Don't Fight By Yourself

Yes, that's what my husband told me to tell you over cheesecake last week. And I was totally confused just like you are right now. "How can a woman fight by herself?" I asked, reminding him of the saying, "It takes two to fight."

He went on to explain that the biggest misunderstandings usually come when a woman (I wonder who he was thinking of?) begins the argument in her own mind without her husband present. Since he's not there, she just imagines what he might say or do and replies to it in her thoughts. By the time she actually gets around to discussing it with her husband, she is angry with him for things he hasn't even said or done! Not a good way to start a discussion that she wants resolved!

Yeah, my husband said that (although I paraphrased a bit). And you thought I made things complicated! I'll give you an example.

Preliminary Disclaimer: The following scenario is exaggerated to make a point. All similarities to persons alive or dead are purely coincidental and not to be construed as a peek into our life, or as a peek into yours.

It is your birthday. Your husband walks out the door without a word about it. You're a little hurt by it, but assume that he was just trying to get to work and he'll call you on his lunch break. You wait for noon, but the whole day goes by and you don't get one phone call from him. Not even a "how are the kids doing today?" phone call. You start to get aggravated and the dialogue monologue begins.

"I can't believe he won't even take the time to wish me a happy birthday! But if I told him so, he would just say that he is busy and there's a deadline coming up at work. I can't believe his job is more important than his wife's birthday! I mean Jane's husband took off work for her birthday just so they could spend it together. If I told him that, he'd just roll his eyes and ask who was supposed to pay the bills. But that's not the point! I mean just because I stay home all day doesn't mean I don't contribute to the bills. I work just as hard as he does! Of course, he wouldn't believe that if I told him. He must think I putter around all day. Taking care of kids and housework is a lot of work! But he just doesn't understand that. It's not like he would ever watch the kids or anything. He just expects me to do it all. I can't believe he takes me so for granted...like I'm just the servant or something. Well, I'm done. I'm not going to just be like hired help around here! I..."

This is when you hear your husband's key in the door two hours earlier than usual. You rush in the room with a sarcastic, "Oh, you're home! I'll have you know I did mop the kitchen today, but Johnny spilled milk all over and while I was cleaning that up, Mary came in with her finger paints and dropped them. It's not like I have help with the mopping or anything. Then you come home early so you can check up on me!"

Your bewildered husband, scratches his head. "I'm not sure what you're talking about. I just came home early to see if you wanted me to take you out for your birthday. And to give you these." He pulls a dozen roses out from behind his back and hands them to you. And to his credit he does not add, like a woman might, "But if you'd rather me stay home and mop the floor for you, that would be fine, too!"

Offering Living Water to the Thirsty

We have just finished a long walk in the woods. Pink-cheeked children pile into the car with cries of, "Mom, I'm thirsty!" Usually, I anticipate this and have water bottles ready to go to hydrate little bodies thirsty from exertion. But what if we've left the water bottles at home? I could pull through a drive-thru and get them less-than-optimal soft drinks. We could find a drinking fountain in the park and get possibly contaminated water. Or just wait until we get home while whines rise from the back seat as the kids get thirstier. Lack of preparation can cause all sorts of problems for thirsty little children.

This is the way I've found it to be when approaching a lost world. I have the living water within me since the Holy Spirit has saved my soul. Yet there are days when I haven't prepared my heart and mind to dispense that water. Maybe I rushed through my devotions or skipped them in favor of a few more minutes of sleep. Maybe I let the "little irritations" wear away at me, and my attitude is less than the best.

Those are times when I meet that hurting person (be it an adult or one of the little people living in my home) and I have nothing satisfying to give them. My store is depleted. I have to make them wait until I run to the Father to get more. Or I have to leave them to get something spiritually deficient in the "drive-thru" or drinking fountain of the world.

I want to keep my supply of living water fresh, clean and pure moment by moment! Then, I'll have something to offer when my little one needs a drink of the Living Water.

In Our Homes This Week

Joanna:  We had an ultrasound of our little beansprout this week, which was exciting! :) We're having our Church teens over to our house for a youth night.  And...Looking forward to vacation next week with my parents!! :)

Jessica: We've had a little bit of a lazy week. The leaves here are simply gorgeous, so we're hoping to get to the park and take those annual fall photos! Can't wait!

Jennifer: The potty training saga continues. I definitely think waiting until age 3 to start is the easiest despite one accident in the play area at gym class yesterday. In other news, Joey is bottle broke since he bit a hole in his last bottle. I guess my little ones are growing up whether I want them to or not!

Hospitality House

I don't claim to be an expert on this subject by any means; but I have had the privilege as a pastor's daughter, and now as a pastor's wife fo having many guests in our home. That can be a little overwhelming at times when you are already busy and have responsibilities. In fact, several times I have come home from trips only to turn around and have guests for the weekend! If you're not prepared ahead of time, this could be a less-than-perfect situeation for both you AND the guests! (I will admit, even if you are prepared, that is not an IDEAL situation!) :0)

So, how can you be ready at a moment's notice to show hospitality to your guests? Well, here are a few wasys I have used to keep myself prepared at all times, even for those unexpected visitors.

1. As soon as your guests leave, wash sheets and towels and freshen the room for the next guest. (If you do not have a seperate room I would still advise you to have a seperate set of towels and sheets that are designated for guest use only so that they will always be ready.)

2. Keep a wall plug-in air freshener ready to use in the guest room to keep the "stale" smell at bay.

3. Freshen the bathroom regularly so you're not embarrassed when unexpected visitors show up on your doorstep.

4. Try to keep your living room (or entryway) presentable at all times to avoid the last minute scramble.

5. Have on hand extra toiletry items to offer to those guests who may have forgotten something. I bring home the little shampoos etc from the hotel and keep them available for guests, as well as, travel size toothpaste.

6. I like to add a special welcoming touch when I have guests. So I always try to place something on thier bed for them to take home. It doesn't need to be anything big or expensive. I often use small candles or candybars. It's just a little way to make your guests feel special.

I realize that none of these are rocket science. However, they have helped me to keep on my toes when it comes to enteraining guests at a moments notice. Remember, that being prepared yourself you make your guests visit more comfortable and enjoyable as well.

I would love to hear any ideas or suggestions that you have on this subject!

Joanna LaVan is a child of the King, wife to her incredible husband, adoring aunt "nana" to her four favorite little people, and Pastor's wife to their Church people in Virginia. Her desire is to share with the world the wonderful reality of sins forgiven. In her spare time she enjoys Kayaking, reading, occasional scrapbooking, cleaning, blogging, and spending time with her wonderful family. She blogs about her life's happenings, and passions at http://www.lukeandjoannalavan.blogspot.com/ .

Stop and Pray

The morning started out pretty good even though we were behind schedule. The afternoon went fairly smoothly…at first. Then things took a downhill turn rather quickly. I don’t even remember everything that went wrong. The atmosphere grew tense, my nerves were tight, and I wasn’t handling things well. At all. I had felt pretty smug. But no more. I was ready to throw in the towel…if I could just find one to throw! As I was cleaning my little boy’s room and having my inward meltdown, I picked up some of his papers from Sunday School and a sticker on one of them caught my eye. It said, “Stop and pray.” So simple. Just “stop and pray”.

I had rushed through the duties of the day, mentally checking off my list with a self-centered satisfaction, and then I’d fallen apart when things went sour. I hadn’t relied on Him. When the day started to spin out of control, I didn’t “stop and pray”. I fretted and fumed. All of my good intentions and hard work meant very little to me by then. If only I had stopped to pray before I got to the point of speaking sharply to my husband and children and doing my part to curdle the atmosphere….

I need to remember “first things first”. Always and no matter what. Before I rush into the duties of my day, I need to meet with Him. That doesn’t ensure a trouble-free day, but it sure helps to start off on the right foot! Then, when something, or some things, or everything goes wrong at once, I need to do just what that little sticker said. It may not fix everything, but it will change my attitude and outlook. And that’s half the battle.

“Lord, help me not to wait until my day falls apart to turn to You. Help me to meet with You first. Then, when trouble comes, help me to stop and pray, knowing that You’re right there to offer help as soon as I need it…and even before.”

Jessica is a follower of Jesus Christ, the wife of an amazing husband, and the mother of four children who are the loves of her life. She is passionate about homeschooling, enjoys spending time with her family more than anything else,  would rather buy a new book than new clothes, is always starting on a diet, and thinks that chocolate is the next-best medicine to laughter. Other than reading, her favorite hobbies are music, decorating, blogging, and making attempts at photography. She blogs about this, that, and the other at www.itsthelittlethings4.blogspot.com.

Love In The Home

~Love in the Home~

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place, but have not love, I am a housekeeper--not a homemaker.

If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements, but have not love, my children learn cleanliness--not godliness.

Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh. Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.

Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk. Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.

Love is present through the trials. Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive. Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child, then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood

.

Love is the key that opens salvation's message to a child's heart.

Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection. Now I glory in God's perfection of my child. As a mother, there is much I must teach my child, but the greatest of all is love.
 

- Author Unknown

Jessica is a follower of Jesus Christ, the wife of an amazing husband, and the mother of four children who are the loves of her life. She is passionate about homeschooling, enjoys spending time with her family more than anything else,  would rather buy a new book than new clothes, is always starting on a diet, and thinks that chocolate is the next-best medicine to laughter. Other than reading, her favorite hobbies are music, decorating, blogging, and making attempts at photography. She blogs about this, that, and the other at www.itsthelittlethings4.blogspot.com.

Do All Married Couples Fight?

Any marriage counselor will tell you that all couples fight, and a good marriage will have mastered conflict resolution by learning how to fight fairly. I never quite understand this. Fighting brings images to my mind of two guys going at it at the flagpole behind the school and one emerging with a slightly less swollen black eye and crowing proudly, "You should see the other guy!" Is that really what I am to expect in marriage? I mean how do you "keep it fair" when you're beating someone up?

I realized that my definition of fighting could be off, so I consulted dictionary.com. Here's what I found:

• to engage in battle or in single combat; attempt to defend oneself against or to subdue, defeat, or destroy an adversary.

• an angry argument or disagreement:

These definitions seem to assume that my husband is my adversary and any disagreement we have must involve anger and arguing in an attempt to destroy each other. And this is supposed to be normal?!

Thankfully, (at least in this case) my husband and I are not usually considered normal. Although we've had a few disagreements and had to discuss them, I do not remember a time when we felt like adversaries or argued in an angry manner. Maybe it will come later since the marriage counselors say it happens to all couples.

While sharing a piece of cheesecake on our monthly date a few nights ago, I asked my husband what I should say to you about fighting. I want to be real with you, but I want to make sure the definitions are clear.

Have we been angry with each other? Yeah. Have we misunderstood each other? Sure. However any disagreement is always followed by a discussion to resolve it quickly. This is because we are on the same team and do NOT consider ourselves adversaries. We don't raise our voices and insult each other. We don't try to hurt one another even with words or insinuations. That is how one fights an adversary. It is not how one resolves conflict with the person they love the most in the world.

What do you think? Do all couples fight? What exactly does  fighting in marriage look like?

By the way, my husband did give me an answer but it's a little fuzzy since we were in conflict for the last bite of cheesecake. Only kidding! I'll tell you what he said in next week's post.

Jennifer Self is a disciple of Jesus Christ who loves following His plan for her life as a wife to the most wonderful man in the world and mama to four little blessings. Her days are filled with spending time with her man, homeschooling, preparing reasonably healthy meals and keeping the dust bunnies and the clutter monster at bay with a little blogging mixed in. After her family has been taken care of, she dabbles in her other passions of reading, health and music. She blogs about her life, her Heavenly Father, marriage, parenting and home at www.joyeverafter.blogspot.com and real food for real families from the perspective of real faith at www.growingreal.net.

The Real Scoop on Beverages

I'll never forget the first time I heard someone speak on healthy eating. I sat in awe at things I'd never heard of before with a bit of skepticism and inner eye rolls, I must admit. I heard the speaker explain about the danger of  just about every food I'd ever eaten and of those I was giving my children. I had many questions, but the one I actually asked was, "What on earth do I give my kids to drink?" I'll never forget her sweet smile as she replied that the best drink for children was clean, pure water. I remember thinking that I could never get my kids to drink water.

I'm going to skip the science on the following information since it is readily available in many great books and online. This is just a starting point for you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions about what works for your family regarding beverages.

What's really wrong with pop (a.k.a. soda or fizzy drinks)?

If you take a look at the ingredients of a can of pop, there are really no good ones. All of them have harmful or potentially harmful effects on health. The two top reasons I don't like my kids to have much pop are the corn syrup/sugar that depresses the immune system and the combined ingredients that actually draw calcium from their bones which are growing at this stage of their lives.

But I give my kids sugar-free drinks!

Yes, sugar is something to limit or avoid in children for a myriad of reasons, but what replaces the sugar in those drinks? If it is what I call "fake" sugar, I believe it is worse. Artificial sweeteners make the body crave more food since it is promised sweetness in taste but isn't actually getting it. This can cause obesity. They are also known to cause neurological problems and cancer in lab animals. If they caution pregnant women and babies against them, then I don't think they are good for children or non-pregnant women either.

So juice has to be the answer!
Not exactly. God designed fruit and vegetables for us as the most perfect foods for health. Each fruit or vegetable is a complete package with everything we need to digest and use the nutrients. When we take only the juice out of these fruits and drink it in large quantities, we are just drinking the sugar from the fruit. We were not intended to consume that much sugar, natural though it may be.

What other options are there?

I will tell you how we consume beverages in our home. This is not the only or the perfect way. I'm only telling you to give you some ideas if you're new to healthy beverages. We are not yet to the drinking only water point, nor do I expect us ever to be.

With the children, I try to limit any beverages besides water to meal time. They each have their own water bottles which they keep in the fridge and sip on if they get thirsty. For breakfast, they either have 100% juice diluted with water about 3:1 (my 9-year-old gets more juice than that and my baby gets less) or Emergen-C. I put 1/2 packet in a glass of water for each kid. At lunchtime, we usually just drink water. For supper, I usually make northern sweet tea (meaning I don't put so much sugar in it is syrup-y, but it still tastes sweet). Sometimes in the afternoon, my daughter will make some hot tea. She loves herbal teas, but occasionally she drinks green or black--whatever we have on hand. You will notice that milk is absent from this list. I do give my kids milk up until they are 2, but I don't encourage it after that. I think milk was created to nourish baby cows (not humans); and I don't have a source for raw, unprocessed milk so we don't use it much as a beverage.
As for adults, I'm not against caffeine. It doesn't seem to have any negative effect on me unless I drink it in excess. If I skip caffeine for a day or two, I don't seem to have any withdrawal effects, either. I do try to limit it and only drink it in naturally occurring sources. I drink my morning coffee and sometimes afternoon coffee. I like to make a bottle of green tea and add my full packet of Emergen-C to it. I occasionally drink pop, but when I do it seems all I can taste is the corn. Ugh! Our family abstains completely from alcoholic beverages. We feel that the negative health effects outweigh any positive health effects such as those touted by red wine enthusiasts. The moral complications also cause us to avoid them as they seem contrary to wise living.

Where do we go from here?

My personal goal for myself and our family is to completely eliminate pop. I have done this with artificially sweetened products. They simply never come into my home and I never allow my kids to drink them elsewhere with my knowledge. I'd love to find room in our budget to purchase raw milk (or at least not homogenized) for my baby and our cooking needs. Since I'm not a milk lover, cultured dairy seems unappealing, but I would like to try it sometime. Although I enjoy my tea unsweetened, I just can't see my family accepting that. But who knows? I never thought my kids would love their water bottles!

LInks for Further Reading

MARRIAGE:
Couple Married 72 Years Dies Holding Hands @ Noble Womanhood

CHILDREN:

http://sweeterthanhoneyhs.blogspot.com/

Jessica's Note: I just found this blog through a link-up on Raising Homemakers (http://raisinghomemakers.com/). A mom shares a glimpse into her homeschool. I love blogs like this!

HOME:
Time Saving Cleaning Tips

In Our Homes this Week

Joanna: After traveling 12 hours to get home from my brother's wedding, we jumped right into the rigors of Sunday!  Now we're having our weekend revival and a memorial service for a family member of one of our church people.

Jennifer: Since returning from our long weekend away, (Congrats to my brother and his new wife on a beautiful wedding!) we have been potty training in earnest. Those two events make for a lot of laundry!

Jessica: We went on a field trip to an apple orchard and had such a great time! I never did have that yard sale--think I might do it this Saturday. Maybe. At this rate, I won't have it until next June....

Creating A Taste for the Real in Our Children

I want my kids to like real food. As you've probably already surmised, it is a passion of mine. I do my best to give them whole foods at least 80% of the time.

However, the reality is they just might grow up and decide that they'd rather eat a regular diet of french fries and powdered doughnuts.  While that would be disappointing to me, the real tragedy would be if they grew up to feast on the imitation food of the world rather than the whole, real food of the Spirit.

The Word of God tells us to taste and see that the Lord is good. We can argue about Scripture and discuss theology, but all God asks is for us to figuratively take a big bite of His Word for ourselves. When we taste the superior flavors of the real, we can recognize the world for what it is---cheap, imitation.

My job as a parent is to feed my children the real thing: to so saturate their taste buds with authentic Biblical truth that the moment they bite into the forbidden fruit, they come away with a bitter taste in their mouth.

I offer them the Bread of Life, so that the world's bread--stripped of nutrients and void of much but fillers--leaves them hungry and longing. Longing for the satisfaction that only He can give.

How Do I Get My Kids to Eat Real Food?

A big problem for those that are transitioning to the real foods is getting their children to go along with it. It's hard enough to give up your Coke, but taking the goldfish crackers away from your two-year-old? Especially if that is one of three food groups he will eat. (Not that I would ever give goldfish crackers to my child or that one of my children would be that picky. Ahem.)

The simple thing would be to hook up an IV at birth giving them straight whole fruits and vegetables. Hmmm....that's probably the idea behind eating so healthfully in pregnancy. I don't know about you, but in the early weeks of pregnancy, lettuce and broccoli just didn't do anything for me except trigger a gag reflex.  (Not that I would ever live on white English muffins, saltines, ginger ale and fruit snacks in early pregnancy. That would just be horrible nutrition!)  

Anyway...
Since IVs at birth are not plausible and moaning about what one ate during pregnancy is not helpful when you have children seated around the table, what is a parent to do?

1. Skip the baby food. Haven't we all looked at that little jar of pureed green beans and thought, "Yech!" And can anyone tell me why the jarred bananas are pink?!

One of my children had a total of 3 - 5 jars of baby food in his whole life. He grew just fine. In fact, people loved to pinch his cheeks, he was such a "filled-out" little baby.

It's cheaper to buy a bunch of bananas, leave them sit on the counter for a few days, then mash them with a fork. Or buy a big jar of natural applesauce that actually stays on the spoon long enough for you to get it to the baby's mouth. Use your blender and you can puree the real green beans yourself. I think (in my obviously non-expert opinion) this goes a long way towards developing a baby's taste for real foods later on.

2. Give it to 'em straight. I'll never forget the first time my oldest son had a broccoli casserole he promptly spit it out with the exclamation, "Mom! There's something in my broccoli!" I haven't made another one since. We just eat it "straight" with some sea salt and occasionally some real cheese.

3. Don't bring junk into the house. I think it was Kevin Leman, child psychologist, who had a mother come to him moaning that her child would eat nothing but junk food. He asked her how the boy was making the money to buy it and  from what store he purchased it. She had to sheepishly admit that she bought it and brought it home herself.

The answer is obvious. If it's not there, they won't eat it. Probably the "junk" they get elsewhere won't be enough to do damage if they aren't getting it at home. (At least that's what I'm hoping! Not that I ever allow my children to eat chicken nuggets and french fries on road trips! I mean that would just be ridiculous with my writing a blog post like this!)

4. Don't make food a big deal. The truth is that at some point, if your child thinks carrots or broccoli is a big deal to you, he will simply refuse to eat it. Kids are smart like that. They know how to do power plays. (Not that I would have any experience with a child like that. Of course not!)

Offer the real food and limit the junk food, but don't overreact if your child refuses the good and leans toward the "bad". The simple truth is, when they are hungry, they will eat. If there is something real to eat, they will eat the real food. Sooner or later.

Keeping your Home Under Control

One of the ways to keep your home a place of comfort and peace is to keep things organized and clean. However, we all know that is easier said than done sometimes! There are a few easy ways that will help to keep things under control that don't take up a lot of time. They only require daily doing. I thought I would share with you a few tips I have learned along the way. Simple things that make a BIG difference!

#1 Clorox Wipes: I keep a container of these under my bathroom sinks for easy access. After we are finished in the bathroom for the morning, I just quickly wipe down the surfaces and fixtures. Saves time on serious scrubbing later!

#2 Consistent Pick-Up: Each morning (as a general rule), as a part of my routine, I quickly walk through the main rooms (for us, it's the kitchen and living room) and pick up the clutter that doesn't belong there and return it to it's "home". By doing it regularly, you avoid the last-minute rush when unexpected visitors show up on your doorstep!

#3 Spray and Wash: This has become one of my allies against those "impossible to remove" stains. When I use linen napkins and tablecloths for company they sometimes appear as if they are completely destroyed after the meal! But a good scrubbing with spray and wash can get even some of the toughest stains out!

These are just a few of the ways I use to keep my home "under control". What little tips work for you?

Joanna LaVan is a child of the King, wife to her incredible husband, adoring aunt "nana" to her four favorite little people, and Pastor's wife to their Church people in Virginia. Her desire is to share with the world the wonderful reality of sins forgiven. In her spare time she enjoys Kayaking, reading, occasional scrapbooking, cleaning, blogging, and spending time with her wonderful family. She blogs about her life's happenings, and passions at www.lukeandjoannalavan.blogspot.com .

The Day God Came to My Kitchen

It had been a rough morning. I had been up with the baby at 5 after he had spit up his bottle and required a complete clothes and bedding change. I had made coffee and breakfast for my husband as he left the house. I had laid back down for "just for a while" and was awakened by children's voices, which meant I had no time for devotions and an unhurried cup of coffee. I had broken up several fights, listened to whines about the breakfast choices and now I was cooking breakfast still in my pajamas at 10:00 A.M. I was overwhelmed and discouraged and tears were threatening to spill. I settled the kids in their room to play and turned on Pandora Radio while finishing breakfast.

"As I walked through the door, I sensed His Presence," the first song began. "And I knew this was a place where love abounds, for this is His temple, Jehovah God abides here, and we are standing in His Presence on holy ground." Holy ground? As I looked down at the dirty dishes I was scrubbing, Ann Voskamp's words in One Thousand Gifts came to mind. How she thanked the Lord for the suds in her sink. Yes, this was holy ground and God's Presence was there beside me!

I felt such a sense of His nearness then. I wept, and poured out my praise to Him. Yes, my praise for the dirty dishes because that meant there were people I loved there to dirty them. My praise for sleeplessness because it meant I had a baby to care for. My praise for children who fight because it means I can be the one to train them to love. My praise for late breakfasts, disrupted plans, car problems and months where the month seems longer than the money because that is when God's Presence is the most real.

"In His Presence there is joy beyond measure, and at His feet, peace of mind can still be found. If you have a need, I know He has the answer. Reach out and claim it for you are standing on holy ground." the song continued. I couldn't help it. For only the second time in my life, I was compelled to bow low in the very Presence of God. There, in my pajamas, on the kitchen floor between piles of crumbs and strewn about refrigerator magnets, I bowed on my face before Him. He was really there, and all that my heart could feel was praise and thanksgiving!

Yes, that day God came to my kitchen, and I don't want Him to ever leave.



Jennifer Self is a disciple of Jesus Christ who loves following His plan for her life as a wife to the most wonderful man in the world and mama to four little blessings. Her days are filled with spending time with her man, homeschooling, preparing reasonably healthy meals and keeping the dust bunnies and the clutter monster at bay with a little blogging mixed in. After her family has been taken care of, she dabbles in her other passions of reading, health and music. She blogs about her life, her Heavenly Father, marriage, parenting and home at www.joyeverafter.blogspot.com and real food for real families from the perspective of real faith at www.growingreal.net.

20 Great Reasons to Homeschool

If you've read my bio, you already know that we homeschool our children. We feel very strongly about homeschooling, but we do our best never to appear judgmental or self-righteous to those who feel differently than we do!

We began our homeshooling journey several years ago when our firstborn was old enough for Kindergarten. Since my husband was working, I was the one who would be mostly responsible for teaching our children. I felt overwhelmed, inadequate, incapable, ill-equipped, and terrified. But here we are, about seven years later, and now...I feel overwhelmed, inadequate, incapable, ill-equipped, and terrified!

There have been some really tough times in our homeschooling years, but the blessings have made up for it over and over again. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Here, (some are tongue-in-cheek of course) are some great reasons to homeschool.

To my fellow homeschool moms, hang in there and keep up the great work! You're already being rewarded, even if you can't see it yet! Oh, and don't forget to have fun! 

Jessica is a follower of Jesus Christ, the wife of an amazing husband, and the mother of four children who are the loves of her life. She is passionate about homeschooling, enjoys spending time with her family more than anything else,  would rather buy a new book than new clothes, is always starting on a diet, and thinks that chocolate is the next-best medicine to laughter. Other than reading, her favorite hobbies are music, decorating, blogging, and making attempts at photography. She blogs about this, that, and the other at www.itsthelittlethings4.blogspot.com.

The Ties That Bind Us

I've heard marriage counselors speak about the issues that cause discord and drive wedges in a marriage. Children. In-laws. Money. Just to name a few.

Imagine these scenarios with me (totally hypothetical---any similarities to any real situations are purely coincidental):

Jim and Mary have had big dreams for children. The day finally comes when their home is blessed with a newborn. Mary is soon exhausted from sleepless nights and the full-time care of a little one. As the little one grows, she pours all of herself into making sure the child is clothed and fed and entertained. Jim gradually gets pushed to the back burner, and wonders if the relationship they had had before the baby came is gone forever.

Tom and Sue have only been married for a few months and his mother is driving them crazy. She calls multiple times a day and drops by unannounced frequently. She is rude to Sue and sickening sweet to Tom, making Sue feel like she has a rival instead of a new mother to love.

Bill and Jane both feel the tension building as they look over the month's budget. They have a small amount set aside and Jane wants to spend it on some new clothes. Bill really wants that new hunting rifle.The disagreement escalates into ugly words on both sides about the other's spending habits.

In my very non-expert thoughts, I've always wondered if these wedges are really intended to be ties. Things that, instead of drawing us apart, tie us together in a union made more inseparable through the passing years.

What if Jim and Mary looked at their child as a natural extension of their love and a happy addition to their home. Instead of letting the child replace their relationship, they can let him enhance it. Jim can offer to help Mary out with the baby, and Mary can set some time aside to spend with just him like they were used to before the baby's coming. The "wedge" of a new child could become a tie that binds them together with common purpose and joy.

Tom and Sue could let his mother become a "wedge" that drives them apart in marriage. Sue could repay his mother's rudeness with rudeness. Tim could allow his mother to keep their new home in an upheaval for fear of hurting her feelings. Or they could make this situation into a "tie". Sue could respond sweetly when Tim's mother makes rude comments. Tim could have a private talk with his mother and assure her that she is loved and not replaced as his mother but he won't allow her to interfere with their marriage. The two of them could work together on the common purpose of making his mother feel loved and accepted and needed by them so she wouldn't feel the need to interfere in their relationship.

Bill and Jane could keep holding onto their selfish interests and let money become a "wedge". Or they could let it become a tie. Bill could put Jane first and take her on a shopping trip with just the two of them and help her pick out some outfits they both love. Jane could put Bill first and go along when he purchases his hunting rifle and maybe even spend a morning in the tree stand with him. If there's not enough to do both, they could work together to save the money so both of them could buy something they enjoy while putting the other person first.

In each of these cases, the couples could come out on the other side of the conflict with a stronger marriage because they allowed it to tie them together rather than driving them apart.

What is a source of conflict in your marriage? Today, think of what you can do to take that "wedge" and use it to tie strings of harmony around the two of you.

Jennifer Self is a disciple of Jesus Christ who loves following His plan for her life as a wife to the most wonderful man in the world and mama to four little blessings. Her days are filled with spending time with her man, homeschooling, preparing reasonably healthy meals and keeping the dust bunnies and the clutter monster at bay with a little blogging mixed in. After her family has been taken care of, she dabbles in her other passions of reading, health and music. She blogs about her life, her Heavenly Father, marriage, parenting and home at www.joyeverafter.blogspot.com and real food for real families from the perspective of real faith at www.growingreal.net.

Switching to a Healthier Breakfast

I think one of the easiest meals to make changes to when switching to whole foods is breakfast. This is where I started "way back when".

Our "Before" Menu

Lucky Charms or Cap'n Crunch

Blueberry and Strawberry Muffin Mixes

Pancakes or Waffles from the WalMart freezer section with Mrs. Butterworth's syrup

Scrambled Eggs and White Toast with Jelly

Occasional Doughnuts from a local bakery

Orange Juice

Chocolate Milk

Coffee with flavored creamer and sugar

Our "After" Menu

Oatmeal

Granola with Frozen Fruit and Yogurt or Dried Fruit, Nuts and Milk

Occaional Cereal*

Homemade Whole Wheat Pancakes or Waffles with real maple syrup

Scrambled Eggs with Whole Wheat Toast and Fruit Spread or Homemade Strawberry Jam

Omelets or Frittata with Veggies and Cheese

Occasional Homemade Muffins

100% Juice (1:3 ratio juice to water)

Emergen-C packets in water

Coffee with natural sugar, no cream

We certainly didn't make all these changes at once!

I replaced our cereal with a sugary homemade granola. I've since learned how to make it using only raw honey and healthy oil along with some almonds and dried cranberries. Yum!

I made my own pancakes and waffles with white flour, then experimented on adding healthier flours and oils. We eat them once a week or less, so we do splurge on real maple syrup.

I started buying free-range eggs from a farmer and Simply Fruit jam by Smuckers. Although they told me they use no sugar, that stuff is a little suspicious to me because it tastes so sweet! We make our own strawberry jam with white sugar; however, I try to encourage plain butter, peanut butter or raw honey on toast instead.

I love coffee, but the switch to no creamer was easy. My husband started roasting his own coffee beans and it was so delicious there was no need for cream. I also prefer the taste of evaporated cane juice or sucanat. I've even used maple syrup or drank it unsweetened at times.

I know there are a lot more changes I could make.  

What changes have you made to make your breakfast healthier?

*I choose whole grain, fewer ingredients cereals and we eat them on Sunday mornings only since I still don't consider them very healthy. As an alternative to cereal, we also have our muffins on Sunday mornings when I am a bit less lazy more in the mood to cook.

We Won A Versatile Blogger Award!

Many thanks to Carrie at In The Sweet Sunshine for awarding Joy Ever After with a Versatile Blogger Award!

Not sure what that is? Well, I wasn't either, so I checked out her blog post linked above and here are the official rules for this award:

• Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.
• Tell your readers seven (7) things about yourself.
• Give this award to fifteen (15) recently discovered bloggers.
• Contact those bloggers and let them in on the exciting news.

Ah! You were just waiting for me to tell you 7 things about myself, I'm sure. As if I haven't told you enough already! O.K. here goes:

1. I dislike small talk. It always seems pointless to me to chat about the weather when it's already obvious. So, although I ramble a lot, I like it to be about something. :-)

2. I didn't play with baby dolls much when I was little. Maybe that's why I was rather at a loss when being handed my firstborn.

3. I didn't go to college. I was having too much fun meeting and marrying the guy of my dreams. Now, 12 years later, I see it was all in God's perfect plan for me!

4. I have to remind myself to hug my kids. It's not that I don't want to, I'm just not a very "touchy" person, so I don't think about it.

5. As a teenager, I would have rather sang in front of 1,000 people than stepped up to bat in a softball game with my peers.

6. I don't like surprises! If something is not planned ahead of time, I tend to get flustered. I'm working on this...

7. Except for a brief lapse in my mid-teen years and early in marriage, I always wanted 4 children with names all starting with the same letter.

Now, I'll share 15 recently discovered bloggers with you:

• Grace Full Mama - Learning to embrace life with grace and truth. I used to follow Joy on Stay-a-Home Missionary, so I'm so glad she's back in the blog world!
• Holy Spirit-led Homeschooling - I love the spiritual emphasis she places on homeschooling, because there's no way I could do it without Him!
• Whole New Mom - Real Food and Healthy Living – in a Whole New Way. I've learned so many delicious and simple (and budget-friendly!) recipes for our real food lifestyle from Adrienne.
• Sacred Mundane - I like Kari's devotional thoughts and the title of her blog just really hits home. God is in the small things of life!
• Doorposts of Your House - Such spiritual but practical advice for parenting!
• Frantically Simple - Heidi's humor cracks me up and she is a junk food addict turning real foods like me. Enough for me to like her and recommend her blog to you!
• A Delightful Home - Creating Peace and Joy Where It Matters Most. Exactly my goal for my home, too!
• Contented at Home - A newer blog by a new friend, Judy, which I find very inspiring (both Judy and her blog are inspiring, that is)!
• Macheesmo - Learning to Be Confident in the Kitchen. As a fledgling cook, I enjoy many of Nick's recipes so simply done and explained.
• Real Food, Allergy Free - Nancy and I commiserate occasionally about our children plagued with eczema. I applaud her efforts to raise at least that child completely "top 8" free!
• The Purposed Heart - Mindy's about page states: "The Purposed Heart is my little space on the internet to encourage other women in their faith, their kitchens, their homes, and their hearts." Sounds like just what I need! How about you?
• The Homeschool Classroom - So many neat ideas and much encouragement!
• Train Them Diligently - Mission: Enabling parents and grandparents to share and learn contemporary applications of Deuteronomy 6:7. 
• Like a Bubbling Brook - What happens when a woman with a master's degree stops her doctoral work to stay home with her kids to school them? Check out Jaime's blog about faith, family and whole foods to find out!
• I Take Joy - What mother aspiring to be God's best doesn't admire the sweet spirit of Sally Clarkson? Although I'm a long time reader of her books, I just recently began reading her blog posts. They do not disappoint.

Whew! That took awhile! Now I'm off to tell all of these bloggers about the nomination.

Marion's Favorite Honey Recipes

Baking with honey is always a great way to use it, while you lose the enzymes, you retain all of the minerals, pollen, etc. if you bake with unfiltered honey. Honey helps retain the moisture of baked goods, so if you have a recipe that always comes out dry, try replacing 1/2 of the sugar with honey (1/3 Cup for 1/2 Cup sugar). Make sure you also reduce the baking temperature. by 25*, as honey will brown and burn more quickly than sugar.

Here are a few of our favorite honey recipes :-)

  
Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 ¼ cup butter

1 cup cane juice crystals

¾ cup honey

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

3 ½ cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp salt

6 oz. chocolate chips

1 ½ cup walnuts

Cream butter, sugar, honey, eggs, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Chill several hours or overnight. Drop by rounded Tbsp on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 10-12 min DO NOT OVERBAKE!

 Chocolate Angel Food Cake

3/4 cup sifted flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cup egg whites

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. vanilla

2/3 cup honey

Directions:

Combine and sift together flour, cocoa and 1/4 cup sugar. Beat egg whites and salt with mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar and vanilla. Continue beating until stiff enough to hold peaks. Add honey 2 teaspoons at a time beating after each addition until just blended. Sift 1/4 cup of flour sugar mixture over egg whites, fold in by hand lightly. Repeat until flour/sugar mixture is used. Turn into ungreased angel food cake pan. Bake at 325* for 1 hour. Remove from oven and invert until cool.

Best Ever Corn Muffins

1/2 cup Butter, softened

2/3 cup White Sugar

¼ cup Honey

2 Eggs

½ teaspoon Salt

1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour

¾ cup Yellow Cornmeal

½ teaspoon Baking Powder

½ cup Milk

¾ cup Frozen Corn Kernels, thawed

Preheat oven to 400* and lightly grease a 12 cup muffin pan. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the honey, eggs, and salt. Mix in flour, cornmeal, and baking powder. Stir in milk until batter is smooth. Fold in corn. Spoon into prepared muffin cups. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until muffins are lightly browned.

Pumpkin Cake

4 eggs
1 cup coconut oil
1 ¼ cups honey
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 cups butternut squash (or pumpkin)
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
Dash of cloves
1 cup chopped raisins (or dates)
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 360 F. Grease and flour three 6x8 inch pans. In large bowl beat eggs slightly. Gradually beat in oil, honey, sugar, and squash. Add in flour, salt, soda, and spices. Mix well. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour 1/3 of batter into each loaf pan. Bake for forty minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 30 minutes.
Yield- about 24 servings - Calories- don’t ask :-)

Marion Yoder is a second-generation home-schooling mother of 4 (going on 5) little people. She and her husband, Joseph, live and work on his family's 190 acre farm in Holmes county Ohio. Marion started early with her love of all things natural, especially food, and has been learning more ever since. The Yoders raise bees, cattle, sheep, chickens, and heirloom veggies on their sustainable farm. Their goal is to provide local families with affordable foods raised  the way God designed them to be. They sell their wares at area farmers markets, as well as at the small store located on the farm.

Sweeter Than Honey

No matter how old one is, he would have to agree there is just something lovable about Winnie the Pooh. One just can't help but smile at the antics of that bear "all stuffed with fluff". I've read countless Winnie the Pooh books to my kids. The one thing that we all get from the story is the fact that Pooh loves honey. He doesn't just love honey....he consumes it and it consumes him. He literally seems to have it on his mind all the time.

I think of that when I read about God's Word being " sweeter than honey". Do I get as excited about God's Word as Pooh bear gets about honey? Is it always on my mind? Do I spend time thinking of how I can get more of God's Word?

In the busyness of life, it is easy to forget God's Word once we have had our "quiet time". I don't want to forget. I want to consume as much as I can of the Bible and have it consume me. One verse says, "O taste and see that the Lord is good!" I taste and He certainly is "sweeter than honey"!

Recipe for Satisfaction

With Fall quickly closing in all around us, I thought I would share one of my favorite Fall dessert recipes with you! I'm a big fan of Pumpkin, so if you are too I think you will really enjoy this fabulous dessert.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares

Ingredients:

Base
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Filling
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 eggs

Topping
2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Enjoy!

Joanna LaVan is a child of the King, wife to her incredible husband, adoring aunt "nana" to her four favorite little people, and Pastor's wife to their Church people in Virginia. Her desire is to share with the world the wonderful reality of sins forgiven. In her spare time she enjoys Kayaking, reading, occasional scrapbooking, cleaning, blogging, and spending time with her wonderful family. She blogs about her life's happenings, and passions at http://www.lukeandjoannalavan.blogspot.com/ .

Where Do I Shop for Real Food?

I would love to tell you that the grocery store in your town that has the lowest prices on everything is the best and only place to get real food. The fact is that most of the food in your grocery store is probably not completely real. Even if you stick to the parameters of the store like health professionals advise now; you will pick up produce sprayed with chemicals that are possibly genetically modified, meat from animals that have been shot with antibiotics and fed foods which God never intended for them to eat, and dairy products from those same animals.

So where do you get these real foods created by God? Unfortunately (unless you enjoy shopping for food as a recreational activity like I do), you will have to go to more than one place, especially if you don't want to spend a fortune feeding your family. There are many ways to do this, so I'm not telling you the "one way" to do it. I'm just going to tell you what I do in case it sparks some ideas for your own situation.

The Farm
I get as much of our food as I can from a local farmer. We buy half a side of grass-fed beef every year so the price per pound is very reasonable. Last year, we bought our chickens from them, too. I buy our eggs, cheese, and butter from them as well as honey and maple syrup. I purchase our grains in bulk through Something Better Natural Foods. Our farmer does a bulk order from them, and I purchase from him. If you want to find a great farm in your area, check out eatwild.com or localharvest.org. Word of mouth is also helpful---that's how we found ours.

Grow/Catch it Ourselves

We don't have very much space for a garden in the city; but we grow our own lettuces, tomatoes and peppers and a few other things we try differently every year. We pick our own strawberries every June at a pick your own farm. (You can find these at pickyourown.org.) My husband fishes, so most of our fish is what he has caught. A friend hunts, so we purchase venison from him.

Wholesale Club
We have a membership to a wholesale club in our area. They have the best deals on contact lenses, but we also get some of our food products there. I love a brand of fresh salsa they carry. We also get lunch meat there (this is not a real food item, but we only eat it once a week along with our nitrate-free beef bologna from the farm). I get shampoo there for all of us and frozen fruit. A few grocery items are cheaper there in bulk like tea, coffee filters and tomato sauce. Sometimes I buy produce there if I need a bulk amount.

Health Food Store
Next to the farm, my favorite place to shop is Earth Fare. My 3-year-old says, "We're at the Fair!" when we pull in. He has never been to a fair, so you can see what his mommy's source of entertainment is! :-) I can't buy near as much as I'd like there for budget reasons, but they do have great coupons, freebies and discounted items weekly so I take advantage of those. I like to get small quantities of bulk items to try (like quinoa, raw nuts, demerera sugar, etc.) there. I get some organic produce if they have a good deal on it. I only buy our fresh fish from there (other than the fish my husband catches).  I get my kids' Emergen-C there as well as any of my Garden of Life products. I occasionally buy natural toiletry items there (although the ones I have right now, they gave me for free for exchanging my "bad" ones!).

Discount Grocery Store
We have a great chain of stores in our state that has a lot of closeout items and is the best overall store for low prices. I get everything I can't get at the other sources here. They have a small organic foods section and they carry a wide variety of Bob's Red Mill products at great prices. Their produce is very reasonable and some is even organic.

Online
The more things I get delivered to me, the less I need to shop for. I love the Amazon Moms program for more than just food items. I get diapers and wipes through them and save 30% plus get them delivered straight to my door for free! This makes them cheaper per diaper than I can get at stores in my area. I get some personal products from them as well through the subscribe and save option. I order my cleaning supplies and coconut oil online from other companies.

Regular Grocery Store/WalMart
This is my least favorite place to shop, but I do have to run here for some toiletry items and for the occasional pork we might buy. There are a few things my discount grocer doesn't carry, so I stop by the regular store once in awhile for those.

I think that just about covers it. If you're thinking, "But what about all that gas running from place to place?!" be assured that I do not go to all of these every week. I  go to most of them monthly except for my discount grocer which I visit each week.

Where do you shop for real food?

What are you Cultivating?

Many of you may have grown a garden this summer to provide your family with fresh produce and nutrition. But how many of you planted a cucumber seed expecting it to produce a watermelon? No! You planted a cucumber seed fully expecting to reap a cucumber!


That seems a bit obvious in that type of a setting doesn't it? But what about the garden of your home? What kind of seeds are you sowing there that will reap spiritual benefits for your family? Do you sow seeds of discord, discontentment, anger and nagging? If so, what then do you expect to reap out of that, that is good for your family? If we want to reap good spiritual results in our homes, we must sow the correct seeds.


What are the correct seeds? Well, the Bible tells us in Galatians 5:22-23 that the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. These are the kinds of seeds that will reap beautiful fruit in our lives and in our homes if we allow God to water and cultivate them in our lives. We cannot have the kind of garden we need without allowing our Heavenly Father to dig around our roots, remove the weeds He sees in our lives, and give us the strength we need to grow.


What are you cultivating in the garden of your home?





Joanna LaVan is a child of the King, wife to her incredible husband, adoring aunt "nana" to her four favorite little people, and Pastor's wife to their Church people in Virginia. Her desire is to share with the world the wonderful reality of sins forgiven. In her spare time she enjoys Kayaking, reading, occasional scrapbooking, cleaning, blogging, and spending time with her wonderful family. She blogs about her life's happenings, and passions at http://www.lukeandjoannalavan.blogspot.com/ .

Are You Keeping Their Confidence?

Why is it that some parents think it's funny to blurt out something personal about their child in front of others? How is it humorous to cause your child to blush fire-engine red and die of embarrassment?

Sometimes our children tell us things that seem pretty trivial to us; but to them, it's really important, and they wouldn't tell just anybody. If you show interest in these "little things", and prove yourself to be trustworthy, it won't be so hard for them to be open with you when the "big things" come and they need someone in whom they can confide. You, Parent, should be the one they run to when they just need someone to talk to. They shouldn't be afraid that you'll grab the phone or go online to share it with your best friend as soon as you get the chance.

I recently heard someone speak of a father who didn't keep his child's confidence. He repeatedly shared with others things that she had shared with him, knowing that she didn't wish him to do so. Eventually, she stopped telling him anything.

I can't say that I've never failed in this area; I'm sure I have. But I've tried to be oh, so careful to let my children know that they can trust me with their problems, questions, and embarrassments.

Parents, when your child confides in you, don't take it for granted. Do everything possible to let them know that what they have talked about with you is safe with you. Even if it's something like a first crush, and it's so cute you feel like you have to share it, don't. The damage you will do to their trust isn't worth the chuckles you'll get from your appreciative "audience".

This may sound a little backward but, if you're not sure that your child wants you to repeat something they have told you, ask them if it's okay. Don't just think that since you're the parent you have the right to spill whatever you wish. It doesn't work that way. Ask their "permission" as it were, before you repeat it. You'll build a foundation of respect and trust that will last a lifetime.

When your children can confide in you and trust you with what they say, it helps to build their faith and trust in God in a huge way. It's true: how they think about you will most likely be how they think about God. What a huge responsibility we have!

If they can't confide in you, who can they talk to?

Jessica Geise is a follower of Jesus Christ, the wife of an amazing husband, and the mother of four children who are the loves of her life. She is passionate about homeschooling, enjoys spending time with her family more than anything else,  would rather buy a new book than new clothes, is always starting on a diet, and thinks that chocolate is the next-best medicine to laughter. Other than reading, her favorite hobbies are music, decorating, blogging, and making attempts at photography. She blogs about this, that, and the other at www.itsthelittlethings4.blogspot.co

Sweeter than Honey

This is a guest post by my friend, Marion Yoder, who keeps bees with her husband on their farm.

Honey.... the word brings to mind wholesome sweetness,  purity,  integrity. How could you possibly go wrong? The question we  really need to ask is, "Is honey all it's cracked up to bee?"   The answer is...... well,  complicated,  yes and no,  it depends,  ya know? I will try to clarify with answers to a few key questions. Hold onto your seats :-)

What is honey anyway?

No, it's not bee spit, like that kid in first grade insisted it is ;-) Honey is the secretions of flowers, collected and condensed by honeybees, to an average of 17% moisture. They must forage far and wide to get it, traveling up to 5 miles from their hive and tapping around a million flowers to make just one pound. One honeybee, in it's entire 6 week lifespan, will produce 1/12 of a  teaspoon of honey. Honey varies in color, flavor and composition depending on the flowers it was made from, but contains a blend of plant sugars, along with enzymes, minerals, and trace amounts of pollen and propolis (plant resins collected by the bees).

Does honey need to be refrigerated?

No, it doesn't. Honey has a high enough percentage of sugar that it should never go bad. Actually, honey found in the pyramids has been dated at 3-4,000 years old, and is still good!  Honey does darken with age, and may crystalize. It crystalizes most quickly at or around 46 degrees, which is why I recommend storing it in a warm cupboard rather than the fridge. :-)

                                                                     
Is raw honey better?

Absolutely! Right off the bat, raw honey tastes better, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. When honey is pasteurized, as most is, it is heated to 160* or higher. The point of this is twofold. When heated, honey gets a lot thinner, allowing it to be pumped through a super fine filter. This removes all of the pollen and propolis, as well as any fine crystals, making it more likely that it won't crystalize. Heating incidentally kills all of the enzymes as well, and changes the chemical structure of some of the sugars. The other reason for heating the honey, is to "sterilize" it, because we just shouldn't eat stuff that isn't you know, it might be (horrors!) good for us! Raw honey still contains all of the good stuff, and while it may crystalize more quickly, quite often it doesn't. Even if it does it is still fine to eat, it just has a different texture :-) I like it better for baking as it's easier to measure. The tiny bits of pollen in raw honey are what make it so good for allergies. Honey from your state likely contains pollen from plants you are allergic to, so if you take a teaspoon a day, your body gets used to those, and doesn't react as violently when it comes in contact with them. While it doesn't always work, many folks with allergies have been helped by this simple remedy.

I've heard there can be chemical residues in honey, is this true?

Yes, it is. The honey you find in the grocery stores, is usually from big companies that buy it wherever they can get it the cheapest (usually China, surprised?) and then bottle it under their name. The cheapest honey is generally from big beekeepers. These guys run 20-30,000 hives, and truck them all over, charging for pollination, which is their main income. To them, the honey is often just a "by-product". Riding a semi-truck is stressful to bees, and so there are a multitude of pests, pesticides, and other bumps in the road. The industrial beekeeper handles these stresses just like the industrial farmer. Throw chemicals and antibiotics at them! Bees store their honey in wax comb, and that wax soaks up chemicals like a sponge, releasing them into the honey in small doses. Often beeswax lasts 10-15 years, accumulating a huge load of heavy residues, things like organophosphates, oxytetracycaline, and fluvalinate. Beekeeping doesn't have to include this kind of junk, but when it doesn't, just like organic farming, it's more work.

The bottom line:
Know your beekeeper! Buy your raw honey from small beekeepers in your state that avoid the use of chemicals. Do this, and your honey will indeed live up to it's reputation :-)

Marion Yoder is a second-generation home-schooling mother of 4 (going on 5) little people. She and her husband, Joseph, live and work on his family's 190 acre farm in Holmes county Ohio. Marion started early with her love of all things natural, especially food, and has been learning more ever since. The Yoders raise bees, cattle, sheep, chickens, and heirloom veggies on their sustainable farm. Their goal is to provide local families with affordable foods raised  the way God designed them to be. They sell their wares at area farmers markets, as well as at the small store located on the farm.