My Gingerbread House

This is a charcoal sketch of what my house (sort of) looks like in the wintertime at night. 
It always reminds me of a gingerbread house.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Lately I have been pondering singleness and the numerous Christian gals (really nice gals) that I know who are unmarried. I've wanted to write about it on facebook but I feel that most people would probably interpret that as my "poor me" ploy to get attention or a guy. However, as much I am interested in having a husband, my own 'singleness' was not the motivation for this post. I have decided to write about it on my blog because there is little to no traffic on here.

I recently went to a birthday party at which there were a number of lovely, kind, Christian ladies who were all single. We're not talking about 16-19 year old gals. We're talking about 23-28 year old gals. Three sisters in particular caught my attention. They are all smart, beautiful, kind, productive, and seemed to be Godly ladies.
I was just baffled. Why are these really nice girls still unmarried?! It was clear to me that they were interested in finding husbands, so what on earth are the guys doing that they are not interested in pursuing these incredible girls?!
Don't get me wrong. We are all sinners and we all come with our fair share of problems. However most of these women were well trained, homeschooled, brought up in Christian homes, living under their father's protection and aren't sitting around idly waiting for Prince Charming to knock on their door. The chances of them being a better-than-average-catch are high. Where have all of the men gone?!

So I was trying to think of reasons why a fella' wouldn't pursue a nice Christian girl. Are they worried that there is too much protection from fathers? Do they have a fear of rejection? Maybe a low self esteem says they'd never be good enough for such nice girls? Is bachelorhood is better than being tied down to a wife and children?
What is the matter?!

One idea really struck me as interesting:
Have you ever heard of the "messiah syndrome" or "messiah complex"?? It's sort of like the knight in shining armour idea. Some people feel the need to find a mate who needs "saving." A guy likes to come and save the damsel in distress. Maybe it's a big ego builder or maybe it gives the "knight" or "savior" a feeling of worth or purpose. So fellas run out and find women with torn apart lives, evil parents, or ugly situations... battle against the ferocious woes and come out victorious with a glorified wife. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this. In fact there are a lot damsels in distress, so "the more power to ya" should a guy choose to rescue such a woman.
But here's the thing. These nice Christian girls need rescuing too.
Not from evil parents, horrible lives or woes and misfortunes (at least hopefully this isn't the case).
These gals just need to be rescued from singleness, and maybe even from themselves...

1st Timothy 5:14
I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

1st Timothy 2:15Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

...a woman cannot be saved in childbearing, guide the house, continue in the faith, etc, if she doesn't first marry. And a woman cannot marry if there isn't a man who will leave his father and mother (or his xbox,  his bachelor pad, his porn, his college education or whatever the excuse may be).

There's a great quote from the movie Chariots of Fire when Harold M. Abrahams asks Sam Mussabini to coach him: 

Harold M. Abrahams: [About Eric Liddel] I've never seen such drive, such devotion in a runner. He runs like a wild animal. He unnerves me. 

Sam Mussabini: As well he should. He frightens the living daylights out of me. [chuckles] 

Harold M. Abrahams: Yes, well, I want you to help me take him on. 

Sam Mussabini: [thinks a moment] Tell me, Mr. Abrahams, are you married? 

Harold M. Abrahams: No. Why? 

Sam Mussabini: Well, when the right woman comes along, how would you feel if she pops the question? [quiet laugh] Ya'see, Mr. Abrahams, like the bridegroom, it's the coach should do the asking.

Harold M. Abrahams: [very serious] Mr. Mussabini...I can run fast. With your help I believe I can run even faster. I want that Olympic medal. Now I can see it there. It's waiting for me. 

But I can't get it on my own. 

It is really that simple. Either all of the men are no where to be found or they are hiding. Whatever the case may be you can't really blame a gal for still living with her parents at any age if there is no man who is going to get out from behind his boyish excuses and get himself a woman worth having.

There are a few things girls do that I could see possibly turning eligible guys off:
-Being too desperate/needy.
What man wants a whiny, clingy girl?
-Being too spiritual.
This seems to be a sketchy reason since it's hard to follow God too much, but I could see a guy being worried about who's going to be the spiritual leader if a woman is a 'spiritual warrior.'
-Being a career woman.
A woman who can take care of herself leaves little room to be cared for by a man. Feminism has really destroyed a lot of the need for a man to be the leader and bread-winner. Still a fella should be careful to not mistake a woman being productive until Prince Charming arrives for a 'career woman.'

There could be other things but I am not a guy and those are the only possibilities I could come up with at the moment.
I simply don't understand why there are so many nice, eligible gals. You can't blame a gal for not being a helpmeet if the guys are too busy being helpless. 

Genesis 2:18And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

So while we single ladies wait, watch and wonder...  don't be surprised if we also keep busy with work. 

1 Corinthians 7:28 and 34-35
But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
---
There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

1st Timothy 4 
2nd Timothy 2:15-16 and 22

Getting Rid of Good Will?

If you are a Christian celebrating Christmas, this holiday may be another stressful reminder that you might not be God's elect. ....that is, if you don't read the King James Version.

Today a lovely Christmas card came in the mail from a relative and on the back they had quoted Luke 2:14.
"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Hmmm..... peace to men on whom his favor rests? I could not actually figure out what version this verse was but most versions pretty much said the same thing , such as:
the NASB,"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
the ISV, "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!"
the WNT, "Glory be to God in the highest Heavens, And on earth peace among men who please Him!"
...and so-on.

The King James Version reads,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And that was how it was, folks. Baby Jesus was born.... there was peace on earth. There was good will toward men. This was the moment when the Messiah had come! Good will indeed, that God would manifest Himself in the flesh to save the sons of men from their sin!!!

...even Linus knew better than to use any other version than the perfect word of God preserved in the King James Version:

Luke 2:7-14
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Have a very merry Christmas holiday, folks, and rest in the peace of God's gift of grace and freewill!!! 

November

Alas! It is already the last day of November. I feel a bit guilty for not blogging hardly at all this month. ....well, I've written quite a number of articles but I have yet to publish them. That does not help my case though. And so, here I am paying homage before December dawns on us.
It has been a lovely month. Working hard most days. Some day, hardly working. I taped dried leaves that the kids and I collected onto a doorway like I do every fall. The reds and greens of Christmas don't last long enough so it's a fun way of saving a bit of color all throughout the winter.
Thanksgiving was wonderful. A smaller group of family and friends than usual, but it was such a joy. We were quite stuffed, satisfied and sleepy by the end of the day. Oh, and we made 14 pies!!! It truly was an accident... caused by over estimating the amounts for filling the pie plates. You wouldn't believe me if I told you the pies were gone by Sunday! ...no we didn't eat them all ourselves. Some were distributed to the freezer for Christmas and some were also taking to potluck on Sunday.
There has been a lot of deer hunting. My big brother shot two small does on opening day but other then that the critters were hiding well. ....no thirty point buck this year! =)
I was able to reflect on thanksgiving and made it a goal to post a different Bible verse each day on facebook that used the words "thank" "thanks" "thanksgiving" and "thankful" in their context. My dad's handy dandy Strong's Concordance came in very handy and I learned quite a bit by looking up all of those verses!!!!

It has been a lovely month. Working hard most days. Some day, hardly working. I taped dried leaves that the kids and I collected onto a doorway like I do every fall. The reds and greens of Christmas don't last long enough so it's a fun way of saving a bit of color all throughout the winter.
Thanksgiving was wonderful. A smaller group of family and friends than usual, but it was such a joy. We were quite stuffed, satisfied and sleepy by the end of the day. Oh, and we made 14 pies!!! It truly was an accident... caused by over estimating the amounts for filling the pie plates. You wouldn't believe me if I told you the pies were gone by Sunday! ...no we didn't eat them all ourselves. Some were distributed to the freezer for Christmas and some were also taking to potluck on Sunday.
I was able to reflect on thanksgiving and made it a goal to post a different Bible verse each day on facebook that used the words "thank" "thanks" "thanksgiving" and "thankful" in their context. My dad's handy dandy Strong's Concordance came in very handy and I learned quite a bit by looking up all of those verses!!!!
I shall have to share them with you sometime.
Time is short.... and I am off, to go milk the cows and welcome in December. I hope your month was a lovely one.

To sea...

There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures. 
~William Shakespeare

Lend Me A Hand?

 A sketch I did while working through the book, 

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

 Another DTRSB sketch

I saw a picture that demonstrated how JC Leyendecker painted hands/flesh. David Darrow, a painter who posted the photo on facebook said of it, "...it shows how Leyendecker started with a fairly slick, neutral half-tone gray (not middle gray; lighter) base. This appears to have had the effect of solving many mid-tone issues as he added pigment, while reducing the need for light half-tones. Highlights POP from it."

I got excited by the concept and decided to try it for myself. It was the first time I'd ever added color to one of my 'fleshly' drawings.... and therefore it was incredibly fun!!! Such a task might seem elementary to an experienced artist but it was quite a break-through/Eurika moment for me. 
Unfortunately this copy of my pastel turned out a bit yellow due to the lighting that I took the picture in.  The original has more of a pasty grey tone.

The funny part:
After completing the drawing I had the picture sitting out on my desk. In the course of the next few days there were a number of times when I was in need of a writing utensil and tried to grab the pencil from the drawing!!!!!

Old Artwork

A few old sketches:

This is my first pastel. The proportions are all funky. :)

 My second pastel drawing. I still have this vase of dead flowers on my desk.

 This is a pencil and charcoal drawing of a post card I received of Warren Dunes, MI.

 A little picture my sister Nellie and I drew.... she drew the flower I did the lines. ;)

Friendship

It's November already. Crazy how the time flies! ....and yet, at the same time the past two weeks couldn't have felt longer. An eternity could have passed because the days felt so long. 

I have been thinking a lot about friendship. Old friends, that is, true friends are such a blessing. I've had a lot of friends and acquaintances all of my life, for which I feel so blessed and am always thankful. As I have grown up my friendships have matured or diminished away and the whole meaning of what a friend is has transformed. 
When I was a child a friend was someone that I played with frequently. In fact I hardly considered someone to be a close friend if we didn't do fun things often and if we didn't become "buddy-buddy." 
 Now I understand a friend to be someone whom you might see all of the time... or once a year... or once every five years... or whom may live next door or miles and miles away. You know a friend is true when no matter when you see them or get together you can instantly feel at ease and safe because you share the same goals, the same principles and morals, the same blessed hope. I can't even explain the depth of a true friend but it is something that I look forward to discovering throughout my entire life.
It seems that the days just gets busier as I get older, which scares me because life already seems overwhelming. How did I ever find the time to have so much "fun"?!!! For as much as childhood was a sweet time I am very glad to have found more substance in friendship. I thank God especially for all of my true friends.

This thought on old friends also made me realize something about new friends or people that we have just met: Maybe getting to know someone new is such a pleasurable experience because we hope that they too could become another one of our dear, sweet, old friends.

Proverbs 17:17   

A friend loveth at all times, and 

a brother is born for adversity.

Because Laughing is Healthy

A little farmer boy sings a parody of "Call Me Maybe." Adorable!!!
And seriously if the VW commercial doesn't make you 

laugh or smile or chuckle or something.... you need help!
Just a few YouTube videos to make you smile! =D

Pioneer Wedding

 On Saturday, the 13th of October, my family went to a 1870's era wedding. Rachel and Adam were such a cute couple and they set a wonderful example of courtship, purity, and honoring their parents. I was grateful to be a witness. ...and in the process we had SO MUCH FUN getting all dressed up for the time period.

A group of us on the way to the wedding, taking a break from our 3 and 1/2 hour drive.

 

Paddy and Nellie posing for a "farmer and his wife" photo

 Rachel & Adam's first kiss.

Right after the wedding the newlyweds hopped in a buggy for a little ride!

My family... 

or at least the few of us who were able to attend the wedding.
L-R: Emily & Jacob Crandall, Dad, Janelle, Mom, Channing, Patrick, Mary Ellen (myself)

Channing.... quite a strapping lad. ;)

Guests were allowed to go on horse-drawn wagon rides 

and rides in the "Just Married" buggy. 

This is a pretty cute picture of my parents, if I do say so myself.

My friend Sandy and I had our picture taken sawing a log when we were just wee little girls. 

We thought it would be fun to get another 

now that we've grown up a bit! =D

The boys taking their turn at the saw.

It was tricky to get a picture in the low-lighting, 

but the reception was held in a barn loft. 

The decorations and atmosphere was lovely!

Sweetest Day? ...seriously?

As if Valentines Day isn't enough, today is Sweetest Day. Companies tell you that you should get something for that sweet person in your life.... and it made me wonder, what is the sweetest thing that I, or anyone for that matter, could do?
Ephesians 5:2 came to mind, " And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour."
Skip the jewelry, flowers and chocolates. 
Living for Christ and walking in love? 
Now that would be sweet.

...and obviously give the gift of honeycomb!  Because it's just delicious! Proverbs 16:24 "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."

Excogitations

They say that "home is where the heart is" but I think they have gotten it all backwards. My heart, in itself is deceitful and wicked and the things and people that it would desire and long for here on earth are not my home. Therefore my home is not where my heart is at, but rather my heart is where my home is at.
2 Corinthians 5:1, "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

When I was young I learned Galatians 5:22 from the NIV, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,"
I read the KJV now and thought for quite some time that the word "longsuffering" was so much more complicated than "patience" and so I'd just think "patience" when reading the verse. As I thought about it more and as I've lived longer the idea of longsuffering started to have some weight. Suffering for a long time? Now that is something. Comparatively, patience almost has a gentle, easy sound to it, as if it's something that can be easily done, though the situation may not be overly wonderful. I'm not saying that patience is easy.... but longsuffering? It is another matter!
Like right now in farming we need money and milk makes money but we are in a season where the cows dry up before they freshen..... no milk, no money. People think we should just give up and quit and yet we persevere even though it means suffering for a long time.
Longsuffering: when there was contention, hatred, opposition but they held off on going to war... they waited... and held on...
Longsuffering: when they held off surrendering even though the troops  were battered, food was scarce and ammunition was needed, but still they held on... and waited....
I am so thankful for my King James Bible.
Galatians 5:22, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

I've seen a lot of people, especially young people, spend their precious time fretting about their single or lonely state. Their focus in life is to be with somebody. ...but they forget that in order to be with someone you first have to be. Instead of dwelling on how someone or something can fulfill their emptiness (only to discover that such emptiness cannot be filled by any earthly thing) but they are empty because they are not content first with who they are. To be full, to be happy, to be content... to be complete first in Him (Colossians 2:10). "To be, or not to be, that is the question:" but not as Shakespeare would have it, as in life and death, but as in a life where one truly lives because they are overflowing with fullness or where one lives because the simply are and nothing else.
To be or not to be, that is the choice we all face.

"silly women"

I was reading Second Timothy chapter Three recently where it talks about "the last days" and of "evil men and seducers." A verse suddenly brought up an interesting train of thought...
2 Timothy 3:6,
"For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,"
Seeing that this is the modern age where people don't trust each other even a silly girl would probably call the cops or something if someone was 'creeping' into her house. How could such evil people possibly lead silly women out of the safety of their home... with divers lusts to boot?!
Then an image popped into my head of women across the world watching TV and being lead captive over time by the propaganda of the wicked. I'm not saying that this is what the Bible was talking about in 2 Timothy 3:6, but I do know that television is full of despicable material and just maybe this is how silly women are so commonly deceived?

If you were to turn on most any TV channel would you find any of these traits, characteristics, behaviors, attitudes... etc.?
lovers of their own selves
covetous
boasters
proud
blasphemers
disobedient to parents
unthankful 
unholy
without natural affection
trucebreakers
false accusers
incontinent  [and this isn't the inability to restrain pee pee]
fierce
despisers of those that are good
traitors
heady
highminded
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God
having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof

The gullible gals sitting in front of the "smut-box" soaking up the soaps... they are silly. Taking in every false message... learning of and dwelling on how to be everything but the things that God would have them become. Being seduced by good looking people and fine things. Greed. Selfishness. Most of the television today teaches you that it's o.k. for everything to be about "Me, Me, ME!" 
The wicked people of the world wouldn't be able to go knocking door-to-door creeping into each house to find all of the silly females. No, they just spend a little time and money and create a show, program, advertisement, etc. that they can broadcast to BILLIONS of women at once! How convenient for them!!!! Filling gals with the desire to look like that movie star on TV, have what that person has, decorate like they do, buy the clothes that they wear.... it won't be long before the silly woman will go running from their homes begging for folly.  Or do they already?

The scary part? I can definitely see myself being one of those silly women. I'm not above being beguiled. That is why I am so thankful that I know how to rightly divide the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15,
"study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
The Bible would be so confusing without understanding this dispensation of Grace and where I stand with God. It is no wonder that so many people are insecure and lead in any direction. Christian are often over come with anxiety because they do not know what God is doing in the world.
Reading through 2 Timothy 3 could be quite discouraging or even frighting. The nearing future seems especially hopeless when you get to verse 13, "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived."
When does it end?! What do we do?! What can we do?!
....it seems that too many people stop reading at verse 13 and fret about the end times to come, but read on, I say!
Verse 14-15, "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

I find these verses to be of great consolation. 
Be thankful... you've known the holy scriptures from the time of your youth! Study the word. Then continue in the things which thou hast learned and been ASSURED of. Then look "for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ!" 
...and for goodness' sake! don't trade faith for folly.

Just a little food for thought.

The Fall

I went for a walk the other day with my family... mostly to collect leaves and see all of the pretty colors. It inspired me to get out my pastels and draw a picture that looks similar to a little spot on the farm where the field meets the trees.
It's definitely not exact.... I took many liberties and worked off of my imagination since I didn't have a picture to go off of but the one in my mind. Nevertheless the general landscape in the picture is quite the same as the real geographical location, though much less stunning and beautiful!

Green Tomato... PIE????

There's something that is rather exciting about venturing into the unknown baking world and turning something average, or what sounds like it should be disgusting, and have it turn into the most delicious treat! So it was with the green tomato pie that I baked the other night.

I followed Chef, Paula Deen's recipe that I'd found online last year (I've been wanting to make it for a long time!).

It turned out to incredibly! It's not like traditional apple or pumpkin pie, but it has it's own unique character. My mom said it tasted like mincemeat. I didn't think so.... I thought it tasted like Christmas! The orange and raisin flavors... mmmm. It was fantastic, and makes me sad to think that green tomato season is over already.