Surrender and Fellowship

To reach the level of Christian living God wants for us, we must surrender all to Him. In Power in Prayer, Andrew Murray puts it this way: "Allow our Lord to take full possession of you and to show you how you may live and walk in abiding fellowship with Him" (Kindle, location 456).

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5).

How glorious is that! As we grow in Christ and He in us, we become more like Him. We can call God our Father, because Christ came to earth to allow us that personal, intimate family connection. Isn't this what Christmas is all about? It still boggles my mind that I can have such a relationship with the God over all and fellowship with Him, but that's how he designed us. "And to meet with the Holy One, our heart must be wholly given over to His will" (Murray, loc. 501).

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..." (James 4:8a, NKJV).

Another amazing thing is that we don't have to do this on our own. Because this is according to His will, all we need is to really desire it, ask, and seek. 

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8).

Sometimes we minimize who God is by our limited mind's concept of Him. If we understood who He truly is and what He wants to do for us, we would willingly give all that we have and all that we are to Him. We would surrender. "A soul cannot seek close fellowship with God or attain to a conscious waiting on Him without an entire surrender to His will" (Murray, loc. 504).

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that Love him" (1 Conrinthians 2:9).

______________________________________________________________

Feed Sacks

Feed for livestock used to come in cotton print sacks. They were stitched together at the top in much the same way as large bags of dog food are today. You could pull one end of the thread, and the stitching would rip out to open the bag. When empty, women laundered them to use as cloth. When I was a young child, most of my dresses were made from them. Making larger items required two or more sacks with the same print. Some of the sacks were even designed white with a wide colored border to be used as pillow cases of cafe curtain panels. Many a feed sack ended up in a patchwork quilt.

On top of that, large bags of flour also came in cotton sacks. Flour sacks, however, were white with the brand stamped in black or blue on the front. They could be used also, but they needed to be bleached to remove the printing. Country women often sewed these together to make bed sheets or quilt backings. Mother sometimes dyed them for her quilt backings. Feed sacks were common before the sixties.

Even earlier, sugar came in cloth sacks. I don't remember this, but I've heard stories of children wearing underwear made from these and being made fun of because of it. Ironically, today such sacks would be worth something.

_______________________________________

Thankful Jar

Developing a thankful attitude can change your life and fill you with happiness. It is impossible to be sad when you have a thankful heart. Thankfulness is a choice we make. We can choose to see the blessings in our lives instead of feeling mistreated. 

Some people keep a journal of things they're thankful for each day. It's amazing to look back and see the good things. Another idea is to keep a thankful jar. Each day you write on a slip of paper what you're most thankful for that day and place it in the jar. On the next Thanksgiving Day, you take them out and read them, and then you can begin a new year of thankfulness in the jar. When you become attuned to looking for the blessings, you'll find your days get better and better. Here's hoping you have a jarful of great things and a year filled with joy!

____________________________________

The First Thanksgiving

Do you think the first Thanksgiving in America happened with the Pilgrims in Massachusetts. Some in Virginia would say, "Think again." Berekley Plantation, between Williamsburg and Richmond, claims that honor.

Commissioned by the London Company, a group of men set sail from Bristol, England, on September 16, 1619, on the

Similar ship

Good Ship Margaret, under the command of Captain Woodlief. After encountering storms and poor living conditions aboard ship, they landed in Chesapeake Bay on November 28, 1619. On November 30, the ship moved into what now is Hampton Roads. The captain met with some friends and then proceeded up the King James River and landed at Berekley on December 4. Captain Woodlief had the men kneel, and, as commanded by the London Company, he prayed: 

"We ordaine this day of our ships arrival, at the place assigned for Plantacon, in the land of Virginia, shall be yearly perpetually kept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God" (http://www.berkeleyplantation.com/the-new-world.html#histva).

James River

This was 1 year and 17 days before the Pilgrims arrived in Massachusetts and almost 2 years before they held their harvest feast. Morgan Murphy of Southern Living procalimed Berkely Plantation the "site of the first official Thanksgiving in 1619." For more documentation, visit the Berkeley website.

Berkeley Plantation

The history of Berkeley continued.  A Georgian mansion was constructed on the site in 1726, and Presidents Benjamin Harrison and William Henry Harrison were born there. It also boast several other noteworthy events. Berkeley Plantation is a beautiful estate and well-worth a visit.

Location: 12602 Harrison Landing Road, Charles City, Virginia 23030
Phone: 804-829-2962 or 1-888-466-6018
Open: January - mid-March  - 10:30-3:30 & mid-March - December 9:30-4:30
Admission price: Adults $11; children 6-12 $6, 13-16 $7.50
10% discount for AAA members, military, & seniors

______________________________________________________________ 

Pilgrim Recipes

When the Pilgrims came to New World, they brought their way of cooking with them, but they also adjusted to new available foods. The Native Americans were a big help in this. Here are some of their recipes adjusted for today's cooks:

Skillet Cranberries
1 pound fresh cranberries
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups rum (will evaporate) or water with rum flavoring.

Mix ingredients into an iron skillet or oven-proof dish. Bake at 300 degrees until the liquid cooks out. Stir as little as possible to keep the cranberries from coming apart. Serves 4-6.

Chestnut Dressing for Turkey

2 pounds chestnuts

2 cups turkey or chicken stock or broth
6 green onions or scallions (optional)
1 celery stalk, chopped (optional)
3 cups small bread cubes, not too hard (lightly toasted is good)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup minced, cooked meat from turkey or chicken (use neck, back, wing or other dark pieces)
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
Place chestnuts in boiling water that covers them and cook for 15 - 20 minutes. Cool. Remove shells and inner husks and chop coarsely. Heat stock. Add butter and spices. Add celery and onions if using and cook for 5 minutes. Mix in meat. Remove from heat and stir in bread crumbs, mixing well. Stuff in turkey cavity and bake or in a baking dish at 375 degrees for about 20 -30 minutes or until brown enough.

New England Pumpkin Pie
2 cups strained or pureed pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
3 eggs, slightly beaten 
1 cup milk 
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup flour
Combine ingredients and mix well. Pour into pie crust and bake in preheated  400 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until slightly browned and set.

_________________________________________

Natural Dyeing

Long ago people learned to spin, weave, and make cloth. As a component of that process, they used natural dyes to give variety. Natural dyeing can be unpredictable, but that can be part of the fun. Dyers learn to experiment and can have unexpected delightful results or disappointments, because there are many variables.

The type of fiber affects the resulting shade and color. Dyers use cotton, linen, jute, or even silk, but wool is most commonly used. After the fiber is scoured, or given special washings, a mordant must be applied to help fix the dye. The type of mordant used will also affect the color. Many native peoples used urine. Another early mordant was tannic acid from tea, hemlock, or oak balls. Some dye materials, like lichen, contain their own mordants. Copper or iron pots do also. Chemical mordants, such as alum, tin, copper, chrome, iron, or tannic acid may be purchased today.

Then comes the best part - the dyeing. Here's where enthusiasts love to experiment. But here's some samples of colors:

     Black walnut hulls - dark brown
     Eggplant peelings - silver blue
     Pickle juice - bright yellow
     Red cabbage - pastel bluish lavender
     Red onion husks - rust brown
     Sunflower seed shells - yellows or tans
     Yellow onion husks - yellows or golds
     Blackberries - dark purple, or dark green with soda added
     Blueberries - blues, grays, or lavenders
     Cranberry juice - pinkish beige

     Huckleberries - bright bluish pink
     Strawberries - dull beige
     Yellow chrysanthemums - yellowish greens
     Dandelions - pale yellow
     Grass - grass green
     Purple pansies - intense bluish green
     Goldenrod flowers - yellows
     Cedar roots (soaked) - purplish black
     Maple leaves - greenish yellow

     Wood ashes cooked in an iron pot with a bit of lye - warm black
     Mushrooms - pinks, maroons, greens, blues, browns, grays, golds
     Coffee - beige to brown
     Tea - grays or tans
     Burgundy wine - brownish burgundy
I've tried to give an overview of dyeing. If anyone is really interested there's many books on the subject. Learn the basics and them experiment. Not knowing exactly what shade and color you'll get is the exciting part.

________________________________________

Fences

When Robert Frost said, "Good fences make good neighbors," he had an understanding of human nature. But fences have not always been seen as necessary, and they've certainly changed through the ages.

Ancient Roman walls

The first fences were so high they were called walls and usually protected ancient cities against invaders. We find such walls mentioned often in the Bible. A similar type of wall was used to fortify castles in the Medieval Period. 

In the rocky terrain of the British Isles, fences were often constructed of stones. The American colonists had plenty of trees available, and they made some variety of rail fencing, if they made any at all. For years many let all their animals range, especially in certain areas, although a few might try to enclose their garden area in some way.

With the invention of galvanization (see my post of 11-22-2024),

barbed wire became the norm for enclosing fields. Other forms followed, like chain link, chicken wire, electric, vinyl to imitate painted wooden ones, etc. Today there's a wide variety to choose from. 

Do fences make good neighbors? I guess it depends on your prospective. If you're somewhat of a recluse, you might agree with Arthur Baer who took Frost's comment a step further: "A good neighbour is a fellow who smiles at you over the back fence, but doesn't climb it."

_________________________________________

Thanksgiving Should Be an Attitude

Giving thanks shouldn't be something we do on a special Thursday in November or occasionally, when we think of it. Even thanking God for our food before meals or when we recognize a special blessing is not enough. We need to live with a thankful heart.

"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name" (Hebrews 13:15).

We can cultivate a thankful heart; it's a choice we make. Paul gave thanks in all his situations (and he went through beatings and imprisonment), because he knew God would use him for good, even in bad circumstances. Do you trust God that much?

"As ye therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye with him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:6-7). "giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20).

In Jesus Calling, Sarah Young writes, "A thankful heart opens the windows of heaven.... Thankfulness opens you up to these experiences [glimpses of heaven's glory], which provide further reasons to be grateful" (p.341). Isn't this a marvelous cycle of blessings, understanding how great God is, and recognizing how good He is to us? Cultivate a thankful heart and attitude and see how much better your life seems.

"O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever" (1 Chronicles 16:34).

______________________________________________________

Galvanization Changed Things

Before galvanization, tubs, buckets, and other large containers had been made from wood. Nails came from a blacksmith and rusted easily, therefore wooden pegs were also still used. Galvanization changed all this. Some of the older generation may even remember taking a bath in a galvanized tub.

Galvanizing applies a zinc coating to iron or steel to keep it from rusting. The first patent for the process came in France in 1837, but the earliest example came from India in the 1600's on armor. Galvanization just slows down the process of rusting but doesn't completely stop it. Since it is a thin layer applied to the exposed areas, a dent will cause the metal to rust quickly. Yet, galvanized

items are expected to last around 50 years in non-coastal climates and 25 years in a coastal environment.

Not only did galvanization revolutionize the container industry so that buckets and tubs no longer were commonly made from wood,

but now nails no longer rusted so quickly, and farm and ranch fencing changed to barbed wire. All of these had a tremendous effect on America as other galvanized products arrived. The first U. S. patent for this new fencing was given to Lucien Smith of Kent, Ohio in 1867. Many different styles of barbs developed, and over 2,000 different varieties were used.

I know of two museums dedicated to just barbed wire. The one I've visited is in LaCrosse, Kansas, and there's also the Devil's Barbed Wire Museum in McLean, Texas.  In addition there are various societies and associations for barbed wire.

_________________________________________

What's a Book Worth?

Today's value system leaves questions in many of our minds. When professional athletes and entertainment stars make mega-millions, and our teachers' children often qualify for reduced price school lunches if both parents don't work, we might scratch our heads.

It's the same with books. The ebooks have not only changed the reading format, but they've changed the pricing. Now, most people are no longer willing to pay $20 for a book. Many even balk at paying over $5 for an ebook. Yet, these same people have no problem paying over $5 for a cup of Starbucks specialty coffees or a dish of frozen yogurt that will be gone in a few minutes. 

With indie authors and publishers sometimes offering free ebooks, is that our expectation now? I'm an avid reader, too, and I find my mindset changing over the years. There's whole groups out there, especially on the social media sites, who expect authors to send them free books for their reviews. Are we shooting the rising star authors before they get off the ground? Is writing only going to be left to a select few?

Putting on my author's hat, I worry that I can't compete with these views. With my first novel coming out 

soon, I can't afford to give away many books, because each time I do, over $10 comes out of my own pocket. My publisher has indicated that the print copy will cost around $15 and the ebook about $5.99. Will readers think this is too high? I know that if this first one doesn't sell well, the next one won't be published.

I find my answer right now from my place as a Christian writer. I am writing to give God the glory. I feel He has given me whatever talent I have and that's why I plan to donate all of my book profits to charities. None if this is about the money or fame for me, but I need to sell if I want to keep doing this. So, I turn the dilemma over to God. I am His and my writing is His. To Him be the glory and may His will be done.

________________________________________

Gathering Wood

Getting wood used to be a pretty endless job, especially in colder climates. At one time, people burned wood to cook with all year long, as well as to heat their homes in winter.

In Cleared for Planting, when the Moretzes weren't busy elsewhere on the farm, they cut, hauled, split, and stacked wood. When Edgar saw how little firewood the Cagles had, he seemed worried. Since this would be the first winter Emma had spent in the Appalachian Mountains, she didn't know what to expect, but everyone said it would be rough.

Much of what I wrote about in Cleared for Planting comes from personal experience. Although I have never done the initial cutting or splitting, I've watched, and I've helped with sawing the logs into usable lengths and carrying and stacking the pieces. Pulling one end of a crosscut saw was hard work, but it made me feel special when Dad was on the other end. 

My father and his family had sawmilled, so he knew about wood. We only used pine for starter or kindling and burned hardwoods. Burning pine causes creosote buildup in the flue or chimney, which can cause a chimney fire and burn down the house. 

I'm glad we don't have to work so hard to heat and cook today, but fresh cut wood still brings back wonderful memories. As the old saying goes, "Cutting wood warms you twice - when you do the work and when you burn the wood."

_____________________________________

Help for Achy Bones and Joints

In the Appalachian Roots series, three of the heroines know something about herbal healing. It's an interesting and almost exhaustive subject.

A little over a year ago, I ran across a health tip for something that seems to ease my arthritis pain - ginger. I use about 1/4 teaspoon of the spice sprinkled in a beverage, like hot tea, water, or a lemon-lime soda once a day. You can also buy ginger tea. My husband prefers the over-the-counter ginger root pill, which he takes once a day. This won't cure the condition, but it eases my pain and makes me less stiff.

My mother had severe arthritis and took ibuprofen for years. In the end, she had kidney failure, likely from the pain medication, and had to go on dialysis. Because of this, I've been hesitant to take

ibuprofen or acetaminophen (which can cause liver problems) on a regular basis. Therefore, the ginger is a welcomed alternative.

As with any supplement or medication, you should consult with your doctor, for individual cases and needs can vary. I did, and mine said ginger was also good for the digestion.

___________________________________

Old World and New World Foods

As we're coming up on Thanksgiving, it's interesting to note what foods were brought to the New World from Europe and what foods the Europeans took back with them. Most of our traditional Thanksgiving meal did come from the Americas. Here's a list:

Found in the Americas -
potatoes          corn            beans             turkey             pumpkins   cabbage
peppers           pecans        tomatoes       
peanuts           avocado      squash
cranberries     pecans        sunflowers 
blueberries     pineapple   black walnuts
guava               papaya        huckleberries
pineapple       peanuts       maple syrup
cashews          vanilla         hickory nuts
chocolate        zucchini      Brazil nuts    
American chestnut


Found in Europe -
wheat             cinnamon   radishes         
chickpeas       cucumber   asparagus            
melons            chickens     cloves
figs                   rice              cows
mutton            garlic           sugar cane
pigs                  sheep           hazelnuts      
citrus fruits     goats           nutmeg
almonds          mango        apples            
apricots           okra             olives             
bananas           onions        beets               
peaches            pears          pistachios
artichoke         peas            kale                 
collards            tea              cabbage           
rhubarb           turnips       carrots            
watermelon    Brussels sprouts
cauliflower      English walnuts 
coriander or cilantro            

    

____________________________________