Life's Little Instructions

We got a new camera.....two years ago. The reason that I spent the money on this particular model was because it came with all the bells and whistles. You can just put the thing on auto and it will take great pictures, or you can manually set the aperature or shutter speed. You can change the meter, you can do continuous shooting, you can even turn it into a video camera. I knew this was just what our family needed....it can do it all!



Well, like I said, I got that camera two years ago and have taken thousands of great shots....all on the auto setting. Never once did I venture away from the security of the "auto" setting to see what all this camera could do. Matter of fact, I totally forgot that I could do all of those fancy things - I was just so satisfied with the status quo.



Three days ago, I was cleaning out our hall closet and came across the box for this camera and inside it was a book entitled "Camera User Guide" still wrapped in plastic. Looking for any excuse to get out of closet clean-up, I pulled up a chair and started reading. Once again, I was reminded of all the fun things that I could be doing but wasn't with that camera. I read the book, then re-read the book, then grabbed my camera and headed outside. It took a little bit of tweaking and practice, but before long I was understanding tidbits about shutter speed and aperature. I was figuring out how to take panoramic pictures and how to take photos in black and white and sepia tone. I had so much fun walking around the farm, shooting pictures, and being amazed at all the capabilities that I had, literally in the palm of my hand.



As I was sitting there changing the setting to "continuous shooting", I was thinking to myself about how ridiculous I was, settling to just use the "auto" feature when I could have been doing so much more. That's when the thought came to me....isn't that just like so many of us in our daily walk? Isn't there a little bit in everyone that just "accepts" what they've been dealt, never reaches out for anything more than what is already there? Doesn't try to see beyond the mountain to what is on the other side? I've been there...alot.



Just like I found out with this camera, if you find the User Guide and study it, great things can happen. For me, that "User Guide" is the Bible. Too many times I tend to put my life on auto pilot and just "let the chips fall where they may". I don't take the time to read and re-read and then head outside and practice. I don't take the time to dive into the Scriptures, think about the lesson to be learned and then apply it to my life. I'm too busy trying to move the mountains on my own that I forget how much more beautiful and fulfilling life can be if I just sit back and invite my Savior in.



My wish for each of you is to find your instruction manual...don't just be satisfied with the mediocrity of going through life on "auto". Invite something bigger than yourself in to show you all that your life is capable of. I can guarantee you, you will not be disappointed.

Foto Friday

In honor of Back to School I thought I'd post pics of the ceremonial passing out of the school supplies.

Photo #1: All of the supplies lined up and ready for the pickin'

Photo #2: Three of the four children listening patiently as the school supply lists are read.

Photo #3: Quite obvious that this will be Natalie's first year in school as she zips and unzips her new backpack, filling it with preschool supplies.

Photo #3 and #4: This is the response I got when we were done and I told them they needed to put the backpacks away until school starts next week.....one was bawling under the table and the other ran crying to her bedroom holding her backpack hostage. Guess Mom isn't the only one looking forward to the first day of school!

This Old House

We live on the family farm. When I say family farm, I mean my husband grew up here, my father-in-law grew up here (he was actually born in the room that is the master bedroom now), my husband's grandparents lived here.....I'm not actually sure how many generations this goes back, but it seems to me that this is a rarity in this day and age.

In 2010 this will be a "Century Farm" which means that it will have been farmed for 100 years by the Burk family. There's an official presentation at the State Fair where the Burks will be presented with a plaque signifying the accomplishment. For years my husband has been scouting out the perfect place to display this outdoor plaque. I've played along in his search, but never really gave it much more thought than that....until now. The closer we get to this milestone, the more I see it as just that - a milestone. An accomplishment that is getting harder and harder to reach these days. All of us in rural America need to face the fact that a family farm is going to be harder and harder to find in the future. What once was a business of living off the land and putting your trust in God for your crop has turned corporate....big business. It's beginning to push many of those farms from meager beginnings to the wayside and that is a sad thing to see. I agree, progress is important in any industry, whether it be education, agriculture, medicine or retail. You have to change with the times and roll with the punches to guarantee yourself any kind of success. But with those changes in times, comes hurt for the little guy. Passing down the family business will get harder and harder for people, not only because there won't be enough acres to farm in order to make it in this world, but I also think that family values are getting lost in the shuffle of "being somebody".

All of this thought about family farms brings me back to our house. When I first moved in, I was less than excited. It is your typical old home....lots of square footage, but broken up into many small spaces that leave interior decorating to be a challenge, the corners are not square and the floors tend to slope. There's a lot of work to be done upstairs....walls need to be torn down and insulation and drywall need to be put up. We've dealt with leaks in dang near every room from one time or another and have had a couple of "floods" in the basement when the weather was just right. When I first moved in, I complained....a lot - so much that it's kind of embarassing to think about now. My husband has been a peach through the whole thing....I believe once I was even told that I'm welcome to move into the machine shed if I was looking to live in something "newer".

One day (probably after one of my "if only this house would just burn down" discussions) it hit me. If we were to build a new home, it would be a tragedy to lose all of the things in this house that could never be replaced....the memories. Of course, there are the memories of the last seven years of our marriage, but with a Century Farm the memories go back way farther than I'll even know. My husband's parents have both passed on and I'm sure there are many memories of them here in this house that he will never want to lose. I would think that he walks into our kitchen sometimes and can visualize his mom standing at the stove cooking or at the sink washing dishes. I'm sure he walks into our living room and sees his dad napping in the recliner after a long day in the field. There has to be a memory or two of family dinners, birthday parties, Christmases....and not just for him, but for his brothers and sister and their families too. How can I dare to take those images and memories away from any of them? I couldn't and I won't. We will stay in our crooked house for as long as we need to and will continue to build many more memories to add to the collection. Maybe someday one of our boys will decide that they want to enter into this game called farming and will settle in to this place with their own family. I won't blame their new wife for wanting something newer, a little more level, a little more updated....I'll probably agree with her on each of those accounts. But I do hope that she will come to a realization that the important part of this house is the history that it holds, the memories that live amongst these walls.

Lessons from a Five Year Old

I work for the school district. This means that I spend nine months of the year making mental notes of all the things I want to do during my three months off....household projects, crafty things to do with the kids, fantabulous vacations to go on. "The List" runs the whole gamut of things I want to do on my summer vacation.

So here we are, eight days before I'm required to return to work and I go over "The List" in my head. What have I accomplished? Nada.....not a darn thing! I have been asked numerous times throughout the summer, "How has your summer been?" to which my reply is always "Too fast". June was devoted to Erin's softball, July was swimming lessons and getting 4-H projects ready for fair, and now here we are in August getting ready for back to school. Not a single solitary vacation was taken, and for that I feel like I'm in the lead for "Worst Mom of the Year"! What parent does not whisk their young ones away to explore the world during summer vacation?! Two years ago we jetted off to California to see Disneyland, last year we made the standard Midwestern family pilgrimage to the Black Hills, and this year.....we made it 3 miles down the road to a new fishing hole. Whoo. Hooo. Yep, like I said "Worst Mom of the Year" right here.

I've been sitting here, for the past 2 months and 3 weeks wallowing in my self-pity of not getting the things done that I had planned on, when someone asked me once again how my summer was going...to which I gave the standard answer "Too fast." This person then turned to my 5-year old, Evan, and asked him how his summer was going. His answer: "It. Has. Been. Sooooo. Awesome." Excuse me? Who stole this child and whisked him off to places of Awesome-ness? This child has been right beside me all summer experiencing the same doldrums as me and he says it's awesome?!

Later that night I asked him exactly what about this summer has been so awesome, to which he rattled off a rather long list: we went to softball games and ate candy, we went fishing and caught so many huge fish, we petted our horses, we went to the zoo and saw those great big animals, we went to the Rodeo, we went to Grandpa and Grandma's house, we slept in a tent, we did sparklers and saw fireworks, we rode bikes, we went golfing, we went to the fair.... His list went on and on and I was amazed. All of those things that I saw as hectic and bothersome and downright boring were things that he treasured the most about his summer vacation. Evan: 1 point Mom: 0 points

This summer, I may not have traveled to far and away exotic places. I didn't get the living room floors sanded down and refinished, didn't get a couple rooms painted, but I've picked up a lesson or two about life. I've decided that from now on I need to look at things through the eyes of a five year old and be excited for everything that each day holds...look for the wonder and amazement in the little things, and be thankful for those little blessings. I need to live in the moment and not wonder what the next day is going to bring.

If you see me on the street between now and the day school starts up, go ahead and ask me how my summer has been. My reply will be, "It was so awesome! We spent time together as a family. We went to Erin's softball games, we found a great little farm pond and did a lot of fishing, we took the kids to the zoo, we spent time with my parents, the kids got to camp out in the backyard and we had a bonfire and made s'mores with them, Chad & the kids went golfing a few times, Evan learned to swim and ride his bike, Jason showed his horse at the fair and did a great job and Erin showed her goats and did well too. But most of all, my summer has taught me that happiness is all around me and that I don't need to go too far away to find it." Be prepared to sit and listen for awhile, because my summer was jam-packed full of great things. In the words of one very wise five year old; It. Has. Been. Soooo. Awesome!

I Sure Do Love Him

He is a very conscientious, detail-oriented, goal-driven, get-things-done-now kind of person. He's a worker, a talker, a never-sit-down guy. This drives me nuts....irriatates me....infuriates me....sometimes it even makes me want to scream!












I am conscientious and goal-driven....to a point! I can be detail-oriented and a get things done now kind of person...when the occasion strikes me as being such! I'm sort of a worker (depending on the job to be done), but I will never classify myself as a talker and will never be called a never-sit-down gal....nope, that's just not me! I'm sure that these things about me drive him nuts....irritate him...infuriate him....and sometimes, I know for sure, makes him want to scream!








Who would've thought that 8 year ago, a blind date would turn into a marriage, four kids, and a whole lot of adventures - especially when we are so completely opposite from each other! Who would've thought that we could mold our individual personalities into the personality of husband and wife and ride the waves of many storms to arrive today at our 7th anniversary.


I still remember when a mutual friend tried to move heaven and earth to set us up on a date.....the only reason she had to try SO hard is because she started with the wrong person - she started with me. Keeping in mind that I have already described myself as NOT a talker, our "match-maker" slipped me a note (which I still have tucked in my jewelry box to this day) describing the man she believed to be my soul-mate, along with his phone number. "Call him" she kept telling me. Yeah, don't think so, but thanks for trying.


For three weeks I kept trying my best to change the subject when she would bring up his name and ask if I'd called him yet....been really busy, not really looking for a relationship, can't seem to find that phone number. Finally, she gave up on me....she called him one night and told him he needs to call me. Shortly afterwards, my phone rang...about 10:30 one night....and it was Chad. (Remember, I did label him early as a get things done now kind of guy) We talked that night for FOUR HOURS...did I mention he was a talker? The next night we talked again for several hours and then again the next night. Craziness...I had never seen this guy, but knew more about him than other guys that I had dated in the past. Finally after about 12 hours of conversation, we decided maybe we should see what each other looks like. Let me tell ya.....I was shakin' in my boots. I was enjoying the conversation, but what if that was the only thing I enjoyed? I'm thinkin' that Chad was feeling the same way about me because he suggested that maybe we should "meet first" before we go on an official date....just to make sure we even want to go on a date! (Does that even make a bit of sense?)


Well, the time came for us to "meet"...which to me still seemed like a "date" except he came to my house and I cooked dinner for him instead of going to a restaurant and him footing the bill (hint my sarcastic tone here). Obviously, we must've seen something in each other, because from that little meet-up 'til now, we've rarely been apart.


That was January 2001....fast forward to August 10, 2002, and here we are getting married. It was quite a process to get there....a process that in many ways felt like a year long test. Chad was a farmboy all his life and I was a towngirl. He kept insisting to me that life is different on the farm....and I don't think he thought I could mesh into the life very well. He had told himself that he would never get married to anyone until he has dated them for at least a year.....because he wanted to see how his potential bride would deal with a relationship that covered all 4 farm seasons....planting (when he's around some of the time), spraying (when he's around a bit more than before), harvest (when he's never around) and winter (when he's always around). Good theory to him but absolutely insane to me.....until we reached harvest time and just about gave up. At that point I could kind of see exactly why he had devised his year-long plan....if farm-life isn't something you're used to, harvest time is going to put a cramp in your style! No more going out and talking on the phone before bed....if I wanted to see him, I needed to be prepared to spending time in a combine and eating sandwiches in the field. Also, his attention was no more directed toward me, but to his crop and his equipment....THAT was really hard to handle! But, like I said, fast-forward to August 2002....I made it - I passed the test! We got married at his church during a candlelight service. The church was packed and the reception hall was filled.


Now, here we are celebrating seven sometimes difficult, sometimes wild years together. We've been through many ups-births of children, job changes, awesome vacations-and many downs- the deaths of both of Chad's parents, the arguments, financial struggles-but through it all, we've done it together....and there's no one else in the world I would rather have been with through it all.


Chad is my best friend. He's the first person I want to talk to when something great happens and the first person I want to run to when I'm so frustrated I want to cry. There is no one else on God's great Earth that I would want to remain with for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. He is and forever will be a big part of me.

We've shared many ups and downs and twists and turns along the way, but all of that has shaped us into the family that we are. There will be more laughter and tears and challenges to
face, but with you by my side, I'm ready for the ride! My only regret is that you didn't come into my life sooner so that we would have more time together on this side of heaven!

He is a very conscientious, detail-oriented, goal-driven, get-things-done kind of person. He's a worker, a talker, a never-sit-down guy. This drives me nuts....irritates me....infuriates me....sometimes even makes me want to scream....and DEFINITELY makes me love him more and more everyday.

I love you, honey, and there is no where else I'd rather be than in our little corner of the world, spending my life with you and our kids.

Face Painting at the Fair....of course Natalie went for what was titled "Princess Mask", but what happened to Evan?! All kinds of cute little boy designs....SpiderMan mask, BatMan mask, a frog on your cheek - but nope, Evan went straight for the tire tread spread across his face! Who's child is this?!

The Same....But Different

So here I am with a couple months to go before my birthday hits.....got the big 3-7 staring me in the face. I can't exactly believe I'm going to be THAT old, especially when there are days I feel like I'm still in high school! It does not seem possible that it was 18 years ago that I graduated from high school....it seems like yesterday that I was walking those halls of good old DHS!

All of this thinking back to yester-year has made me stop and realize that yes, I am 36 years old and will be turning a year older in a matter of months , and that although I may FEEL like I was just in high school, the true reality is that it really has been 18 years! Times have changed, my friend, and I can attest to that. With this thought pattern, I give you my version of "The Same...But Different"....how things in my life may in some ways be the same, but how they really are quite different!

1. I still drive too fast.....only now I'm racing my kids to their activities, not my own!

2. I still color my hair....only now I'm working to cover the grays, not trying a new color for shock value!

3. I still listen to music too loud....only now I do it to embarass my children, not annoy my parents!

4. I still love to dance....only now my audience is my 3 year old and 5 year old, not at a dance recital with an audience of hundreds!

5. I am still a cheerleader....only now I'm in the stands cheering on my kids, not in front of the crowd cheering on a team!

6. I still love to go to parties....only now they're usually princess or race car-themed, not in the middle of a cornfield after dark!

7. I still have homework....only now it is more commonly referred to as housework and I'm not near as good at getting it done!

8. I still look forward to weekends....only now I look at 'em as time to get things done around the house, not as time to stay away from the house doing all kinds of things!

9. I still love driving my car....only now I drive a dark blue Pontiac Minivan, not a bright red Chevy Cavalier!

10. I still get an "allowance"....only now it's called a paycheck and I have to work for it, not get it "just because I need money"!


So, in looking at the list I've compiled, I understand why, in some ways, I still feel like a kid.....but when I look deeper, I see that yes, it is true, although things may be the same, they are also very different!

Monday Morsels

SIRLOIN TIPS OVER RICE

2 Tbsp. butter
2 lbs. round or sirloin steak, cubed to 1" square
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion salt
1 can beef consomme
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. cornstarch

Brown the cubed steak in melted butter or shortening until no longer pink. Add teh soy sauce, garlic powder, onion salt & consomme. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. blend the water and cornstarch, then add to the cooking meat and liquid. Stir until thickened. Serve over rice....I use Minute Rice. (Serves 4-6)

I like to add fresh mushrooms and water chestnuts to this recipe - you can also add cooked broccoli, carrot slices, or peppers if you prefer.

This is a quick and easy meal with tons of flavor! It has quickly become one of our family favorites!