My Own Mt. Everest

Well, it's almost May, and that means 11th grade is coming to a close. In fact, I have only four more weeks! (Woohoo!!) Since I'm getting down to the end of my high school years, more and more people are asking me that infamous question:

"So, what do you want to do after you graduate? Are you going to college?"

And when I reply, in all seriousness,

"Actually, I'd like to get married and be a wife and mother."

They then give me a blank stare, a fake smile, and a "Oh, yeah, that's great.", all the while really thinking "This girl is insane."

But, it's true. Over the past two years the Lord has firmly cemented into my mind that my purpose and goal in life is to be a godly wife and mother; to glorify His name by being a helpmeet for my husband and by raising godly children. And it is incredible to see how God has worked things out so perfectly, to actually make that come true!

But there's more to it than that. I don't just want to be an everyday, average, mediocre, barely-gets-by wife. I want to be the absolute BEST wife and mother possible. I want to be the virtuous woman who is a crown to her husband and whose price is far above that of rubies (Proverbs 12:4, 31:10). I want to be like Ruth, whose reputation was so good that the whole city knew that she was a virtuous woman (Ruth 3:10). I want to be a godly woman who reflects the Lord everywhere I go and in everything I do. I want to be an example to others of a woman who is focused on serving God by serving her family.

Whew....that's a mountain and a half of goals.

So, I've gotten my gear together, I'm doing a lot of training, and now I'm taking the first little steps up that mountain. But then, I look up towards the summit, and my heart sinks.

"Oh no!" I think. "That's as big as Mt. Everest! I'll never make it up there!!"

I'll never reach the top.
I'll never be a good wife and mother.
I'll never be a virtuous woman.
I'll never be a crown to my husband.
I'll never reflect God in everything.
I'll never be a good example to others.
I'll never, ever, ever reach those goals!!
I just can't do it!!!!!!!

A little dramatic, I know, but you get my point. Those are the thoughts that haunt me some days, and they make me want to sit down, give up, take all my gear off, and simply QUIT.

But then, I remember Moses, and Joshua, and David, and Daniel, and Jeremiah, and countless others from the Bible.

Moses was called to lead a nation out of captivity....a NATION. And yet God didn't expect him to be perfect. When the Lord told Moses to speak to Pharaoh, his response was,

"And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say."

Moses didn't think he was good enough. He didn't think he could do it. And yet, God had called him to do what was seemingly impossible to him. But God didn't expect Moses to be perfect, or to be eloquent; no, He simply expected Moses to OBEY, and then He would give him the words to say.

Joshua also had to lead the nation of Israel. But he had more to do than that; he also had to go conquer other nations. That's another big mountain. But, again, God did not expect Joshua to be a perfect leader, or a perfect soldier, or anything of the sort. He simply expected OBEDIANCE, and He would fight on Joshua's behalf. In Moses' last exhortation to Joshua and the Israelites he said:

"Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."

Later the Lord spoke directly to Joshua saying:

"Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. ........Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

And Jeremiah.....he was called to prophecy doom and destruction to the kingdom of Judah. And he was a very young man at that time. And his response to God's calling was:

"Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth."

Again, God didn't expect perfection. Just obedience. And God gave him the words, and the courage, and used Jeremiah for His purposes. 

And that is encouraging to me. When I look up at my Mt. Everest and start to feel like quitting because I'm not perfect, I just remember these men. And I serve the same God as they did. My Lord doesn't expect me to be perfect, or to know everything, or to get everything right the first try. He doesn't expect me to never stumble, or never be afraid. He just wants me to be obedient, and He will climb with me, and teach me, and pick me up, and get me to the top.

And so, I don't quit. I get my gear on and keep taking one step at a time, knowing that I serve an awesome God, and that He is with me every step.

So Many Projects......

......Not nearly enough motivation.

I don't know about you, but I wish I could run down to the nearest Starbucks and order motivation the same way I order coffee.

Um..yeah.......I'll take a Venti of Motivation with a shot of Energy, and extra Creativity on top, please.


Unfortunately, life does not work that way. I am naturally a rather lazy and unproductive person; motivation only comes my way on its own every once in a while. Thanks to lots of hard work and wonderful parents who have taught me diligence and self-discipline, I can now say that on most days, I am productive. And yet still, I have a long list of projects to finish.

Another thing I like to do it have at least two or three projects going at the same time. I get bored of one easily, so that way I always have another to work on. Sounds great, right? Yeah, well, the only problem is......I don't always finish all the projects I start.

All that to say this: in a effort to be productive and finish ALL my projects, I thought I would share them on my blog. That way, I know people are expecting to see some results! So, here we go:

First one positive note; last week, I cleaned out and ironed and organized my fabric stash!! A big project, but one that NEEDED to be done.

Before:

And after:

Woohoo!! It felt good to get that done.

Now as for the rest of my projects...well..........

I have a quilt that I need to finish quilting, then bind and label:

I have a slide-show of pictures from 2010 to finish:

 I have a book which I got for Christmas to finish reading:

I have a shawl for re-enacting to crochet:

And I have three more books which I got for my birthday to read:

Then add onto all of that my daily chores, weekly tasks, all the places I go, and all the things I WANT to do (like bake apple-cinnamon bagels), and I'm left feeling like there are too many projects and not enough motivation or time. But......somehow, I will be victorious!!!

Easter Eggs and Niagara Falls

I'm trying really hard right now to think of some way to introduce this blog post; but, my brain is not cooperating. I feel like I should start my saying something about Easter, or how my family celebrates, but honestly, I just can't think of any words right now. So instead here are the pictures:

Saturday evening - decorating eggs at my sister's house with my aunt and cousin.

Sunday afternoon - Easter egg hunt with my cousin, and CHOCOLATE!

Sunday afternoon and evening - Niagara Falls with my mom, aunt and cousin.

This is snow.....incredible!

 

More snow!

 Postcards!

British Sergeant's uniform from 1779:

Can you tell I like the benches there?

These are three crazy names!

A Tidbit From Mrs. Vanderbilt

For those of you who read this post's title and asked "Who's Mrs. Vanderbilt?", well, let me enlighten you.  Amy Vanderbilt was a lovely lady from New York City, who lived from 1908 til 1974. Most importantly, she is the author of the book entitled Mrs. Vanderbilt's Complete Book of Etiquette. Sounds like a thrilling masterpiece, doesn't it? 

Well, I must confess that etiquette is quite fascinating to me. I wish that I could send the entire world through a 1800's etiquette bootcamp, and on many occasions my own dear, patient sister wants to slap me for my insistence that the lady ought to walk on the right side of the gentleman.

I realize, of course, that I will never reform the world. But, after spending an afternoon researching and compiling a list of proper 1800's etiquette for a class I am teaching, I thought I would share my findings with you all. 

Now, before, I go any further, let me add one little caveat. I'm not suggesting we follow all of these rules now-a-days, and I will admit that even when I'm re-enacting I don't always follow these rules as accurately as I ought. Things like always wearing gloves in public, never crossing your legs, and never dancing more than two dances with the same partner are all rules that I break almost habitually while re-enacting (especially the last one!). Some of them I would even say are down right ridiculous (like married couples never sitting together at a dinner party). However, it would be nice to see some more politeness and gentility in this world, and when one is re-enacting these things do help in giving an accurate portrayal of that era. Thus...the following rules for your enjoyment:

Etiquette For Ladies:

1. ALWAYS graciously accept gentlemanly offers of assistance.

2. ALWAYS wear gloves on the street, at church and other formal occasions, except while eating or drinking. Remove your gloves after being seated at the table.

3. NEVER refer to an adult by their first name in public.

4. NEVER grab your hoops or lift your skirts higher than is absolutely necessary to go up the stairs.

5. NEVER lift your hoops or skirt up onto a chair or stool, (Wait for or ask for assistance when sitting down.)

6. NEVER sit with you legs crossed; except at the ankles.

7. NEVER speak in a loud, coarse voice.

Etiquette For Gentlemen:

ALWAYS: 

1. Wear gloves on the street, in church & other formal occasions, except when eating or drinking.

2. Stand up when a lady enters a room (or your presence in a large room).

3. Stand up when a lady stands.

4. Offer a lady your seat if no others are available.

5. Assist a lady with her chair when she sits down or stands, especially when at a table or when the chairs are small and light.

6. Retrieve dropped items for a lady.

7. Open doors for a lady.

8. Help a lady with her coat, cloak, shawl, etc.

9. Offer to bring a lady refreshments if they are available.

10. Offer your arm to escort a lady (with whom you are acquainted) into or out of a building or a room at all social events, and whenever walking on uneven ground.

11. Remove your hat when entering a building.

12. Lift your hat to a lady when she greets you in public

13. It is proper to offer a lady his arm, particularly in the evening and it should always be the right arm. People passing should observe the law of "turn to the right" and in this way the lady would not be jostled. It is always proper for a gentleman walking alone to give the lady or a gentleman with a lady, the inside of the walk.

NEVER: 

1. Refer
to another person by their first name in public.

2. Curse
or discuss "impolite" subjects when ladies are present.

3. Leave
a lady you know unattended, except with permission.

4. Use
tobacco in any form when ladies are present.

5. Greet
a lady in public unless she acknowledges you first.

6. Eat
or drink while wearing gloves.

Etiquette for the Dining Room:

1. Married couples of never seated together.

2. It is ridiculous to make a display of your napkin.

3. Never ask for “meat” instead of beef.

4. Never take bread, even when it is within your reach, without calling
for a servant.

5. Never cut your bread with a knife - it should be broken by hand.

6. Always use your napkin before and after drinking.

7. Be punctual for all dinner engagements. Food may not be served before
all guests are seated.

8. The gentlemen are to tend to the needs of the lady on their left, as
well as make agreeable conversation with ladies to either side and
across the table (size of table permitting).

9. A lady never serves herself from a buffet line. She informs her
dinner partner of her wishes and he brings her plate to her.

10. Gentlemen may tuck his napkin into his collar to prevent soiling his
shirt or tie, but ladies should place their napkin in their laps.

11. Do not use your knife to carry food to your mouth or put your knife
into your mouth.

12. Do not rinse your mouth out and spit into the finger bowls or water
glas.

13. Do not gorge yourself excessively during any one course. Never ask
for seconds as all other diners must wait until you are finished
before being served the next course.

Etiquette for the Ballroom:

1. Gentleman, request the “honor” of the dance.

2. Ladies, never refuse one gentleman and accept another for the same
dance, unless it was previously promised.

3. Gentlemen, lead the lady on and off the dance floor.

4. Bow and curtsy before starting to dance.

5. Gentlemen, always thank the lady for the honor of dancing with her

6. Ladies, a smile and a nod are sufficient response to a gentleman's

“Thank
you”.

7. Never dance with the same partner more than once, or at most twice,
during the same evening, especially with your spouse.

8. Gentlemen, when at a dance you are expected to dance, and dance
frequently, leaving no "wall-flowers" who are willing, and
waiting to dance

9. Young ladies should avoid sauntering about the hall or leaving the
ballroom alone; they should be accompanied by a guardian or a
trustworthy gentleman of their acquaintance.

10. At a private party, a gentleman may offer to dance with a lady
without an introduction, but at public balls he must first secure an
introduction from a mutual acquaintance or the master of ceremonies.

11. During the course of a dance, one should endeavor to look pleasant,
politely greeting other couples in the set as one moves through the
figures of the dance. However, one should not dance or caper in a
manner that would draw attention to oneself.

12. When a dance is complete, the gentleman should offer refreshment or a
stroll to his partner. If she declines, he should conduct her to her
seat and thank her again for the dance, whereupon she should smile
and nod politely.

And there you have it: just a small sampling of good manners from the 1800's. You should try some of them sometime........it's not all that bad!

Splendid Friday

So, I thought I would share with my faithful blog readers all of the lovely little things which have been part of this splendid first day of April.

It started with a new journal! It's actually an old sketchbook; I never used it though, so I raided my fabric stash and made a new cover for it, and found some stamps and ink to number the pages.

There's just something about a blank notebook or journal that makes me want to write a novel. The only problem is......I'm no author. But hey, it's fun to dream!

Next came baking a fudge brownie pie, which I don't have a picture of. But, needless to say, it was delicious!! But I did learn something in the process of making the frosting for it: it's very difficult to re-melt butter once it is already mixed into powdered sugar. It...extracts the oil from it, or something.

This next one is kind of sad, as well as yummy, but, I had my last piece of Valentines Day chocolate today. It was from Oliver's Candies in Batavia, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for some incredible chocolate goodness!

Then for dinner, I tried two new recipes: chicken croquetts and classic dinner rolls.

And let me tell you, both were amazing! The chicken croquetts were something I first ate at Genesee Country Museum a few weeks ago and just had to try making. And I never thought I would find a dinner roll recipe that was like the store bought ones, but these were really close. And, because I'm not so mean as to make your mouth water and then leave you on your own to figure it out, here are the recipes and I used:

Chicken Croquetts
    2 tbsp. butter

1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. milk
1 tsp. each minced parsley & onion
2 c. ground or finely chopped cooked chicken
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste
Pinch sage
Fine dry bread crumbs or corn flake crumbs
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
Fat for frying

Melt butter. Add flour, salt and pepper; mix well. Gradually add milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Combine next 6 ingredients with white sauce. Chill. Shape into 8 croquetts. Roll in crumbs. Dip into slightly beaten egg mixed with water and then roll again in crumbs.

Fry in deep fat for about 5 minutes or until golden, or put croquetts in shallow bake pan, top each one with a dot of butter and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with hot turkey or chicken gravy. Can also be frozen after rolled in crumbs.

Classic Dinner Rolls

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed
• 1 envelope Fleischmann's® RapidRise Yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter OR margarine

1. Combine 3/4 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Heat milk, water and butter until very warm (120 degrees to 130 degrees F). Add to flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1/4 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
2. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces; shape into balls. Place in greased 8-inch round pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
3. Bake in preheated 375 degrees F oven for 20 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; brush with additional melted butter, if desired. Serve warm. 

 Yup, both were a big hit!

Then tonight, doing my nails......always relaxing.

And maybe watching a little Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives:

And finally, SEVENTEEN MORE DAYS UNTIL MY SEVENTEENTH BIRTHDAY! Yes, I AM excited. =D