Prairie Oak Homestead

If you scroll down to the "labels" section of this blog, it will become clear to you Who the center of my life is.  It's the label with the most posts... I serve such a faithful God. He is always there for me whether I "feel" it or not.  He reveals Himself to me at what seem to be insignificant times like when I'm doing the dishes or cleaning the toilet. He also reveals Himself to me in the stillness of the day. When things are quiet and all I hear is the crackling of the woodstove, I hear Him speak to me in my spirit.  He also reveals Himself to me through His word. (This is the way I hear Him most) Being in the word is so important.  Just opening up the bible and reading a scripture that jumps off the page right into your heart is so moving to me. I love it.  On a rough day, I came across this..."O Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy, in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief." Psalm 143:1 Or when I struggle wit

I found this recipe on Pinterest and had to share! I will be making mine with grain free chocolate chip cookies. (you can find that recipe here on my blog). These look SO delicious!   I am so in love with these darn chocolate lava cookies! What is it about a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie stuffed with decadent, rich, melted chocolate that makes it so irresistible?? Especially when topped with vanilla ice cream. These are one of Kev’s favorite homemade treats, and he usually asks me to make them at least once a week. They are so simple to whip up, and such a treat! Let’s make some right now :)   All you really need for these fabulous cookies is your favorite cookie dough and a bag of chocolate chips. My favorite cookie dough just happens to be Picky Palate’s , and it works perfectly for this recipe, but you could just as easily use a store-bought mix or even refrigerated cookie dough. Slice and bake cookie dough would be so simple here! But my heart will always belo

I had an appointment today with a rheumatologist. He was a nice guy and very thorough. I was referred to him for help in finding the cause of my bone marrow edema. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis today.... I was bummed.  I am having issues with my right hand. My pinky is heading off in another direction lol and the other fingers are more knobby. My wrist hurts there, too. I have been having trouble with doing the dishes for quite some time often dropping and breaking things. (We are moving to more plastic lol)  My knee is getting better, but does not bend properly and my never. But, the painful flare is dissipating.  He started me on a medicine called sulfasalazine, which is a medicine for inflammation, but not a pain medicine. So not an NSAID. I hope it helps. I know there is no cure for this and like my MG, we need to slow down the progression/flares.  I am still going to do the things I love like gardening and sewing until I just can't any longer. It may take me l

This chicken seemed so simple, yet it was so flavorful! I recommend you give it a try. :)   Cinnamon Chicken 1 3lbs chicken, cut into 8 pieces (breasts, drumsticks, thighs and wings); ½ tsp sea salt; ½ tsp black pepper; 2/3 tsp cinnamon; 2 cloves garlic, minced; ½ tsp paprika; 1 onion, sliced; 1 cup water or chicken stock Preheat your oven to 400 F. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic and cinnamon. Rub the chicken pieces with this mixture and allow it to sit for about 30 minutes at room temperature. Place the chicken pieces in a large roasting pan, sprinkle the meat all over with the paprika and add the onion slices to the pan. Cook for 35 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350 F.  Stir in a cup of water to the roasting pan and continue cooking for another 50 minutes. Serve and use the juices from the pan as a sauce. I got the recipe for the Cinnamon Chicken here.  Pin It

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 I absolutely LOVE this verse. It really hits home for me. I can be so weak with my Myasthenia Gravis that I don't have any strength to fight. It is so comforting knowing He fights for me!  I just need only to be still...something I have had no choice in lately, but it has given me the opportunity to let Him fight for me. :)  I am off to the orthopedic surgeon today to speak to him about my bone marrow edema. He may need to do surgery to see why I keep getting it. I have had it 4 times in the last 5 yrs and 2 times in the last 6 mos. The swelling has gone down tremendously and I am experience almost no pain with it right now! Whew!  I still cannot bend my knee fully though. I hope he can find some answers. My family doc wanted him to do some biopsies of the bone marrow. If the edema is gone then I'm not sure if he will do it. I just have to wait and see what he wants to do. Who knows, I may end up seeing yet another doc in this journey. lol... I hope you all can find encou

This recipe comes from Caveman Food. You can see the original recipe  here Sometimes you just want something crunchy, or you want something to spread your favorite dip on rather than just eat it with a spoon. This is one of the banes of low carb/paleo existence. Luckily, it's dead easy to whip up some almond crackers to satisfy on both counts! You can enjoy them as is or use them as vehicles for other tasty food such as guacamole or pate. You could even make them into dessert by adding some cinnamon or pie spice to the dough and perhaps a touch of honey or maple syrup. GRAIN FREE ALMOND CRACKERS ingredients: 1 cup almond flour 1 egg white 1 pinch salt (that's it!) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the almond flour, egg white, and salt until it forms a paste. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Make sure you use parchment paper, because if you don't you'll end up chipping your crackers out of the pa

This was the best meatloaf I have ever made. My husband said that he would even consider this for his last meal lol. A must try! Paleo meatloaf 1 lb ground beef or venison 1 lb mild italian sausage or pork 1 ½ tsp sea salt; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 1 egg; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 2 cups white button mushrooms, finely chopped; 1 tsp chili pepper flakes; 3 tsp fresh thyme, minced; 1 tsp fresh oregano, minced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; ½ cup ketchup (can be homemade) 1 tbsp honey, optional; ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce, optional; Preheat your oven to 350 F. In a medium sized skillet placed over a medium heat, melt butter, add the mushrooms and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. In a large bowl, combine the meat, salt, pepper, egg, onion, mushrooms, chili pepper, thyme, oregano and garlic. Mix well, makng sure to break-up the meat. Add the cooked mushrooms as well. It’s very important that the mushrooms are evenly distributed to ensure the loaf bo

  "The land which I do give them, even the children of Israel" (Joshua 1:2). God here speaks in the immediate present. It is not something He is going to do, but something He does do, this moment. So faith ever speaks. So God ever gives. So He is meeting you today, in the present moment. This is the test of faith. So long as you are waiting for a thing, hoping for it, looking for it, you are not believing. It may be hope, it may be earnest desire, but it is not faith; for "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The command in regard to believing prayer is the present tense. "When ye pray, believe that ye receive the things that ye desire, and ye shall have them." Have we come to that moment? Have we met God in His everlasting NOW? --Joshua, by Simpson True faith counts on God, and believes before it sees. Naturally, we want some evidence that our pe

These looked tasty. :) I thought some of you may be movie goers and would like to make your own Junior Mints. Or maybe just to have when watching a movie at home. ;) Homemade Junior Mints makes about 94 candies 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 1/2 teaspoon mint extract 3 – 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.  Beat in the mint extract.  Add in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until the mixture is stiff.  It may look crumbly, but you should be able to push it together with your hands.  Roll mixture into small balls and flatten slightly. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or at 50% in the microwave.  Once melted and smooth, dip each mint center in the chocolate.  Once covered, place on a piece of waxed paper.  Once all the centers have been dipped, refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened. Store in the refrigerator. You can find the original posters recipe here Pin It

We reached 1000 likes on the facebook page! So it's GIVEAWAY time! This is open to US residents only please . Entry time ends Sunday 2/19 at 8pm and a winner will be chosen then. You have a chance to enter a total for FOUR entries each! Here's how to enter... One entry for liking the facebook page or telling me you already have One entry for  subscribing to the blog by email One entry for a comment on what your favorite recipe is One entry for sharing the  facebook page   Leave each response in a separate comment and each one will be counted. I will choose a winner using Random.org. I will need a first name and last initial so I can announce the winner. I will announce the winner on the Homemakers and Homesteaders page so be looking for that. If the winner doesn't respond after two days, another winner will be drawn. Good luck! :) Pin It

For those of you who like to make your own breakfast sandwiches, I found an easy way to get your eggs done fast and have a perfectly circular shape.... Spray your muffin tin and crack an egg into each spot... Well that was easy. Stick these in a 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes or until done. Pin It

I am going to the above  conference next month and I can't wait. :)  One of the speakers I am really looking forward to hearing is Michelle Dugger.  One of the things she will be speaking about is purposefully talking in a soft voice. No yelling, no raising her voice to her children, etc. I lack in that area. I am hoping to get some tips in the area of having a meek and quiet spirit. I tend to overreact to things at times and it comes out in frustration in my words. I want to know if she is naturally like this or did she have to train herself to speak with this soft voice. I am hoping it's trained. I am not naturally meek and quiet and seem to struggle with this so much. I hope I can learn this and do it.  Last night on their show, she said she "chooses" to speak with a soft voice. That gave me hope. Because if it is a choice and doesn't come naturally for everyone, I can make that choice. I just need some practical tips.

Today is bittersweet. One  year ago today, I lost a great father/daughter relationship. I miss that man tremendously. Even though it's been a year with no contact, for some reason it hasn't gotten easier. (well maybe a tiny bit) I hope he is doing well and his life is better/easier/more peaceful now. I think about him often and hope he knows some things never change. Today also marks 18 years of my husband and I being together. 18 years ago, my husband presented me with a rose at my locker at school and asked me to be his girl. :) We have been together ever since. Together in sickness and health, good times and bad, richer or poorer. :) God has bound us together with His love.  I hope you all have a great day today and hug and kiss someone you love. This life doesn't last forever... Pin It

This post comes from Elana's Pantry I hope you enjoy these! :) All of you regular readers know that I have an obsession with making healthy (ok, "healthier") gluten free cake pops .  Well, this obsession continues for Valentine's Day. I spent an afternoon in my kitchen last week in total chocolate chaos.  I even tweeted about it (if you're not involved in the party that's over on twitter you may want to join, I'm there several times daily, tweeting away ).  On twitter I stated, or shall I say, tweeted,  " my kitchen is covered in chocolate and I can't say why ." Well, now I'm saying why.  My kitchen was covered in chocolate because I was making gluten free Valentine's Day cake pops two ways.  First, pictured above, they are coated in white chocolate.  Next, below, the cake pops are coated in dark chocolate.  While they have very different flavor profiles, they're equally tasty and decadent in their own ways.  Of cour

I just had to update with a praise! I was started on a new medicine after visiting the pain center.  It's called Lyrica and it's a medicine for nerve pain.  It's actually an anti-convulsive medicine, but is used to treat certain types of pain.  It's working! I have slept well the last two nights and have waken up with a significant amount of less pain. I will take less pain, amen? :) On top of that, I haven't had any side effects yet. AND, I haven't had to take a strong pain pill the last two days. I am so hopeful.   My bone marrow edema is still there, but the swelling has started to go down. It is less painful and I'm SO glad for that. Bone pain is the worst! So glad to finally be getting my pain under control after 11 years of suffering with it every day. So joyful right now. :) Pin It

 "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves" (Rom. 12:19). There are seasons when to be still demands immeasurably higher strength than to act. Composure is often the highest result of power. To the vilest and most deadly charges Jesus responded with deep, unbroken silence, such as excited the wonder of the judge and the spectators. To the grossest insults, the most violent ill-treatment and mockery that might well bring indignation into the feeblest heart, He responded with voiceless complacent calmness. Those who are unjustly accused, and causelessly ill-treated know what tremendous strength is necessary to keep silence to God. "Men may misjudge thy aim, Think they have cause to blame, Say, thou art wrong; Keep on thy quiet way, Christ is the Judge, not they, Fear not, be strong." St. Paul said, "None of these things move me." He did not say, none of

Yesterday was a very bad day for me. If I had any strength I would have been climbing the walls. The pain I had was so horrible that I couldn't even walk a few steps. My bone marrow edema is hurting badly, but the rest of me was in just the same amount of pain. I also had a migraine (still do) on top of that. I cried on the couch squirming around in pain. The vicodin the doctor prescribed had given me migraines and so I had not taken any pain medicine all day. So I called for something different. My doctor called back and ordered me Tramadol. My husband went to the pharmacy to get it for me and I took one when he got home. An hour later, I had some relief. It had taken the edge off the pain and I was able to deal with it better. I don't like how it makes me feel though. I feel woozy and out of it. Then the Pain Center called out of nowhere. I had already had an appt for the 24 of this month to go talk to them about my pain. They called and said they had an opening for tomorro

"He answered her not a word" (Matt. 15:23). "He will be silent in his love" (Zeph. 3:17). It may be a child of God is reading these words who has had some great crushing sorrow, some bitter disappointment, some heart-breaking blow from a totally unexpected quarter. You are longing for your Master's voice bidding you "Be of good cheer," but only silence and a sense of mystery and misery meet you --"He answered her not a word." God's tender heart must often ache listening to all the sad, complaining cries which arise from our weak, impatient hearts, because we do not see that for our own sakes He answers not at all or otherwise than seems best to our tear-blinded, short-sighted eyes. The silences of Jesus are as eloquent as His speech and may be a sign, not of His disapproval, but of His approval and of a deep purpose of blessing for you. "Why art thou cast down, O?soul?"

I wanted to share this with you. I have been struggling a lot with physical things, but wanted you to know that I am well spiritually. God still speaks and He is so faithful.  I have seeking God in what I can do for Him with being so weak and frail. On Monday, He answered my prayer. He said clearly to me that my purpose is to be a prayer warrior for Him. He told me in my spirit that even though I am weak and having difficulty right now, I can PRAY. I said, but my mind is so tired, too, how can I know what words to say? He said, PRAY, interceded for others, and the Holy Spirit will do the rest. Wow....   I opened up the bible and immediately saw every word that said "pray" jump off all the pages I was flipping through. I started underlining them all. There were so many. I then started getting emails within minutes requesting prayers for one thing or another. Mind you no one knew what God was doing with me at the time. Whoa... Ryan was at the grocery store at the time

Heading back to the doctor today. The bone morrow edema is not better, in fact it's worse. It hurts so much that with each step I feel I may "toss my cookies". :(  The pain medicine is giving me terrible stomach pain and the steroids did nothing this time. Darn.  I will update this post when I get home later. Prayers appreciated. *Just returned from the doctor about the recurring bone marrow edema. I have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon in a few weeks to discuss exploritory surgery to try and find the reason for the bone marrow edema since there is no injury or tear. Just happens spontaneously. Until then I have to be on crutches and take vicodin for the excruciating pain that comes with bones swelling. I appreciate your thoughts and prayers. Pin It

Although I don't have a daughter, I wanted to share this article with you from Roo Mag.com. It's got some great tips. :) I strive to make homemaking enjoyable for my daughter—and she loves it! In fact last Saturday when I picked up the vegetables for beef stew, she said, “I call dibs on the onions!” Then she followed up with, “I call dibs on the celery!” Did I argue—uh… no! It’s really cute how she insists on cooking whenever she can, and looks at it like her God-given right to be in the kitchen. Not that I mind. In addition to having fun in the kitchen, my husband and I have purchased tools for her so that she will have a sense of belonging when it comes to homemaking. We started doing this when she was about 11. At twelve years old she got her own food processor. Even buying small things like her own potato peeler or recipe book has been a way of encouraging her in this field. The same holds true for other areas of the home, like laundry for example. If a yo