Category Archives: food preservation

food preservation, Menu plans, Watching my pennies

August, 2017, $100 Grocery Challenge and Menu Plan

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August is a month of plenty for me.  My garden is growing rapidly, fruit is available everywhere, and my freezers are getting fuller and fuller each week.  I’ve decided to see if I can be more purposeful in utilizing the food I have on hand, rather than buying more.  So, I’ve decided to do a $100/month grocery challenge.  It should be quite easy to do, with the abundance of food on hand, and because I was gone for 1/3 of the month.  We took quite a bit of food with us, not knowing if there would be things I could eat, and we used some of it, but there were foods I could have much of the time, so I brought a bunch of mine home with me.  For several days, I enjoyed authentic Mexican food, cooked by the ladies of the church where we were helping!  Yum!!!

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My brother-in-law asked them all about the ingredients, etc., as he is fluent in Spanish, and I ate the foods that I could.  Much of it was corn-based, which is not a problem for me.   I did not get sick at all from those daily lunch meals.   Amazing.  Eating fast food on the way home—a different story.  It never seems to agree with me, even when I try to be careful.

After returning from my trip to Mexico, I went to the store and spent $47 on things like milk, etc.  So, that leaves me with $53 for the rest of the month.  I may not even need to spend it all–I’ll see.  I know I’m good for the rest of this week, for sure.

I will use the remaining grocery budget to buy apples and pears to process.  I’m completely out of applesauce, and have been for quite a while, so I want to can quite a few jars.  I don’t need very many pears, but want to do a few, and would like to make some fruit cocktail from peaches, pears, grapes and maraschino cherries.  Sometimes, I put pineapple in it as well, and usually buy a large can and add it in.  I hope to get some Elberta peaches from my sister to can, when they ripen.

Here’s what I’m planning to serve this week:

Sunday: Sandwiches:  We used up sandwich meat from our trip for our noon meal.  We wanted to finish the meat and cheese up rapidly so it wouldn’t spoil.  It was well-iced the entire time, but still….

Monday:  Spaghetti.  I pulled ground pork from the freezer and browned it with onions and celery.  I used 1/2 of it for spaghetti sauce.  There is a lot of sauce left over.  I served it with sautéed purple beans I picked from the garden.  They turn green when I cook them.  I added garlic to them at the last minute–yum!  I also put out cut up cucumbers from the garden.  There is enough sauce to freeze some for next week, plus eat leftovers for lunch.

Tuesday:  Chili.  Patsy is starving for chili, and asked me to make some.  I put pinto beans on to soak yesterday, and will use the rest of the pork I browned to make chili in the crock pot.  I see that there is lettuce in the garden, and I hope to cut some and have salad as well.  I could not get to everything yesterday and there is much to do in the garden!  However, we are gaining on the laundry:)  I will make a big batch and freeze some for next week.  I soaked a LOT of beans, so will cook up some plain as well to use later in the week, or next week.

Wednesday:  Chicken.  I plan to roast a whole chicken.  The weather is much cooler this week.  If Rob gets a bee in his bonnet, he may barbecue it, though, but I’m in the mood for roasted chicken, and then I can boil the carcass and get some broth.  I’ll do green beans again, as they are prolific in the garden, salad, and potatoes.  I think there are new potatoes ready out there, too, and I may start digging some up.  If not, I can buy a bag.  Potatoes are not a budget-buster:)

Thursday:  Chicken-rice soup.  I bought celery and carrots and have onions from the garden.  I can use the broth from Wednesday, and add rice from the pantry.  We like it simple.  I may make zucchini muffins if I get time, as there are SO many of those in the garden.

Friday:  Taco Salad.  I will pick lettuce and tomatoes from the garden, and use some hamburger from the freezer.

Saturday:  Leftovers.

Sunday:  Family Sunday Dinner–BBQ at our house this week.  I have both chicken drumsticks and steaks in the freezer, plus green beans, salad, potatoes–all from the garden.  If I think of anything else we could want, people usually bring things, and I can ask them to grab something.

Breakfasts:  I got some English muffins at the store, have a few yogurts, plus the usual cereal, oatmeal, toast, etc. people like to eat around here.  I have quite a few eggs in the fridge, and eat them frequently.  Sometimes I make breakfast burritos for the kids, and do have a few tortillas left that really need to be used.

Lunches:  Leftovers or sandwiches.  I bought a package of lunchmeat as part of the shopping I did and also have tuna in the pantry.  Peanut butter is Patsy’s favorite, so she can have that with our home-made jam.  Sometimes, I add a salad to the mix.

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Snacks and drinks:  There is a lot of fruit right now.  I’ve been picking a few peaches from the tree in the back yard, plus I can get some more from my sister.  My strawberries gave me about a cup yesterday, and the raspberries look like they are going to produce soon.  Once I make applesauce I will save some out to eat fresh, and  that will go over well.  We had popcorn last night, and can have it again.  There are quite a few snacks left over from our trip, as well, which will be especially handy if we go on picnics.

I bought some milk on Sunday when I shopped, can make lemonade from the bottle of lemon juice, and have several drinks left over from the trip.  I’ve been drinking a lot of water lately, and there’s always plenty of that!  I have a few sodas, too, plus 3 2-litre bottles.

 

food preservation, Garden

Off on a Trip and Garden Update-Aug. 2, 2017

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It’s a little hard to see, but the green onions have successfully dropped seeds and new, little baby green onions are popping up all over the place.  They are in a good spot, and will be my fall crop.  I also have several baby watermelons forming.  I’m very excited since I cannot remember getting any the last few times I tried.  I guess they like this heat wave:)  We’ll see if they ripen.  The cucumbers are going crazy so I’ve made quite a few dill pickles.  The tomatoes are just starting to ripen.  I’ll have lots when I get back.

Because we are leaving tomorrow, and will be gone for several days, we worked hard in the garden yesterday morning.  The lawn was mowed, the place where the old beans were tilled up was re-planted with lettuce, spinach, basil, cilantro and snow peas.  I also planted some old kale seeds.  Lovana likes kale, and it may come up and give her some.  Because it is so hot right now–over 100 and 90’s predicted for the “cool down”– those seeds will have to be watered twice a day and may not germinate.  But, I’m sure some will, and Lovana and the automatic sprinkler system will take care of the watering while we are away.  She is staying home and keeping house.

We’ve been packing like crazy.  I need to take quite a bit of food, for my special eating needs, so have quite a few items in bins.  I will eat what I can from the group meals, but out of my cooler and bins for the rest.  We have purchased what we needed, got extensive work done on the van, got the air conditioner fixed for the second time after Rob drove down 5 hours of washboard roads on his recent sponsorship of the youth rafting trip and some connections jolted loose, packed our clothes, and otherwise done what we could do to make the trip safe and productive.  Now, the rest is up to the Lord to keep us safe and lead us into the work He wants us to do.

We will be going to a place about 4 hours south of the border, on the Baja, and will be partnering with a mission organization there.  We will do whatever they need done, including VBS for kids, helping with services, a youth outreach, possible putting on a roof somewhere, and ???  Rob and I will help with the cooking for the 28 teens and 10 adults (my numbers may be a little bit off–we’ll know at 5:30 am tomorrow–we are not in charge so don’t have exact info).  We will also participate in whatever spots we are needed.  The teens have been preparing and will do much of the things like leading singing, puppet shows, crafts with kids, etc. and we will help and support them in their endeavors.

I may be able to post updates, and I may not.  It depends on my internet access or lack thereof.  In any case, I should have a lot of nice pictures when I get back!

food preservation, Saving Money

Saving Money and Weekly Update–July 23, 2017

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I got a big bag of very ripe bananas for $2 at the store and had my most excellent helpers cut and bag them for the freezer.  We will make smoothies from them.  Each day that Jake stays with me I have him do one “helpful” chore and one “fun” chore.  This was definitely the fun one–he loved cutting with the knife!  Because it was a table knife, it was low-stress for me, as well.  After all, there is no wrong way to cut a banana chunk as long as it’s safe!!

I worked a lot this week.  Most of my family was gone until Thursday so I had the time to devote.  I also tried to do a few fun things with Patsy alone after Jake went home, so one evening I looked on the internet and found a blueberry patch that wasn’t far away and we went blueberry picking.  We got 4 lbs., and they were only $1/lb.  Sadly, the crop was almost gone, or we would have picked more.  I did freeze a few of them, and several baggies from our bush.  I harvested and froze a few more raspberries and some more Marion berries from our bushes.

I canned green beans.

I kept my niece and nephew all night last Sunday, and took them and Patsy to the zoo Monday, using my zoo pass.  I took food for us to eat at lunch, and clearly announced ahead of time what I was planning to buy for them (a shaved ice or a soda) and declared that if anyone wanted more, they should bring their own money.  It worked well.

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They knew they were getting a treat, and could choose which they wanted, and it took away the anxiety for them.

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As part of the summer reading program, we attended a Lego party at the library.  Jake was given a baggie of Legos to build with.  There were also tables where wheels, baseplates or specialty pieces could be procured.   After the kids finished building their creation, there was a librarian with a microphone and the child could describe what they built, and place their item in a place of honor on a table.

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He enjoyed himself.

 

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Another day, I took a stale loaf of cheap white bread, and let them feed the ducks at a park.  Imagine our surprise when some nutria showed up for their share!

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There was 1 mama and 5 or 6 babies.

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There was also a trip to a park one day.  You can’t beat the swings!  I noticed a splash pad there.  We might do that another day, when we are prepared with bathing suits.

I bought several items of clothing and shoes for the girls.  I don’t buy a ton of things at the beginning of the school year. Instead, I buy them things all year long when they need them.  It had been a long, long time since I had purchased shoes for them, so I was delighted to get the shoes they needed  off of the clearance rack, which worked out to at least 1/2 price.   Patsy got 3 tops for 1/2 off the lowest marked clearance price (gotta love Fred Meyers), and Ja’Ana got shorts and capris for around $12 each.  I was also able to get them each a p.j. set.  We are heading out for a mission trip before too long, and I wanted them to have something that was decent, matched, no holes,  fit well, etc. for the trip.  We will be sleeping in churches part of the time and at the mission compound, the restrooms are across  a courtyard, so they may be seen in these p.j.’s if they have to take a “walk” during the night.  The sale was excellent, so that helped.  I got them each a $2 pair of flip flops for showers, etc.  Rob got J a couple of skirts for the trip at Goodwill.  I still have a few things to get Patsy before school starts, but I think I’m about ready for the upcoming trip.

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The garden is full of produce.  Early this morning, I slipped outside to pick a few beans for our family Sunday dinner, which I hosted today.  Well, one “bean” let to another, and I ended up with 2-1/2 gallon ziplock bags of yellow and green beans.  I gave 1 to my sister, we ate the 1/2, and my aunt and I quickly snapped, blanched and froze the other bag for her freezer.  Rob and I got 14 pints and  2 quarts frozen Thursday, so I didn’t need them.  She ended up with several one-cup portions.  It was great to find a use for them!  I also cut lettuce and picked a few cucumbers and snow peas.

It was a very busy week, but we got a lot done, which is awesome!

 

food preservation, Garden

Canning Green Beans and a Garden Update

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This morning, I got up early and started picking beans.  I got SO many, just like I was hoping to.  At 9, my mom and aunt showed up to help, with Jake and Michaela in tow.  While out in the garden, I took the opportunity to pick a few cucumbers, snow peas, zucchini.  Things are coming along nicely.

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The bucket is full of beans, and the other veggies are just resting on top.  I had no time today for anything else, but tomorrow I’m going to see if there are enough cukes for a couple jars of pickles.

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My pollination issue has been resolved:)  There are probably about 15-20 zucchinis forming!

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These are Carmen peppers.  They are a sweet pepper, and are the first to turn red at my house.  I usually grow them from seed, and was delighted to find a few plants of that variety that I could buy.  They’re not ready yet, but are coming along.

Some of the seeds I planted for the late summer garden are up.  The bush peas are up, and the snow peas are just starting to poke up.  Beets are up like crazy, but the pole peas are nonexistent.  The seeds may have been too old.  I will plant a few more things after these beans are done and pulled out, like yet another row of lettuce.  The little cabbage plants are starting to take off.   Right now the garden is full.

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Before he left for camp, Rob set up this camp stove for me to use in the outside covered porch and got me a full tank of propane.  This house came with a flat-top stove, which is not recommended for canning on.  So, I’m learning to can a different way–outside, and with propane instead of electricity.  There was a lot of juggling things around, scurrying in and out of the house setting up things, and generally figuring out the new way of doing things.

My snapping crew kept snapping steadily while I washed jars, filled them, added 1/2 teaspoon salt, filled with water, put on lids and rings and began processing.  Then I put my mother on a chair in front of the canner to keep it at a steady 11 pounds of pressure.  She had to continually adjust the propane level to keep the pressure consistent for 25 minutes for quarts and 20 minutes for pints.  We always watch it the entire time.   It’s the safest way.

Michaela and Patsy helped snap and then Michaela helped Grandma by timing the length of time needed with her phone.

Aunt Janet kept snapping.  All morning long.  Jake asked to go to the Dollar Store to get the prize he had earned by doing his daily activities.  All morning long.

By lunch time, we had them all snapped and into jars.   By 1 o’clock, we had 2 loads cooked and cooling.  After a quick lunch, we all dispersed to our respective errands and I finished canning them when I got back.  From the Dollar Store.  (We also did a library activity, and some other things, so I didn’t actually finish until about 8:30 pm)

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At the end of the day, I have 21 quarts and 17 pints, all cooling on a table outside.  I’ll let them cool all night and wash and put them away tomorrow.  I am very pleased with the amount we got.  I could not have done it without all my helpers.  I’m so thankful for their help.  It was a long, satisfying day.

 

food preservation

Home-Canned Beef Broth

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I had a large block of time on Thursday morning.  I decided to use it to deal with some packages of beef soup bones that have been in my freezer for a while.  Every fall, we get beef from a farmer friend of my sister.  Every year, there are packages of beef soup bones.  They were stacking up.  I am determined to make room in my freezers and use things that have been there for a while.

I got out 5 packages marked “soup bones.”  They had varying amounts of meat on them.  Some were quite meaty, some were more bony.  I got out my largest pot and one of my every-day large soup pots.  The large pot stays in the garage, and I only use it when I have a lot of something to preserve.  It makes my normal soup pot look like a dwarf pot:)

I then divided the bones, and filled both pots with water.  I added salt and boiled, then simmered the broth for about 3-4 hours.  A scum rose on top of the broth and bone mixture.  I skimmed it off and fed it to the cats.  In the meanwhile, I washed my jars.

I partially filled the empty jars with extremely hot water, to avoid breaking them.   You do not ever want to put hot liquid into a cold jar.  Then, I put the broth in the jars, put on the lids and screw tops, and put into my pressure canner.  I pressured-canned the broth for 20 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, following the directions in my brochure from the OSU Extension office.  When done, according to directions, I cooled them on a towel on the counter.

My yield was 7 quarts, and 15 pints of broth.  I also got a large bowl full of beef chunks that I froze for future meals.  Now my freezer is a little emptier, and the broth is in a form where I can use it quickly and easily.

food preservation, Saving Money

Bananas Everywhere!

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I was delighted when we were given 40 pounds of bananas.  It was a whole box, and there were a lot of bananas in it.  They were in excellent condition.  They were even organic!  What a blessing.  There were also a few bunches in a bag that were not quite as nice, but could still be used.  So, I think I had about 50 or more pounds to work with.  Here’s what I did with them.

  1.  We have been eating bananas at every opportunity.
  2. I took some bunches to share with my family.
  3. I had the 4H dry some and they will use them at the next meeting.IMG_2022
  4. I tried another recipe that was suggested on The Prudent Homemaker blog.  I cut strips and sprinkled them with brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger and they are drying now.FullSizeRender.jpg
  5. Ja’Ana dipped some in chocolate and froze them for yummy snacks.FullSizeRender
  6. I froze quite a few gallon-sized bags.  I cut the bananas, put them in the bags, then squirted a squirt of lemon juice in the bag and worked it around with my hands to prevent browning.  We use those frozen chunks for smoothies, and they can also be used for baking, if desired.  They just need to be defrosted and smashed.FullSizeRender
  7. Last, but not least, I made banana pudding.  This was also a suggestion from The Prudent Homemaker Blog. I made a simple cornstarch vanilla pudding and added bananas.  We ate some, but I put too many bananas in it and it broke down and became runny.  So, I froze the rest for smoothies or milkshakes.FullSizeRender
  8. We still have 4-5 bunches left over for eating and further creativity. It took most of the day yesterday, but I’m delighted to say I’m fully stocked up on bananas right now.  What a blessing!
animals, food preservation

From Turkey to Burger

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On Monday morning, Rob loaded up the 18 turkeys he has been raising.  Their time had come.  With a pickup load of cages, he and Ja’Ana set off for the processing plant we use.  It is 1-1/2 hours from our home.  We use them because 1)They do an excellent job, 2)They are extremely reasonable in their pricing, 3)There aren’t many places around here that specialize in poultry.

It only took them about 1-1/2 hours to do the job.   He had 5 cut up for us to grind into turkey burger, 1 cut in 1/2 (for the 2 single people on our gift list), and the rest left whole. Rob and Ja’Ana killed the wait time in a little diner, eating breakfast and visiting.  It was good daddy-daughter time, for sure.

On the way home, they delivered turkeys to the relatives who were receiving them for Christmas. Last year, we did chickens and they were much appreciated.   Ja’Ana wisely used the time to sell pies to all the relatives–she’s earning money for a retreat she wants to go on in January, and that is the fund-raiser to help with the cost of that.  They picked Lovana up from work, and went to a friend’s house to borrow a meat grinder.  It was a long day.  They didn’t get home until around 6:30, where they got white bean chili or ham and beans from the crock pots.  (I soaked too many navy beans, so made 2 things and will freeze the extra).

The 5 whole turkeys we are keeping, plus the 1 undelivered one went into the emptied chest freezer in the garage.  The 5 cut-up ones went on ice in coolers until Tuesday morning.

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On Tuesday morning, Rob cut the bones out of the breasts and thighs of the 5 turkeys.  The drumsticks and wings were frozen in zip-top bags for future meals, 2 per package.  The bones that were cut off, plus the necks and backs were frozen for broth making another day.

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Then he ground it 2 times.  We had 3 of these large Tupperware bowls full of the first grind.  While he was grinding, he removed any tendons, stringy muscles, etc., whatever didn’t look like we wanted to eat it.  He ground it twice to get those undesirable things out, and also to get a good mix between the light and dark meat.

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During the second grind, Ja’Ana held the bags over the end of the grinder, and the finished burger was pushed into the bags by the machine.  I wrote on the bags, twist-tied them, and generally ran back and forth, fetching and carrying things for Rob.  I also took the finished bags, bones, meat pieces, etc. to the freezer and loaded it up.  There was a pretty big mess to clean up afterwards.

When we were done, we had 32 approximately 1-pound packages (we did not weigh, but filled to a marked line on the bag) and Rob made 2 pans of meatloaf.  We also have 5 whole turkeys, 10 drumsticks and 10 wings.  I will get a lot of broth one of these days, and I will pressure can it into both pints and quarts.  It was a very productive day and my 1 empty freezer is now full with the fruits of Rob’s labors.

food preservation

Freezing Squash

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Today, we decided to cut up 2 of the large sweetmeat squash and process them for the freezer.  We have been blessed with so many this year and I want to get started using them.  It takes quite a bit of time to cook, mash and freeze these large squash, to I like to put some into the freezer.  Early this morning, Rob cut them up and scooped out the seeds.  I baked them on cookie sheets lined with foil.

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I baked them until they were soft at 350 degrees.    It took between 1-1/2 hours and 2 hours to get them to a place where a fork would easily slide into them.  I got 4 large cookie sheets full from the 2 squash and was able to fit them all into my double ovens.  When we remodeled this house a few years back, I put in the double oven because we run a large 4H club and it makes the cooking classes go better.  I’ve found so many ways to use both ovens during days like this, and also at holidays, that I’ve always been glad I made that choice.

I set them out on the counter to cool down while I took Patsy to an appointment.  I intended to put the squash through the food mill when I returned, but Ja’Ana surprised me by getting quite a bit of it done before I came back.  Her arm was tired by then, so Patsy took over.  Grinding the food mill is pretty fun, but I was very happy to have the help with that part of the job on such a busy day.

The end result was about 10 quart-sized zip-top bags and a sizable bowl for using fresh.  Some of the bags are stuffed as full as they could get for evenings when we want to use it as a vegetable for dinner and some have less in them for when I want to use it for cooking.  For meals, my kids like it warmed up with a little brown sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top.  For cooking, I use it as pumpkin.  It is less watery and stringy as many pumpkins I have grown and we love using it in pie, muffins, pumpkin custard, etc.  I love having the frozen squash in my freezer to make my life easier on busy days!

animals, food preservation

Baby Pigs

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Today, we purchased 5 baby Hampshire/York cross pigs from a lady on Craig’s list.  They were $90 each, which is a good price around here.  1 is for our freezer, and the other 4 are for other people to buy.  All but one are pre-sold.  One year, Rob had a baby pig die from tetnus, which is rare, but from then on, he has always bought an extra one just in case.  He has never had trouble selling the extra pork.  The 4 pigs that are going to be purchased will bring in enough money to pay the expenses for the 5th pig, which we will keep.  So, for his time, (which is substantial), we will have a “free” pig for our freezer.

Rob put clean straw into the pen, which has not been used for about 2 years.  He checked the fences to make sure no holes had developed.  Baby pigs are very small and can get out easily, even through the smallest opening.  The little shed where he stores hog feed needed some work, too.  He re-fastened the tin roof, which had blown part way off in a windstorm since the last time he raised pigs.  Inside the little shed, half is an area where the dog can get in out of the elements.  The other half holds the pig food.  Rob removed all debris, trash, empty bags, etc. that had accumulated.  He bought a ton of natural hog feed from the local feed store, where they mill their own.  It is not organic food, which is wonderful, but raises the cost of the pigs to more than we can afford.  It is natural, and very competitive in price to other, less attractive feed.  He got a reduction in price because he bought a ton.  If he can figure out a way to bring his own containers another time, he will save even more.

The pigs will be fed on a diet of natural pig feed, supplemented by vegetables and fruits.  Sometimes Rob buys bread that is too old for the store to sell.  He was able to get our van full for $20-$25, but that was a couple of years ago.  It will be interesting to see if that deal is still available.   Pigs are a wonderful way to raise meat in a few months because they grow quickly and taste wonderful. I’m already excited about getting some more pork into the freezer!

food preservation, Saving Money

Frugal Accomplishments for the Week of November 2, 2015

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There were many green tomatoes left in the garden to find a good use for!
There were many green tomatoes left in the garden to find a good use for!

I have the ability to work more around my home from Thursday-Saturday each week due to my homeschool schedule and my part-time job of teaching piano lessons.  This week I had the pleasure of sharing most of those days with a good friend who came to visit.  She lives about 8 hours away from me and her visits are treasured.

We both love to can and preserve food.  So, she picked green tomatoes from her garden, grabbed some jars, and drove over here to where gardens grow much better than where she lives, and we got to work.  She spent the time when I was busy with the children visiting her relatives and friends who live around here and shopping for items she cannot get in her remote town.

We made salsa verde, zucchini relish and chow-chow, which is a mixed vegetable relish.  I had quite a few green tomatoes, various peppers, cabbage, and onions from my garden.  I was given lots of cauliflower last Tuesday, which is also an ingredient of chow-chow. We experimented with agave nectar instead of sugar because my friend is super-allergic to many things and she tolerates agave better than other sweeteners.  The relish and the chow-chow both tasted good with that substitution.

I processed 30 quart bags of cauliflower Tuesday.  A friend gave it to me.  We saved out a bunch and used it for the chow-chow as well as having it for meals twice so far.

I walked on the treadmill most evenings.

I bought some netting and a ribbon for one daughter’s Halloween costume.   She used it to make an overskirt to tie on over a fancy dress I made a few years ago and it fits no one at this time.  It was pinned to make it work for this occasion.  The youngest was a detective with a trench coat, notebook, and magnifying glass (for a while until she lost it).   We didn’t want to spend much on costumes because, well, they are costumes!

I bought 50 pounds of red potatoes at Cash and Carry for a little under $10.  That’s 20 cents/lb.  I also chose to buy a gallon of gluten-free soy sauce for under $6.  One little jar of the SanJ brand is about that much!  I just keep filling my small bottle.  We use it to make marinade as well, and it keeps for a long time.  I got large bottles of salad dressing there as well along with a mega package of lettuce.   We have still been eating tomatoes from the garden.  I got 6 snap peas and put them into a stir-fry.

I started a new piano student.

We went to the library and checked out more books.  More importantly, we returned our old ones before we got fines:)

I washed eggs, put them in cartons, and began cooking with them.
I washed eggs, put them in cartons, and began cooking with them.

All in all, it was a frugal week on many levels.   Some weeks are about putting more food away when it is available.  There will be many other weeks where I rack my brains figuring out what exactly to cook from all of this marvelous preserved food. It’s always a project, but it is so worth it to me.  Being stocked up makes a tremendous difference.

If you had asked me during the summer if my husband was in danger of losing his job, I would have laughed and said, “no way after 18 -1/2 years.”  But, sadly, it happened at the end of September.  I’m thankful for all we have.  It’s going to come in handy before this issue is resolved, I think!  He and I are still praying, thinking and wondering what the next step is.  Right now, we feel at peace with waiting until it comes clear to us.  He has gone to many people for advice and we’ve been advised to treat this as a death and allow ourselves enough time to work through the process of grief and mourning.  Because our personal lives as a family were so enmeshed with his job as a children’s and family pastor, it has tremendously affected the entire family.  The children are mourning the loss of their friends and the only place they have ever gone to church.  We are grieving the  loss of helping people we have cared about and helped for so many years. Because it was the decision of a very small handful of people, people are upset.  They are still calling, writing, and visiting to show their support, and to talk to Rob about things, as they have done for so many years.  This will taper off as they start to process this and move on with their lives.  It just takes time.

Grief and mourning are not a fun or popular time of life.  None of us want to do it.  I don’t want to do it.  I hate that I’m bursting into tears at the drop of a hat!  But, if we don’t, we won’t be able to come out on the other side as  healthy, whole people.  One prayer I frequently have prayed through this, and other extremely difficult situations, is that I will not turn into a bitter old woman.  We are praying that God will help us handle the unfair way that this was done with grace.  How we handle this will affect our children’s lives forever, as well as our own.  So far, we know that our actions and words have been appropriate to the best of our ability.  We want to be able to hold our heads high and not be ashamed of how we acted through this.  It’s not easy, but we have a great God who can help us each and every day!