Rahab - New Testament Women

Rahab the mother of Boaz in the Matthew genealogy of Christ was a prostitute, .... a prostitute! How many of us, even now, when it isn't a death sentence, are willing to put out that there's a hooker in the family? I mean I don't know too many of us willing to socialize with our, let's just say, more colorful family members, let alone announce them to the world. Let's face it, we Christians can hardly be called Christ-like when we judge others for far less. So why? Why would Jesus want that known? What made Rahab so special? What exactly can we learn from a pagan prostitute? Well, according to what I've read, turns out, more than you might think.

Let's look at her story. For starters, Rahab knew her own mind in a time when women often had none. She didn't hum and haw when she was given her king's order to turn in the Israelite spies. She brazenly defied it! She made the decision to lie to the king's men and commit treason. Her words were that she didn't know who they were, that they left at dark and had no clue where they had gone, and that they would have to hurry to catch them. She deliberately sent them on a wild goose chase. This is a woman who according to Mosiac law was worthy of death. The laws of the men she harbored didn't care if she was a prostitute in a temple or a common streetwalker, either way, she was not worthy of life by the very men she was risking her life for! She could have been a temple prostitute of high standing in her own community and it wouldn't have made a bit of difference. She had to have some kinda faith in something to do something like that. When the king's men left she took the Israelites to the roof, further hiding them in her flax. She KNEW God had given the land to the Israelites. (Joshua 2:9). She admitted there was a dread over all the land because of what God was doing for them. That word had been told of how their God had dried up the Red Sea, what happened at Sihon and Og, and to the Amorite kings. Her people were in fear and yet she had the resolve and frame of mind to do what she felt she had to in order to save her family. That the God they followed was the God of heaven and of the earth and she, a prostitute, wanted His protection. She was asking the same God, whose laws condemned her to die, to save her, and not only her. She had the guts to ask for her entire family too! She made those men swear by the same God whose laws condemn her that she and her family would be spared. It's worth noting, her family wasn't a husband and her children. Her family was her parents, her siblings, and beyond. She was not married. The Bible states that the house was hers, she was a property owner. SHE was making the decisions. No shrinking violet here waiting for things to come. She was a businesswoman, a woman used to having to make decisions and one that saw the storm ahead and took action. She took risks, life-changing risks in trusting that the God that was handing over lands to His people had the power to save her and the ones she loved. How many of us have the strength to defy a king's order, committing treason, to trust in a God you don't know or have only known through rumor? I don't. She got their oath, and as the story goes, she let them down the wall using a rope from a window. (Her home was part of the wall.) Pay attention to the fact their faith wasn't as strong as hers as it was only AFTER they reached the ground did they give their conditions. The condition, was for her to have the scarlet cord in her window and to have her entire family in her home, to stay within it once they return to take the land and to not betray them. She agreed to this. When the time came Joshua ordered that she and her family be brought to safety while the city burned per their agreement. (Joshua 6:22-25) God honored her faith in Him.


Rahab was one tough cookie! She really didn't care who she had to defy in order to make sure her family would live. She turned her back on her country, her gods, her king, everyone and turned toward God. She knew they were doomed, all of them if something wasn't done. She took a chance. She DID something. She put her faith in God, a god she had heard was wiping out cities like hers and giving them over to His followers. She could easily have been taken captive afterward and/or killed. There was no way to know for sure what would happen. The fact she was a prostitute though, pretty much gave her a one-way ticket to death. She did it anyway! I don't know if she believed in the sense that we think of today with all the lovely sentiments of feeling safe and welcome. I do know she recognized God's power. She knew who He was and she was going to keep her family and herself from dying in whatever way she could. She might have indeed had all the warm fuzzies we think of now when we think of turning toward God, but if she did it isn't mentioned that I know of. What I do know is she saw, clearly saw, their fate if she didn't put this knowledge into action. She put her trust in God and He didn't fail her. How often are we told it only takes the faith the size of a mustard seed? Here He proves it. She stepped out and He caught not only her but her entire family. What an amazing God we serve!

Candy Alternative Stocking Stuffers

Christmas is just around the corner and that means lots of sweets! Santa usually brings one or two nice things for the stockings then fills in all the gaps with cheap candy here at our house. This is a tradition I really don't want to follow anymore. Santa knows that the more I've learned about sugar and processed food the more I'm concerned about what the kids eat too. So to be fair Santa will still bring one favorite candy snack, and maybe a small candy cane, but not really much more. We will have the traditional orange (tangerine) in the toe of the stocking, but the rest will be small dodads they can use like earbuds, decorative pencils, bookmarks, and things like that with one fairly small, nice gift. Below are just a few of the things I've found on the web that I think family members will enjoy. Will I get everyone of them, probably not, at least not this year, budget concerns 'n all, but as I look for ideas I thought I'd share some of the more interesting finds I stumble across. Who knows maybe you'll find something you think would be good for somone in your family too.

Sundial Compass

Dino earrings

Fire Starter Set

penguin mousepad

glass fountain pen and ink well

Gardener's Scrubbing Soap

Hello Kitty Bento Mold Set

GearTies

poetry word magnets

guinea pig earrings

Historically Inspired Violet Perfume

Fairy Ocarina

Lightsaber chopsticks

Pearl Harbor Day

When I was growing up my dad always quizzed me on military history, and every Dec. 7th I knew the first thing he would ask me the moment he saw me would be, "What happened today?". My dad and I have had more than our fair share of ups and downs but I will always be thankful he taught me to appreciate the sacrifices military men and women made and continue to make every day for all Americans. God Bless them all.

Florida - Homeschool Lessons

Florida is a huge part of our family history and has played an important part of my own life growing up. I spent many summers visiting my grandparents there and living life to the fullest back when you could walk into a Jr. Food barefoot, in a bikini top, and shorts to get a Dr. Pepper and a pack of Hubba Bubba Bubblegum. (My favorite flavors were chocolate mint and watermelon but that's neither here nor there.) As you can imagine my kids have grown up with stories of Wakulla Springs, Disney (before Epcot), St. Marks, blue crab festivals, white sand beaches, and all sorts of mischief one can get up to with an endless supply of palmetto darts. Fun times! It was no surprise when the kids wanted to learn more about the state that sired someone as colorful as my father. In response to their interest, I've collected a few books, and found a few websites that they have enjoyed quite a bit this year and in years past.

At the bottom, I've included pictures taken by myself or family members while visiting.

Coloring Pages:
Florida Crayola Coloring page
Florida map coloring page (has links to more FL related coloring pages)

Books we have used (either from the library or purchased):
The Barefoot Mailman - a fictional story
National Audubon Field Guide to Florida
World Almanac Florida
Indian Nations: The Story of the Seminole

Kindle books:
Wakulla: A Story of Adventure in Florida - a fictional story

Soundboards:
Alligator sounds
Panther sounds
Deer sounds
Great Blue Heron sounds
Egret sounds

Youtube Videos:
Meet the Residents of the Everglades
What is a Florida Cracker
Florida Native Edibles
Seminole Indians, life, and culture of the Florida tribe, 1952

Websites:
Seminole Tribe of Florida
Seminole Tribe Facts
Florida Department of state
Enchanted Learning: Florida

Food and Recipes:
(this is a topic I could go on and on and on about as I have grown up with a grandma that cooked amazing food, among my favorites that I've not included below are fried oysters, fried shrimp, banana pudding, fried okra, cornbread and blackeyed peas, cornbread with sweet milk (my grandfather liked buttermilk), and greens with cornmeal dumplings. I really could go on for days. lol)

Seminole Recipes
Seminole, Baconed Hominy
Seminoles Indians for kids - What did they eat?
Florida Hoe Cake -not the corn cake, this is more of what my grandma called a hoecake and that we ate as kids
canned mullet
Southern Beans and Snaps
Iconic Florida Foods
smoked mullet
12 Florida recipes everyone should know

Personal photos:

Diabetes - Home From the Hospital

I debated on posting this for a long time. I decided to bite the bullet because people need to know the diagnosis is just the beginning and it isn't as easy as taking a shot, or in my case taking a pill. Families are complex and this disease affects everyone.

I came home on the 24th of August and I am writing this exactly 3 months later. A lot has happened. During that time my memory was still very, very bad. I even had problems remembering how to get around a town that I pretty much grew up in neither it nor my eyesight returned quickly. I don't remember when I got all of my peripheral vision back (all of it was gone when I went in) but I do remember being scared it wasn't going to. On top of my own fears, I was facing adult children who had held it together and minor children who had felt helpless. All of them were scared and were very worried. Emotions were high now that the crisis had passed. Dealing with the effects wasn't going to be easy.

David, Dustin, and my heart baby Colton were pivotal while I was in the hospital. When I came home it was evident how much I had relied on them and was continuing to rely on them. Dustin, did his best to keep David's and Colton's moral high and helped stock us up on the new diet restrictions I was/am facing. He and my mother were a huge help in keeping Colton and David sane. David and Colton raised the kids for me and now that I was home no one was sure what to expect. Those first few days were really tense. I'm used to being the mom, but my mind was still so foggy and, I was still easily dizzy and very emotional. I had to have help walking for any kind of distance because of it. I felt a complete failure as a parent because I had to rely on Colton and David for almost everything. I couldn't even remember how to get to the grocery store up the road when I first got out. This, understandably, made the boys anxious because they didn't know how long it would last. As I got better they were able, little by little, to relax. They were emotional. I was emotional. It came to a head at times and we would argue. Add meltdowns from Darian and outbursts from CJ due to their own emotions and uncertainty and it added to the stress. All of us were trying so hard to keep the negative emotions from the kids. Maybe that was a mistake. looking back we probably should have addressed them more openly and encouraged the little ones to talk more about their fears. There were tears, slammed doors, and feelings hurt on all sides. It wasn't pretty for a while, and fear kept all of us quiet to a degree. The misguided if we don't speak it then it isn't happening mindset. Finally, once the air was cleared and the older boys especially shared their emotions, David in particular, things began running more smoothly. I, however, had to face the fact,square on, that these boys,with only a little help (thanks mom for keeping an eye on them), kept it together and ran the house while I was gone and if my memory and sight didn't improve I would be depending on them for a lot longer in ways I wasn't willing to admit to myself much less to them. They, in turn, weren't ready to take on that much at so young an age and it scared them. To their credit they faced it, yeah there were some loud and heated moments, but they embraced the fact that it may very well be our new life It took a LOT of courage and patience to talk about the "what ifs" in case I didn't get better. It was a full month before I felt comfortable enough to drive about 2 miles down the road to the library. I'll never forget the tension in David's face when I adamant that I could. Even then I didn't drive alone for about a month and a half.  They wanted to make sure I wouldn't get lost or have a diabetic episode. We are all good now, but it took a long time and a lot of work. Colton has since moved back to PA and is doing well, but I'll never be able to thank him enough for the help he gave us while he was staying with us.

The younger kids had so much to work through, all while the adults around them were obviously did too. All those feelings of relief, anger, vulnerability, and fear were unleashed in waves. Nights were hardest for CJ, she tended to want more attention and needed quite a bit of comforting. Lots of 'just because hugs' were happening. While I was in the hospital she started using a nightlight for the first time, even now she still prefers it. Darian, once I got home, just withdrew into himself and was stemming more violently (the harder/harsher his movements are the more intense the emotion, good or bad). He didn't want me hugging or touching him really at all, but when he did he didn't let go. I think he had the hardest time expressing himself because he already struggles so much with emotions anyway. It wasn't until he had a huge meltdown that ended up with us all exhausted that he said he was mad at me for getting sick but he didn't tell me because he didn't want to hurt my feelings. He buried his head in the blanket and he cried as we all gathered around him on the couch. Before that breakthrough, he had relapsed a little with some of his behaviors and had a tendency to run out of the house when he got upset. Poor CJ didn't know what to do. She was angry and scared too and in her, it came out clingy and tears at night but silence and talking back during the day. She was starting to lash out by picking fights with Darian, her best friend, who, admittedly was doing the same to her. I could hear the frustration, fear, and anger when she stomped and cried. She was expressing what we all felt. When things looked like they might get physical we redirected their energy to running races (laps) or wrestling with the older boys, something, anything to get out that nervous energy. In turn that helped clear their minds. Eventually, they would be able to talk about what was bothering them, once the fear of my dying or having to go back passed. We had a lot of outdoor time in the park, especially so they could just get out and go. That took a good month, maybe more. It wasn't easy, but through it all we kept hugging, being there, listening, talking, letting them know they aren't alone, that the bad feelings wouldn't be there forever.

So here we are. I wish I could say things are perfect. That would be a lie though. I still have diabetes and it still sucks. We have worked through the crisis aspect though and are stronger for it. We are all more educated about diabetes and even the little ones know about sugar highs and sugar lows and what to do if something happens. The kids have seen family and friends reach out both online and in person to help us get through the initial learning curve. They know they aren't as alone as they thought. We are stronger and closer than we ever have been. Darian is capable of expressing his feelings better than ever and that has boosted his confidence. He has started wanting to do more in his CCD classes and is starting to participate more in outside activities with the youth. CJ has learned that it's okay to stand up for herself. (She never had an issue standing up for others, just herself.)  She is tougher than she used to be. David, well he has settled down some and has a new perspective on what's important in life. He works hard and I am quite proud of him. He's grown up a lot. Colton, for the last month or so that he was here, grew up quite a bit too. I won't get into his business too much, but I will say that I am proud of what he's been able to do. Dustin is making it a point to spend more time with his siblings and I. I am so very grateful for that and my heart swells when he spends time with the littles especially. As for myself, there are still days I feel like a failure as a mom, allowing myself to get so heavy and developing diabetes. Mom guilt sucks, but I've learned how to better get past those spells and to move forward. I've taken much more control of what I put into my body even if I haven't quite gotten to the point of exercising regularly again. Right now I'm in the resentment phase of diabetes. I hate this disease and no matter what anyone says about genetics or points out how many skinny people have type 2 I still feel I did it to myself. I also know that's part of it and that feelings are fickle. Diabetes won't ever go away, even if I pull off not needing medication and being diet controlled I will always have diabetes. I'm struggling to make peace with that fact and progress has been made in that aspect, but it still sucks. It will always suck. lol Sometimes I wanna scream, 'THIS F'N SUCKS!', but when it gets to that point I usually laugh instead, because there isn't a damn thing I can do about it now except take care of myself..............and the irony in that gets me every.single.time.

A Rainy November Day in Alabama

Pretty fall leaves on my front deck.

This morning I sat listening to the rain hitting the tin roof of the small two bedroom trailer my three youngest kids and I live in. I love that sound. It takes me back to my childhood on Oma's back porch in Florida. Now my daughter is waking up. I had about 3 hours to myself, which is unheard of, and she comes into the living room with a huge smile, messy hair, and chirps "Good Morning!". I love her sleepy smile. It didn't take long for Darian to wake up and join us. The day begins.

Breakfast for them was cream of wheat. My mom will be proud. (I'm laughing at the memory and the line Mama tried from Merle Haggard's song of the same name which is running through my thoughts.) I had pickled beets because I love them and don't need an excuse to eat them. They learned that cream of wheat is actually made from wheat which led to a discussion of why, as a diabetic, I can't eat it, a reiterating what carbs are and how they break down into sugars.

After they ate we went outside in the rain and took off the plant coverings. (We covered the plants last night to protect them from frost). We talked about how important it is to protect them and to take care of them so that they can take care of us. We picked a few more green beans and added them to the bunch my mother brought over. We looked at the herbs and discussed what can happen if plants are over watered. Then we picked a few leaves of lettuce to give to the guinea pigs for a treat as their cage was cleaned. I munched on a few too.

Shortly afterward I minced half an onion and added it to a little oil and cooked them till translucent. I added all the green beans we were given and a few that had come from our own little porch garden. That made the kids happy and want to discuss how exciting it was to finally start getting cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, and a green pepper on top of all the herbs we've been enjoying. We will be having the green beans with meatloaf and roasted okra for dinner.

We read quite a few library books today as they are due and we've been slacking. They really enjoy the Help Me Be Good series by Joy Berry. Today we read about being rude, lying, and interrupting. I enjoyed discussing with them how they can do better when they are tempted to act out and how they should respond when they are faced with it from someone else. Molly Saves the Day from the American Girl series was like pulling teeth at first, but when she realized that the girls, while made up, are based on history they both perked up. Since Molly was based on summer camp, we got to talking about all the different things kids do there. Darian made the connection with scouts and we talked about how David and Dustin were both cub scouts and that I was a girl scout for a short time. Since Molly took place in the 40's that led to WWII discussions, especially Normandy. We also read about Squanto and how he helped the pilgrims. The kids learned that his entire family had died from a disease. We then talked about diseases we brought to the Native Americans and how ungrateful we were to the very people that helped us survive those first years. They learned about the three sisters (squash, corn, and beans) and how they kept us alive, and how to put dead fish in the ground to help fertilize the crops. All in all, we covered quite a few topics that we all enjoyed.

Around four we headed to the library just to find out they were closed for Veteran's Day. Which of course meant we talked about veterans again today while we put our books in the drop-off. Since David went to hit a few Pokemon Go stops we let the kids swing on the swings for a little while and CJ finally decided to learn how to push herself. After a while, they came off and we looked at the creek that was flowing quickly and higher than what they are used to. I asked why they thought that was the case and we learned about how rainfall effects creeks and rivers which led to white water rapids, and even whirlpools. We quietly watched squirrels scamper about hiding nuts while Darian complained that it wasn't even Thanksgiving yet so why is Millbrook putting up Christmas lights in the park already. I asked him why it bothered him since it meant we could enjoy them for longer. He saw my point and remembered how much he's looking forward to seeing them again this year. CJ, of course, is excited because Christmas lights mean her birthday is that much closer. When it got a little too chilly to just stand around we looked for David and went back to the car.

We could have easily headed home, but I had a little more gas than usual in the tank this late in between pay periods so I offered to take David to a few more Pokemon Go stops. He was able to hit a few he'd never been to before and we all enjoyed each other's company. The kids played Pokemon "real life", a game they made up pretending they were pokemon trainers where they battled and caught rare pokemon. The rain and lightning spawned water and electric types for the kids, but David had more fire types than anything from the actual app. We were headed to Prattville so he could hit a few more, but it was getting late and I was starting to feel off so we headed back home so I could test my glucose and get dinner made. My levels were great, buuuut I was dehydrated....too much coffee and not enough water will do that.

Speaking of dinner, some pretty amazing smells are coming from the kitchen right now. I wish you all well. Pax.

Diabetic Cooking with links to free Kindle cookbooks

Since being diagnosed in August life has been crazy trying to get used to new routines, knowing what to do with both high and low blood sugar, medications, and learning a whole new way of eating. One of the most frustrating aspects is the constant monitoring and I've been doing a lot of research on different ways to keep my glucose under control using both online and with more traditional resources. (Digging through the deleted books at the library and scanning thrift store bookshelves is traditional, right?) In my case low carbing it is what works best for controlling my blood sugar. (resisting the urge to call blood sugar BS.....sigh) Anyway, there is a ton of information out there and even more recipes and cookbook on the market than you can shake a stick at, BUT so many of them call for expensive ingredients or are just not practical for a busy family. It just isn't affordable when our grocery bill just spiked because of all the vegetables and meats I have to cook. (I really had no idea how heavily I leaned on cheap carbs to stretch a meal.) I've found no matter what kind of cookbook or recipe I use I end up making adjustments more often than not. A few easy to implement things are substituting riced cauliflower for rice or spiralized veggies for noodles and for the most part, they are really good, at least my kids and I think so. That's a whole 'nother post though.

When I filled up the car with what squeezed between the kids, the guinea pig, the puppy and myself in our move from Coal Country PA back to Bama I had to leave many things I love. My prized cookbook collection was one of the hardest to let go. (Many of my books were well over 100 years old and only family heirlooms hit harder.) As a result, I've had to find new (to me) cookbooks either by borrowing them from the local library or finding them in their deleted bin, two that I've included were gifted. I have also found the free books for the Kindle app a HUGE help and the internet a great source of even better recipes. While I'd dearly love to walk into Books-A-Million and buy cookbooks to my heart's content it just isn't doable in my current situation so I use what's available to me in my price range. (That would be free 99.9% of the time.) I've listed below the books and recipes I have found helpful in hopes to help someone else.

(Free Vintage Cookbooks)

Many Ways for Cooking Eggs (a HUGE help for those of us that get sick of hard boiled eggs all the time)
A Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes
California Mexican-Spanish Cookbook
Miss Parloa's New Cook Book
Vaughn's Vegetable Cook Book - this one is an excellent source

Along with the old-fashioned cookbooks, there are few modern ones that have helped me get find recipes I enjoy and they are by and large much easier to navigate than the older ones. (Often older cookbooks will not have temperatures or even amounts as it's assumed the reader has at least a basic understanding of cooking.)

(Free Modern Cookbooks)

Ketogenic Fat Bomb Recipes
Cooking for Diabetics
Keto Diet for Beginners 2019
97 Low-Carbohydrate Recipes for the Slow Cooker  - a busy mom's must
Easy Keto Desserts Cookbook
The Clean Eating Cookbook



(NOT FREE)

 Autumn Calabrese's FIXATE Cookbook - love this one! It's not low-carb and I can't afford the Shakeology anymore (wish I could!), but still a GREAT source.
The Good Housekeeping Cookbook (1963) - this one I have to work with, but still a few gems
101 Delicious Diabetic Recipes - I actually tweak a few in this one also to make them even lower carb
Receipts from Lickskillet Farm - lots of tweaking in this one, but it calls to my southern roots so I keep it and I play :)


(Individual recipes I make routinely)

Roasted Okra from Wellness Mama - we never have leftovers and there never seems to be enough
Twisted Biscuits and Gravy - no actual biscuits and tastes like a breakfast scrambler
German Baked Apples - half an apple equals one serving, gotta watch this one
Cauliflower Crust Pizza - I use a variety of toppings, but this is the crust I like most
Ham and egg cups - quick and easy