excellent homeschooling desks

I was looking at desks for students (specifically homeschooled ones, mine) and I was excited to find these. Hopefully we can afford them soon. It would be great for the kids not to have to go up to the wipe off board we have to practice writing spelling words and the like. Also, they could write notes on history for copywork and all sorts of things!

In case you're interested: http://www.amazon.com/Lipper-International-Childs-Chalkboard-Chair/dp/B000WXWX32/ref=cm_cmu_pg__header

recipe I love

Here's a recipe I've been making a lot lately. We first had it at a USA vs. Canada hockey- watching party earlier this year. I made it three times during Lent, and loved it! My whole family loves it. It's not too spicy for the kids, which is nice. They love the bell peppers. I've been adding some corn to it, which makes it all the more beautiful. We even used some leftovers in burritos as part of the filling.

For the non-vegan version, I have been thinking about adding grilled chicken chunks to it. So easy, and so good.



Chunky Vegetarian Chili (From Cooking Light)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (16-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add sugar and remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

Please.

Please pray for my children. My older two. Zachary and Bethany. The things they have to deal with are things I wish I could save them from. Their biological mother exposes them to things and ideas that shock me and break my heart. She hardly sees them, but every time she does it's a new impossible situation. I pray that somehow they can be pure of heart, that their confusion can somehow be dissolved, that all this culminates SOMEHOW into something good.

A new friend at church was recently telling me something one of the priests had told her about a frustrating situation with her younger sister. He said, "God knows the childhood each of us needs."

I think about that a lot. I had a less than desirable upbringing in many ways, but even through that I became the person I am. I know that I wouldn't be the same if my early years would have been different.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Some manuscripts: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God
Or: works together with those who love him to bring about what is good—with those who...

I feel sometimes my only hope is to teach them to love God; that He might, in great mercy, work all these things together for their good. Most the time, I feel entrusted with too much. Often, I have enough to deal with just trying to love God myself.

This afternoon I opened a long, hand-written letter (yes, people still write those) from a woman whose son saw our family, and has always wanted to marry and have a big family. It was thanking us for "giving him a tangible vision of what a family can be". "He wants it to be like yours," she wrote. How nice to hear this on a particularly frustrating day... Her son is 24 years old, and serving in Afghanistan. She said he often uses us as an example of what he wants for his family someday.

If you think of it, remember James Rushing in your prayers.



Also, pray for the family of Esther Elliot Longa, the sister of my sister in law's brother's wife, who reposed in the Lord yesterday. Yes, that is a mouthful, but their anguish is great. I didn't know Esther personally, but I have joined in prayer for her recovery and now am saddened by the mourning of her family.

Esther's newborn son, husband, sisters, parents, extended family, and many of our church who knew her will sing funeral hymns this Bright Week...remember your many blessings, reader.

Christ is risen!

Holy Week, Pascha, and Agape Vespers and picnic (all our first time attending) are over. I am exhausted.

It's not only the physical exhaustion. The joy has done me in.

Blessed Bright Week to all! Enjoy your bacon and eggs.