I Am Not Afraid of the Pressure Cooker...I Am Not Afraid of the Pressure Cooker....

I really want to learn how to can.  I think it is very important.  I also have a very irritating daughter that wants to sew, can, make butter, milk a cow, gather eggs from our own chickens (which she hasn't talked us into YET) and other annoying things like making homemade cottage cheese.  I would just rather sit on my laurels and read a book, but noooooo she takes the prophet literally about being self-reliant. I would prefer just to study about it.

So here I am trying to "teach" her how to do all these things that I don't know how to do. Of the many things she's twisted my arm into doing I have found that I just might like canning.

We did a bunch of peaches, pears and tomatoes this fall and it was kinda fun. Kinda.  It still required work and I'm not sure I'm into that.  (Although I know I really, really need to be.  I am getting better).

So this winter I've decided it's time to practice using the pressure cooker.  I admit I am slightly afraid of it.  But I swallowed down my fears and processed 3 batches of potatoes-of all things.  I have plenty of them-like 500 pounds plenty- so they were a good thing to practice with. They turned out fine. I won't win any fair prizes for them, but it's a start.

I have 200 empty jars and I figure it's time to fill them. Next on the list: stewed chicken, carrots, kidney beans and pinto beans.  I'll let you know how it goes.

In the meantime...."I am not afraid of the pressure cooker.....I am not afraid of the pressure cooker....."

Because He Can

Leader decided to make himself a hammock off of his bunk bed.  He's a silly kid.  Here he is writing in his journal before bed. 

They are on count down.  Only 10 more months until the four kids don't have to share a room any more!

Determination Turns 12!

Determination turned 12 recently.  He was able to be ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood by his father and lots of family standing in.  The same day it was a baby blessing for my niece.  It was a neat day.

Determination has enjoyed doing is duties so far.  Today he went out and collected fast offerings (free will money donations from people in the community) with another deacon and their leader.  When he came home he had really big eyes.  I laughed and said, "What? Did you get chased by dog while you were out?" I was totally kidding.  He responded, "No, two actually."  He laughed and told us a very funny story.  I think that is only the beginning of  the very many adventures he will have as a priesthood holder.

'Like' the Kendrick Brothers

Technically I have a facebook account. I haven’t accessed it in over 14 months and I have no idea what the password is.  (Obviously I can get that, it’s just a convenient excuse).  However, I secretly loathe facebook. 

Anyway, I’d like to say that I had a point with the above paragraph, but I don’t think I really did.  I get sidetracked when I start thinking about facebook.  Here is the point though:  Our family really, REALLY, REALLY likes the Kendrick Brothers.  I am sure they have a facebook page so if someone could go on and “like” them on behalf of our family that would be great. 

So who are they anyway? I mean the Kendrick Brothers not facebook. They are the writers, directors, producers, etc. of the following movies,

Flywheel (not very well known)

Facing the Giants

Fireproof

Courageous

Their movies are part of the outreach of the Sherwood Church in Georgia.  The Kendrick brothers learned that the public, and especially the youth, were more influenced by the media in regard to choices and morality than any other way.  So they got the wild idea to start making movies to reach people.  At first it was just for their little community, but the response was so positive that the movies starting reaching out farther and farther.  What’s amazing is that in these movies everyone involved is a member of their church.  Everything is donated.  Most of the actors (or camera men) are just people from their church with no real training.  The later movies have included professional actors like Kirk Cameron though, but I think everyone is still on donated time.

Kudos to the Kendrick Brothers for their ministry efforts.  If you enjoy watching movies I invite you to watch their movie trailers on the links provided and see if one of their movies is right for your family.  Each movie's production quality gets better with each one.  It is amazing to see what they have done with the resources they have.

They have positively impacted my life and my family’s life.  They have challenged me in my faith and caused me to ask some tough questions regarding whether I believe, “that through Christ all things are possible.”

And they are just soooo funny.  I invite you to also watch the special features, because that is where you get to know all about them.  If you watch all the movies you can catch spoofs of their other movies inside the new movies.  Also many of the actors are in all the movies and so it’s fun to find people “you know” from previous movies.