Jam , Jam , Jam

So today I made jam! Blueberry, strawberry, raspberry. Now one must know that I do not encourage alot of sugar eating in my house however homemade jam is different for me. I am well aware that it takes a boatload of sugar to make it. However I also know this. My homemade jam consists of 3 main ingredients. Fruit, sugar and pectin. Depending on the fruit sometimes lemon juice. Not many times can you say that about anything that is store bought and I can pronounce all of it.

Homemade jam is not inexpensive to make. Strawberry for example: 5 cups of berries, 7 cups of sugar, 1/3 cup pectin and all that makes only 5- 8oz and 4- 6oz jars. However these make such a wonderful gift for someone who is having a birthday, having a bad day or at a holiday. It can add up to a small fortune. I have been blessed with my own strawberries and then neighbors have let me get the rest of the fruit off of their plants. I think between what we eat and what I give as gifts it is well worth the expense and effort.

God reminds me that even though we run on a budget and taking care of a family our size is not cheap that I must share what he has blessed me with. He is the provider and takes care of my family. He will make sure we have exactly what we need to have. Sometimes we can take things too far and want to keep it all for ourselves. Several years ago a had a friend who hit quite a rough spot. She literally could not hardly get her hands on food even. I would pick her up and let her come shop through what we had and take her back home. I could have said... "here is some cash" and left the rest up to her. God made sure we had enough to provide for her and for us. At the time I did not realize what that meant to her.

I share this not because I want to feel grand. I share it because when you are blessed with extra please don't be afraid to share it with someone who might be in need. The Lord may have provide you with just that little bit extra for the time when that person was coming and needed it. Not just in food. Maybe it was $5, maybe it was that extra pair of pants or that second winter coat. Be ready, be prepared and make sure you are willing to give to others if God calls on you to do so. In the end it is not mine or yours it is all his. He just is using us to get it where it needs to go sometimes.

Be blessed.

Making your school schedule work for you.

Have you ever noticed that even if you home-school people want to put you in a box. It is just the way we work. In the end there is usually no harm intended. Set your school schedule to what works for you. Seriously! Do you want to work in the evening? Then do so. Is Saturday a great day for you. Go ahead. There are no hard and fast rules as to what days or times you need to work your schedule. As long as it gets done.

Example, My family works 6 weeks on 1 week off and we start the first of August each year and we take the entire month of July off. In June a lot of what the kids do is book work, poster and demonstration prep for fair but still has a ton of learning associated with it. In August we start out lightly and move in more full force by the end of the month.

Some families work Monday - Thursday pretty heavy and take a 3 day weekend. Some start in September and are finished by the end of April. I read a post from a gal one time who's family worked from January through September and were off the last 3 months of the year. You can tailor your schedule to work with your needs. In the past we have reserved some stuff for evening that dad can do with the boys but now due to Cub Scouts and Archery those are the activities he does with them.

Remember each child has a peak time of day. If you pay careful attention it won't take you long to figure out when that is. Do the most important work that child needs to get done during that time. This is why we keep them home. To tailor the environment to what works for them and our families. Don't feel bad about running on a non conventional 9-3 school day. Make sure the work gets done and God will bless it!

Fruits of the season.

Summer is such a wonderful time to prepare. God has provided this season for us to prepare for the long winter season ahead. Sometimes this is hard. We want to go lots of places and do lots of things. Its hot and preserving food whether by getting ready for freezing or actually canning makes you hotter.

It does not matter if you do a little or a lot but anything helps reduce your food budget during the winter and gives you things to eat that are healthier for you and your family. I would really encourage you to find a friend or a neighbor that you can do your production with. Ecclesiastes 4:9 says : Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.
I miss my friends Brandy and Joan whom I used to do all my food prep for canning and freezing with. We would put out an unimaginable amount of stuff in one day. I do it on my own and still get the rewards but it is nicer if you can find a friend.

In Northern Michigan Strawberries are about finished. However blueberries and raspberries and starting up. Find a place to go pick. Your aunt probably has raspberries behind her house that don't get used. Ask around. This year our apple and pear trees are loaded. My friend Brandy has 200 acres with apple trees on them she just wants them picked by anyone. Lots of people are willing to share the extra harvest of vegetables and fruits.

Think about the long term payoff. One day a week spent on putting away food in the summer once harvesting starts can have a huge financial payoff towards your groceries in the winter. Even if you can't find what you want for free just look around at local farm markets and roadside farm stands. I met a lady at fair this year that their family spends the summer doing farm markets. She is opening her farm up to allow you pick tomato's this year. Much less expensive then purchasing by the bushel.

And if you have extra find a family, maybe not a friend of yours and bless them with your excess. You will be amazed at how God will bless that simple act.

Thoughts on viewing habits we have changed.

Wow.... sometimes things just seem so obvious and other times it takes awhile to see the obvious. 2 weeks ago we moved the television from the living room to the bedroom. The boys have not been allowed to watch TV pretty much for any reason. On Saturday night Mike rented a movie while Amanda and I were gone and him and the 3 boys really enjoyed watching it. It was so very enjoyed because it has moved from a normal everyday activity to a special activity.

My boys have learned to cooperate much better. We still have some normal children bickering but it has been cut by at least 80% since doing this. I believe the behavior of the people on TV were affecting the behavior of my boys! During the last 2 weeks we have started reading classic books, went on many walks, went to the beach more and enjoy each other so much more than we ever have.

Am I saying blow up your television....NO. What I am saying is that we found by tightly controlling it we have more family harmony, more imagination and more enjoyable time together. It has challenged and stretched me as well as a mom to make sure all three have productive things to do when the others are doing chores or school work. We have also started daily memorization of bible verses. Big big bonus. Think about what takes away from your family and find away to replace it with something meaningful.

Be Blessed.

Books worth reading.

I truly believe that the books I am currently reading God has led me to. The first book is Raising Real Men by Hal and Melanie Young.

This book really unpacks what it is all about in raising this boys and how God created them. In this book first thing off she says "we hear the negative wisecracks from our fellow Americans, and far too often, from our fellow Christians" We live in a culture that holds up girls over boys. It holds up girls as better and young men as less even within the Christian culture. Yet the people who do, want the daughters to have someone to marry. Do not get me wrong I have daughters one at home and one with the Lord. I have been blessed with 3 sons but spent a lot of time feeling that I was less because fellow Christians emphasized girls over boys and showed disdain for young men. Psalm 127:3 says Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children are a reward from him, Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Wow. I love little girls the are cute, my favorite color is pink but I now realize I have been given a heritage. What a gift. I believe with all my heart that all children are a blessing from God. This book really unpacks it all from hero's to chivalry. Homeschooling your young men, work and proper role models and how to teach them to respect each other. Even if you have only one young man it is a great read.

The other book I am reading with women from church is Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst. Subtitle is satisfying your deepest desire with God, not food. It talks a lot at the start about what we let pass through our mouths in the realm of food that make us unhealthy and or overweight. However as you work through this book you understand that every area in our lives requires us to lean upon the Lord. It is packed with all kinds of scripture and healing. I am only through the first six chapters but it is she talks about how brick by brick and prayer by prayer you can lead a path to victory in your life. It does not really matter what your struggles are you can have victory over all areas in your life with God.

While I have not completed either of these books in whole I would recommend them as a great read to anyone.

Be with the Lord and Be blessed!