A New Blogging Start

It is time ... It is way passed time to start blogging again. There is so much about my life that I would love to share if I can just carve out the time to do it. So I'll just start with what I've been up to recently.

I started an Etsy shop to sell my hand knitted and hand crocheted items and whatever else crafty I make. https://www.etsy.com/shop/kendratishhouse

I've been making stuffed animals; elephants and giraffes so far with a hippo coming soon.

I'm growing a baby, due the end of August. I love feeling his or her little kicks and tumbles and we are waiting to find out if this little one is a he or a she.

My husband and I are raising a massive garden (ok well not that massive, but much larger than anything we've ever done). We are actually for the first time doing a CSA which stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Pretty much we grow the veggies and people pay us in the beginning of the season for weekly (or biweekly) delivery of whatever veggies are in season, starting in May and going through October. It's quite the undertaking, but now that peas, lettuce, radishes, turnips, turnip greens, mustard greens, and spinach are raising their little green heads, it is getting exciting and rewarding.

Oh, and we have 9 chickens that will start laying eggs for us in July. Can't wait to have our own eggs!

We've completely overhauled our diet and now eat organic, raw, and non-GMO as much as we can. Which means EVERYTHING gets made from scratch even coffee creamer and ice cream. It's a lot of work, but we've seen the benefits of it already in improved health. For example, I did not suffer any morning sickness through my first trimester and I attribute that to a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients, especially fat soluble vitamins. Also my husband, is naturally pale and burns easily, however now that we've changed our diet, we've noticed he is less susceptible to burning when out in the sun all day.

So anyway, I'm hoping to be making regular posts here again; posts on the things I'm passionate about, the things I craft, and the things I learn. So look for posts on knitting and crocheting, health and nutrition, and the exciting journey of growing a baby!

Life is Busy ... But God is Good

I've been meaning to do a new post for about a week now, but, you know, life gets busy and some things fall by the way side. But I'm back now.

I'm in the process of completing some projects and starting new ones. I always have something crafty going. I can't live any other way. Normally, though, I have more than one crafty project in progress.

Most recently I finished a pair of knitted baby leg warmers. I found the pattern on Ravelry (love this knitting/crocheting network - I'll send you an invite if you want one) and I just LOVE how they turned out! No, I am not pregnant, so these won't get used for what they were created for for some time. But, I have discovered they make just great arm warmers. See:

I'm almost done making a pair of absolutely wonderful fingerless gloves for myself. I had made a pair of these for my good friend, Emily, and fell in love with them. I just must have a pair for myself. I'm hoping to finish these in the next couple of days. This pattern is from Pinterest.

I just received some yarn in the mail from Knit Picks that I ordered for a new project. A friend of mine was wearing this beautiful cotton sweater vest a few weeks ago at church. I took one look at it and thought, "I can make that." I've found the perfect yarn and I'm trying to do just that. We'll see how it turns out.

I just finished or should I say almost finished a toilet paper roll art project. The paint job needs a little touching up and then I shall share pictures. I'm really happy with it so far and at the recommendation of my 10 year old brother, I think it shall be hung over my kitchen/living room archway on the kitchen side. I've painted it red and I think I have finally decided that the colors of my kitchen will be dark brown (the cabinets) with accents of red and maybe a bright yellow. I haven't fully decided about the yellow. Thoughts, anyone?

And yesterday I made these moist with a hint of sweet, sweet potato biscuits.

So life is busy and I don't get on here near as much as I want to. However God is SO GOOD! Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and for the first time in my life, it is more than just February 14th. For the first time in my life, I have a special someone to celebrate. One year ago, I was still clueless to the adventure I was walking into: in six months time, I started dating, was proposed to, and married my husband. And now I've been married to him for just over five wonderful months. It's been the best year of my life; the busiest for sure, but the best!

Stars & Hearts

I saw these cute stars on pinterest a little before Christmas and I thought these would be just lovely as Christmas ornaments. And I thought "I can make those myself." So I did, but they weren't done by Christmas time. No, I just finished them last weekend, but I'm just tickled with how they turned out and can't wait to use them next year!

I then found hearts done in a similar manner and decided to make some of these as well. I now have a few of these decorating my living room just in time for Valentines' Day, the first Valentines' Day I've really ever celebrated. I can't wait!

The orange and cream one is my personal favorite. I just LOVE this fabric. Now what to make next?
... I think it shall be a knitting project next or maybe I will finally make a decoration with toilet paper tubes since I have saved an overflow of them. I'll be taking inspiration from this, this, and this. All found on pinterest.  Yes, I am addicted, just ask my hubby.   :)

What I do with my day off ...

It's my day off work and my goal was to make my own liquid hand soap. I've had this on my to-do list for a few weeks now after seeing the idea on pinterest:

www.familyoffarmers.blogspot.com/2011/11/liquid-hand-soap-diy.html

So I gathered my supplies:

Liquid glycerin (finally found this at Wal-Mart)
3 3oz bars of Ivory soap (you can use any soap, you just want 8-9 oz)
A gallon of water

a large kettle (to hold the gallon of water)
my Kitchen Aid w/ shredder attachment (you can use a regular cheese grater, but I didn't want an arm workout today)

This is so simple to make. Shred/grate the cheese into the large kettle

add 1 gallon (16 cups water if you have 8 oz of soap, 18 cups if you have 9 oz like I did), and add 2 Tbls liquid glycerin (I used a little extra since I had 9 oz of soap). Place on stove on medium heat. Heat and stir until soap melts. It'll look something like this:

Now let that sit for 10-12 hours and I'm told it should become gel-like in texture and ready to be poured into containers. 

While I was making soap, I decided to mix up some laundry detergent as well. I have yet to try this but I've had good success with my own dishwasher detergent, so I decided to try this as well.

I mixed together 25 oz of borax, 25 oz of Arm & Hammer baking soda, 18 oz Arm & Hammer washing soda, and 1 bar of Fels-Naptha soap, shredded, same as I shredded the Ivory soap. Mix it all together, store, and use 1 Tbls per load or so I'm told. I got this recipe also from pinterest, here 

www.beingcreativetokeepmysanity.blogspot.com/2010/11/homemade-laundry-soap.html 

The dishwasher detergent I'm using is from here in case you're interested in that too: www.frugallygreen.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-make-your-own-dishwasher.html

I'll share with you one other recent item I've done, much more in the crafty realm than soaps. I've been wanting an earring holder for a while, a pretty one to be exact. So after seeing many different ideas on pinterest, I came up with my own with things I already had.

I removed the glass and back from a frame and used hot glue to glue in a piece of lace. I'm just thrilled with how it turned out and love this little piece of prettiness now hanging in our bedroom. I can't wait to choose a pair of earrings off of it every morning.

So that's how I've spent my day off - well some of it anyway. I also had a delightful lunch with my Dad, the first since I got married in September and got my car inspected (check that off the to do list).

Poetry

Periodically, I will write poetry of sorts in my journal and I want to share some of these from the past few months.

July 20, 2010
I'm longing for something more
more than the life I have known
I'm long for something more
more than security and safety
I want You at all cost
at all risk, You are the more

I won't be satisfied
with what I've known
I won't be satisfied
with "good-enough"
"Good-enough" is not
good enough for me

I know there is more to be had
more than I have known
I know there is more to be had
so I'm asking, crying for the more
The more that is You - ALONE
There is none like You

I choose obedience
I choose to say yes always
I choose the risk of pursuing You
I choose life with you
I choose . . .
That's all
It's my choice
I choose You.

A breaking:
Oh Lord, is it coming?
A breaking:
not just a breakthrough
A breaking:
of our hearts, of all we are
A breaking:
in the spirit that brings release
Release of calling
Release of destiny
Release to ascend to the next level

I want my heart broken with the things that break Yours
I want my heart ever awakened to the whisper of Your spirit
I want brokenness, humility, holiness, purity to be cornerstones of my life
These coming from a foundation of Your furious, extravagant love
Pour it forth, break through, come, Lord, Jesus, COME!

September 14, 2010
Engaged
Betrothed unto the Lord
With this cup
I remember
With this bread
I remember
With this cup
I accept Your marriage proposal
With this bread and this cup
I accept Your life into mine
And the impossible happens
Two are made into one
You in me
And me in You
Holy, Righteous, Consecrated

October 24, 2010
Jesus, I love You . . . Jesus, I love You
Jesus, I choose You . . . Jesus, I choose You
None, no none like You . . . There is none other
I desire like I desire You . . . I'm removing
All other lovers and desiring You alone . . .
This i my confession tilt he day I die:
I choose you, I chose You, I have chosen You for all my days

One thing   One thing   One thing
              I have desired
              I do seek
  To dwell   to know    to be near
  To meditate   to think upon   to adore
To love more and more and more   everyday
Hunger     Hunger     Hunger
           It burns within
    Insatiable   Consuming   Stronger
Let it grow within  let it burn   and never go out!

January 20, 2011
Who do I say You are, Lord, in my heart?
Do I think rightly of You?

You are beautiful and holy
And I like that about You
You are glorious ad all-together attractive
And I like that about You
You are merciful and gracious
And I like that about You
You who are captivating, have captured my heart
You who are lovely, have made me breathless with wonder, with awe
You who are faithful, have proven yourself faithful even in my faithlessness
You who are love, have lavished love upon me and I am overwhelmed
You who are a jealous, burning fire, have lit a fire in my heart and You blow on it, keeping it ablaze
You who speak with the sound of waters, whisper to my heart with a still small voice
You who are all-powerful, have held my heart with the gentleness of a mother
And all this I love about You
This is why You have captured my heart

Goodness & Faithfulness

I wrote this paper this week for an online class I'm taking through the International House of Prayer University based in Kansas City. The class has been on the attributes and existence of God; an excellent class that I have greatly enjoyed. And I thought someone out there might enjoy reading my paper. Maybe not, but either way, here it is.

            It has been said that the journey from the head to the heart is one of a thousand miles. I wonder how many times I will make that journey as each time another truth is cemented in my heart. Though I know in my head the attributes of God and could write you a list a page long; the attributes that I know with my heart make a much shorter list. I have walked the thousand miles from head to heart twice to come to truly believe two attributes of the God I love. These have become cornerstones in my heart, pointing to the work of the Lord and who I know Him to be beyond any doubt. These two attributes are His goodness and His faithfulness.  I will define both in light of my experience and then show how they work together in the heart of the God I love and call Daddy.

            I know God is good, not just sort of good or sometimes good. He is always, totally, wholly, good in all He is and does and that goodness is directed towards me. When I asked God to reveal Himself to me and answer my question, “Do You really care about me, personally?”, He did. Day by day, He spoke to my heart through the little things: conversations with friends, a song, pictures in my mind. Until, when I looked back, I could not deny the care and love He had personally shown me. I grew to know His goodness confidently, intimately, as the Lord revealed just how much He has my best at heart and that all He desires for me is good. A. W. Tozer in The Knowledge of the Holy defines the Lord’s goodness not as His holiness or righteousness, but rather His goodness is that force from within Himself and of Himself that causes Him to be kind, gentle, loving, merciful, benevolent, gracious to us (Tozer, 82). “By His nature (i.e. because of His goodness) . . . He takes holy pleasure in the happiness of His people.” (Tozer, 82).  Somewhere in the Bible it says that those who come to the Lord, must believe He is good and a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. If we do not believe Him to be good, how will we ever learn to trust Him? Thus He leads us on the thousand mile journey from head to heart, from intellectually grasping He is good, to knowing by experience that He is good.

            The Psalms proclaim over and over again the goodness of the Lord. Psalm 68:10 says that in His goodness, He provides for the poor. It was the promise of seeing the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living that caused David to not despair in Psalm 27:13. “Good and upright is the Lord”, declares Psalm 25:8a. And Psalm 106, 107, 118, and 136 all say “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” When a would-be disciple addressed Jesus as “Good Teacher”, Jesus responded by saying “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Mark 10:18). In my life, I have tasted and seen – through experiences such as I mentioned above – that God alone is good and His heart towards me is only good. This summer when I was dissatisfied with my job, frustrated with living at home, lonely, and not wanting to be where I was at in life, I cried my hurt and anger on the shoulder of a friend. In that raw moment, she spoke these words, “But do you believe that He is still good?” At first I said, “I don’t know.” Then dialing down into my heart, I looked into who I knew God was and is, I answered, “Yes, yes I believe He is still good”. So when life does not go the way I expect it to or want it to, I know I can declare with David “I would have despaired unless I had believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living(Psalm 27:13)”, because His goodness is His promise to me.

            The faithfulness of God results from His immutability. A God who does not change, will be of necessity a faithful God. His faithfulness means that when He speaks we can have confidence because due to His faithfulness He binds Himself to His own words. What He speaks will come to pass. The promises He makes will be fulfilled. Tozer says “Upon God’s faithfulness rests our whole hope of future blessedness. Only as He is faithful will His covenants stand and His promises be honored. Only as we have complete assurance that He is faithful may we live in peace and look forward with assurance to the life to come.” (Tozer, 81) In the last year, God has taken me on the journey of experiencing His faithfulness. Ironically, this journey was not completed by promises being fulfilled, thus proving His faithfulness, but by promises that still remain to see their fulfillment. It has been through Scriptures and His voice repeatedly speaking to my heart, “I am faithful; I will fulfill My promises”, that my heart has gained confidence to stand on the truth of His faithfulness even as desires of my heart remain unfulfilled. To stand on the faithfulness of God is to stand in faith and to live in faith.

            Though many passages praises God’s faithfulness, it was a Scripture that indirectly speaks of God’s faithfulness that took root in my heart as proof of His faithfulness. Isaiah 55:11 says “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” With this verse, God stamped His faithfulness upon my heart, saying “If I have spoken it, if I have promised, I will bring it to pass, for every word I speak accomplishes what I desire.” 2 Timothy 2:13 was another verse that spoke strongly to me. I know my own weakness and inability to remain faithful, as the Lord is faithful. But Paul boldy proclaims that “if we are faithless, He remains faithful for He cannot deny Himself.” Thus His faithfulness is not conditional, but arises from within His own heart. In one of the first declarations God makes of Himself, He states: “Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a  thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments (Deuteronomy 7:9).” He states His faithfulness, then gives an example of His faithfulness. Let my heart gain confidence; the One who speaks is faithful!

            If we know God to be good, then of necessity, He must be faithful. For in His goodness, He makes promises to His beloved. And in His faithfulness, He keeps those promises, so as to not suspend the action of His goodness. For how can that which is essentially good also be a wishy-washy waffler bent at every change in the wind? When God makes a promise, because of His essential goodness, we can have confidence that He will be faithful to keep that promise. He is not like men, who in weakness, lacking either goodness or faithfulness or both, will make promises only to change them. He does not speak with ulterior motives, with devious plans, with any imperfection in His heart. When God speaks, we can have confidence it will be good, and it will be for our greatest good. When God speaks, we can have confidence that His word will accomplish every plan He has for it in His timing, even as Isaiah 55:11 declares so poetically. So God’s goodness presupposes His faithfulness, for He cannot be good if He is not faithful to who He is in His goodness. His faithfulness presupposes His goodness; for if He were not good, then He would have no reason or purpose for being faithful. One without the other is useless and meaningless. Together they form a part of the God who is all awesome, powerful, gracious, and loving; the God I have come to call ‘Daddy’.

            To know the goodness of the Lord, I walked the thousand miles in three months. To know the faithfulness of the Lord, it has been almost a year’s journeying to walk the thousand miles with Him. But now having walked those miles, I never have to walk them again. I have experienced His goodness and I have seen His faithfulness; and all doubt is removed. These are my cornerstones. No matter what comes, I can look behind me, point to these stones, and boldly declare “But I know my God is good and I know my God is faithful!” In His goodness, He is always faithful. And in His faithfulness, He always remains good.

Kendra

Hunger & Striving

I hunger … I hunger deeply, insatiably, for the Lord … to know Him more … to love Him more …

Somewhere along the line, in my hungering, I start walking in striving …

Striving to love the Lord more … striving to know Him more … striving … spending my time doing the “right” things apart from relationship …

Then I wonder why I’m still hungry … why my hunger is not being satisfied …

But I’ve been attempting to satisfy hunger outside of relationship …

God never allows that … so He waits … patiently … for me to realize that I’ve left Him at the side of the road … that I started journeying on my own …

He waits for me to say, “I’ve missed You, I want to walk with You again.”

And He says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

“That’s it, just be and be still and know and rest in knowing …

“Rest like a weaned child in her mother’s lap … content … peaceful … confident …

“This is your place … don’t leave it, daughter, child, My love …

“Don’t leave this place …”