Today I'm revisiting my personal journal and revising an entry I wrote on New Year's Day of this year. I like to journal the lessons God teaches me so I can go back and revisit them. Sometimes I see encouraging growth in my life, and sadly sometimes I see I've not surrendered to a lesson God is trying to teach me. I challenge you to try this! Later in our "Home School Moment" I'll share an old Civil War recipe with you that I'm excited about! So here we go...back to non-virus days.
Have you ever felt God's hand of leadership, heard His voice in your spirit, or seen events all lined up in accordance to a whispered prayer? Then, as the months pass; maybe even years pass before God's plan in your life is fulfilled? I know the lessons of waiting...I'm learning them...
In Exodus 4, Moses stood barefoot before the burning bush where "the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush". Then God Himself spoke audibly to Moses. There was no way Moses could have missed God's will...the directions were clear, reassurance was given, and even proof was on his (Aaron) way out into the dessert to meet him! Moses KNEW God's will without a doubt!
Over the years when faced with a decison I've almost envied Moses at
Moses came down from the mountain with the direction of God burning in his heart. He went straight to his authority, his father-in-law Jethro, and headed out as quickly as possible with his family to return to Egypt.
Back in Egypt God was giving clear direction to another man, Moses' older brother Aaron. He was directed to head out into the dessert to meet Moses, the answer to many generations of heartfelt prayers. Can you picture that joyful reunion? The hope of deliverance overflowing in that kiss he gave his brother? I picture lots of hearty backslapping as they embraced! They both had heard God and KNEW His will. God's promise of deliverance was at hand!
Their first stop when arriving back in Egypt was a meeting with the elders. These men had heard former generations crying out in prayer and had taken up their cries themself as they felt the sting of bondage. ...they were EXCITED to hear that God's time of liberation was at hand!
I've been there, and you probably have too. Our situations are FAR less dramatic, but intensely personal circumstances. One such time was when our family farm was in dire circumstances. We needed God's deliverance or live in financial bondage the rest of our lives. When God reassured us and gave us His direction I naively expected the timing would be much quicker than it was.
Part of our "deliverance" entailed selling our home farm. I even heard a
For our famiy, release from our "bondage" held many lessons and God's timing in retrospect reflects that. God gave this warning to Moses too in Exodus 4:21...God was going to harden Pharoah's heat and delay their release.
What should we do when God delays?
1. Obey & Keep working
I don't know if it had sunk in when God said it, but Moses was warned..but when Pharoah (his old "palace playmate") said, "..get you unto your burdens." (In southern terms that means, You guys better get back to work!) Exodus 5:4b and even deminished the amount of raw materials they'd need for their work in verse 18,19 it led to the next lesson.
2. Don't grumble at the hardships, as things will often get harder in the times of delay. Exodus 5:6-16 This is difficult, especially when others around us are grumbling. It's catchy! Center yourself in Christ by keeping in the Word daily!... AND OBEY & KEEP WORKING!
3. Don't point fingers of blame, accept your responsibility and look to God for strength. Exodus 5:15 The Isrealites got mad at the Pharaoh, and we can be tempted to get mad at God for the hardships in our delay ...AND OBEY & KEEP WORKING!
4. Keep seeking God. In Exodus 5:22 & 23 Moses cried out to God in frustration. God is ever so patient with my cries of "You said..!" I have found He often keeps hardships in my life to keep me seeking Him! When I recognize my inability and seek Him as time drags on He comforts and enables me!... AND OBEY & KEEP WORKING!
5. Watch for God's deliverance. Exodus 6:1 Time doesn't drag as much when you follow these lessons I'm learning. You are learning new skills, spending time in the Bible daily, seeking the Lord in prayer often as you go about your day, and preparing yourself for what He has called you to do...one day. So keep your eyes open! His deliverance will come, and the solution to your long whispered prayer may happen overnight like it did for the Isrealites when Pharaoh finally let them go! If you've OBEYED & KEPT WORKING you'll be ready to obey His directions immediately!
6. Don't get mad at God. In Exodus 5:22 it sounds like Moses is mad because of God delayed. This is an easy temptation to fall into when you grumble, point fingers of blame, and day dream about what could be. Guard your thought-life! Learn to enjoy the delay by pinning ideas on Pintrest, but don't let your wants feed your emotions...AND OBEY & KEEP WORKING!
7. Remeber God Almighty is in charge and REST in His leadership. "And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord:" Exodus 6:2 Learnig to rest in the Lord and His timing for our lives has been a major lesson in my life! I'm a type A type of person that loves to plan and implement those plans. I'm motivated to check off each task that leads to those goals daily...but when there aren't any boxes to check because circumstances are blocked I find it difficult in my flesh to rest.
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:29,30
God used this verse to show me that I often take on a burden that is not from Him, for if it was from Him it would be "easy & light"...it would bring rest to my soul not another burden. He's used this again and again to help me evaluate what I think is a great idea!....AND OBEY & KEEP WORKING!
When God whispered to my heart last winter that there was a new start ahead, we had just finished our last farmer's market. I began paring down on all the "stuff" a 15 member family accumulates over a 20 year period. Now I'm an organizer, so things were in their place as best as possible...but I found I spent a lot of time just organizing "stuff" for "one day". It grew more and more fruitless over the past few years.
So I began to pare down. We have always called it purging in our family. We'd take a day off from school periodically and purge our bedrooms of clutter, the bookshelves of books and videos that had crept in that we didn't want influencing our children, and tackled the kitchen clutter that naturally builds up. We put canning jars back in the root cellar, hauled a few bags of unwanteds to the thrift store, and burnt lots of trash. BUT, this was different! Load after van load of really nice things went to the thrift store or to an adult child's home. My husband didn't join in, but watched with wonder as another load was needed hauled off! (He found out after our move that we/he had too much "stuff", and began the process too!)
When we finally signed the papers on the sale of our farm on December 30, 2019, and had 30 days to move I was pared down and partially packed! It's not because I'm a type A person, but because God had taught me a few lessons during that year!
9. Praise God with every breath/footstep as you step out to accomplish His will. Thankfully remember each lesson He taught you in the waiting, for we need to praise Him daily. His deliverance opens our eyes to His POWER and PLANS for our lives!
10. Don't forget what the Lord did for you and your family. In times of blessing we're not as driven in need to Jesus' feet. When everything in our lives is running smoothly and we're doing what He whispered to us, we'll likely grow content and forget. (Read Deuteronomy 6.)
I like to write my prayer requests, lessons, blessings, and answers to my prayers in a journal and prayer journal so I will have that testimony of God's faithfulness in my next time of trial. So, grab a simple notebook and write down your prayer requests, leaving room to enter your personal miracles. You might even want to list the lessons He is teaching you while you wait for your personal "Red Sea" to part.
HOME SCHOOLING MOMENT:
On my menu for Thursday morning this week was Civil War Pancakes. I found this recipe back in the late '80's when we were studying this time period for the first time with my children. We had a fireplace in our log home, so we really played it up, cooking over the hot coals! I used to think our fireplace was an intrical part of our classroom as we wrote with a charred stick as Abraham Lincoln used to do his "figurin'" with, made "journey cakes" or "hoe cakes" over hot coals like the slaves did before running away to freedom, or just throwing some potatoes in the coals before school to have as a quick lunch with when we were done for the morning. Many a day I'd hang a pot of soup or stew to simmer all day while reading a historical book aloud to the children.
Last night when I was prepping the oats an idea came to me on how to make this recipe low in carbs. More importantly, soaking can help neutralize the phytic acid, removing barriers to proper absorption of minerals in the grains. The soaking also helps break down certain har-to-digest proteins such as gluten.
So this home schooling Momma conducted an experiment! In the end, the pancakes were better than ever!
This recipe is a two step process. The night before you plan to make it, soak the grains in a soured milk or buttermilk. To help me remember I put, "soak oats" on my menu or phone reminder the night before. At first you'll think this is just one more thing to add to your day, but it really helps at one of the busiest times of your morning....Breakfast. I like to teach one of my older children to do this with me. Thereafter, they could either do it for me, or could make the whole recipe themselves on their cooking day. The next morning it's like having a fast food breakfast as the ingredients are all sitting out waiting for me!
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| These hardy pancakes don't leave you hungry mid-morning! |
CIVIL WAR PANCAKES
2 1/2 C. Buttermilk or Soured Milk
1 1/2 C. Rolled Oats
1 C. Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce or oil
2 T. Honey or your choice of sweetner
Pour Buttermilk or soured milk into a medium mixing bowl.
(For soured milk measure a shy 2 1/2 C. milk/almond milk and then top it off with apple cider vinegar)
Add: Rolled Oats (any tipe of oatmeal works) and Whole Wheat Flour (I use Hard White Wheat)
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| Please excuse our makeshift kitchen. We are in the middle of a complete renovation! |
Stir all the ingredients together; cover with a tea towel and let it sit overnight.
For convenience sake measure salt, baking powder, and baking soda
into a small bowl, cover; set aside.
In a third and seperate bowl or measuring cup crack eggs, lightly whipping them with a fork. Pour honey and applesauce/oil on top.
Get a good night's sleep!
The next morning: Sprinkle your leavening agents over the soaked grains, then add your eggs with honey and applesauce. Give the whole thing A GOOD STIR. (I didn't pull out the mixer.)
Proceed as usual with making the pancakes using a hot griddle. I keep each batch warm in an oven at 250 degrees.
ENJOY!
Even amidst life's delays we can find joy in the wait...
if you obey & keep working,
don't grumble,
don't point fingers of blame,
seek God,
be watchful for His deliverance,
REST in His leadership,
and PRAISE HIS NAME as you step out REJOICING
knowing He has made your path straight and dry!
The Farmer's Wife
Val
Life on our lil' farm this week:
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| When my homemade yogurt didn't thicken, I made frozen yogurt cubes out of it for adding to our smoothies! |
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