Our piece of the Prairie

The Meeting- download

As planned, Mr. Steady and I met with our Pastor yesterday evening.
As to be expected, my pastor was understandably surprised that I desire to step down from youth ministry.
When we presented him with our proposal of working less hours (which by the way was extremely difficult to come up with and instead of it being a 10 hour proposal it was a 12 hour proposal which was really a 14 hour proposal without 2 hours on--- extremely difficult for me to find a way to be productive and effective on 10 hours- impossible really to do what needs doing . . . .). He did not accept the proposal because he felt I was cheating myself because I would continue to work the hours anyway. He wanted to clarify to me that I am salaried and that means if it takes 5 hours or 10 hours or 30 hours to do what I do my pay remains the same. He asked that I stop worrying about the hours. He also wanted to ease my mind about the money- that the church is becoming more financially stable with the pay cuts already in affect and some other changes and there is no need for me to take less pay to do the same amount of work.
Mr. Steady explained that I can’t do the same amount of work and he and Pastor discussed what Pastor wants to see in the ministry and what I have been doing- which according to my pastor was above and beyond. He encouraged me to cut back and not worry. He also encouraged me that when others in the church give me flack that I should let it go and/or forward them to him- telling the person(s) “Pastor and I have discussed this and you can take it up with him.”
Pastor was hoping by alleviating some of the stress of hours and pay and other people’s expectations that I would “keep on keeping on” but Mr. Steady and I remained firm on the fact that God is calling me to step down. I shared that I have been feeling this nudge from the Lord for months but felt I needed more clarity from the Lord and He has now given that clarity to me.
I could tell from snippets and body language that my pastor is concerned with how they will replace me. I shared that I felt God would fill the position. It has to be God- not just because the church is so low on volunteers you couldn’t get someone to hold a door open or because the church really can’t financially afford to bring someone in (as they would definitely want more money than I am making)- it’s not about those seemingly insurmountable obstacles- it has to be God-led no matter what. I have to believe that God’s will will be done and am praying for him to send someone.
How the meeting ended: My pastor would not accept a formal resignation but acknowledged that I want to phase out of paid ministry by early May. We both want my last few months as youth ministries director to be joyful- that I would spend time teaching and enjoying the kids and with that in mind, He asked that this stay between us at this point and not involve the church board as he feels it will quickly leak out and do harm to the youth ministry during the transition. He stated that I did my part and it is now in his hands to see it through (which I take to mean finding a replacement?).
So this is a beginning to an end. I have to say that I still have questions and concerns about how the next few months will go and just how this is going to end but I am doing my best to set that aside and remind myself that God is in charge, not me. I’m not borrowing worry for the next 4 months, but want to do as directed- teach and enjoy.
Harder said than done for me.
Just one more thing that God wants to work in me is my guess.
And so- should you ask, “Do you feel relieved? A great weight lifted off of you?”
Umm.
Yes.
and No.
But God is God
And I’m more than okay with that.

Make your own butter

One day last week I remembered that I had bought some heavy cream over the holidays for Moma's Favorite Cookie, which I am GOING to post the recipe for! REALLY! :)  Well, I thought with this much cream, it would be a good time to show the children how to make butter... well the easy way to make butter.
We pulled out the ole food processor.
Poured in all that cream and turned it on...
There were a few different stages that I told them we would see...
First of all we saw it just as a liquid, as it is as cream.
We would start seeing the cream slowly becoming thicker, until we had it at the whipped cream stage.
They all tried it at this point and sneered... sadly they thought it would taste like cool whip.  Pitiful, huh? I told them at the enormous amounts of 'stuff' added to cool whip and this was so much better, and that we could add a little sweetner if we wanted whipped cream, but we want butter!
Keep it moving, keep it moving...
FINALLY!
BUTTER! :) HURRAH!
Please forgive the skunk stripes down my child's hair... our New Years Party got a bit crazy! :) haha
Mmm... this butter is good, Mom!
We even took the buttermilk and put it in a jar to use later and washed the curds with ice water to help get all the milk off so the butter would last longer.
Now a solid. How crazy are we? Doing school when we are supposed to be on holiday? haha... so is the life of a homeschooler.
I hope you have a great day friends.
From My Homestead to Yours,
~Chas~
Chasity L. Burrell
Heritage Acres Farm

Keep Your Kids New Games in Tact

Likely you have taken down your Christmas decorations and are in full swing of getting your kids to get their new items put away. This is always a good way to get the year started. If you are finding it hard to find space for those items, consider joining the Total Home Overhaul which will be unveiled today! But here is an essential way to help keep those new gifts fun and entertaining!

Read More...

Wednesday Doings

Time to Save on Christmas

Most everyone knows that there is an abundance of great sales AFTER Christmas on wide variety of items. This year is a banner year for savings. With profits down for retailers they are sales abound. However, seasonal items are more deeply discounted. This is a wonderful opportunity for you take use a small amount of money to begin to prepare for next Christmas. These amazing sales can b e very enticing and often times I have found years when I have spent more than I had originally intended because I have found SO many great buys. This year we all need to focus on controlling our frugal purchases and there is a simple way you can score BIG on the savings without going overboard.

Read More...

Today's thoughts

Thank you to everyone who visited and left such nice comments concerning our fire.  I appreciate your prayers!  Each day is getting a little better and I know that will continue.  Hard to believe it has been a week already tomorrow.  The insurance adjuster is coming in the morning, so then we can begin the clean up process, that will be fun........

With the beginning of the new year, I would like to try to make some changes in our schedule around here.  But with all of the other things going on, I feel like I just need to take a little time and chill out this week.  I hope to get to bed at a decent time, (I have been doing much better at that already) get up at a regular time, eat breakfast at a decent time, get out to do chores..........we seem to get started doing something and then it is late for breakfast.  Then it is should we eat breakfast or an early lunch? I also need to get a menu plan of some sort, I know that would be much easier than "what shall we eat?"  We have plenty of food in the freezer, but it seems like it is hard to think of what to fix or what sounds good.  When I have something in mind to fix I do not mind cooking at all, but it seems like we are in a rut as far as ideas.  And hubby being soooo picky doesn't make it any easier! 

Today we did roast one of our chickens and it was tasty.  So tomorrow will be chicken and noodles, one of our favorites.

There is a farm show in Topeka this week.  We usually go, don't ever buy anything and honestly there is very little of real interest to us as we are not official farmers, but it is kind of fun and we usually see some people we know.  I don't know if we will try to go or not yet.  We were waiting to see when the insurance adjuster would be coming.  We have not left here together yet since the fire except for about an hour last Friday.  One of the first things we said was now we will not be able to leave at the same time for a while.  I am not sure why we feel this way, as we were both home when it happened, so that didn't stop anything.  But, the fact that we were here to call for help was so important.  Anyway, the first  time we leave will be a little hard I believe, but it will have to be done sooner or later.

I baked a batch of cinnamon rolls today, I may have to make pies tomorrow, haven't heard yet.  I do have 1 pie to make for another lady on Friday.  I would really like to have some sort of schedule for baking, but right now it is just whenever?  I don't get a lot of other things done when I spend most of 2-3 days a week in the kitchen.

Today the weatherman said that we were exactly normal 37 for a high and 17 was the low.  Each day is supposed to be a little warmer, with Friday in the 50's.  Every day we have above freezing is a plus in my book.  I do not like to deal with frozen water tubs! Right now I only have a heater in one pen, but have figured out a way to easily fix one for another goat pen if it turns cold and stays that way for a while.

Time for bed.............

Country Blessings,

Marilyn~at Heritage Hill Homestead

Homeschool Record Keeping

I have been at this 10 years now?  And each year or every 6 months or so, I find something new to keep my progress recorded.  I do really REALLY love Homeschool Tracker, as I've stated on my homeschool blog, but in the current arrangement in the house, my computer is upstairs and we do most of our school downstairs.  I went back to paper record keeping.  I will use my Homeschool Tracker by recording our grades in that, so I can make up a transcript, quick and easy like, when the time comes. 

I was trying to find the perfect tool to record and to plan and I realized that what worked for some, didn't work for all classes.  I also had two notebooks and two children with two notebooks and it was getting to be a handful to carry around all these books.  I tried combining my record keeping with my home management binder, but I found I didn't use it at all because it was HUGE and cumbersome!   However, today, I decided just to put our study courses in a 3 ring binder.  I have dividers separating the different courses, and I made copies of one simple master sheet that works well.  The sheet is simple enough that I can modify it for both kids if they are studying the same material.  I can also add a column for listing grades on some assignments, when necessary. 

I like pretty.  I like unique and creative forms.  But when it really comes right down to it... I SOOOO love simple! Simple works.  Simple can be easily modified and still look uncluttered.  I've realized that I don't need fancy record keeping books.  But I do need to have records.  So, simple just seems to work all around. 

My plans are usually made on loose leaf paper, so sliding that in the appropriate course worked really well.  I've tried other planners, I actually like the CLASS record planner book and I like Rod and Staff's simple record keeping book, but with both books, I tend to get ahead in a subject or two and pretty soon I am flipping pages trying to keep track of a full day's work.  I've also tried a ring bound notebook or a ring bound project notebook.  Those work better, but when we change directions, it is hard to reorganize a ring bound plan.  I realized I needed a different system that worked with our style of learning. 

I like several things about the new record keeping book.  I have both students in ONE book.  Everything is clean, simple and clutter free; I have what I need and nothing more.  It is only the study subjects, so once books are put away, I put the record book away and it slides away in a drawer.  It is a small handy binder, only 1/2 inch wide.  I can see it will make school so much easier.  AND, I even allowed for some creativity.  I used a 1/2 inch 3 ring binder with the clear plastic pockets on the outside, so I can decorate and redecorate as I desire. 

I used it the first time today and my oh my did things run smoother and better.  I wasn't fumbling for a different book for a different subject.  When the girls asked a question, the book was handy for both of them.  If I was working on one subject and another came in to ask a question about another subject... I had the information right there...(each divider has the needed sheets filed with finished items filed to the back... so no flipping through all the pages to find the information I needed)... SOOOO NICE!  

I know it is hard to believe that I may have stumbled upon something that works, finally, especially since I've only used it one day.  But I have a hope and a peace about this that is different than other tries before.  Before I wanted something pretty, or something educational looking, something that was like what everyone else was using, or something that made me look intelligent if someone happened to snoop upon it.  LOL.  All the other ideas were motivated by selfish thoughts in some way or another.   I realized that isn't what I needed.  I simply needed a way to record our happenings that had some ability to shift and change when I did.  I was excited this morning to discover that something so simple can work. 

Now parts of my book are parts of systems that I have used in the past... the ones I tend to fall back on when I LOSE my book and when life is busy and I don't have time to fill in all the blank spots in the other planners and record keeping books.  That is likely the key to finding success in my record keeping system. They are tools I have used before, but ones I kept running away from because something new caught my eye!  When time was scrunched these simple pages worked.  When I misplaced my book, or my kids misplaced my book, I could grab a sheet and still work on some planning and add it to the notebook another time.  No more running to and fro looking for something better... may my heart be satisfied with simple! 

I'd post a picture, but thought that perhaps that wasn't best, afterall, what worked for me was finding those things that I needed to use for my specific area, for my specific family.  If you are searching for that perfect tool, consider the fact that perhaps, just perhaps you already have the materials to make your own simple record/planner book.  I just used the word processor on my computer to create a simple table that I could print out.  It included the items that I needed, period.  I placed it into a 3 ring binder, which worked best for me... what I discovered was that the size really made a difference.  I've used 1 inch, 1.5 inches, 2 inches, and even a 3 inch binder... but wow a small 1/2 inch binder feels JUST right for me!   May you find what works just right for YOU! 

Warmly, ~Melissa

Update on my papaw

Handy Substitute Recipes For Baking

Wish Books...

Oh, those tempting little darlings are arriving daily in the mail ...yep, you know what I mean...SEED CATALOGS! 

What lovely thoughts they do bring to mind, gorgeously blooming flowers, luscious fruits and bountiful vegetables all in a perfectly tended garden  . 

Making a long list of new things to try and some old favorites to replant comes next. 

Then reality sinks in when I actually add up the cost of my wish list ; and the paring down begins.  I still usually end up with more seeds than garden space; but they make nice little gifts to tuck into a card or letter for a fellow gardener, and many can be saved for planting next season. 

I've yet to sit down for my list making this year, and it is just about time to start some things indoors ; but this afternoon looks to be cold and dreary outside- perfect weather for "seed shopping" in my book!

I will probably order from Bountiful Gardens and Seed Savers Exchange this year.  I love The Cook's Garden catalog, too; though mine has not yet arrived.  What are your favorite places to order seeds from?  

Next week I'll try to post a few picks for 2009 from my wish list.  Please share your own favorite seed catalogs, and any "must have" items from your own wish list this year!

With Wishes for a Bountiful New Gardening Year,

Catherine