Applemint Tea May 3, 2013

Several people have asked for my recipe for applemint tea so I figured posting it here and sending the link would be easier than separately messaging everyone.  Without further ado, Applemint Tea.

Method One (Hot Steep)

Gather up a bowl full of applemint sprigs.

Fill a pan with about 2 quarts of water and bring it to a boil.  Bruise and rip the leaves and stems.  Turn off the heat and add the applemint.  Steep until the water turns a beautiful light greenish tan.

Before straining if you would like to sweeten the tea, add your desired sweetener.  Depending on who I am fixing it for, I usually use stevia or honey and just sweeten to taste.  You want to add the sweetener before it chills over ice because you want the sugar particles or honey or whatever to dissolve well.  While the tea is steeping, I prepare two quart mason jars by filling them with ice cubes and placing a filter over the mouth of the jar. I use cheese cloth or even cone coffee filters depending on what I have on hand.  Then I tighten the jar band to hold it in place and pour the tea through to strain out any leaves and stems.

Cap it, shake it up and enjoy!

Method Two (Cold Water Steeping)

Sorry, I don’t have any pictures for this one but I did find a you tube link to the video where I first learned about applemint tea and how to cold steep it.  This method is fun to do with children but I do think the hot steeping method provides a stronger flavor!  In this video, the recipe starts at 20 minutes and 3 seconds in so you can skip to that section if you like but the whole video is great fun!

I hope you grow to love the summer tradition of applemint tea as much as I do!

A Mother’s Reflection April 25, 2013

I don’t get a chance to post on here very often, I know.  I appreciate those of you readers who still hang in there with me .  Since my last post, to quickly update you- we are expecting a little boy in September!  My baby girls are 1 1/2 and the stories about twins working together to create mischief is oh-so-very true.  They are just a crazy bunch of joy!  My little man is 3 and a crazy bunch of energy!  He keeps me on my toes and my face in smiles.  And now, to what brought me here to type to you all tonight- my daughter.

My sweet Aralyn Elizabeth turns 7 tomorrow. 

 

When I was expecting with her, I was told by other mothers that having a child was like having a piece of your heart walking around outside your body.  I have found this to be true with each of my children and they are all small pieces of my heart- living, breathing, flesh of my own.  

Each of my children is special to me for different reasons.  Ordained by God to be a perfect fit for our family.  I have names for each of them that are just special ones Mama calls them.  James is my Sunshine boy.  He brings so much joy and fun to my heart.

Ruth is my Songbird.  She is my spunky, fiery sparkler who is always humming something and singing sweet as can be.

Anna is my Grace.  When she was born, she was could not breath or eat on her own.  She had to be revived and survived on a breathing tube and was fed through her belly for a day or so until she started fighting and it was as if God breathed new life into her body and every day I feel His grace when I think of her.  She is also the sweetest thing you will ever meet and so far, my only calm one of the bunch

But Ara.  Oh my Ara.  She is Mama’s heart.  I have called her my heart from the beginning because every bit of who God created me in my innermost self, the essence of who I am- my heart- I see in my daughter.  When I read of David and how God called him a man after His own heart, I think of Ara.

I can’t really even put into words the connection that we have.  The feelings that we share.  The love that we both feel for people and the deep joy we feel at the same portions of scripture or beauty of creation. So much so that I will stop trying.

My sister took these pictures.  In them, I think you will see just how special this little one is to me.  She is her Mama’s girl.  She is my heart.  

I love you Aralyn Elizabeth.  Happy Birthday!

 

Mother’s Day (a realization) May 14, 2012

My mother’s day was full of ups and downs.  The morning started sweetly as my 6 year old brought me a present- her favorite necklace, wrapped in a sock and tied with a ribbon.  Then we got ready for church and I wanted just one picture of me with my children before heading out where inevitably their outfits would be pooped on, spilled on, etc…  This is what we got.  Yep, this one picture sums up the day so well.

I had a wonderful time with my husband’s Mom and family after church spoiled by a great meal that Papa Jim made and brought over for us to all eat. (The good)

Then they left and my children fell apart.  More than likely the result of delayed naps and worn out from all their play, I had three screaming little ones and my head started reeling. (The bad)

Then things got ugly.  Because of me and my misplaced expectations.  For some reason, every time Mother’s Day rolls around I get the bee in my bonnet thinking that it will be a day of rest and relaxation.  The reality is, I am still a Mom- even on Mother’s Day.  I realize for some of you this is a pretty obvious revelation but this has been a process for me in seeing my own sin and tendency towards selfishness.  I heard nasty words coming out of my mouth to my husband as I expressed “just for one day, I want to be selfish and go upstairs and take a nap!”  Yes, I said that.  I’m not proud of it.  I needed God’s gentle correction, which I received in the following thought.

Not audibly, mind you but just as clear, “Jen look around you.  Look at what you have, not what you don’t have.  You may not be taking a nap right now but don’t dwell on that.  Dwell on the deeply compassionate heart I put in your daughter that blesses you everyday.  Dwell on the joyful spirit of James that lifts your heart.  Dwell on my generosity in pouring down a double blessing on you with Ruth and Anna.  Dwell on these things and truly celebrate what motherhood is.  A wonderfully messy, sanctifying, challenging, joy-filled, grace-filled blessing.”

The good, the bad, the ugly.  Its all made beautiful in Christ.

I am not a perfect mother.  Mother’s day isn’t about that, thankfully.  It also isn’t a free pass to cease all motherly duties.  In fact, we don’t see a Mother’s day celebration at all in scripture.  This is not to say that celebrating mothers is unbiblical.  I believe God has a special place in his heart for mothers.  I see this in the relationship Jesus had with his earthly mother Mary and His desire to see her cared for when He left this Earth.  This is simply to say that I don’t find anywhere, “One day a year, thou shalt be selfish and it be justified”  It’s still sin.  Even on Mother’s Day.

It just like that picture I wanted.  I wanted my children all smiling looking at the camera, clothes spotless, glad to have their picture taking for Mama.  But what I wanted wouldn’t reflect the reality of our life.  Which is better, because it is real.

On Mother’s Day I wanted a picture perfect day.  Kids smiling, serving me, obeying each command, glad to celebrate their Mama.  But that isn’t our life, and God knows better because that isn’t what I needed yesterday.  I needed to be taught a lesson which is actually a great gift.  Not wrapped in pretty trimmings but just as special as a ribbon tied sock.  :)

Knowledge and Art (spinoff) May 12, 2012

First, before reading this, go here: http://juliahembreephotography.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/i-am-the-culture/

photo credit: soulshepherding.org

My sister, Julie is an amazingly talented artist.  This is her blog where she recently posted some thoughts on knowledge and art and life.  I commented on it and as I was writing my comment I thought this discussion, of sorts, would make a good spinoff blog post here at weeping cherries.  So, here are my thoughts.  I would love to hear yours!

“Some of my thoughts in no apparent order.  Pertaining to knowledge and is it important to fill ourselves with it just for the sake of knowledge?:  this brings to mind Romans 16:19 for me, “Be excellent at what is good, be innocent of evil”. 

I believe that when it come to knowledge simply for the sake of knowledge we will eventually come to the same conclusion Solomon did in that it is meaningless as it has no purpose beyond our own vanity.  Knowledge, however, for the sake of God’s glory- a beautiful thing.  So, what makes knowledge for the sake of God’s glory different?  I believe knowledge for God’s glory is understanding of “what is good”.  A deep wisdom in things pertaining to God’s righteousness and what He calls holy.  This is vastly different than soaking up the culture and all it has to offer in the ways of “knowledge”.  God’s Word tells us to be innocent of that which God calls evil.  At times I think Christians, myself included, fool ourselves into thinking it is necessary to ponder into all different avenues of thought in the name of being “relevant”.  In truth, we would be much better off being naive in such things. 

When I think about art, I think about a natural overflow of the heart conveyed by different mediums.  This brings to mind the verse, “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks”.  Granted, it is referring to communicating through speech here but I believe the principle can apply to what we are speaking of with art.  I do not believe that a great artist is one who possesses vast knowledge, or great skill- though he may.  I believe the best artists for God’s glory possess a pure heart.  The closest example that I can think of in scripture that we have of an artist, I believe to be David.  A man after God’s own heart.  David’s heart was like God’s.  In some ways all of our hearts are like God’s as He created us in His image and His likeness.  Therefore, I believe we are all capable of creating art and beauty.  Some, however; have a natural gifting in this area like I believe David did.  Any art worth making glorifies the ultimate creator.  It would stand to reason then that when an artist’s heart is filled with the things of God and is like God’s own heart, the overflow of it would speak deeply to our hearts longing for Him.  This is why I believe an artists first and only muse should be our Lord and Savior. Their first priority, pleading with the Spirit to mold their heart into one that would spill over with God’s likeness. 

This is the only knowledge worth possessing.

This is the art that will really move the human soul.

This is to be our greatest love.”

Spring at Weeping Cherries April 17, 2012

Happy Spring to You!

Here is a photo post so you can see what we have going on around here:

We got a family (new to us) piano and Ara began taking lessons.  She loves to teach her friend Sophie and brother her new songs!

We learned about herbs with our friend Mason and planted this year’s herb garden.

Learned about propagating herbs and have been layering and dividing until now the 8×8 bed looks like this:

We studied wildflowers and then took a nature hike with Nana,

and speaking of Nana, my older two got to go to Silver Dollar City on a trip with Nana and Papa!

Let’s see, what else??? We made our first batch of Apple Mint Tea of the season

and Anna and Ruth learned to read

 Just Kidding!  But aren’t they cute with their books?!

Ara has been hooping

James loves all things turtles

And the girls especially like barrel rolling and squealing!

We had a wonderful Easter and got to see the kids’ great grandparents for brunch!

The kids weren’t crazy about pictures but they loved seeing Grandma and Grandpa Great and Gigi!

My beautiful Ara

Mama’s handsome boy

Mama’s sweet Ruth (I think)

And Mama’s sweet Anna

I hope your Spring has been wonderful too!

Mason Jar Monday February 27, 2012

Oh my goodness!  I came across these DIY mason jar votives and they are beautiful.  I don’t know that I would even use them as votives, I think I would rather stuff them full of spring wildflowers but that’s just me.  The end result is the same beautiful, fabric lined jars.  So, head over there today to whip up a great mason jar craft that has the spring fever in me in full force!

Grand Intentions and The New Normal February 23, 2012

So I had grand intentions of, at the very least, relaunching Mason Jar Monday and What’s Cookin’ Wednesday. Then my twins started teething… They are now the proud owners of two (2 each) very tiny, shiny, white teeth poking through their tender gums which they worked (and cried) very hard on.
I was talking with the ladies that I meet with for prayer about how in life, often, we are just waiting for that next milestone. My friend Crystal is awaiting the birth of her second little one and I, well, I keep thinking that I can’t wait for things to get back to normal. As in organized, less chaos, more time for homeschool, less time up in the nights, and feeling a little more sane. My friend Katie said something awhile back though that I recalled as we were discussing these things and her words popped into my head, “Jen, I think this IS the new normal for us”. Hmm… I think she’s right. Crazy is my new normal and you know what? I am starting to think it might be an even better place to be at then I was before. Certainly, in terms of our family growing with two new bundles of sweetness- it is a better place; but even the insanity and daily crying out to God for a less fuzzy brain is a better place to be because it is bringing me into a place of constant communication with Him. That is a place I want to be. Sometimes, pretwins, I had the tendency to think I had things figured out. To rely on my own abilities and strengths. My weaknesses and inadequacies were still there, to be sure, but they weren’t ever present before my eyes the way they are now.

In the smidget of time that I have available this morning on my husband’s day off I will do my very best to write and cue up some scheduled blog posts so that you have something to read around here. In the meantime, feel free to search my archives and thank you for the grace you give me when I am much less frequently on here because, well, life happens. I am making my way through responding to comments and emails sent to me the past six months or so that I am behind on so you may have replies soon to things you forgot you even asked because its been so long . Have a super rest of your week and know that I do appreciate all the letters and comments even though I am not quick in responding.

-Jen