A Week of Poetry, Day 5: An Amy Carmichael Poem

                                           
A special thanks to our daughter Peace for sharing her photography this week! I have really appreciated her taking over some of the blog responsibilities so I could focus on some pressing tasks. Next week I will be away form the computer on an adventure, but please check in and read a guest post by my friend Michelle.  Michelle is a published author and an  insightful mother of  two boys. You may find that you have some of her home schooling books on your shelf at home!

Today's poem is by missionary Amy Carmichael. It is one of my favorites.  I first read in in her biography, A Chance to Die, when I was in high school.  At that time I committed it to memory. It has been an encouragement to me many times when I faced the choice between "easy" and the high call of serving God and dying to self.  There is no title listed in the book from which I first read it and, as always, the punctuation and capitalization is as the author desired.  I hope this "prayer-poem", as Elisabeth Elliot calls it, will be as meaningful to you as it is to us!


                                                     From prayer that asks that I may be
                                                     Sheltered from the winds that beat on Thee,
                                                     From fearing when I should aspire,
                                                     From faltering when I should climb higher,
                                                     From silken self, O Captain, free
                                                     Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

                                                 
                                                    From subtle love of softening things,
                                                    From easy choices, weakenings,
                                                    (Not thus are spirits fortified,
                                                    Not this way went the Crucified,)
                                                    From all that dims Thy Calvary,
                                                    O Lamb of God, deliver me.

                                                    Give me love that leads the way,
                                                    The faith that nothing can dismay
                                                    The hope no disappointments tire
                                                    The passion that will  burn like fire,
                                                    Let me not sink to be a clod:
                                                    Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.
                                                                                    -- Amy Carmichael

A Week of Poems, Day 4 : Disappointment--His Appointment

This week my oldest daughter is posting some of her photography, along with several selections of classic Christian poetry. Today's poem comes from the book The Best Loved Religious Poems, published in 1933. All punctuation and capitalization are as the author intended.  Happy Reading!

 Disappointment –His Appointment

“Disappointment –His appointment,”

  Change one letter, then I see

That the thwarting of my purpose

  Is God’s better choice for me.

His appointment must be blessing,

  Tho’ it may come in disguise,

For the end from the beginning

  Open to His wisdom lies.

“Disappointment –His appointment”

  Whose? The Lord, who loves me best,

Understands and knows me fully,

   Who my faith and love would test;

For, like loving earthly parent,

   He rejoices when He knows

That His child accepts, UNQUESTIONED,

   All that from His wisdom flows.

“Disappointment –His appointment”

    “No good thing will He withhold,”

From denials we oft will gather

   Treasures from His love untold.

Well He knows each broken purpose

  Leads to fuller, deeper trust,

And the end of all His dealings

  Proves our God is wise and just.

 “Disappointment –His appointment”

   Lord, I take it, then, as such.

Like the clay in hands of potter,

  Yielding wholly to Thy touch.

All my life’s plan is Thy molding,

  Not one single choice be mine;

Let me answer, unrepining—

  Father, "Not my will, but Thine.”

                      -- Edith Lillian Young

A Week of Poems, Day 3: Wit's End Corner

                                  

                                       “At their wit’s end they cry unto the Lord in their trouble,

                                               and He bringeth them out.”-Psalm 107:27, 28

This week my oldest daughter is posting some of her photography along with several selections classic Christian poetry.We found this poem in the book The Best Loved Religious Poems, published in 1933. If you are a weary mother in need of some encouragement, this poem is for you! ( All punctuation and capitalization is as the author intended.)

                                                          Wit’s End Corner

                          Are you standing at “Wits End Corner,”

                                    Christian, with troubled brow?

                               Are you thinking of what is before you?

                                    And all you are bearing now?

                               Does all the world seem against you,

                                    And you in the battle alone?

                               Remember-- at “Wit’s End Corner”

                                     Is where God’s power is shown.

                                       
                           Are you standing at “Wit’s End Corner,”

                                    Your work before you spread,

                                 All lying begun, unfinished,

                                     And pressing on heart and head,

                                 Longing for strength to do it,

                                     Stretching out trembling hands?

                                 Remember-- at “Wit’s End Corner”

                                     The Burden-bearer stands.

                                       
                          Are you standing at “Wits End Corner”?

                                   Then you’re just in the very spot

                                 To learn the wondrous recourses

                                      Of Him who faileth not;

                                 No doubt to a brighter pathway

                                      Your footsteps will soon be moved

                                 But only at “Wit’s End Corner”

                                       Is the “God who is able” proved.

                                                                -Antoinette Wilson

This post is linked to Homemaking Link-up at Raising Homemakers. 

A Week of Poems, Day 2: He Giveth More

                                                               
                   He Giveth More
   
                  He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
                     He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
                  To added affliction He addeth His mercy,
                     To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

                                           
                    When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
                        When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
                    When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
                        Our Father's full giving is only begun.

                                             
                   His love has no limit, his grace has no measure,
                     His power no boundary known unto men;
                   For out of his infinite riches in Jesus
                     He giveth and giveth and giveth again.
                                                              -Annie Johnson Flint

" He giveth more grace..."   James 4:6
"He increaseth strength..." Isaiah 40:29
"Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied..."  Jude 2

A Week of Poems, Day 1: For Every Day

The end of the school year is in full swing here and  I certianly do wish there was some way to get blog posts directly from my brain and into my draft box! We are going along at break neck speed finishing up our books, doing some house sitting, and enjoying various filed trips. I have hardly had a second to sit down and type out my name, much less anything worth reading! However, I do think I have written an entire month of blog posts in my head!

This week I am going to be quite busy preparing for an upcoming adventure.  Therefore,for the next few days, I am turning the bulk of the blog responsibilities over to my oldest daughter.  If the Lord is willing, she will be sharing some of her lovely photography and several selections of classic  Christian poetry.  At the moment we are not able to access her photos, but  I know you will thoroughly enjoy seeing her wonderful photography through out the week! And I am sure you will be encouraged by the words of faithful Christians that have gone before us, often facing the same challenges we find ourselves dealing with today. I believe uplifting poetry is one of the finest ways to add pleasant moments to your day! Our poetry books are on the desk with several selections marked, so happy reading!


For Every Day

SUNDAY .
Lord, speak to me, that I may speak
  In living echoes of Thy tone;
As thou hast sought, so let me seek
  Thy erring children lost and lone.

MONDAY.
O lead me, Lord, that I may lead
  The wandering and the wavering feet;
O feed me, Lord, that I may feed
   Thy hungering ones with manna sweet.

TUESDAY.
O strengthen me, that while I stand
  Firm on the Rock, and strong in Thee,
I may stretch out a loving hand
  To  wrestlers with the troubled sea.

WEDNESDAY.
O teach me, Lord, that I may teach
  The precious things Thou dost inpart;
And wing my words that I may reach
  The hidden depths of many a heart.

THURSDAY.
O give thine own sweet rest to me,
  That I may speak with soothing power
A word in season, as from Thee,
  To weary ones in needful hour.

FRIDAY.
O fill me with thy fullness, Lord,
  Until my very heart o'erflow
In kindling thought and glowing word,
  Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.

SATURDAY.
O use me, Lord, use even me,
  Just as thou wilt, and when, and where,
Until Thy blessed face I see-
  Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share!

                              -Frances Ridley Havergal

Book of the Week: The Boy From Baby House 10

 This is the best book I have read this year. I walked past it in a library display and put it in my bag without even seeing what it was about. I read it in just a few days time, only to find myself re-reading it. Although that was many months ago, I just haven't been able to write a review on it. There was so much to take in and process. I still don't know that I can do a worthy review, but I know many of you are getting together your summer reading and this is a must read.

Hardly a day goes by that I don't think about something I read  in this book. It is the true account of former preemie named John, who was an orphan in Russia suffering from cerebral palsy. Through a miraculous (and lengthy) maze of circumstances, along with the courage of some very ordinary volunteers, he was eventually able to be adopted by an American. He has since flourished into a well-adjusted  high school honor student. Although I was intellectually very aware of the dreadful situations in many overseas orphanages, and even more aware of the plight of special needs children in other countries,(not to mention the general power of adoption), this book brought it all together in an earth-shattering kind of way. Everyday I now pray for children in orphanages in other countries. My heart simply cannot rest if I don't lift these little ones up to our Heavenly Father. I pray that someone will touch them and show them dignity and love, that workers will take the time to adequately feed them at meal time, that they will be allowed to play with toys, that they will receive physical therapy and medical treatment, that they will have time outside, that friends can stay together, that they will be able to retain the ability to love others and be loved, that they will know God's comfort in a real way as they suffer, that God will send His people to help them, that they will find relief, that they will be adopted into forever families. Often my heart just breaks and I can only rest on Romans 8:26 :" In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."   Yes, earth-shattering. That is really all I can adequately say.

 While showing many unpleasant realities, this account is also filled with hope. Ordinary people made a difference in one little boy's life. A very big difference. Just regular, ordinary people who cared and noticed someone besides themselves, changed someone's life! In addition, John  was able to remain psychologically strong and retain the ability to reach out to others after suffering terrible neglect. He found a place in a family and has done well. He is now in a situation where his disability does not hold him back. John's story is one that deserved to be told, and I know there are thousands more that deserve to be told as well. There is really so much more to be said...read the Amazon reviews for a more detailed and polished description...but please do read this book!

Heirloom Tomatoes in the Urban Garden

My mother-in-law and I recently met up with an old friend who lives in another part of the state.  Together we we had a lovely time touring various urban farms as part of a special gardening event. It was truly a delightful mix of  "farms" :  inner city back yard gardens, gardens at soup kitchens and schools, gardens in upscale urban areas; raised beds, front yard gardens, gardens on hills; chicken coops nice enough to house people, chicken coops on decks constructed from scrap lumber; new gardeners, master gardeners....the list could go on and on. It was so inspiring to see the creativity of other city-dwellers who deal with the same gardening issues we face.  Even better was having the opportunity to talk seasoned urban gardeners about a wide range of topics. Let me tell you, I asked lots of questions! I was especially fond of the senior adult gardeners...anyone listed with fifty-plus years of gardening experience was at the top of my list to go visit!

One thing that I am doing for the first time this year is growing heirloom tomatoes.  I acquired several starts from local, private growers who sell starts from their farms. My plants include the Black Krim ( from the former Soviet Union), Lillian Yellow, Box Car Willie, Italian Goliath, and Aunt Ruby's German Green. I have started this adventure with a bit of hesitation, knowing that heirloom varieties are not bread to resist disease like the more common hybrid varieties I have grown in the past. In visiting with the plant sellers and with folks on the tour, I picked up several tips on growing these tomatoes.

*Place one spoonful of Epsom salt in the hole with the plant.
*To prevent "the blight" (as we call it in these parts...I am working hard at using the proper lingo!), cover the ground near the plants with pine straw, newspaper, or grass clippings to keep dirt from splashing onto the lower leaves.
* Space plants far apart so that any disease will not spread from plant to plant
*Plant flowers near the plants to encourage pollination.
*When the plants are young, use an aluminum collar to keep the cutworms from achieving their goal.
*Water often since heirloom tomatoes have thinner skin and are more prone to cracking
*For pest control, spray some Bronner's Peppermint Soap on the plant. A mixture of one gallon water, 1spoonful of Epsom Salt, 1 spoonful of baking soda, "some" dish soap was also suggested.

I am very excited to see how things go with our tomatoes, as well as the rest of our garden! I think growing food for your own family is one of the most exciting parts of homemaking. I have been doing it for many years, but each new season I am amazed as I watch the way God uses small seeds to provide us with food food!  I do have to say that, as in years past, my enthusiasm is not shared by all who reside in our humble abode. In fact, there have been several back yard sit-ins from the four footed among us. This conscientious objector has given me quite a challenge, but a little fencing and some well placed wooden plant tags have finally encouraged her to take her protests elsewhere :) ! Happy Gardening!

This post is linked to Our Simple Country Life and Far Above Rubies.

Frugal Fridays:Serving Snacks in Coffee Filters

Sometimes I find myself serving snacks to a crowd ...birthday parties, snacks for sports teams, play dates, family and church gatherings.  I don't always have enough real dishes, and sometimes I am needing disposable  options for individual servings. Several years ago I discovered an unexpected solution in my coffee supply drawer... paper coffee filters! We use a reusable coffee filter now, but I always keep some paper filters on hand.  Filters like the one above come in packs of 200. I paid 99 cents for my most recent pack from Aldi. Some snacks may require more than one filter for additional support, but even at that, this is a very economical disposable paper product. For young children, I find the cone type coffee filters to be more manageable. They are slightly more expensive, but are super easy to hold onto. And did you know that you can put coffee filters in your compost when you are finished with them?  This makes me appreciate this solution even more!  The next time you are serving a snack, think out of the box ( or out of the dish cupboard!) and let me know what creative solutions you find!

This article is linked to Frugal Fridays at Life as a Mom. Enjoy reading frugal tips from other bloggers!

Kale and Chickpea Stir Fry

I don't blog about cooking very often.  Honestly, it seems like I am constantly trying to juggle who can eat what, while still making sure that everyone is getting all the proper nutrients. Throw in having to read and reread every label on every ingredient, and needing to have portable, child-friendly items on hand at all times  (on a budget, of course!)...well, there are usually other things I would rather think about in my spare time besides food! However, there are a few ingredients that I am passionate enough about to include here, and this recipe uses two of them: kale and chickpeas.  

This weekend I hit the farmers market in search of some greens. ( My spring garden greens are still  needing to mature a bit.) Just for fun, I decided to type "stir fry kale recipe" into my handy-dandy Swagbucks toolbar.  I was richly rewarded with this recipe. First, I tossed some chickpeas in olive oil with some garlic and began to stir fry them. The recipe called for shallots, but I did not have any on hand.

Within ten minutes the chickpeas had a nice crust and the kitchen smelled heavenly!.  I  tossed in my fresh kale, some red pepper flakes, and salt.

A few more minutes of stir frying and it was ready to be sprinkled with some lemon juice and put on my plate beside some freshly grilled fish. Won*der*ful!!! I actually ended up sharing my fish, doubling my portion of greens, and mixing the remaining fish and greens together as one delicious dish!  Easy, healthy,delicious, beautiful...what more could you ask for?! 

This post is linked to Far Above Rubies  , Raising Homemakers and Our Simple Country Life.  Take some time and see what other homemakers are writing about this week! 

Precious Moments and Answered Prayers

Last week our oldest daughter showed our youngest daughter  how to make a cozy reading nook behind her bed.  My heart melted as I listened to her sweetly tell her little sister how,when she was eight years old, her bed was placed diagonally in a corner. She continued on, telling how she loved to keep a basket of books back in the corner so she could slip back there to read. The two of them set to work gathering a pillow, a book basket, and some reading material, chatting all the while about how they could decorate the wall space.     

 A few minutes later, the little sister decided to invite her younger brother to come into her cozy spot so she could read some Bible stories to him. And while those two were busy together, another older sister decided to bake pretzels so everyone could have a warm afternoon snack. 

I watched all of this with a thankful, humble heart. Not everyday is like this (believe me!), but on this day I saw it clearly...the "otherness" (as opposed to selfishness) that I so often pray for in my children's lives. Somehow, in this world of mixed up priorities, and under the influence of a quite imperfect mother, my girls had the initiative to reach out, to create, to share God's Word, to nurture others. God has been gracious beyond measure...to me, to them, to the world...in allowing us the grace to leave ourselves behind, even for the shortest of moments.  He hears our prayers, mothers! Take your worries,your questions, and your fears to Him. He is able to do what we cannot do!
Pray, and let God worry. -- Martin Luther

Visitors!!

This week we were blessed by a visit from some of our dearest far-away friends.  My sweet friend K. and her six children came to our house for a few days to attend a special home school event with us. It was one gigantic, three day slumber party! So many sweet times together....big girls (and my husband) loving the baby, best friends together again in princess dresses ( in the tree house!),  five giggling little girls lined on the floor in sleeping bags (two of them in matching smocked dresses..princess nightgowns, you know!), three little boys sound asleep down in Thunderbolts' room( worn out from playing), two mamas staying up late talking about everything under the sun, a back yard so full of kids that Mr. T. said it looked like an amusement park, the BBQ pork roast that just kept on feeding everyone!

  The time apart had made no difference, age differences were no concern...true friends, more like sisters and brothers, all of us...what a gift from God!  When K. and I met over ten years ago I could not have imagined all we would go through together.  We may hold the record for the phrase, " Guess what! I think I need my maternity clothes back!" And I couldn't have asked for a better friend during our difficult times surrounding Thunderbolt's pregnancy and early arrival. She was my children's second mom, watching them for every doctor appointment, even when we had to go every other day at the end. She kept most of them during his sudden arrival ( the first person I called with the news), comforting those old enough to understand the gravity of the situation ( one child sobbing in her hallway), praying for my tiny babe ( even when I didn't have the strength to give her many details), and spending the next months helping when needed ( the only person I dared ask to bring us toilet paper when we were out!).

 I find it so interesting that as we have journeyed together in motherhood that the Lord always seems to be leading us in the same direction and teaching us similar things. What times of rich conversation and encouragement we have, spurring one another on to good deeds and godliness. What a joy to see our children sharing the same love for one another, and hear our husbands speak of how they miss one another's company.
 .

As K.'s little boy said while playing in the yard, "This is the best day ever!!"  Yes, just how I felt...some of the best days ever...enjoying being together again!  Thank you, Lord, for the blessing and encouragement of godly friends!