Goldenrod Goodness

Currently drinking: 'green drink' (parsley water with lime)

Currently listening: Songs for the Nations- Sean Feucht

I can't believe I went so many years without taking advantage of this amazing plant that grows so prolifically on our property. (Yours too, probably.) One can focus so much attention on the schamncy and elitist herbs, overlooking this powerhouse provided so humbly and beautifully as summer gives way to fall. If you have ever struggled with allergies, the very thought of abundant yellow fields on the sides of the road can make your eyes water. Never fear! Goldenrod is a colorful member of the Aster Family and is therefore not an allergen. Conversely, a simple tea made from a handful of blossoms and leaves is an effective treatment for allergies and sinus issues. Besides other wonderful workings in all things digestive, it has lovely antirheumatic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and lymphatic qualities.  

Ergo, I present to you Smithern's recipe for a sore muscle and joint rub beneficial for all the happy harvesters.

Ingredients: 5 oz freshly picked Goldenrod, 
                    0.5 dried Chamomile 
                    1-3oz of Beeswax (depending how thick you want it to be) 
                    several drops of Oregano Oil and Cassia Oil
                    1.5 cups Olive Oil

Step One: gather goldenrod, rinse, and dry.

Step Two: cut 5oz worth of blossoms.

Step Three: measure 0.5oz of dried chamomile.

Step Four: place goldenrod and chamomile in a saucepan with 1.5 cups of olive oil.    

    

Step Five: simmer on low-med for about an hour, stirring frequently.

Step Six: place cloth over a bowl, and pour out the slightly odd smelling concoction. You are handling hot oil, so you know, don't intentionally get it on any exposed skin.

Step Seven: strain and return oil to saucepan.

Step Eight: add 1-3oz of beeswax. I tend to add a lot since I prefer less goopy salves.

                            

Step Nine: after melting beeswax, remove from heat, and add generous amounts of oregano oil (for joint and muscle flexibility) and cassia oil (for gentle heat and circulation). Pour into glass jars with lids. Place in fridge overnight.

And Voila! You have a wonderful rub for tired and sore muscles that smells like an forest in Autumn.

Grandma...

Currently drinking: what else? coffee.
Currently listening: Volume One by Ivory Layne



"Let's just be real. Edith was known around these parts as a methodical, maniacal, cold-blooded killer.... of snakes. Rattlesnakes in particular."

So began the celebratory eulogy of my grandmother who moved to heaven at the beginning of this month.

Delphia Edith Kissee Withers Whitaker... aka, Shorty.

She made her dash for the Kingdom's border in classic fashion, at the conclusion of a community party. This was wonderfully typical. Her hair, make-up, nails, and frock had all been perfectly styled. The conditions were perfect...

In her 91 years, she experienced a lasting relationship with the Lord, true love, becoming a widow and single mother at a young age, remarriage, and seasons of change with consistency and tenacity. For me in particular, she was a great provider of ice-cream, dress-up clothing and jewelry, fresh kumquats, and science picture books. She also had every plastic container known to man. It is her chicken and dumpling recipe that my girls love and the gown she wore to Nixon's inauguration ball that they play dress-up with themselves. And, she could yodel. Yes. Yodel.

Grandma was always quick to tell me that she thought I was a good mother and wife.

Prayer was important to her. Health was important to her. Having the perfect pair of shoes was important to her. She was such a cute little thing, and I had her beat by a whole inch.

Vega For The Win...

Currently drinking: breakfast blend coffee.
Currently listening: Come Away EP by Brian McCleery
(Brian's song, Resting Place, is a staple for my morning quiet times.)


Vega, our 7 month old Aussie, had her first big night of flock protection. There is a shed near the chicken coop. If ever a chicken tries to roost there for the night, carnage is the inevitable result. I don't know if the murderers are raccoons, opossums, or coyotes- but I have never seen a wayward chicken survive an evening in there.... until now.

Yes, this morning, as I was sauntering down to the coops in my bright pink galoshes, Vega came rushing out to greet me. She was exuberant, dripping wet from the storm last night, and soooo glad to see me. She is a puppy after all, so everything seemed normal about this until I walked in the shed to get some feed. Vega started huffing and pulling on my leg- and once my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I saw the reason for Vega's galvanized behavior...

Such a pitiful sight! Oats, one of our new mothers, was hanging upside down awkwardly with her foot caught in a tarp. While I went to work on her liberation, I recalled last night's poultry patrol alerts. We usually hear some sort of commotion- but last night, the dogs were especially active and stayed unusually close to the coop. (Normally we hear barking and growling start in the chicken yard and move quickly into the woods as the dogs chase would-be assassins back up the hill.) Even Imma, our ancient dog, was snarling intermittently from her spot on the front porch.

Now I understood.

Vega, Pax's guard-dog apprentice, had stayed by Oats all night long, in the rain... breaking the curse of the shed.

That'll do, Vega. That'll do.

Leaving A Church...

Currently drinking: Made In The Shade coffee
Currently listening: Hurry Up, We're Dreaming by M83

Christians ARE the church, so when people talk about leaving 'the church', my hackles rise slightly. We are all on the same side. So, how does one leave a particular fellowship without feeling like they are betraying the home team and joining the enemy? There are plenty of resources to help people choose a home fellowship; but I have been hard pressed to find good advice for when you decide to leave, and leave gracefully.

I have some thoughts...

1.) Strong, competitive lines have been drawn between churches. It can feel like you are moving through a war zone when you start attending a different one. Don't let it hold you back. It's not personal, it's cultural. Satan is not winning just because you choose to attend a different church. It's a free kingdom, after all.

2.) You are not breaking up with anyone. Do NOT think you have to justify your transition by finding fault in your previous church family. Accusation is the enemy's territory. Instead, fight tooth and nail to keep your thought life captive. Even if you have been wounded- keep your mouth SHUT! Keep your love on.

3.) Your circle of friends will inevitably change. It stinks, but it's true. If you didn't hang out with certain people outside of church functions, it's not likely you will once you stop.

4.) Be grateful for the time spent at your last church. No matter how the relationship currently stands, the pastoral team has spent years praying for you, loving you, visiting you in the hospital, and trying their best to get it right. (And if you hear about them speaking poorly of you, trust the Lord's vindication. Make it a sacrifice of praise to honor those that don't honor you.) You may not get the opportunity to ever speak with the leadership about how you feel or why you are leaving- and it's very possible that they don't understand or agree with your decision. Just move on in peace. Let it go.

*If you are leaving because leadership has hurt you, look for opportunities to meet with them. Miscommunication is a killer. Most of the time, things can be worked out. However if the situation does include mega wounding and you don't feel safe sharing your feelings with them, my advice is to stick it out for as long as it takes to make sure you are not leaving with offense or bitterness. Don't leave until the sight of them walking down a hallway doesn't make you want to quickly turn and walk the other direction. Don't leave until you can think about the painful experience without tears or stomach cramps. Only leave when you are at peace.*

5.) Be aware that your motives will be questioned. Sometimes, the Lord just places you in other fellowships and it's not complicated or emotionally initiated. Seasons change. That's hard for people to believe, however, so be prepared for them to want the 'real' reason for your exit.

6.) Leave quietly.

7.) Go to the new church for the right reasons. Don't go because you like their worship team, you like the teaching, or you like the people. Go because you experience the presence of the Lord when you gather together with them. Reversely, don't stay at a church only out of obligation or habit. Learn the distinction between the Lord's presence and a soul-touching atmosphere. Good music, fog machines, fancy lighting, and energetic speaking are effective tools to help us get in a heavenly mindset for an hour- but make sure you sense the manifest movement of Holy Spirit as well. Make sure the worship is focused on the Lord and not simply engaging and revving up the congregation.

8.) It's okay to feel sad about the transition.

9.) It's okay to feel relieved once you leave.

10.) And it's okay to never know why you feel the way you do.

Items...

Currently Drinking: some sort of free trade organic coffee I bought at Aldi. I give it a B+ for effort.
Currently Listening: Vows by Kimbra

Item One: Coffee
I still don't know how I feel about 'Bulletproof' coffee. I have been drinking black coffee for so long now that the latte-ishness of it makes me feel like I'm downshifting to second gear. I had a headache every morning for the first week, so something is happening. Just don't know if it's good.

Item Two: Chickens
I gave a chicken CPR this week. It was not my proudest moment nor my most successful turn of events as a chicken farmer. However, the week ended with the great win of discovering an abandoned chick (still in the process of hatching) before it was too late. I was able to pair it with an accepting mother hen- and now I can see the perky little yellow ball of fluff and its doting mother from my window as I type. In need of fresh parental inspiration? Look to the hens. They are amazing.

Item Three: Music
I have never been more eclectic in regards to the sounds coming out of my bulletproof coffee-ed brain. It's fun and fresh, but a little challenging to narrow down the field and produce a song that sounds like it belongs in a legit genre.

Item Four: Favorite YouTube watches of the week
Lions and Hyenas

The Father's Heart

Item Five: Great Opportunity

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1084891556/purnaa-fashion-for-change

http://www.purnaa.com

Options Are Splendid....

Currently Drinking: americano made with illy espresso.
Currently Listening: Bon Iver

Crossroads. Seriously. I'm an actual crossroads. And it's so wonderful.

A couple years ago, everything I thought I knew about my purpose in life came crashing down around me. I felt duped. I felt rejected. I felt invisible. I felt fatherless all over again. I felt excruciatingly free. I felt and felt and felt until I just couldn't handle 'feeling' anymore; and I completely shut down musically. I'd like to say that I threw myself into other avenues of productivity, but I didn't. I was a lousy person for months. Even my garden was fallow while my heart flat lined.

But enough about that. I haven't been there in a long time. The Lord is tender. He didn't rush me. But eventually, it did take some Heavenly defibrillation to get a beat back into me. In response, a violent rush of music started surging out of me in a fast, angry flood. It was kind of like puking. It feels just awful and there is nothing polite about it, but you feel so much better afterwards. I paced myself and got every last drop of pent-up hurt out before bringing in fresh sounds.

Oh how awkward it was letting those first streams of joyful melodies escape from my soul. I had shiny new hooks, new chord progressions, and new ways of shaping lyrics. And gosh if they weren't all so perky and cheerful. The Lord literally took me back to school. (*insert compelling plug for Bethel's school of worship here*). I healed, and came back swinging.

After the fact, I realized something extraordinary- what I experienced was a mid-life crisis in my early 30's. What a remarkable gift! I have had to look, really look at my life and my dreams. What I previously considered to be a wonderful vision a few years ago was suddenly way too small. Too limited.

The Lord has reminded me of my foundations. He's reminded me of my time as an enthusiastic YWAMer, as a teenager with a bent towards wild experiences, and as a fledgling band member under stellar mentorship (everyone needs a Hicks family in their lives). While being reminded of the things seeded into me, I am also being asked the question, "so what do you WANT to do when the girls are out of school and you don't need to be a stay-at-home mom?"

(I'm pretty sure I know.)

So, here I am, in this amazing season where I am a rejuvenated person with choices. I'm an individual with a unique set of qualities on the bedrock of my person- still there underneath the roles of wife, mother, teacher, etc. I feel free, deliciously free and thankful! So thankful that the Lord's leadership is giving me the chance to prepare for a future season of my life. I won't be a woman in my 40's experiencing an empty nest. I'll already be living on purpose

.... at least, I think that is the point of all this and it feels awesome.

Empty Tombs

Currently Drinking: Chock Full'o'Nuts coffee

Currently Listening: The Civil Wars

This weekend, we were introduced to a delightfully delicious way to celebrate on Resurrection Morning. For years, our family has turned from the traditional western easter weekend rituals, choosing instead to honor the Lord's fulfillment of Passover. So, as the mother of a fun-loving family, I have been on the lookout for easter basket and egg hunt replacements. This one has been my favorite so far.... Empty Tombs!

You'll need melted butter, marshmallows, cinnamon, sugar (brown or white), a crescent roll can, and an oven set to 400 degrees...

Jesus was pure and without sin; spotless just like this marshmallow (and children really loved Him too!). Even though He was perfect, He chose to take on our sins and died upon a cross...

His body was then anointed with a mixture of myrrh and aloes (butter)...

and with spices (cinnamon and sugar).

He was wrapped in clean linen (crescent roll dough)...

and placed in a tomb. 

Three days later, when his friends came back to the tomb, they found it empty for He had risen.

Risen Indeed!

Rising from the Xanga Ashes...

Currently Drinking: illy original blend.
Currently Listening: Johnnyswim

Ah, here we are; a wee little blog to document and process the day to day events of a housewife... a housewife/mother/musician/teacher/soap-maker/herbal-medicine-manufacturer/chicken-farmer/gardener/and all around good girl... as least, I endeavor to be all these things.

In an effort to regain the once-strict regimen I once maintained; I am resorting to a few creature comforts that I miss... one of them being a weekly blog entry. You'd be surprised how cathartic a blog can be when you have a disposition like mine- one that craves a creative release on a frequent basis.

This blog comes with a guarantee to contain none of the following:
1.)sarcasm
2.)venting
3.)cynicism
4.)political opinion.

I come in peace, and we can all get along.

I do, however, unabashedly promise to blog about coffee, chickens, and children. Perhaps in that order.