Before He Leaves

She rises up 

as morning breaks

She moves among these rooms alone 

Before we wake

And her heart is so full

It overflows

She waters us with love

And the children grow

So many years from now

Long after we are gone

These trees will spread their branches out

And bless the dawn.

~Andrew Peterson, "Planting Trees"

******

I wasn't listening very well when older and wiser Mamas shared how hard the leaving would be. Perhaps as in so many cases, I thought I'd be the exception, or perhaps I simply didn't know how quickly my time would come.

His fingerprints disappeared from our walls a long time ago, and as I write this, I have approximately 63 days left with Ink. He'll start a new chapter of his life, in a different state, with beloved friends of ours. God-willing, he'll return for one last Thanksgiving and then pack up his belongings and move to the place where he'll set up his own first home.

I have a countdown clock on my computer and an ever-growing to-do list. Now, don't think me morbid; these are simply tools to help me redeem the time.

A few of the things to do before he leaves?

1) Bake more fruity snacks--pies, muffins, scones.
2) Purchase fine stationery to write him letters while he's away.
3) Take one last family picture with him.
4) Have him inscribe all of the books he's given me.
5) Send a list of his favorite things to the dear family who will be spoiling  hosting him.
6) Buy a photo album and fill it with pictures of us.
7) Watch as many movies as he wants me to over the next couple of months.
8) Snatch as many hugs as he'll let me over the next couple of months.
9) Make his favorite meals, such as seafood chowder, barbecue ribs, stuffed peppers.
10) Schedule dental cleaning.
11) Focus on any last-minute life skills.
12) Measure his height on the door jamb one last time.
13) Take a picture of him standing next to the tree we planted for him in our front yard.
14) Have his siblings write love notes to him.
15) Make a list of care package items to send him.
16) Take one last family trip together.

Samuel Johnson said, "Value is more frequently raised by scarcity than by use. That which lay neglected when it was common, rises in estimation as its quantity becomes less. We seldom learn the true want of what we have till it is discovered that we can have no more. ... There are few things, not purely evil, of which we can say, without some emotion of uneasiness: This is the last." 

How happy we are for Ink, as God has answered our prayers abundantly, in ways we could not have imagined. The leaving is on good terms and is for the embracing of good things. And yet, my heart thinks much about the "lasts" of these days, and how the leaving of one family member shifts the entire dynamic of our daily living.

As I was making my list, I was deeply grateful that there were some things I didn't need to add. These are the things that God, in his grace, has kept me doing over these past 18 years. I don't have to scramble to teach Ink about God or the Bible or the Gospel or walking in wisdom's way. I don't have to teach him to work out his salvation with fear and trembling or give thanks to God for His mercies or to repent and forgive. No doubt, we're always growing in these areas, and Ink will be challenged and afflicted as the Holy Spirit faithfully makes him more like Jesus, and there are certainly things I wish we could do over as his parents, BUT, the foundation has been laid.

Don't give up, my fellow Mamas. It's so easy to forget about eternity and live only for now. But one day you will reap the beautiful fruit of faithfulness and obedience or the rotten fruit of a life lived unto Self instead of unto Him. And though nothing is impossible with God, and He brings the prodigals home, why not be the best steward this very day and the next and the next, of these precious souls He's given you, praying that when the leaving comes, it comes with joy and thanksgiving.

With love,
Trisha

Celebrate the Small Things

We often take for granted the warm body sleeping beside us, 

the quiet, uneventful evening, or the too quickly passed cacophonous ones

 if we're in the season of life known as the child rearing years. 

Take time to celebrate the small things that make us fall in love, 

and stay in love, and weave us strongly together.

~Dr. George Grant

Always Second Guessing

"Strong passions without a settled judgment, commonly produce weak resolutions."

~Matthew Henry

"Thoughts ripened into resolves by serious consideration are likely to be 
kept always in the imagination of the heart, whereas what is soon ripe is soon rotten."
~Matthew Henry

*****

You've been having family worship for a long time now. It's crazy sometimes, but in a world that encourages family members to live independently of one another and to forget the One who gives them every good thing, this concentrated family time of singing and prayer and Bible reading ties heartstrings and keeps you focused on eternity.

Then you read THE article. The one telling you that there's nothing in the Bible that commands us to have family worship. It's enough to talk with your children about the Christian life throughout the day.

You've finally settled into daily times of Bible reading and prayer. You're amazed at how much you hunger for the Word now, and even on those mornings when your start is slow, you're thankful for the habit you've made to hear His words first.

Then you read THE article. How silly for Christians to put themselves in such bondage to a completely unscriptural principle as the "quiet time." Free yourself!

You love to care for your home. You delight in the smell of homemade bread and watching little people rush to devour the work of your hands. You linger over a freshly cleaned kitchen, and you're amazed at your daughter's skill with a sewing machine.

Then you read THE article. The one that mocks mothers in their aprons making homemade bread, accusing them of forgetting grace and looking to the domestic arts for their salvation. Don't you know salvation is by grace, not by a Kitchen-Aid mixer?

Though many of these articles focus on a legalistic attachment to some of the things we do, all too often, we interpret them as a solid case AGAINST a practice or perspective. We worry that we've been wrong to have family worship all of this time (and actually teach our children that they should do this with their families), or train our children in the habit of independent time in the Word each day, or bake our own bread while wearing an apron. 

This is why it's essential to know why we do what we do and to teach the WHY to our children. When our practices are not thought out, but are rather the product of what's trending on the internet or in books or magazines, we're building our lives on a shaky foundation that crumbles in the presence of any opposing views. We find ourselves habitually changing course and chronically second-guessing everything we do. What kind of legacy is that to pass on to our children? 

Second-guessing is an inherent complication of information overload. It's the result of having too many opinions in our faces, and our relying too much on others to think for us.

It's not so much a reflection of a teachable spirit, but instead the consequence of lazy reasoning. Because we haven't thought our practices through, we're easily swayed by the next eloquent writer who comes along, being tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine or some woman's declaration of "freedom" from ____________ (fill in the blank).

Instead of spending more time second-guessing everything we're doing, from family worship to quiet times to modest dress and more, let's spend time making sure we know WHY we do what we do. Let's dig deep in the Word and think through our principles and convictions and preferences. And then confidently, without apology, teach them to our children.


With love,
Trisha

River, Geyser, or Meteor

Friendship can take different turns--it can run like a river, quietly and sustainingly through life; it can erupt like a geyser, forcefully and intermittently at times; or it can explode like a meteor, altering the atmosphere so that nothing ever looks, feels, or functions the same again.
~Ansel Adams

The Ordinary Arts

photo copyright: poffclan

Good Grief! BBQ Chicken Pizza

I love making new recipes for my Mountain Man, because when he really loves something he lets me know with memorable exclamations. I tried this recipe on Claire's birthday, and "Good grief!" were the first words out of my Beloved's mouth after taking his first bite. I think that's a perfect name for this yummy pizza.

Good Grief! BBQ Chicken Pizza

1 12 inch pre-baked pizza crust 

3 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed

1 c. barbecue sauce

1 T. honey

1 tsp. molasses

1/3 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. fresh chopped cilantro

1 c. shredded smoked Gouda cheese

1 c. thinly sliced red onions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place pizza dough on greased pizza pan and brush dough with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes. (This is pre-baking.)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine cooked chicken, barbecue sauce, honey, molasses, brown sugar, and cilantro. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat, and spread mixture evenly over pizza crust. Top with shredded Gouda cheese and sliced red onion. Bake 10-15 minutes more, until cheese is melted.

(adapted from Pizza for Every Meal and Occasion)

I made this simple bread machine crust, shared by Hillybilly Housewife. While we usually prefer thin crust, a regular crust worked well with this very saucy pizza. 

I also used fully cooked slices of chicken fajita meat, cutting the strips into smaller pieces. The onions were diced instead of thinly sliced, and they worked just fine.

Enjoy!

With love,

Trisha

Five Things

Our Clairesy is 5 today. 5.

Life today will include omelets for breakfast, pizza for dinner, and a vanilla cream cake fancied up to make a princess quite happy.

Yesterday at breakfast when we were talking about Clairesy's birthday being just a day away, I mentioned that this year there would be no gifts for birthdays, but we would have cake and special food for her special day. She just looked up at me with a smile, nodded her head, and said, "Oh, ok."

Yeah. That's the kind of sweetie she is.

But, of course, there will be gifts for Clairesy!

And just what do we love about our little girl?

1) She is a bundle of joy and full of laughter, scattering smiles wherever she goes.

2) She asks me every Sunday, "May I go with you wherever you go?"

3) She loves nurturing her baby brothers.

4) She's funny, as demonstrated yesterday when she shared with us the "point" of our pastor's sermon on Matthew 18: 1-9, "I know the point! You're to cut off the rest of your body."

5) She's creative and can make a bountiful time of play with the everyday things around her.

Happy 5th birthday, Cutie-Pie! We love you and thank God for you!

Notes From Home

Allie has been with us for over a week, and our time together has been delightful. We're trying to enjoy these last few days to the fullest. I've pinched her at least a hundred times to make sure she's real.

She graciously helped Emma sew a skirt that she's been waiting to make for over two years now. Isn't it lovely?

I've been thinking much about how hard it is for Christians to rejoice with one another. I think the pagans are much better at that than we are. And I think these words from Michael O'Brien, in his book Island of the World, describe well one of the problems with church families not being able to disagree, even fight, and still make up and love one another and forgive.

"Yes! Minds and hearts alive!," Simon continues. "Here, we can struggle and debate and disagree because we are free to speak in an open forum. We are fighting and thinking because we trust one another."

Maybe we don't trust each other very much, and maybe we don't trust God and His wisdom in putting us in the church families we're in. 

I've been using Professor Horner's Bible Reading System since the beginning of the year, and I love it! I timed myself for the month of January, just to get an idea of how long it takes for an average reader to read ten chapters of the Bible. I finished every time in less than 30 minutes, and most often in less than 25. I jot down the verse references I want to return to and do my studying after reading all of the chapters. Even in this short time of using this system, I've obtained a familiarity with my Bible that amazes me.

I finally made a roasted tomato soup that was a hit. It's so simple, and I like that it calls for fresh tomatoes instead of canned ones. BUT, I'd love to know if you have a favorite homemade tomato soup, please, canned tomatoes or not! 

Roasted Tomato Soup

8 medium tomatoes
olive oil
pinch of salt
1 c. chicken broth
3/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. thyme

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Core tomatoes, and rub the outsides with a little olive oil. Sprinkle some salt in the center. Place tomatoes on a jelly-roll pan, and roast for approximately 4 hours. The tomatoes won't be burned, but browned. Refrigerate until ready to use. Peel skin off roasted tomatoes. In a blender, add the remaining ingredients, and process until you get the texture you like. Pour soup into a saucepan, and heat till nearly boiling. Enjoy!
 (recipe from Leanne Ely's Saving Dinner the Low-Carb Way)

Have I mentioned my favorite wine before? Here it is. Chariot. I've only found it at Trader Joe's. If you ever decide to visit the Poff Funny Farm, you'll get extra chocolates on your pillow at night if you show up with a bottle of this.

All of Ink's siblings adore Allie. And they're always trying to get in the middle, too. Here Elijah is quite successful. And super-cute, as well.

My morning routine usually starts before the sun rises. I always gasp a bit when I get to see His handiwork of breathtaking colors for that brief moment in time before it all disappears.

This month marks the 5 month anniversary of my brother-in-law's death. My heart rejoices every time I speak to my sister and hear joy in her voice. It has been a hard 5 months, and the days ahead will continue to be hard, but God has sustained her. She has many Ebenezers to remind her of His goodness.

Our family prayer this year is Romans 12:9-13, and my word for the year is TRUST. And this month we're memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 again.

Finally, I like this reminder from Anna Quindlen.

"It is so easy to waste our lives: our days, our hours, our minutes. It is so easy to take for granted the pale new growth on an evergreen, the sheen of the limestone on Fifth Avenue, the color of our kids' eyes, the way the melody in a symphony rises and falls and disappears and rises again. It is so easy to exist instead of live."

And as Christians, it's so easy to get caught up in being busy, even busy with very good things, that we forget how blessed we are, how many mercies God is pouring out on us every minute of every day.

Mercies like sunrises, roasted tomato soup, home and family, godly future spouses for our children, church families, wine, fabric and sewing machines, and trusted friends.

With love,
Trisha

Happy, Happy!

Happy, happy day here, it is! Allie, the lovely young woman Ink is courting, arrived today.