The Oat

All this talk about wheat got me thinking about the oat.

The oat always gets overlooked by the wheat berry.

But I am here to say the oat has become a part of our every day, too.

Oatmeal that is...

a piping hot serving every day with a plethora of toppings to chose from.

The health benefits are amazing. 

I won't bore you with all the research as I did with wheat...you can google!

With five kids, we go through way too much boxed cereal.

And the healthy, natural selections are not cheap.....

By serving oatmeal

I am saving precious space in the pantry.

I am saving $12-$15 a week in breakfast cereal alone!

I am offering my kids superior whole grain goodness.

Plus it looks so beautiful on my counter 

I like mine with berries, fresh peaches, walnuts and cinnamon:

Claire likes hers with brown sugar and berries:

Peter eats his so fast it is hard to say what was on there.

Mango is a favorite, I know:

Charlotte is meticulous in the arrangement of her toppings

which includes fresh peaches and just the right amount of cinnamon:

David likes more fruit than oats and yes, brown sugar:

Yummmmmmy!

He is convinced his daily serving makes him a superhero

with water bending powers !!???

Meredith, who refuses to be photographed in the early morning

prefers a hearty helping of strawberries on her oatmeal

Three cheers for the oat. . .

for helping us start our day off right!

Our Daily Bread Part II

Today was bread making day.

Here is the fun process in some photographs:

The wheat goes into the Nutrimill

The pans are prepared

The ingredients are assembled
{oil, raw honey, SAF yeast, dough enhancer, agave}

The yeast is proofed

The flour is milled and it is beautiful

The ingredients go into the Bosch for kneeding

The dough gets divided

Waking children follow their noses to the kitchen

The loaves rise and bake

Yummmmmmy!

Absolutely satisfying in every way!

Our Daily Bread

As you know, I have been making our family's bread for a bit now

thanks to my friend Stacey who taught me everything I needed to know!

It is so delicious and so satisfying {to make and to eat}

Delivered by Fed Ex today-

the second piece of equipment required for my bread making. . .

The Nutrimill Grain Mill

and 45 pounds of organic hard red wheat berries -

from Nebraska!

If you are like my husband, 

who lugged all this inside the door for me, you might be asking, "WHY???"

Well, aside from my keen interest in baking as a hobby,

here's what I've been learning and embracing about my family's food. . .

We've been making some changes in

what we eat & how we purchase and prepare foods.

We all know that

white bread is simply void of any natural nutritional value

any "enriching" with nutrients is done so chemically.

And if you are a fan of "unbleached four" - it's chemically treated, too.

Furthermore, when wheat is milled, all the vital nutrition from 

the bran, the middlings, the wheat germ and the wheat germ oil

are sacrificed for the sake of longer shelf life.

Repeat after me. . . refined foods are not our friends.

90% of the nutrition of a wheat berry is contained in the wheat germ -

it is the life of the berry, but stripped in all commercial milling.

Have you ever  wondered how Joseph was able to store wheat grain for 14 years

in order to feed the nation of Egypt during the famine?

The bran is the grains own divine protective package.

Once the bran is cracked open, nutrients exposed to oxygen diminish in nutrients.

Within 24 hours - 40% of the nutrients have oxidized.

Within 72 hours - 90% of the nutrients have been destroyed.

The flour still holds its mineral content and caloric value,

but all the life giving and protecting nutrients are gone!

Even store bought whole wheat bread and whole wheat flour is

stripped of these essential parts of the wheat

for the sake of shelf life.

This is why I am taking my bread making to a whole new level

with fresh milled whole wheat flour.

Fresh milled whole wheat

contains the entire complement of B vitamins and is rich in vitamin E.

It also contains the necessary natural fiber for optimal health.

Fiber cleanses, restores and heals our bodies -

lack of natural fiber in our diet from whole grains and plants

is largely responsible for the rate of degenerative diseases 

and toxic weight gain in our country.

Not only that, but the enzymes, which are rich in whole grains just as God designed,

are alive and well in freshly milled wheat and essential for

nutrient digestion and absorption as well as natural cleansing.

I found this chart very convicting!

FRESH WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR VS. ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

Nutrient	Whole Wheat Flour	All Purpose Flour*
Total Dietary Fiber	12.2g	2.7g
Calcium	25mg	15mg
Iron	3.6mg	1.2mg
Magnesium	124mg	22mg
Phosphorus	332mg	108mg
Potassium	340mg	107mg
Zinc	2.8mg	0.7mg
Copper	0.4mg	0.1mg
Manganese	4.1mg	0.7mg
Selenium	70.7mg	33.9mg
Thiamin	0.5mg	0.1mg
Riboflavin	0.1mg	0.04mg
Niacin	5.7mg	1.3mg
Pantothenic Acid	0.9mg	0.4mg
Vitamin B6	0.3mg	0.04mg
Folate	43mcg	26mcg
Vitamin E	1mg	0.06mg
Total Fats	1.9g	0.98mg

Per 100 grams (approx. 3 ounces). 

*= unenriched

Source: USDA National Nutritional Database

So there you have it - part of the whole truth on whole grains!


“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life;
 whoever comes to me shall not hunger,
 and whoever believes in me shall never thirst’” 
(Jn. 6:35)


Jesus called himself the Bread of Life in His first I am statement in the gospel of John.
Just like God gave manna to the Israelites to sustain their lives in the Exodus,
God sent his son, Jesus, to grant and sustain life.
And not only life, but eternal life.


Do you see the significant correlation between the physical and the spiritual lesson here?
Spiritually, we can feast on Christ and have life.
We are tempted to fill up on "things of the world" and temporal pleasures, but all fail us
compared to the blessed assurance we have of salvation when we feast on and savor Christ.

Similarly, we can reverse the metaphor and see the truth about the physical bread
we eat to sustain our bodies.  How tempting it is to feast upon refined products and
"feel" satisfied, but be nutritionally impoverished.
Or we can return to the good God intended in this glorious food by 
consuming it in its natural, unrefined state and watch our bodies thrive!

I can't wait to mill my first batch of flour
and bake my first batch of wholesome, delicious whole wheat bread.

Do You Hear That?

The deep breath?

The collective sigh?

Up until today summer has been a scramble...

packing up a classroom and transitioning to a new teacher

packing up a house and moving across country

preparing a home for renters

unpacking and settling into a new home in a new city

all the logistics to enter a new school

getting our daughter home from DC

And today.....

well, nothing on the agenda.

Nothing except otter pops, swimming and playing together!

This morning the five of them made a city out of boxes

quite extraordinary. . .

complete with curtains in the windows!

We've got a little bit of summer left and we're going to enjoy it!

There are a few boxes left, but they can wait - 

I'm gonna go get my suit on!

Prayer Request

Please join us in praying for Emma Kate

{David's girl friend and my dear friend Sara's daughter}

She is having a surgery today called a sphincter pharyngoplasty.

While it will increase her ability to produce accurate speech sounds,

the recovery is long and painful.

She is such a sweetheart.
I know we'll be praying for her through the day on Monday.
And for my friend Sara who will joyfully tend to her daughter's every need
in the coming days.

What a privilege to lift them up to God
for His tender care and keeping!

Emma Kate,

He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shiled
and rampart.
(ps 91:4)

The Lord your God is in your midst;
a mighty one who will save.
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
He will exult over you with loud singing!
Zeph 3:17


With love,
The Achterkirchs
xoxoxo

Back Together Again

Today we celebrated . . 

We celebreated Meredith's return from Washington.

{five weeks is a loooooong time}

We celebrated being together in Texas and the beginning of a new chapter.

We celebrated God's faithfulness in all the details that got us to this day -

We celebrated being a family!

There is something about being in a new place 

that draws you together just a little closer. . . how sweet it is!

We celebrated Texas style. . . 

a dinner menu planned from Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen cook book

and a new cook book from my sweet southern friend Amy Barker - 

The Pastry Queen

Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country

Read about Rebecca Rather's 

Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe

I can already promise I will be baking and cooking my way through this whole book!

Tonight's special menu:

charred corn guacamole with organic blue corn tortilla chips

from scratch buttermilk-sage dinner rolls

crispy chicken cutlets with a heap of spring salad

homemade buttermilk green goddess dressing

cheesy grits

&

Muchas Leches Cake with Sugared Almonds

It was a memorable evening...lots of giggles and laughs, stories, hugs and kisses.

Everyone wanted to sit by Meredith!  It is so good to have her home!

Peter sure loves having a non-little around again.

After a long walk around the neighborhood with the dogs,
we enjoyed desert and more catching up.

This cake was really delicious and one of the most fun I've ever made.

. . . giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
-Ephesians 5:20

Meredith Finishes at WSB

Today was a big day for Meredith

It was the last day of her five week intensive

at the Washington School of Ballet

Ian and my parents were there

to observe her final class and performance

In fact, my parents were there on Thrusday evening and took Meredith 

to dinner at the Oceanaire Seafood Room. . .what a treat.

She enjoyed it thoroughly.

When she was accepted to the program, Tata (my dad)

said he and Amma would be there. . .and they were!  

And I was envious -

I really wanted to see my ballerina dance!

Another group photo of her level

She made great friends and she reported the good byes to be difficult.

These students worked together closely for five weeks, 

each with a common passion for the art they are so dedicated to -

She and Ian are enjoying a dinner together at a place Meredith has frequented

and they fly home together tomorrow.

Meredith's siblings are excited to have her home.

I am excited to welcome her to Texas.

We're so thankful she had this opportunity

to learn and grow and challenge herself.

And now, she can enjoy a little bit of summer and prepare for junior year!

I am so proud of my Mimi!

Home Sweet Home

After two straight days of unpacking

from early morn to late into the night....

we have come up for a bit of air!

{note the crepe myrtle trees.....so lush and beautiful!}

How sweet it is to settle in together in this new place!

To make this house our home.

It has rained three straight days on and off...a delightful change for us.

We are mostly unpacked.

The kids have been a huge help, so today (day 3) 

we made a little more time to swim and jump on the trampoline and bake brownies!

Tonight Mr. D is visiting.

We are renting his home as he has moved his family to Holland for a year or two.

They are a delightful family and the timing worked out so beautifully for us to be here.

We love the neighborhood, Champion Forest.  It is just lovely.

I hope we can find a property to purchase here - it suits us well!

I am just giddy to set my eyes on traditional architecture and beautifully planned gardens -

while the desert did have it own beauty, this is what is beautiful to me!  

I feel like I am back home!

We've been met with warm, southern hospitality . . .

and Ian has located and made friends at the nearby 

family owned Chinese restaurant (essential!). . .

we all feel very encouraged about this new chapter in our lives.

Ian travels to pick up Meredith from DC this weekend....

and so we'll all be home together Saturday.

Hmmm....what to make for her welcome home/welcome to Texas dinner???

I can't wait!!!

Good Morning Houston!

We have arrived!

Ian drove Charlotte and Peter in the Suburban with

our two labradors, Zoe and Kirby

and our Guinea Pig, Snickers

and our snake, Gus

from Phoenix, Arizona to Houston

1,177 miles

They left Friday morning

and arrived at our new house at 10:30 pm Saturday night.

I flew with David and Claire and we landed in Houston at 12:30 am

Ian and the crew were able to pick us up at the airport and because we 

didn't have power yet, we found a hotel close to our home - a nice Homewood Suites

that even took our two labs!!!  We have a suite and will be here again tonight

until our power is on tomorrow (praying!)

I have no photos yet, so here is an update on Meredith in DC

She is really longing to be with us!!!

And we are longing to be with her - she has been away four weeks now. . .

but LOVING each and every minute of it!!!

Here is Meredith and Tara after a yoga class they take on Saturday mornings.

Their favorite spot - Sweet Greens

Tara, Momona (from Japan) and Meredith in the dorms

The whole advanced level 7 in the studios

Meredith flys here next weekend.

Our plan today is to go and see the house, investigate the area,

do a costco run, a target stop and a grocery shop.

We will get all set for Moe and the truck to arrive in the morning!

Bloom Where You are Planted

On the last day our family is together in Arizona, 

I have the most fabulous story to tell you...

Two days ago in the midst of the packing frenzy,

I looked out into our backyard and saw my Echinopsis Camarguensis.

When we first moved to the desert, this english perennial gardening girl decided to embrace

her new southwestern habitat by planting a bed of . . . cacti.

I ripped out a row of ugly, prickly bushes, visited every nursery in the valley,

sketched out a plan and went to work.

It was a lovely variety of succulents.

An array of cacti with different growth habits:

Globose, cylindrical, flattened-padded, columnar.

It was.....well, like an english garden with southwestern species.

I was a bloody mess after that endeavor (gardening in the desert is dangerous work)

  but I loved the finished product. . .

and patted myself on the back for

 "embracing my new home"

&

"Blooming where I was planted"!

Well, a couple years later we relandscaped the backyard 

and my sorry excuse for a perrenial garden  lovely project had to be sacrificed.

But, my friend karen, the landscape designer, saved my

Echinopsis Camarguensis and tucked it under the big mesquite tree.

FIVE YEARS LATER......the week we are moving, it produced its first bud!

And it was an extraordinary sight.....

And I can't tell you how it warmed by heart.

I made the whole family run to the backyard and adore it.

We were all (or maybe it was just me) filled with anxious expectation!

And this morning, on our very last day in Arizona.....I woke up to this beauty

I was overjoyed.

And it brought to mind a passage in Isaiah 35:1-4

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;

the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;

 it shall blossom abundantly

and rejoice with joy and singing.

The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,

the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.

They shall see the glory of the Lord,

the majesty of our God.

 Strengthen the weak hands,

and make firm the feeble knees.

 Say to those who have an anxious heart,

“Be strong; fear not!

Behold, your God will come with vengeance,

with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

Calvin's commentary says this about Psalm 35:

After having spoken of dreadful calamities 

and predicted the lamentable ruin of the whole world, 

the Prophet comforts believers by this promise,

 in which he foretells that all things shall be restored. 

This is done by Christ, by whom alone they can be renewed and made glad; 

for he alone renews everything, and restores it to proper order; 

apart from him there can be nothing but filth and desolation

-----

Upon moving here, I saw this new place 
as a barren, harsh, miserable

 place to call home.

But as we sought the Lord, 

He redeemed this new home for us in beautiful ways...

We saw the Lord grow and challenge us as a family, 

drawing us ever closer together as we set out to explore its possibilities

We watched Him provide new opportunities for ministry and strengthen our weak hands for His service.

We behold His glory and the power of His grace while we sought to

faithfully obey Him -- He was making us new bit by bit

not unlike the unfolding of that blossom as we trusted fully in Him.

In Christ we indeed found great joy and gladness in the desert!

We saw magnificient friendships take root and flourish  - -

And as we've said before, it is our friendships we will miss the most.

As for cactus gardening, not so much.  

Glad to be returning to perrenials!

The truck just pulled away minutes ago.

Houston - we have lift off!!!

Next post will be from our new home in a new place . . .

another work of our Sovereign Lord!


Jesus Christ is my redeemer.
He makes all things new!
Even the desert bursts forth with His majesty.