Master's Week Augusta, GA and Intentional Living

I started this a few weeks ago and forgot to post.  Wrapped up and posting.  Yep, chemo brain again, its real!

It is Master's Week in Augusta, GA.   For those not from the area, it's a prestigious golf tournament held yearly in our city.   Most cities have spring break around Easter, but in Augusta it's the week of the golf tournament.    It seems even nature puts on a show for the thousands of folks who come to Augusta.    Everything is abloom from the flowering azaleas and daffodils, to the dogwood, redbud, peach, and cherry trees.   The aroma from the wisteria vines is intoxicating, and they are beautiful to behold as well.   The birds are singing their spring songs.   Of course for folks with allergies, the pollen is also painting everything yellow and making for some miserable headaches, sniffles, and itchy eyes.   Many Augustans head out of town this week, others work extra for the week, and the rest of us may take a break from school, but pretty much keep our normal routine avoiding the Washington Road area if at all possible unless we are fortunate enough to go to the tournament or it's practice rounds.  

If you live here, you have to be intentional not to be more focused on the Master's Tournament this Easter season than the Master and the celebration of His Resurrection.  In fact, the older I get the more I realize that everything tries to steal from the worship the Lord deserves or even His design.  
            We don't do Santa with the munchkins, because he steals from the reason we celebrate Christmas.  
            We don't let our guys buy into the Easter Bunny, he takes the focus away from the Resurrection. 
           We don't celebrate earth day, but thank the Lord continually for the earth that He created for us.   
           I admit we did the "alternative to Halloween" deal before.    Walked away feeling like I was part of the Christianizing of Halloween, dressing it up as a fall festival with "friendlier" costumes and sending kiddos off with a wad of candy so they don't feel like they missed out on anything.  Really?   Really?

You may think we are missing out on some fun childhood memories, but we are purposely making fun memories all the time.   We are not missing out.

Not only are so many things stealing from from the worship that belongs solely to the Lord, His truths are also continually being redefined.    What God defines as a family is continually being redefined by the culture, the media, etc.   The church is not immune from this, and many denominations have chosen political correctness and postmodern thought to Biblical Truth.   God puts humans as stewards over all the earth, and makes us more valuable by creating us in His image.  Yet, people cried out over Michael Vick's dog fighting much louder than the outcry over Kermit Gosnell and his horrific late and after delivery abortions.   We absolutely should be good stewards of animals, the earth, etc.  but they are not more valuable than human life.  These are just a couple of examples.   I have bed time stories to read, prayers and night time smooches to give so let me just wrap this up.   We all have to decide what is stealing from our devotion and worship of the Lord Jesus.  We need to be intentional about searching Scriptures to see what God's standards are and how He wants us to live.  Don't get me wrong how we celebrate holidays IS NOT a salvation issue.   Those are choices we made in our family to help us stay focused.    What is a salvation issue is who or what am I worshiping?   Warren Wiersbe defines worship this way…Worship is the believer’s response of all that they are – mind, emotions, will, body – to what God is and says and does.  Lastly a prayer from John Piper, “Fight for us, O God, that we not drift numb and blind and foolish into vain and empty excitements. Life is too short, too precious, too painful to waste on worldly bubbles that burst. Heaven is too great, hell is too horrible, eternity is too long that we should putter around on the porch of eternity." Amen.

 

Teaching Our Daughters week 5 & 6

REVIEW WEEK 6
Sewing:  We made pillowcases.   They turned out sooo cute.    For next time, bring 2/3 yd, 36” fabric such as heavy broadcloth, burlap, denim or other fabric of your choice and 2 24” wooden dowels or metal curtain rods, thread, cord (for hanging bulletin board), scissors, sewing machine, straight pins to make a Hanging Bulletin Board next class.

Gardening:    Make a list of 7-10 vegetable to grow in your garden.  Try to include some root vegetables (onion, radish, beets, carrot, turnips, potatoes), some leaf vegetables (lettuce, spinach kale, cabbage and some fruit/seed vegetables (peas, bean, corn, squash, zucchini, tomatoes).   The end of chapter 5 of Square Foot Gardening has a list of easy-to-grow crops.  You might also consider carrots and spinach.  Look at garden catalogs.   Order your seeds.   Be sure you’ve read up to page 39.

Cooking & Baking:   We made vegetable tray and dip.


Bible
We read “A Child’s Puzzle” and “Jennie Browning” and talked about obedience and never to fight our conscience.

REVIEW WEEK 5
Sewing:  Talked about all we learned thus far, and then discussed modesty.   Read this article from this website:  http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/2012/03/dear-daughter-heart-of-modesty.html

Gardening:    Read about “your” weeds in Weeds and What they tell.  Summarize and record information.  Keep it in your notebook.  Relect on what “weeds” we’ve allowed to grow in our hearts.   Pray for GOD’s weeding job.

Cooking & Baking:   We made homemade tortillas.  Then we used them to make quesadillas.


Bible
We read “Nothing Finished” and talked about finishing the thing we begin, and guarding our time if extra things are keeping us from doing things well.

Preparing our Hearts for Resurrection Day

For us as believers, this is a glorious, victorious day!!  For years, we’ve used a book “Family Celebrations at Easter” that has daily devotions from Ash Wednesday to Resurrection Day.  It’s a great resource!

Also, Anne Voskamp offers Trail to the Tree from her website that you can get here.

Desiring God Ministries offers a free book for the Holy Week here.

A few of many hymn studies that would be appropriate for this month: 

Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed

All Glory, Laud, and Honor

Beneath the Cross of Jesus

Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Alleluia!

Crown Him with Many Crowns

I lay my Sins on Jesus

Jesus Christ is Risen Today

Just as I am, without One Plea

O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross 

A great resource is here.  

Free Copywork go here.  

A Resurrection Day Lapbook go here.  

Every year except my cancer year, we try to make these cookies and the following rolls.   Be sure to start these the night before if you are going to do them.

Resurrection Day Cookies:

• 1 cup whole pecans
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 3 egg whites
• pinch salt
• 1 cup sugar
• zipper baggie
• wooden spoon
• tape
• Bible

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.       (read John 19:1-3)
3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. (read John 19:28-30)
4. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. (read John 10:10-11)
5. Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. (read Luke 23:27)
6. So far these ingredients are not very appetizing and that’s a good thing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. (read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16)
7. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. (read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3)
8. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. (read Matthew 27:57-60)
9. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. (read Matthew 27:65-66)
10. GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. (read John 16:20 and 22)
11. On Resurrection morning open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. (read Matthew 28:1-9)
12. Now GO TO CHURCH!   CELEBRATE!   HE IS ALIVE!!

Resurrection Rolls

These are fun to make on Easter in the evening.

Ingredients:

• 1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 8 large marshmallows
• Melted butter
• Cinnamon
• Sugar

Instructions:

• Give each child one triangle shaped section of crescent roll. This represents the tomb.
• Each child takes one marshmallow which represents the body of Christ.
• Dip the marshmallow in the butter and roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture. This represents the oils and spices the body was anointed with upon burial.
• Lay the marshmallow on the dough and carefully wrap it around the marshmallow.
• Make sure all seams are pinched together well. (Otherwise the marshmallow will "ooze" out of the seams) 
• Bake according to package directions.
• Cool.
• Break open the tomb and the body of Christ is no longer there!!
• Celebrate God's love!

We also like to celebrate Passover each year.   We use a book called “A Family Guide to Biblical Holidays”.   This year the Passover begins on 3/26.  There are also resources available at Anne Voskamp’s site at this location. 

Crafts  

An Easter garden can be found here.

 

Church

If you can attend a Maundy Thursday service, a Good Friday service, and a Resurrection Day service, that would be great.

Resurrection Day Celebration
We are preparing for our Resurrection Day celebration even now.   We send out an invite to our family of when and where dinner will be.   Lately, we have been doing outside picnic table decorated style dinners.   Each family decorates their own table and we all volunteer to bring different food items so it’s never too much on any one person.  Then we make sure we clean up afterwards, so everyone has a restful evening to reflect on the goodness of our Lord.   

Training Our Daughter's to Be Keepers At Home

This is the title of the curriculum I bought for my eldest, now 26, daughter many moons ago.  We did several projects out of it, and even taught sewing classes years ago.  Now I am going through it again with my next two daughters on Thursdays.   We call it "girls club" as we meet with other young ladies on Thursday afternoons.  After co-op, I send out an e-mail to recap what we did, and for any homework purposes.  Also, if anyone missed, they can do the same things at home.   I thought I may also add these recaps to my blog on Thursdays or Fridays so that other women who may want to teach their daughter's the same way could join us on our journey from their own homes.  I'd love to hear how it's working for them, and if they have any suggestions.   So this is a LONG recap today of the last 4 weeks.  It will usually be much shorter in nature.   This is your invitation to join us via cyberspace every week to train our daughters to be keepers of the home.     If you are interested in the curriculum we are using, click here.   It's a great resource!

REVIEW WEEK 4
Sewing:  Practiced zig zag stitches, straight stitches, and seams.

Gardening:   Read about “your” weeds in Weeds and What they tell.  Summarize and record information.  Keep it in your notebook.  Relect on what “weeds” we’ve allowed to grow in our hearts.   Pray for GOD’s weeding job.

Cooking & Baking:   We discussed equipment and utensils..

We made scones.

Next week:   We will be making tortillas.

Bible
We read “Careless Gracie’s Lesson” and talked about taking care of the things the Lord blesses us with.

REVIEW WEEK 3

Sewing:  We talked about cutting skills and the sewing machine.  We located parts of the machine we are using.

Gardening:   Continue identifying weeds in your yard.

Cooking & Baking:   None this week.

Next week:   We will be making scones.  

Bible
We read “A Valuable Secret” and talked about finding a place for all our things and being a good steward of our time.

REVIEW WEEK 2

Thursday went well.   We didn't get to the sewing because it was Nicholas' birthday and we ended up eating and fellowshipping a bit.  We did do our Bible Study and baked banana bread.  Again another yummy recipe that I'll put below for your daughter if she wants to keep it on a recipe card.  

Homework:

Sewing:  Practice threading and knotting a needle.  On scrap material hand stitch and label the following stitches:  running stitch, slipstitch, overhand stitch, whipstitch and backstitch.  Next week we will be learning the sewing machine and practicing stitches.   I  few weeks you will be making a pillow case.   You will need one yard of cotton print or flannel fabric.  

Gardening:   Look at weeds in your potential garden area(s) and identify them.  make a list of what you found and where.   Gardeners job=create better growing conditions than in the wild:   *water available
*increase low nutrient levels of soil
*increase level of oxygen in clay soils
*select species and varieties of vegetables best adapted to climate, local pests, and diseases
"PATROL" garden-don't let weeds grow they're vigorous and will outgrow vegetables. 
Grasses rob soil of most available nutrients and compete for light.  Pull out roots and all.
*"Pernicious weeds" (regrow quickly or make huge quantity of seeds):  thistles can regrow rapidly after being hoed, morning glory, night shade.
*Other weeds:  compete for light with vegetable seeds

Cooking & Baking:   We discussed kitchen safety and food storage.

Banana Bread (one medium loaf....325 for 70 minutes)  

1.  Place in a large mixing bowl.   With a wire whisk blend in remaining liquid ingredients one at a time, in order listed:

1/4 c soft butter, unsalted preferred
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1 c mashed banana
3/4 t vanilla extract


2.  Place flour & nuts in a medium mixing bowl.   Thoroughly blend in remaining ingredients with a mixing spoon:

3 c whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 c chopped walnuts, optional
1/2 t cinnamon
1 T baking powder
1 t salt


3.  Blend dry ingredients into liquid ingredients with wire whisk just until mixed.  DO NOT OVERMIX!

4. With rubber scraper scoop batter into a greased loaf pan, cleaning sides of bowl well.

5.  Set pan in center of oven.  Bake 70 minutes or until a table knife inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.

6.   Cool in pan for about 10 minutes.  Remove and cool thoroughly  on a wire cooling rack before slicing.

Next week:   We will be making scones.  

Reminder Susie:  4 T butter.

Bible
Remember from the story how Bessie treated Aunt Ruth and think how we can be kind to others.

REVIEW WEEK 1 

Today we did an overview of the curriculum to let everyone know what we will be doing.  The first year projects are as follow:  Godly Womanhood:  We read from "The Kings Daughter", Cooking:  Lunches & Snacks; Sewing:  Learning the basics, then sewing a pillowcase, hanging bulletin board, an oven mitt, an apron, a quillow, a totebag, a patchwork placemats and napkins; Gardening:  Basics; Knitting:  basic stitches, hooded scarf, shawl, mittens, and socks; and Greeting Card Making:  rubber stamps.

We read over the first story.  We made applesauce muffins.  They were delicious!  We discussd sewing equipment.  

Homework:   You will need a notebook to put all your notes, handouts, and practice stitches in.

Sewing:   Bring scrap material next week, a needle, and contrasting thread.  We will practice and label hand stitches.  We will then discuss cutting skills, and the sewing machine.

Gardening:  Order seed catalogs.  Here's a link for free catalogs:   http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/seed-catalog-time.   Borrow from library or a friend or buy:  "Square Foot Gardening" and read pages 1-14.

Cooking:  We discussed the ABCs of food preparation.  A.  Read recipe.  B.  Assemble Ingredients.  C.  Collect utensils  D  Preheat oven if necessary.  E:  Begin step 1  F.  Clean up  G.  Practice good safety & food storage habits.