When The Oven Stops Working

2010-02-17T11:34:00.000-08:00

What happens when the oven stops working? Panic? Plan B? Thankfully, my father-in-law was an electrician before he became a farmer. If all else fails, he can take my chicken to bake at their home. Except for one thing. I had this idea to try a new recipe for my roast chicken today. A google search led me to JamieOliver.com. True to Jamie's rustic style, I reluctantly followed his instructions to throw in onions and garlic cloves (with peels on) and stuck an entire lemon (with peel) inside the chicken with some herbs. I was proud of myself. I thought, hmmm, this "peels on" business saves time for a mother of five children like me! That is until the oven stopped working. Now, what will my mother-in-law think when she opens my roaster to see PEELS on EVERYTHING? In this world full of real challenges, it hardly seems like my PEELS dilemma is a serious one. But, as it is with the Lord, daily things remind us of deeper work needing to be accomplished in the heart. I have been reflecting very deeply on how I make decisions and carry on with life to try to please others or avoid criticism from others (this is really complicated as I've discovered that no one agrees on anything!). Now that I have 5 children, I get uninvited comments ALL THE TIME. But, as Mary Ostyn from OwlHaven points out in her recent book The Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family ..."As for fear of slack-jawed Wal-Mart greeters spotting your crew and counting out loud- are you really going to give them power over your family size?". This book is wonderful. Just what I needed right now. But, back to the "rustic" vegetables in my chicken roaster! What happened today when I didn't peel my vegetables? I gained extra time which I spent with my 5 year old-aspiring chef-son making vegetable/fruit art with celery, carrots, apples and cauliflower using peanut butter and honey as "glue"! It turned into a yummy treat and the funnest time I've had with Matti in a long time and it all happened in both his and my favourite place in the house--THE KITCHEN! I bet my mother-in-law won't entirely disapprove of my time-saving antics (she's all about efficiency!). If I fear less what others will SAY to me about the choices I make -big and small- perhaps I'll have the boldness to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and use my own creative ideas in my home... I can almost taste the freedom and the chicken! Oh I should mention that my truly wonderful mother-in-law was fully supportive of the PEELS!

Julie-Anne

The Housewife

2010-02-14T12:35:00.000-08:00

There is something about the housewife. Misunderstood. YES. Everyone has something to suggest or say. Are you giving advice to the manager at your local grocery store? No. Are you giving advice to the housewife in the checkout line at the grocery store? I rest my case. So much of the time, people are quick to point out the challenging things about being a housewife (or so they assume) like, you must be tired, you are so busy, the children need you all the time. The latest for me was a young university student who, when I made a mistake about where she attended university rushed to reassure me that it was ok, her mom had 4 children and she is always spacey so she understands that I would not be able to focus on our conversation because I had 5 children! Aye! What's next?

Where's my meek and quiet spirit when I need it?

I'll have to check my laundry basket.

Julie-Anne

The Sheltered Housewife

When The Oven Stops Working

The Housewife