Simultaneously, David interceded a turtle crossing the lawn on its way to find a big luscious strawberry in the garden (not like he’s ever experienced a Stelzl strawberry before!) – did you know that turtles love strawberries? Someone found another turtle, and now I’m convinced that we might as well just start a petting farm or a zoo while we’re at it!

So, that was yesterday’s excitement. We ended up letting them all go on the other side of the road, where the dogs couldn’t get to them.

You never know what will happen. It’s not everyday that a 5″ frog and two turtles come to visit!

Oh, and while we’re on the topic of unusual incidents, and cute animals…remember Buddy? We got him as a puppy in September last year, from a couple handing out free German Shepherds on the side of the road in Waxhaw. In December when we had our traditional Christmas party gathering, some friends of ours mentioned that they had a dog that looked just like Buddy, that had jumped into their car at the library in Waxhaw. They had taken him home, not sure of what to do with him and had still not found the owners (several weeks later). Long story short, they ended up giving him to us, after we discovered that the dogs were brothers from the same batch of puppies. It’s funny…they named theirs Buddy, and we got ours already named Buddy. We had to rename their Buddy, so we call him Shiloh.

This year we are enjoying the sweet reward of his diligent work, and the Lord’s abundant blessings! Who would have thought such tiny plants could become so healthy and fruitful!!! We have enjoyed going out to the garden to look for ripe berries, and returning with handfuls. There are few things so rewarding as planting a garden, and watching the Lord bring forth life from such tiny seeds. God is good!

Our garden is doing so well! In the past we have always struggled with our rocky-orange-clay soil, because it seems the only thing we successfully grow here is weeds. This year, after months of working with Michael to plant cover crops and improve the soil conditions, David tilled the garden and found the soil much better! We are grateful for Michael’s knowledge and help, and God’s blessing on our garden!

This year we planted tomatoes (big ones, as well as cherry tomatoes), cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, corn, lettuce, bell peppers, cantaloupe, watermelon, spaghetti squash, strawberries, blueberries, black raspberries, blackberries, and of course our orchard (peaches, nectarines, apples, and crab-apples – for pollination purposes).

The bee farm has officially expanded, from two to six hives. We are grateful for the Lord’s provision, and look forward to seeing how he will bless the honeybees. (The two hives on the far left are the only ones that survived the winter, and the biggest one is quickly filling up with honey!)

See our lovely orchard? The fruit trees are barely visible in the midst of flourishing squash plants. They sprouted from the compost that the trees were planted in earlier this spring. We recently weeded out TONS of plants which we moved to the edge of the woods where the soil is very nice. They are loaded with tiny squashes growing strong and healthy – far better than even the ones in the garden! It’s always nice to have a few extra squashes, so no one is complaining over here . We dug up one plant at the base of a black raspberry bush, only to find a cabbage core that had sprouted .

So there you have it! The Stelzl Family farm is growing very nicely, and we are so grateful to see all that the Lord has provided and brought to pass. We are amazed with each passing day to behold the gift of life in each healthy plant, and look forward to the sweet reward of home-grown fruits and vegetables in the months and years ahead.

Psalm 111:2-3 “The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honorable and glorious: and His righteousness endureth for ever.”

Today we did LOTS of preparation for the conference. Bethany and Josiah went shopping for their snack stand this past week, and set to work making signs for the table they will set up outside the auditorium at breaks. I baked 40+ giant cookies, 50 bran muffins, and 2 pans of buttery black raspberry bars made with natural sugars, for the snack table. It was a LONG day filled with excitement and planning. Several of us worked on our testimonies/talks that we will be giving this weekend, and printed workbooks/handouts for the registration table.

We are looking forward to a good night’s rest, and an early start tomorrow! Stay tuned for updates from the conference.

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” – Philippians 1:6

We love you Hannah and David!!!

Tiny Tim enjoyed helping out. He is always eager to do “man’s work”!!!

The boys found a snake while we were filling in the holes with different types of soil, sand, and peat moss. We think it was a worm snake – they are not poisonous, but eat earthworms.

It’s been over a month since we planted our orchard, expanded the blueberry garden, and started our seeds for the garden plants. We are thrilled to watch the trees budding, the blueberries ripening, and the garden alive with healthy plants (We’ve been enjoying an abundance of delicious strawberries from the 50+ plants we purchased in SC – from a man who owns a strawberry farm and had 2000 extra plants which he sold for $0.25 each).

We laugh about the orchard, because there are huge patches of thriving vegetable plants around the base of each tree, that sprouted from all the compost we mixed in.

This week, four more hives of bees arrived, ready to be assembled and added to the farm. We were able to go into the hives this week and mark the queens, so we will have more success with locating them in the future – just to be sure each hive still has a queen and is expanding.

We are excited to see how the Lord will bless the bee farm, as well as the orchard and the gardens. Our little farm is growing, and it is a joy to behold the gift of life everywhere!

Tomatoes, Squash, Potatoes, and strawberries are thriving in the garden right now. Soon we will plant our remaining plants, which we started from seed earlier this year.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty…He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth.” – Psalm 104:1, 13-14

Yes it is all those things! But Gratitude is so much more…

Gratitude goes beyond the sweet, the lovely, the pleasant, the gift-wrapped, bow-tied packages… Gratitude is realizing that whatever I’m going through today, and whatever my family is facing, is part of a bigger picture that God is painting. While I see only a line on the paper, a streak of color, He sees the completed work – perfection. Gratitude trusts a holy God with a divinely appointed plan. It is knowing and believing that the joys and blessings and smiles, as well as trials and challenges and tears, are all part of life’s classroom – and the test we face is the choice to receive or resist the grace of God – today, tomorrow, next week.

We all face difficult moments in life. Some are harder than others. Today may seem darker than yesterday for one person; but perhaps the sun is beginning to break through the clouds for another. Day begins to dawn, with the rising sun; but with the end of the day comes a season of darkness…waiting, watching, praying, hoping. These are the moments that we are offered God’s incredible grace, and the chance to trust His bigger purposes when we cannot see beyond the pencil lines of today. But it is a choice each person must make – each family must make.

Recently we began to have a time of sharing around the table at each meal, as a family. When we gather together for a meal, we go around and share areas of gratitude, things that we are grateful for. What a joy it is, to exhort one another daily – to hear father, mother, sister, brother, son, daughter – sharing what they are grateful for, and why! It brings peace and harmony to the table. It fills the home with joy and gratitude. Hearts overflowing with praise and thanksgiving – it is bringing glory to God’s name. When we would have been tempted to complain, or be anxious about the upcoming events of a busy day, or to fall beneath the burden of a trial hard to bear… we are reminded of so many wonderful blessings that God has bestowed upon us, that we are not worthy to receive.

This week we were reminded of Paul, who endured unimaginable trials, and was deprived of all his worldly possessions but the very clothes on his back – yet even then, he exhorted his fellow believers to be thankful for everything, always, and to be anxious for nothing, fully content.

“Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness…” (2 Corinthians 11:24-27)

We are learning as a family, to put aside the worry, fear, grumbling, complaining, murmuring, despair that could accompany the trials we encounter in life. Rather, let us watch and wait for the dawning of the morning. Let us rejoice and be thankful, that we serve a God who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy. His compassion fails not. Praise the Lord!

What are you facing today as a family, or as an individual. If you are not facing a trial right now, you are sure to face one at some time in the future. Purpose to take the path of gratitude, even when you do not feel like it.

The choice to be grateful, is the choice to receive God’s blessed gift of overwhelming joy! Gratitude and joy go hand in hand; yes, they are inseparably linked!

Only He sees the bigger picture. Remember, He is the Master Artist. We see only the glimpse of today, the moment of time we are living in. Trust the One Who sees the perfect ending. He knows best!

So let us die to self, that we may live for Christ. Let us endure the pruning, that we may bear more fruit! Let us press on through the times of refining and purging, that we may come forth as gold (Job 23:10). May the likeness of Christ be seen in our lives, as we choose to respond with gratefulness!!! It is a choice.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice…Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true…honest…just…pure…lovely…of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:4-7)

It’s so hard to believe that one year ago today you said goodbye to this world and passed into the arms of Jesus. I was hundreds of miles away when they called and said you were gone. It was evening, and I went out on a great big beautiful hill in the middle of Michigan, and watched the sunset while I cried tears and talked to God. We had watched and waited and sat there beside you for more than three weeks. We had sung your favorite songs, shared the glorious gospel with you, read you passages from Scripture, fed you meals, talked to you, and watched you slowly slip away. There were times you didn’t know who we were; you saw things that weren’t really there; you cried, and were afraid, and fell out of bed. You asked Jesus to save you and have mercy on you. I got to know you so much better, as my friend, as my grandfather.

It’s been a long time since that day, and somehow still it’s hard for me to understand that you’re really in heaven, because I never saw your eyes close for the last time, never heard your heart stop beating. It felt like a dream. I still picture you tucked into bed back home, watching the birds and flowers outside your window, calling for someone to get you something.

Grandpa, I don’t remember much about you from my growing up years, but what I do is special. I saw you draw beautiful pictures like none I’d ever seen. You told stories about your life that made the past come alive. You made me imagine your childhood as though I had been there. You were kind and sweet and gentle. You taught us new things and patiently worked with us until we mastered the rules of your favorite card game – which we still enjoy as a family.

Those are faint memories from my younger years. The most special memories I have that I cherish, are the last days we spent with you in PA last year – those long days of sitting by your bed, praying, talking to you, sharing Jesus with you. At that time I was afraid and anxious and worn out. It was difficult. I didn’t know what would happen, and how much longer you would have to live. I wasn’t prepared to be away from my family in an unfamiliar place when you passed away. But now looking back, it was such a blessing from God to have that time with you as a family leading up to your farewell. It brought joy to my heart and tears to my eyes to hear you talk to God, to witness your humble cry for mercy. When you felt unworthy, the words to your favorite song (Just As I Am) were a constant reminder to you of the Father’s redeeming, saving love! As you lay there suffering in body, troubled and weary, you cried out to Jesus, you thanked Him for His grace. I saw you reach out and receive His gift of eternal life. “Just as I am without one plea; but that Thy blood was shed for me. And that thou bidst me come to Thee, o lamb of God I come, I come.”

God gave me such a deep love for you during those weeks. I sat beside your bed memorizing Psalm 119 out loud, so you would be comforted in your delirious state. I fed you when you could no longer feed yourself, and my heart went out to you. I got to know you better in those weeks. You accepted your physical weakness without complaining. I never heard you murmur about being bedridden or confined to the house. You smiled, and held our hands, and always told us you were doing just fine. My love for you grew so much deeper. I learned so many wonderful lessons from you.

Grandpa, I look forward to the day when we will see you again face to face – with no tears, no pain, no sickness or sorrow. Then we will be reunited with Christ together in heaven. I am filled with joy to know that you will be there. I’m so glad you are not suffering any more. Your pain is gone. You don’t need your oxygen or your bed or your medicines anymore. You don’t have to look outside the window and long to feel the freedom of the fresh air outside. In heaven there is so much joy and beauty. Life is glorious and perfect with Christ. Truly you are at peace.

I love you grandpa. I miss you so much!

Love,

Sarah

When baking with gluten free flours add the following amounts of xanthan gum to your recipe.

Cookies……………………………1/4 teaspoon per cup of flour
Cakes and Pancakes………………1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour
Muffins and Quick Breads…………3/4 teaspoon per cup of flour
Breads………………………………1 to 1-1/2 tsp. per cup of flour
Pizza Dough……………………… 2 teaspoons per cup of flour
For Salad Dressings…Use 1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum per 8 oz. of liquid

For instance, if I am baking muffins (which I am!), I will need 3/4 tsp. xanthan gum per cup of flour. In the recipe below, I am using 2-1/4 cups gluten free flour (in place of regular flour), and the recipe will not turn out as it normally would with regular flour. In this case I will use about 1-3/4 tsp. or maybe even 2 tsp. xanthan gum just to be safe. In case you’re wondering, it turned out WONDERFUL!!!

Carrot Zucchini Muffins

For the original recipe (containing whole wheat flour, honey, and sugar) click HERE!

2-1/4 cups all purpose gluten free baking flour (We have tried King Arthur and Bob’s Red Mill)

3/4 cup cooked oatmeal (I made mine using steel cut oats)

1 tsp. salt

1-3/4 – 2 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tablespoons ground flax seed powder

3 eggs

1 cup applesauce

1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

3 tablespoons agave syrup

1/2 cup coconut sugar or date sugar

10 drops vanilla creme flavored liquid stevia

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup shredded zucchini

1 cup shredded carrots

In a large bowl combine the flour, oatmeal, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and flax seed powder. In a separate bowl beat together the eggs, applesauce, yogurt or sour cream, sweeteners, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix in the zucchini and carrots. Spoon batter into well greased muffin tins, and bake at 400 F. degrees for about 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool a few minutes before removing muffins from the pan.

For a yummy topping, we mixed together about 4 oz Quark cheese (We buy it at Earthfare – a healthy local food store) with some maple syrup, liquid stevia, and finely ground pecans. It makes a delicious sweet cream cheese filling to spoon over top.

Note: Try substituting the carrots and zucchini for blueberries and/or grated apples!

It’s nice to be able to enjoy bread again (after what seems like FOREVER) even if it’s gluten free! The quark cheese and sour cream are two dairy products that we have added back in in small quantities, as well as farmer’s cheese, kefir and plain yogurt on occasion. With the last two, we’ve been having fun with the blender (fruit smoothies on Saturday!).

Enjoy with people you love!!!

To make the waffles, mix together the following ingredients in a large mixing bowl:

1 cup rice flour, or gluten free baking flour (Note: if it has baking powder in it, you will need to reduce the amount it calls for below)

1/4 cup Tapioca flour

1/4 cup Corn starch

1/4 cup Potato starch

1 Tablespoon Baking powder

1 teaspoon Salt

(You can use 1/2 cup of potato starch, or 1/2 cup of corn starch if you prefer not to use both)

1-1/3 cups Water + 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider vinegar, whisked together (or 1-1/3 cups buttermilk if you prefer)

2 Eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 Tablespoons melted butter, or oil (coconut, sunflower, olive, etc.)

Whisk the ingredients together with a wire whisk or use a blender to ensure that there are no lumps of flour left. Heat a waffle iron or griddle to make waffles or pancakes. Serve hot with fruit syrup (recipe below) or other toppings! Makes about 8 square (4×4″) waffles.

Berry Syrup

To make the berry syrup, blend enough strawberries, blueberries, or other desired berries (with a little warm water) in the blender to make about 4-5 cups of puree (I partially thawed the frozen berries before blending them).

Pour into a saucepan.

Stir in several tablespoons of maple syrup (or whatever natural sugar you like best!) until it has reached your desired sweetness!

Heat over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling but not boiling.

Remove from heat and gradually whisk in tapioca flour until the liquid begins to thicken to desired consistency (about 1/8 cup).

Serve over waffles, and do enjoy!!!

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients~

1 large onion

2 cloves of garlic

Olive oil

3 cups water

16 cups chicken stock or broth

3 cups wild rice (Add or take depending on how you like your soup)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

10 large carrots, thinly sliced

2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained

(Note: the crock pot is an ideal way to cook up a batch on a busy day !)

Frozen baby broccoli florets, thawed

Frozen cut green beans, thawed

Frozen sweet peas, thawed

Instructions~

In a large pot, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil over med-high heat. The onion should be translucent when you are finished. Add the water, chicken stock, rice, and some salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken breasts, and carrots, and bring back to a boil again. Lower the temperature and cook until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Cut the chicken breasts into small bite size pieces and return to the pot. Add the black beans, broccoli, green beans, and peas. Simmer until the rice is cooked, and the carrots are soft.

Enjoy with people you love!!!