Social Media Comment Section: Working Hard & Resting in Grace

Because I've set a boundary for myself in my activity on social media to contribute nothing but encouragement (hopefully), I choose to not get involved in the comment sections there in what may be considered to be controversial issues. So this is my space for sharing some expounded thoughts on what I see there. 

Today on Twitter/X a nice younger lady shared some thoughts on parenting and the sufficiency of God's grace.

Here's what she had to say:

You have a gaggle of children, none taller than your belly button. You are quite literally drowning in dirty dishes and laundry. Not a grandmother's helping hand in sight or a day off for months on the calendar.

Is it *now* suddenly ok to fuss because you don't have what everyone else seems to have to make things function well?

No.

The only way to maturity is through immaturity. Admit you need to grow up and work harder. No silver bullets. No extended sabbaticals from motherhood. Envy fixes nothing.

This is not works based theology. Either God's grace is sufficient for the good works He's prepared for you (including cooking 24/7) or it isn't. Source - Lexy Sauve

While I don't know this woman personally I have had limited interaction with her online (all good) and she's even shared a fabulous cherry wine recipe with me. 

That aside, her post received quite a bit of pushback from other ladies online.  The posts I've seen all seem to especially be concerned with the "grow up and work harder" portion of the message. More specifically a lack of encouragement to young moms who might be reading that message that God's grace also allows for us to sometimes just set aside our own to-do list, take a "breather" and that it's entirely okay to take the day and just rest in Him. There have been some other comments here and there about it but that's the gist of it from what I've seen. So now I'll attempt to not be long-winded with my thoughts on this. I can't make any promises, however. 😁

First, I think I understand where she's coming from. I think she's simply trying to convey in a very practical, matter-of-fact way is that God is faithful to prepare us in where He's called us. 

I'm certain we all agree on that. 

Second, in my mid 20's to mid 40's while raising 8 kids I might have sounded a lot like Mrs. Sauve, but due to the blessing of a couple more decades and seeing all my kids grow up to become adults I know that the concern others have mentioned is also really important. I'm sure it's universal that older moms usually know stuff that we only wish we knew as younger moms. Without making this a mile long, just a couple of examples of that "taking a breather" and resting in God.

1. Sometimes it's okay to to just go in the bathroom and cry, and pray. And cry. That doesn't mean you're being fussy or envying anyone, it can just mean it's a hard day/moment. My grandma always advised me in moments like that (and they happen because that's life), wash your face with an ice cold washcloth then get back to your day. It's brilliant advice too. Super refreshing. 

2. When you've been working as hard as you can, and things still pile up faster than you can deal with them (and they will, because that's life), it's a good time to remember Who controls the circumstances (it's not you) and just take some time, pray & ask the Lord to help you remember you're not the one in charge and to really be at peace with that. Having true peace about that drastically reduces the impulse to ever feel fussy about it. 

I think these things (and other ways folks make time to rest in God and refresh their hearts & minds) do mean that you're growing up and working harder, by His grace. 

Thanks for stopping by. I do hope this has blessed and encouraged you in some way. 💖

The Family Table: Meal Planning

All the while I was growing up and even while my own kids were growing up, some of the most important conversations happened at the kitchen table. Setting the table, during dinner, family game night, doing homework and even folding laundry. Plans were made, vacations were planned, dreams were shared, announcements were made and questions were asked & answered. It was pretty much the heart of the home.💖  

When I returned to social media in 2023 one of the first things I noticed right away was how many young Christian wives and mothers were asking for tips & advice in a very specific area. Everything from guidance on household management, grocery shopping, meal planning and anything else related to caring for their families. And the cool thing is, there doesn't seem to be a shortage of really good answers to all those questions!  It immediately reminded me of that old family table & the wisdom shared there. 

I'm far too long-winded for twitter/X on some things so, when I see a great question there I'm going to pop in here and share some thoughts on what works for me & advice I've picked up along the way. I'm not an expert in anything really (and don't claim to be) but I do have nearly 42 years of being a wife & mom of seven kids so, that's all the qualifications that I have. I'm going to call this new little section of my blog The Family Table (not to be confused with Jess at The Farmer's Table, who you should absolutely subscribe to right away!) and I hope it serves to bless whoever happens to come along. 

I was trained in the art & science of domesticity by my grandma (she simply called it "keepin' house") who grew up during the drepression. Most of what I've learned came from her, I'm honored to say.    

So without further yammering, the questions in a thread I saw the other day were all about how to go about meal planning. Wondering how to do it, where to start, what works best, why it matters, how it helps, etc. Really good questions, all of them.

Really fun & simple answer? Start with a Weather Forecast meal plan format for all your family's dinner/main meals of the day. Then, plan all the baking, prepping & shopping around the upcoming weather for the next week or however long you set your meal plans up. 

• Is it going to be warm & pleasant?  Grilled meats, sandwiches, salads, finger foods. Pile on the fresh veggies & seasonal fruits. Then, freeze all leftover meats & veggies for use in your next soup, stew or casserole.
• Cool & blustery? Get out the soup, stew, chili & chowder recipes.  Plan the usual sides to go with each. Any leftovers, freeze in single servings for lunches.
• Dark of winter? All your favorite casseroles, roasts, pasta & rice dishes.  Again, freeze all leftovers in singles for lunches or whatever best way works for your household. When my kids were growing up, we'd have "Leftover Night" potluck type dinner at least once a week, where everyone got to pick their own dinner.   

It may sound obvious to folks that have been doing this for a long time but I know the first time I heard it suggested, it gave me a jumping off place with my own ideas on what kinds of foods to make & helped me get way more organized. Not to mention saving money on groceries by getting into the habit of storing up leftovers for the next meal or to pack in someone's lunch. It's a meal plan format I've followed for over 40 years now, and it works pretty well. I've added all sorts of recipes to each type of meal that have become family favorites over the years, so that also helps keep things fresh & fun with new recipes being added. 

Thanks for stopping by, and I sure hope this has blessed you in some way. 😊

Status Report: July 2024

Many years ago when blogging was popular, a lot of us Christian women bloggers wrote a monthly post called a Status Report.  More or less what it was, was several blog posts rolled into one, under specific categories as you'll see below.  It was just a simple way to share our thoughts about several things without dedicating an entire blog post to each thing. The last one I ever did was the last week we lived on the farm, before we bought a house and moved to the city. 11 years ago!  

I have lots of thoughts on all the things, so...I've decided to resurrect the old monthly Status Report. 

So here we go! 😊

Sitting: inside with the AC on. I'd like to be sitting outside and taking advantage of it being summer, but the Lord has chosen to keep the heat turned up, and bring in tons of rain. Folks may not like it, but many people's gardens are doing fantastic for it. Other than my cucumbers, my garden is certainly being blessed with the current weather, even if I can't sit outside. I really can't complain.  

Been busy with: Canning season!  Indeed canning season has begun with seasonal fruits and veggies in abundance. This past week I've been able to put up a batch of garlic dill pickles, bread & butter pickles, pickled carrots and a batch of raspberry jam (none of which have made it to the shelf yet). Along with the canning I've been busy tidying up and organizing the the canning shelf. It's more or less just been "put it where it fits" for the last few years so, time to get my act together. 😄 

Feeling: Happy that it's canning season again. 

Wishing: The growing season was longer in my area or that at I had a decent greenhouse to grow year round.  That would be so cool. What a fantastic way to stay busy and active, growing your family's groceries.  

Thinking: about a post I saw on social media regarding motherhood.  Actually several posts lately from various folks discussing aspects of motherhood.  Specifically, Christian, biblically defined motherood.  The post I saw today was essentially this question: If you've always wanted to be a stay at home mom, what was that decision or that goal driven by?   I thought that was a great question.  I've always wanted to be and thankfully am a stay at home mom, and one big part of what drove that for me was not having one when I was growing up, and then seeing examples of what that looked like in my friend's homes. By the time I was 3, my mom was single and had to work outside the home to raise her family.  Most all of my friends though, did have a stay at home mom, and almost all of those moms were happy people (at least as far as they let on), so I was blessed with seeing what that looked like. More or less I just saw amazing examples of what that life was like and it left a permanent impression on me.  

Wondering: what planet I'm on where John Rich goes on Tucker Carlson and tells him the teaching of a pre-trib rapture is a lie. 😳

Looking forward to: when the US Presidential election is over. 😉

Excited about: hearing lids pop when you've taken your cans out of the canner and sat them on a tea towel on the counter. 😍

  

And that will wrap up this Status Report. 

Thanks for stopping by, and have an amazing day.  😊