When You are Facing a Storm

I wrote this posting more than two weeks ago, totally oblivious of the ranging storm brewing over my life How a dream would be crushed and my heart broken.  Looking back, reading my already written posting, I know even more now: It is True!

The Weather forecast for Saturday was one of the lowest temperatures I’ve ever experienced in the 17 years I’m living in Cape Town.  

image source

On top of it, storms were expected over the weekend too.  

Since it was Heidi’s birthday earlier the week, with chocolates involved 

(we did another Lindt Chocolate evening class) the smaller children experienced a bit of runny noses. By Friday noon you could feel the drop in temperatures and though we planned an outing of tennis and horse riding in the afternoon, we changed the plans and rather stayed indoors.  By Friday night it was freezing cold. We lit the fire at noon, but we had to constantly stoke it, to heat up the house. 

While we were cleaning the Kitchen after supper, we decided to keep the fire going during the night.  If we could put on fresh logs every hour, it may be possible to prevent the temperature in the house to drop.  It is so difficult to rise in the morning when it is so freezing cold.  At first the older children enthusiastically offered to take an hour slot each during the night to watch the fire, but I realized it would not work and released them.   As I already woke up quite a few times during the night to take care of little ones, I would check the fire. 

CJ and Josua provide a stockpile of logs for the night, and Christo put on quite a few logs before we went to bed. Michael called around midnight, slept in the extra single bed for little ones in our room for about an hour, but then I put him in bed with us. Sometime around 1am, little Daniel ran into our room, frightened by the extreme wind blowing outside, and jumped into the extra single bed. Every time I woke for a little one I put logs on the fire, and the fire did not go out. By 3am the pile of logs was gone and I had to go out and fetch some more wood.

It was freezing cold outside and a violent storm was raging. With nostalgia I thought back of how my ancestors did this every night during the winter months and proudly pushed through motivated by the thought of my family waking up in a warm house in the morning! 

With the new logs I stoked the fire for about half an hour, until it was crackling blissfully.  I then fell asleep next to little Michael, while watching the glow of the fire down the hallway  and listening to the peaceful breathing of my dear husband, on Michael’s other side. At 6am I woke up from my Hello Morning alarm. I couldn’t see the glow of the fireplace anymore and disappointedly jumped out of bed to check on what I expected to be a burnt out furnace. To my delight there were still a few tiny flames and within seconds I had it going again.  Only then did I realize the house was definitely warmer than other mornings and the extreme cold in the air was absent.  

While having my quiet time I become aware of our peaceful, warm house, while a storm was raging outside under extreme cold temperatures.  It was symbolic of what was happening quite often in our lives.   There are constantly storms raging in the spiritual realm. The enemy of our soul, is constantly wanting us to doubt God’s goodness, distrusting His intent, filling our minds with hissing lies.

“…my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  Eph. 6:10-12

Rick Joyner says in his book “Overcoming the power of evil“

In this spiritual storm I’m confident that God is very compassionate and merciful. Keeping me safe and warm, while I’m walking in His will for my life! “Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” Ps 121:4

I could barely manage to wake up frequently enough to keep the fire going, almost let the fire go out in the early morning hours. It took sacrificing to provide a warm home for my family in the morning. With my God I never have to fear that He will not be able to keep me warm and safe.  He already sacrificed His Son for me and He is watching over me with an everlasting love.

With love

Linnie

Kitchen Fun - Eatable Bird Nests!

We were driving back from music lessons one Thursday afternoon, when Andrew and David noticed bird nests in a thorn bush.  They immediately started to ask questions about the nests and being the Home Schooling Mom, I used the opportunity to answer the questions in as much detail as possible.  

Next David wanted me to get a ladder and get him a nest out of that exact tree, so he could have bird eggs and little birds.  For a few weeks, as we drove past the thorn bush, I had to explain over and over again why we couldn’t just take a bird nest out of a tree, when it dawned on me we needed to learn about birds and nests!  

And that is where I got the idea of kitchen fun, making edible bird nests, to supplement our Bird lapbook. They absolutely loved going with me to buy the ingredients, make the nests and obviously eat the nests!

I first saw it on Chasing Cheeros.  

You will need Corn flakes, marshmallows, vanilla essence, butter, coconut and mini muffin tin cups for shaping the nests. 

Melt a bag of marshmallows and ½ a cup of butter.

Pour in a teaspoon of vanilla essence.

Slowly mix in 4 cups of corn flakes

and a quarter cup of coconut.

Mix well.

Press the mixture in mini muffin tin cups to form the nests. 

Some butter on tiny fingers prevent the mixture to be too sticky!

After they are set, take them out of the muffin tin.

Put in the eggs, to finish the recipe!

Enjoy!

This posting is part of the 7th Homeschool Blog Carnival for 2012 with the theme Kitchen Fun.  

Hop over and read about all the fun activities in Homeschool families' kitchens.

With love

Linnie

Prayer

My personal question lately, “You really think it makes any difference, anything you pray? It’s just going to be what it’s going to be.”

And the answer so beautifully written in this piece by Ann Voskamp, 

“He hears us. He loves us. He has us. So whatever happens, He’s good and we’re good.”

"We don’t pray to get more from God — we pray to become more in Christ."

Read everything

Please pray for our family, as we go through a painful loss.

Much love

Linnie

So, What's Wrong with a C-Section?

As many of you may know, I’m passionate about having babies, raising babies and children as close as possible to how God intend it to do be.

Some time ago I wrote two postings on birth, additionally to my children’s birth stories -  ‘Are we still Designed to give Natural Birth?’ and ‘From a Perfect Normal Birth to a Caesarian in a Few Simple Steps.’

Since then I had much opposition and misunderstanding from friends, family and acquaintances on being very outspoken and adamant about natural births, in a normal, not-life-threatening-pregnancy, I longed to write an extra posting following my posting on Birth issues on “So, what is wrong with a C-section.” But time for proper research and writing was inadequate.

Since then my husband, Christo, who blogs at Natural Medicine Talk, started a Facebook page, Natural Health Discussion and following a series of discussions on the risks mothers run in trusting the medical profession blindly, he is busy writing a series on “How to have a healthy and natural pregnancy in spite of your gynecologist.”

Part 1, What is a Natural Pregnancy?

Part 2, What is an Unnatural Pregnancy?

And now Part 3 has been published: So what is wrong with a C-Section? 

As I was talking to a few ladies this morning, we have a healthy, young, mutual friend who is due to give birth any day now, I realized again how uninformed young women are of the risks and dangers of a C-section. All they hear is the benefits of a C-section. How much easier and convenient it is during a time when, as they observed, the mother is hormonally, emotionally and physically exhausted and just can’t be pregnant one day longer than necessary! 

They were shocked when I explained to them just some common risks like:

• The painful weeks after the birth, due to a major surgical procedure. So painful, you need schedule 6 & 7 drugs to cope with the pain, while trying to take care of a newborn baby;
• The Possible organ failure in baby due to the schedule 6 & 7 drugs, the mother receive afterwards for her major surgical procedure and which enter the baby through nursing. Would you like to give your newborn baby a scheduled 6 & 7 drug?

Did you now:

• Breastfeeding is prone to fail due to the sedative drugs, given to the mother while performing the C-section, and the separation of baby and mother, while they are taking care of the mother after baby has been taken out;
• Your baby has an increased risk of constipation and colic, due to the lack of friendly bacteria ingested by baby while being born through the birth canal. Trust me, it isn’t fun to see a constipated baby.

And then there is increased risk of postpartum bleeding and depression and the possible decrease in brain development of baby’s born pre-term...

But read more for yourself, here…


Please Note:  The aim of this posting is to inform young, first time mothers who only hear the positive side of a C-section. Not at all to condemn or judge women who had a lifesaving, absolute emergency C-section.

With much love

Linnie

What has Thanksgiving to do with Time?

When was the last time you counted the Gifts out of our Father's hand? 

One of my children's #1 love language is gifts. She's constantly looking out for things to give as a gift to her family members. She will draw a picture and put it next to our bed, she will make cards for birthdays, and we have quite a few of those lately, thus she is busy. She will tidy up my dressing table while I make the little ones asleep, or she will arrange a hot water bottle for me before she goes to bed.  

But this is only one part of the satisfaction of the person whose love language is gifts. The other half is the recognition of her act of love.  She absolutely flourish under the appreciation. Her life is overflowing when she can give and the one who receives enjoys her gift.

But

To my shame I’m often too busy and miss her efforts and gifts of blessing. Then one of her siblings or my husband will subtlety draw my attention to her work. She is constantly in anticipation, "Did Mommy see?"

How often are we too busy to see God's love language to us - His gifts which are all around us? Gifts to make us aware of His omnipresence.  

Gifts that make me remember;

give thanks;

change the tone of the day. 

“Every moment I live, I live bowed to something. And if I don’t see God in the moments, I’ll bow to something else.”  Ann Voskamp 1000 Gifts

I’ve noticed that the more I’m busy, the more I worry and the more I feel overwhelmed, impatient, frustrated or angry and the more I become empty. 

“We only feel one emotion at a time so it’s impossible to give thanks and feel fear or anger.”  Ann Voskamp 1000 Gifts.

The busyness and strive of every day life change when I live intentional here and now - looking out for God’s Hand of blessing in and around my present life, counting the gifts. Counting the gifts slow down time, and when time slows down, I’m able to live a life in full attention and thankfulness, which fill the emptiness of the rushed life and bring forth joy!

“It’s joy of the small that can make life large, and all wonder and worship can only grow out of small and humble things.”

Do you need time? 

“Thanksgiving makes time.”  Ann Voskamp 1000 Gifts.

For the month of July, I want to challenge you to make time for God. Slow down time by counting gifts and experience the miracle, the miracle of abundance!

“Life is not an emergency. Life is thanksgiving!”  Ann Voskamp 1000 Gifts.

Keep counting!
Linnie

What is a Natural Pregnancy?

This is the first in a 5 part series Christo Lues has written on "How to have a natural pregnancy, in spite of your gynecologist." 

The first part explains 'Natural Pregnancy'.

Being pregnant and giving birth are natural life experiences for which a woman's body is well designed. In most of the world, women labor and give birth with midwives, as they have throughout history. No matter what anyone says: pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and mothering are natural processes. 

Wouldn't you agree that they have worked pretty well so far (for the last few thousand years)? Without it, none of us would have been here! 

Natural pregnancy is where, after conception, the mother lives a normal life as before. 

Read more...

With love
Linnie

A Party and A Test of Faith

This year Danika and Andrew’s birthday party was a true test of faith, and once again God showed me He knows best and I can afford to trust Him - with everything! Even something as insignificant as a birthday party.

Six of my 8 children’s birthdays are in the winter months, and since we live in the Western Cape of South Africa, we not only suffer icy cold temperatures, but rain, rain and more rain!  Over the past 18 years, I got used to pray for sunny weather, weeks before birthday parties and always had a plan B up my sleeve.  Many of these party dates happened to be cloudy, rainy days, but God was always faithful - not one single time did it rain during the two hours of the party!  

Since the older three children started tennis in September last year, there is constant tennis fever in the house!  In February the children persuaded me to also get a tennis racket and tennis outfit and in March, Danika, Andrew and David started their tennis lessons as well!  In the beginning of the year Danika and Andrew, who have their birthdays one day apart, begged me to have a tennis party this year. I thought it a brilliant idea, but oh, it is the middle of the winter. Not quite the right weather for a tennis party!

Despite all this, we decided to go for it and prayerful planned the party.  Two weeks before the party I started to check AccuWeather. Saturday, the 9th would be a cloudless, sunny day!  But as the 9th approached, the weather changed. On the Wednesday before the party the clouds picked up, by Thursday it rained non-stopped and we measured 35mm in one day.  Friday wasn’t much better and according to AccuWeather the constant rain would become showers only by Saturday afternoon, and the sun would shine by Sunday!

I really tried hard to keep my faith and hope, but by Friday morning I had to face the facts.  The most interesting of all was that everything else about the party was playing out perfectly.  All the special friends could make the party. The party would be a celebration for 4 children’s birthdays. One, the boy of a Friend, who would have a newborn baby the next week. 

So there was no way we could move the party. I was stressed out. How would we be able to keep 30 children busy in the tennis club house, while it was pouring outside?  And what about Andrew en Danika who were passionately looking forward to their tennis party?

After crying it out on my dear husband’s lap, I realized I can do nothing about the weather, I prayed without cease for days and just have to trust the Lord and enjoy the preparations and the day with the children. 

With all the discipline inside of me, I managed to have an exciting Friday with the children, decorating the cake and cupcakes.

All the time I was waiting, hoping, trusting for the miracle. God opening the clouds and sending a bright, clear sky on Saturday morning. Came Saturday morning the first thing I heard after the alarm went off, was the sound of rain…  It rained even more than what was forecasted!  I started the morning like usual with my Hello Mornings Bible study - Love Like Him, and the whole time prayed that God will make a way, or give me peace to accept it and miraculously let the children still enjoy the party.

Came 9:30 the boys were sweeping the court and trying to get the excess water off the courts!  In this they were having a ball, even more when the party friends arrived, who grabbed more brooms to sweep the court, while it started to drizzle!

10:00 came and a sliver of sunshine broke through the clouds and the rain stopped.  We decided to take the chance to play outside and CJ, Heidi-Mari and Josua started the games.  

The children loved it and it struck me, that the weather actually didn’t bother them.

Twenty minutes into the games, it began to drizzle and soon it was pouring.  We quickly went inside the clubhouse and started the party, blowing candles, 

prayed for the birthday children,

handed out cupcakes.

Soon the children formed groups and were having fun, chatting and munching away party food!  

Half-an-hour later the clouds opened and the sun brightly shone down on the wet courts, all the children were out in seconds and the games started all over again.

  

It didn’t rain again, and by 11:30 the sun was shining warmly and the courts were dry.  The children had a blast and they were not bored for one moment or even concerned about the rain, to the contrary it added to all the excitement.  The rain was only bothering me…  It was my faith that was crumbling under my expectations.

This just reminded me again that God is more concerned about my holiness than my happiness.  God wants each of His children to grow in faith, hope, love, holiness - becoming mature Christians lacking nothing, who can go out and change the world.  

I experienced this first hand with my children.  When I’m only concern about keeping my children happy, I’m raising spoiled brats.  I want to raise young, content adults who show the fruit of the spirit, and that is not possible if I jump to every demand they have. Not long ago I read in an Above Rubies magazine, “Say No to your children, more.” The focus when raising children is not to keep them happy at all costs, quite the contrary.  They are born with the tendency to preserve themselves and be discontent - the sinful nature.  We as parents can only break that disposition by training them to lay aside their selfish nature and model to them a content, satisfied and peaceful character in every situation.

But do we as parents allow God to train us into content, satisfied and peaceful adults?  Aren’t we even worse than a two year old throwing a tantrum when things don’t go our way? I almost felt like a two year old who wants to throw all her toys out of the cot, when it seemed like God wasn’t going to change the weather! I had to remind myself quite a few times to practice patience and believe that God would turn this out for my good - He has a plan, clearly not my plan, but it is the best plan.

 

I think unknowingly we believe that when we are Christians all things will go well in our lives (after all God is on our side, isn’t He?) and we will not experience difficulty and hardship when we follow His plan for our lives.  When reading John 15 it is clear God prunes us to bear more fruit. Pruning isn’t without much pain and distress. When God prune us, He is taking away things in our lives, which we still like, so we can focus our lives more to Him.  Do we resist when God prunes us, or do we allow Him to take away what isn’t important in His eyes and be content?

Then we read in James 1 we ought to count it all joy when we fall into various trials to test our faith.  This is exactly what happened to me. God was testing my faith big time, through something as insignificant, but important to me, as a tennis party for my children.  How often does God do this?  The God I know does it quite regular in my life.  My response can be to throw a tantrum, make a new plan, compromise... or I can submit to God, which will produce patience and a growing in faith experience.  In 1 Peter 1 we get even more information on this testing of our faith.  It will only happen if need be, to test the genuineness of our faith, like the purifying of gold through fire.  A few verses further someone who submit to God in testing periods, is called an obedient child, someone who does not conform himself to his former lusts in ignorance.  He calls such a person, holy!

I am a mother, and I believe most of my readers are mothers, so in your lives most probably too, children is God’s main tool of putting me through trials and tribulations to test my faith. This makes me holy and prune my life from unwanted and unimportant activities. This isn’t surprising as we read in 1 Timothy 2 women will be saved (become more holy and content) in childbearing (accepting their role as mothers) if they continue in faith, love and self-control.

Therefore I want to encourage every mother who is giving her life to bear and train up Godly children, to lift your head up high! Your are doing a great and mighty work.  You are tested to your limits, but the reward is more than you can think or imagine! God began a good work in you and will continue this great work in you (Phil 1:6) if you allow Him. 

Don’t compromise dear mother, don’t fall for worldly solutions to fix you trial, keep your eyes on Jesus and He will bring it to pass. 

Danika, Andrew’s, DuPré and Yaron’s birthday party was a huge success! 

The children could easily play for a few more hours, especially after the two days of pouring rain! 

And I …

I have grown up a little more too!

Much love

Linnie

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