Exodus 16:32--- Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’”


Friday, April 27, 2012

Don't Wait By The Phone

Back when I was dating in high school and college, no one had cell phones.  It wasn't that long ago!  I graduated from college in 2002.  When in a dating relationship with a boy in high school, my natural urge was to stay home and wait for the phone to ring.  My mother wouldn't allow it. 


"Don't you just sit around waiting for some boy to call.  Go out!  Have fun!  Call up a friend and go do something!   If he calls, he'll leave a message, and he'll enjoy pursing a girl who has her own interests and friends." 


My very wise mother never ever let me sit around pining for a boy.  Boys were to be friends and on-the-side entertainment--never the center of my or my sister's universes, which can happen so easily to a girl in love.  She invited boys to all of my elementary school birthday parties, and encouraged me to be friends with little boys.  I became perfectly comfortable around boys as I grew into a teenager.  I also understood them better than a lot of my girlfriends.  I didn't expect them to be great romantics filled with commitment and understanding at age 16.  I had a strong identity apart from boys.


My mother taught me not to put much stock into what a boy thought of me.  My self-worth came from Jesus Christ, and solid investment in my mom, dad, sister, brother, grandmas, and girlfriends, were lasting and worthwhile pursuits.  Boys, especially in high school and college, would float in and out of my life.  My mother taught me to not let them leave too much of an impact. 


No earnest emotional or physical attachment was to be made until I had an engagement ring.  My mother had no problem with me dating a few different boys at the same time, as long as I was guarding myself emotionally and physically.  If you are not physical with a boy, or letting your guard down emotionally with a boy, you may date as many boys as you like simultaneously.  You are becoming friends with them and evaluating them as potential fathers and mates. You are free as a bird ladies, until you have a ring on your finger.  This same sentiment is echoed in Elizabeth Elliot's Quest for Love and Passion and Purity.  I recommend you get them both and read them immediately!  Elliot knows her stuff.  I started with Passion and Purity on my personal dating journey, and immediately, I became hooked on Elizabeth Elliot's wisdom.  I think you will too.



 
Unfortunately, I didn't always follow my mother's advice.  I tried my hardest, but love got the best of me from time to time.  I got my heart broken, but I healed quickly under my mother's wisdom and care, along with Elizabeth Elliot's guidance from her books on love.


If you're single, don't answer every text.  Don't answer every call immediately.  Waiting the next day to return a call is perfectly acceptable and recommended!   Not until you have a ring do you need to be so responsive.  I'm quite serious.  Be respectful but not doting.  Be sweet, but slightly unavailable.  And for heaven's sake, don't call them to initiate a date.  When a boy makes the first move, that is already showing a considerable amount of commitment and interest in you.  If you ask him, he'll probably say "Sure." and think, "Why not?"  You definitely don't want to be a "Sure, why not."


Do as my mother says, "Go out!  Have fun!  Turn your phone off!"


If you're a mother of a young girl, start teaching her now about how to deal with boys.  What she says or does or wears should not be determined by what she believes a boy would like.  Teach your daughters to live life to the fullest.  If you like my mother's wisdom, make it your own, and never let a boy become your little girl's whole world.  Start to teach her now, and when the time comes that a boy shows an interest in her, she won't finally feel complete, she'll simply be amused.  That's what we're going for ladies.  Christ completes us and dating/courting is for evaluation and amusement.  Engagement and marriage is for devotion.


Thanks mom.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Through Genesis 11

Me:  "Bonjour Luke! Est-ce que tu veux le petit dejuner?  Une pomme? Une barre granola?  Est-ce que tu connais ce que ta mere parle le france?  J'ai etudi le france pendant une semestre a L'Universite de Caen en Normandie!" (don't hold me to this being grammatically correct...I just threw this out from the top of my head...I haven't spoken french since I was at L'Universite de Caen in 2000!  And, I cannot figure out how to type with appropriate french accents on the letters on a mac!)


Luke: "Don't Mommy.  I can't like that." (Luke says "can't like" instead of "don't like")


Me: *laughing*  "You've never heard any other language before! Today is about God creating all the different languages of the world."


We have made it to the story of the Tower of Babel today in Genesis 11.  We are holding strong on our journey of me reading the entire bible, out loud to our 2 yr old and our 5 month old, one chapter a day, hoping to finish in 8 years.


A view of Paris I shot from on top of L'arc de Triomphe


I've been consistently reading our one chapter of the Bible during breakfast together, Monday through Friday.  Our weekend schedule is always different, so sometimes we fit it in and sometimes we don't.  Overall, I'm still excited and pleased with how it seems to be going.  Each day, for 11 days, Luke has quietly listened to the whole chapter with very minimal interruptions.  This is amazing.  He's two.  He's a boy.  My mother always said Luke was "bookish" though.  He can rip and roar and snort and fight with the best of the kids, but he really is a book man. 

He likes to "cross-reference" our NIV (New International Version) Bible with his Jesus Storybook Bible.  He likes the pictures and he enjoys hearing the story again told in a more child-like way.  After I finish reading from the NIV he says, "Now lets read MY Bible".  I love his Jesus Storybook Bible.  It doesn't have all the content of the Bible, but it has quite a few of the most commonly known stories and lessons, and the illustrations are darling.

But other than being quiet and listening, I haven't had any indication that he is absorbing what I'm reading.  He smiles a lot during my reading, and I see wheels turning in his little blond head, but that's about it so far.  It's been a great feeling for me to be dedicated to being in the Word regularly and planing all these seeds of God's Word into my kids.  And that is the real pay-off for me.  It starts my day grounded in reality.  I love it.  Have any of you tried this?  How's it working out?

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Genelle's Pregnancy "Best Practice"


As I was reading through some of my journals, I came across this entry from when I was pregnant with my son, Luke, in 2009.  As you can see, I called it "Pregnancy Best Practice".  Now this is just my opinion, of course, and it's my ideal, so I wasn't able to adhere to my own practices with perfection, like I wanted to, but I followed it pretty well with great results!  I like to make goals and lists for myself, and refer back to them for inspiration.

I've written them out below, in no particular order, in case some of them are illegible in the photo above.

1. Walk and Stretch whenever you feel up to it--seriously--just when you feel up to it.
2. Brush Teeth 2 times daily (Mouthwash Once a Week---I was nervous about the alcohol)
3. No Pain Killers! Just drink A LOT of water--it will help
4. Floss Often! (pregnancy is hard on the gums)
5. Lotion feet every night (they get a beating with all the extra weight)
6. Witch Hazel face toner nightly
7. Green Apples to alleviate heartburn
8. Cocoa Butter Belly, Thighs, and Breasts Every Night
9. Get a good haircut every 3 months (to get the most out of those luscious locks!)
10. Visit the Dentist for a good cleaning
11. Read everything you can get your hands on about pregnancy, birth, and infant care
12. As much as you can, Natural, Natural, Natural...everything
13. Kegel 5 sets of 10 per day
14. Have house plants for fresh oxygen in the home
15. Write Thank You notes IMMEDIATELY after receiving a gift for you or the baby
16. No coffee, lunch meat, hot dogs, soft or unpasteurized cheeses, sword fish, canned tuna, sushi, raw dough, runny eggs, salami, caffeine, or excessive sugar. (to the best of your ability)
17. Nap often (especially if this is your first child, or your 2nd child, and #1 still naps...you sleep!)
18. One yogurt and one apple every day
19. Multi Vitamin (prenatal), DHA, and Milk Thistle every day! Milk Thistle helps with morning sickness.  It helps your liver filter more efficiently.
20. Always have a snack in your purse so you don't end up getting a fish fillet at the drive through during an attack of extreme hunger. (I end up eating too much "drive thru" food whether I pack a snack or not, so go easy on yourself...it's a weird craving time in our lives)

Again, this is just my own silly list of what I thought was the most important for me during my pregnancies.  I hope you can maybe get a few ideas you like, and then add to it to make your own list!  What are some tips you all have that  I can add to my "Best Practices"?

Monday, April 23, 2012

Olive Oil Popcorn



I recently read an article on prevention.com listing 7 deadly foods that should never cross your lips.  On that list was microwave popcorn! WHAAAAA?  I know.  Apparently it's deadly.  Here's what the article said:

"Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, gives us the scoop:
The problem: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into your popcorn. "They stay in your body for years and accumulate there," says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then."

So, we need to make our own popcorn like our parents did when we were little!  Through some trial and error, I have come up with a pretty good fool-proof method of making yummy popcorn on the stove top.  I wanted to avoid the butter so I started experimenting with olive oil.  My little method is below.
You really don't need one of those fancy popcorn kettles to make your own popcorn on the stove top.  I just use my regular old pasta pot with the lid cocked.  Using nothing but olive oil, salt and corn kernels, I can make my very favorite popcorn in just a few minutes.  I know you won't believe me, but I like it better than movie theater popcorn.  Seriously.  And I definitely like it better than deadly-make-you-infertile-give-you-cancer-microwave-popcorn.

Here's how you do it!

Olive Oil Stove Top Popcorn

Place large pot on the stove on medium-high heat

Cover the bottom of the pot with olive oil (maybe like 1/8 cup?)

Cover the bottom of the pot with corn kernels (one layer insures that the popped corn shouldn't
overflow the capacity of the pot....but you may need a little trial and error here) 

Place lid on slightly ajar to allow for steam to escape so the corn won't be chewy



Wait for corn to pop.  When there is 2-3 seconds between pops, it's done.

Remove from heat and pour into a bowl immediately.

Salt to your liking. I find that sea salt sticks to dry popcorn very well compared to regular salt.

It's deeelish....and it won't kill you! Yay!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

What to Write and How to Keep Writing in Journals



Writing and drawing in journals has grown me as a woman, spiritually and emotionally.  I have disciplined myself to only write things in my journal that will edify me, or anyone else who will ever discover them after I am gone.  When I began these Omers of Manna 15 years ago, I gave myself some rules to keep them beautiful.  After all, these were to be my "stones of remembrance" of all the great things the Lord had done for me.





Here are my personal guidelines.  Personalize your own guidelines if you decide to start writing your own Omers of Manna.  Make it meaningful to you.

Guidelines

1. No negative rambling.  If I must write about a negative experience, stick to the facts and give the rest to God in prayer. Negativity about myself would be limited to regrets in my prayers of repentance.


2. 50% of my journaling would be what the Lord was teaching me through writing out scripture and prayers.  25% would be "this is what is happening in my life right now". and 25% would be artwork or items I glued into the books.


3. No talk about others--not their lives, not their sin, unless it is written in my prayers, and those people would feel loved if they happened upon that entry by chance.


4. Create these books to be "stones of remembrance".  Keep in mind who will be reading them when I am long gone.


I wrote out the verse of Exodus 16:32 in the cover of every journal; the start date of the journal and the end date.  And then I just began to write, and draw, and glue. 

Motivation

1.  Small goals.  My goal has always been to make an entry in my journals every 10 days.  I always try to write more entries...everyday would be my ultimate goal one day...but every 10 days has been very do-able for me for the past decade.

2.  Remember this will be a "gift" to those you leave behind one day...a niece, the child of a cousin, or maybe the general public.  I doubt if Anne Frank ever imagined her journals would become so precious or so universally read and appreciated.

3. Make them beautiful and meaningful with "scraps" and notes glued into them.  I've glued in the scrap of paper my husband gave me with his phone number on it the day we met.  I've printed and glued in several love-emails (instead of love letters which may actually be extinct) from my husband as well.  These precious additions keep me motivated to complete the volume.


The library of my life that I now hold in a plastic tub has been well worth the effort.  

Friday, April 20, 2012

Beautiful Mysterious Contentment

Ahhh, contentment.  It is a seasonal feeling for me.  It comes and goes with the wind.  One of my life-goals is to nail down contentment.  I want to be content in every circumstance because the Bible tells me to repeatedly, and the Word of God has never steered me wrong.  Here is what I've found in my study so far:

Philippians 4:11-12  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

1 Timothy 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain.

1 Timothy 6:8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

Hebrews 13:5  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

It seems to me that I'm struggling with contentment more than ever with the invention of pinterest and my love of reading blogs.  Both pinterest and certain blogs can leave me feeling that I have got to go out and do some serious shaping-up through some serious shopping.  Oh man, especially those adorable outfits that are all laid out on pinterest.  Those kill me!  I love them.  Especially this one below:

Pinned Image

"But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."  Not super-amazing, always yummy, all-organic, ethnic-delight food that will continually bust my budget...just food.  And not super-cute, expensive, bust-my-budget clothes with coral and teal accents, that I think I so desperately need....just clothes.  And I have that.  I have food and I have clothes.  And this week I'm focused on being content with that.  My budget and my husband will thank me, and best of all, the Lord will be pleased.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Shelves in the Closet. Happy Thought Indeed.

"Shelves in the closet. Happy thought indeed." is a quote from my very favorite movie of all time.  The BBC's version of Pride and Prejudice. 



I love our label maker. (a P-touch ) I use it as often as I possibly can.  And this time, I have pulled out the label maker for the linen closet.  The LINEN CLOSET? Yes.  Ladies, our goal is "Clean and Simple".  If you have too many pillows, donate them.  If they look sketchy, throw them out.  If you have random mismatched pillow cases, get them down to your scrap fabric bin.  If you have some scratchy sheets that you never want to put on your bed, or a guest bed--again, down to the fabric bin, or donate them, or toss them.  Let's try to make putting away laundry a pleasure instead of a wrestling match with our closet shelves.


We have king sheets for my and Joel's bed, queen sheets for our guest beds, full-size sheets for Luke's bed, and crib and bassinet sheets for Sophie's beds.  And for some reason, I buy most of my sheets in either, white, baby blue, or celery green, so we were having some MASS confusion going on in the linen closet.  Then add in hand towels, bath mats, wash cloths, bath towels and extra bed pillows (I have about 20 bed pillows...I collect them like I collect pens....you never know when you'll need a pen or an extra pillow...or an extra 6 pillows with pregnant friends or a pregnant sister visiting).  I moved Luke and Sophia's sheets to their respective closets to free up some space.  Then, after some sorting, folding, tossing, and labeling, our linen closet is finally, delightfully organized. Ahhhhhh.





Now don't look too closely at these next few, or you might notice that I cannot fold a fitted sheet to save my life...I just kind of ball it and smoosh it into something flat-ish.  You also might notice my 2 and 1/2 year old with a pacifier in his mouth.  Yes, I still let him sleep with it, but he's only allowed to have it in his bed; however, while I was working upstairs on this linen closet, he was playing in his room and got a hold of his paci. lol.  I'll take away the paci one of these days!



Here is Luke attempting to undo all the beauty.  I don't blame him though.  If you ask my mother, Elizabeth, her linen closet was my and my sister's very favorite place to hide and play.  And, of course, we never put anything "back the way we found it"...maybe because mom didn't have the spots labeled where each item should go back to! Ha!



The next "Clean and Simple" project in my home is Sophia's closet.  Yikes.  I'll keep you updated...



Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Quest for Love


I had my fair share of heartbreak before I met my strong and loyal husband, Joel.  Before meeting Joel, I had a few long-term dating relationships with quality, Christian men.  One of those relationships lasted for 5 years; all through my college years.  We got engaged on New Years Eve.  My mother and I bought the wedding dress.  My friends threw me a bridal shower.  Then one night at a get-together with friends, the Lord had me look out through the mini blinds of a back bedroom window.  Beneath that window, my fiance was kissing another woman.  I ended the relationship immediately, even though my fiance had begged me for months after to forgive him.  The Lord had given me a priceless gift in showing me the weakness of my fiance's loyalty to me and his Savior.  Now I was heartbroken and a little lost.  Enter the book, Quest for Love.

The wise and wonderful Elizabeth Elliot, Christian missionary, author, mother and wife, has long been an inspiration and encouragement to me, especially in my single and dating years.  She gave me the idea to start writing my own Omers of Manna while I was still in college.  Her wisdom from the Lord saw me through the break up of my first engagement.  Elizabeth Elliot knows relationships.  You can trust her to guide you every step of the way, because her way is the Lord's way....and it works.  Quest for Love goes through example after example of true loves stories gone wrong; why they went wrong; and how we can navigate love with dignity and poise.  Elliot pushes women to be confident, strong, independent and patient in love.  I love her style.  I think you will too.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Powerhouse Smoothies



To stay in my monthly food budget, I usually serve breakfast for  supper once a week, plus, it's Joel and Luke's favorite thing for supper. I make oatmeal pancakes with smoothies, but not just any smoothies.  I make Powerhouse Smoothies.  The base of my smoothie is keifer instead of regular yogurt because it is one of the most nutritious probiotics available.  I add frozen mango, frozen berries and coconut milk.  To that I add three special powders that are almost completely masked by the berries, yogurt and coconut milk.  Spirulina powder, Ground Flax seed, and Slippery Elm Bark powder.  It's such a fantastic way to boost my family's nutrient intake without them even knowing it! 


I've listed the almost endless benefits these three little powders contain.  I add about 1 Tablespoon of Slippery Elm Bark powder, 1 Tablespoon of Ground Flax seed, and 1 teaspoon of Spirulina in one pitcher of smoothies which fills 3 good-sized glasses.  These powders can be found in the bulk herbs section of your local health food store ,or you can follow the links I created on each of their names above to purchase them online.  The online prices are pretty close to what I find in the store. 


Please keep in mind, I am in no way a medical professional and I am just sharing out of my family's own experience!  If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, always talk to your doctor before taking any supplements. I personally took all three of these supplements through my pregnancies with beautiful results of health and vigor!




Spirulina
-- Blue-green algae that grows on freshwater ponds. Spirulina is 55-70 percent protein by weight and considered my many to be the greatest plant source of usable protein and is rich in B vitamins and gammalinolenic acid (GLA).
--Potential immune system-enhancing, anti-cancer and cholesterol-lowering actions.
--May act to protect the liver, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in your body, and fight viral infections such as herpes, HIV and the flu, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center website.
--Offers antihistamine effects
--May help in treating fibromyalgia, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
--Supports your immune system, treats allergic reactions and fights viral infections, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center website.
--Protects your liver from damage and cirrhosis
--Could have the potential to treat oral cancer, antibiotic-induced diarrhea and high cholesterol, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
--Spirulina and other types of blue-green algae may possibly have some uses in suppressing appetite, treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -- ADHD -- and easing fatigue, notes the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.


People with a metabolic condition called phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid taking spirulina.
If you have an autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus, you should avoid spirulina. Theoretically, it could stimulate your immune system and make your condition worse.

Slippery Elm Bark Powder


Slippery Elm is a “mucilaginous herb that helps absorb toxins in the bowel. In fact, it is very soothing to the entire digestive system. It is useful especially for diarrhea, bowel weakness or as a mild nourishing food for sick children. Since the herb is slightly sweet, it is one that children will often take readily if it is mixed in some cereal, applesauce or fruit juice.”

--An herb from the inner part of the elm bark which is usually sold in a finely ground powder.

--Hails from the elm tree and masquerades under many names: American elm, Indian elm, red elm, moose elm, sweet elm, rock elm, and winged elm.
--It is a very safe and gentle herb and is allergen free(unless you are allergic to elm trees). Slippery Elm Bark herb can be taken by anyone; infants, pregnant women, and the elderly can all enjoy its benefits.

--The soothing properties of the bark benefit both the skin as well as the respiratory and digestive track.
--Contains sodium, potassium, calcium,  iron, selenium, iodine, copper, zinc, phosphorus, bromine, manganese, and vitamins E, F, K, and P
--It is excellent for those who are sick or have cancer or other destructive "wasting" diseases.
--Excellent for Digestive Problems such as indigestion, cramps, ulcers, colitis, gastritis, GI hyper acidity, kidney problems, diarrhea and constipation, wasting diseases, cancer
--It soothes nausea and is not likely to be thrown up



Ground Flax Seed


--Flax seeds are great hormone balancers with their high level of omega-3 fatty acids.
--Flax seed is one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, which is important for keeping the arteries clean, the heart functioning, and the immune system in good health. 
--Flax will improve your immune system
--Beneficial for healthy skin and hair


My 2 yr old absolutely loves these smoothies, as do Joel and I.  I think you'll love 'em too!

The Faith of a Mustard Seed


This is a 12x12 painting I did years ago (acrylic on masonite).  The little figure in the corner is a replica of a man I glued together in "real-life" from a pen cap, black marble, a key ring, two nails and two small pieces of dried pasta.  He represents me.  The apple is sin and I'm cornered.


Here my little man, representing me, is perched on top of a bottle of mustard (12x12 acrylic on masonite).  In the Bible's book of Matthew 17:20, Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
So I paint myself on a whole bottle of mustard, commanding the mountains to move, because in my life, this is how I feel.  I have deep, strong, loads-of-mustard-faith.


Now here I am in the collision of my reality (12x18 acrylic on masonite).  Mustard is faith and my head is covered in it.  The bottle of mustard is spilling on the table; however, the apple is sin, and I've eaten it.  I even went so far as to eat it covered in mustard.  How can we have such great faith; faith that can move mountains, and yet continue to sin?  The Apostle Paul breaks it down pretty well in the book of Romans.  

Romans 7:15-25

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

I sold these three paintings at an art show in Dallas a few years ago, but I keep the images of them on my computer as a reminder to keep striving toward Christ and away from the apple.  I really can't think of something more disgusting than eating an apple with mustard.  Can you?

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Add Beauty to Your Journals



Having an outlet for in-the-moment art and scrapbooking creation has been part of the fun of creating my Omers of Manna (journals) for the past 15 years.  I don't over-think what I will draw or paint.  I glue down any little paper thing that has significance to me.  I don't worry about layouts or brads, double sided tape or sticker letters.  My journal is a free place to just scratch out a little something pretty for just me to see (and maybe my children and grandchildren one day).



The artwork and scraps you glue in your journal hugely increased your attachment to it.  All of the sudden, it is a part of you; a volume of your experiences and feelings that could be captured in no other way.  Start with doodling a border on an entry.  I use crayons to underline and highlight.  Watercolor paint always looks romantic over flowers drawn with pen. Glue in (Aleene's Tacky glue keeps things from getting all wrinkled) meaningful notes or birthday cards; movie tickets or photographs.  These little things take your Omer from a journal to a treasure.


Why Make An Omer?



If the house is on fire, and there is no time to save anything, my husband knows we grab my box of Omers and the kids, and that's it.  I have a plastic tub filled with volume after volume of these journals that tell the story of my life over the past 15 years : the ending of my first engagement to a cheating scoundrel, my mother's battle with cancer, my first time studying the book of Daniel, meeting Joel, the love of my life, and every detail of our courtship, my four pregnancies and two harrowing deliveries.  I could go on listing the hundreds of monumental moments my volumes of journals hold.  I need them.  My mind is fuzzy on the details of things in the past.



But more important than the details of the events of my past, is the beauty with which the Lord brought me through each one with swift discipline and love. Page after page, I wrote about the strength He gave me.  I wrote about my faith growing larger, and my need for anyone or anything other than Him, dissipating.  In 1 Samuel 7:12 it says, 'Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."'  The Israelites would set up stones as a remembrance of the Lord's help and victories.  My journals are my stones.  I will give them to my children to show them what the Lord has done.  They will give them to their children, and so on.




In the book of Joel 1:3 it says of the Lord's help:


 Tell it to your children,
and let your children tell it to their children,
and their children to the next generation.



In Deuteronomy 11:1-7 it says:


1 Love the LORD your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. 2 Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the LORD your God: his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm; 3 the signs he performed and the things he did in the heart of Egypt, both to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his whole country; 4 what he did to the Egyptian army, to its horses and chariots, how he overwhelmed them with the waters of the Red Sea[a] as they were pursuing you, and how the LORD brought lasting ruin on them. 5 It was not your children who saw what he did for you in the wilderness until you arrived at this place, 6 and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth right in the middle of all Israel and swallowed them up with their households, their tents and every living thing that belonged to them. 7 But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the LORD has done.




Never stop telling your children the great things the Lord has done in your life.  It will continually build their faith.  I encourage you to start a collection of your very own Omers for the generations to come, so they can see the "bread" the Lord gave you to eat in the wilderness when He brought you out of your "Egypt".

Friday, April 13, 2012

Green Apples for Pregnancy Heartburn

This is a photo taken at the beginning of a 10 day juice fast that my husband, Joel and I did last summer. 

I have been pregnant four times; two miscarriages, and Luke and Sophia.  With each pregnancy I seem to have worse and worse heartburn!  Since I am on a continual journey to keep my body filled with all natural, organic, healthy food, and remedies, (aside from the occasional pizza delivery :D) I refused to go out and buy medication to ease my heartburn. ( I do realize that if I ate less pizza, I'd have less heartburn!)
I started scouring pregnancy websites and chat rooms for a natural heartburn solution that worked, and tasted good.  Several women suggested apple cider vinegar, but I knew even the smell of it would make my morning sickness worse.  Then one woman said, "Try green apples."  I don't remember her username; I don't remember which of the 1000 pregnancy web pages I found her on, but if you're out there, and you're reading this, THANK YOU WONDERFUL GREEN APPLE LADY!
Green apples cure my pregnancy heartburn, almost to the point of not even noticing it after I eat one.  Here is what I've found in all my trial and error:

*The green apple remedy works best if you leave the skins on the apples.

*Do not eat or drink anything after eating the apple (well, for as long as possible).

*You do not need to eat an entire apple; just a few slices worked fine for me.

*Cold apples seemed to work the best, so keep them in the refrigerator.

*Heartburn can act-up more at night.  Eat a few slices of apple before bed, and keep a few slices on your nightstand, in case your heartburn wakes you up in the night.  Try to sleep elevated with a few extra pillows (I sleep with 6 when I'm pregnant).

Let me know if this remedy works for you too!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Day 1 - A Success


So we read Genesis chapter one together today to begin our 8 year journey of reading one chapter of the Bible a day, out loud, at breakfast.  Sophia was sleeping, and Luke and I were at our kitchen table eating. 

As I read, I got a big smile from Luke each time I said, "And God saw that it was good."  Other than the occasional smile, it really didn't seem like he was listening to me at all.  Then I got to the part where God creates the "creatures that move along the ground". 

Luke pipes up and says, "Thank you God for SNAKES!"  I could have burst, I was so happy!  He heard the Word of God, he registered what it was saying, and he thanked God for what he had done!  And Luke is 2!  This is going to be an amazing journey, and yes, God, THANK YOU FOR SNAKES!  Thank you for the power of your Word!

No-Bake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars



Fast, simple, and nutritious, these No-Bake Oatmeal Bars are a regular, on-the-run breakfast in our home.  Feel free to add raisins, nuts or dried cranberries to the mix!  It's important to me to have full bellies in the morning in the simplest way possible. 


No-Bake Oatmeal Bars
1/2 cup brown sugar (or Sucanat)
2/3 cup honey
2 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups Rolled Oats (I've used Old Fashion Oats too--both work fine)
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
1/2 cup nuts (optional)


Use cooking spray or butter to grease an 8x8 baking dish


Place the oats and optional raisins or nuts into a large bowl


In a medium sized sauce pan, melt brown sugar, honey, butter, vanilla and salt over medium heat.  Bring mixture to a boil and keep boiling for 60 second.  It will look like this:




Dump honey mixture over the oats and mix very thoroughly until all oats are moistened.


Grease hands and press oats firmly into the greased 8x8 baking dish.  Let oats cool at room temperature before cutting into bars.  Bars will be tender and chewy.  If you want firmer bars, boil the sugar mixture an additional 60 seconds.


These are a hit with the whole family! Yum!


Oatmeal and organic raisins are staple foods in our family.  The best price I've found is to buy them in bulk from Amazon with their Subscribe and Save discount.  I love having it delivered to my door, and I never run out! 



Wednesday, April 11, 2012

The Start of the 8 Year Journey


Ever since Sophia was born 5 months ago, I haven't been able to have consistent time in my Bible.  I've tried all different times of the day, but nothing has stuck.  I have needed a plan, a hunger, some discipline, maybe all of the above. 

Today I have decided to read my bible out loud to my children, one chapter a day, until I get through the entire book.  "But you have a newborn and a 2 yr old!" you say.  Yes I do, and my plan would seem crazy had I not been inspired and encouraged by some amazing Christian women today at ReviveOurHearts.com.

Today I heard a Revive Our Hearts radio broadcast by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and her guest; blogger and author, Carrie Ward, that brought tears to my eyes repeatedly.  This was the solution to my hunger for the Word.  This was the solution to planting the seeds of the Word in my young children.  

You can visit Carrie Ward's blog here.  She has written a book called "Together-Growing Appetites for God" after her experience of reading the entire Bible, one chapter a day, during breakfast, to her small children (a newborn, a 2 yr old, and a 4 yr old when she started her journey). 

How long did it take her to get through the entire Bible you ask? 8 YEARS.  The retention of scripture in her little ones has been nothing short of miraculous, especially since it rarely seemed like the children were paying attention.  She has since read through the Bible two more times with her children.  Their knowledge of scripture is phenomenal, and nothing was needed but the Bible itself.

You can find printable progress charts and journals for this daily Bible reading challenge for free at www.aneverydaymama.com. I will be blogging about this adventure from time to time to share with you our trials and triumphs through this journey.

I hope some of you might be as excited as I am to get started on this 8 year journey.  I begin tomorrow!

Girly Headband Organization


Since before my 5 month old daughter, Sophia, was born, I've been collecting headbands for her; piles and piles of satiny, sparkly, flowery headbands to wrap around her smooth, fuzzy head. But that is where they have remained...in a pile.  Until this week!  My friend Alex, from Dallas, was visiting and she and I made a fun, girly, headband holder that looks adorable on Sophie's dresser.  Her most frequently used headbands are lined up on the outside of the holder and the extra headbands are stored inside.

I gathered up an empty oatmeal container, two onsies in cute patterns that Sophia had outgrown, some scraps of ribbon I had laying around from my scrapbooking days, scissors, and fabric glue.   I use Beacon Fabri-Tac, fabric glue, and it works just as good, if not better than a hot glue gun. I cut the onsie fabric to fit the container and the lid separately, glued it on, and glued on some ribbon and bows for some girly flair.  The headbands, once placed on the organizer, really add most of the cuteness and hide any flaws in the decoration of the container.  It's  budget friendly, fool-proof way to bring yourself a little bit of lovely orderliness.  Ahhh.
Sophia Modeling One of Her Many Headbands

Easy Artisan Bread

Photo Credit:Amazon-Allison (San Francisco, CA) 


My Mother, Elizabeth, has taught me how to make the most wonderful loaf of Artisan bread.  This is a delicious and frugal alternative to store bought Artisan bread! The texture is what is so unique about this bread.  You just have to try it! All you need is a cast-iron dutch oven, flour, yeast, salt, water and cornmeal....and about 4 minutes of your time.  It's that easy!

EASY ARTISAN BREAD

3c flour
1/4 teaspoon yeast
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
cornmeal

In a large bowl mix flour, yeast and salt.  Add 1 and 5/8 cups water. Stir until just mixed. Dough will be sticky. Cover bowl of dough with a towel and let it sit overnight (12-18 hours) in a room at about 70 degrees.

Coat a towel with cornmeal or flour. Turn dough out onto the towel- it will be sticky--Sprinkle cornmeal or flour on top.  Cover with another towel.  Let rise 2 hours. When ready dough will have doubled and will not spring back when poked.

At least 1/2 hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put dutch oven in to heat.  When dough is ready, remove pot from oven. Turn dough into hot pot.  It may look a mess but that's ok.  Shake pan to distribute dough.  Cover with lid.  Bake 30.  Remove lid and bake longer if loaf needs more browning.  Cool on rack.

It's so delicious!  Enjoy!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

One Wild and Precious Life



This is my son, Luke.  He is 31 months old and he loves to help in the kitchen armored in his trusty Baby Bjorn bib (my favorite bib in the world, in case there are any moms out there tired of damp limp baby bibs hanging around your kitchen, refusing to dry before the next meal).  Here he is helping me with some blue frosting for a going-away cake we baked for a friend.  As we got further into the baking project, things got a little wild, and I thought, "What am I doing baking with a 2 year old?"  Obviously, I could have completed the task much faster, and with less clean-up, had I turned on Wonder Pets (Luke's current favorite cartoon) and frosted the cake myself.  I didn't see the significance or the "preciousness" of this moment until I saw this photo filling my whole computer screen...that combined with stumbling across this poem by Mary Oliver this week.  The last stanza just rings in my heart.


The Summer Day

Mary Oliver

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

Welcome Post


Hi, I’m Genelle.

I’m a small town Christian girl, who is now planted in the big city with my husband Joel, and our two children, Luke and Sophia.  I’m a painter and a potter that is on a hiatus from making “high art”.  Motherhood has joyfully commandeered my “free-time.”  I enjoy technology to the point that it can help me improve upon my skills, wisdom, knowledge, and friendships; however, I love to write letters…real letters.  I keep a paper journal and a paper calendar.  I bake bread.  I grow things.  I read paper books.  I’m a tactile woman 100%.  I need to feel the paper, kneed the dough, and dig in the dirt.


Due to the inspiration of the wise Christian author, Elizabeth Elliot, I, long ago, named my paper journals, "Omers of Manna".  I have a large stack of these "omers"  that are filled with my spiritual and emotional growth of the past 15 years.  They will serve to show my "future generations" how the Lord cared for me through every season of my life.  I thought it was fitting to give my blog the title of Omer of Manna as well.

In this blog, I want to keep a log of my journey towards:

·         contentment in Jesus Christ

·         simplicity and organization in my home

·         health and wellness

·         gratitude in ALL of my circumstances

·         becoming a wife and mother of noble character

It is my desire that this blog will inspire and encourage me and my readers to live life more fully.  To be able to see the daily "manna" that the Lord gives us to get through every trial.  To pray more.  To read our Bibles more.  To create.   To be grateful.  To enjoy every wild and precious moment with those we love.  To love where we are.  To love who we are in Christ.