Simple Yummy Breakfast

Would you like a new recipe? Yeah, me too. This one has been a recent hit with our family.

1 lb sausage (or other burger)
1 cup salsa
6 (or more) eggs

This is a very adjustable recipe. The main idea is to brown the sausage in a skillet, stir in the salsa, crack the eggs over the mess, put a lid on and let it cook about three minutes. You've got yourself a delicious breakfast just like that!

I found this recipe at Lexi's Clean Kitchen and I'm certain you are welcome to go there to find many more yummy things. She has lots of recipes for people with diet restrictions.

Thought for the day- Choose to love housework because that is God's gift to you!

Picture for the day- the mug I painted at Polka Dot Pot.

Thankful

The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him. Nahum 1:7

God is good, all the time: All the time, God is good.

This past week has been wonderful! The men were home most of the week, getting projects done around here. We took off from academic studies. It was a relaxing week in a lot of ways even though it was busy.

A sign in the pottery shop

Our shop with an open porch is now a larger shop because there are walls built around the porch. Usually the men would enclose the porch with plastic for the winter to have space to work but now there are real walls. They are doing a major renovation on the interior of the building also, to make it more usable. 

The yard has had its fall cleanup- the last mowing and leaf pick-up. It looks so nice!

One day the men cut up six bushels of apples for me which I made into sauce. They helped to turn it through the strainer also. We got around 63 quarts. We like a thicker sauce so I poured a lot of liquid away. Most of the sauce went into the freezer. I canned seven quarts.

That same day, we three teachers of our class at Kid's Club took five of the girls out for the evening to Polka Dot Pot in downtown Winchester. PDP is a pottery shop. You can book a party and paint pottery. We each did a mug except one girl did an ice cream cone trinket "box".

Thanksgiving Day didn't seem like it . Okay that sounds weird. But I was hoping for family time, playing games, etc. We just each went our own way, doing whatever and waiting for the evening when others were coming. Thomas' mom, my parents, my sister Verina and family and my sister Joanna from NC came for a 6:30 supper. Of course it was a very short evening. Gobble up the turkey and be stuffed. Ha.

Joanna stayed for the rest of the week and left today. We enjoyed having her with us for a few days. Last weekend my sister Rachel was here with "her very own boyfriend" (as my five year old niece put it.) And in Oct my brother LeRoy and his friend Darek from Poland visited awhile. What a privilege to have family visit us!

And friends! Nathaniel came to visit.

My parents have spent the last few weeks in Gap Mills, making fruitcakes and helping along with the bakery. 

Toward the beginning of the month the younger boys and I had the privilege of visiting different artists. They set up a tour for people to come watch them work and/or see their handiwork. The things the boys enjoyed most were stained glass art and wood turning.

Melvin's art work. The boys enjoy artistic things.

The boys also enjoyed a field day with the church school and a school in Bittinger, MD. It is an annual thing they do, getting together to see who can jump the farthest, run the fastest etc & etc. It's a fun day for all. At least for all of mine.

These things were lying close to one another on the coffee table one day and I couldn't resist the photo. Melvin made the axe.

That day was very unusual for me, being home by myself most of the day. What did I do of the one hundred one things I could have done? Read! Actually I did more than that but I did take some time to enjoy the luxury.

Puzzles are my weakness and this one was especially fun!

Then I had another while to be alone when Thomas and all the boys but Stephen went on a hiking trip with friends for two days and two nights. They were out there when a strong wind came up with rain and sleet, followed by cold temperatures. The precipitation let up but the wind continued. The men were in my thoughts a lot as I wondered how they were able to stay dry and warm. The next day I discovered that they had relocated to a cabin for the night... so.... all was well!

Buddy

Thanksgiving week is over. Some people say the Christmas season begins. Not knowing that bondage is very wonderful. An elderly lady who attends our church regularly was once asking me some questions about Christmas. I don't remember exactly how our conversation went. In response to my saying that I don't believe it has anything to do with Jesus but it has become a Christian holiday to many people, she decidedly shook her head and said, "No, I wouldn't think it is Christian." And she "religiously" observes Christmas, knowing it is no Christian holiday.

Mama's Christmas cactus

When one of the church ladies went to a store to purchase Thanksgiving themed things, she was told that once they clear out Halloween things they move on to Christmas. Two pagan holidays. Christians try hard to make something godly out of Christmas but what a failure! Go back in history to discover where this all came from and you will begin to see that Christmas is about family traditions that make one feel good but have zero to do with Jesus. Traditions have a way of blinding us.

Are you caught up in "the Christmas spirit"? 

Why or why not?

I don't want to judge you but challenge you to look deeper. Read Colossians 2:16. And I Thessalonians 5:21.

Excuse the random photos. :)

Click any blue words in this post to be taken to another webpage.

Rejoice!

The rising moon in sunset colors

We read Psalm 4 this morning- the two youngest and I. I usually ask them to comment on what we read. Christopher is sick and he said nothing resonated with him. Melvin said he had nothing to comment on or question either. So I proceeded to comment...

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.  

We looked up "enlarged" in our 1828 Websters dictionary- it means to be released from confinement or restraints. 

O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. 

"Leasing" is pretty much an obsolete word meaning "lies". 

But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.

If you are a person who is living your life trying to please God, if you talk to Him and think about Him, He will see. He will set you apart. He will take notice of you out of all the billions of people on earth and say, This one's mine! 

Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.  

Who wouldn't stand in awe at such a thought?! The Creator of the universe takes notice of me! Why would I even want to sin? 

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord .  

Do we need to sacrifice to do right? Sacrifice what others think of you? Sacrifice friendships? Sacrifice family? Currently there are men I know who are separated from their families, spending time in prison because they did what was right. But they have put their trust in the Lord Who is greater than any evil. 

There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord , lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.  

"The light of thy countenance" means something like favor. Do we think there's nothing good left in this world? Look to God! Let His favor bring you hope. 

Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.  

So glad to know the Lord! It's better than having plenty to eat and drink. 

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord , only makest me dwell in safety.

Such peace we can experience by knowing such an awesome God! We can sleep at night. We are protected by the King of kings. 

Psalms 4:1‭-‬8 KJV
http://bible.com/1/psa.4.1-8. KJV

I was so pumped with the message in this Psalm. The boys just sat there with straight faces, listening to me preach the goodness of God. "Uh." "Mmm." It didn't seem to resonate with their young hearts but boy, it sure made me rejoice! 

Just had to share the joy!  I hope these truths bless you today! And maybe especially in these uncertain and evil times. 

Also,  check out Webster's 1828 dictionary. It is a rather expensive real book to buy but there is a free app available. It's an amazing dictionary, referencing scripture often. So many of the verses used in the KJV are found here when you can find them nowhere else. 

Someone recently said that the KJV is actually good for dyslexic children. Newer versions are "dumbed down", much like the curriculum in today's schools. Do you want your children to have a broad education? 

For those of you who receive my posts by email you cannot reply to this email. The technicalities of making that happen continue to evade me. I guess it goes into cyber space if you do. If you want to tell me something you'll just have to compose a new email. I'm sorry. 

A Pictorial View of Our Lives

Christopher has a knack for finding unique bugs- can you find the beautiful moth here?

 Stephen has begun a donut business. He employs his brothers and cousins. This Mama is so happy there is at least one female involved! (Cleanup issues) And that the cooking has moved to an outdoor burner!

Matthew

Austin

Mervin

Sylvia

We had a very successful week of Summer Bible School in the town of Romney. Peak attendance was 80. A busy, happy week.

 Fence work for the garden and orchard has been happening this summer. Tear down the old, install the new. It has not yet been completed but it is exciting to see it progressing.

 Lots of canning going on this summer. Lots of green beans. Some peaches. Not as many peaches as usual because of the price this year.

 The boys enjoyed getting to know more of my cousins' children on the Summy side of the family. We had a reunion at Wilda Lake in VA.

 My sister Doris and family followed us home from the reunion and were with us for a few days. Here is one of her cutie pies.

 Speaking of pies- we made 100 for the Romney peach festival. After that ordeal, the weekly 16 or less seems puny. We made 50 crusts two days in a row, then 50 pies two days. They are asking me to do 120 next year. I'm having a hard time making up my mind!

 The boys and Grandpas did the bulk of the corn while I did other things. Not a super duper crop but enough.

Melvin

Grandpa

Grandma

Christopher

 My co-teachers and I took a couple of the girls from Kid's Club on a bike ride- the few that earned a treat. Sixteen miles of biking. Thankfully it was a continual slight downgrade. Even so, it was hard to sit for a few days.

 We took a trip to TN for a Troyer/Schwartz family reunion. It starts with a list, you know. We stopped in Gap Mills for lunch and business. All five boys were sitting on the bank eating lunch but one moved before the picture was snapped. Aunt Katie is 95 years old and has a large family. The family graciously invites other relatives to their annual reunion. I met relatives I didn't know I had this time around- my dad's cousins and their children. The aunts stay young by playing Scrabble. And the boys decided that this is a reunion worth going to again though they balked about going (as usual).

Aunt Katie

Cousin Barbie Schwartz looks on

Aunt Fannie

 Our latest venture was going camping with the church youth group.

 Peppers anyone? We harvested 3 (5 gal) buckets this week.

 I've been listening to a lot of webinars, helping me to understand the best ways for schooling our sons. One screenshot. Have you ever heard of a commonplace book? A wonderful idea for a profitable avenue of writing. Donna Goff has a lot of helpful webinars at her Mentoring Our Own site. Check it out if you are homeschooling.

 The men so graciously put up a laundry line for me this spring. If you've never been able to step out the washroom door and roll your laundry out on a line, you don't know what you're missing! It has been such a tremendous blessing.

Photo of first post set (taken from laundry room door)

Second post

In use

We are so rich! 

Luke 16:19-31 is my challenge for myself.