Why I Celebrate World Cup

Why I Celebrate World Cup

 

 

There's been so much controversy surrounding this World Cup. It's almost a taboo in some circles to admit that you are not only excited about it but fully intend to make the most of the celebration.

This year the World Cup is being hosted by Brazil. Notably one of the, if not the best team in the world. In the midst of this is the reality that the nation has grossly neglected to care for very basic needs of the people in the areas of health care, transportation and education. In spite of this,  the government is picking up the tab for the most costly World Cup in history. Not surprisingly the citizens are angry and protesting change. All the eyes of the world are on Brazil and the time has come for the citizens to have their voices heard.

So, should we boycott the game ?

When I was one my parents moved our family to Brazil where they began their missionary work until we returned when I was nearly 10 years old. It took me a while to fully understand the conflict of feeling like an immigrant in my own country , Canada. I had never studied here. My culture was based on Brazilian media and society. And , my English contact was a jumbled mess of other English speaking missionaries from around the world. None the less, there  is no such ESL or integration programme for white Canadians who are "fresh off the boat".

At best, the Brazilians we amused by my Portuguese (and yes, Brazilians speak Portuguese, not "Brazilian"). Humoured by the sight of an obviously Canadian family so culturally emeshed in theirs. Little by little, it was easier to integrate into my Canadian society. This has always been a situation that has saddened me. Left a void of sorts in my life story. I have never returned to Brazil and consequently I feel like there is a piece of my childhood that has simply vanished.

However, I hold dear the feeling of community and national pride I remember being privy to in my childhood. Streets lined with banners and flags. Bonfires, dancing, music and utter abandon in the way neighbours would celebrate together. Roasted corn, fire works, straw hats , barefoot , bare chested boys kicking balls on dirty streets. Girls with belly's bared and little skirts playing the parts of cheerleaders. Drunks at the bar playing dominoes outside. Women in the local favela's setting up food outside to share with anyone. Drums. Whistles.

These are fragments of my life. These are slivers of my roots. 

I'm not jumping on the band wagon. I'm not trying to force myself into a culture that's not mine. I'm not even supporting the government's choices. I just want to feel the way I remember feeling when I was a little girl. To capture the excitement. To share in the celebration. To cheer on a nation who embraced me for nearly a decade in very tender years. To remember that those days existed.

On my Heart, About my Head.

On my Heart, About my Head

I've heard that it's been said that in order to really write from the heart you have to write as though no one will ever read it. Transparent, real. I find that a really hard task but I'm going to try and think about that today for this post. Not because I don't want anyone to read it, mind you. I just want to be able to express to you my heart without fear of judgement.

 I'm trying to think back how long ago it was when I began to reflect on this topic. I'm guessing at least 18 months ago. In my Bible it's under the subheading "Propriety in Worship". As I was studying the mandates of what godly marriage should look like, what Christian brotherhood looks like and what daily life looks like the 11th chapter of 1 Corinthians stopped me and gave me reason for pause. Go ahead and read it . Propriety in Worship . How was I to approach living the type of life the book of Corinthians was teaching and just omit this practice , frankly because it's no  longer socially acceptable even among "Bible believing" churches ? Why does the church do that ? Doesn't that seem hypocritical to choose what we find relevant to our situation and then preach that God's word is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow ? In right conscious I began to cover my head in obedience during my private prayer and reading. After some time I began to cover during meal time prayers with the family - after all, aren't they also my brothers in Christ and part of public worship ? The task of putting a scarf on and off seemed a bit silly after a time as I found that in trying to "be joyful always;  pray continually;  give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  Do not put out the Spirit's fire" (1 Thessalonians 5:16) meant that I should never not be in worship.

This posed a ridiculous dilemma for me. Church. You know, that safe place of acceptance. The place where you are free to just love on God. I'm not really sure where the fear came from. I was concerned that I would be a bit of an oddity as the church wasn't preaching this and I could only see one lady who I suspect covers (though in a fashionable  manner).  I'm happy to say that no one teased me or has made any comment since I've started attending service covered. It could be people for the most part haven't noticed. And that's ok too. For now it means that I can enjoy this intimacy and fellowship with God without feeling the need to defend it.

As far as a woman's hair being her headcovering, that might be true but one look around the congregation and you can see the variety of stylish up to date short cuts women are wearing. It's not being preached ! And the idea of headcovering is such a ministry opportunity. 

All earthly relationships are meant to mirror those of our Lord, we are all made in his image. As parents we can understand the Father's heart for us. As children we can grasp the concept of a caring Father who provides for our every need, who comforts us and teaches us to trust and obey. As brothers in Christ we can reflect on the awesome relationship Jesus had with humanity when He came to fellowship with us and draw us to the Father. As a married couple we are designed to show what the church's (The Bride's) relationship is to God (her Groom). Husbands are called to an almost overwhelming task of loving their wives even to the point of laying down their lives ( sound familiar ?). Wives are called to not only help their husbands to succeed but to honour and respect them. The Bible is saying that when a man covers his head in corporate worship he dishonors his head (which is Christ, because he is the Bride of Christ) and when women uncover theirs  they dishonor their head - which is their husband. We don't want our earthly marriages to look modern or culturally acceptable just for the sake  of not looking "backward", "different", "repressed" or whatever the thing is that prevents us from even considering the words in the Bible. We want people to ask us so that we can explain our marriage in light of the beauty of God's plan for us. Remember, we are meant to reflect Him ! We are being humble because we take on the position that the Church (as a whole) should be taking in relation to God. We are honouring our heads because it honours God.  We don't think anything about a man removing his hat in service, because we view it in light of a cultural sign of respect. We need to start viewing things in light of a God's standard.

Flan ... Really?

I have become increasingly convinced of this : every great dessert starts with a can of condensed milk. As soon as I see that in the ingredients list I'm done for. I will make it.
So there's a fantastic dessert I had growing up in Brazil called "Pudim de leite condensado".  In English, FLAN. The name does it no justice whatsoever. I'm shocked anyone even makes it with a name like that. Take my word for it , it is simply - To. Die. For. 

All you need ;
4 eggs
2 cans of condensed milk                                                                                                                         2 c milk
1/2c sugar 

The first thing you are going to do is get whatever dish you plan on making it in and it should be stove and oven safe. I use my bundt pan.
Over a medium high heat you melt down the sugar. Stirring and shaking around that pot to make sure it melts evenly.

 

Once you have it all melted down to a liquid, swirl it around the pan so it coats the sides a little. Then set it aside. It will harden and that's ok.

Now you blend your eggs your blender and add the milk and condensed milk and blend some more.
Pour it over your sugar caramel.
Now prepare what the Brazilians call a "Banho Maria" - basically fill a roasting pan (or similiar) with enough water to cover a couple of inches of your flan pan. If you set down some lemon slices you can rest the pan on that and your water bath (is that what it's called???) will not discolour your pan. 

Now pop it in the oven for about an hour. Let it cool down on your counter and then ... here's the hard part, leave in your fridge overnight. sigh..... it's worth the wait !

Just before serving find a pretty serving dish and turn that baby over and let it pop onto the dish.

You will see in the right hand corner that I have a small ramkin dish with flan in it. You can do that too! I like to make a separate little one for my husband. Small gestures go a long way, ladies !

Let me know how yours turns out !

Peach Preserves 

This was so worth the hour I spent making these ! So simple and so delicious. Buy them up cheap and save them to use when they would be out of season and not nearly as fresh!

You will need....
Lg canning pot
Lg pot for peaches
Mason jars and new lids
6 L peaches
1 1/2c sugar
Cinnamon sticks
Water, water, water


First , make sure you have prepared your jars. You can wash them in hot water and leave them in the hot water in your sink. Or you use your dishwasher and keep them in there until you are ready to fill them. You just have to keep them warm so they don't break on you when you put them into boiling water. Don't forget to wash your lids.

Make sure your big canning pot is full with the lid on working up to a boil while you do all these things.

Now get another pot and bring it to a boil. When it's at a rolling boil you want to gently drop in your peaches for about 60  seconds.

Remove them and put them right away into cold water to stop the cooking. Like magic before your eyes you should be able to just rub off the peel.
(You can do this in batches and you can return the peach to the boiling water if the peel is not ready)

Now remove your pit. I just run my knife along it from one side to the next and then wiggle the knife a little. Twist and it should come apart.

At this point I dump my peach water and put about 10cups of fresh water in there and whisk in about 1 1/2c sugar. You can put more in if you want a thicker/sweeter syrup. I wanted mine to taste more natural.

Now pack your peaches into the jars and slide a cinnamon stick in with it. Leave room at the top. Now fill with sugar water mixture , tapping out any air bubbles. Secure the lid.
Repeat, when your jars are ready put them into your boiling water and make sure the water is covering the jars by about an inch or two. Cook for about 20-25minutes.

Peach Preserves  

Remove and let cool. When they are cool you should be able to press down the lid and it will make a popping sound and it will stay down. If it doesn't , you can put it in your fridge and have it for dessert tonight or you can just return it to the boiling water for another few minutes and try again.

It's a good idea to label your jars when they cool and you are ready to store them in your cool, dry place (ie, NOT beside your furnace or garden shed....). They should last about a year !

Eat them as they are. Over ice cream. In oatmeal. Under a crumble or in a pie.... sky's the limit!

The Domestic Arts 

I have been wanting to do so many things for  the longest time. I just couldn't seem to juggle all my interests with so many young children and pregnancies happening over the last 12 years. This year I was not not nursing or pregnant and there was no stroller ! When you've had 7 pregnancies in 10 years this is a BIG DEAL !

So between that and Pinterest overload I've gotten really excited about getting back into what I call "the domestic arts". All those extras that warm your home. When my children grow up I want the sound of a sewing machine to remind them of me. I want the smell of warm cookies to feel like home.  I want them to remember eating  warm tomatoes straight from the vine. I want them to experience sunshine on their clothes. I want the sight of a mason jar to stir up countless reminders of the love that filled them.

When they get married and start their families I want them to value these things in their wives. I want them to see purpose in the little things their wives do because they know what it meant to their growing up. I want them to appreciate the creative touch a woman who pursues the art of making a home can bring.

Ladies, do you realize when you apply your efforts into these tasks how empowered you are? When you do a good job, I mean really put thought and effort into your career at home, you have the power to change your children's world view. Do you really think they will see women as less valuable because they are home or because we complain about being home ? When you choose to make a career of homemaking be joyful , be progressive in your talents and be purposeful ! We were never made to be less by being home, we've done that on our own by teaching our children that we are unhappy, feel undervalued , resent the loss of (insert personal issue here). 

Homemakers don't have to fit a mold. Just because one person loves to bake and you love photography doesn't mean one of you is better. Every area of God given talent allows you to leave your fingerprint on your home. Use your passions and be blessed by the opportunity to be home , if you are so lucky.

When I look back at my memories of my mother now I remember her being very resourceful. Honestly, she could bake an apple pie by using green tomatoes. She cooked from scratch - every birthday cake. She sewed our Barbies clothes. Clipped down old cards with her "fancy" scissors to make gift tags.

I'll tell you something, she really doesn't like cooking and sewing (I don't think ) but one of her talents is being resourceful. She took pleasure in being able to source a way to meet the needs with the little there was. My parents were missionaries. She kept chickens for crying out loud ! Actually that one makes me laugh out loud. She made our house a home and provided us with cherished memories. She set a great example of how to manage a home.

Be encouraged ! If you are home, even for a season, make the days count. Raise your value but enjoy what you do and don't be tempted to compare yourself to another wife/mother.

You will be getting a good helping of blogs from me in the next bit. Recipes and such things that I am working on. I hope you will find encouragement in them.

Easy T-Shirts Without a Pattern

Easy T-Shirts Without a Pattern 

 

 

I'm going to start off this entry by giving you a gentle warning. If you are an avid , skilled seamstress, this blog is not for you ! This is a humble blog for ladies in the process of making the title of Homemaker their profession . Perhaps you don't have much time in this season of life or many resources. But you want to find new ways to improve your home, save money or learn a new hobby.  I'm glad you are interested in following my journey !

 

I've really come to enjoy putting together a number of projects. You are about to participate in my first attempt at making t-shirts for me and the family.
I bought myself 2 meters of a stretchy cotton fabric, on sale for $2/meter ! What a steal ! One walk through your fabric store and you will quickly see that projects can either save you money or cost you some very serious money !

Ready ? Here we go-

Find your favourite t-shirt.
Fold your fabric down the middle so you have a long piece doubled over.
Fold your shirt in half and put the folded side along the fold of the new fabric.
Now you can either trace around it or pin it to the fabric and cut right away. If you are thinking you will be perfect this time around and want a pattern that you can reuse you can draw out the shape onto craft paper.

When you trace your shirt to cut out, be sure to leave a seam allowance. This is usually about 5/8of an inch of extra fabric that you will need in order to stitch.

You now have the BACK piece of your shirt.
To make the front I place my cut out piece over the fabric so that I know my pieces will be symmetrical when I sew them together.

The trick now is that you have to make the neck line. Notice how it will be lower than your back piece.
I've done a V neck today. I found the middle point and made sure that my lines were straight and even.

With right sides together ( usually the patterned side, I'm sorry my material doesn't have one), find your shoulder seams and stitch the front and back pieces together. Do this for both sides. Use your favourite T-shirt as your guide to locate the shoulders !

Now take a long strip of your leftover fabric  and cut it into a strip that's about 2-3 inches wide. This is going to be the collar.
Whenever you sew make sure you set up your ironing board ! Seriously, it is worth the time to always press your fabric. You will achieve a much cleaner finish and your fabric will be easier to use as well.
Fold your strip together lengthwise, wrong sides together. And press it.  

 Now the fun part. Do this slowly, carefully and right ! 
Turn your shirt back to right sides out.
You are going to measure around how long a strip you need for the collar. And, you are going to fold over the strip into the "V" at the end. Pay attention to where the folded edge is- that's what I got caught up on ! 
Once you have stitched the tip of your "V" in the strip line it up with the shirt. I cut a  small slit on my shirt for extra flexibility where you see the arrow.
Tack it into place. First right in the center and then a couple of pins on either side.
stitch that into place and then work the collar into place and stitch that.
Admire, press !  

It's a good idea when you do any of your stitching , that you go around again with a zig-zag stitch if you aren't using a serger.

You are almost done !
Stitch up the sides, with right sides together and hem the bottom and the sleeves !
Voila !

Now off to make some for the family.  Now that I've done a practice shirt I will be able to add all sorts of wonderful to it !

Let me know how yours turn out ! Share your pictures on my facebook page at Growing by Grace.

Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash 

You can add meatballs to this or serve it as a vegetarian meal or side ! Change up the sauces, cheeses and herbs ! 

Cut your spaghetti squash in half and scoop out seeds.
Bake it at 350degrees for about half an hour or until tender when you poke it with a fork.

Use a fork to scrape at the insides and it will come apart just like spaghetti strands. If you've never made spaghetti squash this will be a very nice "aha !" moment. 

Healthy and delicious

Mix in about 2tbs of your favourite marinara sauce and top it with grated cheese. I used mozzarella this time but you can use whatever you have on hand.

Bake it again until it is bubbly and then sprinkle it with some fresh herbs. 

Enjoy !