Even if he's a sexual predator?

Being that I home school and own six children I am here at home a LOT. It's difficult to leave in the first place (suiting up seven of us in winter clothes has proven to have it's challenges); and once we do leave it's only a matter of time before we need to be back for someone's nap time.

I have a deep desire to live a life that is meaningful. So I'm working with what I have.

It is here in my living room (amongst the dozen and dozens of plants Cory brings home from the dumpster at work) that I do most "ministry."

According to Merriam-Webster, 

ministry: a person or thing through which something is accomplished

One of the ways I accomplish kingdom work is I hang out with Mormon missionaries weekly.  I've had my present missionaries for a few months and we've really gotten close. We invited them to the kid's piano recital and nearly every time they come they often stay well past closing prayer to play Down By The Banks on the floor.
I never cared to talk to the missionaries that would occasionally knock at my door back in California, but I feel so differently now.  If anyone wants to come in my house I really want to make a way for that to happen.  I know that the atmosphere is somewhat chaotic on the surface, but under the day old smeared sweet potato on the table and behind the volatile bursts of of laughter and/or tears,
there is a Spirit of Life here.
A wellspring of Hope and Truth.

I want to let anyone who will experience the Living God, even if it's only by catching up here in my home.

The other side of it is that I absolutely love the LDS (Mormons). They have a heart for God. They are kind.  They love their families.  They serve well.  They bring me fresh baked bread, garden zuchinni's, and backyard raw honey.
What's not to love?

These people are part of the Bride of Christ... that is confusing for me still. But I believe it's true.

This week the missionaries and I discussed the book I'm reading, Emma Smith, Mormon Enigma.

This girl had it so rough.  I'm in chapter 9 and Joseph has just taken a few more plural wives, but Emma doesn't know about them yet.  I told the missionaries that I learned historians disagree on the number of plural wives Joseph had, but it was somewhere between 27 and 84. I usually don't try to persuade them with common arguments like polygamy, but since I had been reading about it and they were asking questions it came up.
As I told them some of the things I learned and my reactions to them the missionaries eyes glossed over and became distant.
I asked them if they had ever thought about he polygamy issue.
Neither had spent much time on it. In fact one did not even know that Joseph had ANY plural wives until she had been on her mission and someone told her otherwise.

Our conversation went like this,

My concern is the LDS insistence of focusing only on the present.
The present prophet, the present practices and the present doctrines.
The present looks pretty good, but we need to evaluate the past.
What if Joseph Smith was a sex addict? Would that mean anything to you?

I don't know.  I've got my answer about the Book of Mormon and scriptures. And since I got my answer I don't think that would change anything for me.

Even if he's a sexual predator?

That idea did not seem to bother them. It didn't matter if the founder of their religion was a sex addict or an offender, they are in deep and are not looking for a way out.

And I sympathize with this.

If someone attacked my religion. Or even proved the Dead Sea Scrolls to be a fake. I would not care.  I know that the Living God loves me and lives in me.  I have a full blown relationship with Him.  Not to mention I have given so much up and spent my whole life living for this.

That's where they are... sort of.  I love them for it.

How much would it help I hated them at that moment?  Judged them for their... I don't know... blindness?  Is that God's heart toward them?

Love conquers. I want to be a part of that movement. I want to see death and deceit and law and false religion conquered.

My desire in posting this is to address the Christian community who may be willing to read this.

I invite you to open your heart.  

It's not about a cult.
It's about people who love God.
People who are loved by God.
He's doing something with the LDS.

Kefir Water Soda

 Probiotics is a word that gets thrown around a lot today.

As far as I understand it, our gut has healthy bacteria that is super important.

If we ate a traditional (old-world style) diet this issue would not come up as much for at least 2 reasons.
1) back in the day they prepared food and drinks differently...

a lot of fermentation= probiotics

2) back then refined sugars and flours were not a part of life

Did you know that most of your immune system is in your gut?

So in order to be healthy in our fast paced eating world, we need to think about probiotics.

Kefir soda is a fun venture down the path of healthfulness.

What is kefir water?
a probiotic byproduct of kefir grains

What are kefir grains?
Kefir grains look like chewed up clear gummy bears.  They are like a pet and need to be fed regularly.  They eat sugar (sucanat are my grain's favorites) and turn it into probiotics!

What about kefir soda?
When you put kefir water in a bottle with a lid it becomes oxygen is taken out of the equation. As the kefir consumes sugars in the bottle (I add juice) it naturally carbonates! Seriously.

How do you care for kefir and make soda?

Here's what you need:

• kefir grains (if you live close by drop in and I'll hook you up)
• mason jar
• sucanat (any whole sugar like palm sugar works)
• water (our water is really hard, so I use spring water, at my old house that was not necessary)
• strainer (non-metal)
• bottles with caps (Grolsh is what I use. I bought it at the grocery store and had a friend who enjoys beer "take one for the team" then supply me with the empty bottles)
• juice

Here is a non-scientific, non-specific guide:

1) water kefir grains

1. Start with 3Tbsp kefir grains +/- 
2. Mix 1/4 cup sucanat with 3cups water
3. pour sugar water into the jar with the grains
4. cover with a breathable lid. I use a paper towel. warning: If you seal this puppy it kind of becomes a bomb.
5. Set in a warm spot for 1-4 days, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. In the winter I turn mine over every 3 days or so, in the summer it's definitely every day.

2a) 1/4 cup sucanat

2b) 3 cups water

3pouring sugar mixture

4 viola

Now onto the kefir soda part, 

pour your cultured probiotic kefir into a glass jar.

If using two jar, then about 1 1/2cup kefir each.

 Next add juice. My favorite is grape. Don't fill the juice too high in the jar. Stay below the neck.  Depending on how carbonated it becomes it may be difficult to open without spraying every where if it is too full. I have a funny story about that one.

 Because the batches change and the kitchen temperature changes, I'd suggest experimenting according to preference. You can even label your bottles with the date the started so you don't loose track of them.

I found that trying to explain this was more complicated than it felt in my brain. So if you have any questions I love to be be a kefir mentor!

Cheers to good health.

Make Me a Servant

There's a song Charity Churchmouse sang that I often hum to myself, it goes,

Make me a servant, 

humble and meek.

Lord let me lift up 

those who are weak.

And may the prayer of my heart always be, 

"make me a servant, 

make me a servant, 

make me a servant today."

And when I hear it, with the minor key bathing every word with emotion, I really feel like it's important. I pray it genuinely. Make me a servant.

But when the kids interrupt my serene nostalgia with whiny demands, like a balloon, my good intentions burst and I'm lecturing.

But yesterday I let the words repeat in my soul. I considered another childhood tune,

Scurry maid

"If you want to be great in God's kingdom

learn to be servant of all."

And we know it.  Being a servant IS great. Jesus declares it to be so. 

Given the right circumstances we can really get behind that idea (say for instance I was asked to serve the President in World Peace affairs... yep, I'd be sure... this IS great)

But that's likely not the heart Jesus is interested in for me. 

For me, it might look more like this:

The kids wanted a tea party, I was just finishing a long-overdue kitchen clean. Not only did they want tea, but cookies too. I relented and my kitchen suffered. But this time I embraced it. I grabbed my apron and hanky and literally served them. I gave them a bell to ring from the tea table if they needed anything. 

When the bell rang I'd curtsy at the door, "Yes'm". 

Pretending I HAD to serve them for bit, broken accent and all, really gave me some perspective. 

These little ladies may not be the Duchess' of Wales, the truth is they are even more valuable. In the kingdom of God these beauties are of more worth than anything I can grasp in this world.  So for me to serve them is indeed a privilege.

I'm not stuck at home with them. NO. That is a lie!

I am a part of a glorious work. The Lord chose me for greatness. What is the evidence? My opportunity to serve. Praise the Lord! I'll say yes Jesus, 

Make me a servant!

Creamy Strawberries (Probiotic Dessert)

Starting this month we have taken refined sugar back out of the kids' life.  The difference in attitudes is note worthy.  They have given up on asking for candy, but dessert is still appreciated.  So yesterday I surprised AM with strawberries.  She was beyond excited.  But in order to make it really healthy (and to get rid of the leftover over curds from my homemade whey) I turned mixed some homemade cream cheese in and went for it.

I cut the fresh strawberries up before dinner, to increase the already raised excitement. 

Next I grabbed the kefir I had been separating into curds and whey,

 and scrapped the curds out.

This stuff is quite sour. I wouldn't suggest tasting it yet. But after a pinch of salt and a quick pour of maple syrup it's nice.

I mixed the strawberries in.

Upon CL's suggestion we added homemade granola.

Some chia seeds for good measure. Why not, these little gelatinous wonders help detox your system.

CL was my helper. She got first taste and definitely wanted more.

Don't we all have these IKEA bowls? There was enough for everyone, and though it "tastes a little weird" according to AA, she also asked if there was more.

So there you have it, 

Creamy Strawberries (Probiotic Dessert)

1lb strawberries, sliced

1/4 cup kefir curds (use more if you have it)

1 TBSP maple syrup

1/8 tsp salt

1 TSP chia seeds

1 cup homemade granola