Finished!

The 2009 season of lot maintenance is officially complete! Daddy drove down to NC yesterday morning to transport the tractor to the final neighborhood and I finished bushhogging last evening. We went out to the delicious oyster bar for dinner to celebrate the end of our seventh season. It is such a good feeling to be done!

Our family met up at the Wilson family's farm to celebrate Morgan's high school graduation. We had a nice time and I hope to post pictures some time tomorrow.

Answers: Part 2

Who are your favorite basketball teams pro and college? My favorite college team is Duke. I don't follow pro basketball closely enough to have a favorite team.

What is your fav. bible verse? Romans 4:7-8 “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.” and Isaiah 25:1 "Oh Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness You have done marvelous things, things planned long ago."

What is your fav. thing to do? That is such a broad question! I honestly don't know how to choose just one thing.

Who is your fav. artist (music)? Third Day

If you married a man who wanted to live in someplace like downtown New York City, or maybe in England where the government is super involved in homeschooling, would you have trouble submitting to that decision? I'd like to think that because I have moved around so much throughout my life, and since I have been forced to find contentment in unfamiliar, lonely towns, I will be well prepared to easily adjust should my husband's job move us around much. I think it would be an adventure to live in a variety of different places once married and, although I'm certain I will miss my family very much, I am not especially attached to VA or NC. Regarding living in a place like NYC, I think it would be a neat experience to live in a busy city for a little while... hopefully not as busy as NYC though. :) I'd prefer to raise my children in the country, or at least where we would have enough land that they could run and play and have ample opportunities to learn the value of hard work.

As far as homeschooling, it is most definitely my desire to educate my children at home. It is my prayer that I will marry a man who wholeheartedly agrees with this. However, if I am certain that God has undoubtedly orchestrated our marriage, and I am confident in my husband's walk with the Lord, then if the Lord were to call us to a place where homeschooling was not permitted, I would have to submit to my husband's leadership and trust that the Lord has spoken to my husband.

How many cows do you have? We have 25, including calves.

Are they all milking? Generally 8-10 are milking (others are calves or dried off and preparing to calve)

On average how much milk do you get from each cow? Roughly 4.5 gallons per day per cow. Our herd consists of Jersey cows, so they do not give as much milk as the more traditional dairy breed (Holsteins), but our cows' milk is much creamier.

I saw in your movie that y'all have goats, what do you use them for? They were Elliott's and he gave them to the Wilson family a couple months ago.

How many states have you visited/lived in? I think I have been through 21. I've only lived in 2 states though (Virginia and North Carolina).

What is the most complicated thing you've sewn, and why was it complicated? My bridesmaid dress for my friend Alli's wedding... The pattern was not very difficult, but the top was way too tight and I had to rip the stitches out and resew it three times. I was so overwhelmed and discouraged! My mom kindly helped me finish it.

If you could have an hour to be completely relaxed and enjoy yourself, where would you be and what would you do? In the winter, I would be cuddled up in a cozy chair while sipping hot tea and reading. During the summer, I'd be laying out on the beach. :)

I was wondering what your home-education experience looked like. What "style" (classical, relaxed, etc.) did your parents use? Throughout elementary school (except 2nd and 3rd grades when I went to public school), I primarily used textbooks for math and grammar and enrichment classes/co-ops for science, history, etc. As the subjects became more difficult (foreign language, higher level math), I received my lessons via satellite through Bob Jones University's high school, so I had direct support from the teachers if I ran into problems. I finished most of my high school courses during my sophomore year, so my mom decided to change the focus from growing in academic knowledge to striving to gain wisdom during the remaining two years of my formal education. This was accomplished by reading many, many books on a variety of topics.

I was wondering what is the one thing or maybe few things that you would most likely procrastinate over? I am horrible about washing the milk jars because I dread them so much! I tend to wait until the milking crew is almost out of jars to fill before I finally wash them. Also, I often procrastinate over making intimidating business-related calls.

What is the one or few things that you will do first throughout your day? I try to read my Bible and a chapter out of each of the other books I'm reading. Then I usually get dressed and ready for the day before leaving to go running. When I return from my run, I begin accomplishing all of my many tasks for the day.

What sort of things are on your prayer list? This week specifically, my prayers are heavily revolving around finishing the tractor work for the season (i.e. good weather, no equipment problems, etc.). In the bigger scheme of things, I am often asking the Lord for the strength and patience to fully trust Him with my future. Also, it is my prayer that I will be consistently, diligently seeking to make the most of the season I find myself in and that I will focus on people and relationships over productivity, etc. There are other, more specific and personal petitions weighing heavily on my mind also, but they don't necessarily pertain to the entire blogging world. :)

What is your favorite type of shoe? Whatever goes best with the outfit I'm wearing.

Do you play any musical instruments? I took piano lessons off and on from ages 7-13, but didn't apply myself like I should have. Unfortunately, my lack of musical ability attests to that!

What kind of things do you most enjoy shopping for? Items for my future home... kitchen utensils, home decor, bedding, etc.

What is your favorite season, or month of the year? My favorite season is the summer, but my favorite month is December.

What are your favorite foods and beverages? My favorite meal would probably be fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, butter beans, buttermilk biscuits, and sweet tea. :)

What are the foods you dislike with a passion? This isn't necessarily a food, but I strongly dislike milk, which is awful since I live on a dairy farm!

Do you like surprises? Yes

When cleaning, do you like to clean alone or with people? Alone

In the summer when driving, do you like to ride with the windows down or up? Down

The remaining questions and their subsequent answers were more in depth, so I am still working on them but hope to post them soon.

Answers: Part 1

Since there are more questions than I assumed, I am going to begin tackling a few tonight and will post more answers as time permits over the next several days. They are in no particular order and I'll get to all of them eventually!

What is your least favorite food? Anything from McDonald's. It all has zero nutritional value whatsoever.

What are your favorite hobbies? Baking, reading, sewing, quilting, interior decorating, blogging, journaling, shopping...

Do you like to dress up? Yes! I wish I had more opportunites to do so.

What's your favorite candy? Reese's peanut butter cups

Do you like shoes, or are you a barefoot girl? During the summer, I'm mostly barefoot or wearing flip-flops.

If you could pick any country to visit, where would it be? England

Have you flung food at someone within the last 5 years? I've never done that in my life, actually.

Do you still play with legos? Not since I was about 10.

Do you speed? Slightly and in moderation :)

Can you shoot a gun and hit within 6 inches of where you aim? If I'm within 6 inches of the target.

Are you afraid of the dark? Not unless I'm home alone overnight and start "hearing things"... then I sleep with my Bible in my pillowcase!

Do you talk out loud to yourself? Occasionally.

What is your favorite exclamation phrase? (example, "oh sally!") I don't think I have one.

What kind of sound do you make when suddenly startled? A suddenly startled sound.

Do you wave at people while driving? If I'm on a country road and the other person waves first.

Do you blush? Yes.

Would you marry a man who adores you but LOATHES basketball, and disables the tv whenever a game is coming on? No. That's where I draw the line.

Just kidding, I suppose I would reconsider if he really adored me a lot.

How did you post this while you were suposed to be driving a tractor in an internet forsaken town? It is late and I can't bushhog in the dark. I am logged into a wi-fi connection in the lobby of a hotel in town. Usually I am the only one here, but tonight I am sharing the lobby with about a dozen William & Mary students who are working on a project and watching the World Series, so it's harder to concentrate with all of the commotion!

Did you just post this to get a lot of comments? I honestly didn't know that I would get any questions and it seemed a little bit silly, so I almost deleted it right after I posted it.

Did you steal that picture off the internet? Yes.

What's your favorite sport? Basketball

Do you ever wish you had an older sibling? I like being the firstborn.

What's your favorite holiday? Christmas. I love the Christmas story, music, decorations, lights, baking Christmas cookies and other treats, the mall in all its busyness, extended family gatherings, etc.

What's your least favorite chore? Washing milk jars. Some of our customers return milk jars with sour milk and mold growing inside of them.

What's your favorite thing to bake? I like to try out different kinds of cheesecakes-- classic New York style, pecan turtle, hot fudge, German chocolate, Oreo chocolate, chocolate chip cookie dough, mocha, etc. I think it would be fun to own a little home bakery someday.

What was the best vacation you've ever been on? My family's cruise in 2006 to the Caribbean, stopping at ports in Key West, Cozumel, the Cayman Islands, and Bahamas.

If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be and why? I think it would be neat to temporarily live overseas to gain a greater love and appreciation for the United States.

Can you do a blog post about all the items you have in your hope chest? I'd love to! I did one a long time ago, but I'm not pleased with the way it turned out and I've added many things since then.

How did you first get started in real estate, how old were you, etc? My interest in real estate began when I was just 9 years old and my family was in the process of buying a home through a foreclosure auction. Throughout the following years, as we bought, built/fixed up, moved into, and sold several homes, my interest continued to grow. I remember riding on the bus on my way to summer camp and being joked for reading homes magazines while my friends were reading teen magazines. I don't think it had even occurred to me that it might seem a little unusual for an 11 or 12 year old to be interested in looking at houses! When I was 17, I went through real estate school to get my salespersons' license, and then I went back to get my brokers' license (so I could have the credentials to operate my own firm without working for someone). Although I recently quit taking on listings for clients, I still hope to continue to flip my own personal properties as opportunities arise.

What kind of and/or how big is the tractor that you guys use for bush-hogging? [I would think it's pretty big seeing as it has a cab]. It is a Kubota 5030 with a 6' bushhog.

On the same note, how do you all transport it from one job to another? [Do you pull it on a trailer?] When Daddy is in NC with me, he transports it on a trailer. When he isn't here (such as this week), I drive it on the public roads from one neighborhood to the next. They're country roads and the neighborhoods are only 10-15 miles apart, so it's not terribly dangerous.

If you could pick how many kids you could have when your married, how many would you want? However many God chooses to bless my husband and me with.

What would you name them? I'm always changing my mind. Something classy, but not too popular.

What was your favorite subject in school? History

I look forward to posting more soon!

Q & A

Inspired by several friends who have written similar entries, I have decided to open a random question & answer post. In the comment section of this post, ask any questions you may have about me, my likes or dislikes, my family, beliefs, our farm or other businesses, or any other random idea and I'll answer questions as time permits this upcoming weekend. If I do not receive any questions, I will be left convinced that I am thoroughly boring! ;)

Fall on the Farm

This past week has been much busier than our normal state of busyness! Daddy had been waiting all month for a farmer to harvest the corn on a 30 acre piece of land behind our barns so that he could plant the seed for the rye grass that will grow in the spring. He rented a tractor and seeder from another farmer and spent most of the week planting. Elliott converted a grain bin into a brooder for the 600 laying hens he and Oliver recently ordered.They received the first batch of pullets a couple days ago. We are gearing up in preparation for the barn dance and our farm's annual "A Day to Give Thanks for Udders" customer appreciation day. There is still a lot of work ahead of us. Elliott and Oliver have been cleaning out old hay from the hay loft above the barn where the dance will be held. Oliver is standing on the right of window in the picture below. He is almost 6'3, so you can get a perspective of how huge it is up there!
Elliott just returned home after spending a few days with Mr. Wilson at a livestock conference in the Shenandoah Valley. In his absence, I've been helping with some of the milkings.Processing milk is such a glamorous job. ;)Next week is the final week of bushhogging for the 2009 season of lot maintenance for the tractor service! I am so eager to be finished so I can focus on more exciting things! I like the tractor service work, but I thorougly enjoy the break.

I have a hope that this winter will be my season of preparing my hope chest-- finishing quilts and other items I've begun. I just love preparing things for my future home and it always feels so worthwhile and rewarding.

The farmers' markets are officially finished for the year so we were able to sleep in this morning. I spent the morning and some of the afternoon doing a thorough, deep cleaning of the house and washing milk jars at the barn. I was also able to spend some of the afternoon baking a German Chocolate Cake and it turned out to be so moist and delicious! I have tried for so long to find a good chocolate cake recipe and have been so pleased with my friend Emily's recipe. I will have to post it some time.

Tomorrow afternoon I hope to burn some messages to listen to during the 30-40 hours I will spend in the tractor cab during this upcoming week. I would really appreciate any ideas of good messages worth listening to! I have exhausted any resources I can think of off the top of my head and am very open to any suggestions.

Farmhouse Before & After: Library

We finally have more before & after pictures ready. This is the sunny little library/sitting area overlooking the stairs.

Before:After:We pulled up the carpet to expose the beautiful wood floors and painted the stair railings white. A store was going out of business and sold us each of their wooden bookcases for $20. They have been great for organization throughout our little home, and they serve as shelves in our library. The window seat consists of two large, sturdy baskets with a blanket and pillows draped over them.

Our previous before & after pictures (the kitchen, bathroom, family room, and my bedroom) can be found here.

You're Invited

~ ~ Young Adult Barn Dance ~ ~

Please join the Alexander family for a fun evening of fellowship, food, and square dancing!

Ages 12+

November 14, 2009 ~ 4 PM

Avery's Branch Farms in Amelia, Virginia

Girls, please bring something sweet to share. Guys, please bring something salty to share. Last names beginning with the letters A-Z, please bring one soda per family.

Feel free to pass this along and invite friends. Please RSVP by November 7 if you plan to attend. Parents are welcome to attend.

Redeeming Our Time as Daughters at Home: Study the Woman of Proverbs 31

"An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels." Proverbs 31:10

I am fascinated by the woman of Proverbs 31. What an enthralling portrait of biblical womanhood! Not only is this godly, wise woman managing her home with excellence, she is also an entrepreneur involved in many facets of the business world, all within the context of her home and family.

One way to avoid idleness is to use the creativity God has given us to pursue business ventures. Since I happen to love business ideas and marketing, this is something that tends to come naturally for me. However, every idea I have attempted has not been wildly successful. Even the unsuccessful business endeavors provide exceptional learning experiences that will be useful in the future.

A sharp mind for business is only one of the many attributes of the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31. She is a well-rounded, capable, intentional woman and we can gain a wealth of wisdom from studying and emulating her.

Two excellent commentaries on Proverbs 31:10-31 can be found here.

Third Day Concert

Our family loves going to concerts together! Some of our happiest memories have been made at concerts. We are very big Third Day fans, so whenever they are touring anywhere nearby we try to get tickets. We had been looking forward to their concert in Charlottesville for several months.

It was very cold, but we still had a wonderful time! Unfortunately, both of our cameras died shortly after the concert began, so we don't have many pictures, and the few we have are very poor quality. The following picture was taken before the concert began:It is spiritually refreshing to worship God with a multitude of brothers and sisters in Christ.

A Lesson Learned

Thank you for your prayers for Elliott. I know he has been encouraged to read your comments. He is doing totally fine now and is scheduled to see a neurologist on Wednesday.

A much, much lighter side note regarding Friday night's commotion:

Through this experience, I learned the importance of always doing your supper dishes. Friday evening, before all of the commotion, I stated to Mama that "I'm just going to be slack tonight and save the supper dishes for Saturday morning"... Bad idea.

Obviously, since I was reporting my "slackness" for the evening to Mama, this is not a normal occurrence, but nonetheless, there was a mountain of dishes in the sink. I didn't have much to do Saturday morning so I figured I'd allow myself the evening off.

Once two ambulance crews and a number of volunteer emergency medical squad members paraded through our kitchen, I was humbled by my messy kitchen and learned a valuable lesson! So, the following night, after helping Oliver milk the cows, preparing supper for the younger three, bathing Sheridan, and putting her to bed, I was doing supper dishes late into the night, but I went to bed with a good conscience and a sparkling clean kitchen. :)

Please Pray for Elliott

On Friday night, around 11 pm, Elliott, Oliver, and their friend Daniel had just finished a board game and were getting ready to go to bed when I noticed Elliott sitting in one of the chairs in the family room. I was finishing up some work on my laptop and subconsciously thought that it was odd that Elliott was staying up with me in the family room when he had a friend visiting. I didn't give it much thought at all, but then all of a sudden, Elliott began falling out of his chair and hit his head on the nearby large kerosene heater. At first thought, I wondered if he was joking around, but knowing that he is usually pretty serious and not the type that jokes around, I immediately jumped up and tried to get him up and out of his frozen state and frantically hollered for Mama and Daddy.

Elliott was completely frozen and unconscious and I struggled to lift him to sit back up as I continued to attempt to ask him what was wrong. He wouldn't respond except to barely mumble things as he slowly came to. Mama and Daddy ran into the room and Elliott continued to barely mumble. We soon realized he had a seizure. He had a couple seizures when he was very young, and then when he was 15, he had one when he had his wisdom teeth removed, but Mama had hoped that it was only related to too much novacaine and not a sign that he was continuing to randomly have them as he did when he was a toddler.

He was very slow to come out of it, so Daddy called 911. We waited for what seemed like forever and then two ambulance crews and various EMT volunteers arrived. After agreeing that it probably was a seizure, moved Elliott to a stretcher and took him by ambulance to the hospital. Mama went with him in the ambulance and Daddy followed in our car. Thankfully, all three of the children slept through all the commotion. Daniel led Oliver and me in a prayer for Elliott and then we all went to bed knowing that it would be a long time before we heard any news. Daddy, Mama, and Elliott arrived home around 6:30 am.

He was obviously very tired yesterday after being up most of the night before in the hospital, but he is doing completely fine now. He will be going soon to a neurologist to better diagnose his condition. One of the most discouraging parts for Elliott is that his driver's license will be taken away for six months due to the seizure.

Please pray for the doctor's wisdom as he diagnoses why Elliott seems to be prone to seizures.
(left to right) Daniel, Elliott, Oliver, Sheridan, and Harrison playing their guitars and harmonicas yesterday

Alli's Baby Shower

Yesterday was Alli's lovely baby shower. It was nice to visit with Micah and Alli.
Alli received so many great gifts for her little baby girl's arrival. Her due date is only a little over 3 weeks away! Micah gave Alli this gorgeous, handmade afghan. She does such beautiful, meticulous work.

Alli has such a sweet, patient disposition. She is going to be such a good mama to this precious baby girl the Lord is blessing her with.

Photos #2 & #4 courtesy of Micah :)

Chilly Weather, Hot Tea, & Good Books

"You can never get me a cup of tea large enough, or a book long enough to suit me." C.S. Lewis

It is cold and dreary outside so I am very happy to be indoors today... even though it is quite cold inside as well. When I took some laundry out to the clothesline this morning, the weather was reminiscent of the top of a ski slope! I've attempted to keep warm by enjoying many cups of hot tea and french vanilla hot cocoa. I received The Letterbook of Eliza Lucas Pinckney 1739-1762 in the mail today and am eager to begin reading it once I finish a couple of the others I am working through.

Elliott's good friend, Daniel, is staying for a few days and they decided to grill some "reject" chicken tenders, sausage, and ham steaks for supper.
Harrison took this picture. I told him I would post it and give him the credit. :)
When someone accidentally leaves a freezer door opened, we lose a lot of potential profit for the farm because we can't sell meats that have been thawed and refrozen. But on evenings like tonight, I am slightly thankful for the farm's misfortune and our blessing of a very good meal. :)

I am looking forward to my friend Alli's baby shower tomorrow afternoon! I already have my camera batteries charging so I can take plenty of pictures and hopefully post them soon.

Singleness: Living With A Hope Deferred

Today I listened to an excellent 3-part series, "Singleness: Living With A Hope Deferred" featuring Candice Watters and Carolyn McCulley, which was aired earlier this week on Focus on the Family's daily broadcast. I really encourage anyone and everyone to listen to it.

Candice Watters is the author of Get Married: What You Can Do to Help It Happen and the co-founder of Boundless Webzine. I read Get Married earlier this year and regularly read Boundless. Carolyn McCulley is the author of Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye? and Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World. I recently read Radical Womanhood and found it to be extremely informative regarding feminism's history and its effects on our worldview today. I also had the privilege of hearing Carolyn McCulley speak at the Next conference I attended in Baltimore this past spring.

A couple thoughts worth pondering from the messages:

They talk about allowing close guy/girl friendships and the way they can be a deterrent from marriage. If guys are having their emotional, spiritual, and sometimes physical needs met by girls outside of marriage, why would they care to take the initiative to pursue marriage? Candice Watters humbly shares her own story of how she and her husband (before he was her husband) were very close friends in grad school and she felt that their close relationship gave the impression to other men that she was taken. After praying about the situation, she eventually asked him to either pursue her with the intention of marriage or she would need to end their friendship! When I first read that in her book, it seemed very abrupt and aggressive, but now I can see her point. She felt she was wasting her most "marriable" years on an undefined friendship. Her husband did decide to pursue her, and they did end up married, but he actually even admits that he had not previously pursued a relationship with her because he was waiting for the fall to see the crop of girls that might arrive with the new semester (I don't know that I would want my husband to admit that after we are married!).

They also make an interesting point about "relational shrapnel". In the same way that women in the World War 2 era were accepting the possibility that their husbands/future husbands may come back from the war missing an arm, leg, etc. from injuries incurred on the battlefield, we should be willing to accept that many young men in our generation are coming to Christ after bad relationships and influences. I have been shocked to hear girls say things such as, since they have saved their first kiss (just an example, but you can insert first anything) for their future husband, it is of major importance to them that he would have also done the same for them. That seems so prideful!

That is really just my personal opinion, but I was happy to see it backed up in these messages. It just seems unsettling to set defining standards based on what may have occurred in someone's past. If he is victoriously walking with the Lord today and has proven himself to have turned from his past sins, who are we, forgiven sinners that we are, to hold over him the very sins Christ's blood has already covered?

Some quotes I liked:

"God didn't make us for endless dating relationships, He made us for marriage."

[In courting/dating], "Men trust God by taking a risk. Women trust God by waiting."

I really encourage you to listen to all 3-parts of this series! Each message is only about 25-30 minutes long, so it is not terribly time-consuming, but very worthwhile.

Redeeming Our Time as Daughters at Home: Become a Wise Steward of Finances

"One who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much..." Luke 16:10

How will we be prepared to be efficient managers of our homes if we have never exercised frugal spending practices? As unmarried girls, we should learn to be wise and thrifty with our finances.

By apprenticing under our mothers and taking on a substantial role in our families' financial affairs, we can gain valuable experience. Possible ways to do this would include helping our mothers with family budgeting. As you prepare meals for your family, ask your mother to help you set a budget of what you can spend for a week's worth of food and learn how to best use the allotted finances. Often when I go thrift store shopping, Mama will send me with a list of items (i.e. mens white sz. 11 Nike's, boys sz. 8 Levi's, etc.) she needs for the family. This provides an opportunity for me to become acquainted with the prices and quality of clothing, so I might be better prepared to dress my own family in high quality clothing at discounted prices.

We should also take responsibility for our own expenses and learn wise accounting. We can read books about finances, avoiding debt, and using money prudently.

Are we going into marriage as an asset or a liability to our husbands? This is something we should thoughtfully consider. We may not be bringing an additional income into our marriages, but we can certainly be thrifty with the hard-earned money our husbands provide.

Reflections & Contemplations

Thank you to the 38 readers who voted in the poll on my sidebar last week! It was interesting to see your opinions. I would have never guessed "Courtship & Preparing for Marriage" would be the most popular category. I feel less experienced or qualified to write about those subjects than pretty much anything else, but I do greatly enjoy those topics so I'm happy to see that my thoughts are well-received.

I also see that "Real Estate & Other Business Ventures" came in very last place, so the following few paragraphs only pertain to the measly 21% of voters who are interested in those subjects. ;)

After much thought, several weeks ago I decided to drop my real estate listings and take an indefinite break from listing properties. The expense of participating in the realtors' association and local MLS caused a strain on our family's finances and the burden of having clients' properties for sale in such a depressed market was increasingly heavy. I had delayed this decision for a very long time because I didn't want to feel like I had quit a job before it was complete, but as I prayed about it, the Lord gave me confirmation that this was what I should do.

As I was doing bushhogging work last month, I just happened to observe a formerly very successful realtor pulling signs from the lots she previously had listed. I knew that she hadn't sold the properties, so the sellers either decided to list with another agent, or she was also dropping listings. This encouraged me and gave me the reassurance that it is just a terrible market right now and even the very best agents are struggling. Once the market rebounds, I may list properties again, and I do plan to continue to flip my own personal investment properties if the Lord opens doors.

The last few weeks since letting my listings expire have been so free! A huge burden has been lifted off of me. When my cell phone rings, I don't need to have prices, acreage, square footage, and all sorts of other details for multiple properties on the tip of my tongue.

I have also decided to cut back on my peanut gift box company this holiday season. I plan to prepare only 100 boxes. 50-60 will be sent out to tractor service clients (as we do every year to thank them for their business), and I hope to sell the remainder at my website and possibly at the annual community Christmas sale in which I usually participate. I'm also eliminating the peanut brittle altogether because I have never been confident with my fairly inconsistent recipe. I spoke with the owner of one of the stores that has carried the gift boxes during the past holiday seasons, and she gave the impression that her store is really struggling due to the economy, so I don't think it will be very profitable for me to sell in either her store or the other one I have sold to in the past. I just want to fully enjoy December this year!

Recently, I began marketing my homemade, freshly ground, whole wheat bread to a weekly farm co-op we're involved with and have been overwhelmed with the response. I am baking up to two dozen loaves each week. I am eager to learn how to make sourdough bread also, but when I made my first starter a few weeks ago, it turned out to be a disaster and I had to throw it out. Does anyone have a tried and true sourdough starter recipe?

Our old, dilapidated farmhouse is really starting to shape up and turn into a humble, but cozy home. It has come a long way in the past six months-- from an abandoned house with broken out windows to a cute, cared-for home. The interior is basically finished, so the exterior has been the main focus for the past couple weeks. We have several more rooms ready for "before & after" pictures and hope to post them soon. All of the "before & after" pictures we have posted so far can be found here. We are holding a couple big events here in November, so we are hopeful to get everything looking nice before then.

Sullivan and Harrison's school year is well underway and they are both doing very well. The scripture they are memorizing is Exodus 20 (the Ten Commandments). They amaze me at how quickly they can recite the verses. Sheridan has memorized the first verse of Luke 2 and we recently began verse two. She has no concept of enunciation, but if you are familiar with the chapter, you can vaguely understand what she's saying. :) I look forward to seeing how far she'll get before Christmas (when she can recite the verses to grandparents at different holiday get-togethers).

I am currently studying Thomas Jefferson, so I can teach Sullivan and Harrison in preparation for a field trip to Tuckahoe Plantation (Jefferson's nearby childhood home) and possibly Monticello in the future. It is so hard to find good, accurate history resources! I worry that I'm going to teach them revisionist history. I don't know how to decipher the resources so that I can be confident that I am teaching them truth, and not a political slant. Does anyone know of any accurate history curriculum/resources? Even the books I do trust contradict each other at times.

I am much more excited about their other school project. When I was very young, my mom always saw to it that I was heavily involved in politics and local elections. I campaigned for several candidates when I was 6-7 (handing out brochures at the voting precincts on Election Day) and, when I was 12, I campaigned for Bush (in 2000) and was given the responsibility of calling several hundred people in our community to "remind them to vote for George W. Bush and the Republican party..."

I had been thinking about the upcoming election for Virginia's Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General and decided that Sullivan and Harrison are at a great age to get involved. We plan to work at the polls on Election Day and I have been learning about the candidates so I can teach Sullivan and Harrison about their views. Bob McDonnell, our candidate for Governor, Bill Bolling, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, and Ken Cuccinelli, candidate for Attorney General (he and his wife have seven children and even homeschool them!), seem to be good men who stand for the issues of importance to us, so we are thrilled to campaign for candidates we can wholeheartedly support! Sometimes it seems we have to settle for the 'lesser of two evils'. The research I have been doing has rejuvenated my interest in state politics and I am looking forward to involving Sullivan and Harrison.

This has turned into quite a long, random entry and it actually doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of all that has been on my mind lately, but it will have to suffice for the condensed, 'blog-world-friendly' version. :)

Redeeming Our Time as Daughters at Home: Learn to Accept Criticism

"To inoculate me from the praise of man, He baptised me in the criticism of man, until I died to control of man." ~Francis Frangipane

If we choose to live at home until marriage, we will face criticism. If we do not choose to pursue a degree or a full-time career, we will face criticism. If we choose to wait on the Lord to bring the right man into our lives and trust our marriages to Him, we will face criticism. When we make choices that seem to go against the grain of what is expected in our culture, we will face criticism.

Sadly, it sometimes appears that those closest to us seem to feel the most at liberty to voice their criticism regarding our choices. Furthermore, it has been my experience that fellow believers are often more critical of my decisions than non-Christians! Rather than sulking in self-pity, we can find encouragement in scripture.

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12)

When we are criticized for obeying what God has called us to do, we have the opportunity to experience the slightest glimpse of the persecution Christ went through while on earth. This should cause us to be all the more grateful for His sacrifice on our behalf.

"You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men." (1 Corinthians 7:23)

If we allow others' thoughts about our decisions to unduly influence us and distract us from what God has called us to, we are becoming 'slaves of men'. When others are critical of my decisions or unhappy with me, I must ask myself, "Is God happy with me?" If so, I need not heed others' opinions.

"But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong." (1 Corinthians 1:27)

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." (Colossians 2:8)

When people ask where I am attending college and I respond that I am not, inevitably a look of confusion and/or disapproval often seems to quickly come across their face. This can be discouraging for me because I don't like for others to think that I am a stereotypical uneducated country hick! I find comfort in reminding myself that our culture's tremendous emphasis on a college education is based on "human tradition and the basic principles of this world" and is not necessarily God's plan for everyone.

We don't know what the Lord may have for us in our futures. He may be using this time where we are subject to a lot of criticism to refine us and prepare us for much greater criticism as we continue to seek His will throughout our lives. We must learn to find our satisfaction and fulfillment not in man's approval, but in the assurance that we are within God's will for our lives and that He is pleased with us.

Shocking Addition to the Blogging World

Earlier this evening, I stumbled upon a very surprising blog. My family's very adamant opponent of the blogosphere, Oliver, joined the blogging world and has secretly been blogging for several weeks. He obviously didn't want for anyone to realize that he has had a change of heart in regard to blogs.

He's off to a great start! I encourage you to visit The Refiner's Fire and leave a comment.

Redeeming Our Time as Daughters at Home: Guard Ourselves Against Idleness

"She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." Proverbs 31:27

The old adage, "Idleness is the devil's workshop" is a very valid statement. Allowing idleness into our lives is not only unwise; it is dangerous. In my own past, I can see a direct correlation between "having too much time on my hands" and seasons of justifying compromise in my life. If I do not pursue productivity, it becomes much easier to substantiate small areas of compromise, which can so easily turn into big areas of compromise. Wisely stewarding our time is not only an important trait we must acquire as unmarried daughters at home, but this will also be an invaluable characteristic in our futures, Lord willing, as wives and mothers.

For me personally, the internet is my worst enemy of productivity! How often could I be accused of getting online to do something as simple as finding a recipe, and instead find myself guilty of wasting 10 minutes looking at the photo album of a friend of a friend of a friend on Facebook?! This is not wise time management! Being a wise steward of my time is an area in which I am continually striving to become more disciplined.

It would be detrimental to misuse the time God has blessed us with. We can't simply wait around for the next chapter of our lives. We need to practice wise time management and become extremely intentional in the use of our single years (and our entire lives, for that matter). Our generation severely lacks vision, purpose, and direction. We should strive to be among the rare few that are intent on preparing for our futures, seeing to it that we are using the time God has given us to bring Him glory in all of our endeavors.

Redeeming Our Time as Daughters at Home: Cultivate a Servant's Heart

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10

Just because my blog is named "Striving to Serve at Home" and one of the main focuses is to "encourage younger girls as they cultivate a servant's heart in their homes" absolutely does not mean that I have "arrived" in my journey of servanthood! I must consistently ask the Lord to help me to have a servant's heart, placing my family's desires above my own.

We can begin by making it our practice to be heavily involved with our families, not looking for the first opportunity to run off to our bedroom to read a book or talk on the phone. It should be a given that we are fully engaged in our family's household responsibilities such as cleaning, meal preparation, laundry, helping with younger siblings, etc. We can ask the Lord to give us a cheerful heart and joyful countenance as we fulfill our duties.

I live off of "to-do lists" and like to stay very organized, so my greatest struggle arises when an unexpected job spontaneously comes up and throws off my precisely scheduled day. Just this morning I had already neatly written my list of items needing to be taken care of today when, as I washed the breakfast dishes, I overheard a conversation taking place in the dining room. My name repeatedly came up when a discussion arose regarding not one, not two, but three freezers that needed to be thawed and cleaned. One of the freezers, used to store chicken necks and backs (for chicken stock), is infamous for its wretched smell upon even opening the door. I listened as Elliott explained that the smell was actually from a collection of spilled cream and chicken blood, which had leaked at some point in the past, and was now caked onto the inside of the freezer. Then I overheard Oliver bluntly remark, "Meredith can take care of that". I had all sorts of mean things running through my head at that moment! Needless to say, my heart was not excited about the job ahead of me. It was then that I had to remind myself to ask the Lord to give me the strength to keep my very negative thoughts to myself and practice servanthood.

I was very glad that I had not gone on and on about how much I was dreading the job because I was very blessed this afternoon when Elliott mentioned that there was actually only one freezer for me to clean because he and Oliver had extra time and went ahead and cleaned the other two. :)

All day long choices arise where we must decide whether we will serve with a cheerful, willing heart or if we will serve grudgingly. Although it is often difficult and we often fail, we should strive to follow Jesus Christ's example and serve in a selfless manner without expecting anything in return.

Visiting with Granddaddy & Grandma

Last week, our grandparents drove the 3+ hour trip from their home in NC for a very short visit at our new farm. They blessed us with a huge meal of BBQ, ham, coleslaw, potato salad, homemade chocolate cake, and a cooler filled with sodas! They even brought paper plates, plastic silverware, and napkins, so we had very minimal clean up afterwards. The food lasted for several meals and we enjoyed it so much. We discussed Granddaddy and Grandma's upcoming road trip across the country and their recent visit to D.C. for the big rally at Capitol Hill on September 12.

In early 2007, Granddaddy and Grandma invited us over to their house for several afternoons to learn more about our family's history and Granddaddy's life. I wrote about it here. Because of Granddaddy's patriotism and the many stories he shared from his time serving in the Army, he has instilled such a love for our country in our hearts. We are so thankful for his willingness to share his life experiences with us.

Redeeming Our Time as Daughters at Home

What are practical ways we can redeem the years following the completion of our formal education and prior to marriage? How can we be extremely intentional as we prepare to be "keepers at home" (Titus 2:5); young women entering marriage capable of efficiently managing the affairs of our homes so that it can be said of us: "the heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain" (Prov. 31:11)? As young women also desiring to one day be godly mothers raising our children as arrows for the Lord (Ps. 127:4-5), we have been entrusted with an eternal assignment, that of training and discipling the souls of the next generation. How can we prepare now to one day "train up a child in the way he should go" (Prov. 22:6)?

Several weeks ago, I quietly listened as a conversation took place between three teenage girls. They discussed their futures and lack of direction for what to do upon high school graduation. All three shared their desire to eventually get married and have families. Two of the girls spoke especially about their lack of a desire for spending the years following their graduation from high school pursuing a college degree that they would most likely not need. They concluded that they certainly didn't want to just sit around waiting for their future husband to arrive, but they didn't know the best way to spend the unknown amount of time between high school graduation and marriage. My heart went out to them because I understand their desire and sympathize with their quandary.

If someone were to wish to practice law, they would spend several years studying law before taking the bar exam and becoming a lawyer. If someone desired to become a doctor, they would invest many years in medical school before they would receive their credentials. While these careers are very important and vital in our communities, ours is a calling of eternal significance! We can't approach our future occupation flippantly, so we must use our time wisely in preparation.

Since I am still in this season before marriage, I don't endeavor to sound like an authority on this subject. I am confident that one day, as a married woman, I will look back and see many areas in which I could have sharpened or better prepared, as well as frivolous activities I should have spent less time pursuing. The points that will follow are simply the thoughts and opinions of a fellow sojourner.

This series of posts began as one simple entry, but as I continued to write, the text soon grew to the size of a small book! Because of this, I have decided to post each point separately over the next few weeks, interspersed among other blog entries. It is my hope and prayer that the few things I have learned (and continue to learn!) will be an encouragement to others as we each individually seek the path the Lord has chosen for us and wholeheartedly pursue His calling for our lives!

Apron Restoration

I had this old, overused apron that was beginning to tear along the straps and just looked very "worn out". I loved the pretty toile pattern and didn't want it to go to waste, so I decided to mend the straps and add some new details. I added ruffly lace to the neckline, pockets, and hem, and monogrammed my name on the front. I wanted the monogram's lettering to be very faint and not take away from the apron's print, so I used white embroidery thread:

I am very pleased with my finished "new" apron (you can click on the pictures to see the details). Now I don't know that I'll actually want to wear it and get it dirty. ;) I may just save it in my hope chest and use it as a decoration hanging somewhere in my future home's kitchen. :)

Encouragement for the Waiting Heart

I was recently searching for verses dealing with trusting the Lord and waiting on His timing and thought I'd share my favorites:

"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" Psalm 27:14

"Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it." Psalm 37:34

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope." Psalm 130:5

"And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." Isaiah 25:9

"Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him." Isaiah 30:18

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31


Does anyone have more to add?

Oatmeal Cookies

One of my favorite ways to usher in the fall season is by baking a lot of yummy treats! The stove warms the chilly kitchen and the smell of freshly baked goods permeates the entire first floor of our farmhouse. Just within the past week, I have baked several dozen loaves of bread (mostly for farm customers), two coconut cream pies, one cheesecake, a batch of brownies, several batches of muffins, oatmeal raisin cookies, and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies... Oatmeal cookies are an especially big hit around here. I have tried many recipes and finally found one that seems to be fairly consistent.

Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 cups oats, 1 cup butter (softened), 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon milk, 1 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and oats. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until well blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla and milk. With a spoon, stir in the flour mixture. Divide batter in separate bowls. Add and stir in chocolate chips in one bowl and add raisins and cinnamon to the other bowl. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes.

Since some of my family prefers oatmeal raisin cookies, and others prefer oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, I divide the batter in half and add raisins to one batch and chocolate chips to the rest. I like to dot the top of my chocolate chip cookies with additional chocolate chips because I think it makes them turn out prettier once baked.

The cookies are crispy on the edges, yet soft and chewy in the middle with a very buttery taste. I add plenty of cinnamon in the oatmeal raisin batter so the scent of cinnamon flows through the house as they bake. **Oh, what some of us will do for the sake of a blog entry! Try explaining to a curious onlooker why you're taking random pictures of cookie dough...**Fresh out of the oven...My sweet helper loves the "licker" (beater)...