A Day on the Farm

We did a "Spring Day" at the Painted Pony Farm in upper Ojai. It was a lovely day of holding chicks and bunnies, feeding and petting goats, milking a goat, learning about pigs and ponies and the apple orchard, running around with friends, and sunshine. :-)

"Summer Pasta"

I adapted this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa. Mine is Gluten-Free, Vegan. :-)
1-lb. corn spaghetti
Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
16 large basil leaves chopped
Salt
Pepper
Garlic, about 4 cloves
Olive oil
1/2 lemon (you could omit this, and jut use some of the pasta water)
1 cup "Parmesan" (equal parts almond meal and nutritional yeast, plus salt)

Cut the tomatoes in half, place in the bottom of a large bowl. Add garlic, olive oil and salt. Let marinate while you cook the pasta, about 8 minutes. Drain pasta, and add to the bowl. Toss with basil, "Parmesan", lemon juice (or pasta water), and salt and pepper to taste.

It is a lovely summer meal with melon or smoothies. :-)
Enjoy!

The best laid plans....

We set out this morning on a "quick" errand....which turned into about a 2 and a half hour walk. By about the last 20 minutes or so, Noah was crying, even Caleb was pretty worn out, Ezra was almost sleep-walking, and Judah was asleep. So, I suppose you could say we learned a lesson in perseverance! And, nothing like yummy smoothies to make it enjoyable. I bought this supplement from Trader Joe's (I normally don't do supplements), which contains dairy-free probiotics to keep our tummies stocked with the good bacteria. :-)

On Mother's Day

I find it so *interesting* that this year, I knew Ben would be coming home from Boston on Mother's Day. So I had no expectations-except that I would be a
mother....and I planned on enjoying it!! :-)
How sweet, that my husband found me this tea set in Chinatown in Boston....
I felt so honored and loved. And it is a perfect reminder that when the heat is on, the flavor intensifies....I want to be found tasting sweet, calming, soothing, and warming to the soul. Or, I at least want to set that before me as something to "steep" on. ;-)

Boston....

http://www.realityboston.com/boston-prayer-tour-introduction/

This link is for the intro. video for the Boston Prayer Tour.  Daddy left very early this morning...and since he is on his way to Boston, it goes without saying that we are not only very invested in this particular prayer tour, but we are spending the week learning more about Boston.

As we were praying this morning:
Emma prayed for lots of new relationships, for unity, and that they would know the presence of Jesus.
Caleb prayed that Pastor Al would not be tempted by Satan and that the team would be of one mind.
I was humbled.
And Noah declared, "I am going to call Satan Mr. Stinky!!!"

Happy Birthday Emma

Today, you are nine years old. That basically means that I've been doing this whole "mom" gig for a decade. Which is wild, because I still feel brand new at it sometimes.
But, today was one of those days, where it hits you all at once how quickly time is passing. Grandma and I took you to the American Girl Store for lunch. It was our first time ever at the store....but we figured that we don't have too many years left where this will be what is fun and special for you.
We had such a lovely time. I could see on your face how loved, and honored, and special you felt.
It was a very special trip for Grandma and I-we are both so honored to have shared your birthday with you. And even more than that, we are honored to share our lives with you.
One of the "conversation starters" at the table had you describe your personality in one word. Emma described me as generous, and full of surprises! So I described her-friendly and loving.
Clearly, we didn't follow the instructions....but it was lovely nonetheless.
Oh Emma, I love you so much.
But back to our day....your Kit doll got her ears pierced, and we found you some "feather dangly" earrings. Evidently no one thought I would let you wear earrings like that....but alas, maybe I am cooler than people suspect. Or, maybe I am a sucker for how cute you are. :-)
Anyhow. I am honored to love you, and I am so thankful that God gave you to
me. This year, I have many prayers for you, but I more aware than ever of my prayer that I, as your mom, would be faithful to communicate the gospel, and it's beauty and power to transform life as we know it. May you know the grace of Jesus Christ, which has forever washed you and made you completely loved and accepted in God's sight. May you know how lovely you are in God's sight because you are in Christ.
I love you.

Speed math

My dear, sweet Noah....those who know him will frequently comment that he lives in his own world. Doing his math work is like torture-and not for him! He is very easily distracted...so what he could easily do in 10 minutes takes him well over an hour because it is just. so. hard. to. focus.....
Well, we have found a way to cut our math time down to a non-tortuous amount for mom. :-)
He completes one question, then takes one turn at a game. I take my turn, and then we move on to the next math question. Man, this kid gets through his math in about 10 or 15 minutes! And we enjoy a little game on the side! Last time was Connect Four, today was Husker-Do....I wonder what game we will play next!

Vegan (and gluten free!) Spinach Artichoke Dip!

Now, I just have to say that I don't normally like to use tons of "the substitutes"-you know, vegan "cheese", etc. But I made exceptions in this recipe because this is not an "eat every night" thing, this is a "remember how much I don't miss dairy thing" and maybe even an "impress your friends who can't fathom a dairy free life" thing. :-) Enjoy!

About 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained (or approx. 1/2 a Costco size bag of fresh baby spinach wilted)
One can artichoke hearts (in water), drained and finely chopped
3/4 cup Vegenaise
3/4 cup "Parmesan" (I eyeball half nutritional yeast, half almond meal, and sea salt to taste-this mix is also fantastic on top of plain pasta!!)
1/2 cup shredded vegan mozzarella (Daiya brand or "vegan gourmet" brand do not contain the milk protein.)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients and put in a pie plate. Bake for 20 minutes.

Lessons from a nature walk

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8

As we were walking, we saw this tree that had been blown over by the wind. Sometimes I feel like that too! But, it was a great chance to remember God's Word, and how the man who trusts in the Lord will send his roots out...all the way to the water. He will be strengthened and renewed so that his leaves will remain green and he won't be blown over by the wind. He will be strong, steadfast, unmovable. He knows his need for living water, and sends his roots down deep to find it!

"[The armies of many nations] thunder like breakers on a beach, but God will silence them, and they will run away. They will flee like chaff scattered by the wind, like a TUMBLEWEED whirling before a storm." Isaiah 17:13

I got to thinking about tumbleweeds, and how the kids were so fascinated -but tumbleweeds usually consist of just that-weeds! They are prickly, thorny, and gather and grow as they are tossed by the wind.

But then I got to thinking about my own little tumbleweed. Praying for my dear Ezra. And then I remembered that the wind is also a metaphor for the Holy Spirit:
"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear it's sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is
going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8

Oh Lord! Make my sweet Ezra a "tumbleweed for Jesus", blown about by Your Holy Spirit, causing many to
join him in advancing Your Kingdom!!!
Make us trees that send our roots deep, seeking out that living water that only Jesus offers!!!

Surprise!!

One of my favorite childhood memories is when my parents surprised us with an overnight stay at a hotel. We thought we were meeting up with our dad for dinner, but my mom had packed clothes and bathing suits. It was so exciting!! So, naturally, I wanted to do the same for our kids. But... I'll let them tell you about it. Here are their writing assignments from Thursday.

Emma Hester, age 8:

For Easter, we went to Pismo Beach. We thought we were going home, instead mom and dad surprised us and told us we would go to Pismo Beach!

For breakfast I had three muffins: chocolate, blueberry, and banana nut. I also had half a bagel, a cherry pastry, some cereal, and apple juice. Yum!!

The activities were super fun! There was life-sized chess, ping-pong, and a swimming pool. My favorite was the swimming pool.

I liked Pismo Beach and I hope we go again.

And Caleb Hester, age 7:

On Easter, as a surprise, we went to Pismo Beach. Outside our hotel, there was a swimming pool, ping-pong, golf, and life-sized chess! This is what we did:

The food was good. I had two pastries, one muffin, two bowls of cereal, some waffle, and cranberry juice.

The activities were fun too. We went swimming, played golf, ping-pong, and life-size chess! My favorite was chess.

It was fun at Pismo Beach; you should go too!

It was a sweet time for making memories. The hotel offered an "expanded continental" breakfast, which, as you can tell by what one child ate for breakfast... was where we saved LOTS of money. We let them eat to their heart's content, and it gave them a good start to the day. I knew they had cereal options, so we brought our own rice milk and some other snacks from Trader Joe's. Ben and I tried to remind ourselves, that it was not a time just for "us." We really wanted to invest in the kids and spend time doing the things that they enjoy. It was not a "restful" trip, but it was lovely, nonetheless. But, as we have learned, with five little kids, there is no such thing as "vacation", only "relocation." hahahaha!! And what a grand relocation it was!

Easter 2012

We had the amazing opportunity to celebrate Jesus with friends, the cross cake, and a Good Friday service. It has already been a really sweet time of remembering Jesus. Especially in light of some very difficult things happening recently. It is good to pray together,to declare God's goodness and grace, to worship Him and His power to turn the darkest of nights into the dawn of new morning.
Happy Easter!
HE IS RISEN!!!!!!

Staggering....

This morning, I am simply amazed at this one verse from God's Word:

"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her." Hosea 2:14

This is just amazing. God is confronting Israel on her harlotry...and He uses some very vivid, almost shocking imagery here. He has clearly confronted her actions and behaviors, and handed out judgement. He says that He will punish her for the idolatry and for forgetting her God... and then he says this: HE, God, will allure her. He will do the work of drawing her back to Him, of showing her the beauty that is only found in Him, and speaking comfort to her.

I am just utterly amazed at the lengths our God goes for us...

And, as if that were not enough, this is the closing of chapter 2 in Hosea:

"I will betroth you to Me forever;

Yes, I will betroth you to Me

In righteousness and justice,

In lovingkindness and mercy;

I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,

And you shall know the LORD.

It shall come to pass in that day

That I will answer, 'says the LORD;'

I will answer the heavens,

And they shall answer the earth.

The earth shall answer

with grain, WITH NEW WINE,

And with oil;

They shall answer Jezreel.

Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth,

And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy;

Then I will say to those who were not My people,

'You are My people!'

And they shall say, 'You are my God!'"

Ahhh!! A-mazed by the GOSPEL this morning.

Big Week for Noah...

First trip to the eye doctor....
AND the dentist....

One Year....

My sweet Judah Sean. Today, you are a year old. The years seem to go by faster with every child!! It seems like just the other day, you came...and you were so big. And I blinked my eyes, and now you have eight (or more!) teeth, and you crawl faster than I can keep track, and you are into everything and you have a definite will of your own. You are amazing. Everyone loves you so much!! You bring a special
Joy to our family. And so today, my sweet Judah Sean, all day I have looked at you and thought of your name: praise God who is gracious. You are a constant reminder of His grace, and it causes me to praise Him all the more. I love you sweet boy.

Psalm 145 is super appropriate:
I will exalt you, my God and King,
and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day;
yes, I will praise you forever. Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure his greatness. Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts;
let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
and your wonderful miracles. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;
they will sing with joy about your righteousness. The LORD is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The LORD is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation. All of your works will thank you, LORD,
and your faithful followers will praise you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom;
they will give examples of your power. They will tell about your mighty deeds
and about the majesty and glory of your reign. For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
You rule throughout all generations.
The LORD always keeps his promises;
he is gracious in all he does. The LORD helps the fallen
and lifts those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all look to you in hope;
you give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand,
you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in everything he does;
he is filled with kindness. The LORD is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The LORD protects all those who love him,
but he destroys the wicked. I will praise the LORD,
and may everyone on earth bless his holy name
forever and ever. (Psalm 145:1-21 NLT)

Personal....

I am passionate about sharing what large abundance we have with people who have little. I am passionate about every tongue, and tribe and nation hearing of God’s fame and giving Him the worship He is due (in fact, I can barely keep the tears back when I say that phrase, “every tongue, and tribe, and nation”). I am passionate about cultivating an excellent soul...that is, I am passionate about reading God’s Word, reading wonderful books, entering into and breathing in the beauty of God's creation, so that our souls will be full of His light, and we can exhale some of His beauty as we speak and interact with others. I am passionate about studying God’s Word. I find myself so fulfilled, and in awe of the privilege of being a mom, when I am sitting and studying God’s Word with my children. I am passionate about speaking life into these dear little ones....whispering that God has an important part for them to play in His grand story. I am passionate about ordering a home according to the principles of God’s Word. And while I would not be so bold as to tell a woman that she needs to be at home with her children (since every situation is so different), I weep with those moms who wish that they were but can’t be. I am passionate about marriages that don’t just get by and function well, but are a reflection of the intimacy God designed for this special relationship. I am honored and blessed to have my very best friend in the whole world for my spouse. He has challenged me more than any other human up to this point... but he has also loved me deeper and more steadfastly than any other human up to this point (all while knowing me the most intimately!!).

But...for the purposes of (this specific ministry). The two things that I am most passionate about are discipleship, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. By discipleship, I mean... making disciples who will make disciples. A legacy for Jesus Christ. Seeking for Him as for hidden treasure. I absolutely love taking the hand of a dear sister in Christ, and placing her hand in Christ’s as she seeks Him in the midst of troubles. I do not know much, because I am young and I myself was not taught. But, what I have been taught has been sweetly taught from the Lord and His Word, and so it is there that I place my hope and affection. I am passionate about other women finding the depths and riches and beauty that is found only in Christ.

And by the gospel of Jesus Christ, I mean that it is all different-every aspect of life is changed when we apply the gospel to it. Our response to sin, our desires, the way we work, the way we love.... all of it is changed forever. Sometimes it is so difficult for us to see the way the gospel changes things... but that is my passion, to help search and find how the gospel changes it all.

But oddly enough... the two things that I find women asking me about the most frequently are: mothering/homeschooling and food/recipes. Go figure. :-P

Zoo Fun

Today, we threw caution to the wind and met some friends at the zoo. It was just what we needed. To breathe in God's beautiful creation, to laugh and play with friends, and to get some
energy out. I am so super thankful my mom got a zoo pass. :)

Overheard

While I was making dinner, I overheard the kids:
Emma: Caleb! Do you remember the book The Year of Miss Agnes?
Caleb: Emma! It's been, like, three years since I've read that.

I had to chuckle because he's seven.
But, he's probably right.

Godly Wisdom...

Wow... I really cannot stress the importance of community. Having other women in my life that I can text, like this morning, and ask for prayer. For some reason, the kids were just kinda going nuts, and super emotional (couldn't possibly have anything to do with Community Group at our house on Monday nights, and them going to bed after 10pm???). Anyhow, I texted my lovely ladies and just asked for prayer.... I love the godly wisdom I received from my friend:

"Lisa, remember the beauty of nature and the way it heals and calms the soul...Perhaps the ankle-biters could use a nature walk on the trail."

I knew I was hearing straight from heaven!! I was tired. It hurts my back to lug that big 'ole kid on my back. But, I decided to obey. Packed the kids up and headed for a local trail, where we hiked for about an hour. The kids wanted to go further, but I said it was far enough for today (Judah was getting really heavy for me).

Caleb said, "Yeah, it's hard for a mom who's wiped out!!"

I replied, "Actually, God has really helped me. And we have had so much fun on this hike, I would not have wanted to miss it!!"

"So, you mean, like, God multiplied your strength?" asked Caleb.

"Yes, sweet boy. He did."

And as we put the kids to bed and asked their highs and lows for the day, everyone agreed that our high was that it was such a good day. Only Jesus can do that!!

Twice Freed...

"There was no one in the room except Paul and Philemon. All the others had long since gone home; but it takes time to bring a man's whole life into the light of God, and the tired apostle looked as though he had fought some great battle and conquered. Philemon suddenly dropped at his feet, and Paul raised his hands over him and blessed him.

'The Lord bless thee and keep thee, my son in Christ. The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and bring thee to His eternal glory through Jesus Christ our Lord.'

...'His light hath shined in our darkness,' murmured Philemon, and he stood for a full five minutes watching the beautiful craft setting out so gallantly towards the bright open sea and the lands where the sun sets. The storms would come, but the beginning was always glorious. Warmed by the glow of his great joy, he quite forgot his shivering young slave who had no cloak.

Then he turned and saw him, and a strange compassion he had never known before welled within him...he had certainly never given a thought as to the boy...Why should he? The master's comfort was the business of the slave, but the slave's comfort was not the affair of his master.

But now? Something had happened. He seemed to be seeing the whole world with eyes that had been opened. The colours of the sky were fairer, the scent of the acacia at his side suddenly mattered. Could it be that the love of Christ, mysterious and imperceptible as the coming of the dawn, was already beginning to warm and lighten the deep darkness of his broken heart? He hardly knew; but he spread his cloak round his slave and drew him to his side...."

Wow. Both Ben and I were just in awe reading this to the kids. It was so good... to be reminded of the heavenly war waged about those who would have their whole life brought into the light of God. And what a beautiful picture of how the love of Christ changes everything!! It warms our hearts and brings light to the deep darkness of our brokenness!!

12 Years...

Tonight, enjoying each other's company!

The day before we got engaged...December 1999.

It is always fun to just stop for a minute and look back, and remember. This weekend we have marveled at God's faithfulness these past 12 years of marriage. Both of us would testify in a second, that the only reason we are still married and still best friends and still like each other is... God has been gracious and Jesus has been stronger and more powerful than our sin.

We were reminiscing this morning about how we have worked harder in these last 12 years than we ever thought we would. But they have been the best 12 years of our lives. I am so privileged to be married to my best friend.