Do Not Fear

Can you remember a few short weeks ago when everything was normal? When we heard rumors about a virus in China but none of it was real or close? When we didn’t think a thing of hugging our friends and hanging out with Grandma at her house, buying the week’s supply of toilet paper or soap? When we came and went as we pleased and did as our little hearts desired every day?

It seems like a different lifetime. It’s amazing to me that life can change so quickly. We thought ourselves safe inside our bubble of society. We’d heard of history’s tales of pandemics, but we didn’t think something like that could touch us. Not in our modern world. We were invincible.

You know, it’s good God corrected our thinking. It wasn’t best for us to have so much trust in our human systems. It’s one thing to say we believe in him and follow him when doing so offers no personal sacrifice. It’s another thing when we are entrusting our lives to him. Suddenly, our faith is real. We realize that without him taking care of us, we are severely at risk.

But no matter how much we believe that God is doing a good thing, a loving thing, to teach us to trust in his ability to look after us, it’s scary. Perhaps more so now than in history, when no one was quite as connected to everyone else in a virtual way. We can see in nearly real-time the tragedy and fear rippling across the entire world. We know the facts - how we are exposed and vulnerable to a virus that seems to have no pattern, no easily discernible course of action. We know the mad scramble to figure it out as advice changes daily and sources tell us opposing views on how we should act or what we should look for. We know we do not have enough resources to help everyone who needs support. We feel the virus there, just out of our sight, lurking. Ready to strike. We feel powerless. 

Don't get me wrong - I’m glad we can connect. I’m glad our pastor can still speak to us every week, multiple times even, and I’m glad our small group can have a Zoom meeting and check up on each other. I’m glad I can text, Marco Polo, and see on Facebook how all my friends are faring. I’m glad that when I scroll through, there are multiple pastors and missionaries and evangelists, near and far, praying and encouraging and speaking God’s Word, perhaps in a newer and more tangible way than ever before. I'm glad we can see first hand how we should pray, how we can help, how our submission to the authorities is helping the cause.

But still, I have one worry. The one thing that keeps me up at night. The one thing that tests my faith more than any other worry I might have at this time. 

I don’t mind being stuck at home. I live for it. My daughter reminded me after this all began that I had been lamenting that big snowstorm we never got where “everything gets canceled.” Little did I know! But as an introvert, I’ve been feeling desperate for time where I don’t have to go out. Where I can sit and stare out my window and think and observe the quiet nuances of nature and weather and the way God made the world. That I have time and margin to think thoughts I can translate into words and stories that give God glory. To have all the time in the world to work to build my new garden out in the field, and help my daughter raise her new chicks. There is plenty to do here at home. And it is work I have so much heart for. In that, I don’t mind this at all. My husband already worked from home, our children have always been homeschooled, so our lives haven’t changed much at all, except for one thing, besides wondering where our next roll of toilet paper is going to come from:

Church.

You know, church is hard. At first, it was kind of relief to be excused from the constant coming and going with all the different activities the six of us can be involved in. At first, I was thankful for the breather. Our church has been through major changes in the past five years. Major. At times, I feel like I’m holding on by a thread as I remember all the things I missed about an established church with a pastor who’d been there for decades and all the traditions I’d grown up with that made me feel safe and secure. At times, I feel like I no longer have a place in the modern church that has formed in place of what I knew and loved. Like the things I was brought up to do in church are no longer relevant or desired.

I know that’s not true. I know God is still God, his Word is still exalted, prayer is still offered. Even in my new modern church. I still have a place, and I know God has and will continue to help me find it. But all this to say – I wasn’t exactly disappointed to have a break.

But now, if I’m going to worry, I worry that Satan will use this pandemic to destroy the church. Flatten it into nothingness. God’s people were made to be together, to sharpen each other. No matter how much time online you spend, it’s not the same as real, in-person relationship. And what if we come out of our dens after months of being apart and we no longer no how to be one body?

I can see the gentle smile of Jesus. His shaking head. His reassuring voice, reminding me I was never in charge of his people. The responsibility for their care does not rest on me, the outcome is not mine alone to bear. I don’t know why I tend to think it is. Maybe growing up a pastor’s daughter in a small rural church did something to my psyche to make me think I was accountable to make it all work. Maybe it’s my extroverted emotion, feeling responsible for everyone’s emotional well-being. Whatever caused this thinking, it’s not right.

God is not worried about his church. God knows he can care for it. God knows he already redeemed it, and set the Holy Spirit loose among his children, and that nothing this world can ever throw at it, no pandemic or lockdown or quarantine or financial crisis can ever hope to break it up. Satan will not win in his feeble attempt to knock out the structure of the Body of Christ. It’s just one of his last desperate attempts before God silences him forever. When we’re standing with the Lion of Judah at our back, nothing in front of us has hope of defeating us.

So take heart, dear brother or sister in Christ, for we have not seen the end of God’s glory. In fact, we’re about to see it in ways we never have before, in powerful messages of his love sent at just the right time. He is trustworthy, he is kind. He will not leave us or forsake us. He can be trusted.

These verses were meant for Israel during their time of exile, but the same God who spoke them through his prophet to his people, speaks the same message today to those who have been grafted in to his family. They are meant for you, Christian. Revel in the love of God through Christ.

“Do not fear, Zion;
                do not let your hands hang limp.
                The Lord your God is with you,
                The Mighty Warrior who saves.
                He will take great delight in you:
                In his love he will no longer rebuke you,
                but will rejoice over you with singing.”

– Zephaniah 3:20

Perfect Gluten Free Bread

I've been gluten free for close to a decade now. I can't say that I've regretted the decision at all. I saw a marked improvement in many troublesome digestive and skin problems when I stopped eating wheat.

I didn't eat any bread for a long time, and I was okay with that. Most store-bought gluten free products taste like cardboard, anyway, and it usually falls apart in your hands as you try to eat it. But in recent years, I've learned how to bake bread, and I started to wonder if there was a better recipe out there somewhere. So I tried a few, and then I found a recipe from America's Test Kitchen. I started making it, and tweaking it, and a couple years later, I'm happy to share the final recipe I came up with. I hope you'll find it useful! 

First of all, this is what you'll need. You can use any gluten free flour blend, but I like the one from America's Test Kitchen. They guard their recipes pretty carefully, but it's worth looking into. Here's the link, but you'll have to jump through some hoops to get the recipe. Other than that, you need oat flour, milk powder (I've used both dairy and goat milk and they both work great), psyllium husk powder, sugar, salt, baking powder and dry yeast. For the wet ingredients, you need eggs, butter and warm water (100-110 degrees F.)

I like using a scale to measure a few of the ingredients, but I'm including (roughly) the cups if you don't have a scale.

Once you clear out your mess, this is what you'll be left with. I use an electric mixer with a dough hook to combine the ingredients. First you'll combine your dry ingredients on low speed, and after a minute add your wet ingredients. Combine on low for another minute, then increase the speed as it starts to come together. Then, let it go on high speed for 7 minutes.

After it's done, you're going to split the dough between your two pans. These are the ones I use, and I love them. I grease them with a little ghee and dust them with the ATK flour. 

I like making sure they are exactly the same size so they both bake evenly. I weigh them in grams, and they usually come out to something between 1350-1400 grams each. 

After that, they are ready to spread into the pan. Be aware - gluten free dough is very sticky. It's not going to be as easy to handle as regular bread dough. But I just get my spatula a little wet and mash it down, going around the sides at an angle to make it into a bread shape. This takes a little practice, but you get the hang of it after a while.

Time to let it rise. I usually just leave them to sit on top of the stove, but there was actually a little sunshine today, so I set them in the sun. After an hour, they looked like this:

I put them in the oven at 350 for an hour and a half. This is how they looked when they came out.

After they cool, use an electric knife to slice them. I like to make them pretty thin, but it's up to you how big you want the slices. Store in a reusable bread bag. If you'll be using it quickly, the fridge is fine, or keep it in the freezer if you want it to stay fresh for a while. I usually toast or warm them up in the microwave before I use them.

Enjoy! Recipe below.












Miranda's Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread (inspired by America's Test Kitchen's recipe)

21 oz (3 1/2 cups) gluten-free flour blend (mine does NOT have xantham gum)
6 oz (1 1/2 cups) oat flour
2.25 oz (1/2 cup) dry milk powder
4 1/2 tablespoons psyllium husk powder (must be the powder)
3 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt

3 eggs
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups warm water (it takes about 2 minutes in the microwave to get to the right temp)

Ten Quick and Easy Homeschooling Tips

So you’ve recently been compelled to homeschool by Corona virus? Wondering how to go about it? How to keep your sanity? Don’t want a thousand detailed instructions, but a quick and easy big picture take? You’ve come to the right place! (You can even skip to the list if you want!)

I didn’t intend to homeschool, either. I went to private schools from the age of four to college, and I figured my kids could do the same. But when I actually had a bright-eyed little girl ready for school, the options weren’t there. I found homeschooling, and with much trepidation, I dipped my toes in the water with my four-year-old.

I made a ton of mistakes at first, and really, homeschooling is something that is only starting to feel more natural (most days) now that I’ve been a homeschooling mom for over twelve years. But I was able to start slowly, so I feel for you that have been thrown into this so unexpectedly.

What I want you to know today is that you CAN do this. I’m not saying it won’t be hard, even downright terrible some days, especially in the adjustment, but you CAN do this. And you will see it as a good thing, eventually, when you are able to gain some perspective.

What I won’t do is sit here and tell you I’m the best homeschooling mom ever, who does all the things and the co-ops and spends hours a day actively teaching and planning and doing cool projects and outings. That vision of homeschooling families you may have – some are truly that good at it – that’s not me.

I like for things to “coast.” I like to spend the initial time setting things up like a wind-up toy, and then letting them go and move around of their own accord. So, yes, you need a plan and a schedule, but the biggest things you need in your new classroom are HABITS and FLEXIBILITY.

Whether you’re starting out on your own, or you’re following your child’s teacher’s guidelines and plans, here are a few tips to success. I hope you’ll find them helpful!

1.  Start with a positive attitude. Whatever you have to do at the beginning of the day to get your head in a good place, do it. Pray, read, drink coffee, sit and stare out the window, but come at it from a place of calm motivation. Your kids probably won’t. You have to lead in this, and persist in it when they ruin all your plans and ignore your sacrifices and efforts.
2.  Don’t be a slave to the schedule. Have a rough outline of what the day will look like, but be open to allowing your imaginations and interests to throw you off course. If something catches your attention, go with it. Research, discuss, play. We’ve had some of our most memorable learning times this way. The work will get done. Use the moments you have for whatever will spark learning.
3.  Let them do their workbooks on their own. And be open to them doing it their own way. If they decide the only way they’ll get through that math is hanging upside down on the couch with classical music blasting on their headphones while eating raisins, let them. If they want to go out in the sunshine and take frequent breaks to run around the field or visit the neighborhood goats, let it be. The work will be there (unless it blows away in the wind!) when they get back.
4. Don’t allow non-educational electronics until after work is done. This is a good motivator for them to finish in a timely manner. Don’t be afraid to completely take away non-educational electronics for tantrums, either. I don’t include Bible videos or educational websites in the ban, so I still have some leverage during their groundings. Find out what your child’s motivation is and use it.
5. Make it fun, and enjoy learning along with them. I’ve enjoyed school much more as I’ve gone through it again (four times!) with my kids. All the things I missed as a kid! Enjoy the chance to marvel at the world and all of its intricacies. This will help your kids have better attitudes, too, as you mirror a childlike wonder at creation and everything there is to learn within it.
6. Don’t fret. I was so worried at the beginning that I would miss something, that I would do something wrong, that I would mess up their entire lives through my big-picture, non-detailed personality. Surely I would forget things they needed to know. And you know what? I have. So does everybody. I just think about all the stuff I didn’t get the first time around. Education is not as linear as we think it is. It can’t be boiled down to a list of subjects. If you miss something this year, catch it next year. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
7. Combine subjects. This is advice if you decide to go it on your own and pick your own curriculum. It’s not for everyone, but if this sounds more appealing to you, a great time and sanity saver is combining the subjects they need into one. For instance, my two youngers have handwriting that doubles as geography. They write about the states. And it’s easy to combine writing with any other subject – just have them write about whatever they’re learning. We combine art and reading with history (Check out Draw and Write through History and Story of the World.)
8. Make use of the white board. If you have a child who will not sit and do that math on their paper, have them do it on the white board. If you want them to memorize things, write it on the white board. If you are trying to teach a difficult concept, a white board is a handy tool.
9. Make a weekly list of their assignments. This only works for students who can read well, but it’s important for them to have accountability to do everything they are supposed to do for the day. I’ve tried just having them “do the next lesson.” It doesn’t work out well. You both need to know the expectations for every single day. I like this template for younger kids and this one for my high schoolers.
10. Look for ideas online. I’ve got several homeschooling Pinterest boards I use to collect ideas for art projects, online classes, places we’d like to visit, etc. The vastness of resources available, many for free, is staggering. It can be overwhelming, but once you have a vision in your head, keep your ideas in one place and implement them a few at a time.

Don’t sweat the bad days. They’ll come. Some days all you can do is get through it. Other days are easy. That’s just life as you educate your own children. Use your time together to grow closer as a family. Have important discussions, ask those questions you’ve been putting off. See this as a blessing, and use up every last second of it for good. I hope you’ll look back on this time as an unexpected treasure.

What about you? How are you feeling about the schools being closed and kids being home? Have any ideas to add to this list? Feel free to comment and let us know!

Seeing Opportunities in the Obstacles

Introverts everywhere may be rejoicing at the mandate to stay home and cancel all the things, but there’s no denying the days we are living in right now feel very strange. It’s amazing how quickly everything can change. It’s sobering to realize how close we are to the line where we have to trust God and not our security and comforts.

But we can trust God. And you CAN enjoy this time. You can catch up on all those things you always say you just don’t have time to do. Read. Cook. Bake. Clean. Walk. Relax. Play games with your family. Plant a garden. Tend your trees and bushes. Organize, purge.

Sit still. Be still enough for long enough that you start to hear the still small voice. God is still speaking. We just have such a hard time listening. And what else would God be saying, in allowing this virus to make such a global impact, that it is time to be still and listen to him. To trust him to take care of us. We have been taking care of ourselves for so long that we have forgotten the rich blessing it is to entrust an unknown future to the God who is already there, and who loves us enough to bring us through it.

Some verses for your first day of the new normal, at least for the next couple weeks, and maybe longer:

Deuteronomy 31:6 - “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them; for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Isaiah 26:3 – “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you.”

Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

John 14:26-27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

God’s got this, friends. Let’s take him at his word and not be panicked or worried. Let’s do the opposite of hoarding and looking out for ourselves. Let’s give and watch out for others around us. Let’s be like Jesus. He didn’t back down when he had an opportunity to show extreme love.

We don’t have to, either. We’ve got his resurrection power running through our veins if we know him. More than enough to take this on.

What about you? How are you coping with the increasing restrictions and uncertainties? What Bible verses are you relying on right now? What ideas are you implementing to be the hands and feet of Jesus during this difficult time?

Check back tomorrow! I'll give you my best tips on homeschooling that I've learned in twelve years as a homeschooling mom. I'm definitely no expert, but I can give you some tips that will help the task seem a little less daunting.