Dear Mothers,

Ya know, last week I spent a lot of time at the hospital with Mary as she had the staph infection. Well, anyway, I picked up a sort of like flu, I think, from the hospital. Anyway, my stomach hurt and nothing I could do would make it quit. This went on for about three days. I felt like there was a bacteria in my stomach.

Well, I prayed for some raw garlic and my friend Bonni brought some over. I took a piece of garlic the size of a big vitamin pill or a large capsule? I chewed it a bit and swallowed it along with a thousand mil Vitamin C. I did this about twice with two hours in between. The stomach pain went away almost instantly. Being a bit weak, etc. lasted longer. The Vitamin C is supposed to help the garlic work better and the garlic the Vitamin C. But, boy, it knocked the major part of that sickness right out.

I had read years ago about a flu epedemic in the U.S. And the old timers ate the fresh garlic and swore by it. It does kill germs. I think yogurt would have worked, too. I mean the kind with the cultures. Yogurt sure gets rid of yeast infections.

But I thought I would share this home remedy. Now I must humbly bow and run off stage with my newly healed stomach. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Love,
Dr. Connie

Dear Mothers,

I have a while to write before Baby David gets here. This morning, as I prayed about what to write, I just felt like, “Oh, Lord, give me a word about homemaking to the mothers out there. They need it so much.”

First a funny story! Dan is living at Christian Joy’s in NYC for a while. Chrissy says, “Mom, Dan’s shoes smell so bad, I can’t hardly take it.” Well, ya know, if you are a punk rocker, it’s cool to stink? Well, so Christian Joy had read where you are supposed to put stinky shoes in the freezer. I said, “Well, Chrissy, won’t they stink again after they are thawed out?” She said, well, she hadn’t thought of that. “And what will it do to the food in the freezer?” I mean, this household tip should be under the heading of “Worst Household Tips for 2006.” Anyway, I can just see Dan trying to hurry to put on his block of ice shoes in the morning and run out to work.

My Mom who is 83 says if she didn’t have funny stories about my kids to laugh about, she would have died sooner. And that recent newsletter that Jen put together is so funny, I can barely stand to read it. It’s so sad, reading what I wrote about Jim, but there are funny stories in there about the kids when they were young, too. Thank God I have a sense of humor — I would die on the vine without it.

Anyway, back to business. Boy, I will tell ya, on the news? Wow, they are talking about the weather being so changed and bad. Now even the government is telling us to be prepared for all kinds of maladies. If the Bird Flu don’t get ya, a tornado or hurricane will.

I think it’s just not enough to tell you to buy extra food to store. You have to have a homemaking spirit to go along with all of this. See, I have faced the food shortages and storing food and all. But where the devil would get me the most is in FEAR. I mean you can have a lot of food but if you are fearful, you won’t cook it, anyway. See, the spirit of homemaking is the spirit of God.

It isn’t enough to say, “Well, I have decided to submit to my husband.” The spirit of submission is the spirit of Christ within you. It’s a spirtual decision to submit to your husband. The Bible says we are to do that, but not in the flesh. It is a spirtual act of obedience. Along with the obedience to the Lord and to our husbands comes the Keeper at Home.

The Bible says we as women are saved in child bearing. This means that through having children, we are saved, and all of the acts of caring for the child and the father to the child. Our spiritual life in our homes is our college of the Spirit that teaches us how to make Jesus our husband and King. We must receive in the Spirit the heart of the virtuous woman. It is not a decision to become her in the physical. The Spirit of wisdom has to come as we beg for more of Jesus in our hearts. He is the teacher of wisdom and homemaking to the married wife in the home.

We are not men and our gifts and callings in the Spirit are not like a man’s calling. We as women are set apart to do a great work for the Lord in the home. See, you can build your home in the wilderness. If the Bird Flu would come to your area, you would have to be quarantined for maybe a month. But, see, if a mother has the Spirit of the Lord concerning homemaking and submission to her husband, then she will be able to make it with her family in peace and rest.

Mother, be wise and discern the times and the seasons. Be as the ants who store their food in the harvest and they have no leader to tell them what to do. They are just wise and, through instinct, they store their food.

It’s more important that you get a spirit of homemaking and submission to your husband than to store food. Call wisdom to your home. Rebuke pride and vanity from your hearts and take on a servant’s spirit. Serve the Lord with gladness as you serve the family. Pray the Lord will protect your homes and the children and your husband. Tend to your spiritual life first.

Homemaking

See, the world is saturated in feminism. A lot of you want a garden but can’t get to it. You condemn yourself for not having a garden. But ya know what? Feminism is an unholy smoke that is invisible. There is so much in the airwaves about feminsm. It is the religion of the hour for women. It stops us dead in our tracks sometimes. Satan is the prince of the power of the air. (Ephesians 2:2) Feminism is in the air we breathe. Unless we want to switch channels to Christ and surround ourselves with Him, then we will live in feminism.

This unholy, ungodly, devilish spirit will take you down, Girlfriend, and your family with you. It is the spirit of vanity and pride. “I don’t have to stay home and clean and do dishes. I will do what I want.” Well, have at it. But you will destroy your home. And we are in dangerous times. While you have time to read and study the word on homemaking, do it. It won’t be a lack of food that will kill some of you. But a lack of the wisdom of God.

It’s not a lazy spirit — it is a demon spirit of fear that takes a lot of you women down. You have to walk by faith. Faith is called a fight in the Bible and it says to “Walk by faith.” So Faith is something you do. It’s an action word. You do faith! So if your family is broken and hopeless, then get up in the morning and walk by faith. Say to yourself, “God is going to give me a miracle today and I am going to prepare my home for a miracle. I will make a garden and I will prepare my home for the coming hard times. I will make a pantry and get my house in order. Because the Lord will answer my prayers.” And see in the spirit of your imagination your husband coming home at 5:00 for supper and walk according to His will.

Make a supper and include a plate at the head of the table for your husband. I did this for many years, even when Jim was missing. The kids would ask questions about it and I would say, “I am believing God for your Dad to be home soon.” My children got used to seeing the plate at the head of the table and knew Mama was full of faith. And Jim was healed by the hand of the almighty God.

We must walk by faith and not sight. This world is not our home. Only faith pleases God. Faith that is active crisp and clean in Mother’s heart. Her visions are strong and bright and ready to act. She doesn’t sit and cry that her husband is gone from the family. She arises and makes a home in the darkness. Christ’s light is a lamp to her feet and light to her pathway. Only His life and light can bring her through.

For some of you, Satan has stacked the deck against you. Well, quit playin’ by his rules of depression and bondage. Arise in God and walk out your faith. You are not lost and forsaken — you are a daughter of God.

Prepare your homes for the coming hard times concerning our economy. I mean hard times are here now. Practice the skills of wisdom and homemaking. First prepare your spirit and make sure you are walking as the virtuous woman of faith. And as Daughters of Sarah who are not afraid. Then prepare your kitchens for cooking and baking. Be wise in the skills of homemaking.

Wise Homemakers

And ya know, this bad economy is a blessing for some of us. At least for the women who are still in the home. Because we should have been cookin’ and bakin’ for the family all along. It shouldn’t take an earthquake for us to make a pie. I used to tell the Lord that I had too much work to do and I didn’t want to do all that cookin’. I thought I had to cook and all because I was so poor. But the Lord would say, “Connie, I am teaching you to be wise.” Good night! Even in a good year without a hurricane, we have enough poisons and all to kill us in our foods, anyway.

I have to get goin’ but I wanted to write some tips that I used for my family of 6 children. I would cook and bake in the mornings while Jim was at work. I wanted to have plenty of time to make what I needed. I would make a bread almost every day. Either it would be a yeast bread, or cornbread, or biscuits, or some kind of a quick bread. I made up the Bisquick Mix using 5 pounds of flour. With this, I could make pancakes or any of the quick breads. White flour isn’t the best for ya. But I would put in extra eggs, fruit, sunflower seeds, and nuts, etc. if I had them on hand, to make it more nutritious. I used a lot of instant dry milk for cooking and baking. I made a lot of soups and stews. I always had rice and dried beans on hand, and oatmeal as it is nice and nutritious and cheap. Canned goods are so cheap at the store and keep well. When you buy your groceries, just pick up as much extra canned goods as you can and rotate it in the cupboard.

And ya know, mostly what our kids and I are going to plant is tomatoes and peppers. Tomatoes and peppers freeze so well. All you do is cut up the tomatoes and put them in plastic bags. You don’t have to cook them. Same with peppers.

Farmers around here sell fresh corn in the summer and it’s cheap, like 3 or 4 bucks a dozen. I just clean my ears of corn and boil it in a pan and then, when it is cool, I cut it off the cob and freeze it. You can then take the cleaned cobs and boil them for a few hours. Then take the cobs out and measure the water. If you have 3 cups of the corn cob water, then put in 3 cups of sugar, bring this to a boil and let it thicken, and you will have a delicious corn syrup. Just use as much sugar as you have leftover water.

Just try to fill your freezers this summer with food as it easy to come by. Then use the frozen foods first in case you have a power outage. Pack the canned stuff away to use later.

Garage sales are full of candles to be bought for a song. But ya know, I just feel I have to share this stuff about preparing for hard times in our world.

Let’s be wise and submit to our own husbands as unto the Lord. Love your husbands and children and don’t forsake the Lord. Be keepers at home and mind your own business. You don’t have to have a lot of fellowship here and there with women. Let your fellowshiip be with your children and husband. Let them be your best friends. Because true fellowship is with the Father God — get alone with Him and let Him run your life under your husband. And in this way, Dear Hearts, you will be the house set on the hill. A light in the darkness for a lost and dying world.

Get the wisdom that can only come from God so that you can give Him to your friends and loved ones. The mothers of today don’t need more of the same teachings — they need a word from the wilderness. They need the fresh manna. They must see the Mother in the home being an example of obedience to the Lord. We women must teach out of our lives of obedience to God, through the meek and quiet spirit.

Love,
Connie

Dear Mothers,

Good Morning! Baby David comes at 11:00 this morning so I will write a bit. I am a bit late getting to my writing this morning as I had to pray and seek the Lord this morning, more than usual.

The scripture the Lord has been speaking to me about is in 1 Timothy 5:14. It is speaking of the widows who are young or under 60. It is saying that the younger widows have a tendency to run from house to house and speak things they shouldn’t speak. To tattle, to be idle. To be busy bodies in the affairs of other households. They speak things they shouldn’t speak. So the Bible says these widows should remarry and bear children and be a keeper at home. In other words, just because you are single doesn’t mean you should be out gadding about, interrupting Christian homes.

See, the Bible says that women shouldn’t be taking authority in the church. This means she shouldn’t be taking authority in the body of Christ. The older Titus Mother is not to take authority, either, over another man’s household. Titus Mother is to teach the younger mother to fit in with her husband’s plans. She is not to teach her to upset her husband’s plans but to be quiet and learn in silence and submission. Really, I don’t even see where the Titus Mother is to do much else except help the married mother at home. Titus mother is to teach by example.

Now I could start going like a mad dog and start teaching Bible studies all over my area. I mean, when Hell freezes over. But what am I gonna teach except how to run from house to house. How can I relate to these mothers and tell them to stay home? How can I show them the spirit of homemaking? I mean, you are probably sayin’, “Well, Connie, you know all this. Why are you talking about it again?” Well, Hello! I have these witches after me? They say they have dreams for me. They want me to be BIG Lady PREACHER. Again, when Hell freezes over! Jezebel is on my tail.

Man, I can see where many of you are as young wives and mothers. Well, don’t let the devil scare ya. Just use the word of God on him. Our nation doesn’t need another lady preacher or another career for women. Stay home and take care of the home and your children. Submit to your husband and be a keeper at home. I told Jez yesterday, “I am staying right here. I am honoring my husband’s memory. I am here to be an example to my children and grandchildren. Don’t be thinkin’ I am a lady preacher, as I am not. I don’t want new appliances. These are the appliances my husband bought for me and that’s what I want.”

See, materialism is out there. I used to worry over money when Jim and I first married. It nearly killed me. But early on, I took a vow of poverty. If I have something extra that I don’t need, Iwould give it to the poor. I am free of a love for money. God meets my needs so well. Papa got me that little Minnie Mouse refrigerator and I love it. I have red and white refrigerator magnets on it and red and white things on top. I have a red Mickey Mouse clock above it. I put some cute lady bugs on it, too. It’s darling. Papa was so proud to buy me that little fridge brand new. Also my stove is really small and I love it. Papa bought that brand new, too. I will always cherish what he has gotten me. This is the home Papa paid off and I love it as it is.

And I am tellin’ ya what. I thought the world was nuts before Jim died, but I didn’t know how nuts! The world may call us stay at home mothers and grandmothers recluses or whatever. But, ya know, I may be a hermit but I am happy. I am makin’ it. It’s a wonder I am still alive with the heartache I have had. I am making my own way so far with babysitting and hopefully I will get to tutor. But the world I am suppose to run to ain’t doin’ so well. So why would I want to run to it?

And I watched part of the Oprah show yesterday. Man, is she a witch or what? They put marriage down. See, Jim wouldn’t allow her on at all.

Dr. Phil

Oh, man, you gotta be kiddin’ me! I watched Phil’s circus act yesterday on TV. He says this father was a maniac because he taught his girls to make cheese and butter and to make soap and to garden. Well, no, the father shouldn’t have kidnapped his girls. But that show had overtones of the devil’s voice and his take on the whole thing. Their mother, you could tell, was as crazy as a baboon. The whole show made fun of the Mennonites and Amish. Who the heck would make fun of people who are back to the land and who work hard? Well, leave it to Dr. Phil.

See, Jim would have had a royal cow if any of those nutty shows came on. Now that I am left to my devices, I am getting into trouble. I am wanting to see what is on the other side of the mountain. And believe me, I guess the trip has been worth it. I have learned a lot the hard way.

One thing I really learned is that these worldly churches are really bad. I mean, it used to be the church frowned on divorce. But then they thought, “Well, anyone can make a mistake.” And I think that, too. It isn’t the unforgivable sin. But now many church women are marrying and remarrying the church members? I have never heard of such stuff. Some of these worldly churches are building the foundations for out and out cults.

Ya know, if a church doesn’t teach the order of the family then they are laying the foundation for a cult. Because the Bible teaches the order of the home. Eve was a keeper at home and so were all the other women in the Bible. No Christan wife in the Bible left her home to get under the covering of an unbeliever to help him build his kingdom. The women of God were keepers at home who built up their husbands and raised their own children. The Mother caused her own home to prosper. I mean, Esther’s uncle gave her to an unholy king to be his wife. But in the process, Esther saved a whole Jewish nation. So ultimately she was looking after her own people. She sacrificed her life to save her own family. But she didn’t go marry the King so she could get more new outfits and wear expensive jewelry. And when Sarah got sold by her husband to the ungodly King, she prayed to get loose. She gave up a palace to live in a tent and wander in the desert. Her place was with her husband. She knew her place of covering and righteousness. Her tent was where God was blessing her and she knew that.

I guess my house ain’t so hot but I am happy here. It’s where my husband’s memory is. It’s my place of blessing and prosperity. I sure ain’t hurtin anybody if I stay here. I mean, you would think I was the cow that knocked over the lantern and burned down Chicago. Mercy! Talk about feeling intimidated? Well, now I have just a taste of what you all go through as stay at home mothers, huh? It’s been good for me. Woke me up, huh?

Dear Mothers,

Oh, it rained last night and I could watch it through my window in bed. I love the rain and it makes me sleep so good.

I felt so ornery last night, too. Boy, have my eyes been opened! I don’t go anywhere hardly. I am mostly home. But women my age come to visit? Well, some are my good ol’ friends, I love to have come and visit. I miss old Aunt Toot if I don’t see her every now and again. I love my friends. But some of these women, I am praying all kinds of road blocks so I will never have to see them again. They don’t know my heart. They have this big idea that I was oppressed by Jim and, now that I am free, I will want to run out and howl at the moon. (Practically.)

Their homes look like funeral parlors. White carpet and mirrors and fake flowers all over the walls. All new everything! To me, these houses look like dumps. They look like funeral parlors. I feel like I will turn a corner and find a casket to view a dead man, all dressed out in his Sunday suit. How are children to play there or the dog to feel welcome? I don’t want to live in a tomb, thank you. I love the life I had here with Papa and his crazy wild children. I raised my family here and my carpet may be old and stained. But, ya know, I am not worried when my grandbabies come to visit.

And worldly women want me to get out of the house? Whatever for? I never ran out and about when Papa was here. So why run now? I mean, I go to the store and do what I have to do, as I always did. I am at peace and a lot of women hate that.

Man, I didn’t know the world was as bad as it is. I mean, I have been enlightened lately, let me tell ya. And these women think because I am poor that I will jump sky high or do anything to get some of their cash? Ya know, all they are doin’ is pulling on the tail of a ferocious lion. The more nonsense they show me, the bigger bite I am gonna take out of Satan’s face.

These women don’t know me very well, do they. I am like a spiritual gangster with spiritual guns in every pocket. I have been polite up to now. Well, I usually am polite. I just feel sorry for some of these women who think gain is godliness. Especially women from big churches. (Not sayin’ anything about the small, humble churches.) I mean, I will let these women go and, of course, I could care less what they think. But when they start runnin’ in on my territory? And they start takin’ up my time mentally and physically? Um. Well, I am prayin’ about it and God will fight my battles for me.

It’s been good for me, as it’s opened my eyes to what is out there. I thought I was kinda hard on the worldly church and was often ashamed of myself for what I said. Well, scratch that! Mercy! I was being very nice, believe me! Ya know, there are whores in those churches after your husbands? Trust me! Let the Holy Spirit lead you. And if He tells you to get out of the church and go home and have home church, then run home as if a fire was chasing you! And I am tellin’ you what? Run from these women preachers! They are the deception that will deceive the very elect.

I am convinced that unless you keep your home holy by staying out of the world, you will not make it. Stay out of the world. Stay home and cook and bake and make a home. This is what will save your spiritual life. I am stayin’ home and taking care of my little David Baby. He has saved me. The money I get from taking care of this little baby pays for my utilities and food for the month. Papa paid off the house. We have some giant doctor bills that Medicare didn’t pay but I think I can get some help through the state for those. I am not worried in the least about them. If I can’t get any help from the state, I will just pay a bit each month. But I am not leaving to go get a job. And I know this makes the devil HOT. And he is HOT, anyway!

And, ya know, dear Mothers, you have to watch out for these worldly Christian women out there. They are lethal! Ya know, the news media and all take a dim view of the stay at home mother. They think we have all been beaten half to death and abused sexually and this is why we want to stay home. Well, I will tell you who has been abused. It’s these women preachers. Almost every one of them have a testimony of being abused by a man.

See, there was a remedy for their hard lives. They needed to forgive their oppressors and go on. Not make a religion out of it! I mean, I have never seen so many men hating women in my life. Good Grief! If I, as a woman, can’t please one man in a rightful Biblical way, then what good am I? These women are making sex toys out of themselves to please their husbands. I mean worldly Christian women. I was really giving a lot of these women more credit.

And ya know, a lot of my Sisters in Christ have lovingly given me money to live on. It is precious to me, and I couldn’t have made it otherwise. But I won’t take blood money. That’s money with strings attached. Like “Here,, Dear, is some money and this is only the beginning.” That kind of money is like clouds without rain. Well, yes, as a writer, I am in the wilderness to be tempted. “Fall down and worship the devil and all of the world will be yours?” And I can truly say with Jesus, “I don’t live by that stuff. I don’t live by bread alone but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.” I really think that any of us who want to do something for God will be taken to the wilderness to be tempted. I pray I pass the tests put before me.

And then, last night, I was taking care of the baby in the living room. I heard a knock at the door and I was getting ready to answer it. But then this guy comes on in. He is a relative that has serious mental problems. He comes in and I try to be polite to him. And then he starts ranting and raving. I told him that he would have to quiet down because of the baby, and he screamed all the louder. Then he told me that if I said anything more to him about being quiet, he would scream even louder to scare the baby. I told him to leave and he did! I almost had to call 911. If my boys heard about this, they would be so mad. I am surprised Jim didn’t come back from the dead and punch this guy in the nose.

Well, I have my life cut out for me as a widow. Starting a New Revolution isn’t as easy as I thought would be. I probably scare folks to death that want to do anything for God. Well, ya gotta take this stuff, as always, one trial at a time. The Lord won’t take us through more than we can bear. And I am not the only one trying to start a Revolution. You can bet your sweet life that there are women who are suffering in the back woods somewhere prayin’ for the Revolution. I think in the mountains, especially.

The homeschooling movement started mainly with the hippies. It never started in the church. It’s gotten popular with the church, but it never started there. In the beginning, we homeschooled under much oppression. They put heavy burdens on us and tried to scare us off. I bought books for my kids out of the grocery money. It’s a wonder we didn’t starve to death. So I ended up with smart, skinny kids. But I would rather be poor and honest then bite the golden bullet of the world and accidentally shoot my heart and soul out.

I mean, this life is short lived. Only what is done for Christ will last. I am not giving my soul to anyone but God. And the world can call me abused or codependent or scared of whatever. I don’t care! Let ‘em laugh and call me names. They ain’t my God and I don’t answer to them. May God bless ‘em and show them His mercy. Because so far, all they are doin’ is makin’ a lady alligator mighty testy. She ain’t gonna turn and go their way but she does have big teeth, and the full armor of God.

The Revival

Ya know, revival in the body of Christ will start in the hearts of the pioneers of faith. There are trail blazers out there who will walk before us. They will make a clean path for the rest of us. I hear the cries of the women in the mountains, interceding in prayer. To me, it sounds like the cry of a fiddle across the sky. I hear their cry to God to bring the Fathers’ hearts back to their children.

Who will take the lower seats as wives and mothers to prepare a place for the family of God? Which women will forsake the Christian feminism to walk alone with God? Who among us will not give up and will take a stand to do what the Word says to do?

I don’t want to miss this revival. It’s gonna be a good one. I can’t wait to dance in the streets and declare with the pioneers of faith that the Christian home is being raised up from the dead. I may be old but not dead! I am gettin’ on my dancin’ shoes. I can’t dance as fast or jump a high as I used to but I plan on dancin’ and singin’ and shoutin’ as I never have before. I plan on givin’ this wicked world one more kick in the — before I go.

It’s a call back to the land. Back to the home and the garden? I have heard worldly preachers preach from the pulpit about miracles and they say, “This isn’t home and garden stuff.” Oh, yeah, well, yes it is home and garden stuff. Just like the homeschool movement was home and garden stuff, too. Life don’t begin and end at church. It begins and ends in your own heart as you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.

Jesus Christ is cutting edge. He isn’t forgetting the aborted babies. He sees them every day. He talks with them every day in heaven. About 1.5 million of them enter his gates in glory every single year. They are human beings who walk and talk with Him. He is the only Father they will ever know. God’s heart is broken for what He sees being done to the little children. His heart is to bring the Fathers home and for the Mothers to care for His children. How many John the Baptists bodies are dead at the dump as we read this writing? If you think God is forgetting all of this, you are very deaf and dumb spiritually. His heart is that the family would be reunited in Him.

Some of you are hanging in there against all odds. They will be some of His mightiest warriors. You have suffered with Him and will see many miracles. You will see His glory. We won’t see the glory in the body of Christ because we pray for it? We will see it because we obey Him. Some of you are cutting edge and hear the voice of the Father. Your visions are crisp and clear and you step daily upon the water and you walk. He is pleased with you. He calls you as wives and mothers. He calls you to the place in Him where you “see” His heart is broken. Some follow His word only. But some of you follow His Spirit, too. You see His heart and you look through His eyes. You know what He wants.

I am ready for revival! And it only takes a spark to get a fire goin’. Let the spark of His heart spark your heart today. Cook and bake and clean and love your husbands and children as never before. Believe God for a miracle and a revival for our Nation. Let’s get on our aprons and long flowered skirts and dance the victory dance. Tomorrow we may die but let’s kick up a good fuss today.

Love,
Connie

A few days ago, as Em was here, she was saying that she remembered the old health food store we all went to. Ya know, that one I had written about. I thought it had been torn down earlier but Em said, no, that she remembered going there with her Mom when she was about 5 years old. Emily says, “The new Pioneer stores weren’t as good. I didn’t like them, as they were too clean.” Ya know, Dixie always said that if a house was too clean, then something crazy was goin’ on there. If there was no dishes out, or children’s toys on the floor, it wasn’t right. Showed that the family was only watchin’ TV and not doing any work.

Dixie used to come my house with Emily, late afternoon, just before they were to head back to the farm after grocery shopping. Well, you know my kids were artists and writers and musicians and I had papers everywhere and art projects goin’ on. I had 2 pianos and a chord organ in the living room. Then, of course, I was always cookin’ and had stuff on the stove and in the oven all the time. And when Dixie and Em would come, I would try to clean everything up all at once. Oh, I was a sorry sight, runnin’ like crazy to pick stuff up and at least clear the table to have coffee. I would apologize and say, “I am sorry my house is such a mess, etc. etc.”

Dixie would say, “Of course your house is a mess. You have 6 children.” Well, too, I had a dog and various other creatures running about that I didn’t even know I had until it was quiet. One time, a chipmunk jumped through the broken screen door. I tried to catch it, but then decided I needed some gloves, as I didn’t want to get bit? And I got in my drawer quickly to find gloves and all I could find was my old prom gloves from 1965. So I wore them and somehow caught the chipmunk. If anyone was here with a camera, I know I would be published in Mad Magazine. God knows, I am glad I ain’t. But, yes, the kids tried to help me catch the chipmunk but you know kids. They think its all funny and wanted to keep him.

I was always serious about getting crazy things back out of my house, not my kids. But whatever creatures the cat helped in, Jim, when he would get home from work, would want to rest? And to stop the parade just short of his return home was never easy. But I always thought of Dixie saying, “Of course your house is a mess. You have 6 children.”

Well, I also had a fruitful dog that had a litter of 14 pups about every 6 months. Also, I had 25 rabbits in the backyard. Jimmy, our oldest, was given a pregnant rabbit for his birthday. Her name was Aunt Jessica. I grew comfrey in my garden and fed them this with rabbit pellets? Well, comfrey is what they used to feed race horses in the old days? Well, our rabbits were as strong as miniature bulls. And big? Oh, my gosh! I finally sold them to this old Indian squaw I met at the grocery store. Those rabbits were as big as Thanksgiving turkeys and I bet those 25 rabbits lasted her all winter, and well into the spring.

I remember when the kids were all home and I got out of bed, my feet hit the floor running and I went all day until I collapsed in bed. I was tryin’ all the time to sell rabbits and puppies, sometimes kittens. This is all just after Jim got saved? The poor guy — it’s a wonder he didn’t run the other way. He would actually come home to all of us and seemed to be ok. But, anyway, all of this to say, don’t worry about messing your house up to live happily with your brood. But just clean it up just before your husband comes home from work. Make sure the evening is quiet for him and teach the children to respect Papa. He needs to come home to a quiet home and be able to unwind and watch TV for a bit before bed.

Our men have their own trials and tribulations. They need the stillness of a home where they are honored. And by 8:00, I put my children to bed. They could read books in their beds until they were tired. But the home was closed for business.

Dear Kitchen Saints,

This morning I am making bread. I had bought this apple cider at the store on sale? Well, it’s gone to hard cider? So it has some of its own natural yeast. This stuff gets my creative mind going. So for my liquid in the raisin bread I am using the cider. I just made up a loaf of bread, and it is rising. I imagine it will rise like crazy. That cider shudda been tied to a post with a strong cowboy rope. But that’s beside the point.

Also, this morning I had fixed Jim some sausage and pancakes. I fried the sausage in a big cast iron skillet. The skillet was still warm so I put the bread dough in the skillet to rise, and I put a lid on it. The skillet has the leftover sausage grease and tiny bits of fried meat in it. So I rubbed the bread dough in that and let it rise. Now, the old time mothers did stuff like that. They made bread and soup or whatever from what they had on hand. They didn’t have corn oil and just used bacon grease or lard for their baking if they didn’t have butter.

My sugar bowl was about empty of sugar so I just put my yeast in there to rise and to use the scrapings of the sugar stuck in the bowl to make the yeast rise. Yeast loves sugar.

During the Depression a lot of folks started using the canned milk. I think the government gave it away to poor folks. And after they used the milk in the can, they used the rinsing of the can for something else. They would fill the empty can with water and use this light milk for baking biscuits or to make gravy.

I love having canned milk on hand. I use it in my coffee mostly. When the children were home, I would take a pound of butter and add it to a can of evaporated milk and beat it with my mixer and this made 2 pounds of butter out of one pound of butter. I had an old fashioned crock I kept it in, and kept it in the fridge.

And sometimes, if the Mother at home on the farm ran out of sugar for her desserts, she would use a lot of fruit in her cakes to make things sweet. Or if she had homemade canned jelly and preserves in the root cellar, she would use that to make a dessert. Jam cake was probably invented by a mother who needed a dessert for her family. She made a lightly sweet butter sheet cake then baked it. After it was done, she would spread the top with her home canned peach jam and then roll it up. Then she would slice it. I think they were called Jelly Rolls.

When the children were young and the peanut butter was all gone, I would take the jar with the scrapings in it and add warm milk and honey. Then I would put the lid back on the jar and shake it up and called it peanut butter milk. The kids loved it. And I would do this with leftover jam in a jar with warm milk and honey. You need the milk to be warm to melt the peanut butter or jelly or whatever. But the old time Mothers never wasted even the scrapings from a jar. And she saved the jar.

When the old time Mothers made butter, they would have the light watery milk left over which is called buttermilk. But it wasn’t thick and rich and white like you buy in the store. It was watery. But mother saved this buttermilk for making biscuits and all sorts of breads and pancakes. Buttermilk will make biscuits rise slightly without using baking powder — well, depending too on how ripe it is.

All of my stuff ferments anyway. The kids, when they are here and I show them how to make bread, say, “Mom’s yeast rises like I have never seen before.” So then they will want to take some of my yeast home to see if they can get it to rise like mine does. They will say, “Well, Mom does this or that with her yeast I will do that, too.” But, actually, it’s just the house here, I think. I bake a lot and I think a lot of natural yeast is in the air here. Because everything bubbles here.

I think a house where folks are telling jokes and are happy that the yeast loves it, too. Also a hot blooded Mama helps.

I just read my writings to Jim this morning and he added some things. He is sitting here at the table beside me writing, too.

Jim was from a family of 13 children. He told me that his mother made bread about 3 times a week. And she made a dozen loaves of bread each baking. Then in between the days, when the bread was gone, she made biscuits and pancakes. On the weekends she made 2 or 3 cakes or 3 or 4 pies, or both.

Jim was the twelfth of thirteen so most of the children were born during the Depression era. Jim was born in 1940. So some of the older daughters came back home with their families and lived with Mother and Dad Hultquist. But that was fairly common in those days. So a lot of food had to be made each day. But can you imagine the work that went on in that kitchen? And a lot of folks were starving during that time. So there was much heartache going on to think about. But Mom Hultquist kept her family going. She never lost any of the children due to neglect of any kind. But, boy, was she a tough one.

I thought she was too tough, actually, when I was young. But now that I am almost the age she was when she died, I see it all different. I know now that she had to be tough and I respect her now. Often I tell my kids who tell me they will write a book, “Don’t write nothing about me until you have held a few babies in your arms.” And I wonder how I would be have raised 13 children through the Depression era.

I just asked Jim what he was writing so I could add it to this. He writes in his words:

“As a child, when I got up in the morning, my mother would be cooking and baking for the day. On the days she made bread I could smell it baking as I reached the porch of our house coming home from school. The other boys knew when she was baking bread and would tag along with me to home to get some bread. Mom would let us break a whole loaf open and butter it and eat it hot.

“Mom would plan the whole day around when Daddy got home from work. They were like two love birds when I was a child. But when he died, her world was over and she was never the same again. There were 6 girls and 7 boys, and the girls all had to help inside with the cooking and cleaning and sewing. And the boys did the outside work of bringing in wood for the stove and coal for the furnace. The boys did the family gardening and even helped the neighbors with gardening. And the pay was a bushel of onions or tomatoes to bring home to the family.”

Jim goes on to say that, once his dad died, his mother became very bitter. Often she had menfolk who wanted to court her but she told them that no one would take the place of her husband Bill. She was only in her early 40’s when she lost Bill but never married again. She just couldn’t get back up and go again. Jim felt so unloved and became bitter himself. But Jim says that he forgave her many years ago. And he knows now that she is complete again in heaven with her Bill beside her. They are love birds again and happy just like in the old days when he was a young boy.

Good Morning, Dear Domestic Mothers, Keepers at Home, and Tenders of the Fire,

This morning I am making a Winter Spice Bread. I just made up the recipe as I went along.

I put a cup of the Ladies Cordial in it. And I put in fresh ground nutmeg and cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. Also I put in a tsp of black pepper. I made it pretty sweet using a cup of sugar for 2 cups of liquid. For the liquid I used a cup of water and a cup of the Cordial. For each cup of liquid in bread, you will end up with one loaf of bread. Also I put in some corn oil and 2 eggs. Eggs are cheap right now so I will be very generous with eggs in my baking and cooking.

Then, after ya get all of this stuff mixed up, you just add enough flour to mix it all up. You will end up using about 6 cups of flour. And you can add whatever kind of flour you like. I will add some cornmeal and some oatmeal to my bread when I mix it up again. I just put in about a fourth cup of oatmeal and corn meal. The cornmeal makes the bread look more yellow and the oatmeal gives it a bit of texture.

Now today I am just making this bread with a big blue crock bowl and a spoon. I didn’t want to take it out of the bowl and so I have kneaded it in the bowl. If my bread dough doesn’t want to do as I want it, then I will knead it on the tabletop. But if it is kneading up like I like it, then I will just knead it in the bowl. It’s simple to clean up as everything is in the bowl and no flour on the table. I read once of a man on a wagon train that made his biscuits right in the flour sack. Just added liquid and bakin’ powder and mixed it up in the sack.

But, anyway, if you are having trouble getting your bread kneaded, try this. Just knead your bread until it is all together and not sticky. Then just forget it and put a towel over it. Let it sit for about a half hour. Then knead it again… it will be more cooperative. If your bread is made of mostly white flour, then the bread should feel like a baby’s behind when it is done being kneaded. It should feel soft and smooth.

Always test your yeast in a bowl to make sure it is good. Make sure your bowl of water is pretty warm. Put the yeast in and add some sugar. If the yeast isn’t bubbling up in about 10 minutes, then it isn’t any good. I always test my yeast as I don’t want to waste my flour and all, if the yeast ain’t gonna rise.

And also it is very easy to make crackers. If your bread doesn’t rise and you have tried everything, then just make your dough into crackers. All you do is take your bread dough and roll it out with your rollin’ pin. Then cut the dough in big squares. Lay them on your buttered cookie sheet. Prick holes in them so they will lay flat when they bake. I would bake these in about a 350° temp. I used to make these and add seasoning salt and garlic. They can be stored in a dry container and will stay good for at least a few weeks. All of the old time mothers used to make crackers. It was just part of being a housewife. They are just like a flat bread, I guess.

Also, ya know, dear Housewives, yeast is a living thing. Some days your bread won’t rise like it should or will be doughy in the middle. That’s not always your fault. Yeast is alive and will react to the weather or even to the spiritual temperature of the household. A lot of women love to knead bread when they are mad. They think it gets rid of their pressures. But I would never make bread unless I am right with my home and family. I think making the family loaf of bread takes a lot of lovin’ and Joy. I think yeast reacts to Joy.

And ya know? Bread dough sometimes just won’t knead up and get smooth like you hoped. So when this happens to ‘em, I make bread rolls. Just make the dough into round balls and let ‘em rise. Roll dough is usually a softer dough. So just make rolls instead of bread. Your bread dough should be a harder, stiffer dough.

Happy Baking.

Warm Happy Kitchens

Mothers who have busy, warm kitchens and happy hearts can make good bread. Your yeast is alive and loves to be warm and active. I think old houses seem to make good bread. I think it is because of all of the other yeasts in the house. Yeast is in the air and a housewife can learn to harness and use whatever yeast she needs. You can ferment fruit to make a wine yeast and then just keep using that to make wine. Or like a sour dough starter is harvesting yeast for bread and rolls. I know this house is loaded with yeast of all kinds. The old time mothers knew all of this and used what she had to make her food.

But I usually tell a young mom that if she can’t make a good family bread, it was because she didn’t love it enough. A happy kitchen with steaming soup simmering on the stove and the coffee pot perkin’ is a joyful place to make bread. Your bread won’t rise in a cold kitchen and if is too hot, it will die.

The old time mothers used to sing in their kitchens. An old friend of mine used to say that her Mom always sang a certain song when she made bread. When she got done with all of the verses, then she knew the bread had been kneaded enough. My friend thought as a child that the song was a part of the recipe. So when she grew up and was a young bride in her own kitchen, she thought she had to sing the same song, so she did.

In the old days, when the family needed to be cheered up, Mother seemed to be the inspiration to get them up and going. Mother would announce, “Well, you all are hungry I will fix supper.” Maybe the afternoon was quiet and not much goin’ on. But as Mother would get up to put her apron on, things would begin to move about again. She would scurry the children about to pick up their games and get ready for supper. She would tell the boys to bring in the wood for her cook stove and some for the fireplace. Mama would tell the girls to help peel potatoes. And pretty soon, the family would smell Mama’s biscuits and fried meat on the stove. Last of all, before the family sat down to supper, Mother would stir the gravy. As she stirred, she would tell the girls to set the table and slice the bread. Light the lamp on the table and call Papa in for supper. Mealtime was an event — a time to fellowship with the family.

After supper, Mother would set out a sponge, a starter for bread making for the next day. After the supper dishes were done and the girls dried them and put them away, the table was cleared and Mother got out her mending. Papa read the evening paper and the children played games and did homework. The winter kitchen was the warmest place in the house and the family stayed in there and kept warm.

Good Morning!

Ya know, I get into a lot of trouble when I come against lady preachers. But lately, had I not had this discernment and telling it like it is, I would be wallowing in such confusion. I just praise the Lord that I don’t have to be confused. Anyway, back to homemaking.

Now, ya know, I just can’t imagine that more of you aren’t howling over Carla Emery’s book called The Encyclopedia of Country Living. Man, I have been reading this book since the 1970’s when I saw Carla on the Phil Donahue show. She brought her goat to the show and, man, I loved all of that. It’s too bad that more women don’t bring their goats when they come on shows like Oprah. They need a goat on that show. Anyway, I asked for Carla’s book for Christmas that year and, oh, I love this book. She kept updating the book. I had the first one. I read it until it was in shreds. Then Dixie gave me about the second edition of the book. I still read that. But at our library I got the ninth edition. Carla was never really satisfied with her book and so she kept updating it. Now, from what I read, she was satisfied with the ninth edition and then just lately she died. It was like she was born to write that book and, when it was like she wanted it, she died.

Well, I will have to live to be 145 because I am so slow at writing books. And if God won’t let me die until I get my book written, then, well, I guess I will be very old when I die. My mom thinks I am going to be a popular writer so she is always asking me if I am working on my next book. But doesn’t my life have to slow down and then I write a book?

Anyway, I got Carla’s book in the early 70’s right when I needed it. It’s about survival on the land and living off the land. But at the time, I needed that spirit of back to the land. I did go back to the land to some extent. But mostly I needed the spirit of moxie. I needed a spine of steel to hoist up my slumping, weary shoulders. I would sit up in my bed at night and read this book about home and making it on the land. I had so little. I had no husband. I had a son and a baby to take care of. And I just needed someone to tell me that I could make it, one way or the other.

The survival skills come. But first the spirit of homesteading has to come. It’s like an independent spirit. A spirit that says, “I don’t need anybody to make this work but God.” Because, see, when I was so down and so needy, then few people wanted to help me. Once I got up, I had plenty of friends. But I had to learn to be brave and to make a light for my own steps. I had to be someone when everyone told me I was no one. I had to decide I was someone when I had no place to stand or to be. I was alone and the darkness surrounded me. I had children who needed me. But I got so little comfort from the others. God was all I had. And at the time, ya know, I didn’t know Him like I do now. But I loved to read Carla’s book, as it told of a woman making it on the land. She found a way to survive, and I needed to survive and live and care for my children.

The spirit of Homesteading is a spirit that decides to make it, no matter what the circumstances are or the lack around you. You plan to make it, one way or the other. And, ya know, I don’t always agree with Chrissy Joy. But, ya know, she ran away to NYC and had no money. She bought old prom dresses at the Salvation Army and made ‘em look crazy and sold them to women who are top designers. Our son Jimmy laughs his head off at his sister who sold her dresses to women who only wore the best and most expensive clothes. Chrissy would buy shoes from the Salvation Army for a few bucks and then she went and sold them at a consignment shop for 30 bucks a pair. I guess she learned survival and this is how she acted it out. Her Mama’s god wasn’t good enough for her at the time. But my God will be her God in the coming years. And then she will teach me about survival.

A Homestead Heart

Ya know, sometimes you just have to reel your own self in and home your own heart. The world don’t have an answer for ya. No one loves ya, Darlin’, like God. Most people are fair weather friends… a few are sincere. But this ballgame is up to you. I mean, yes, God loves you. But, ya know, you have to decide to make it yourself?

See, the unbelievers will tell ya this, too. The difference is that you are a believer. So you have a helper, the Holy Spirit. But the first call is yours — are you gonna make it or not? God can’t make that decision for you.

And, ya know, there is a truth in feminism. And there is a fine line between her and the Godly woman who has moxie. A feminist won’t bow to anyone but her boss at work? But a woman who won’t bow or learn godly submission can’t lead, either. One who won’t follow can’t lead. A feminist has no dignity or patience in her quest for purpose. But the woman of God will bow and weave with God and find her place in Him. A feminist will run for all that glitters in this world. But the woman of God seeks as her treasure the voice of God.

And the danger for Christian women at times is that they will submit to anyone. And this is not good. Her power is that she submits to her own husband. The virtuous woman is the woman of power. She knows that there is power in the heavenlies. Man was made for God and she is made for her man. And as she submits to her husband, she comes under God and His power. When she submits to other women, she finds some power. But there is more power in submitting to your own husband. And sometimes you need an independent spirit of moxie to go ahead and submit to your husband. Because the world, the local church, and the devil ain’t gonna tell you to submit to your own husband.

Ya know, the Lord taught me all of this the hard way. I was so exasperated in the first years of my marriage. I would have to go to the jail to have a conversation with Jim. Well, they have a new jail now. But back then it was a rat hole. I had to balance myself on an old tall stool so Jim could hear me talk through the screen. This stool was supposed to have four legs but only had three? It was a tall stool and you had to sit on it just right to not fall off. And it took a lot of prayin’ to sit on that stool. And I made up my mind that I was going to talk to Jim in faith. And my 15 minute visit with him was gonna glorify God. So I asked him what bills I should pay that week.

I treated him like he was the priest of my home. The devil wanted for me to sit there and cry but I wouldn’t. I laughed and made our visit happy as I would if we were home. I was alone as I lived in my faith world. I spoke to Jim as the priest of my home. Because he was the priest of my home. Not a good man, no. Not a holy righteous priest, no. But he was the one God set over me and, by faith, I submitted to my own husband as unto the Lord.

So often folks would say to me, “Connie, when will you write a book?” Well, I thought they were crazy to say that to me. Heck, livin’ my life was hard enough — who would want to write about it? Little did I know that God was watching me in my obedience to Him, as my heart was broken, as I sat on that danged 3-legged stool. Jesus was there with me all the time. I thought that surely God hated me. He knew that I would write about this many times in the years to come. And that I would glorify Him and, through this, I would bring hope to those who have suffered as I did. God knows His stuff.

But, ya know, the Lord does sometimes call you to the wilderness to stand alone and be tempted. The props are kicked out from under you and you have to stand alone. And in this place of utter hopelessness, we must be found faithful. And the victory comes and the Lord gives you double blessings for all that you have suffered.

Jesus wants to be glorified on this earth and He shares His glory with no man. And a woman’s place of power is under her husband.

A Candle in the Window

Ya know, back in the old days, the Homestead Mother at night would put a candle in her window. Often the husband or children would be coming home late in the dark and they would see the light and it would guide them home. Mother’s light and fire never went out in the cold wintertime as she tended her fire.

The candle in the window is like the prayers said for family. We have to keep the lights shining in the darkness. The window of Mother’s heart is always aflame, calling and wooing her loved ones home. Home to her heart and home to Jesus. The world screams at mother to come away from her window and to not light the candle again tonight. The world screams, “Your kids are hopeless and your husband, too.” But Mother, each night, goes to the window and lights her candle again by faith.

The Lord speaks to her:
Keep the candle in the window, Mother,
and the fire blazing low.
Keep the soup on simmer, Mother,
just a few hours left to go.

The Lord promises Mother that soon all of her children will be in to sup at the table of faith Mother has made with her prayers. Papa’s chair is there, by faith, and he will be home to sit there as priest of the home. The Lord whispers sweetly to Mother’s ears, “If you don’t give up, you will see His glory.”

Mother is not proud and arrogant, and she trusts only in God. As Mother goes to her cupboard to take out her flour and yeast to make her bread, she sings and rejoices in the Lord. She makes supper in the evening and her candle is in the window. She forgets about the candle and she does her homestead chores. No one sees her but the angels and they are happy to see her light in the window. The light looks small to the world but it lights heaven and causes the angels to sing because of Mother’s faith. She won’t give up and take her candle out of the window. She will light the darkness, even though she is busy doing her work.

The candle in the window is the never ending prayers to God. The flame burns and Mother’s hands are busy working on her homestead. Her trust in God causes her flame to burn steady and not go out. Mother trusts in God. She doesn’t have a cell phone to find out if the kids are alright. No, Mother has the Lord and He alone is her bread and wine.

In my home, I have electric candles in my window. And in back of the candles I have a picture of angels. Folks used to walk by my house and say, “You still have up your Christmas lights?” One neighbor walked by when Jimmy was in the Navy, and she said, “You have those lights in the window because Jimmy is in the Navy, right?” And I said “Yes I do.” And the children across the street tell me that sometimes this light shines in their bedroom at night.

Mother’s prayer reflects and glistens in many ways. And her faith is powerful as she trusts in God.

Good Morning Dear Kitchen Saints,

I am up early this morning fixin’ oatmeal and coffee.

I have been wanting to write about homemaking for days now, it seems. What is the spirit of homemaking to you ladies? For me, the spirit of homemaking is a spirit that inspires me to make a home.

We can be loaded with homemaking tools but, if we don’t have the inspiration to make a home, then we feel, indeed, lost and forsaken and confused in our homes. Sure, there is always work to do. Dishes are always needing to be done or clothes to wash. Some things ya gotta do, with or without a shot of inspiration. But when you are doing all of your work with no inspiration, then you feel like steel rolling on steel and there is no cushion or comfort. You feel as though you have lost your fuel for housewifery.

One thing that would sure get me goin’ when most of my children were home was the washer or dryer going out. I would just determine to make a nest of peace, no matter what. I mean MEN? — oh, mercy. Ya can’t live with ‘em sometimes and ya can’t live without ‘em. All they see is if the house is out of order, if it is. So if ya have a houseful of children and the washer goes out, just wash the clothes in the bathtub after Husband has gone to work. Then pray about it and then tell Husband the clothes washer is broke.

Well, see, when our washer would go out with all the kids at home? This was a major problem. And we just lived on a wing and prayer at best. We didn’t have the money to get stuff fixed. But to get up in the morning as a wife and start complainin’ about it just before Jim went to work in the morning would have been very foolish on my part. Because, ya know, ya can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip. He didn’t have the $$ to get the thing fixed. And he had to keep going to work to keep some food on the table. So I would just pray over all of this and God would help me.

One year I had about five different washers. Everyone gave me theirs that was ready to go out. Well, I did at least 3 loads of clothes a day. So if a washer was ready to go out, anyway, I would take it the last mile in about 5 days. I had this one washer someone gave me that made so much noise when it washed that we had to go outside until the wash was done. It was like a slug hammer was beating a bag of bolts to death, only much louder. Well, thankfully, that thing died pretty quick.

Well, then I have told you the story about how I got the wringer washer and used that almost every day for a year. I kept it and, if my automatic went out, I was never again without a washer. Now days, since I don’t have a lot of wash to do, I can keep a washer going and a dryer. Wow, I am cookin’ on all four burners now.

But a woman needs to maintain a peaceful home, no matter what goes out. And when you have a houseful of children, stuff gets used up or broken quicker. And, ya know, Jim was doing his best and working at what he could. So for me to complain to him about stuff he had no control over would have discouraged him to the place he couldn’t have done “anything.” But a wife and mother should know how to just be quiet and make a home. Just pray and trust in God and do whatever it takes.

If a man goes out and works all day, that is a lot. I hate it when I see a discouraged man come home tired and weary and his wife expects him to do housework or take care of the children. He should be able to rest awhile when he gets home from work. A wife and mother should have charge over her home. She shouldn’t be running at her husband with a bunch of gripes right when he comes in the door. I see so many women who don’t even have a hot meal ready for her husband when he gets home from work. When you know that your husband is due home in the evening, you should prepare the children. If they have friends over, it is time for all the friends to leave and go home. Then Mother should have the children pick up their toys and get cleaned up for Daddy.

And, ya know, times are hard in our country. I fellowship a lot with our kids so I know whats goin’ on.

When Jim and I got married, we had rented a nice little house. And with rent and utilities, our bills were about 100 bucks a month. Jim made like about 100 bucks a week — he got minimum wage. Our groceries were about 25 bucks a week. Now compare that to now, and the minimum wage. Over the past 40 years, minimum wage went up from about 2 bucks an hour to about $ 5.35. So it went up about 3 times the amount. But rent has gone up about 6 or 7 times the amount. And, of course, groceries have gone up that much, too.

The working conditions for the common worker are horrible. I blame ERA for that, the equal rights deal. It used to be that an employer could pay a kid a buck or so to help out in a grocery store. Now the employer has to pay the kid as much a college graduate for the same job. It used to be, in the old days, that if a man had a lot of kids to feed, the boss would always pay him more than the other employees. Folks used to be all for the family and the bread winner. So it used to be easier in the old days to make a buck.

Rent is outrageous in our country. You are working all month to pay your rent. No one used to have to do that, even making minimum wage. So I think, realistically speaking, a mother at home will have to do some major rockin’ and rollin’ to keep the family going. We have to trust in the Lord?

In the old days, when I took my son in for a check up as a baby, it cost me 4 bucks and this included all of his shots. A specialist cost 10 bucks and we thought that was outrageous. But gone are these days. And now our family can’t even afford to go to a doctor unless we are dyin’. And when I went to the hospital for my “gallbladder take out,” we didn’t have the insurance. So they ask us to sell our house to pay the bill? Oh yeah? And then what? We would be seriously out on the street right now if we didn’t have the wisdom of God.

But, ya know, ya can’t scream ouch every time the devil kicks ya. And you have to maintain a peace in your home and do whatever it takes to keep the home place going.

Jim and I are the examples to our grown kids. Every time we walk by them, they want to borrow 20 bucks. They pay us back the following week when they get paid. But Jim and I know how it is. And thank God we stay enough afloat to loan them 20 bucks here and there. And this summer we all plan to have a garden here at our house together. And Jim and I will be able to pass on what we know about gardening to our kids. And I have herbs growing all over the yard and I can teach them about herbs and how to grow them and use them. If all of my kids were rich, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to teach them the knowledge they need.

We all need to go back to the land. It’s time to do this. We have all lived richly compared to the rest of the world. And we are still trying to live well and the $ ain’t there to do it. The world’s seasons have changed and we need to change with it.

In my day, as a young woman, you didn’t see folks living on the street. In the 70’s is when a lot of that started. I can’t imagine such a thing as that. If Mary and Brandon didn’t have family that loved them, they would be on the street. Even though he has a good job, his sickness kept him from being able to work. Mary is gaining speed but couldn’t, at this point, hold a job.

Well, duty calls — I gotta get going. Brandon is going in for some tests at the state hospital in a few hours. So please pray that the doctors there will have wisdom to help him.