for the various projects. 90% of the proceeds from the item sold goes back to the project from which it originated. As I perused their offerings my attention was caught by this:

It is an alabaster candle holder. I knew what it was made of right away because earlier this year I wrote about the woman with the alabaster jar, and I searched high and low for a picture of one. Alabaster was valuable in Jesus' days, and the contents of that alabaster jar was the woman's most prized possession.

Well, of course I knew that that was what I just had to give away here. What a lovely reminder of the treasure that we have in Christ, that all we have is His, that really we are His greatest treasure!

And a candle holder needs candles, yes?

Enter Christian Freedom International!

CFI ministers to the needs of the persecuted church around the world. From their website:

CFI has relationships with indigenous believers and churches including underground house church networks and Christian cell groups in countries where they are persecuted for their faith.

These courageous Christians share our passion for assisting the part of the Body that is suffering. They work with us to provide medicine, safe-houses, aid, Bibles, education, microenterprise, documentation, and advocacy to Christians and their families who are on the front lines of persecution.

And in their fundraising shop? Candles!

Don't you think these bamboo candles will go nicely with the alabaster candle holder?

In this giveaway:

one alabaster candle holder from Egypt, via WAR, Int'l
three bamboo candles from Thailand, via CFI

There are four ways to enter this giveaway from Women at Risk International and Christian Freedom International (please leave a separate comment for each... one comment = one chance to win).

Please include a way to contact you (via email, twitter or facebook) in one of your comments.

Are you a candle lover? Dinner? Bathtime? When do you like to light candles? Leave a comment.
Browse the WAR Chest Boutique and share one item you might want to give as a gift.
Browse the CFI Store and share one item you might want to give as a gift.
Share the WAR/CFI Give Back Giveaway with your friends by tweeting or facebooking about it (then leave a comment here). Feel free to use this: "Bamboo candle and alabaster candle holder giveaway at Joyful Mama.... http://goo.gl/Wqc0n #GiveBackGiveaway"

The alabaster candle holder and bamboo candle giveaway will end on Saturday Dec. 3, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

UPDATE: This giveaway has ended. Congratulations His Jules!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Women At Risk International or Christian Freedom International. The giveaway items will be purchased for the purpose of this giveaway, with all funds going to WAR Int'l and CFI.

The Give Back Giveaway ~ Heavenly Treasures/HT Handicrafts

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:08:00 +0000

Today I'd like to introduce you to Heavenly Treasures. Their mission is to "equip and assist people in developing countries to break the cycle of poverty through their handiwork and creativity."

The Heavenly Treasures Network consist of over 50 micro-enterprise livelihood projects in 13 countries around the world. At the Heavenly Treasures shop, HT Handicrafts, you can purchase a wonderful variety of arts and handicrafts, and know that 100% of the proceeds will go to the livelihood project selling the items.

From their website:

Since 1998, heavenly treasures has assisted refugees, single mothers, widows, the physically disabled, women & children rescued from human trafficking, orphans, the disenfranchised, and many others. Lives around the world are affected each day through the sale of handicrafts. Each product made reflects the heart and soul of one or more of our artisans around the world. Assistance is provided to artisans in the areas of Business Development, International Marketing, Leadership Training, Product Development and Spiritual Guidance. We desire to see people fed physically, spiritually & emotionally.

Investing in people who have the desire to see their lives change is exciting “business”. We are mission focused; Heavenly Treasures are people not products. We network with those who can consistently build relationships with the participants of the livelihood projects and have their own network to build the kingdom of God.

Heavenly Treasures was founded based on Biblical scripture... Matthew 6: 19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… for where your treasure is there your heart will be also.”

Look at these lovely paper creations from Thailand...

Yes, these you'll get some of ALL of these in this giveaway! The giveaway consists of

6 small decorative paper boxes
1 pressed flower and paper bookmark
1 handcrafted pressed flower and paper journal with a wooden pencil

They are all sooo pretty, and I think they would make lovely gifts, don't you?

There are three ways to enter the HT Handicrafts paper gifts giveaway (please leave a separate comment for each... one comment = one chance to win):

I just love journals and have filled many. What about you? Are you a writer? Would you use the journal for yourself or gift it?
Browse HT Handicrafts and share one item you might want to give as a gift.
Share the HT Handicrafts Give Back Giveaway with your friends by tweeting or facebooking about it (then leave a comment here). Feel free to use this: "Heavenly Treasures Handicraft giveaway at Joyful Mama! http://goo.gl/6U3rK #GiveBackGiveaway"

Please include a way to contact you (via email, twitter or facebook) in one of your comments.

The Heavenly Treasures/HT Handicrafts giveaway will end on Monday Nov. 28, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

UPDATE 11/29/11: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations Darrell!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Heavenly Treasures or HT Handicrafts. The giveaway items were purchased for the purpose of this giveaway, with all funds going to Heavenly Treasures.

The Give Back Giveaway ~ Create Good Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:15:00 +0000

The Create Good Foundation was started by the founders of Pura Vida coffee to serve needy people in coffee growing regions around the world. Their focus is on providing access to safe water sources and establishing economic infrastructure projects.

Did you know...

One in eight people lacks access to clean water
Every 20 seconds a child dies from a water borne disease
Lack of sanitation is the world's biggest cause of infection
Over 200 million hours is consumed every day by women collecting water

In Nicaragua, projects sponsored by Create Good have built gravity fed water systems, dug and rehabilitated wells, and improved sanitation by building latrines.

Water projects in Guatemala have included assisting families in getting individual water filters to clean their unsafe water sources, and building a gravity fed water system to bring water closer to residences and eliminate the need for physical hauling.

Create Good has also invested in projects that bring economic stability to poor areas, including grants for schools and loans for small businesses.

Create Good and Pura Vida sell coffee, tea, wine and chocolate to help raise money for these projects.

And oh am I excited about this giveaway.... chocolate!

The ingredients in Create Good's single origin chocolate are from Guatemala, and the chocolate is made in Guatemala. This is really Guatemalan chocolate! The proceeds from sales of their chocolate go to their clean water projects.

How about this for yummy?

one bar of dark chocolate
one bar of dark chocolate with sea salt
one bar of milk chocolate
one bar of milk chocolate with almonds.

That's right, four bars of chocolate for you or a friend!

There are three ways to enter the Create Good chocolate giveaway (please leave a separate comment for each... each comment = one chance to win):

Tell us... what is your favorite kind of chocolate?
Are you a tea or coffee drinker?
Share the Create Good Chocolate Give Back Giveaway with your friends by tweeting or facebooking about it (then leave a comment here). Feel free to use this: "Create Good chocolate giveaway! http://goo.gl/gqe79 #GiveBackGiveaway"

Please include a way to contact you (via email, twitter or facebook) in one of your comments.

The Create Good chocolate giveaway will end on Friday Nov. 25, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

UPDATE 11/26/11: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations Jennifer!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Create Good or Pura Vida. The chocolate is purchased for the purpose of this giveaway, with all funds going to Create Good.

The Give Back Giveaway ~ Haitian Creations

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:54:00 +0000

Last year as I was searching for gifts that give back, I came across Haitian Creations, an arm of Heartline Ministries.

Heartline has had a presence in Haiti for over a decade. During the devastating earthquake in January of 2010, Heartline set up an emergency clinic that saved many lives. They run a women's clinic now, as well as a ministry teaching women to do handwork to support themselves.

From their website:

Our dream was to create a place where women could learn valuable life-skills and eventually support their families out of the cycle of poverty. This dream is coming into reality every day as women learn to read and write, learn to sew, learn to make jewelry, learn to cook, and learn to run their own businesses. It is our ultimate desire to see women discover their God-given talents and abilities and to know they are treasured themselves!

We offer four different education classes: literacy, beading, sewing, and new this semester, cooking. Women who graduate from the six-month sewing class or the four-week beading class have the opportunity to work part-time for Heartline at the center. We provide materials, a machine, and a safe place to work. Their beautiful hand-crafted goods are available online at HaitianCreations.com and through hosted Purse Parties around the US and Canada!

The Haitian Creations website sells purses and jewelry hand made by the women in the Heartline program. As of this writing, only the purses are up for sale, as the website is being revamped, but by the end of November you should be able to purchase jewelry from their website as well.

For this giveaway I'm delighted to be giving away a bag from Haitian Creations!

The bag is handmade and signed by its maker, Suzette. Think purse. Think knitting bag. Think library books. It's nice and roomy, with two pockets on the front and two inside. This would make a lovely Christmas gift!

There are three ways to enter the Haitian Creations purse giveaway (please leave a separate comment for each... each comment = one chance to win):

Visit Haitian Creations' purse page. What style do you like?
Spend some time reading one of the volunteers' blogs... John and Beth, The Hendrick Family, The Livesay Family
Share the Haitian Creations Give Back Giveaway with your friends by tweeting or facebooking about it (then leave a comment here). Feel free to use this: "Haitian Creations handmade bag giveaway! http://goo.gl/vEI45 #GiveBackGiveaway "

Please include a way to contact you (via email, twitter or facebook) in one of your comments.

The Haitian Creations purse giveaway will end on Sunday Nov. 20, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

UPDATE 11/21/11: This giveaway has ended. Congratulations Melissa!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Haitian Creations or Heartline Ministries. The bag was purchased for the purpose of this giveaway and all funds went to Heartline Ministries.

When My Expectations Go Off the Deep End

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:14:00 +0000

I've been thinking about expectations the past few days.

About how I have a lot of them.

And how so many of them are unrealistic.

Kids? That I think I sorted out long ago. I figured out that if I expect my babies to sleep through the night I will be disappointed. If I lean into it, embrace reality, I can shape my life to deal with it.

Even now that they are all sleeping well through the night, I think I am pretty good at swatting away unrealistic kid expectations.

Fantasy: all children will be compliant on all school days and we will all happily learn together while keeping to a schedule

Reality: we all have good days and bad days, even Mama. The best approach is to take the long view. Not to think in days, but in weeks, even years. While it helps to have daily school plans, the real measure of how each child is doing comes as I look over the whole school year.

So yay, right? Realistic expectations.

Except.

Except when it comes to me. Or Me, Myself and I, as I seem to think I am capable of squeezing the work of three women into a day.

Did you know that it is {deep breath} unrealistic {I said it!} on a given day to cook all meals from scratch wholesomely on a budget, have no dust bunnies, educate the children with both breadth and depth, be an amazingly attentive and attractive wife, be a grace-filled yet firm mother, be caught up with the laundry, do church-based ministry work, do community-based ministry work, write and publish something of value, have clean floors, interact in a meaningful way with strangers via social media, keep up with all old friends and family via email/phone/facebook, write thank you letters, have an adorably tidy and productive homestead, have a rich personal prayer time, study the scriptures in depth, memorize chapters of the bible, and of course, be cheerful?

Did you know that?

Yeah.

Me too, kinda, especially when I read it all smooshed together in one run-on ludicrous sentence.

But Myself and I? Those ladies are clueless.

They seem to think that not only is it possible, but that not do so equals failure.

Like, failure as a human being. Seriously. {eyes roll}

Ha!

Fantasy: it is possible for a human being to accomplish everything in that paragraph-of-ridiculousness in a day.

Reality: I will get a few of those things done each day. Some are non-negotiables. And hopefully more than few will get done. But not all.

So friends, reality means I will not post here for a month and then suddenly I will post almost daily.

Reality is I will tell you I will email you about something and I will completely forget because when I sit down at my computer my brain goes *!*!*!*!* with all the things I am supposed to do and instead I will follow some bunny trail of blog reading.

Reality is I will make homemade muffins for breakfast but they will be with white flour because I forgot to clean the grinder yesterday so that the kids could start grinding wheat again and now I am in a rush.

Reality is I will completely forget to study my scripture memorization passages one day then spend 20 minutes the next day listening to myself saying them on repeat on my iPhone while driving the kids to an activity.

Reality is this mama is a bumbling mess, who has a wonderful life that begs to be enjoyed. So Myself and I are just going to have to chill out, 'cause the kids want to go with Me to visit some piglets.

{later}

Since I hadn't hit publish yet after writing the above, I can't resist sharing some pictures from our walk down to the babies.

You see what I mean about the wonderful life?

Now how about you go enjoy yours too. :-)

"To do" photo by Courtney Dirks
All other photos by Patti Brown

The Give Back Giveaway ~ Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:12:00 +0000

photo courtesy of Do Good Initiative

Four years ago I headed up the after-church coffee team at our then-church-home. We decided that we wanted to make our dollars count, so I began to hunt around for coffee that gave back, coffee that did good.

I stumbled upon Land of a Thousand Hills.

One spring morning I spent a sunny hour talking on the phone with Robert at Land of a Thousand Hills. He told me about the work they were doing in Rwanda. The wells and the cooperative coffee washing stations. The micro-loans to widows, and the intriguing theory behind loans instead of charity.

From their website...

In April 1994, Rwanda (an African country half the size of the state of Maryland) experienced one of history’s most atrocious genocides. In just 100 days, close to one million ethnic Tutsi and moderate Hutu sympathizers lost their lives to the hands of extremist Hutu militia.

The 1994 genocide that left so many innocent people either dead, orphaned, or widowed has now become a focal point of the global community. In the wake of civil war, Rwanda made a commitment to national restoration. The government called upon the church to lead the country in reconciliation and asked the outside world to support them as it looked to heal and eradicate poverty, disease, and illiteracy.

In 2001, Jonathan Golden, founder of Land of a Thousand Hills, recognized a simple and tangible opportunity to make a difference in the reconciliation of the Rwandan people. This realization led Golden to start a coffee company that pays a fair wage to the farmers of Rwanda, helps them with their basic needs, and brings a quality product to coffee lovers.

The introduction of specialty coffee to the healing fields of Rwanda proved to be an uncommon opportunity for once warring countrymen to not only rebuild their homesteads, but to work together toward lasting peace. A commitment to excellence in coffee has brought dignity and hope to a nation that history suggested would never recover.

Robert was passionate about the work being done in Rwanda. And equally passionate about the coffee itself. He gave me detailed instructions on storage and preparation, and how to assess the quality of coffee. He explained that the beans are freshly roasted in the U.S. just before selling to keep them at their peak flavor.

So I ordered several varieties, and oh. my. Freshly roasted coffee? Nothing like it.

Now Land of a Thousand Hills also works in Haiti, and has started the Do Good Initiative.

Do you know someone who loves coffee? I sure do... what a great Christmas gift!

Now how about a coffee giveaway? The winner of this giveaway will receive a 12 oz bag of Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee. Yummmm....

There are three ways to enter this giveaway (please leave a separate comment for each... each comment = one chance to win):

Check out the Land of a Thousand Hills coffee beans. Which kind would you choose? Leave a comment here.
You're sitting on my front porch in a rocking chair sipping a cup of freshly ground, freshly brewed Land of a Thousand Hills coffee. I'm in the kitchen taking muffins out of the oven. Who is drinking coffee in the rocking chair next to you?
Share the Land of a Thousand Hills Give Back Giveaway with your friends by tweeting or facebooking about it (then leave a comment here). Feel free to use this: "Land of a Thousand Hills coffee giveaway! #GiveBackGiveaway http://goo.gl/m0xkU"

Please include a way to contact you (via email, twitter or facebook) in one of your comments.

The Land of a Thousand Hills coffee giveaway will end on Thursday Nov. 18, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org.

UPDATE 11/18/11: The Land of a Thousand Hills Giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Eclairre!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with Land of a Thousand Hills or the Do Good Initiative. The coffee is being purchased for the purpose of this giveaway and all funds will go to Land of a Thousand Hills.

Convicted... But Not Condemned

noreply@blogger.com (Patti) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 01:01:00 +0000

I say it over and over again for a week.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
~ Romans 8:1

It soaks into me in the first week of my journey to memorize Romans 8. This verse... the beginning... this verse I will say the most.

No condemnation.

But how? How can this be?

I stand in the shower, rivulets running over my head, drops falling from the tip of my nose. And I ask.

How, Lord? How can it be that all our righteousness is as filthy rags and all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and no one does good, no not even one...

Yet there is now no condemnation? No guilt?

In the middle of the waterfall it comes.

A picture of a judge. And clarity.

No, my love, there is much guilt. I stand to determine guilt, and yes you are convicted. But precious child, I the Judge choose the punishment. And I do not condemn you.

For you are in my Son and He has already borne the punishment.

Conviction, but not condemnation.

Found guilty, but upon sentencing let go. No bond required. But the bond of love ties me up in Him and I am entangled and free at once.

I daren't ever pretend I am not guilty. For if I say I do not sin truth is not in me.

If I were to believe it to be true that I am not guilty how could I fall with abandon into the saving arms of Jesus? For what purpose would He have died?

This mystery, this walking with sin heavy, yet free in Christ, it astonishes me. It ties the bonds of love ever tighter, makes me yearn to shed the striving, to rest in His mercy. To lay myself down in all my brokeness at His feet, and just love Him.

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:2

The water washes away the dirt of the day. Drips it right down the drain.

For if I have been set free, then I am free indeed.

flickr photo by walknboston