The Adventure

The day was planned.  Whatever you want to do, Daddy, was the invitation.  It is Father's Day, so let's do what Daddy wants, right?

A little background information:  My husband and I are perfect for each other.  Perfect opposites in a lot of things.  Adventure seeking, being one of them.  I'm just not...  seeking adventure.  I like safe.  I like home.  I like routine.  Normal.  And if you know D, you know that he LOVES adventure, roller coasters, the unknown, flying by the seat of his pants...  Yep, opposites!

So, I'm called to be HIS helper and to adjust to him, so I pray A LOT!
 
Daniel started planning this canoeing adventure last year.  He bought a canoe.  Oh, I was irritated!  If he buys a canoe, then we might have to go canoeing.  How can I go canoeing?  We don't have enough canoes for everyone.  How can I take a new baby, a little girl and everyone else canoeing?  What if the boat tips?  What if someone needs me and I can't get to them?  Of course, I never expressed these feeling out loud.  That would sound like I was afraid.  I prefer, responsible, cautious, prudent...  These words sound so much holier than FEAR.

So back to plan to honor my dear husband on his day.  He wants adventure.  I WILL smile.  I WILL keep my doubts to myself.  I WILL trust that God is big enough to handle this.  We went to Walmart to pick up a few things and we picked up a couple life jackets for the boys.  Faith doesn't equal foolishness.

The day came.  We were ready!  We were on our way!  It seemed a struggle.  Why would the devil care about a silly day at the lake?  Flat tire on the trailer.  Fix it in Rose City at the hardware. On our way again!  Unload the trailer.  Fishing poles, 2 canoes, 2 kayaks, food...  We are set!

Father's Day Beauty

Canoes in the water.  Kayaks in the water.  Ryan and Rose in the kayaks.  Kathryn, Gabriel and Anya in one canoe.  Daddy, Mama, Elijah, Bella and Lukasz in the other.  How am I going to paddle AND watch that baby like a hawk?  How is Lukasz going to hold Elijah still?  What if he stands up?  Falls out?  Of course, I don't say these things.  That would sound like I was afraid.  I prefer, responsible, cautious, prudent perhaps...  Definitely much holier than...  FEAR.

But my son, the one that is my barometer.  The one that is too immature to mask his true feelings, is wrestling with his baby brother.  "You HAVE to sit, Elijah!  Daddy, he's moving!"  Eli is fussing.  "Let me GO!"  He seems to say.  "I know that I am missing this adventure, sitting still.  I can't see the water.  I can't touch the water.  I want to experience it all, my first time in a canoe."  Of course, I'm in front.  I am trying to see, to help, but I can't without tipping the canoe.  And there is seaweed down there.  I cannot see the bottom.  Tipping the canoe is NOT an option.  So, I sit still.  I adjust my weight.

Daddy steps in, "Lukasz, let him go.  He'll be alright.  He'll be fine."  Really, I think.  Let a baby wander, explore in this little boat.  "Okay... but I don't know..."  Prudent, maybe...  Cautious...  Nah, just fear...

Lukasz still fussing.  Now Eli is rocking the boat.  His excitement.  One side to the other.  On his tippy toes trying to reach that water spraying up.  He's reaching it!  I peak at his sweet face, the joy of water on his hand, in his face.  I wish I could capture his look of sheer exhilaration on this little man's face...

Lukasz still fussing.  "I want to go back.  He's rocking the boat.  I don't like canoeing.  I'm never going again."

Now, I step in.  "Lukasz, what are you afraid of?"  Does he know I'm talking to me?  "Let's say he falls in.  He has a life jacket on.  He'll float.  No fish are going to bite him or eat him.  Daddy will grab him.  He might be more careful next time.
It's O K A Y..."

Calm...  Peace...  I start to notice the trees, the spray of the water on the canoe, the stillness, the BIG large mouth bass we floated over, the tree fallen, the island...

The other side of the lake...  The other children...  They are caught.  The wind pushing them.  Inexperience.  Youth.  They can't stop going in circles.  I'm laughing a little.  Letting go of control.  God's got them.  They have to learn that.  We paddle away.  Hand Ryan a tow rope and say, "Bring em back."  We head to the beach.  Don't look back.

Lukasz about kisses the ground when we are back on land.  The land lubber.  :)  I smile.  Breathe.  Thank you, Lord, for this.

Here they come.  Rose and Kathryn paddling the canoe.  Counting strokes.  Working together.  Slow progress.  Gabriel in the center, giving directions.  Ryan towing Anya, in her glory, my adventure girl!  Thank you, Jesus, for this.

Later in the day, "Hey Anya!  Let's go for a kayak ride, just you and I!  It'll be fun!"  And it was!

In His Grip,
Laura

If you have not read "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann VosKamp, seriously...  The Lord has used this author's journey into thanksgiving to "undo" me.

John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

My Bosom Friend...

Kathryn & Anya ~ 2010

Rosalie, Lukasz & Anya

I have had my copy of Anne of Greene Gables sitting on our book shelf for years.  Our older girls are 16 and 13 and I've been asking them to read it for a few years.  I don't demand that they read much, but make suggestions, when they ask.  Well, finally, they picked up the book.  And devoured it!  Then we had to borrow volumes 2 and 3 from the library because ours are lost.  Then we rented the movie from the library.  (Love inter library loan!!!)  It was so fun to watch this movie and share with them my love of an old movie.  Even the boys liked it.  But what I liked most is how a couple of my girls, Anya and Kathryn, could relate to Anne.  Slightly dramatic...  okay, ALOT dramatic.  Sensitive...  Fancy dresses...  Lovers of good books (finally)...  They come by their nature honestly from their mama, I must confess.  So embarrassing to admit!  :) 

What I love most about our "Anne of Green Gables" adventure has been the love shown between

Lukasz & Anya ~ 2008

our two daughters.  As Kathryn was putting Anya down for her nap one day, Anya looked at her and said, "You are my bosom friend and we are kindred spirits."  They have been buddies for awhile now.  Each older child has a younger buddy to help them get dressed, do chores, potty, etc.  Thank you, Michelle Dugger, for the idea.  This, I think, is a key to having siblings be friends.  They interact with one another all day long.  They share rooms.  They help one another.  They cook together.  Play together.  Learn together.  Work together.  Every day has conflict.  Every day has laughter. 

Mama & Anya

But, "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17

As a dear friend of ours told me once, "We are like rocks on the bottom of a river.  As the water washes over the rocks, the rocks rub together, making them smooth."  I won't resent those rocks in my life, those children, husband, family or friends who God is using to make me more like Him.

My desire is that my husband and children will be my bosom friends.  That we will continue to draw closer to Christ and closer to one another.  

Ryan, Rosalie & Izabella ~ 2011

1 Corinthians 13:13
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

I need more of Jesus.  More of His love.  More of His Power.
Amen!

In His Grip,
Laura

In The Waiting...

Joyful Mama!

Expectant big sister!

It seems like only yesterday, but alas...  Elijah is a month old already.  It seems like just yesterday, we were busying ourselves with gardens & chickens, trying to keep our mind (well, my mind anyways) on the simple realization that at any moment I was going to go into labor.  We experienced an amazing pregnancy.  I had back pain for a total of 3 days my whole pregnancy.  Blue Bonnett Liquid Cal Mag solved the leg cramping, screaming, jumping out of bed in the middle of the night problem.  I kept active and limber by weeding and planting our garden.  (The kids helped a ton!!!)  At my doctor's appointment when I was 39 weeks pregnant and it was 95 degrees out, I was as happy as a clam and all smiles.  I LOVE being pregnant!  And I LOVED this pregnancy.  On my due date, I was sure I was going to the hospital.  Instead, our well pump quit working.  "Well, I can't go into labor if I can't take a shower," I told myself indignantly.  Night would come and I prayed that I'd wait til morning.  "I'm just too tired!", I'd tell my Lord.  Days crept on.  The heat wave crept on.  I thanked the Lord for our air conditioner and for my hard working husband who set up a watering system so that our garden wouldn't die for lack of rain.  Friends called or emailed.  I started telling people immediately when I called them, that no, I was not in labor and yes, I was fine.  But I was growing restless.  I was enjoying getting the last minute things done, but I was ready to hold my baby in my arms.  D and I got so restless, that we finally prayed and said, "Yes, Lord, we can go into labor in the middle of the night."  Isn't it funny how in our prayers, we can say Lord, right before we direct GOD how to handle our situation.  Kind of an oxymoron. 

Daddy & his boy...  Kind of look alike, aye?

The day finally came when I awoke and I hoped that the contractions were real.  We went to our scheduled appointment.  Yup, we're on our way to the hospital.  This is my 8th baby.  We're in a hurry to get to the hospital these days.  God has His own way of doing things.  We didn't need to be in a hurry to get to the hospital.  I felt like a watched pot.  The nurse was a sweet heart.  We were all just expecting a little quicker labor.  But, God has His own way of doing things and this time around, He wanted me to relax and wait on Him.  I wish I could have seen the lesson while I was in the middle of it, but life is rarely that way.  Hind sight is 20/20 most times.  By the time labor was intense, I was just tired and hungry.  (no food during labor...  stupidest hospital policy EVER)  I'd been in the hospital for 10 hours and I wanted to be done.  I gave up.  I looked at my dear husband and cried.  "I am tired.  I am starving.  I can't do this.  I want drugs!"  Now, in the midst of the pain and exhaustion, I looked to my husband to sympathize and take it away.  Instead, he responded quite differently.  He reminded me how close we were to holding our baby.  He asked me to wait 8 minutes before getting drugs.  He recognized the signs of transition.  He took action and notified the nurse who called the doctor.  AND a short time later, at 11:37 p.m. on July 3rd, I was holding our newest blessing, Elijah John Czeslaw. 

Elijah at the beach!

When my strength had run out, when my eyes were fixed on my pain, when I could not think clearly, my husband came to my rescue.  He gave me his courage.  He gave me his strength.  He pointed me to the blessing that God had for us at the end of the road.  He was and is my hero.

Looking back, I am amazed at God's great mercy and grace on me.  God kept me strong during my pregnancy.  He protected this baby and knit him together, one cell at a time.  He allowed me to see and learn through this pregnancy and labor His great love for me and also that He really does know best, that He's got it all under control.  I can tell Him what I want, but I really can trust His will for me.  He just loves me that much. 

My new favorite verse is

Mark 5:36  Be not afraid.  Only Believe. 

Jesus said this right before he raise Jairus' daughter from the dead. 
How much of our lives can we apply that scripture to???
Every day.  All day.  In every situation.

Be blessed!
Daniel & Laura

I'm in LOVE!

Smoothies, Kefir & Loads of Energy

In recent years, I have been a huge advocate of eating a big breakfast.  Somewhere I read how important it was.  A diagnoses of hypoglycemia, ions ago, added to my need to have protein often.  I would insist my dear hubby eat his 3 eggs & big bowl of oatmeal before he went to work.  Or I'd take it personally and worry about him when he didn't.   I insisted and then drank my cups of coffee and tried to produce the energy it took to motivate my 6 children to get going in their day.  It was not working! 
The past month or so, I heard that a light breakfast may be better, that our bodies do not digest protein well early in the day.  Now, admittedly, I didn't check into this.  I just wanted to experiment.  Would a smoothie for breakfast be better for us?  Would we have more energy, feel better, make mornings a little easier?  With the blessing from Daniel, we started our smoothie adventure.  We started out with yogurt, juice, fruit...  You know, the typical "smoothie recipe" sweetness.  Although delicious, very expensive for our family of 9.  Today, our smoothie consisted of homemade kefir, kombucha, carrots, bananas, frozen berries, fresh rhubarb, 1/2 lemon (peel & all), fennel seed, flax seed, chia seed and our homemade green smoothie mix consisting of things like alfalfa, oat straw, dandelion root, cayenne pepper, etc.  Although not in any recipe book, it was fabulous.  We've thrown in beets, celery, cabbage, apples, pear sauce...  Just about everything we could think of.

The results have been astounding!  I am 32 weeks pregnant and most days do not feel the need to take a nap.  If I go to bed at a decent hour, I am up by 6:30 am without a problem.  The kids seem to have a lot more energy, but not the nervous, distracted kind, just good, productive energy.  Daniel & Ryan take an extra one for their afternoon snack while at work.  Every one has good, healthy bowels, making for a healthier family.  I am amazed!  I am elated!  I am so thankful to the Lord for answering our prayers and changing the way we eat a little bit at a time!  He's always teaching and showing us the way, if I'll stay alert and pay attention.

A little warning:  A smoothie like the one we had this morning could keep you in the bathroom 1/2 the day if you were not used to eating this way to begin with.  The kefir, kombucha, lemon & "greens" are all detoxifiers in one form or another and a little can go a long way.  For me, I watch how I feel and I make sure I drink lots of herbal tea and water to make sure I'm flushin' the junk out.  If I were to feel nauseated or really run down, I would back off on how big a glass of smoothie I drank.

Kefir Grains

A note about homemade kefir:  There is nothing easier!  Fill a quart size canning jar with milk.  Put in about 1 T kefir grains.  Cover with some sort of breathable material.  I use coffee filters.  Attach with rubber band.  Let it sit out on your counter for 12 - 24 hours, shaking occasionally.  Pour the finished kefir into a bowl and "fish" out the grains with your clean hands.  Put them in another jar and start all over again.  I will never make yogurt again!  It is amazing stuff, full of good bacteria to heal & strengthen your immune system.  http://www.kefir.net/  and Dom's About Kefir both have a lot of good information about it.  I must state that the kefir that we would pay $4 for a small jug in the store tastes much better, but is full of garbage and NOT the same.  That's why we put it in our smoothies.  Although, several of our children and dear hubby love it plain.  Maybe when I'm not pregnant. 

Note about green smoothie mix and herbs:  I absolutely love  for all their information on herbs, their uses, cautions, remedies for every day maladies & very high quality herbs, teas & great books, too!

We still have our eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, omelets, and other yummy breakfast foods.  We just have them for at lunch or dinner time, which makes for happy campers around here.  They love their pancakes and eggs.  Gabriel would eat a whole pan of oatmeal if I let him!

Maybe next time, I'll write about all our latest gardening activities and small farming adventures.  6 days and counting until we pick up our baby chicks, all 277 of them.  Praise the Lord!

In The Name of Jesus, the Author & Finisher of our Faith,
Daniel & Laura

Loving Sacrificially

I recently read "Kisses From Katie" by Katie Davis, a young missionary in Uganda.  What makes her story so compelling is the "unorthodox" way in which she does things.  She just doesn't "make sense".  She has NO training.  She went there when she was 18, not even knowing the language.  She went with her parents' very reluctant blessing.  She has adopted 13 daughters to date.  Her ministry feeds 1600 children a day, 5 days a week.  She didn't have a plan.  She didn't have the money.  But she has been obedient to her Savior.  She humbly admits that she didn't plan this, this wasn't her plan, but it's God's heart for her life.  The other compelling thing to me is her capacity to LOVE, I mean really love. She sacrificed everything, her family, her comfortable home, her boyfriend and friends to go to the other side of the world and pour out her life as an offering to her Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

I am challenged by her example.  Do I pour out my life for those around me?  Do I LOVE like that?  Do I sacrifice for my husband?  For my children?  What ways can I LOVE more? 

I think of myself way too often. 

I forget what an awesome honour & blessing it is to be chosen to be a mother.  To be a wife.  It seems so common.  Everywhere I look there are wives & mothers.  BUT, my desire is to be a blessed wife & mother.  I want my husband & children to be blessed by my words, my actions, my training, my teaching. 

Proverbs 14:1  Every wise woman buildeth her house:  but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

Titus 2:4  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding bass, or a tinkling cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Love, charity IS really the most important thing.  AND I cannot do it on my own.  I must FIRST Love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind THEN love my neighbor as myself.  Jesus has to be first.  Without Him loving them through me, I can't love the way He wants me to.  I cannot build up my husband or encourage my child.  I can't teach them to the love the Lord with all their heart if I'm not pursuing Christ with all of mine. 

Such an awesome responsibility and the greatest privilege. 

Matthew 18:5 And Whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

By receiving children into our home, we are literally receiving Christ.

May I remember that and treat them as special and honored as I would Christ.  Love them sacrificially.  So that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

In His Grip,
Laura

Our Year in Review

The Zarzycki Family

 I have a confession to make...  I just sent out our "Christmas" cards on Friday.

I never actually expect to get them in the mail before Christmas.  I like to really think about our year, contemplate & reminisce.  Pray & ask God for direction for the coming year.  It is a sweet time for me AND a hard time.  

Time passes so quickly.  Our baby is 11 months old now and officially walking.  My oldest "baby" turned 18 a month ago. 

I'm so thankful that I am able to see my baby's first step, to see her smiling face when she wakes up from her nap.  I'm so thankful I wake up to Lukasz & Anya crawling into bed & not an alarm clock.  I'm so thankful that my husband gives me this gift of full time motherhood, full time wife duty & doesn't ask that I go & help him with financial support.  I'm so thankful that Kathryn comes to me with questions & trusts the answers Daddy & I give her.  I'm so thankful that I can remember the time, not so long ago, when I got up to an alarm clock, rushed everyone out the door, rushed to work, rushed home to feed everyone.  Plop into bed.  Do it all over again.  Because I can remember, I'm thankful even in the really hard times.

This past year was very hard.  The theme was "letting go".  Letting go of people so that God could take care of them.  Letting go of people who I thought were my closest friends, but when I couldn't "be there for them" because of my expanding family, they disappeared.  He is Lord.  He knows best.  He then blessed us with older friends that have been such an encouragement to us, surrogate parents & grandparents.  We love them dearly!

I hope you enjoy a little snippet into our lives.

February 2011

            I’m not sure how it got to be February already!  Last year was so full!  So full of the good, the bad & the ugly!  J 

"Yep, I'm cool, even with this orange hard hat on!"

           We celebrated Ryan’s 18^th birthday a month ago.  He has grown in so many ways this year!  God has changed him.  He went from being a child who hated to read to one that is hard to get away from his books.  He used to be really timid.  Now, he is bold about his faith in Jesus Christ.  I think he’s learning to enjoy the journey, to relax & live by faith.  He continues his apprenticeship with Daniel & homeschooling.

She is our sweet "Bella Bean"!

            Izabella Richelle was born on March 12^th.  From the moment of her birth, everyone has adored her, even those siblings that were a little jealous.  She is a beautiful, joyful, sweet little angel.  Her daddy is almost embarrassed by how much he goes “ga, ga” over her.  J 

          

Lukasz is our reserved one.

In May, Lukasz turned 4 years old.  He loves to be outside, working with the guys.  He loves to ride his bike, play with Izabella, read with anyone who will read to him & do puzzles.  He came up with our new little saying around the house.  He had a little bit of a hard time when Bella was born and would say he hated me.  It about broke my heart.  I prayed & asked God to fix it & that’s when Luke started saying that to me.  Even if we had a really bad morning, at naptime, he would say, “I like you and I love you, Mama.”  God is good.

           

She's our nature lover!

In July, Kathryn turned 14.  She is becoming a young woman right before our very eyes.  How did this happen?  She has become my right hand woman, but with her personality, she has to be reminded that she’s not the “queen bee” around here.  J  That’s my girl!  She loves to teach the younger kids & she was the one who canned most of our applesauce, peaches & tomatoes this year!

            In September, Daddy celebrated his birthday!  He has had another busy year working, Praise the Lord!  He also put together raised beds, put up a deer fence & cut down several trees to expand our garden.  We were blessed with a bountiful garden full of tomatoes, squash, corn, lettuce, kale & more.  His ministry is his family, as he says.  He stays busy mentoring our 7 children, teaching them to think for themselves & to really live for Christ.

            October is my birthday month.  Most of my year has been spent adjusting to having the 7^th, letting go of the “perfect laundry room” myth (I didn’t have a washing machine steadily for almost a month L), learning to balance all that God has for me to do & letting go of the things that are not TOP priority.  Mostly learning to follow the leading of the Lord & realizing that God doesn’t make sense to me sometimes.  But His life for me is abundant & I don’t have to understand.

 

Ha!  I'm not looking!

          Anya turned 3 the day after Thanksgiving.  She is our family greeter!  She smiles & says “hi” to everyone she sees.  She has told everyone that she is 3 now.  She hugs strangers & holds their hand.  She is a sweet little girl most of the time, but then there’s “Miss Crunchy Face”.   She is another go to girl, who has her own ideas on how things should be done.   

Look at that smile!

            Rosalie turned 12 in December.  She is a beautiful little lady.  She loves to smile & giggle & help Daddy with whatever project he has.  She just loves to help & please others.  She is still an avid reader & loves to help teach Anya’s Sunday School class. 

          

Gabe!  Not so reserved! :)

Gabriel turned 6 in December, as well.  He keeps me on my toes every hour of every day.  He’s a smart little man, learning to read, with little instruction from Mama, picks up math like nothin’ and loves to build and take things apart.  He is his father’s son.  He has decided that he’s going to be a carpenter & a preacher when he gets bigger & gave his first sermon to Anya & Luke the other day. 

            My new favorite quote is from Charlotte Mason,

            “Are my children learning enough?  That is the wrong question.  The question is, “What do they care about?  Who are they becoming?  These are the questions that matter most.”

            That’s a glimpse into our year, our lives, our children…  This year has really been one of tremendous joy & tremendous pain.  We are so thankful that we have the Holy Spirit to guide us, help us & carry us through.

As we have reminisced about our 2010 & are planning our 2011, we are eternally grateful for our God.  He came as a babe, lived a sinless life, died on a cross as payment for OUR sin, rose from the dead & now lives in heaven, preparing a place for us to come when we die.  But that’s not all.  He sent the Holy Spirit to live in each of us that accept His free gift, accept our need for a Savior, and accept that nothing that I do can take away my sin, NOTHING but the blood of Jesus. 

Praying for a blessed 2011 for you

from the Zarzycki Family!!!

How do you do it?

The pic above is Lukasz & Anya! Just to make me smile & remember!

Today, it's about me. I need this. I've heard it again, so to prevent my head from blowing up like a huge balloon, I will be totally honest.

How do you do it? Daniel & I have 7 children, ages 17, 14, 11, 5, 4, 2 1/2 & 4 months. We home school them all.

So, here's our secret. We don't.

After Lukasz was born, I had this huge realization that I could NOT do this mothering thing on my own. I didn't have the knowledge, the patience, the endurance, the anything to be the mother of 5 (at that time) children.

That's when Jesus came in and saved the day. I realized I couldn't live off of a daily quiet time (or the illusion of). I needed Him every hour. I needed His help for EVERYTHING! I need Him to give me the strength to keep my mouth shut. I need His help to give me the patience to speak at the right time. I need His comfort when I feel lonely because I don't have time for daily phone calls to friends who understand.

I don't want to give the impression that we have it all together to anyone ever. Okay, maybe some times I would like people to think that I have it all together. But then, all the pressure is on me to perform. Then I have to get my wonder woman cape on & fly around saving the day. The thought makes me laugh.

Now, I'll be really honest. I am constantly struggling to be consistent with the kids. Right now, there are dishes on the counter, crayons on the table, laundry piled up. The younger kids went to bed at 9:30 pm, older ones are getting ready to watch a movie with me (which I'll probably fall asleep during). We are in the middle of no less than 3 home improvement projects. I'm planning 3 more in my head. My 2 year old screams every time someone touches her & then I caught her big brother pinching her as he walked by to watch her scream. They call each other & sometimes me "poopy head". The other day, we were at a carnival type thing with at least 200 people there. I had the baby in the shade, the younger ones were with siblings. I went to check on them and no one knew where the little ones were. We found them. They were completely fine, but still... I had a fit. It was Kathryn's birthday & I planned on taking her shopping to pick out an outfit, but I forgot to tell her that. So, she went all week thinking I wasn't planning on getting her anything. Sometimes, I get mad at my husband. Sometimes, I'm disrespectful. The sassy, head nod Shaniqua thing that the girls do... they got from me. (I'm going to buy them a bobble head doll that looks like them.) Daddy & Ryan are in the process of teaching the little boys how to arm pit fart... at the dinner table.

Do you get the picture? I'm just me. Daniel is just Daniel. And ya know what? It's okay. We're workin' on growing up together. We're workin' on staying young together. We're workin' on being more like Christ together.

I'm giving up my dream of having this perfect little refined family to show off at church on Sunday, but stepping into REALITY. We have a very imperfect, large family that truly loves the Lord & wants to give Him glory & I'm just praying that I will step out of the way & let Him do His thang... Because when I am weak, then He is strong. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So, next time I hear that question, I'm going to answer it honestly. It's not me. I fail every day. It's HIM! It's all about HIM! I pray you see HIM!

Get Dirty!

I've been watching my kids play in their sandbox. It is their favorite place to play these days. It used to be just an ordinary play area until Mom added WATER. Last year, I would not allow them to put too much water in there. "Too dirty!", I would shout. This year,I say "We'll just take a bath before lunch time." Now, they have full access to their own hose. They've made rivers, lakes, mountains, caves & canyons. They've gotten their boats to float down stream. And they've gotten DIRTY!!!

When we garden, we do not wear gloves. It is very calming to go into the garden & just start pulling weeds. It is monotonous. It takes no thought. There is instant progress. And I'm getting DIRTY!

That dirt, if it has not been "fertilized" with chemicals, is full of billions of bacteria, GOOD bacteria. That good bacteria is so important for our health, for our immune systems. There are numerous articles on the link between colon health and overall health. Here are two that I have found to be very helpful to us. The Case For Healthy Bowels & Bacteria, The Soil, The Gut & Detoxification. (Do not substitute this for medical advice from a professional. I am just a mom with a few opinions & real life experience)

There are a few things that we, as a family, avoid like the plague. "City water" is treated with chlorine. Chlorine kills bacteria. All bacteria. The good, the bad, the ugly. Antibiotics kill bacteria. Not all bacteria, but they cannot tell the difference between good & bad. Ever eaten TONS of yogurt while you on are an antibiotic to try to prevent a yeast infection? Yeast infections are caused by too much yeast, not enough good bacteria to "eat" the yeast. Antibacterial soaps & hand sanitizer not only kill the surface bacteria but also enter the body & kill the good bacteria. All these things, when used on a regular basis are actually doing MUCH more harm than good.

I implore you to do some research & see if what I say is true.

So, the next time your kiddos want to run in the mud. Let them. Get in there with them. GET DIRTY, Mom! Make a mud hole for them to create in. Build a garden. Who cares about having to give them another bath? The joy on their faces is SO worth it!

Love to Read!

I love to read! What I read has changed through out the years, from romance novels when I didn't know any better to biographies of missionaries and the latest from Eric Ludy on being a bravehearted warrior for Christ, not just a side liner.

I pray that I am teaching my children to LOVE to read, but I cannot stop there. I must teach them what to read & how to read it. Unless it is the Word of God, everything must be read with a look at Scripture. Does this line up to the Bible? Does it contradict it? How? Is it worth reading?

Romance novels are obviously out of question. They are so obviously not from God. No brainer. How about books written to my preschooler? How about the "Llama Mama" series or Junie B Jones? How about the Twilight series or Harry Potter? Hold these popular titles up to the light of Scripture. What do we find? "Llama" is a spoiled little boy who, in the one book we had, threw a huge tantrum in the store and then got a big hug & because he helped pick up his mess, got to go out for ice cream. Yes, children throw tantrums, but why would I read a cute little story about it to "agree" with the story, to confirm to my little toddler that it's okay, everyone is doin' it.

We are very careful about which books I read to my children, especially any story that has been written in at least the last 10 years reflects secular humanistic thinking. The subtlety amazes me. And keeps me on my guard.

"Twilight"... Read into the history of the vampire myth. Dracula means "the son of the devil" and it was first inspired by the life of Vlad the Impaler, a Romanian ruler in the 1400's who burned, skinned, roasted & boiled men, women & children. What would we do with a book that glorified the life of Hitler, forgot about his tortures and made him out to be a wonderfully, romantic, sometimes violent hero. Would it be okay? Would we tell all our friends on facebook how excited we were that the next one was coming out?

Our children are sponges. They believe what we tell them. They absorb everything around them. We are responsible for what they are absorbing.

But, according to Scripture, I am called to guard my heart as well. Just because I am an adult, does not mean I can & should read anything & everything, just because someone else recommended it.

Daniel & I have said to our children that one of most dangerous places for a Christian to go is the local Christian bookstore, specifically Family Christian Bookstore. Go in there with your guard up, looking for a particular book. Do not browse the latest and greatest best sellers. You may find "The Shack" or "Velvet Elvis" to be front & center as you walk in the door. Even the Christian romance books, if they cause me to be
discontent with my hubby, then I should not read it. It would be sin for me. Many modern day Christian books are full of the self-help gospel message that says "if you do this, this & that then you will be the most organized, most loving, best wife in the whole wide world all with the goal of getting your husband to do what you want." What's wrong with that, right? It goes against the gospel message.

Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Of course, if it was that blatant, we MAY see the folly in that message, but it usually is not. It is confusing. I Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace... If God is not the author of confusion, then Satan is.

In Noah Webster's book, The Blue Back Speller, he writes, "The basis of all excellence in writing and conversation, is truth - truth is intellectual gold, which is as durable as it is splendid & valuable."

All this reading... All this information... What is lacking? Am I reading the unadulterated, uncompromised Word of God, the Truth? I can read to my heart's content, soaking it up like a sponge and be fully and deeply satisfied.

And then, once I've read this Word, once I've gotten my Word for the day, am I going out and DOING it?

Kathryn and I were talking about that yesterday. As usual, as I was talking to her, God was speaking directly to my heart. The conversation went something like this... "Kathryn, reading all these inspiring stories about great missionaries & being excited about what they did is GREAT! But, if you don't put it into practice on your mission field today, it's just words & emotion." OUCH! So, where is my mission field? Where is Kathryn's? It is where ever God has us at that particular time. Right now, it's at home, in Walmart, in church. Where ever we are.

Two points... Think of the song "Oh, be careful little eyes what you see" and pray and seek God on everything you are reading and reading to your children.

My lesson... All this reading, if not followed up by action, is just Satan's way to keep me from being a "doer of the word".

James 1: 21-25 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted work, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

This blog today is not my own, not my thoughts, but an outpouring of what God has laid on my heart. It's a message to me, really. I pray you will be blessed by reading it as much as God has blessed me by writing it.

Why Am I A Health Nut?

There was a time...
When Kraft Mac & Cheese & hot dogs was my favorite dinner...
When Lucky Charms & Honey Nut Cheerios graced my cupboard...
When I could be caught eating a whole row of Oreos (man, were they good!)

Then, one day, a seed was planted by a Dr that I worked with. He was a health nut! He saw me eating those fabulous oreos and commented on how gross they were. I looked at him in horror! "Gross! These things are AWESOME!!!" Then he informed me that they were loaded with Trans Fats. Deer in head lights look... What are trans fats? These nasty man made things that your body can't get rid of. Huh! I had NO clue! And I continued to eat my oreos...

That seed that Dr P planted started to grow. I became a little more interested in eating better. A little less likely to feed my kids white bread with Jif peanut butter...

Then Lukasz was born. When he was 18 months old, we figured out that his nightly screaming sessions and "loose" stools were because he was lactose intolerant, not something he would grow out of. So, we switched his milk. Then he got eczema. We love our pediatrician, but his solution was put this steriod cream on him a couple times a day, bathe him less, etc... But, WHY does he have eczema?

Our journey continued from there, researching common causes of eczema... wheat sensitivities... eliminate wheat... Okay, "everything" that we ate had wheat in it... no cereal & no bread... We slowly eliminated those things. Lukasz's eczema disappeared!

Then, Daniel was allergy tested. There goes the soy. Soy byproducts are in many processed foods... tuna, bread, crackers... More label checking... bye, bye soy...

During my research, I came across many articles warning against corn syrup. I approached Daniel about eliminating corn syrup as well. After a while, he agreed to throw out the corn syrup. Corn syrup is in EVERYTHING!!! Unless you do not eat processed foods.

A few months ago, No Greater Joy ran an article about GM foods. It opened my eyes to even more truth concerning the food we eat. I ordered the book, Seeds of Deception, and was absolutely floored by the deceit and corruption of the FDA.
Now, we are working diligently to eat all organic and grow our own food from heirloom seeds. I'll post some pictures of our garden soon.

We are seeing a little more of the picture every day. Again, the question is, why am I a health nut? Soy is a GM food. Most corn products are GM foods. In a recent study, one group of hamsters were given GM soy, the other non- GM soy. In the 3rd generation, the hamster family that was fed GM soy was completely infertile! Why does this matter?

My daily prayer, my purpose in life is to train my children to be warriors for Christ, to be God's army, so that they can train their children to be warriors for Christ, so that they can train their chil..................
Oh wait... there may not be a 3rd generation in the Zarzycki family army if we don't make changes and teach our children why these changes are NECESSARY for the cause of Christ.

I'm not a health nut. I'm a warrior for Christ who does not want ANYTHING to stop her family from giving God all the glory and honor that is due HIM!

Now, I'll go back to the beginning. We're a real family. We have ice cream every once in awhile. We were at a birthday party today. We had cake & ice cream. But, as a rule, we do not eat processed food & avoid those things we know are harmful to us and our family.

We have made these changes in our eating lifestyle over the course of 9 years. In the last 3 years, we have made a more diligent, consistent effort to change.

In His Grip,
Laura

I HIGHLY recommend www.mercola.com for information on a healthy lifestyle.
The book Nourishing Traditions has been a huge help to me in determining what is healthy and what isn't to eat. It is more like an encyclopedia than a cook book!

Friends

God and I have many conversations. Most of them sound nothing like the Psalms... no flowery words... Just Him and me, while I'm changing a diaper, cooking dinner or picking weeds... Our conversations lately have been more often and more fervent... Lord, what's going on with me? I don't like this. I know it's right. I know You are working, but I'm not likin' it, just so You know. That's been the tone lately. But as I wrestle with Jesus, He turns my head toward my children and I SEE it.

I see our children playing with one another. I see Lukasz & Anya jumping on the trampoline that their big brother spent 4 hours on a Saturday putting together for them. They're giggling, falling, rolling... I see Kathryn & Rose helping each other do laundry & pick up the floor so that they can chat. Kathryn helping Ryan get his clothes ready so that he can go out of town again, talking all the while. Sitting with one another on the couch reading a story. Wrestling on the floor. Rocking the baby. Changing a diaper. Playing house. Fighting over toys. Building a HUGE sand castle. All this has happened this week in our home. Our children are friends. They love one another. Side note: The world says that siblings will hate one another and rival for attention. LIE!!! In an atmosphere of love, even when there are many children & Mama & Daddy can't possibly spend one on one time with them all regularly, if children are taught (by example) to love & respect one another, they will. (our kids have their sibling rivalry issues, they fight, they bicker, they touch one another and make the other scream, they take each others' toys, but they are friends...)
And I would miss the blessing of being their friend, being apart of this adventure every day if I spent my time on the phone, on the computer or going on play dates and gallivanting around town.

Now, don't get me wrong, I struggle with this, sometimes more than others. Right now, more than other times... But when I look at them and realize the choice I have to make. I cannot be my kids' friend and build strong relationships with them and do those other things... I have to make my choice. A little note here: The world has told us for far too long that we cannot be our children's friend or that as they get older they will not want to spend time with us. LIE!!! God brings families together and if we will be obedient to Him and love our children and enjoy them and smile at them and have Joy... Then they won't be able to resist being around their greatest coach, best confidante, the ones that they know have got their back.

I have friends outside these four walls, but not many. When we talk or get together, we are uplifting one another in prayer, seeking Godly wisdom and exhorting one another to fight the good fight. I have chosen these women intentionally because they are fighters, with great attitudes, who seek victory in their lives and aren't going to settle for mediocrity. They read the Bible and actually believe what it says! What God can do with women that believe Him and act on what He says!

My prayer is that I will be more like that Titus 2 woman:
^{Titus 2: 4-5
4}Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

How I want to bring glory to my God by what they see in me and my family, my children, my grandchildren... I must be busy at home, so that no one can malign God's precious Word.

In His Grip,
Laura

Our family sings together alot and this is a favorite of ours...
Love Will Hold Us Together

The Yoke

It seems funny & weird & awesome when I KNOW that God is talking to me, teaching me & leading me. This week, for instance... I went to Bible study where we were talking about

Matthew 11:28-30 (King James Version)

²⁸Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Well, we live in a small, farming community and our church consists of many wise farmers. So the discussion went into a yoke, how to train a young, wild horse by putting it in a yoke with a steady, older horse. As I was sitting there, I was thinking of myself & how pointless it is to dance around in a frenzy & get all worked up over things, when I'm attached to Old Faithful, Jesus, who's not budging. He's steady & strong & carrying most of the weight.

Then I started to think about my children and how that same principle,

the yoke, can be used when training them.

Slow & steady. A little bit at a time.

Keeping them next to me. Calm, cool & collected. In control.

THEN, I came home, got every one in bed, read for a little bit, checked my email & read a post from Simply Charlotte Mason that read...

Help Strengthen the Will

When I learned this principle, it changed the way I looked at my child. I had been thinking that my child had a strong will, and it was my job to dig in my heels and butt heads with her to show that my will was stronger. I was my child’s opponent in the battle of the wills.

But once I understood this principle, I suddenly realized that she did not have a strong will—one that had enough power to choose what was right even when she wanted what was wrong. She had a weak will that constantly chose the easy path of “I want.” It was my job to help her strengthen her will to be able to choose what was right, even when she didn’t want what was right. I was not her opponent; I needed to be her coach.

Then, I read this...

Last week we discovered that, according to Charlotte Mason, what we often call a strong-willed child is really a child with a weak will. Today let’s talk a little about how to help our children develop strong wills that can choose to do what is right even when they don’t feel like doing it.

I grew up around horses, and I distinctly remember my father warning me about letting my pony run to the barn at the end of a ride. “It will get into the habit of running to the barn,” he cautioned. “And soon you won’t be able to control it.”

Once when I was visiting some friends, we took some of their horses out for a ride. After a while we turned back for home, and I found out how scary an out-of-control horse can be. As soon as the horse I was riding saw the barn, it took off. It didn’t matter how hard I pulled on the reins or tried to turn its head. That horse was going where it wanted, and I had no way to stop it.

Okay, Jesus. I get it. Take your yoke upon me.

Rest.

Be cool. Be calm. Be in control. I get it.

I love that my Lord & Savior delights in me and

is carrying my burden as we walk along this journey.

Jesus is personal! Jesus is alive! Jesus is God!

In His Grip,

Laura