Preparedness Challenge #16

This is the first week of the summer that I felt like I could actually catch my breath! To say it has been busy  would be an understatement. Perhaps it's just the older I get the less balls I can keep in the air. Never-the-less, I did a few small things toward being prepared.


• I've been reading a fairly controversial book that certainly challenges the reader to think outside the box in terms of preparedness: Surviving Off Off-Grid by Michael Bunker. What this isn't is a book on alternative power sources. It's not even an emergency preparedness book. Instead, it takes a hard look at the common notions of being off-grid, being truly sustainable, and how to think differently about it all. I won't tell anymore than that for now because I want to do an entire post on it when I'm done. So stay tuned (although I read slow!).

• I purchased two fermenting jars for the eCourse I'm taking, but I can't really wait to get started, so I'm going to try making fermented pickles this weekend (I bought 10# of cucumbers since my plants are just babies right now). The jars come with a neat device that allows air to escape and your food to ferment without growing mold. Nice! (I hope to have a link to this as soon as possible, so check back HERE. Otherwise, click on the Cultures for Health Ad on the right sidebar with the crock and you'll find the item).


• I got some more vegetables planted in the garden. Keep in mind our summers are mild by comparison, so while others have already harvested tomatoes and such, ours haven't even filled out on the vine! I hope to get some seeds started this week for a fall garden.


• I started drying my clothes off-grid this week - finally! My clothesline is nearly finished so in the meantime I set up my drying rack from Forgotten Way Farms on the back porch just off the laundry room and started drying clothes on it. I will come clean and confess that I will probably still use the dryer for the towels. At least for now. Seems like they just need that high heat and bouncing around to get soft.  But I could do it if I really had to.


Join the Challenge


To join the Preparedness Challenge, just write a pots on something you did this week to prepare and then link up below or leave a comment. Be sure to take the Preparedness Challenge Picture and add it to your blog so others know you're participating and hopefully they'll join up, too!


It was really exciting to see 26 of you join up this past week! Way to go!

Homestead Style Wedding!

Most of you know I went to Washington for a wedding this past month. And it was definitely worth the drive up north! I just couldn't resist showing you some of the bride's beautiful and simple ideas that made this wedding a real treat.

The Venue

Having the right location certainly made this wedding extra special and a favorite in my books! For the ceremony, a plain white arbor with ivy and white chairs were all that was needed. The trees, grass, and flowers surrounding it all served as the backdrop and cathedral. 

The Decor & Delectables

Simple and frugal didn't make this wedding any less spectacular. Quite the contrary! It made it all that much better! Rustic hand painted signs, photos of the bride and groom on a laundry line, a small cake on a tree trunk stand, old shutters, blackboards, button confetti, and items gathered from home finished off the natural touches of the barn itself. Instead of one large wedding cake, the couple had a small cake to cut for the two of them while guests feasted on cupcakes, pies, and other lovely treats!

The Nature

One nice thing about renting a wedding location is the fact that you don't need to spend as much on a florist. A handful of bouquets and a few boutonnieres, as well as a dash on the tables takes care of the rest. The children found it extremely entertaining. I can't help but think they'll remember this wedding long past many others.

Winner: Lacto-Fermentation eCourse!

Just in time for the Lacto Fermentation eCourse we have a winner for the 6 month basic subscription. And although we only have one person getting the class for free, $8 a month for the basic level will get you in the course as well! Why miss out on all that knowledge? So few people know how to do this anymore, it would be a shame not to take advantage of the opportunity.

The winner is...

ERIN!

"I'd like to improve my immune system as I occasionally have a slightly high white blood cell count. By eating more fermented foods I hope to fix that. Fermenting does make me a little nervous though so learning from Wardeh would be a great help." ~Erin 

Congratulations! I sent you an email and I've forwarded your email address to Wardeh at GNOWFGLINS™ for your eCourse enrollment. Enjoy the class and I'll see you in the Forum!

Blessed Independence Day!

For our freedoms I am grateful...

Photo Credit

... the freedom to worship freely, to speak openly of our Lord and Savior, to educate our children as we see fit, to pray out loud, to carry a Bible without fear of it being confiscated or thrown in jail...


Our country has lost a lot of freedoms over the years, but I am so thankful that we have not lost some of our most important freedoms entirely. (Perhaps we are on our way to loosing them, which may make us appreciate them even more as the day draws near.) But most of all, I'm thankful for my freedom from sin which came the day that Jesus Christ came into my heart!


May we all take a moment today to thank our Heavenly Father for the freedoms we've been blessed to enjoy for so many years and to humbly ask for a revival in our land, a turning of hearts to Jesus. Then our people will truly be free!


"So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” ~ John 8:31-32


"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." ~ John 14:6


"It was for freedom that Christ set us free..." ~ Galatians 5:1


"So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."  ~ John 8:36

Sunday Blessing

"How blessed are those whose way is blameless, 

Who walk in the law of the LORD. 

How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, 

Who seek Him with all their heart. 

They also do no unrighteousness; 

They walk in His ways. 

You have ordained Your precepts, 

That we should keep them diligently. 

Oh that my ways may be established 

To keep Your statutes!"

~ Psalm 119:1-5

"...He guides me in the paths of righteousness 

For His name’s sake."

~ Psalm 23:3

Preparedness Challenge #15

Wow! Our 15th week of the Preparedness Challenge! How's it working for you? Anyone out there feel more prepared since we started this journey together? I know it has me thinking differently. Each week my mind is alert to ways I can prepare, even if I am making slow progress. Just keep thinking about the Tortoise and the Hare - slow and steady wins the race... uhhh, I mean, slow and steady is PREPARED!

This week, I assembled my Pioneer Drying Rack that I received from Forgotten Way Farms. Oh, it's so lovely, too! Daniel and Abby Jo do a wonderful job making these so that they're heirloom quality. Anyway, now I'm ready for drying during inclement weather - off grid! I suspect it will be used year round for various things as well, such as drying herbs. I think it would lovely as a quilt display.

I was blessed to be able to pick 23# of cherries for free, saving me a ton of money! They've been pitted and frozen for making jam this next week (and maybe a few pies!). I think I'll take the money I saved and buy a couple of cherry trees for our garden. Then I'll have my own in a few years, Lord willing!

Finally, I purchased some seeds for my fall garden at Territorial Seed Company when I was up there this week. All varieties that I chose were actually for Winter gardening, so I'm hoping that I'll be able to keep going right into the cool weather under row covers. I just need to get some conduit, bend it, and order the actual cover.

Join The Challenge!

To join the Preparedness Challenge, just write a post on something you did this week to prepare and then link up below or leave a comment. Be sure to take the Preparedness Challenge Picture and add it to your blog so others know you're participating. Hopefully we can spread the word and encourage others to join!

Family Devotions: Children's Commentary

Since we have children ranging from 9-18 years of age, finding a good book for family devotions that everyone can truly benefit from and feel challenged by is hard to track down. But once in a while my husband or I find a gem that's worth the hunt. Recently, he brought home just such a commentary on Genesis for our breakfast devotions.


Nancy Ganz's Herein Is Love series is a commentary for children but it's certainly not in the "light weight" category! Nancy artfully weaves heavy theological truth with words that even an 8 year old can understand. Older audiences will quickly realize her use of alliteration is specifically designed to snag the attention of the younger crowd, but it's easy to overlook her slight overuse of repetitive sounds because Nancy is such a master at connecting the dots throughout scripture, leading the reader to see how God has had an eternal plan from the beginning of time and fulfilled much of it through Christ's life, death, resurrection, and second coming. By bringing in scriptures from throughout the entire Bible, Nancy helps the reader to see the relationship of events from Genesis all the way to Revelation.

And she's quite the storyteller! Her ability to retell the events in Genesis are interesting, but in no way would I say she was dumbing down the lesson or making it seem contrived. Her insights are wonderful, and I confess that I've learned a new thing or two myself at the breakfast table!


I should mention that we have not finished the commentary at this point, but only once can I recall something that was incorrect and I suspect was actually a misprint. And she does take a few liberties in talking about how various Bible characters must have been feeling, but nothing has been out of line by going too far; at least in my opinion and my husband's. He has enjoyed it immensely and more than once, moved to tears!


If you'd like to know more about this book and the rest of the series, you can find out more at Shepherd Press. Also, you can read the introduction and first two lessons to get an idea if it might be a good fit for your family. Finally, there is a Teacher's Guide to help you expand the lesson to include scripture memory, visual aids, crafts, field trip ideas, prayer, review questions, and singing which is based on the Psalter "The Book of Psalms for Singing" (published by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, 1973). At this point, she has completed Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. I only wish she could do the entire Bible!

I'd love to hear feedback from anyone else regarding her commentaries!