Examine Yourself

Lord willing, I will try to start posting every Lord's Day a sermon--either an audio clip or an article--that I have heard recently that was particularly edifying. Entitled, "Examine Yourself," by Paul Washer (director of the HeartCry Missionary Society), this message helps one to determine, biblically, "Am I saved?" He uses the passages 1 Corinthians 13:5 and 1 John to make his case.

Click here for the audio file.
(Click here to download the mp3 to your computer.)

Windy the Pack Mule

(No worries, the burden didn't stay on longer than about two minutes. The backpack kept sliding off.)

12

Happy Birthday, Jay-El! We love you!

Colorful Play

Here's Kaleb's set-up. The firemen are hosing down tall buildings that were set ablaze by the arsonist clowns.

Sunset at Our Doorstep

This stunning sunset was a gift from the Lord at the end of our day.

Sunday Afternoon Popcorn

A Small Bit of Schoolwork

Copywork

Geography

Scripture Cross Stitch Project

Over the past couple of weeks I have been working toward trying to get more Scripture passages up around the house to adorn our walls. Seeing as how I have many such passages, and several of them are very long (Genesis 1:1-2:3, for example), I'm not sure yet how to create the different projects that will allow me to frame large blocks of text and have it look attractive. (Some ideas are bead work, and, much more complicated, handmade paper with hand printed words.)

However, some of the smaller verses can easily be cross stitched and framed. With that in mind, I headed up the creation of the verse patterns and the obtaining of the proper materials, and am outsourcing the actual cross stitching to Kelley Rose.

I realized that it would be very tedious and difficult for me to draw up each of the designs by hand on graph paper, so I ran a couple of quick searches on the internet and found this free program in particular.



Here is a screen capture of the program. Here's the link for the lettering.


The materials


Here Kelley Rose is getting ready to start on the project.

Stay tuned!

Music Review: Gods and Generals

I first saw the film Gods and Generals when my father took me to the theater. I enjoyed the film as an experience, but it wouldn't be until 2005 when I truly understood and appreciated it.

While a review of the film is not the goal of the post, I believe I should say a word or two about it. In an age when almost any war film made within the last sixty years or so is rated R for violence, language, or content even worse, this film is surprisingly mild, despite its PG-13 rating. The film (which is based on the novel by Jeff Shaara) focuses heavily on General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson as a father, a general, and a spiritual leader. Unfortunately, for reasons of being "too religious" and "pro-Southern," the film did poorly at the box office, from what I understand. Being over three hours in duration didn't help its case, either. Reportedly, director Ron Maxwell strove to keep the violence in the film to a minimum, and I am grateful for his effort. The battle scenes are mild in their depiction of blood and violence, compared to other war films. The bad language is, comparatively, almost nonexistent. There are parts when the story could have been sped up, but overall, the film is well done. Here is a much more detailed review of the film as a whole, and here is a review on specifically the historicity of it.

The score is also well done. Composed by John Frizzell (the primary composer for this score, who previously wrote for mainly B-rated horror flicks) and Randy Edelman (the composer for this film's sequel, Gettysburg), the score for Gods and Generals is a beautiful collaboration of ethnicity and the conventional orchestra. I will briefly write about notable songs on the album, but for those interested in more detail, this review will be helpful.

"Gods and Generals," the first score cue on the CD, is a magnificent orchestral rendition of one of the several great themes in the score. My favorite part is the climax, about a minute into the track, where the entire orchestra plays the theme, complete with percussion and bells. (Bells can be very effective in music.)

The fifth cue, "Lexington Is My Home," is briskly paced, compared to the previous tracks on the disc. About one minute into the track, the two primary instruments, the piano and fiddle, join in a duet with the rest of the orchestra in the background. The result is very pretty and is one of my favorites.

"No Photographs" is the fifteenth track on the CD and is uncharacteristically fast and bouncy. Essentially, the main theme throughout the piece is the beginning of "My Heart Shall Not Fear", but played much more quickly. A pizzicato rhythm plays throughout the entire piece, giving it its light, joyful feel. I have included the track below--if it doesn't play after a minute or two, try again later. Sometimes the program seems to be slow.




"VMI Will Be Heard From Today" is a strangely dark piece of music. While I can understand the context of the film (the Confederates staging a surprise attack on the unsuspecting Federals and subsequently destroying them), the music as it stands alone is eery and, towards the end, chaotic. This music successfully creates the uneasy feeling of impending doom and the execution of the battle plans. I think this cue may possibly--but I do not have any proof for this hypothesis--hearken back to Frizzell's previous horror work.

"Let Us Cross Over The River" is the scene when General Jackson is in bed dying of pneumonia. A very contemplative, sorrowful song, but well done.

"The Soldier's Return" is the finishing touch to the score: it is both mournful and hopeful at the same time, I think. It serves well as an epilogue.

Overall, the score in all of its various flavors (except for the "VMI" track as noted above, and two songs at the beginning and end of the CD by Mary Fahl and Bob Dylan, respectively) is a wonderfully composed work which I highly recommend.

Uh... Oops.

This is what happens when someone preheats the oven without first removing the bucket of scraps we collect for the chickens. (We store it out of sight during the day while it's being filled.)

Chicken Bucket Casserole

Making Sugar Cookies

Texas Longhorn

More Vent Fun

Homey Happenings

Jalena standing over the warm vent


Hamming it up and having fun watching her skirt inflate


A current family project


Working on bean soup ~
Don't forget to soak them overnight first!

Mom Learns to Make Oven Bread

We've made our own 100% wheat bread for some time now, in an effort to save money. I say "we" meaning quite specifically Jay and the girls.

However, while they've all done a perfectly fine job following the recipe that was suggested to us, the end result was typically much too dense and, in all honesty, not as flavorful as we would have liked. Often the loaves would be doughy, also.

I set out to find a new recipe for whole wheat bread. I kept finding recipes that used part whole wheat and part all-purpose, but I wanted a bread that was 100% whole wheat. Once I added "100%" to my search for "whole wheat bread recipe", I found one right away.

Until now, I'd been somewhat detached from the breadmaking efforts, genuinely too busy with other homekeeping tasks, but now I was interested in pursuing it. It was a very good thing for me to come to this point -- after all, I'm the mother of this home and it was high time I learn how to do this!


Some of my ingredients


Katie's specialty is machine bread. She taught me how to use the mill and here she is helping me with the flour.


Kelley Rose's specialty has been the oven bread. She sweetly led me through the mixing process, while I did the actual steps.

Here's the bread rising.


Well knock me over with a feather. It worked!!

I coated the tops with butter like my dear grandmother used to do and we enjoyed it later with hot Corn Chowder. The bread was not doughy or too dense and it had a wonderful and satisfying flavor. (This isn't particularly to my credit, it was simply a better recipe.)

The recipe seems to be a winner. Once I make it several more times myself and get proficient at it, I do plan to delegate the job back to my lovely assistant, Kelley Rose, so I may continue focusing on some bigger-picture family goals. Meantime, it will be nice to know the Lord helped me acquire personal experience with this homekeeping responsibility.

Band of Brothers

Little Gifts

From Katie, a new pink scarf for Blessing


Now it's time to knit something special for Sunny.

Thank you, Katie!

Calvin on Matthew 12:36

35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (Matthew 12:35-37, KJV)

John Calvin, in his Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, says the following:

36. Of every idle word. This is an argument from the less to the greater; for if every idle word is to be called in question, how would God spare the open blasphemies and sacrilegious insolence of those who bark against his glory? An idle word means one that is useless, or that yields no edification or advantage. Many look upon this as too severe; but if we consider the purpose for which our tongues were made, we will acknowledge, that those men are justly held guilty who unthinkingly devote them to trifling fooleries, and prostitute them to such a purpose. It is no light fault for those to abuse, for frivolous purposes, the time, which Paul enjoins us to be careful to redeem, (Eph. v. 16; Col. iv. 5.)

...And yet let no man indulge himself, but let every man earnestly endeavour to bridle his tongue, (James i. 26.) First, let us speak of the sacred mysteries of God with the utmost reverence and sobriety; secondly, let us abstain from talkativeness, buffoonery, and vain jests, and much more from slanderous attacks; and, lastly, let us endeavour to have our speech seasoned with salt, (Col. iv. 6.)

Calvin's Commentaries are available here.

Playing Settlers of Catan

On Sunday afternoons, we sometimes enjoy playing a family game. Today, we played a hearty game of Settlers of Catan: Cities and Knights. This took about 5 1/2 hours, so we need to try and make up some new rules to shorten the game a bit. Otherwise, I think we are finally getting a handle on the expansion rules.

Clipping Wings

For a while now, we have let our hens roam around without achieving any success in containing them with a fence. In the past, we never had any problem with them flying, but this group has been able to scale everything we've tried.

I've heard of clippping wings before, but didn't take the time to understand how it works. However, we are now at a point (with 41 chickens) where we really need to contain them.

After brief research, I was able to learn the basic process and that it does not hurt them. So, with sharp scissors in hand, we headed out to catch each one and clip the wings.



The process is simple. Just clip the 10 long feathers from the end of one of the wings. It's painless and just keeps the bird off-balance so that they cannot fly.

We only clipped the older hens and the rooster (25 in all) and left the younger hens if they decide to take flight at a later date.

Homey Happenings

Katie took these two pictures of Glory and Penny "holding hands".


It's good to have a friend.



Joshie being Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer


The "nose" is a plastic volcano from a dinosaur play set.



Before there were Legos, there were sticks.


A mini-survival shelter


A little something fun to do by the fire on a cold winter day



Katie-penguin sliding on a large patch of ice and Kaleb trying to learn to "ice skate"



Serious



Kit working on some boiled peanuts



Good buds

George Washington Carver

All my life I have risen regularly at four o'clock and have gone into the woods and talked to God. There He gives me my orders for the day.
-- George Washington Carver

Thanks to the folks at Franklin Springs Family Media, I was inspired this week to lead our children in some exploration of the life of George Washington Carver.

We are blessed to have a Landmark book that has taught us what a precious and amazing man he was.

He was a humble, kind, servant of a gentleman. He was tremendously industrious, starting at a very young age. He was patient yet persevering. He was a talented artist. He was a brilliant scientist and inventor. He worked to bring harmony and reconciliation to people of all shades. Above all, George Washington Carver had a vibrant relationship with the Saviour, Jesus Christ.


When I was young, I said to God, 'God, tell me the mystery of the universe.' But God answered, 'That knowledge is for me alone.' So I said, 'God, tell me the mystery of the peanut.' Then God said, 'Well George, that's more nearly your size.' And he told me.
-- George Washington Carver


Yesterday, in Mr. Carver's honor, we made a southern favorite: Boiled Peanuts.


We used the slow cooker method. And our peanuts were purchased from --where else? Piggly Wiggly, of course.

The following recipe works well for a 6-quart slow cooker.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. of peanuts (still in shells)
1/2 cup of salt
Water


Put your peanuts in the pot. (Here's our Julian doing that.)
Pour the salt all over them.
Add as much water as the pot will comfortably hold.
(The peanuts will float. No problem. They'll sink over time.)
Let them cook on high for several hours.
Stir them occasionally, to get the top peanuts down into the water.
Your boiled peanuts are done when they're nice and soft.


I had set our Crock Pot on four hours initially, but the peanuts ended up needing to go quite a bit longer; more like six or seven.

How to Eat Boiled Peanuts
Get two bowls.
Put some hot peanuts in one.
Take a peanut, crack one end with your teeth and slurp the salty juice. (Yum.)
Then open it and pop the peanuts.
Collect your shells in the second bowl.
Go out your back door and toss the shells to your chickens. : )


How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.
-- George Washington Carver


Here and here are two books about Mr. Carver I hope to acquire soon for our family library.

It's been a fun week of learning about many things here in the Shepherd home. Thank you, Ken Carpenter and crew, for influencing our studies. We can't wait to see your new film!

Cold

8.6?? That is the temperature out by the chicken coop at about 6:00am this morning.

Many of you, along with us here in the Deep South, are experiencing some rather cold temperatures this week. They are forecasting snow for tomorrow (Thursday, 1/7) but we will believe that when we see it.

A great resource for technical weather details in our area is here.

Cozy Critters

Tucker, our little lion

Windy, our loving and protective dog, is not typically an inside pet but it's very cold old outside (currently 23 degrees) so here she is, enjoying being with the family near the warm fireplace.

Kelley Rose's Little Clay Loch Ness

He's swimming in our coffee table.

Trying out the Smoker

We recently got a smoker at a local garage sale for $3.00 and today was my first time put it to use. We processed the Pig a few days ago and I needed to smoke the bacon. I've never really done this, and I learned I really needed to use the brine method to preserve it, but hopefully this will work out.


Using the main smoker, but it's not large enough for both slabs of bacon.


I converted our grill to become another smoker and it worked out pretty well. Pictured here is a bowl of water, a pack of mesquite chips wrapped in foil, and some smoke!

Kit, Kaleb & Jalena Near Bedtime

(And Joseph the Lamb, too.)

Packaging up the "Other White Meat"

Actually, pork is not white at all. It's more of a rose color.

Last August we helped to process our first hog with a friend of mine and then got a small pig to raise and process on our own. With serious cold weather looming and needing to cut back on some of the chore time with the children, we decided it was time to go ahead and move to the next step with our -- quite larger -- hog.

I will spare you all the pictures we took, but here are a couple of us making some sausage.


Katie was a big helper to me throughout the long day of packaging up the various cuts.


Kyle also was a big help running the grinder.

The main goals for raising and processing our own pig were to 1) Learn what is required to raise one (i.e. infrastructure, feed, chores, etc) and 2) Learn how to butcher a large animal for our family.

I've never been hunting (yet) but this was a preparatory step to hunting deer and processing it ourselves.

In all we got ribs, bacon, Boston butts, tenderloins, chops, and about 53 lbs. of sausage. (We decided to use the hams and shoulders for some of that sausage.) We've noticed our sausage is a bit leaner than what is purchased at the store.

January Scripture Memorization Passage

I've not been one to use the King James Version of the Bible much in times past but for various reasons have been coming to a deeper appreciation of it lately.

The language of the KJV makes memorization particularly enjoyable -- downright fun. When I first saw the word "throughly" in II Timothy 3:17, my first thought was that I'd possibly found a typo in the Gideon Bible I was reading but I knew that was ultimately unlikely.

While some of us are memorizing additional passages on the side, II Timothy 3:15-17 is what we're focusing on as a family for January. Kit's speech is still developing, so we'll see how he does!

Hello There.

We're blogging again.

It's nice to be back.

Love,
The Shepherds