MRI Results

It looks like I have two herniated disk, one between C5 and C6 and the other one between C6 and C7. I’m not really sure what this all means…but I can tell ya how it feels.

Oh, and I am really thankful that i don't have to have another MRI. I didn't like the first one very much.

Bryan

Dr. Henry Morris Dies at Age 87

"The greatest defender of the doctrine of Creation in church history has gone to be with the Lord. No single man in the last two thousand years has contributed more to the defense of the book of Genesis or been more effective in rallying the people of God to embrace the historical, grammatical, literal, normative interpretation of its text than a humble, mild-mannered hydrologist named Dr. Henry Morris."

The full story here.

Bryan

Happy Birthday Grace Katherine

My baby Grace turned 8 years old today.



Bryan

Welcome To This Monday's Crisis

I spent today running around with my nearly incapacitated husband. Bryan is having severe pain in his neck, chest and arm. He had x-rays and an MRI done today. Drs suspect a disc problem in the base of his neck. We will hopefully know more when they call with the results. We covet your prayers. Bryan is on pain medication, but it does not seem to be helping him.

Kim

Our "City on a Hill" Conference

Dr. Roger Schultz


Dan Ford


(l to r) Me, Dr. Roger Schultz, Pastor La May, Tom Candler, Dan Ford, Scott Price.


Jacob holding a 500 year old Geneva Bible.


William Penn's personal copy of Lex Rex.


Dinner! Famous Dave's BBQ!

Another Monday Mourning

I recall a bright sunny day last fall. It was one of those delightful autumnal days that bids you come outside and taste the freshness. I had all the children, plus two, out to enjoy the warmth and energy of the sun. Those two were friends of ours, Silas and Hannah Thorp. Silas was voraciously comsuming this precious "boy time" he had been given. He takes great pleasure in coming here to do things like dig in the dirt, play sword-fighting and all those other things that young boys do.

Amidst the hullabaloo I was pushing Hannah on the swing. "Hannah", I reminded her,"You are such a blessing to us, we are so glad the Lord sent you into our lives!" She looked at me over the top of her glasses and gave me that half grin. Hannah gave us so much.

Yesterday we had to let the children know...Hannah died last night. We did alot of talking, alot of explaining. We helped everyone remember Hannah. We want to make sure we don't forget, so we make it a point to remember. We all commented on our memories:

I remember how Hannah would squeal with delight when I would crank the jack-in- the box.

Hannah LOVED cheese.

We ALL remember wiping Hannah's nose. She was the best little nose blower. She had alot of practice.

We thought about the way Hannah would say,"Good job!".

I loved Hannah's chubby little fingers.

Hannah loved to eat and she ate lots.

I can just see her giving that little sigh when I had to give her "medicine". She would dutifully sip the gloppity concoction and then let a little puff of air escape her lips as she tilted her head to one side and rolled her eyes slightly as if to say,"I know I have to take it, but I still don't like it".

One thing we found hard to remember was crying or complaining. Hannah showed us all what it means to be content. Her physical ailments were borne with patience.

Derek and Laura will have to bury their child this week. How do you do that? I cannot fathom it. How did they find the strength to walk out of the hospital without her? To face the emptiness of their home, her room, her place at the table.

The only way...of course. Run into the arms of our gracious and loving heavenly Father.

We will shed many tears with the Thorps but we will also share their hope in Christ and we will all look forward to that coming day when we will see little Hannah whole and healthy and vibrant and as Jedidiah said,"running all around heaven!"

Kimberly

Just Another Monday Morning

Last Monday I was having a difficult time getting my week on track. Every homeschooling mom knows it is crucial to start the week off well if you want to get anything accomplished. While still recovering from surgery to remove my gall bladder I spent the weekend taking care of my loving husband who is battling a nasty flu, nursing Faith Marie who is experiencing pink eye and doing all the usual cooking, cleaning and laundry that comes with a family of nine. I agonized over how to redeem the time, how to take care of all that needed doing. I admit I was feeling sorry for myself, something I am far to good at.

I decided to read my Bible even though a million other things called for my attention. As I was enjoying the precious few moments of quiet time in the wee hours of the morning before our house explodes with life a thought occured to me. Our friends the Howerters must be having a really difficult time getting their week started this morning. How can they go on when Mama is gone? There must be so many voids in their home today. Who will make breakfast, teach little ones to read, dole out innumerable hugs and kisses? Who will teach a young girl to be a godly woman?

I know God is in control. The Howerters know God is in control. Yet there is a time to mourn.

http://www.pjstar.com/lifestyles/HEARTLAND/howerter/index2.shtml

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/020906/REG_B8UCI980.033.shtml

Kimberly

On Being A "Keeper At Home"

Sixteen years ago when I told my friends at work I was leaving them to raise my son they responded with many negative comments. "Why do you think we all come to work?" "Staying at home will make you crazy." "You can't afford to do that."

Well, here we are. We may not have a fortune of earthly treasure, but that is not the goal. Maybe my old friends would consider me unusual, but we are called to be God's peculiar people. That word peculiar means we belong to Him and if we belong to Him we will seem peculiar in the other sense.

These things I do are not small things. They are important things. Nay, they are crucial things. God has given me this work and I take great delight in it.

I came across this quote from G K Chesterton recently and it really sums up the way I feel about being a "keeper at home".

G.K. Chesterton

When people begin to talk about this domestic duty as not merely difficult, but trivial and dreary, I simply give up the question. For I cannot with the utmost energy of imagination conceive what they mean. When domesticity, for instance, is called drudgery, all the difficulty arises from a double meaning in the world. If drudgery only means dreadfully hard work, I admit the woman drudges in the home, as a man might drudge at the Cathedral of Amiens or drudge behind a gun at Trafalgar. But if it means that the hard work is more heavy because it is trifling, colorless, and of small import to the soul, then as I say, I give up…How can it be a large career to tell other people’s children about the Rule of Three and a small career to tell one’s own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone. No, a woman’s function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute. I will pity Mrs. Jones for the hugeness of her task; I will never pity her for its smallness.

Kimberly

Ear

Photo by David S. Price


Bryan

New Train

Photo by David S. Price


Bryan

Photo by David S. Price


Bryan

Happy Birthday Jedidiah

We celebrated Jedidiah’s third birthday tonight. I know everybody makes statements like this…but it’s hard to believe he’s three already.

Grandma and Grandpa Swain came over to help us celebrate.

For dinner we had meatballs cooked in the crockpot with potatoes, carrots and onions smothered in BBQ sauce. This was provided by our friends the Bandy’s (thanks y’all) who also brought over a whole truckload of other food. Grandma Swain made pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting and Grandpa made the ice cream. ;-)

Here are a few photos.

The knights (above) and the ping-pong ball shooter (below)
were big hits.


Bryan

New Camera

You may have noticed that we haven’t been posting much (we plan to start posting regularly again) the last few months. There are several reasons for this but the main one is...our digital camera died.

So, after asking around a little at the office (thanks to David and Rob) and a little internet research (see below) I decided on a Canon Powershot A520.

This camera seemed to be the best “bang for the buck”.

A couple reviews here and here.

Bryan

Kefir History

This is an excerpt from a response Colton wrote to a friend of our family who had asked about kefir.

The history of kefir I find to be extremely interesting and I will here relate it briefly. There are many legends currently about how the kefir grains actually formed but none of these are proven facts. However it is known that some time before the false prophet Mohamed the Moslem of the Caucasus Mountains were using them to preserve milk as well as for health benefits. Mohammed immediately realized the power of kefir and ordered all Moslems to keep the secret of the grains upon pain of death. As a result the secret of kefir was kept entirely to the Moslems of the Middle East for hundreds of years.

That is, until an ambitious Russian dairyman heard rumors circulating about the legendary grains. Realizing immediately how beneficial this would be to his dairy business, he hired a beautiful lady of the city to try to coerce a Moslem prince to give her some grains. The said prince fell in love with her and wanted to marry her but knew he could not give her any grains because his countrymen would kill him. Hearing this, the lady fled but was overtaken and put into the harem of the prince. The dairyman on receipt of this news hired and dispatched some soldiers to recover the lady, which they did. The reluctant prince was forced to pay the lady as fine for his actions, ten pounds of the precious kefir grains thus bringing the secret into the Christian world.

Bryan

Kim's Article

Here is Kim's latest article in the Samaritan Ministries Christian Health Care Newsletter.

In The Kitchen

Homemade salad dressings: Easy and Inexpensive

by Kimberly Evans

It is a beautiful sunny day here in Central Illinois. Much warmer than most January days, the mercury is hovering in the upper 40’s and the children and I are compelled to lay school work aside. As we venture down our country road the sun energizes and revives us. With this little taste of warmer weather my mind drifts to thoughts of gardening. I check the mailbox in eager anticipation of that first seed catalog. I recollect last summer’s delectable choices from the local farmers’ market. My mouth waters with thoughts of that first spring salad and of course, homemade dressing.

Several years ago when our family began eliminating processed foods from our diet I found we could avoid alot of food additives and preservatives by making our own salad dressings. Healthier and better tasting oils and sweeteners were also an advantage to replace soy bean oil and high fructose corn syrup. While eliminating some of the less desirable ingredients from our diet was appealing I shuddered to think of adding more time to meal preparation for our growing family. Eventually my frugality won out when I realized how much money I could save by making my own salad dressing. As with many other food items it is less expensive to pay for simple ingredients rather than the processed, ready to serve version.

I began by trying out a simple vinegar and oil type Italian dressing. This was new territory for me and I was very careful to follow the recipe. When I realized I need not be so meticulous about measuring ingredients I was pleasantly surprised to realize how little time this new endeavor really took. In a matter of seconds I could whip up a homemade dressing any salad would be delighted to wear! The secret is in the ratio of vinegar to oil. The recipes I’ve come across use anywhere from one to five parts oil to one part vinegar. I soon found I could easily “eye” the proper amounts and then add the other flavorful ingredients. With so many choices of herbs, different kinds of vinegars and natural sweeteners available the possibilities are unlimited. Cultured products like yogurt, buttermilk, kefir and cheeses contain all those friendly bacteria that can aid digestion and make raw vegetables more palatable. What a great way to start a meal!

Kimberly Evans is the wife of SMI Treasurer Bryan Evans, and the mother of 7 children,.

tips for dressing making

` Lemon juice is a wonderful additon to or replacement for vinegar.

` Try to put the most commonly used herbs in a convenient place where they will be readily available for dressing making.

I am more likely to use mine now that they are in a drawer next to the stove.

` For recipes calling for bottled catsup try tomato paste or

make your own.

` Try different types of vinegars.(cider, red wine, balsamic...)

` Consider buying dried minced onion. The thought of having to chop onion always made me shy away from certain recipes.

` A hand blender mixes dressing nicely and keeps it from separating so quickly.

` Chopped sun dried tomato adds a nice flavor.

` Add even more health benefits to your salad by putting in a little flax oil.

` Freshly grated parmesan cheese gives wonderful flavor to many dressings.

recipes

Creamy” ranch” style dressing

` Start with plain yogurt, buttermilk, kefir or even blended cottage cheese.

` Add minced onion and garlic, chopped parsley(dried or fresh) and salt.

` Blend well.

` For a cool refreshing summertime dish add a little crushed mint and pour over sliced cucumber.

sweet and sour dressing

1 part honey

2 parts lemon juice or vinegar

2 parts oil

1 part water

1 part tomato paste

` Add minced onion and garlic and salt to taste.

Italian dressing

` Start with one part vinegar to four parts extra virgin olive oil.

` Add minced onion and garlic along with your favorite Italian herbs. (basil, oregano)

` Salt and pepper to taste.

` Blend well.

For more specific recipes try Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig or

Whole Foods for the Whole Family from La Leche League.

I would suggest the Lemon Honey Dressing in the Nourishing Traditions cookbook. (page 134) Following is a basic Vinaigrette Recipe from Whole Foods for the Whole Family.

basic Vinaigrette dressing

1/4c vinegar or lemon juice

2t tamari soy sauce

1/8t dry mustard

1/8t garlic powder

1/8t black pepper

1/4t each gasil and oregano or mint

and dill weed

1/2t celery salt(optional)

5T olive oil

Place vinegar in measuring cup. Add soy sauce, seasonings and oil. Stir well and refrigerate several hours before using.

for more recipes

Nourishing Traditions

by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig.

New Trends Publishing401 Kings Highway,

Winona Lake, IN 46590.

877 707-1776

www.newtrendspublishing.com

Whole Foods for the Whole Family

by La Leche League

International400 N. Meacham Road

Schaumburg, IL 60173

847-519-7730

www.lalecheleague.org

What I'm Doing

I am reading a book called Battlefield President by Jules Archer about Dwight D. Eisenhower it is very good.

In school I mainly study math, piano and science. I also like to draw.

Samuel Logan

Letter for Luke

Today I will mail a letter to my friend Luke. Papa is going to go to the post office to buy a stamp for me. I am going to put the letter in to our mailbox.

Levi Matthias

Little Women

This week I started reading Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

Grace Katherine

What I'm Reading

After seeing the A&E version of Ivanhoe several times I thought it was time to read the actual book. I’m 12 chapters in, and of course, it is so much better than the movie. So far I think Wamba the Fool is my favorite character. More later…



Bryan