In my continued efforts to replace commercial health and beauty products laden with harmful chemicals with healthy alternatives, I was thrilled when my friend Kelly gave me her recipe for homemade deodorant! Most of my life I had used a commercial deodorant until some years ago I learned how the aluminum in it can accumulate in my body and possibly put cancer and other health issues into my future!

Okay, the recipe. I did not have all of the ingredients listed in the original, but I altered it a bit and came up with this:

Ingredients:
2 or 3 Tbsp coconut oil
3 or 4 drops GSE (Grapefruit Seed Extract)*
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup talcum powder** (I use baby powder, because I like the scent.)
a few drops essential oil like lavender (Optional. I omit this since I use baby powder.)

Soften the coconut oil in a small saucepan, and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix very well with a spatula, then scrape it out into a small container. I put mine into a 4" x 4" square plastic container, and once it hardens, I cut it into four squares for easy application. The soft mixture can also be put into an empty commercial deodorant container, which sounds like a really good idea! (Haven't tried it myself, yet.) Allow to harden at room-temperature or in the refrigerator, depending on the climate where you live. Now it's ready to use!

I was really surprised how effective this deodorant is. I was relieved, too, because my deodorant crystal was not working as well for me as it used to. (Probably due to hormone changes.) If you try it out, let me know how it works for you!

~.~ Good health to you and yours! ~.~

* Original recipe calls for Tea Tree Oil, which I do not have, but intend to try out some day!

** The original recipe called for corn starch instead of the talcum powder I use, but I'm trying to get away from using (modified) corn starch, too.

I looked at some pictures of a Mormon wedding today online, and something that really struck me about it was that there were SO many children in the pictures of the extended family. Their family is large and beautiful, and children are clearly welcome. It made me think sober thoughts about how the Enemy has lied to true believers about the importance, the value, the *necessity* of children. Those who have the true Gospel have, unfortunately, bought into his lies. In fact, some of our most respected teachers and preachers actually counsel young couples to hold off having children, and then be careful to "space them out". And those are the couples who are actually planning to have any children at all.

We have forfeited God's long-term blessings in favor of short-term convenience, or so that we can have more luxuries, or the designer "one of each" kind of family. We've lost sight of the eternal, and fixed our eyes (and affections) on the temporal. How far removed we are from the godly men and women of Bible times who begged God to bless them with children, who rejoiced to see them born, who blessed young brides of the next generation with a blessing of fruitfulness!

"Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways... Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table." {Psalm 128:1,3}

"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it." {Genesis 1:28}

"And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people." {Genesis 28:3}

"And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase." {Jeremiah 23:3}

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." {Psalm 127:3-5}

Do we believe that the fruit of the womb is His reward? Really? If we believed that, then would we be counseling young couples to prevent pregnancies? The fact is that Christians today have an unbiblical view on childbirth and family planning. We've accepted the world's philosophy on it, while other groups.. cults.. (not just Mormons) are multiplying and teaching their young their false doctrines, raising up a healthy generation of hell-bound zealots. And we look around us, bewildered at their sheer numbers, wondering how we'll ever be able to win them all to the Lord.

Well, the answer to that dilemma is right in our homes.

The fact is that YOU can't win that many people to the Lord in your lifetime. It's impossible. You will only be able to reach a limited number of people, and that's it. Meanwhile, people continue to be born, grow up without being taught the truth, and will likely, eventually, die lost. Will your influence only extend to the end of your life? Not if you have a whole passel of children, and train them up to walk in the ways of the Lord! I challenge you to do this:

1) Rethink your philosophy about childbearing and family planning. Does it line up with Scripture? Do you see large families as being abundantly blessed, or as unfortunate souls who perhaps haven't figured out "what causes that"?

2) Realize that children really are a blessing from the Lord, and treat them as such. Do not balk at the woman in your church who is "pregnant AGAIN??", and instead bless her with words of affirmation and joy. (Check out Luke 1:42!)

3) Encourage the young mother who is tired, who wonders if it's all worth it, who just had a baby and needs the support of others while she is resting. Give her the support she needs, lest she get discouraged and decide in her heart that this one's the last one, because she can't take anymore.

4) If you are married, of childbearing age, and you are physically able to have children, pray about taking your hands off the controls and allowing God to open and close the womb according to His will.

I have never heard anyone say they regret having a child, but I have heard many regrets from people who wish they would have had more. "Father, give us YOUR heart attitude about children!"

***This post is not intended to hurt those who cannot have children, nor to cause distress to those who could have, did not, and now it is too late. To those brothers and sisters, I say now is your opportunity to encourage the next generation to welcome children, and bless them with your words, your love and support!***

I've always been taught in church to love the Bible, to read it, study it, memorize it, LIVE by it. That Jesus Himself is the WORD made flesh. To obey the Word is to obey Jesus. And to reject the Word is to reject Jesus.

...So which parts of the Word are we systematically rejecting, because of our traditions? This is something that the Holy Spirit has been working on me about for months. Is not the Word as eternal and unchanging as the Author?

Jesus said:

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (as recorded in Matthew 5)

So, apparently none of the Word of God is done away with, or made obsolete. Not even the "Old Testament". Can this be read any other way?

So I've got a hundred things I want to blog about, but when I sit here in front of a blank New Post screen, I freeze. I want to post something relevant, but I worry about offending someone. I want to post something funny, but wonder if it's too silly and frivolous to merit taking up cyberspace. I want to describe something about my wonderful life as a wife and mother in Guatemala, but lament that I can't post a beautiful picture to go with it because our camera is so old and does not give me quality photos. I know, they're all excuses! I need to just quit waiting for the perfect circumstances, and just blog what God lays on my heart. Grainy pictures and all. :o)

So I've been trying to work out a really creative way to make this announcement. I thought about making it cute. I thought about making it inspirational. I thought about making it funny and joyful. Because it's all those things! But since I couldn't make up my mind, I will just come out and say it.

We're expecting a baby!!!!!!! Number Eight is due in late November. Praising Father for the gift of life! :oD

I remember the days when one of my little boys would streak through the livingroom after bathtime, naked and without a thought about it. As a toddler, he had no sense of modesty whatsoever, as should be expected from a little one.

Over time, he became aware of what nakedness is and started to keep himself covered up. He realized (with little help from us) the inherent shame of being naked, and actually preferred to cover his body. I thank God for it, because we learn from the Garden of Eden that it is right and proper to cover ourselves in this fallen world.

Ah, the slow awakening of a child's conscience! It is the parent's help in raising them to be God-fearing and holy (set-apart). We should never, ever violate that sense of modesty by dressing them in skimpy clothes because it's "cute" or because the weather's hot.

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:6)

That word "offend" doesn't mean what people think it means. It does not mean to cause vexation or annoyance. Here it means to entrap, scandalize, entice to sin. To offend a little one means to train him/her to sin!

Let us consider Biblical guidelines for modesty when dressing our littlest ones, too.

My twelve-year-old daughter and I were driving to La Esperanza to clean the church building today, when we passed a woman standing by the car of a man who was leering at her. She was not dressed like a lady, and her laughter as we went by was garish and loud. It reminded me of a proverb about the "strange" woman, which I quoted to Jessica.

"She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house."

To which Jessica responded, agast, "Yeah, her feet are abiding about six or eight inches above the ground!"

This made me laugh. She was talking about the woman's really high-heeled shoes.

"From all that I had read of history and government of human life and manners, I had drawn this conclusion, that the manners of women were the most infallible barometer to ascertain the degree of morality and virtue of a nation.

"The Jews, the Greeks, the Romans, the Swiss, the Dutch, all lost their public spirit and their republican forms of government when they lost the modesty and domestic virtues of their women."

~John Adams, 2nd President of the U.S.

Interesting, that the moral state of a nation's women should be such an accurate measure of the state of the nation itself. Why is that?

I hear that a lot from people who use finances as a reason to use contraceptives, and it baffles me. I'm not going to get into whether it's right or wrong to delay childbearing, but honestly, are finances a real reason for it?

I guess for us, having a baby is not a huge expense. We are not ones to purchase a lot of expensive equipment for a baby. If there is something "big" that we need, we try to find it used. We shop for clothing and bedding at thrift stores, or we make it. For the first year, the child is fed mainly breastmilk, which is free. How is having a baby expensive?

And besides that, where is God in all this? Does He cease to be the Provider when a baby comes along? Is He not the Giver of life, and can He not afford the children He sends? For those who are His own, I just don't see how finances can be a feasible reason to use contraceptives. Not only does He provide necessities, but He adds many blessings to the family because of the child!

"Sorry, Lord! I can't afford to receive the blessing You would send, so I'll just turn You down this time. Thanks, anyway."

Doesn't make any sense!

May the LORD draw us more and more unto Himself! May we meditate, not upon the babe in the manger, but upon the One who is everlasting, our Creator, the Great I AM, who came in the flesh to show us how we should walk, and to save us from our sins. May the Lord remove the taste of the world from our mouths. Let us strive to yield our will and our flesh to learn what His will is, and to perform it during this brief pilgrimage. His grace and peace be upon each of us who make HIM Lord!

I was singing a blessing over the children tonight, and part of it goes like this:

"May the light of His countenance always shine upon your way. May His Spirit be ever by your side. May He hide you and hold you in the shadow of His wings, always keep you as the apple of His eye..."

As I tucked daughter #2 into bed, she asked me how all of us can be the apple of His eye. Daughter #1 answered, "God has a REALLY BIG eye."

I thought that was so funny! But they got me to thinking about the apple of the eye. It is the most sensitive, most guarded and protected part of the body. Each eye is nestled in a boney cove of the face, covered by a lid and lashes which keep dust and other matter from touching it and causing irritation or damage. When something flies toward the eye, the reflexes are quick to defend it. What a lovely thought, that the Lord protects His own as the apple of His eye! Isn't that where you would like to be?

"Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye..." ~ Psalm 17:7-8

Today has been such a great day spent resting, reading and reflecting on God's Word. Today was the Sabbath day, yes, the seventh day that God established from the beginning to be a day of rest.

"And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." ~ Genesis 2:3

For a long time I've wondered about the fourth commandment. When I would think about it, it didn't seem right that it is largely ignored. Do we not hold the Ten Commandments as the foundation of all laws, to honor God and benefit mankind? How is it that we have forgotten the one commandment which begins with, "Remember"?

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." ~ Exodus 20:8-11

I've heard a few explanations why this one commandment no longer applies to us, or that the Sabbath day was shifted from the seventh day to the first day of the week, and yet I see no mandate in Scripture to make any such change. On the contrary, it was given as a perpetual sign of God's covenant with His people. Are you one of His?

"Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed." ~ Exodus 31:16-17

And, yes, it's even for those who are not born Israelites..

"Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;" ~ Isaiah 56:6

"And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." ~ Galatians 3:29

The Sabbath is not a hard commandment to keep, but it is a pleasure! And it brings God's blessings on the ones who observe it.

"Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil." ~ Isaiah 56:2

I hope that you observe God's day of rest, too. After all, it was made for your benefit!

"The sabbath was made for man..." ~ Mark 2:27

Our Little-House-On-The-Prairie-inspired experiment with "vanity cakes" was, as the preacher said, "vanity and vexation of spirit". They would not puff up, but ended up to be small balls of egg-y bread. Not what we aimed for, but they were edible. I think the next time we try it, we will not add so much flour to the batter. (It's supposed to be sticky.) If you've ever attempted making these, or would be brave enough to try, let me know how it goes!

...But since we had the frying fat hot, we made some Navajo Fry Bread! We like to make it from time to time. It's so yummy, and it makes for an easy meal, with whatever toppings you have available. We top it with refried beans, salad and either dressing or salsa. Good stuff! We used this recipe this time. The bread came out slightly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, with a yummy, brown flavor. Very good!

So, yes, I've been away on an unplanned respite from blogging. A lot has happened in the last four or five months; more than I can write about! There was the night I was bitten by a street dog, and the subsequent round of rabies shots. (That made me so sick.) Then something wonderful: my parents' visit! They stayed with us for a week or two, and we went to Peten for the first time to see the Tikal ruins. Then more sickness, a brief hospital stay and a seizure. I'm just thankful that the Lord carries us through these things, and draws us closer to Him. Isn't that what life is all about? Learning to walk with Him, and also encouraging others to walk with Him.

..There are so many things He has taught me that I want to share. In good time! For now, I'll just say I am glad to be back in Blogland.

I've posted before about making homemade tortillas, but back then I had issues with making the tortillas come out round. My children were guessing the animal shapes (I wasn't making any on purpose), and while it's true that a homemade tortilla in any odd shape is just as yummy, they hold the veggies and the salsa so much better when they are round! So here is the technique I've learned, through much experience, on video just for you.

¡Buen provecho!



*Special thanks to my camera girl, Jessica!*

Points to remember (in case you can't hear what is said on the video):

1) Start with a smooth, seamless ball. You can spread the dough ball smooth over the top, pinching it underneath, and pat it smooth.

2) Roll it out flat a little at a time, in all directions.

So we had been invited to a special service at a sister church located about 45 minutes from here. Daniel is scheduled to preach, and our family to sing several songs. Tonight would be our fourth night being at church this week, and I could tell the children really didn't have their hearts in it. I couldn't blame them. We all get tired of being "out"!

Then my husband calls the pastor of that church to confirm the time we needed to be there. He said, "Oh, didn't I tell you? That has been moved to next week!" When their dad announced the news, the children rejoiced! Free time! Nowhere to go, nothing to do. Yeeeaaaah!

So what did they do with their free time? They went upstairs to sing and "play church". :o)

These days are busy days, and things can get hectic with a household of nine. Not that I would have it any other way! My mother-heart smiles a thousand times a day at the sweet and funny things that happen at my house. Though I might complain a little from time to time, I would not have anybody think that I would exchange my family for a smaller one.

Sometimes people ask if we are "done" (meaning "done having children"). Some are critical, others just curious. I'm developing a tougher skin for the ones that make thoughtless remarks about us having too many children. (Which ones would they have us get rid of?)

We've decided to take our hands off the controls, and leave this matter of family planning in the Lord's hands. Since we made that decision, I admit I've gotten sort of panicky at times, wondering where this road would take us. I admire families like the Duggars, but I am no Michelle Duggar! I do not have it all together, and do not always have a sweet, low voice when dealing with the children's - well, childishness.

But I've noticed that with each child born we have grown, not just in family size.. but WE have grown. My husband adapts and becomes more and more wise about leading and providing for a larger family. I am becoming better and better at home management and, yes, a more patient mommy. My older children learn more about forbearance and yielding their will to another as we make room for the new little one. I notice my two older girls (9 and 11) are taking on more household duties willingly and even cheerfully. (I don't think I ever did that when I was their age.) We live frugally, and find cheap or free ways to have fun.

I love my large family! Things are not perfect, but they are better than they've ever been. There is so much grace available along the way, as long as we admit our mistakes, forgive one another, and keep on growing together.

I don't foresee being physically able to have more than twelve, though it will probably be less. But for us, there is no number that is "too many".

As difficult as it is to deal with the death of someone we love, the Christian has this important consolation: Death is not the end. Death is only the beginning of real living! Because we see things with human eyes, it is easy to think we are bodies with souls within. But is it not better said that we are souls with bodies? In light of eternity, our life in this body is but a "vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

...Just a little while, and we will be with our Abba Father. What a precious time awaits!

"So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 15:54-57)

Yesterday as we got ready to go to our midweek church meeting, I never imagined how the evening would turn out. I never imagined I would be holding and crying with a mother as she mourns the loss of her young daughter. Never thought I would find myself consoling my daughters over the loss of their friend. Life is so very fragile, and only God knows how much time each of us have in this world. I want to write about it, but words fail me now. I ache for her mother, Ruth, and pray for her constantly.