A Peek At...
Our Life

July 6, 2010

The Buzz Around Me

Slurping. Folks are munching on watermelon at the table near me. This is the sort of thing you plan before you mop the floor.

Kitchen Happenings

I'm off of meal duty for a few weeks. The kiddos are making all the meals for a while so I have more time to work on extra projects. The Boys have breakfast and lunch duty (think Vitamix for breakfast and leftovers for lunch). The Big Girls (15 and 14) are taking turns making dinners - they cook as well as I do.

In Our Schoolroom

We have decided to take the Summer off of official school work!!!!!!! I am working on lesson plans instead.

The Garden View

I rented out our garden plot to the children. Whatever is growing is completely by their own doing. I am having the benefit of buying from them fresh organic produce, and they are earning back their rent money. All this with no nagging to get help in the garden...what's not to love?

In The Sewing Room

I just learned a groovy new trick for patching jeans! Rip out the outside pants leg seam to patch them, then sew it back up again when the patching is done. The timing is perfect, because Mr. Visionary just gave me some for my mending pile. Sigh. All in due time...

Home-keeping Agenda

I'm using the Summer off school to get things organized again. Closets, clothes, cabinets, nothing is sacred. I feel like I haven't really had decent order since the Twinnage (cute as they are) arrived.

Simple Joys

Mr. Visionary coming home in time for dinner. I had almost forgotten what he looked like in daylight.

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My 2010 Goals

Well...my hopes anyway


~Do something with my guitar that's collecting dust...like maybe learn to play it.

~Save up enough money and get the bus ready enough to go to Family Week 2010 with the Wallers.

~Be at least 90% faithful to investing my morning quiet time praying and studying YHWH's Word.

~Do 3 good deeds and right 3 wrongs each week. I got this idea from First Fruits of Zion, and it is such a neat way to keep my focus outside of myself.

~Keep a hand-written journal.

~Be faithful to what we have learned from Dave Ramsey, and use a zero balance budget every month.

~Come up with two small ways to make side income to help my children learn to run a business.

~Begin building traditions, recipe files, scrapbooks, etc. for our family's celebrations of the Biblical feasts: Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles.

~Be outside at least some every single day.

~


Julie_Spring_2009

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What Is Faith?

What Is The Gospel?

Yeah, But What About Galatians?
(click on Studies, then Epistle To Galatians)

What About Galatians?
(more on this question)


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  • header photo courtesy Scott Foy
  • blog design by
  • Thanks Kristi!

    You did a great job ~ I love the blog, and you were such a blessing to work with!

    If you need a website or blog design, I totally recommend Kristi at p*co creative.

    • About Julie

    I’m the writer of the posts here. Who I am is dependent very much upon who is asking.

    To the World, I am a waste of potential…a public high school educated girl who never did anything important with her life. After my father died in prison when I was fourteen, I became the last great hope for the family…but I blew it. I was married to the man who would become my hero right out of high school, much to the dismay of the fingers-crossed, college-hoping relatives. That was eighteen years and nine children ago…and the World’s opinion of me has all but improved.

    To my Family, I am a servant. I don’t bother with all those high-fallutin’ made-up titles like Domestic Engineer or Home Manager…I am simply a servant. The work of my life is loving them in the most humble of ways, sometimes hidden to all but my Father. I like it this way. A quote from G.K. Chesterton speaks to my position at home:

    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.

    Indeed, what I do here confounds the wise. Who I am appears to confound the wise as well. “You can’t just be that…you need to be something…. something… more.”

    Yet, I simply am what I am. My favorite time of day is when I get to lay down and read to my three year old at nap time and my favorite “date” with my husband is to curl up in pajamas in the green chairs in our room, cups, concordances and bibles in hand. I cherish the times my girls all pile up on my bed for “girl talk” and adore watching my boys wrestle on the family room floor. I am from a shattered family, but endeavoring to pour a new one into Yahweh’s mold.

    I cry :

    when I see my ten year old son carry his baby sister in the Ergo…

    when my girls are kind even when they are tired or irritated…

    when Mr. Visionary leaves for work on Monday morning…

    when he arrives safely home at the end of the work week…

    when Babydoll softly rubs my cheek…

    when I think of the ones we love who will (at this point) one day be told, “Depart from me you workers of lawlessness“…

    when folks just want to argue, and not have ears to hear…

    I laugh:

    when Mr. Visionary does “CPR” on me (he does the pushing repetitions on my face, and blows on my stomach)…

    when the boys practice their animal jokes on me…

    when I think about how many grandchildren I could have…

    when my kids use (properly) vocabulary words that I don’t even know…

    when I ride on Mr. Visionary’s tractor with him and get bounced to smithereens…

    when the Flower Child and the Engineer do their imitations of Mr. Collins from Pride and Prejudice…

    So the bottom line is, I am a girl who loves Yahweh, and wants to love Him more. I desire to be holy and righteous before Him, so I study His word to learn more how He desires this to happen. I am a follower of Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah, forever grateful that my sins were paid for by His atoning death. I am a wife who thrills at the sight of my bridegroom’s smile, content to be his helper in all of life. I am a Momma who is trying to bask in the here and now…knowing that the days when they are little, fleetly fly. I am a friend who exhorts, encourages and weeps for the hearts of the ones I love.

    I write here for two reasons:

    Sometimes for no other reason than that I have something I want to tell someone without giving Mr. Visionary cancer of the ear. But lately…something has changed. I feel driven to say things more and more frequently. That same feeling I have when I can hear the evil rush of the highway out in the distance… that “something is coming down the road” feeling compels me. Increasing in frequency are the moments that I have no peace until I get a thing said here. It is as if the Holy Spirit will not leave me alone until it is done. I have no delusions of grandeur…I already mentioned that I am simply a servant… yet I am relating more and more to Jeremiah ~ the Weeping Prophet, from whose words the blog title was derived.

    Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. Jeremiah 6:16a

    In case it is the Holy Spirit that is leading me to write… I pray that he that has an ear…will hear.

    Comments

    Comment from Holly
    Time: November 14, 2007, 2:27 pm

    Hi. You sound so much like me. I am also someone who married straight out of high school. I am the only person in my family who does not have a college degree. Everyone asks when I am going to get a degree and do something with my life. I love being a stay at home homeschooling mother, thank you for sharing…it blessed me to read about you and your commitment to your family! Blessings ~Holly Garland, in East TN.

    Comment from Elizabeth
    Time: November 21, 2007, 3:46 pm

    Just taking a few moments online today and noticed you share the name of one of my beloved children! I just want to say, seems to me you are doing a lot with your life…producing 7 good additions to society and mostly for the KINGDOM is a very important job!! What more could a woman ask for anyway?

    While my background is not the same, still hubby and I have discussed how we come from dads that are not easy to be proud of, or happy that we sprang from their genes…but our FATHER saw fit to draw us to Himself and we are aimed at doing things HIS way! Maybe not doing it perfectly but that is the goal! This does not please our family but that is ok…we are HIS family!! Doing our best to deal with the families we were born into. Yahweh will have for Himself a people and we see this happening all around. Encouraging to see you are headed that way too!

    Comment from Mary L
    Time: December 4, 2007, 10:01 am

    Dear Julie,

    There is NOTHING more important in this world than what you and your husband are doing. You are raising a fine family in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord” and there is no telling what Godly influence your future generations will have on this troubled world.

    We married at 18 and on Nov. 28th, we celebrated our 54th wedding anniversary. We have been blessed with 6 children, all grown and married, 31 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren (so far).

    My father was married 3 times and died an alcoholic and my mother was married twice. My husband’s parents were both athiests. We both came to know the Lord many years after marriage and my husband has been on the staff of our church for the past 16 years. Five of our six children are saved and three of our daughters are homeschoolers and we are praying hard for the sixth who was married before his father got saved.

    So it is possible to turn around the direction that families were going and to establish a Christian family where there was none in that family line. The Lord has richly blessed us.

    Blessings,

    Mary L

    Comment from Crystal in Alaska
    Time: December 27, 2007, 5:12 am

    I made my way here from a LAF article link…What an absolute blessing reading “About Julie”was to me! My spirit is lifted and inspired. Thank you for listening to the prompting of His Holy Spirit!

    Comment from Jennifer in Washington
    Time: December 28, 2007, 1:55 pm

    Your writing makes my heart swell with gratitude. I have similar feelings and goals for this life. Both of our families don’t really understand the Lords hand and guidance in our life (so sad). Thank you so much for sharing with us. It reminds me of all I am grateful for on days when I feel overwhelmed.

    Comment from Penny Raine
    Time: December 31, 2007, 8:34 pm

    my hubby ministers in prison, I am extremely blessed by your blog, thank you!

    Comment from Dianne
    Time: January 2, 2008, 10:05 pm

    It was a blessing reading about Julie and also about the medicine cabinet. My children are 5 1/2, 3 1/2 and 1. I homeschool also-I wasn’t homeschooled myself but I believe it’s God’s will for our family. So far it’s been a challenge and a blessing. It’s encouraging to know that I have sisters in the Lord who God is leading the same way and that I can glean from them. God bless you!!!

    Comment from Laurie
    Time: January 15, 2008, 1:17 pm

    Julie,
    Thank you for so clearly stating why you started your blog, it is EXACTLY why I started mine. Besides giving Adam some peace, I too felt driven to share what I’m seeing and had no peace until I shared it. I really didn’t want everyone thinking I was such a complete nut job that they avoided me, so it has given me an outlet so that news related to watching is usually not the first thing out of my mouth. A “weeping prophet”, that is exactly how I felt before I started blogging and at least trying to share. Like you, no illusions of grandeur, but I remember crying right before I got that idea, feeling no peace and feeling the Holy Spirit was prompting me to share. Thank you for your articulate explanation of this prompting.

    Comment from joyfulrose
    Time: February 1, 2008, 10:13 pm

    How refreshing! Iron sharpening iron and kindred spirits all in one spot with so much in common! I will really have to be disciplined and pray even more to not lose track of time on the modern blessing of computerland! I prefer snail mail and the old paths but am thankful for modern conveniences too. Especially since my oldest married last month and is in Florida with her seminary husband until they go off to Europe most likely for the LORD! The Wedding was Heavenly Joy! Now I am in the valley again and today I found your oasis!
    Seven more children here at home ( age 24-4) calling my attention NOW!
    Blessings and Grace to YOU and all who read this. lovinly,ruthe romans 15:13 my favorite and life verse

    Comment from Melanie
    Time: February 11, 2008, 4:34 am

    First Blog I’ve ever put on my faves. Look forward to your fellowship. Recently found “the old paths” myself. Thank you for your encouragement.

    Comment from Lisa
    Time: April 26, 2008, 7:23 pm

    Thank you for your blog. We too, are trying to follow the ancient paths and are so blessed by all we’ve been given to see. It is not without a price, which we weighed before embarking. You are an encouragement to me in our walk and thank you for listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit and ministering to my sometimes thirsty heart. I found you from a link on Tammy’s recipes…I’ll be back . By the way who is singing this beautiful song? I’d like to get the CD

    Comment from Lisa Paredes
    Time: April 27, 2008, 9:32 pm

    I’m completely awed and humbled by your words. Praise God for truth and people who are not afraid to tell it. I thank my Lord and Saviour for you.

    Comment from oldpathsfamilyfarm
    Time: April 28, 2008, 7:30 pm

    Lisa (and Lisa)~

    Thank you for your words. I’ll come back and re-read them when I am wondering why I have this crazy blog!

    The song is by Steve McConnell, called the Pesach Song. My server isn’t working great now, or I’d Google and find you a link.

    Comment from Kate M.
    Time: June 9, 2008, 7:51 pm

    Saw the blog addy on the card you gave me and thought I’d read up. Even if it doesn’t work out for me to come over soon, there are still more than one ways to get to know you all!!

    Comment from Rose
    Time: June 23, 2008, 1:18 pm

    O.K. What inspired me to get on “the net” this morning was the hope of finding a recipe and I think I got more than what I bargained for. It has been a delight to know there are other moms out there who seek the best they can give their children. That being said families are not born over night, they evolve with all they overcome and with each new blessing! As a mother of 6 I’m at a point (and so is my husband) that I know we are ready for a change. I am curious to know how you made the transition to the rural life? P.S. I married my high school sweatheart too.

    Comment from Rose
    Time: June 25, 2008, 2:11 pm

    I see your quote of G. K. Chesterton and I wonder why you hate ecumenical talk since he himself was a convert to Catholicism. Another good author is Dr. Scott Hahn, also a convert with a tremandous amount of insite of the Catholic faith from a Biblical understanding. He and his family remind me alot of you and yours…seeking truth.

    Comment from Gilda
    Time: September 22, 2008, 9:54 pm

    Greetings from Honduras!

    Julie, I feel you are a great human being and a very tolerant person. A tolerant person has the the capacity to share experiences and teach people on how to live better lives.

    God Bless You and Everyone on this blog.

    Gilda

    Comment from elizabeth
    Time: October 18, 2008, 2:49 pm

    Thank you for your faithful blogging. I just found you through a friend’s blog and have been so blessed already. God has used you as an encouragement to me. So many of the words you write speak of my own heart. Thanks again for you time and I look forward to reading more.

    Comment from kay dallas
    Time: October 30, 2008, 3:27 pm

    Good Afternoon Julie:

    I have a question but before I ask, your fine print is FABULOUS, so articulated and to a degree, I chuckled!

    My question, you said you have switched to a manual grain mill, processor and so on. What flavor (type), ha, of grain mill did you purchase. I have been looking on the internet for quite a while now and not sure which one. I’m looking for one that will mill a fine flour for baking and other milling.

    Thanks so much for such a fabulous blog.
    Kay

    Comment from oldpathsfamilyfarm
    Time: November 11, 2008, 10:49 am

    Kay,

    I chose the Country Living Grain Mill, and really like it! I needed it to be *packable* for going to Israel, and to grind well. It fits both bills.

    Comment from Erin
    Time: January 4, 2009, 9:47 pm

    Wow, I found your site by looking for homemade toothpaste recipes. I feel so refreshed to find so many lovers of Yahweh living their love for him by “seeking the old paths” and taking good care of their bodies and environment, which is what I have been growing in my desire to do. I am 30, married only 1 1/2 years with no children yet. I will be back to learn more from you.
    Erin

    Comment from Tiffany
    Time: April 14, 2009, 12:28 am

    What a blessing you are. A Titus woman and beyond. I actually was looking for some good homemade…anything recipes and stumbled across your site…and I- was- blessed! You are beyond pearls and above rubies. Blessed are you Julie. Be encouraged that the Father has seen what you do and says, I am the God who sees as Haggia said I am and I have seen you and your spirit is like a sweet fragance of Cassis to ME!
    I feel such a tenderness to you and your heart. Continue to stand firm in HIM. Never waiver or sway to the right or left. Even though we lead different lives now and I may never meet you face to face, I delight in the knowledge of meeting you at the Wedding Feast.
    In Him Your sister,
    Tiffany

    Comment from tricia
    Time: May 8, 2009, 12:19 pm

    I too delivered twin girls. And like you they were numbers 8 and 9. We are at 12 now and loving every minute. You have a wonderful blog and I look forward to reading more.

    Comment from Debra Silviano
    Time: May 21, 2009, 2:57 pm

    I just want you to know that I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. I wish I could express myself as you do, but I have no doubt that you have just expressed everything that is on my heart about how I want to live and try to live. It is such a blessing to have my little ones (I am 50+ years old and my husband and I adopted our 2 granddaughters ages 1 year and 4 years). God is so good! Thank you and I look forward to reading your blog on a regular basis! Debbie

    Comment from Verity
    Time: June 5, 2009, 11:45 am

    Shalom ~ I truly enjoyed reading your entries. I don’t usually ready blogs, and found yours looking up the Wallers. We spent Passover 2008 with their group in Kentucky, it was great. We like to travel to celebrate the feasts with different groups when we can. Looking for Sukkot 2009, to see where some folks may be at this year.
    I homeschool too, and love it. It was great meeting you.

    Comment from Jessica
    Time: August 4, 2009, 4:05 pm

    Just had a few minutes and found a link to your site through another that I was on. You are such a blessing to read about. I am a new wife and mother of one (for the time being…) and hopefully the Lord will see fit to bless us with a quiver full! I love staying at home and being a “keeper”. The Lord has blessed me in so many ways, but here lately, I have found a new joy in serving my husband and son. I have seen the importance of my as his help meet, and the benefits of following the Lord in this area. Recently my hubby and I got the internet and I have so enjoyed reading blogs of other ladies with the same God-given desires. Thank you for sharing a corner of your life with those of us who still want to go God’s Way!!! Rejoicingly, Jessica Z.

    Comment from Rachel Weaver
    Time: December 5, 2009, 12:16 pm

    God bless you. I am an older mother of nine. 5 married, 3 at home and a 17 year old gone to heaven before me. I love your site. I share your heart and love the Lord Jesus and his saints.

    Comment from Audrey
    Time: January 5, 2010, 5:02 pm

    You cry when …
    I cried when I read “About Julie”
    ‘blessings for sharing.

    Before writing your comment, be sure to read the Fine Print*Here*!