What the Economic Crisis Really Means - And What We Can Do About It

Yes, ANOTHER video for you to watch. I would really appreciate your thoughts and feed back. I know our system has and is collapsing. Our little family even feels the affects of that. I don't have such an optimistic view as this video of a future Utopian society... at least not until Christ returns. My faith tells me there WILL be such a Utopian society on Earth but frankly things get a lot worse before they get better. I do think community, local projects, and technology mentioned such as 3D printers are amazing. Money is worthless we just haven't realized it... so what can we do to change things around? Is it possible? Clearly we can work to live within our means, live debt free, share what we have, repurpose, reuse, recycle, etc. Can we do more in the mist of a crisis? 

My passion remains with food. It is hard to explain but I want to help grow food. To feed my family and make some additional income to help take such a heavy burden off of Gary but also to feed the hungry and needy. What are your thoughts on this video? Are things getting worse or better? What is your family doing to prepare for harder times?

Food Stamped: Watch for Free One Week Only!

Did you know that September 2012 is hunger action month? Did you know that 49 MILLION Americans face hunger daily? That is 1 in 6 people - 1 in 5 children. **Wow**. Let that sink in. Someone and their KIDS are hungry in your neighborhood. I just don't know what to do with that number. With the rampant increase in diet related health problems in our country it is easy to see the correlation. Cheap food doesn't equal good-for-you food. 

Husband and wife Yoav and Shira Potash, in their documentary "Food Stamped", take a look at whether or not it is possible to eat healthy on food stamps. With $50.00 a week for two people, a dollar per person per meal, they shop for organic ingredients for a full seven day period. Is it possible to eat healthy, real food? Watch to find out (free until Saturday). If you have the money please support this film or any number of food related causes. One thing is for sure: eating healthy requires time, knowledge, access and of course good planning.

I have thought of our family as frugal and wise with our food dollars (with room for improvement of course) spending $100-$150 roughly every week for five people but now I feel pushed farther to be even "thriftier". To increase my efforts if you will. Here is a family that spends only $100 a month on food and they chronicle their choices on their blog "One Hundred Dollars a Month". Transforming their food budget from $800+ monthly to just $100 a month in four years is pretty impressive. Granted browsing through their blog this evening did revival some food choices that real foodie snobs would turn up their noses at I give them huge props for what they are achieving. Looking for more you can do right now? Visit Hunger Action Month for ideas.

I need time to digest what I just watched, how it affected me, and what I am going to do about it. Clearly 2 a.m. is not the time for that but I wanted to watch the film in it's entirety before I recommended you do the same. I think it is more than worth it though. 

Let's all think heavily on this issue. It shouldn't be one that we just glance at and ignore. How do you make your money go far in this really rocky economy? What do you think we should do to help feed America's hungry? Until next time.

Mr. Rodgers: Garden of Your Mind

Of course I grew up watching Mr. Rodgers. I loved pretending and imagining as a child. I am not sure exactly how our children are losing that but they are. I for one hope my children will "grow things in the garden of their mind". 
I am falling in love with Janet Lansbury's blog. I have found it to be a truly great go to resource for issues with Wade and it is completely changing how I want to interact with Ethan and encourage him to play. Honestly, I wish I had found it sooner. Of course I may or may not utilize everything taught there. No one has to camp out with just one way of doing things, but I found a particular article from this week regarding how our children are loosing play to be scary. I feel strongly about play and imagination. It was my favorite part of childhood. I want Wade to experience that in its fullest. He will have a lifetime of being "grown up". No need to rush things now. 
If you are interested in reading about how preschoolers are loosing play please read this article: Don't Let Your Preschoolers Forget How to Play

Enjoy growing things in the garden of your mind.

Nourishing Our Children: 20 Minute Free Video on Traditional Diets

The first 20 minutes of the Nourishing Our Children video. The full presentation materials (DVD, e-book and study guide) can be obtained with a donation of $55 to the Nourishing Our Children campaign through January 18th. 

My thoughts on the first 20 minutes:

Nourishing Our Children is based on answering the question, "Can we be well fed but malnourished"? The video covers how Weston Price (a Cleveland dentist) set out to answer that question as he began noticing the increasing deformities in the mouths of children here in Cleveland, Ohio. Within the last year my eyes have been open to traditional foods. Fermentation (needed desperately in my diet to combat my infestation of candida), raw milk, animal fat (keeping the fat in our food and diet), eating non-industrial (man made) food, proper food preparation (soaking of grains, sour dough preparation, fermentation, etc.), etc.

Starting with reading "Real Food: What to Eat and Why" by Nina Planck my eyes were startlingly opened to the idea alone that fat is extremely good for us and essential in our diet. The right kind of fat, used correctly, do not make us fat! Amazing. I know. We are so focused on "low-fat diets". That is hardly our biggest health concern.

I have continued to endeavor to change my diet and Wade's from the industrial diet we are so very used to. Because of finances, busy life, and learning it is a slow and gradual process but I am encouraged by the knowledge that I now know how to well nourish myself and my children (and husband God willing!).

There is one more point I want to address. While I embrace and appreciate the idea of traditional diets and believe there is clearly something nutritiously right about them. I am cautious to embrace the idea of evolution being the driving force behind our need for traditional diets. I look at the concept of traditional foods and diets in light of what the Bible teaches us about our history and from our history our diet. What God made was perfect, what man makes is flawed. Everything with a grain of salt and seeking the truth through God's eyes.

What are your thoughts? Is this idea of traditional foods completely new and foreign to you or is this something you are already changing about your life style? I would truly love to know.

Keep your eyes open. Jackie was busy in her kitchen this morning. She may have something fun to share! You know... she is my inspiration for looking at holistic and natural health. She discovered it first and has paved the way and inspired me for years. 

Move: Our Happy Song

Happy Monday continues! This song always makes me and Wade dance around the kitchen. Someday's you need the message more than others. Today we dance because the sun is shining! Happy Monday.

God had Him in Mind When He Made a Cowboy

Buck the Film

I remember reading about Buck back in the days of my Horse Illustrated magazine subscription. It sure wasn't often that a horse "whisper" was mentioned in my small area of horsey influence. Perhaps if it was my whole world would be different right now. I honestly can't remember when or how I became aware of other ways to "train and break" a horse but it happened. I do remember riding severally abused animals and thinking about how they changed my life with their brokenness but willingness to trust again. I dreamed that I would someday bring together broken people and broken animals and together they could find healing. Lots of amazing people out there are doing just that and it is awesome. One such place is Crystal Peak Youth Ranch. You won't be able to read Kim Meeder's book "Hope Rising" with a dry eye. I feel blessed that I was able to touch on and experience this like of bond with horse and rider with our horses Summer & Freckles before we sold them to better homes.

I didn't know when I would be lucky enough to see this documentary on Buck and his life and training "techniques". However, if you have a Netflix subscription you can now see it on Netflix streaming (and probably DVD). Even if you aren't a horsey person I would recommend watching this film. The unbelievable hardship and abuse that Buck overcame in his own life is remarkable and inspiring. He has a lot more to offer to the world than just training horses and starting colts.

Buck... I pray with all my heart that you know Jesus in this world and next.

Love Me Some Chicken

I love the expressions! I want to love me some chicken very soon......