Happy New Years To All!

Happy New Years To All!  To all of our family, friends, and readers!  We wanted to wish you all a wonderful  New Years! God Bless  you!  See you next Year!

TOP TEN “Simple Living” New Years Resolutions!

TOP TEN “Simple Living” New Years Resolutions!

1.) De-Clutter / Have a Yard Sale.

2.) Build on to the house, for room for more “additions” (children).

3.) Remember to warm hands BEFORE milking goats. (we better buy some Goats first)

4.) Make Wooden Toys for next Christmas

5.) Reconsider the value of placing the phone on the pole in the yard with an answering machine, so as to be less intrusive into the home. Maybe the Amish have something.

6.) Build a bigger chicken coop.

7.) Have Firewood ready BEFORE SNOW!

8.) Sew headcoverings for Christmas gifts next year.

9.) Sew matching outfits for next years family photo’s.

10.) Call about trading in the van on a horse and buggy! (OK, I know its not realistic for life in Alaska, But it sounds fun!).

FLOWBEE FUN!

FLOWBEE FUN!

Here is a great way of saving money. It can also be a help, when trips to town (or barber) are far or few between. I remembered those old flowbee commercials with a good giggle, as I am sure you do too. But as our Son was getting older and barbers getting more expensive. We decided one of us, would have to go to hair cutting school, or do something drastic… well as you see, we bought the “Flowbee”! It has worked GREAT!

We used it on Judah for the last 4 years or so. I had Anna use it on my hair for a time too. But then we decided to shave my head before a Newsboys concert, I decided to never go back! We have even used the Flowbee on the girls bangs, but scissors for that work a little better for that.

Here is Judah before his haircut tonight, and couple of action shots!

When you figure the barber in Fairbanks was charging about 10.00 per cut before tip. We paid about $75.00 with shipping. It only takes a short time to make your money back several times over. Several times over if you have multiple boys! But it has been a blessing to us. and would highly recommend it. It does take a little to get used to, but take your time. Great haircuts are very obtainable. Here are a couple of finished pictures.

A Covering Question?

Covering Question

We recently had a question asked to us on our blog, that I felt needed to be addressed anyways. So it was a good excuse to write this post.

In reguards to our post “Headcovering – More Than a Wedding Ring”
The question was:

You say in this post that the head scarf is a sign of marriage, but you have many pictures of children wearing headscarfs. Should unmarried women wear a head covering in your opinion?

We must first say we do not know it all. We didn’t mean to sound as if the covering was “the sign of marriage” but “a sign of authority (or position) in marriage under the headship authority” as in 1 Cor. 11:3-16. We write from our personal real life experiences that we have lived, studied, and prayed out. We had decided to start covering a little over a year ago. In the beginning we saw that for one, the Word says to do it! There is no getting around that. Unless you want to walk in a shade of gray. Then the questions became; who, where, and when.

The “why” was answered because God said to do it, and the “how” is on your head, lets not make that to complicated.

For the other questions lets start with the “who”. The bible says:

1 Corinthians 11:5 (KJV)
5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

Here we see it says “every woman” very clearly not just Corinthian woman or woman of that time. I would see this as meaning married or not. This was written in a time, and society where it wasn’t the the norm for woman to go off and pursue a carrier other than marriage. And most were married young, if they did not, they remained in their fathers house, where he (the father) was their head of authority until they would marry.

The “where” question, is a big debate. Just in church or not? If we are to pray without ceasing. Then we should cover all the time.

The “when” Is the other of which we have still been praying and seeking about. When is the age, a girl should begin to cover. We have had our girls cover as they desire to for fun, and when we have them dress up to go to town or church, as a means of training them to be used to it, and to be prepared for the idea, for when they get older. It is also a nice feminine and modest touch. We have a good Mennonite friend in Washington that was telling us how they have their girls begin to cover along with their commitment to God and the church. We feel this is the most appropriate answer we have heard. In this case the young woman would cover to honor her head (her father). Then at the time of marriage, she would then cover to honor her new head (her husband). In this new relationship, there is the new blessing to be found, covering in marriage, as we mentioned in our other post, More than a wedding ring.

We hope this is a help to you, as you read the scriptures for your self. Read through all of 1 Cor 11. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you! God is good, and he will bless your honest seeking of the truth.

ELECTRIC Personality

This morning it was a little cool in the house as we were getting the wood stove up to temperature. So the children found great fun in playing under the blanket on the couch. It has been dry here and we have been shocking ourselves a lot. So when they came out from under the blanket it was funny to see their hair all standing up. This picture of Mercy Fire was the most extreme.

Top Ten “Simple Living” Gift Choices

Simple Living Alaska’s Top Ten “Simple Living” choices, for gift ideas for those hard to shop for family members.

1) Modest dresses from “Plainly Dressed”.

2) Headcoverings from “Plain-n-Simple Headcoverings”.

3) Wide brim mennonite/amish black wool hat from “Plainly Dressed”.

4) TV-B-Gone Universal TV Power Remote Control Key chain (you gotta check this out- I want one!)

5) A pair of breeding goats (no link here… just see any local goat farm)

6) Some hand made wooden toys (and confiscate ALL video games)

7) Preaching CD’s from “Charity Gospel Tape Ministry” on modesty, headcovering, headship order and submission, or any other subject.

8.) Gift certificates for “Lehmans” (Specializing in non-electric living, and homesteading needs)

9) Books on being “Quiverfull” (See our “Quiverfull Resources” posted in Quiverfull, for a book list)

10) Trip to Lancaster county to stay in an Amish bed and breakfast!
(WOW, We might not come back)

Headcovering – Cloth of Power

Headcovering – Cloth of Power

There is some thing powerful about a simple peace of cloth on the head of a woman. That seems to anger so many people. Some people wear a cross on a necklace, or a pin on their jacket with an angel on it. There are so many of these “other Christian icons” in our lives, and none of these seem to bring so much anger from people who claim to be Christian.

Often times, even in our churches, we do not find sisters who are supportive, little alone others who actually do cover themselves. Instead we find some who do not care, some who are curious, and many who get angry about it. It Amazes me how a simple peace of cloth can have so much power over others, to bring out so much anger? Is it conviction? Is it resistance? Or just old fashioned intolerance? I would ask these people, to examine their own heart before God and see why such an ungodly attitude is coming from one who is supposed to display the fruit of the Spirit. Most who “do cover” are not beating others on the head in judgment, saying they must cover. On the contrary they are usually more humble than this, and are willing to tell their testimony about covering, but are not forceful as this would not be becoming a proverbs 31 woman. Many woman who cover and their husbands, have even faced rejection and persecution from their own families, for following the “Bible” of all things. Many would face less pressure if they were to turn to the world, and worldly living. There seems to be something about when a couple decides to be “more conservative” that makes their “would be conservative” family and friends so upset. It can almost be compared to when a “sinner” first comes to know the Lord, and the family and friends they tell feel left behind or rejected in there world of sin. Not to say those who are angry are left in a world of sin for not covering! But it does seem to justify that there is something spiritual at work, when a woman takes her place.

When she honors her head (husband) and covers her head, for the world and the angels to see, there is a new depth of relationship between husband and wife. An honorable husband treats her “as if” she was a weaker vessel. (Not that she is weaker in a sense) but treating her like she was made of fine china or crystal. Treating her like she was of the utmost value! Preferring others before ourselves, applies in married life too!!! This whole thing is about love! Loving each other as husband and wife. Yet so many seem to be threatened, when it should be a place of security and love. We have had to learn when faced with this persecution, to just love and pray for these people. The power is in obeying God and not in the cloth itself. But when you “dawn the cloth” you become a visual target for peoples frustration. But the Jesus says in:

John 15:20
….”If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also”….

So Love them and bless those who persecute you. The joy found in obedience is worth more than the acceptance of people.

Another Crocheted Afghan

Here is another crocheted afghan by Anna. She made this one with some little blue booties and matching hat for a couple here in town who have been blessed with another child.

Quiverfull Resources

Quiverfull Resources

Here are some Quiverfull Resources. If you have a book or link you would like to add to this list, drop me a comment, and we would be happy to add it to the list for you. The more links and resources we have the more use it will be to people. Thanks for your input.

LINKS:

Above Rubies
The Duggar Family
The Jeub Family
MOMYSwww.momys.com/
QuiverFull
The Case Against Birth Control
Mamma Archers Blogroll
Christian Moms of Many Blessings

BOOKS: (You can find many of these on Amazon.com)

A Full Quiver by Rick & Jan Hess
Love In The House by Chris & Wendy Jeub
All the Way Home by Mary Pride
Be Fruitful And Multiply by Nancy Campbell
Birthing God’s Mighty Warriors by Rachel Scott
Open Embrace: A Protestant Couple Rethinks Contraception by Sam Torode
Does the Birth Control PIll Cause Abortions? by Randy Alcorn
Family UNplanning by Craig Houghton
QuiverX by Jim & Shannon French
The Way Home by Mary Pride

REVERSALS:

http://www.blessedarrows.org/
http://www.thelordsheritage.com/
http://vasreversal.homestead.com/http://vasreversal.homestead.com/

Simple Living Fun

Someday we will be doing this on our front porch in rocking chairs, when we are old and gray. Watching the sun go down. Getting ready to do some knitting.

Simple Living Fun