Slow Cooker Southwest Beef and Pintos

 There is just nothing like a slow cook meal ready to go at 8:31 in the morning...just makes the world seem even better.

 I don’t use the salt pork in this recipe.  And today I used elk instead of beef, which I have done before and it was delicious.  I added some extra garlic since we are sick.  I hope that ya’ll can see or can enlarge the recipe...this was just easier.  

Thank you all for your sweet comments on yesterdays post.  I am so grateful for your “pen” pal friendships!  Have a blessed weekend!

I’m So Sorry

My posts are kinda “Blaaa” right now.  We are on our 3rd round of sicknesses.  I keep wanting to sit and think and write, however, I need to keep making herbal teas, stuff vitamin C into all of us and giving us rest.  

We spent almost an hour in the basement right at supper time because of a tornado warning in our area.  The weather went from 70’s to a tornado just SE of us, then it dropped down to 36 degrees with part snow, part hail.  

The children are having a hard time with the “listen and obey” part of  childhood.  This part of child training really begins to wear me out some days.
Then there are the most precious blessings of making do with what we have and being thankful, children who smell so sweet after bath time, home made bread for supper made by my second daughter, little loves who kiss me and tell me they adore me, celebrating another’s birthday, (family party on Saturday), remembering the LORD’s goodness and unfailing love, a sweet love card from my husband because he knows the last weeks have been hard, emailing with a kindred spirit, talking to my mom and dad who love us so much, a call from my sister, my brother, my oldest son whom I miss so much...
and on and on the LORD’s blessing in my life go.  I must stop now ... a little guy wants me to hold him and feed him his bottle.  I think of you all each day, pray for you, and I am so sorry that I have not been able to comment more often!!!
loves,
Shonni

His Wordless Love

Love doesn’t always need words,

But may our words always be filled with LOVE.

I Am So Scattered Today

-New resolve to get up by 6:30 realized - no (I have excuses, but that’s really all they are)
-Devotion with children - yes, I love this time with them
-Home school - check
-Start on that sewing project - nope

-Separate these two every few minutes for everyones sanity - check  (Believe me, they have NOT been this nice to each other...they only acted this sweet for the camera...that way they keep you all under the allusion that they are angels...Ha-ha...if they only knew that most of ya’ll are mothers and know their trickery).

-Start cleaning up lunch before dinner - check - only because my minions did it (it is their job after all)

-Get some more laundry done - Ummm...still workin’ on that one

-Wanting to serve more nourishing breakfasts - I’ve thought about it today
-Read three chapters in this awesome book - check

-Lay with sick babies during their nap - check (how do you think I read the three above chapters?)
-Enjoy Caresse’s new garden - YES I did (because I went outside in the cold to get these wonderful picture to show ya’ll).

-Exercise - hasn’t happened yet
-Shower - still waiting for the above to happen
-Bathe two little girls - (they DO smell worse then me...so I really must get to this one)
-Praise God that police report came in - YES
-Bake cookies - (I clearly need more minions)
-Wedding shower gift bought for Thursday - not yet

Do ya’ll have days when you seem to be scattered?  

False Security verses True Riches

A young man who grew up in Uganda, and then had the opportunity to move to America said this;

“This may be confounding to you, but it was far easier being a Christian in the poverty of Uganda than in the affluence of the States.  Prosperity tempts my laziness; it lulls me away from dependence upon the LORD.  The affluence draws me toward passivity.  It’s a daily battle for dependence upon God versus dependence upon my own strength!”  

I have mentioned that I am reading Worldliness by C.J. Mahoney.  The above is taken from it.  However, I have talked with different friends who live or work in other countries, including Uganda.  And they have stated the above in different ways.

I am convicted today, once again, to not look at the “rising cost of living”, but to look at our“rise in living standards”.  It can creep in so easily and so subtly  , regardless of our income.  Wanting “stuff” is an equal opportunity sin.  Like everyone, I have more than some and not as much as many others.  

Today, I want to look more and more at the Cross and remember where my true riches are...”For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich. “ (2 Cor. 8:9)

“When someone sets his affections upon the cross and the love of Christ, he crucifies the world as a dead and undesirable thing.  The baits of sin lose their attraction and disappear.  Fill your affections with the cross of Christ and you will find no room for sin.”  

John Owen

Happy Sunday!!!

Random Glimpses

(BEFORE I begin, I am sure that you will want to know that the dog just threw up twice on the carpet)

That post that I wanted to do is still in the works, so I thought it would be fun to see some of the randomness that is quite normal here.  I WILL not show pictures of the dog throw-up because, I AM not going to look at it.  I called my beloved oldest daughter up here and asked her to clean up the mess.  Yes, she’s a DOLL!!

The weather has been snowy and cold this week, so Steve was not able to get the plastic on Caresse’s green house.  You know, plants can cost a pretty penny, and I wasn’t going to leave them in the garage to freeze, so we brought them inside last night to keep them warm till the greenhouse is ready.  Now, to just keep the children away from them...  As I am typing, Steve is outside putting the plastic on.  He is wonderful.  

We have been using lots of pain medicine and herbal teas this week to help the darlin’s who are sick with aches and fevers.  And the black beans were soaked all night and were ready to cook for supper. 

These are three of four boys that have been really sick this week...poor darlin’s.  Aiden is the middle picture.  It was so weird to see him just laying there...HE NEVER just lays any where unless he is asleep.  

The children that were feeling well enough were inspired by our art lesson from ARTistic Pursuits this week.  They have been creating some really fun art.  This curriculum is a little expensive, but I have had mine for years and I still love it!!

And that last picture is why I love my big sink.  Boy, can it hold a lot.  You know what else I love?  The children do an amazing job of cleaning the kitchen.  Sorry, no picture of that.  I was probably sleeping with a few sick babies.  

I have read Psalm 50 a few times this week, and read it one morning to the children on a very hard day.  I want to encourage us all with verse 23 - “The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies Me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”  

I asked the children on this hard day to tell me 10 things that we could be thankful for and then we were going to “offer our thanksgiving sacrifice” to the LORD in prayer.  It can be hard to “be thankful” when things are hard, but I want to glorify the LORD all of my days!  And I want to teach this to my children.  We, as mothers and fathers, must intentionally teach our children these Truths from the Bible and lead the way WITH them.  The children came up with some wonderful things to be thankful for on this morning.  One little darling said “I’m glad we aren’t in an orphanage where there is no medicine when we are sick.”  Another little darlin’ said “Good food to eat and healthy water to drink.”  

I am so thankful for their precious little hearts that want to learn God’s Truths.  May the LORD fill us with His wisdom as we minister and serve those that He has placed in our care!   

For His Glory!!!

Black And White Love

 Here are my little love birds...aren’t they cute?

I have several sick children so I have been holding the babies a lot.

I hope you will visit again tomorrow...I am working on a post about something that is very important to me.  Hoping to finish it later tonight.