Family Currents

This is our first year having a farm stand! It has been so beneficial for the children to work together on harvesting, sorting, wiping all the veggies and, of course – counting the coins in the jar! Now they know some reward for the hot days of weeding. If you’re in the area, stop for a visit!

Nathan and I got away for the evening while the kids read books and played with Grandma. Our hot date: We went to a sheep farm! That’s what everybody does on a date (wink). It’s a farm nearby, and we met our future ewes and lambs there.

We spent all of our time talking, and then got Chipotle on the drive back. Of course, a quick stop to pick up bubble teas to-go for the children, and even Grandma loved it too!

We enjoyed a couple days away last week as a family. As a surprise to the kids, we stopped at the United States Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. They didn’t know until Nathan pulled on to the base!

Our trip was short, but jam packed. We spent an afternoon at the Air Force Museum and a day at the Ark Encounter, then finished with a weekend family discipleship conference. You’ve probably heard about the life-size Noah’s ark exhibit. It was truly huge! It took longer to get through it than we thought it would. We had packed our lunches but left them in the van when we went into the ark… About 2:30 we were making our way back to our van after pressing on to finish the experience. Everyone had a good time – lots to see, but they were definitely hungry!

with love, Damaris

Family Currents

“A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.”- Gertrude Jekyll

Don’t you agree that juicy fruit and fresh veggies are some of the best gifts of summer? We have been harvesting everyday now and looking for new recipes to change things up a bit. This recipe took lots of cucumbers and ingredients we always have on hand except for the rye bread. Nathan, the girls, and I loved it – the boys, however, have decided cucumbers aren’t their thing right now, so they were happy to let us devour the dish! Comment below if you’ve tried this recipe or have a favorite cucumber recipe of your own : )

I’m a little overzealous about clutter (according to my husband, anyway…), and all the treasures that land on our fridge seem to pile and pile up – not enough magnets! But we think we have found a beautiful solution. This cable took all of ten minutes to install, and it even comes with the cute little clips. We usually have the latest art hanging, but have also enjoyed displaying Christmas cards, prayer requests, and birthday decorations.

The wonderful elderly lady whom we assumed ownership of our property from told us stories of the truckloads of raspberries she and her husband would haul to the local farmers market each summer. Now there is a only small raspberry patch left from the 40 year legacy. We certainly have plans of expanding it, though – when the berries are on, the enticing patch can’t sustain the foraging fingers! It’s everyone’s destination, whether we’re on a walk or out doing chores. Raspberries are so delicate, we usually eat them fresh. You’re in for a summer treat if you’ve never had them sprinkled on homemade vanilla ice cream! I’d love to hear about your family’s favorite thing to do with fresh raspberries, too – leave a comment.

with love, Damaris

Seeds, Soils, and Hearts

Gardening with children has gone from a labor of love to a joy and a help. Still, none of them can recall what has happened to my brand new pair of gardening gloves. After an inaugural dirt clod fight, the rows and mounds in the freshly tilled garden plot slowly began to take form.

Listening to the children’s conversation while we were planting, I gathered that a couple of them were beginning to understand how seeds germinate. This got me thinking about our discussions of the parable of the seed in the gospel of Luke, which we were having as we prepared for planting day.

“And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, ‘A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.’ “

To continue to read the words of Jesus and His explanation of this parable, you can go here.

photo credit: Eva

photo credit: Alexander

How we pray that the Word of God be planted in the hearts of these little ones! That the seed may be received with joy and take root. That they may not fall away nor be chocked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life. May the soil of their souls and minds be good and honest. As parents, we sow, and we water, and we weed – and it’s hard work! But it’s God who gives the growth. Praise be the Lord!

photo credit: Alexander

So, after a long, sweaty day of back-breaking garden work (in which we never could find those garden gloves) we plopped under the big maple tree for family dinner. At some point in the day, we did find a forgotten bottle rocket in the bottom of a crate, however (probably left over from a July 4th celebration).

We finished 2017 planting day with a family picnic dinner and some firecrackers!

with love. Damaris

Because He Has Dealt Bountifully With Me

photo credit: Daddy

The fertile land awaits a hundred and some little plants and sackfuls of seeds. Today was ‘Greenhouse Day’. I love greenhouse day! I anticipate it like a holiday! This means that we should have all we need for tomorrow, which is planting day – not anticipated like a holiday, ha! Planting day is no holiday mainly because here in Michigan, planting season is delayed so late. When we can finally work the gardens, the day’s heat is not pleasant!

photo credit: Daddy

As we were praying this week with the family before bedtime, the children were thanking God for the land and the opportunity to grow much of our produce. Their little voices were acknowledging that only the Creator gives the increase. We prayed that God would give us a fruitful, abundant yield. They know this will require hard work on their part, early mornings, some not-their-favorite eggplant dinners; but they also know well the joy of giving the firstfruits.

Have you heard of this word, ‘firstfruits’, before? It describes the way we recognize that God is the Sustainer and Giver of all good gifts – by offering the first rewards (or ‘fruit’) of our labors back to Him. Planting extra grape tomato plants for the neighbor who loves them, zucchini for a friend who enjoys to bake, or gifting fresh vegetables to those that need them are acts of firstfruits.

So tomorrow we will draw in a breath of earthy air, look for those gardening gloves, and plant these green little beauties in anticipation of when we can offer their firstfruits!

photo credit: Eva

“I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.”

Psalm 13:6

with love. Damaris