5 Things..

What I was doing 10 years ago:

I was living near Ft. Bragg North Carolina, while Jeremy was in the 82nd Airborne.

Five things on my To-Do list today:
1. Make dinner
2. Make egg salad for Jeremy's lunch tomorrow
3. Call Kelly about Vacation Bible School stuff..
4. Laundry
5. put away at least one box.. of "stuff" (grrrr.)

Five snacks I enjoy:
1. Chips and Salsa
2. Garlic Hummus and Tortilla Chips
3. Bananas
4. Apples
5. Does Coca-Cola count?

Five things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Give it to to those who need it most.
2. Pay off my debts, and the debts of those I love
3. Buy a tropical island to hide on, when I wasn't traveling.
4. Travel..travel..travel
5. Buy a really BIG....boat.

Five bad habits:
1. Prejudging people
2. Not listening
3. Talking too much
4. Giving unsolicited advice
5. Being impatient.

Five places I've lived:
1. Colorado
2. New Orleans, LA
3. North Carolina
4. Pensacola, FL
5. Memphis, TN

Five jobs I've had:
1. Cashier at a grocery store
2. Air Traffic Controller
3. U.S. Navy
4. Insurance Sales
5. Waitress

Now, I tag:
ANYONE who wants to play along.

"What we do in moderation, our children will do in excess.."

"Stuff"

Usually the more you have..the more you want. We live in such excess in the US that we take it for granted. If you have lived in the US all of your life, and never traveled overseas, you cannot comprehend the poverty that 80% of the world lives in. I cannot comprehend it. Did you know that half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day. According to UNICEF, 26,500-30,000 children die each day due to poverty

Here in the US, if we don't have a huge house..we think are poor. If we don't have 2 cars..we think are poor. If we don't clothe our children in brand name clothes...we think are poor. That is just not reality. Reality is that if you have a roof over your head, and enough food to feed your kids, you are doing better than 80% of the world.

We live in a consumerism-obsessed culture. We see it on TV..we want it. The neighbor has it..we want it. A family member has it..we want it. Do you know that the whole purpose of marketing is to make you feel like your current state is not good enough. They want you to want "stuff". They put "want creators" on TV, on the Internet, junk mail, and on billboards. It's everywhere. And now that I am aware of it, it's kind of driving me crazy. :)

I really hate clutter, so I am taking drastic measures to get rid of "stuff"

* I donate LOTS of stuff to Goodwill. 2 truckloads during our recent move.

* I am teaching my children the difference between want and need. This is a lesson every time we enter a store.

* I buy USED whenever possible..Craigslist/Freecycle/Cheapcycle, garage sales, consignment/thrift stores, etc..

* I am teaching my children contentment.

* I am teaching my children to take care of what they have. To appreciate the things they are given. To appreciate what they have, and not worry so much about what they don't have.

I understand wanting to give your children nice things. I understand wanting your children to have more than you had..

But if I give my kids everything they want, the moment they want it, without having to work for it, or wait for it... I am not preparing them for reality. I would be raising spoiled brats, that appreciate nothing, and that will grow to expect that the world owes them a living.

My Testimony

I grew up Lutheran. We didn't go to church every Sunday, but often enough for me to have been familiar with most Bible stories. I knew about God, and that Jesus died on the cross.

When it comes to salvation, I literally can't remember one lesson, or sermon on the topic. I grew up believing that if you are good, you go to heaven, and if you are bad, hell. I simply thought if your "good" outweighed" your "bad", then you were in (heaven). Hell was not a word used in the Lutheran church. I honestly wasn't very concerned about it either way. Nobody ever talked about it, so I didn't give it much thought.

We moved to Indiana in 1999. We went to church with my husbands parent's on several occasions. I had never heard preaching like that. I was not familiar with the term "saved" . The preacher gave a sermon on salvation. He explained salvation so simply.. it confused me. Why didn't my childhood pastor ever tell us this? If you are going to go to church, and sing hymn's, and read from the Bible...shouldn't someone mention the most important part??

The preacher explained that:

You don't have to attend any certain church to get into heaven..
You don't have to attend church at all!
You don't have to do "good deeds/works" to get into heaven.
You don't have to be baptized to go to heaven.
You don't have to pay a priest penance to get your soul out of purgatory.

You don't have confess your sins to a priest to get into heaven.

Very simply..all you have to do is believe. Yep. That's it. Believe. Believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross, to pay for your sins (and the sins of the entire world). Believe that on the third day He rose again, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Then accept Him as your personal Savior. That's it. It's between YOU (yes YOU) and God.

The Bible says: Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. But, like any gift, you have to RECEIVE IT!!!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation... Romans 10:9,10,11

So..one Sunday morning when the preacher gave the invitation, I accepted Christ as my personal Savior. I didn't go up to the alter, nor do it publicly. I prayed silently right there in my pew for Jesus to come into my heart, and save my soul from Hell. I understood that it was between me and God. The preacher so kindly gave the invitation for anyone to go up to the alter to pray, or for us chickens.. we could just pray silently in our pew.

It was pride that kept me from going up there. It was pride that kept me from sharing my experience with others. I was hurt and disappointed that I had attended church for all those years, and not been told.

The Bible makes it very clear.

...that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21

...what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.. Acts 16:30,31

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1Cor 1:18

Get right with God today. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

Earthquakes, Beads Up The Nose, and Updates Galore..

I apologize for my absence. Much going on around here.. here is a summary:

* We had an earthquake this morning at 4:40am. Not a typical thing here in Northwest Indiana. It shook the house so badly I thought a train was passing by, only we don't live near any train tracks. Of course, the kids slept through it. It was a 5.6, and was centered in southern Illinois. Michelle..did you feel it where you live??

* Savannah has a strange fascination with stuffing small objects up her nose. It started with raisins and cereal.. Sunday she stuffed a small plastic pink bead (the size of a pea) up her nose, and I had to take her to the ER to have it removed. (Thank you St. Anthony's Hospital for your kind treatment!!!)

* We moved!! but not too far. I love our new house... slightly bigger, much newer, more yard (about 2 acres of grass now), and a ranch, no more climbing stairs. Pictures soon, I promise..

* Jeremy started seminary. It is a 3 year distance learning program.. He is unsure of exactly what he wants to do in the ministry, time will tell..

* Jeremy's mom had surgery last Friday to remove cancerous tumors from her kidneys. She is recovering well at home. Jeremy's dad, who also has cancer (multiple myeloma) is currently doing well..

* Midwifery. Hmmm. With preparing the new house, moving, and finishing up the kids home school.. I haven't been doing a whole lot. I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do from here on.. I feel like because of attending births, and studying, I'm neglecting things here at home. I'm not being a good mom, not being a good wife, not being a good home school teacher, and not being a a good student midwife. It's hard to do it all.. I honestly feel like midwifery is a calling for me.. maybe just not now. The thought of enrolling in AAMI (Ancient Arts Midwifery Institute) is completely overwhelming. It is impossible to be a "keeper at home"... if you are never home..

Wordless Wednesday

Juice! Juice! Juice!

Want your kids to eat more fruit and vegetables? Why not juice? I don't mean the sugar filled, pasteurized, store bought stuff. I mean REAL LIVE JUICE!!!

Some facts about carrot juice:

* Carrot juice is THE richest source of Vitamin A, but also contains Vitamins B,C,D, E, G (I didn't know there was a G), and K.

* Carrot juice helps promote the appetite and is an aid to digestion

* One pint of carrot juice daily has more constructive body value than 25 pounds of calcium tablets.

* Carrot juice is a natural solvent for ulcerous and cancerous conditions

The best thing about carrot juice is IT TASTES GOOD!

We have been juicing for about 5 years. We have a mid-priced juicer, a Champion ($220), I find it easy to use, easy to clean, and economical. If you can afford the best money can buy, it would be the Norwalk Juicer. I also encourage you to research the benefits of blending, with a high quality, 3+peak horsepower blender. I would not recommend the Juiceman-type juicers... (you get what you pay for..)

My kids favorite juice is: carrot/apple or carrot/orange

My favorite juice is carrot/apple/celery

A great book on the benefits of juicing is: Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices, by N.W. Walker. Includes recipes and remedies for specific ailments (using juice therapy)

Oh! It best to drink fresh juice as soon as possible after juicing. The longer it sits in the refrigerator, the more nutrients are lost.

Happy Juicing!

I Love Seventh Generation Diapers

My plan was to cloth diaper. That didn't happen this time around. Then I found these. With just a little shopping around, I found these to be very economical, convienient, more environmentally friendly, and safer for my baby girl.

Did you know that there are toxic, cancer causing ingredients in name brand diapers? Do you know the effects of chlorine bleach (which is used to bleach name brand diapers so white) on your skin. Not to mention that your baby's body heats up that chemical..

Dioxin, which in various forms has been shown to cause cancer, birth defects, liver damage, and skin diseases, sterility, and genetic damage, is a by-product of the paper-bleaching process used in manufacturing disposable diapers, and trace quantities may exist in the diapers themselves. Dioxin is listed by the EPA as the most toxic of cancer related chemicals. Disposable diapers contain Tributyl-tin (TBT) - a toxic pollutant known to cause hormonal problems in humans and animals... No studies have been done on the long-term effects of these chemicals being in contact with a baby's reproductive organs 24 hours a day for upwards of two years. Studies have also been done to show that the chemical emissions from disposable diapers can cause respiratory problems in children.

I have found that I can buy a case (4packages) of Seventh Generation diapers at http://www.1800diapers.com/ for about $35.00 (that includes shipping) or Babies R Us now carries a nice selection of Seventh Generation products in their stores.

Personality Painting.

Click here to create your own painting.

Happy 5th Birthday Adrian!!!

My new home birth website is up..

www.blessedbeginningsbirthservices.com

This website is still under construction. I plan to add tons of information, resources and links in the very near future. Please visit often. :)

And her middle name was "trouble"

"Hmmm..what's this?"

A Whole Foods Diet

As much as I dislike "new years resolutions" I am determined now more than ever to depart from the Standard American Diet. I have some pretty serious goals for 2008 regarding health, and my family's diet. Here are some:

*I will not feed my family "fast food" (read: McDonald's) for convenience or "as a treat." I will instead plan ahead or seek out healthy alternatives.

*My goal is to feed my family 75% organic (everything..fresh and packaged) I even joined Timber Creek Farms Organics, fresh organic produce, meat and dairy..delivered to my door weekly.

*I will not buy white sugar, white flour, or white pasta again (instead buying raw sugar, whole grain flour, and whole grain pasta)

*I will use my juicer EVERYDAY, making fresh fruit and vegetable juices for my family.

*I will buy a grain mill, and grind whole grains into flour for bread and baking.

*I will make bread in the bread machine EVERYDAY, instead of buying the store bought kind (filled with high fructose corn syrup and chemicals)

*We will not drink soda pop.

*I will teach my children WHY we aren't eating the "other stuff". Who wants to be normal? The average American is obese (or over-weight), has cancer, diabetes, or heart disease. I do not want to be normal. The average American spends more time on the couch watching TV than exercising...I want better for MY children.

*I will let the children make decisions about what they eat, helping me in the kitchen to make breakfast smoothies, or healthy cookies, veggie pizza, etc..

Quick thought: If you put pancake syrup into your car's gas tank, instead of gas...how well would your car run, and for how long?

If you are putting sugary cereal, soda pop, candy, and fast food into your (or your kids) body..how well will you function, and for how long?

Banana Smoothie (my kids favorite recipe)

In a blender:

3 frozen ripe bananas

2T. raw honey

cover with Rice Dream Rice Milk.

Blend. Makes 4 kid size breakfast smoothies.

Other additions: You could add almond or peanut butter, protein powder, Superfood type green powder (I use Greens First), fresh or frozen fruit, yogurt, or kefir instead of rice milk, or Stevia as a calorie free sweetener.

I wish you a happy and blessed 2008.

Happy 8th Birthday Austin

Christmas 2007

We Wish You a Merry Christmas..

Thought I'd post a little something here..since I have been rather busy doing everything BUT blogging. My shopping isn't done (still have 2 gift cards to buy), cookies aren't baked (the children MUST have their sugar cookies, frosted.. of course), and Christmas pictures..well.. Not going to happen. They will have to be post Christmas pictures. I never procrastinate, but this year has been something else. Starting with chicken pox before Thanksgiving.. Now the last few days, the days I had planned to finish up the holiday details (pictures, gifts, baking and grocery shopping), I ended up at a marathon birth (I was there almost 30 hours). That put a serious glitch in my plans. Oh well. Must press on!

This year, due to Savannah's busy little hands, I only put the kids hand made ornaments on the tree.
I apologize for the lack of kid-pictures. They will be on here ASAP. Promise. In case I don't make it back here before Christmas...

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!

Love and Blessings!

Staci

Chicken Pox Update

Savannah (18months) has a much worse case than Adrian (4 years old) did... but she is such a trooper. Still no fever, still feeling pretty good. I have been preventing her from scratching by putting her in footy-pajamas. Lots of baths and kisses...she will be just fine.

Did I mention that now Austin (age 7) has them. He was vaccinated for them, but still got them. His outbreak is very similar in severity to Adrian's (not vaccinated for them).

Your prayers are very appreciated...thank you. :)

Spots

We have been over Adrian's chicken pox for well over a week. His spots are healed. He never did get "sick" or even uncomfortable. He didn't even scratch his spots..just the one behind his ear. His most serious issue was a spot on his eyelid.. ouch! But that too is long gone.

Last night Savannah (18 months old) had 8 spots on her belly. This morning more.. but she isn't acting sick either. No fever, no..nothing?
I hope that we get through hers as easily as we did Adrians.

I am thankful for healthy, strong immune systems!!

More updates soon...have to go get Savannah up from her nap..

The Children's Museum