4 hours ago
I just looked back in the blog archives and saw that I apparently haven't shared a Wednesday Five post in almost a year! That is unacceptable, because these posts are so simple to put together. They give me a simple chance to share some good finds, or a bit of encouragement, without having to sit down and outline a more intensive article-type post. I am making a goal of sharing one of these every other week over this homeschool year (or at least once a month?), and this is the first installment!
A Quote
"For my own part, I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others. I believe that many who find that 'nothing happens' when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand."
-C. S. Lewis
I share this quote because if you replace the "pipe in their teeth" with "a cup of tea on the table", this perfectly describes my own experience with trying to read more Puritan books. I have been more moved, inspired, and convicted by the Puritans than any modern devotional book I've ever read, and whenever my devotional time starts to feel dry, I pick up a selection from my little stack, and it's a breath of fresh air. Highly recommend reading the Puritans if you never have - currently I'm reading Contentment, Prosperity, And God's Glory by Jeremiah Burroughs, and I think it would be a great choice for dabbling in Puritan writings, especially as Americans (as we are pretty wealthy compared to much of the world).
A Recommendation
I recommend you try making evaporated milk ice cream. I first came across this concept on a random recipe forum, when a commenter explained a traditional Mexican guava ice cream recipe. You don't need a churn, you don't need any fancy ice cream equipment, and the first time I made it last year I didn't even have guava, so I substituted orange juice concentrate. It turned out so yummy, like an orange creamsicle, and my kids have brought it up so many times since then.
I finally got around to making another batch recently, with raspberries this time, and it was delicious. For a very rough, basic idea of the process, you refrigerate an unopened can of evaporated milk until it is very cold, then you whip it up with a hand mixer, add sugar and some sort of fruit puree, and then freeze it. I can't find the original recipe I used (like I said, it was literally just typed in a comment on a forum I've long forgotten), but I'll try to type up an actual recipe to share soon.
A Bit Of Nature
I have to re-share a couple more wildflower pictures. This was the most glorious bit of nature from our summer!
A Book
I've been reading alot of books that were “just okay” lately, so I don't have any firm recommendations in the book category. I did recently start one called The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay, set in East Germany during the Cold War, and so far it’s promising! I will share a reading round-up at the end of September, so keep any eye out for that to see how it turns out.
A Moment Of Happiness
Autumn is approaching, and as I reflect on our summer, I am all too aware that I have a limited number of free summers left with my kids. Every year I feel pressure to squeeze in as much fun as we can and make alot of memories while we have them, especially in the warmer months.
Unfortunately, prices have gone up for practically everything (if you haven't noticed), and between that and several home appliance repairs, our wallet was feeling a little thin. It was necessary to change my expectations for what kind of summer memories we could make this year, because the memory-making part is not optional.
To save money, we recently changed our idea for a day trip to a mountain town festival and swapped our plans for a more local hike. It turned out to be just beautiful. The day was sunny and unusually warm for the mountains, we walked along a completely deserted trail. We saw so many flowers, we enjoyed a snack under a bristlecone pine, and we made plans to come back soon on a day when we could walk a little farther. On the out, we ran into some horseback riders, and my sweet, social kids had such a sophisticated little conversation with them as they stroked the horses' necks and gave them treats.
It was a whole afternoon of simple, satisfying enjoyment, for only a few bucks of gas. In leaner times, I might have to let go of some of my ideas, but that doesn't mean I have to let go of making good memories with my family. Good memories don't have to cost a thing.
Regardless of the state of your wallets, I hope you too are finding ways to make good memories with your loved ones as we tumble into the fall.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
