Serving God and Family

New Website

2013-09-05T16:42:00.002-05:00

For those interested, I have a new blog over at http://titus2reformationhome.blogspot.com/.

Feel free to stop by.

Blessings,
Crystal <><

2012-11-30T08:45:00.001-06:00

Please pray for The Shelby Family

2012-07-08T15:56:00.000-05:00

Please pray for my friends, The Shelby's. You can read their story and how you can help by clicking the button below.

*I know I said SG&F had come to a close - and it has, but this is important and I felt moved to share it with my readers. Amy is a friend of mine, and a few months after Eleanor was born took me to the E.R. and stayed with me there waiting in the in the middle of the night. She has been such a sweet friend and Malachi and I feel compelled to rally for support on their behalf.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Crystal <><

Coming to a Close

2012-07-03T20:52:00.000-05:00

On the eve of my 31st birthday I sit and ponder many things about my life, where I've been, where I am, and where I'm going. As I reflect on this past year and look forward to the coming year, I find myself in a strange place. I've done my best to be transparent here as I share my trials, struggles and triumphs - and I'm beginning to come to the conclusion that I may be a bit too transparent. The age of information technology makes everything and just about everyone easily accessible to a wide array of on lookers. While I have not been totally naive about the exposure and ridicule I've subjected myself to, everyone has their limit, and I dare say I have reached mine.

I began this blog back in 2007. I love to write and have had aspirations of going back to school to get my Master's in Journalism. However, as much as I love to write - I find that there are people who lurk about reading what I post in what seems to be a very creepy and unhealthy obsession with my life. This bothers me very much, especially because I have small children.

So, Serving God and Family is coming to a close. I have hopes of creating a new blog simply to share crafting projects (moslyt my crocheting) with those who may be interested. I want to take back my privacy. I had thought about simply making my blog private, where only a select few would have access to it. In the long run I think that would just add more stress and is not what I intended for this blog.

I'm thankful for the faithful readers I've had over the years and the many sweet friendships the Lord has created through my blog. I still have my Southern Scentsabilities website up and running and I plan to keep it that way.

I pray that even in some small way my writings and the things I've shared here on this blog over the past several years has encouraged you and challenged you to focus on Christ alone. I'm sad to be leaving and discontinuing this blog, and maybe I'll reopen it, but for now I simply feel it is a must for the safety and privacy of my family.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Serving God and My Family,
Crystal <><

All is Well {Update on Charlotte and Some Thoughts on Diet and Medicine}

2012-06-25T15:05:00.000-05:00

In my last post I sought prayer for my sweet Charlotte's heart. A day after I posted her temperature became slightly elevated (99.9) and she complained of a scratchy throat. That evening our elder's wife called to inform me that one of her son's had tested positive for Strep Throat. This at least gave me a good idea of what might have been causing the elevated temperature and heart rate. The day after that Charlotte's heart was still not within normal resting heart rate ranges and I continued to put my Valor essential oil on her heart. Within 30 minutes or so her heart rate would come down from 135bpm (resting) to about 120-125bpm. She only had an elevated temp for a few hours and then nothing. I began putting my Thieves oil on the bottoms of her feet and Frankincense on the lymph node area on her neck. By the next day she said her throat was better and she still had no fever.

Her heart rate has been in the 90s the past couple of days, which is great! Malachi put the Valor on her heart last night, and I think we will just continue to apply it once or twice a day as a precaution. My poor darlin' - when her heart rate would get in the upper 130s she was completely exhausted. All she wanted to do was sleep and she complained about how tired she was. It must have felt to her like she had just finished running around the house a million times - although she hadn't done much of anything.

A few other thing I did to help support Charlotte's immune system:

- Probiotic (Biofidophilus) 2 x per day
- Fermented Cod Liver Oil/Butter Oil 2 x per day

I learned that Strep Throat is a bacterial infection that stems from an unhealthy gut. Everyone has Strep (and Yeast) in their bodies, and when our guts become off balanced due to poor diet, stress, etc., then we become susceptible to illnesses such as Strep Throat or Systemic Candida (among other things). Strep Throat can be treated naturally without antibiotics, and in fact doing so is better in the long run if caught early enough. The thing that concerns me about Strep Throat is Rheumatic Fever. Rheumatic Fever is caused from Strep Throat and has the potential of damaging the heart muscle and valves. With Charlotte's pre-existing heart condition, Rheumatic Fever can be quite dangerous for her.

I did a bit of research (I'm sure not surprising to some of you) and found that Strep Throat can be treated with Bifidophilus (Extra Strength Probiotic), garlic (natural antibiotic), and Apple Cider Vinegar (Organic Unfiltered - I recommend Bragg's). All of these treatments help to restore and balance the gut without the harmful flora killing side effects of antibiotics.

I remember getting Strep Throat constantly as a child. The first time I recall having Strep Throat I was about 5 or 6 years old. My dad was stationed at Fort Bragg, and from what I remember (and what my parents tell me) I was super sick. My mom told me that I went through several rounds of antibiotics. This caused me to wonder - were the antibiotics making the infection worse because it was ruining my gut therefore keeping my immune system from doing its job? I'm not sure, nor do I think I'll ever know a definite answer. I do know that my Charlotte has never taken an antibiotic and if she was battling a Strep infection (even in the slightest of forms), it appears that using a more naturally holistic approach is what helped her body fight it off. I do not think it coincidence that her heart started acting up on the same day my elder's wife called to tell me of her son's diagnosis - then Charlotte has a slightly elevated temp the following day.

Our elder's son is allergic to corn - and all antibiotics on the market are corn based - so guess who cannot have an antibiotic? Fortunately, there is a naturopath in the area that gave some great recommendations, and through those recommendations I was able to make better decisions for my Charlotte in the event she indeed had Strep Throat. It was reassuring to know that avoiding a trip to the doctor, which would have inevitably ended with a prescription for an antibiotic regardless, was in our best interest.

Over the past several months I'm learning a lot about trusting the Lord during the times when my children are not feeling well. It is still hard at times to disregard what the industry has taught me and lean not on my own understanding and seek the Lord for how to care for my family. It seems quite the easiest of tasks to make sure the children are fed properly and loved - but when they fall ill - that is a whole different ball game. Why is that? I think, even as Christians our trust and assurance in the Lord is weak when we feel the most helpless. I feel most helpless when my little ones are sick. I want instant healing so that I can avoid watching them suffer - even if their suffering is a stuffy nose. I still panic and want to reach for the doctor so that he/she will reach for their prescription pad and give us a miracle medicine that will fix the suffering; when all the while I'm completely disregarding that God designed the human body to function in a certain way that helps to maintain health. Now, I understand that we live in a fallen world and our flesh has been corrupted by sin and death - so sickness cannot be avoided altogether. However, I do believe that when we do become sick it is the body's way of saying that our immune system is weak and needs to be fed properly so that it can do the job the Lord designed it to do.

Everyone knows - if they've been following my blog long enough that we've changed the way we eat and more importantly what we think about diet and nutrition in general. The more I study and seek the Lord, the more I'm learning that He has a definite position on what we put into our bodies. While I will not call "unclean" what the Lord has called "clean" - I do believe that just as our spiritual diet affects our spiritual health so too does our physical diet affect our physical health. If we are consuming a diet filled with things that technically are not "food" and have not the ability to nourish our bodies - then what is the point? How can we possibly expect our bodies to function properly?

I've witnessed just how much diet affects our overall health. I remember my first child being sick all the time when she was a baby and a toddler. It seemed every time we turned around she was sick and on an antibiotic or something to help with her constant constipation or diarrhea. Sadly, I did not have a strong opinion on breastfeeding and did not have the support or knowledge about the superiority of breast milk versus formula when Sofia was little. Sofia was formula fed (soy formula - the WORST) until she was a year old. Then we put her on store brand cow's milk. I didn't know about hormones and antibiotics being present in the milk either. When she started solids she did the routine store bought jarred foods and then just started eating what we ate - which wasn't good either.

By the time my second child came along we still hadn't made changes to our diet. I gained nearly 70lbs during my pregnancy from eating junk. Then Charlotte was born with a heart condition and has been put through the ringer searching for reasons for why she is so little. Fortunately, by the time I had her I had become more aware of the benefits of breastfeeding and when her cardiologist urged me to continue nursing at all costs for the sake of her heart health, well, I was one determined momma!

As time progressed and we mourned the loss of two more babies through miscarriage - and our Sofia developed a serious food allergy to red dye - the Lord just convicted us heavily on what we were consuming through our diet. Looking back I can see where God was working in specific areas of my life through different events and people to bring about His perfect plan for our family. We have a desire to be obedient in all things, not just in theology or in the discipleship of our children. Food is such an important part of our lives - our bodies absolutely need it to survive. Now, the big debate on the great matter is in regards to what constitutes as "food" these days.

The food industry has created a product that the consumer has demanded. Bigger, Cheaper, Easier. In our hastiness for bigger and easier we've cheapened food. I don't know about you, but the word "cheap" doesn't ignite images or ideas of a superior product. To cheapen something is to quite frankly lessen its value or worth, thus making it worthless or valueless.
Synonyms for the word “cheap”:
Valuless, worthless, low quality, bad, common, crappy (slang), bum, inferior, low-grade, rotten, rubbish, uncharitable, despicable, disgusting, cowardly, unethical
I don’t know about you – but these are not attributes I’d like my food (or anything in my life for that matter) to represent. I’m all about taking advantage of a good sale – like when the grass-fed ground beef goes on sale at my local Whole Foods, and even then I know I’m going to pay at least $3.99 per pound. And, if I ever see ground beef that is priced at anything lower (and it isn’t from the local farmer that I’m picking it up from – even then the lowest I can get it for is like $3.50 per pound) then I can be assured it is NOT what I want to consume because it is “cheap” meat.

Cheapened food wreaks havoc on our bodies and forces us to pay more in healthcare costs. Wonder why medical insurance is so stinking expensive? We’ve got a population of people who are almost always ill – or suffering some other physical ailment. Allergies, obesity, and even cancer can be traced back to something as simple as diet. An apple isn’t just an apple anymore and sadly we’ve got a generation of people and a food industry that simply want to cast a blind eye to it all because we’ve got “cheaper” food! Yes, but with cheaper food comes consequences that we all pay for with a high price – our health and the health of future generations.

Ok, so how did a blog update on Charlotte’s heart condition turn into a rant on food and medicine? Simple. Keeping her immune system healthy by feeding her nourishing sustenance that hasn’t been adulterated or cheapened is what the Lord used to ward off an impending Strep Throat infection and possible SVT episode that could have potentially landed her in the Emergency Room.

Our change in philosophy over food and medicine didn’t come about overnight, and the changes that we’ve implemented didn’t come to fruition immediately. The Lord slowly worked on our hearts using several different events – the first event being Sofia’s food allergy to red dye. The Lord so beautifully orchestrated that one event and caused a cascade of understanding for other events. He brought different people into our lives – each one at the perfect time to share with us what the Lord had taught them.

It hasn’t always been easy, but then again nothing in life is ever easy. The Lord has blessed us in the midst of many different trials – miscarriages, my husband was laid off a few years ago, barely keeping our heads above water financially, different medical issues that have arisen and that we continue to face. God has provided through different family and friends and we feel extremely humbled and blessed to know that so many people truly love our family. We want to be good stewards of that which the Lord provides and part of that is caring for the bodies the Lord has given us. I’m thankful for the Lord’s chastisement in the area of diet and medicine. I’ve seen how our overall health is better and we feel more confident in trusting the Lord for whatever He brings our way – even in sickness.

I know so many people will be sitting behind their computer screen wondering how on earth they can make these types of changes on a limited budget. We have always had a limited budget, and even during those times where we didn’t manage it well, the Lord always provided for our dietary needs. At present, our weekly grocery budget is $150. This fluctuates depending on the menu that I work up for each week. Now that we’re in the hot months of the summer, I like to do more meatless meals which helps to lower our weekly grocery spending. We don’t use paper products, other than toilet paper, and this has helped the budget. I use cloth diapers and cloth wipes on Eleanor which helps too. While I do make bread from scratch, we’ve cut back on our bread type foods in general. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables (in season) is much of our diet these days. We’ve found local sources for some of our produce and eggs. Eventually we’ll grow our own seasonal produce and we’ll have our own chickens. We’ve even thought about a goat for raw milk – but that will still take some time. Beans and rice, hummus and veggies, grilled chicken salads or salad with beans are staples in our house during the hot summer months. These meals don’t have to be super fancy and are incredibly budget friendly.

I know, some may be thinking, “But my kids won’t eat that stuff”. Well, neither did ours at first. But what I’ve learned these past several years is that children will grow accustomed to what you allow them to be accustomed to. My children love vegetables, and my Charlotte would much rather eat carrots than cookies! I simply don’t keep junk in the house, therefore my children have no choice but to eat what I serve them. I highly encourage beginning healthy eating habits from infancy. This means that YOU must make healthy eating habits and choices. We are our child’s first exposure to a plethora of things in life, and FOOD is a vital part of life, therefore we should make healthy nutrition a priority. Get informed about how your food is made. Find out where your produce and meats come from. Are they ethically grown? Start a garden. Get a few chickens. Or if you can’t do that, find a local source for your produce and meats. A great way to do this is to check out your local farmer’s market. Get to know the vendors and you will most likely be able to work out a great deal with them.

We have so many options these days, and of course we generally like to take the path of least resistance. Below are several resources I highly recommend. They range from documentaries to websites.

Above all, pray! Pray and seek the Lord for wisdom in this area of your life. If you make changes to your diet without the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but because you think you have to be like me – then you will fail from the start and become bitter and frustrated. The reason we eat, believe, and live the way we do is because the Lord changed our hearts. He set before us challenges and illnesses to show us something very important, that no matter what He is Sovereign. And if we look to Him for wisdom and understanding He is faithful to show us the right way.

Resources:
Food, Inc.
Eat Wild
Non-GMO Shopping Guide (pdf)
Organic Food on a Budget (Keeper of the Home)
The Healthy Home Economist (I don’t agree with everything posted, but this lady has some great insight into how our diet effects our overall health)
Doctor Yourself
EcoCentric
Health for Godly Generations (LOVE this book!)
Culinary Reformation
The Beautiful Truth (Watch for Free)
Real Milk
Dr. Mercola
Food Documentaries Everybody Should Watch
Back to Eden Film

I hope that you find these resources informative and helpful. If you’d like more information on Young Living Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils, then please head over to my website Southern SCENTSabilities.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Serving God and My Family,
Crystal <><

Crochet Projects

2012-06-25T09:04:00.002-05:00

I've been working on a few new items for some sweet customers. I thought I'd share, mostly because I've got the cutest models!

I'll post the update on Charlotte's heart soon. For the moment she is doing really well! Thank the Lord for Young Living Essential Oils!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Serving God and My Family,
Crystal <><

My Sweet Charlotte's Heart

2012-06-15T08:51:00.001-05:00

I am posting a quick blog to ask for prayer for my Charlotte. Anyone who has been following my blog long enough knows that Charlotte was born with SVT (Supra-ventricular Tachycardia). She was on heart medication up to her 1st birthday and since that time has been medication free. A year or so ago she started having a few days with elevated heart rates - but it fizzled out and there was no need to see the cardiologist. This morning her heart rate is slightly elevated (she isn't doing any physical activity that would cause this). The difference this time is that she can tell me better what she is feeling. She said she is shaky (hands were very shaky) and that she is very sleepy. Her little cheeks are a bit rosy and her hands are clammy as well. Heart rate is between 130-140bpm.

If her heart rate spikes to 160bpm we are to take her to the Emergency Room. We're praying this doesn't happen and that her symptoms subside quickly. She is laying down on the couch watching a movie with her sisters at the moment. I've put an ice pack on the back of her neck and wrists and applied my Valor Essential Oil over her heart area.

We covet your prayers!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Serving God and My Family,
Crystal <><

Wordless Wednesday - From My Back Porch

2012-06-13T15:51:00.000-05:00

Life is Full!

2012-06-03T18:10:00.002-05:00

It seems from the moment we moved the first piece of furniture into our new country home that we haven't had a moment to just relax! Every day and every weekend is filled with projects, cleaning, unpacking, and well, making our home a home.

While we wait on getting our own chickens we found a local farmer run by a retired Army Major and his wife. We are now able to get fresh eggs for $2 a dozen! This is great because we were spending $8 a dozen at Whole Foods - we only get the best eggs! The farmer and his wife have been so kind and are more than willing to teach us the ropes and let the girls get familiar with farm animals. It works out so well because the animals they have are so friendly that they follow us around! So each Saturday we go and get fresh eggs! Makes for a great reason to get out of the house and support a local farmer.

Yesterday we had the special treat of visiting another local farm and picking our own blueberries. We joined one of elders and his family and had the best couple of hours picking the most delicious blueberries. I think that my children ate more than they picked, but at the end of the morning we bought 8lbs of blueberries for $8! It was such a lovely time spent with people we love enjoying the fresh air and beautiful cool morning the Lord had made. I made blueberry muffins this morning and I'm gearing up to make lots of blueberry jam!

We also celebrated Sofia's 6th birthday this weekend. We did have cake and ice cream as a family on Thursday (31st - her birthday) and then yesterday we had a surprise birthday party for her after blueberry picking and picking up our eggs. Both families from our church (Covenant of Grace Baptist Church) attended and made the day so sweet for Sofia. She enjoyed playing with her friends and of course eating more cake and ice cream!

I especially enjoyed the day, watching my oldest child experience such a sweet time surrounded by people who love and care for her. I was also blessed with the opportunity to open my house for Christian hospitality. Everyone knows that my Sofia has an allergy to red dye and with that means being creative with preparing meals and especially birthday cakes. Two children in our church also have food allergies or food sensitivities and so I took on the task of making a corn/dairy free cake! It was such a blessing to know that all of the children present would be able to partake in feasting on birthday cake without fear of having an allergic reaction or without feeling singled out. I love being part of a church family who go the extra lengths to accommodate (joyfully) to meet the needs of every member present! Now that is true Christian community!

Then we come to today...

Today has been just as full as the past few days. After church my mother and her husband visited and brought me some priceless precious things for our home. Ever since I can remember I've always wanted a few pieces of furniture that belonged to my Great-Grandmother. Today I was given my Great-Grandmother's china cabinet - made out of teak wood and weighing in at a whopping 600lbs - and her Grandfather clock. Both pieces of furniture are special to me and will be treasured as long as I live.

My grandmother sent with my mother another precious and priceless gift - my Great-Grandmother's "Mother's Ring". While it will need to be re-sized to fit my finger, it is simply beautiful and I am honored to have it in my possession. My grandmother gave it to me as a gift for finishing my Bachelor's. She wrote in a card that she believed my Great-Grandparents would be very proud of me and I sure hope they would be.

While I still struggle with many hurts and wounds from my past, and I also till struggle and war with my own sins and flesh - I'm so very humbled and grateful for the family (both biological and church) the Lord has given to me. I'm learning to seek counsel of older and wiser Christian women - and to ultimately depend and rely and trust in the grace the Lord has provided to me through the work on the Cross.

I'll be doing a lot of "soul searching" and reflecting in the coming months. There always seems to be something else that needs to be worked on in my life. I'm thankful that the Lord continues to sanctify me, even when the means He uses are painful. All I want in this life is to be conformed into the image of Christ. I pray that He would strip away anything, everything, anyone and everyone from my life if it only conforms me into the image of Christ. Without Christ I am nothing and am worth nothing. So, as I close - I hope that those who continue to read my blog will know that I humbly submit that I am a sinner saved by grace through faith alone. I hope that I never portray a false picture of who I really am and what my life really is like. I struggle day to day and I do not have all the answers, but I can point you to the One who does have all the answers.

I was reminded today to look back over the past 15 years of my life and see what the Lord has done and rejoice in it! Rejoice in Christ, knowing that HE IS working in my life to will and to do His work! That brings me such great comfort to me.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Serving God and My Family,
Crystal <><

Happy 6th Birthday to my Sweet Sofia

2012-05-31T19:56:00.001-05:00

Sofia was not expecting us to be able to do anything for her birthday today since her daddy had to work. However, Malachi took off work after lunch and got all the grocery shopping accomplished. He got Sofia's birthday cake from Whole Foods (dye free!) and picked up her birthday gifts that she'd been wanting.

When Malachi arrived home he hid the gifts in the laundry room and I hid the cake in the ice box. Sofia has NO clue! While Malachi played with the girls in the playroom, I got everything set up in the kitchen. I thought I would share the video I took of how surprised and excited Sofia was!

A Bit of an Update - IT IS HOT!

2012-05-30T10:52:00.002-05:00

Wow! Is it hot, or what!? With the first named storm of this year, hurricane season may turn out to be quite interesting; especially since it hasn’t officially begun! Yes, it is hot here in South Louisiana and living out in the country brings new and exciting adventures that we simply did not have living in the stinky city. Since the heat’s arrival we have battle monster horseflies, deer flies, and more snakes! Oh yes, there was another snake – this time a young speckled King snake. Two of our three kitties were out hunting it down the other day; good kitties!

The horseflies – oh the horseflies. Those vile creatures had it out for me there for a few weeks. Apparently they are attracted to movement – and my flailing around like a crazy person must have given them the impression that I was taunting them because they would chase me around from the moment I opened the door! Then, when I had safely sought shelter in my horsefly proof house they would slam against the window or sit on the window staring at me as if to say “I’ll get you’re my pretty; and your little dog too!”. Fortunately, horsefly season is just about over and we haven’t seen many in a few days. Whew!

We have officially cast out our kitties to the yard. We knew the day would come when they would be outside cats – but when I noticed they had fleas the time had definitely come. So, they are happily living their kitty lives outside! Needless to say that means we are in a war with some a plague of fleas. Those tiny ankle biters are the hardest things to get rid of. I’ve been diffusing peppermint oil, we’ve dusted the entire house with Diatomaceous Earth, sprayed everything down with peppermint, citronella, geranium and lavender essential oil. We might be making headway, but when I see my two youngest children covered in flea bites I become quite discouraged. We are doing our best to avoid harmful toxic chemicals, and so far I think we’re doing a great job. The life cycle of a flea is about 90 days and of course the eggs can lay dormant for up to a year – tricky little stinkers! I know that with how hot it has been, it may just require more patience.

In other news…

Eleanor is now 15 months old and still breastfeeding! I’m so excited because it is one month longer than Charlotte did, and there are NO signs that Eleanor will wean anytime soon. She is still nursing every 3 to 4 hours during the day and every 2 to 3 hours at night. While many mothers would belly ache at the thought of having to nurse a child in the middle of the night, I rather enjoy it. I did it with Charlotte and I am of the mindset that “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”.

I’m learning, even now, that my role as the mother of my children is a means by which the Lord uses to stretch me, sanctify me, and force me to be utterly dependent on Him for my every need. In Him is my rest, and as long as I keep that at the forefront of my mind, then on those nights where I literally get no sleep – I can persevere and count it all joy because I know the Lord is working all things together for my good and His glory.

My sweet Charlotte is slowly getting over her fear of bugs – it was only a matter of time. We’ve prayed with her and over her – and even anointed her with oil because we believe that the enemy was preying on her little mind. Fear of anything other than the Lord is something to be squashed immediately. It sure was a sweet time of nurturing and instructing Charlotte through God’s word, and an object lesson for me personally. As I was encouraging Charlotte in God’s word about trusting in Him, and believing that He would protect her – I was convicted about my own fears of having the mice in the house, or the beastly snake that tried to devour me (or at least that is my story and I’m sticking to it!). I had to rely in the Lord through our mice infestation, and when I’m out in the yard I need to trust Him to protect me against the slithering snakely creatures that find themselves hiding in my chicken coop!

Oh my sweet Sofia! Her 6^th birthday is tomorrow and I can’t even begin to express my feelings towards her. She has grown in so many ways over the past year. It seems even in the struggles that she has experienced the Lord has given her such a sweet spirit. When I think back on the day she was born, I am in awe at all the Lord has brought her through. From parents who made poor uninformed choices in her healthcare that caused trauma to her body, anxieties that plagued her about bedtime or schedule changes – to a child who can now very adequately express to us when she isn’t having a good day. She still has difficulty making eye contact at times, but we haven’t had a meltdown in months! She now comes to me when she is experiencing anxiety and asks for particular essential oils. She knows how to apply them and she knows which ones work best for her. When she had the German Measles a month or so ago – she knew which oils would help with her itchy rash, and she knew that she needed to just rest.

What a joy Sofia is to me. I think the Lord uses her every day to teach me. I am not a perfect mother, and I lose my temper and composure, but having to raise a child who is highly sensitive (or I should say, becoming aware that Sofia has specific emotional needs that most children do not have) has forced me to learn a lot about patience and grace. I don’t always make the mark, but I’m so thankful that the Lord opened our eyes to the special needs that Sofia has. Through taking steps to detox her body (very slowly) and using my Young Living Essential Oils, it is like the fog has lifted that once hung around Sofia. She is such a blessing to our family!

We are thoroughly enjoying country life. I still go to bed at night in amazement at what the Lord has done in our lives. He blessed us with an amazing church family and devoted friends who have literally come to our aid in a moment’s notice. It is so humbling to see the Body of Christ operate as the Lord intends it to – without bickering and squabbling and whining. It is a true blessing to feel loved and cared for – to see my Brothers and Sisters in Christ putting others before themselves. I’ve seen sweet reconciliation and I’ve born the hurt of lost friendships, but through it all I’m just so thankful for the Lord’s unwavering affection and protection.

We’re looking forward now to celebrating Sofia’s 6^th birthday tomorrow, and then the month of July brings my 31^st birthday and my Charlotte’s 4^th birthday! We are excited to see what else the Lord has in store for our family and no matter what we give Him all the praise and glory!

*Here are a few recent pictures – enjoy!

She loves George!

Enjoying a Chocolate Chip Cookie

New stuff I crocheted

Sofia helped me make granola

My sweet darlings

Sisters

This is the face of a happy and content momma!

Serving God and My Family,

Crystal <><

Proud Wife!

2012-05-24T16:22:00.000-05:00

My husband is published! Well, his drawings are. He works for a computer software company as their QA Analyst. Several months ago he took on a design project and created several different images of the human eye and conditions that Ophthalmologist need to be able to chart in digital form. I am so very proud of the hard work my husband has put into each part of his job and the extra tasks he takes on. He has worked late hours and sometimes in the middle of the night!

I thank the Lord each day for the job he's given my husband. He's been at this company for over a year and has accomplished so much. He is doing what he loves to do and gets to work with an amazing group of people.

So, without further ado - click on the link below to see the a few of the images my husband created of the human eye.

http://digital.healthcaregroup.advanstar.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/ot_20120515/#/36

Serving God and My Family,
Crystal <><

Wordless Wednesday - My Sweet Eleanor

2012-05-16T14:29:00.001-05:00

Monday Struggles - Counting it All Joy!

2012-05-14T08:54:00.000-05:00

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds," James 1:2

This morning is proving to be very difficult. I covet your prayers as I walk by faith and count it all joy - each little trial I encounter - every little whine or tantrum from my children - every dish that seems to slip from my hands and shatter on the floor - every kitten that tries to climb my leg or scratches my children - every poopy diaper I have to wash - every one of my feeble attempts at keeping my house clean and meals prepared for my family - Lord, I count it all joy for I know that You have gone before me and have ordained every little thing to happen just as it does. You are using each moment in my life to sanctify me and bring glory to Yourself. Your will be done! Soli Deo Gloria!

Happy Mother's Day!

2012-05-13T18:28:00.000-05:00

Country Living {Frugal Tips – Going Paperless Part 2}

2012-05-06T17:54:00.000-05:00

Transitioning from paper products to cloth is quite simple. Today in an effort to go further with my ‘Going Paperless’ plan I made cloth wipes and homemade baby wipes solution. I cut up some left over flannel I had in a bin and put it into an empty wipes container and pour the baby wipes solution over the wipes.

Here’s the recipe I made up for my homemade baby wipes solution:

3 Cups Warm Water
2 TBSP (roughly) Dr. Bonner’s Baby Mild Castile Soap
2 Drops Therapeutic Grade Lavender Essential Oil (Only use 100% Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils – I only use my Young Living Essential Oils)
1 Vitamin E capsule
¼ tsp Organic Coconut Oil

Mix warm water and Castile soap together, then add Lavender Essential Oil, break open the Vitamin E capsule to add into the water along with the coconut oil. Mix well and pour over the wipes in the container you’ve chosen to use. The wipes will soak up the solution – I think I used about 50 wipes. I advise changing the solution every 24 hours. Not only can these wipes be used to gently wipe your baby’s tushy but also sticky hands!

Other oils that are great to add to this solution are:

Melaleuca Essential Oil (Tea Tree)

German Chamomille

(If you’d like more information on using Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils check out my website Southern SCENTSabilities)

You can use just about any material you’d like to make the baby wipes. I did nothing fancy. I cut out squares from some flannel I hadn’t used, but feel free to use baby wash clothes, cut up t-shirts, or old baby towels. Of course, make sure the material you use is soft – but that’s it. I did not sew my wipes, although you are surely free to do so. Easy peasy!

I’m really enjoying this new journey. This past week when my husband did the grocery shopping, it felt good to save $10 by not purchasing paper towels! $10 a week will add up and save us a considerable amount of money over the month.

Serving God and My Family,

Crystal <><

Country Living {Frugal Tips - Going Paperless}

2012-05-01T10:07:00.000-05:00

Living frugally can be quite the endeavor, but with some imagination and lots of helps and ideas from close friends it certainly can be done – and be fun! Over the past several weeks I’ve been trying to find new ways of saving us money and living below our means. This will, of course in the end, allow us to pay off our student loans and mortgage faster – and that is a good thing. It will also allow us to start investing into home improvement projects and into homesteading.

One of the families at our church has begun to move away from paper products as much as possible and so have we. Most people already know that we use cloth diapers, but over the past few months I’ve been cheating and using disposables. It seems like we’ve been hit with sickness after sickness (colds and Sofia had the German measles) that laundry has been piling up – so disposable diapers were much easier. Charlotte is potty training and using Gerber cloth training pants during the day and a disposable pull up at night. So far she is doing such a great job with minimal accidents throughout the day.

Obviously toilet paper will still be a must – and in our new house it MUST be septic safe. This is great for us because it means we are forced to use less of it so that we don’t clog up our septic system. It was hard at first to teach my almost 6 year old that she didn’t need mounds and mounds of toilet paper to wipe after using the bathroom, but she caught on quickly. However, we do not “need” paper towels or paper napkins. I bought several packs of basic terry cloth wash clothes from Walmart – 18 clothes for $4! We are using those for napkins and I use them to wipe down the counters and clean just about everything – including my floors! Yes, I get down on my hands and knees and scrub the floors with a wash cloth. I actually enjoy it because I can make sure the floors are getting cleaned instead of using a mop that just smears dirt everywhere. When I’m done I just toss the wash cloth in the washing machine. It is super easy and I like the manual labor – I’m noticing muscle tone in my arms! These are also great for wiping sticky hands and faces - just keep a damp wash cloth rady at the dinner table and after everyone is done eating wipe faces and hands.

Yesterday I took the time to make my husband some handkerchiefs. His seasonal allergies are raging and he usually goes through an entire roll of paper towels in a couple of days! So, I bought some flour sack towels from Walmart – 4 for about $2 and used those to make his handkerchiefs. (One towel made 4 handkerchiefs) They turned out really nice and he loves them! I plan on hand embroidering his initials on them to add a special touch. I’m going to make myself some as well, except I will use some crochet tread around the edges to make them more feminine.

Soon we will put up a clothes line and I will begin drying clothes out on the line. This will help to keep our energy costs down as well. I’m thankful for a husband who is savvy on appliances as he bought me an energy star washer that uses less water per load, saving us money on energy and water! I was skeptical at first about the new fancy machine – but I actually love it. Our clothes are cleaner and it uses under half the amount of water as a traditional washer.

So, there you have it. Some ways that I’m learning to save us money by cutting out unnecessary paper products. More tips to come soon!

Serving God and My Family,

Crystal <><

How to Soak Oats

2012-04-24T13:37:00.000-05:00

Did you know that soaking your oats overnight makes them easier to digest? Here is my simple way of soaking oats for breakfast.

Today we enjoyed oatmeal as our morning snack. My sweet Sofia filmed this video with my iPhone - didn't she do a great job?

Remember, adding dried fruit or local honey boosts the nutritional value of your oatmeal!

Country Living - Pests!

2012-04-18T14:17:00.000-05:00

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1: 2-4

"I am certain that the world outside is not going to pay much attention to all the organized efforts of the Christian church. The one thing she will pay attention to is a body of people filled with this spirit of rejoicing. That is how Christianity conquered the ancient world. It was this amazing joy of these people. Even when you threw them into prison, or even to death, it did not matter, they went on rejoicing; rejoicing in tribulations." ~Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Joy Unspeakable)

The past few weeks have been filled with excitement and frustration, yet through it all, the Lord keeps bringing to my mind James 1: 2-4. The wife of one of our Elder’s has been such a sweet source of counsel and encouragement and each time I call her needing advice on a different problem we find ourselves facing in our new home, she points me back to those verses as well. It truly has been such a blessing to be a part of a local body of believers who quite literally have become family to us. We have continually been blessed by our sweet friends who live hundreds of miles away too – some that we’ve never met face to face! I wonder if the Apostles felt the same way when they received letters from different churches – some of which they may have never had a chance to visit in person. While we have the ability of instant communication with those who live far away – even in different countries – the Apostle Paul had to wait for new letters to arrive. I’m sure the communications the Lord blessed him with while in prison or traveling were a sweet aroma to his soul that brought great joy and strength to his spirit.

Since moving into our new home we’ve battled all kinds of nature – and it seems we are still waging war against intruders – mice and ants! While I did spend time with my great grandmother when I was a little girl – I was raised as a city girl. Mice were never apart of my daily dealings growing up, and while we did battle mice when Malachi and I lived with his mother shortly after we married – this time around the mice are in “our” home. I’ve tried to keep everyone updated on our progress with fighting the mice via Facebook and as I look back at my statuses regarding said rodents I just chuckle. Don’t get me wrong, having mice in the house is frustrating and does cause me much anxiety when I think of all the diseases the little fur balls are capable of spreading – think Bubonic Plague! Ok – so my imagination runs wilds – I do not really believe that my house will see the plague, but you get the point.

It seems that the mice have outsmarted the traps we had put around the house. Initially the traps were highly successful – we’ve caught 6 or 7 mice so far – one even got caught in the girls’ fan (however, I didn’t find it until it was good and dead! GROSS!) Now, the little vermin just mosey on in the traps, eat to their hearts content and then mosey right on out – of course leaving behind their droppings as a token of their appreciation. (Double Gross!) A local pest control company said at this point the only thing they can do for us is to put out poison – which, if you know me well, you know I am totally against anything that is toxic to me and my family. I mean, don’t get me wrong – I have no problem killing mice by any measures necessary – I just don’t want to put my family or pets at risk. For now – poison is not an option. I cannot tell you how many mice I think are in the house – but I do think the problem is bigger than we anticipated.

In the midst of it all, I keep reminding myself of James 1:2-4 – "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." I am counting it all joy! Even if the house falls down around us, I will count it all joy! I look back over the past couple of months and I am reminded of God’s goodness. He orchestrated every step towards owning this home – even when the odds seemed completely stacked against us. I’ve learned those are often times when we truly see God’s power – when He stacks the odds against Himself just to prove it is Him doing all the work. His will was for us to have this house – and I know His will for us is to take dominion over this house – even the mice!

We have had fire ant issues in the house. Malachi has sprayed (last resort) and our poor Charlotte found herself the victim of about 10 fire ants when she decided to plunge a shovel into their home! She was stung again the other day and since then is completely traumatized. Thanks again to the wise counsel of a sweet friend, Charlotte seems to be doing much better now. We anointed Charlotte with oil and prayed over her. We talked about how God created all things – even the pesky fire ants. We taught her that God created every creature for a special purpose and that fire ants will eat dead things and keep disease away – think Bubonic Plague! (Yes, yes, I know – I’ve got an over active imagination sometimes) The ants may very well be here to take care of any mice that have died or will die in the walls from being trapped in. If that is so – then by all means we want the ants to stay, just so long as they don’t feast on me, my family or our pets. Even ants need to know who is boss!

All in all we know the Lord is working all things for His glory and our good. We’ve learning much in the way of patience and resilience and the dominion mandate in regards to creation. We’ve been given such sweet opportunities to minister to and teach our children about the marvelous creation the Lord has set before us to subdue and take dominion over. So many priceless memories the Lord is providing for us and our children. I’m learning that we are such a society of convenience, decadence and entitlement. Even among the “housewife” crowd it seems the very thought of some good old elbow grease or dirty hands is enough to send us running for the hills! I quite enjoy the lessons the Lord is providing for me. Washing my clothes in the bathtub – washing all of my dishes by hand with NO intentions of ever getting a new dishwasher – life without a garbage disposal and learning to compost - living with just 1 bathroom – the prospect of surviving on the land we have by growing our own crops and raising chickens for eggs – finding new and creative ways to entertain my family when the power goes out – so many things I’m learning. Don’t get me wrong, I still want a food processor because time is valuable too. If I can get my veggies and other things prepped quicker than hacking away at them by hand – then I’m all for that. However, I’m perfectly content to continue doing things the “old fashioned” way – and I quite enjoy it. Hard work is good for the body and the soul!

I am counting it all joy. I love that we don’t get the best phone service. I love that we no longer have cable (it was a stupid waste of money and time) – in fact, I think the next step is getting rid of the television all together. The girls enjoy watching movies on the iPad or the laptop anyways! I love that we’ve had to learn about septic tanks and generators. We’ll be hanging a clothes line up soon to take advantage of the fresh air to dry our clothes (and save on electricity). I’m learning more old fashioned recipes to prepare for my family that can be put in the crock pot or grilled outside on the weekends. Getting up at 4am is still a bit hard – but I keep trying. Eleanor wakes up at 4am to nurse and I’d love to get to a point where after I put her back down I get started on the day – as of late however, the snooze button has been calling my name.

I also love that Malachi and I are completely exhausted by 8pm! We put the girls to bed at 8pm and we are ready to hit the hay then too! Staying up passed 9pm simply isn’t an option anymore. I’ve enjoyed preparing Malachi’s lunches each day and thanks to modern technology we can Facetime with him during his lunch break.

I love our country life and all the changes that come with it. I am counting it ALL JOY!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Serving God and My Family,

Crystal <><

Tooth Day!

2012-04-14T07:39:00.000-05:00

My Sweet Sofia lost her first tooth this morning! It has been loose for several weeks, and then hanging on for dear life for the past few days - and this morning it came out! She is such a brave girl and her daddy purchased her tooth for $1!

We will make a special trip into town so that she can buy something with her $1. She is super excited and of course, as always, is super cute with her missing tooth smile!

Serving God and My Family,
Crystal <><

Spring Cleaning Encouragement

2012-04-12T15:36:00.000-05:00

I think everyone knows that moving can bring with it many challenges and frustrations. There is still so much to be unpacked and put away in our new home and the thought of boxes sitting around just drives me bonkers – not to mention that so much still needs to be cleaned.

Spring cleaning is something I’ve never really done; I just clean every day and rarely do any sort of “deep cleaning” unless I’m nesting during pregnancy. I am not pregnant but I have this insatiable desire to get this house in tip top shape! My husband has told me that it is the “Pride of Ownership” settling in. This is our home – my home. I can put holes in the walls, paint on the floors, and run with scissors if I want to – this house is mine!

I am learning that living out in the country brings with it – well – dirt! It is amazing how many times I sweep my floors and how much dirt accumulates throughout the day! I am still counting it all joy even in the midst of all the dirt!

I have been searching for different tools or ideas to help guide me through cleaning and organizing my new 1819sqft country home and I’ve found a few things. I thought I would share them with you all just in case you are finding yourself in the same predicament.

Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living by Tsh Oxenreider - This first resource was given to me by the wife of one of our elder’s at church and I’ve very much enjoyed and benefited from having it in my possession. Mrs. Oxenreider provides simple ways to declutter your home and getting things organized. Each section of the book guides you through dealing with your house by room. There are helpful tips that make the process of going from room to room less stressful. Great resource!

Homemaking 101: Vision, Encouragement and Instruction for Young, Christian Wives – You knew I was going to add this one to my list! I purchased this DVD a while back and enjoyed it so very much that I wrote a review of it and hosted a giveaway! I have found this DVD to be such an invaluable resource as well as a lovely source of encouragement when I find myself discouraged with homemaking. Mrs. Ross shares much godly wisdom for us homemakers, regardless of age or season. Very delightful resource – a true “must have”!

Spring Clean the Toxins: How to Get Started (From Keeper of the Home) – Stephanie over at Keeper of the Home shares several articles that have given me great ideas on cleaning the toxins out of my home. Over the past several years I have made it a high priority of not using toxic chemicals in my home. I’ve made my own household cleaners and as of late have thoroughly enjoyed using my Young Living Essential Oils to make different cleaners. If you aren’t sure where to get started, I do pray this site helps!

31 Days To Clean by Sarah Mae – I recently ordered this e-book after hearing great things about it. I skimmed through it after I downloaded it onto my iPad and I’m delighted to say I believe this to be a very helpful resource. I love how Sarah Mae focuses on the heart of cleaning – why one wants their home clean. I love this idea! On the very first day she encourages writing down specific reasons why you want a clean home, and then writing a mission statement from that list. What a brilliant idea!

Another tip I can give is to sit down with your husband and find out what he thinks is important in regards to housekeeping and cleaning. I’ve found this most helpful because I tend to get very overwhelmed at everything that I think needs to get done, when in fact my husband is more objective and helps me to keep focus on cultivating close relationships with my children. He encouraged me to find ways to incorporate my Sofia and Charlotte in the housework – this means I will have to be patient with them as they learn and accept that they won’t fold the towels or sweep the floor perfectly at first.

Do you have any tips on cleaning and organizing? Do you have a “Spring Cleaning Schedule”? How do you prioritize the important cleaning tasks for things that can wait until more time allows? If you use homemade cleaners, what recipes do you use?

Until next time…I’m off to CLEAN!

Serving God and My Family,

Crystal <><

Resurrection Sunday 2012

2012-04-08T17:29:00.000-05:00

My First e-Book {The Process Has Begun!}

2012-04-07T16:53:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love to write and that I have often tossed around the idea of being a published writer. I do not intend, nor expect to become some famous novelist - but I do love to write! Almost immediately after graduating with my bachelor's last December, my mother encouraged me to get to work on my first book. My husband has always been encouraging and supportive when I've shared my desire to write a book and now that we've made such a huge change in scenery (moving out to the country) I have a renewed vision!

Today I sat out on our back porch, enjoying the fresh country air and the warm spring sunshine and began writing. Eleanor was napping and my husband was playing a game with Sofia and Charlotte - bread was rising in the kitchen - and it just seemed like a great time to get to it. The process will most likely be filled with research (you already knew that though), frustration (yeah you knew that too), joy, tears (good and bad), intimidation, counsel, prayer, writer's block, chocolate - oh yes, there shall be an abundance of chocolate! Lord willing, as I pursue this new adventure, I will learn something new - new things about myself, my children, my husband, my friends, my family, and most importantly, I pray that it will deepen my relationship with my Savior as I cling to Him throughout the entire process.

Ok, I know, I know - you are all dying to know "Well, what is the book about?" That, my dear readers, you will have to wait on. That part I am keeping to myself (of course my husband) - my mother because I will definitely require her services in editing, and a few close friends. I would love to say that I will have the book ready for the intrigued reader of my blog in a few months - but I suspect life will inevitably take place and like most homemaking wives - book writing is a slow process - taking place in the wee hours of the morning or in the late evening hours.

As always, I covet your prayers. Pray that I will not neglect my first priorities (husband and children), and that throughout it all I will use this book to bring glory to the Lord!

So....until next time...Soli Deo Gloria!

Serving God and My Family,
Crystal <><

Country Living - Attitude Change!

2012-04-05T15:43:00.000-05:00

Life in the country sure does keep me busy. Since moving into our Acadian Cottage style home we’ve battled exhaustion, mice, snakes, bugs, puppy training, kitty corralling, thunderstorms with hail, anxiety from lack of a schedule/routine, leaking faucets, wild grass, bumps and bruises, endless cleaning and sweeping…are you exhausted already from reading that list? I know I am!

Yesterday was one of the roughest days for me, both spiritually and emotionally. I’m still working through boxes to get unpacked and organized. Laundry keeps piling up around my eye balls. The lack of a predictable routine has caused so much drama among my little ones – this momma has had enough! So, today I am getting it all under control – specifically my attitude!

I’ve lost sight of the goal. I’ve lost focus. I’ve nearly just about lost my mind! During devotions today I read to the girls from “Leading Little Ones to God” about Jesus being a Teacher. As I read aloud and they sat quietly listening, I read something so simple yet profound:

“Jesus did not teach people how to read and write. He taught something much more important than that – the most important thing in all the world – to know God.” (p.117)

WHAM! Right to the gut!

In all the planning and moving and unpacking and mice chasing and snake fleeing, I forgot something very important – the most important thing – teaching my children about God so that they know Him!

Yes, I homeschool my children. Yes, I teach them to read and write. Yes, I teach them to brush their teeth, be polite and respectful – but above all else my number one goal – my life’s investment into them should be to teach them about God!

It is so very easy to get bumped off course when we lose sight of our mission – discipling our children for the glory of the Lord. Raising a generation who will exalt the name of the Lord and obey His commandments is far more important than all of the other peripheral things that eventually – if our children are trained up well – will naturally fall into place.

In all of my fumbling and frustration I shamefully admit I’ve lost my temper with my children. I’ve yelled and fussed and whined – probably more than they have. I’ve made a horrible spectacle of myself and in the process failed to do that which my heart longs to do – be a Christ-like example to my children.

Praise the Lord for His mercies are made new every morning! Praise the Lord for godly women in my life that I can seek out for wisdom and counsel – and sometimes a good swift kick in the pants! Praise the Lord for He chastises those whom He loves! Praise God my children are not completely lost in the depths of despair and hopelessness just because I’ve had a few bad days. Praise God that He protects my children’s hearts and minds – even when they need to be guarded against my stupid antics of ridiculousness! Oh and praise God for sweet hugs and unconditional love from my children when I’ve confessed my sin before them and asked for their forgiveness.

Above all else, praise God for sending His only Son to teach us the most important thing – to know God!

I’d like to share a few resources that have been helpful and encouraging to me over the past few days. I do pray that these resources bless and encourage you as well!

Managing Blog Time and A Blogging Tip: 4 Moms – I enjoyed reading this today. In working to create a new schedule for me and my daughters, my time online will definitely need to decrease during the day. Now that we live out in the country I have to be up no later than 5am in order to have breakfast made for my husband before he makes his morning commute. It also means that I am not able to stay up as late in the evenings as I once did – so managing my priorities in regards to blogging is a must!

Child Training Bible - This looks like a very neat and helpful resource for training our children according to God’s word. I’m looking into ordering this soon!

Parenting Essentials Package from Doorposts – A very close and dear friend recommended this resource to me yesterday. I have two daughters who, while they are best friends are also each others worst enemies. At times I feel at a loss for how to biblically deal with their bickering and endless tattling. I’m hoping to order this soon too as I have heard great things about it!

Making Relationships with Your Children a Priority (Doorposts) – I found this to be very helpful and encouraging (and convicting!). When we get our printer set up I plan to print this out and refer to it daily as a reminder of just how important it is to cultivate close relationships with my children.

Confessions of a Homeschooler – This blog was recommended to me to help with ideas for things to do with the girls throughout the day. Homeschooling lessons only last for 30 minutes or so – this site will definitely come in handy for extra activity ideas!

Some Healthy Food Advice – Another dear friend of mine shared this link with me and it encouraged me as I try very hard to feed my family “real food”. I buy organic as much as possible. We eat healthy snacks (fruit and veggies) and drink water if we’re thirsty (other than orange juice in the morning with breakfast). I make just about everything from scratch and we eat in season. I’m going to start my own garden and in a few weeks, Lord willing, we’ll have chickens for fresh eggs! This of course doesn’t mean that I am opposed to cutting corners when necessary, so long as I don’t compromise my first commitment to only feeding my family “real food” (no preservatives, artificial colors or dyes, etc).

Serving God and My Family,

Crystal <><

There's a snake in my coop!

2012-04-03T16:40:00.003-05:00

Today I went out to explore our chicken coop to figure out exactly what needs to be repaired when I was startled (Read: Terrified) by a Black Racer snake. I was so scared that I ran like a crazy person, screaming for my life - all while holding my skirt up to my thighs! It sure must have been a sight to see! I nearly ran past the children as I bolted for safety. (Note: I was NOT being chased...although you would have thought that wild beast was on my heels!)

As I type this I am still laughing (and snorting) at the dramatic theatrics I entertained my ever watching children with today. I later went out to see if the snake was still - with my wits about me - desiring a picture of our chicken coop guest, but alas he was gone. No thanks to my amazing Oscar worthy performance, I am sure!

So, here is our chicken coop that is in desperate need of repair and de-snaking!

Counting it ALL joy!

Serving God and My Family,
Crystal <><