Parenting. It is an "interesting" subject to say the least in any context but it community we have some unique forms of "interesting".
Our toddlers are trying to work out some sort of pecking order. They love each other. They enjoy each other. They fight like cats and dogs. That would be interesting in and of itself but we add our differing parenting in to the mix. Thankfully we parent in similar fashion. We hold very similar values etc. At least we don't have huge conflicts. We respect each other as parents. But it doesn't come easy. Each of us have to take turns backing off and letting the other take charge of the situation. We have to trust that each one of us as parents love each others children and have their best in mind. We have to talk things out. Sometimes it isn't easy and sometimes it isn't fun. We have to be honest and open and willing to talk about how we feel and how we can compromise as parents while still staying autonomous.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Do it yourself.
Saturday is "do it yourself" night.
Our kitchen is the hub of our community. We love to eat. We love to talk. We love to cook. We love to get really close, sometimes really close. Have I mentioned that our kitchen it tiny? It doesn't stop us from putting half of the community in there all at one time.
Some amazing creations come out of that kitchen.
We take turns cooking. There are few people, those who work outside of the community, who bow out and do the dishes but everyone else takes their turn to cook one day a week. Baking is free game.
Once a week we go grocery shopping. Two of us usually go. It's normally the same two. We work with a fairly inflexible budget. We shop smart. We buy good food. We buy lots of fresh food. We buy organic as much as we are able. In the summer we grow things. We keep chickens. We like to buy as self sustaining as we can without tying us down too much to travel. It's a little complicated but we enjoy it that way, it keeps all these hands and minds busy and that is not an easy chore with this crew.
Saturday is "do it yourself" night. Sometimes there is leftovers that didn't get taken by the working people to lunch. People like to go to the local Chinese place on Saturdays. We're all bummed because it doesn't open until 4 p.m. anymore, it's a bummer because it used to be most of our favorite place for lunch, 4 p.m. makes for a late lunch. So people go out, people fix whatever or heat up leftovers. Strangely enough there were only three of us plus one toddler for dinner here tonight. It feels strangely lonely. Nice sometimes but very quiet. I'll be ready for the dinner activity tomorrow.
Our kitchen is the hub of our community. We love to eat. We love to talk. We love to cook. We love to get really close, sometimes really close. Have I mentioned that our kitchen it tiny? It doesn't stop us from putting half of the community in there all at one time.
Some amazing creations come out of that kitchen.
We take turns cooking. There are few people, those who work outside of the community, who bow out and do the dishes but everyone else takes their turn to cook one day a week. Baking is free game.
Once a week we go grocery shopping. Two of us usually go. It's normally the same two. We work with a fairly inflexible budget. We shop smart. We buy good food. We buy lots of fresh food. We buy organic as much as we are able. In the summer we grow things. We keep chickens. We like to buy as self sustaining as we can without tying us down too much to travel. It's a little complicated but we enjoy it that way, it keeps all these hands and minds busy and that is not an easy chore with this crew.
Saturday is "do it yourself" night. Sometimes there is leftovers that didn't get taken by the working people to lunch. People like to go to the local Chinese place on Saturdays. We're all bummed because it doesn't open until 4 p.m. anymore, it's a bummer because it used to be most of our favorite place for lunch, 4 p.m. makes for a late lunch. So people go out, people fix whatever or heat up leftovers. Strangely enough there were only three of us plus one toddler for dinner here tonight. It feels strangely lonely. Nice sometimes but very quiet. I'll be ready for the dinner activity tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Beautiful Chaos
We had a meeting last night. Surprisingly we don't have very many serious meetings around here. When things are rolling they are just rolling and there aren't many glitches other than the occasional growly day that someone might experience.
That is one thing. You always know when someone is having an "off" day. You can stay in you personal cabin all you want but sometime you are going to have to come out to eat or something and people are going to see whatever mood your in. We like to call it fish bowl living, I know, original huh?
Our meeting revolved around unholy vs holy and what does that mean? What does that mean in practical application? We don't like anything that we can't really dig our teeth in to, we want to be able to touch it, smell it and taste it. It all boiled down to is whatever you are doing or thinking of doing going to take you closer to Jesus or farther away? Is going to distract you? Distance you? And you standing there making the choice whether that thing is "good" or "evil" pretty much answers the question for you right there - there was one tree that was to be eaten from and that was the tree of Life not of the knowledge of good and evil.
Our meetings are always open forum. People are free to talk, cry, even get angry. Everyone is welcome to express their feelings and their frustrations or a bit of knowledge that they've picked up. We debate. We get emotional. And we all tough it out until we've discussed it from all angles and then we have coffee and some sort of baked good and someone cracks a joke (and believe me they are never the "so the chicken crossed the road" type) and everyone is laughing. And there are babies yelling, did I mention that?
Beautiful chaos filled Life.
That is one thing. You always know when someone is having an "off" day. You can stay in you personal cabin all you want but sometime you are going to have to come out to eat or something and people are going to see whatever mood your in. We like to call it fish bowl living, I know, original huh?
Our meeting revolved around unholy vs holy and what does that mean? What does that mean in practical application? We don't like anything that we can't really dig our teeth in to, we want to be able to touch it, smell it and taste it. It all boiled down to is whatever you are doing or thinking of doing going to take you closer to Jesus or farther away? Is going to distract you? Distance you? And you standing there making the choice whether that thing is "good" or "evil" pretty much answers the question for you right there - there was one tree that was to be eaten from and that was the tree of Life not of the knowledge of good and evil.
Our meetings are always open forum. People are free to talk, cry, even get angry. Everyone is welcome to express their feelings and their frustrations or a bit of knowledge that they've picked up. We debate. We get emotional. And we all tough it out until we've discussed it from all angles and then we have coffee and some sort of baked good and someone cracks a joke (and believe me they are never the "so the chicken crossed the road" type) and everyone is laughing. And there are babies yelling, did I mention that?
Beautiful chaos filled Life.
Monday, January 17, 2011
"Who will go for us?"
“And then I heard the voice of the Master: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” I spoke up, “I'll go, Send me!”
Matthias made an amazing point this past Sunday during Freedom Seed's worship meeting. He siad that Isaiah overheard the Master speaking. The question wasn't directed at him. The Master was having a discussion, wondering out loud if you will, putting it out there for anyone to hear. And there was Isaiah, listening in. He volunteered, shouted out HERE I AM! Letting the Master that you wanted the job.
That's what we are doing. We have let you all in on our desire to continue to reach out and we are currently searching for ways to become self-supporting. We are taking steps to start up a mobile mini donut/coffee house as well as several other small businesses. We are still accepting interns during the summer and have been very excited to see how the Master has worked in their lives.
Tracy is graduating from midwifery school late this spring. We are all very proud of her.
We have an opportunity to connect the dots, or I should say to send a team to explore once again the possibility of connecting the dots. Oaxaca Mexico. Coffee. The best coffee we have had in Mexico. Also there is a brand new ministry started up that is in desperate need of midwives, you can see the ministry here: www.birthcenter.blogspot.com. They also need people to complete building projects.
As you all know Mexico is very close to our hearts and we continue to find a way to plant a base in another country, specifically Mexico or India, or even more maybe Mexico and then India.
We have overheard the Master and have shouted out “HERE WE ARE, SEND US!” and the Master has filled us with vision and purpose and a great passion.
We would like to send a small scout team to Oaxaca the second week of February to meet with the owners of the birth center as well as explore coffee options and the possibility of a business and base. We know how important it is to take our interns out of the country and we know that to keep ourselves moving forward we have to continue to connect and reach out.
If you are interested in supporting the exploratory team contact us by e-mail, letter or you can send a gift through pay pal on our website.
Please pray for our team!
Blessings,
Jasmine C.
Communications
Freedom Seed
Mobile Youth Church
44528 County Rd 3
Becida, MN 56678
(218)854-7327
info@freedomseed.org
www.FreedomSeed.org
Matthias made an amazing point this past Sunday during Freedom Seed's worship meeting. He siad that Isaiah overheard the Master speaking. The question wasn't directed at him. The Master was having a discussion, wondering out loud if you will, putting it out there for anyone to hear. And there was Isaiah, listening in. He volunteered, shouted out HERE I AM! Letting the Master that you wanted the job.
That's what we are doing. We have let you all in on our desire to continue to reach out and we are currently searching for ways to become self-supporting. We are taking steps to start up a mobile mini donut/coffee house as well as several other small businesses. We are still accepting interns during the summer and have been very excited to see how the Master has worked in their lives.
Tracy is graduating from midwifery school late this spring. We are all very proud of her.
We have an opportunity to connect the dots, or I should say to send a team to explore once again the possibility of connecting the dots. Oaxaca Mexico. Coffee. The best coffee we have had in Mexico. Also there is a brand new ministry started up that is in desperate need of midwives, you can see the ministry here: www.birthcenter.blogspot.com. They also need people to complete building projects.
As you all know Mexico is very close to our hearts and we continue to find a way to plant a base in another country, specifically Mexico or India, or even more maybe Mexico and then India.
We have overheard the Master and have shouted out “HERE WE ARE, SEND US!” and the Master has filled us with vision and purpose and a great passion.
We would like to send a small scout team to Oaxaca the second week of February to meet with the owners of the birth center as well as explore coffee options and the possibility of a business and base. We know how important it is to take our interns out of the country and we know that to keep ourselves moving forward we have to continue to connect and reach out.
If you are interested in supporting the exploratory team contact us by e-mail, letter or you can send a gift through pay pal on our website.
Please pray for our team!
Blessings,
Jasmine C.
Communications
Freedom Seed
Mobile Youth Church
44528 County Rd 3
Becida, MN 56678
(218)854-7327
info@freedomseed.org
www.FreedomSeed.org
Thursday, January 13, 2011
What's up with your summer?
Are you looking for a life change? A break from school? A break before you go back to school? Do you need some perspective? Some time to reflect? Some character building? Do you want to try something new? Be stretched and changed? Maybe the Freedom Seed base is for you this summer!
Sunday, January 09, 2011
The "A" Team
The Freedom Seed "A" Team is headed to Texas at the end of this month to be parking lot supervisors at the Superbowl! Our team is pretty excited and looking forward to seeing a little warm(er) sun for a week. This is a great opportunity for our logistics and event coordinators team to get their feet wet in another type of event.
We are excited to see how God is going to use our team for event planning in the future. They are great at it.
We are excited to see how God is going to use our team for event planning in the future. They are great at it.
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