This Morning I smell like Basil

     I finally made it into my garden....as usual it  was planned but not for that moment, oh well I got a lot of work done. It looks a little better. As I was working, harvesting, pruning and pulling weeds, sweeping up after myself, I thought of something I wanted to share with you.
     In the spring I found a plant growing in a bucket of all places. It had gotten a little rain and the plant was thriving. It was in a zip lock and it was unlabeled. But I could tell that it was some sort of a squash, so I carefully found a place for it in my garden and planted it. It thrived, at first I thought it was a que-ball zucchini  so I picked a few and cooked them up. But I also gave a portion of one to the chickens and the skin of that squash turned orange. Ooops not a zucchini but I had a pumpkin growing in my garden. Now, you need to know that I am not fond of pumpkins, they trail everywhere, they need lots of space and they don't care what they trample in the process of getting to where they feel is the best dirt and sun...(I am sure an application is lurking around the corner, but not for now.) But this plant that was growing in a bucket, of all the seeds in the bucket this was the only one growing in these spare conditions. Now, in a variety of locations throughout my garden I have these large orange orbs thriving at least 10 at last count, not counting the ones eaten prematurely. So I guess we will have pumpkins this fall :].
      But the bigger application is this; We are planted where we are, we are all, each one of us scrappers. That lone plant growing in a bucket. Each one of us could list reasons why we shouldn't be where we are, or better yet we could come up with a list of obstacles we have had to overcome and those that loom ahead. But we have been planted where we are; and we are also often unaware of the lives we are touching, where those we touch will land and also be fruitful. So don't despair, when that unidentified plant is growing (eventually it will be identifiable), and it seems to taking your energies into directions you hadn't planned, and most of all you are not confident your life is making its mark on anyone. Trust Him, trust the garden He has planted you in, the space you need, the quality of the soil as well as the exact amount of light...trust Him. You will be fruitful in places you could never have imagined.
     I love you allllll, and excited to be doing life with you

So you ever wonder why you have no room for your spices in that one cabinet. Well we found the answer. Cause you haven't been hanging them on your fridge in little tins and making room in that cramped cabinet for important things like Gee or Soy-Free soy sauce. Yea I have posted and our fridge looks like the best christmas tree ever.

I have just finished making comments on many of your bloggs and as I went back to check to see if they were there...they weren't.

I did try to comment on your posts I guess that must be my next tutorial.

Thank you for all your posts.

I am just about ready to go to bed but I wanted to post something unique I heard this morning. The pastor was bringing us a message from Ephesians and told us that there were two things that Paul spent his time writing two things; first what God has done and second who we are because of all God has done...Paul in Eph. 4:1 entreated us to walk "worthy" of the calling  with which we have been called....After today's preaching I see, feel and understand my position in Christ differently ... Colossians reiterates the fact "for in Him all the fullness of deity of dwells in bodily form and in Him you (each one of us !) have been made complete....

how short sighted we often are, I am so quick to condemn myself, and I am sure I would be better off a year from now if I thought of myself in the same light I think of my grandbabies or my kids. I love each of you and them, I delight in the lives you are living, the goals you are pursuing...each one of you; Hannah (and Jeremiah) in raising children committing your life to teaching and training them in Truth. Andrew (and Jen) how I delight as I watch you making a new life, a new home, a new family. Abby (and Jeffrey) as you pursue you passions in taking your love of learning to students, giving them a vision of a greater world than they could ever imagine, and David (?) as you pursue Him, as you seek to know and do His will I pray that you would find great delight this year as you speak life into the lives of others, as you bless many with your passion to sing....All  that each one of you do brings delight to my heart and in much the same way delights Our Father in Heaven.

Blessings on your week.

Managing Time

I arrived at the San Francisco house last night around 11 and saw Sarah Trank. I was readily reminded that less than a month ago she had lost her husband making her a very young widow. I was able to spend some time with Isaac Barron and get a feel for the house. I heard how chaotic it has been here for the past couple months: not only with Sean's passing but also with the crazy amount of transitions there have been. From the different house leaders to the 5 Interns they have leaving here right now.
      I wanted to make myself useful but didn't know how. So I thought to myself what does a chaotic house need more than anything... the answer? order... so yeah I pulled an abby/mom and cleaned for 6 hours straight. it was fun, it was rejuvenating. and the best part about it was no one knows how much I did. They all saw bits and pieces of me cleaning throughout the day but I was able to clean, sweep, organize, restock many essential things in the kitchen. I was looking forward to relaxing for the next 4 days until Blue Mosaic starts up. But it looks like ill be busy making this place a little easier to live in.
      As much as I hated living with shelly and how revolting his house maintenance habits were (He didn't have any) I truly appreciate the urge he left me to keep my space clean. granted my room has and always will be a little messy (I live out of a suitcase after all) but he truly ruined my ability to allow dirty to stay dirty. and when I am not expected to do it i actually do gravitate towards doing the dirty work no one else wants to do.
      Y'all gotta start writing on here,
Im monopolizing.

Love you all
K
Bye

Campaign... crusade... Outreach

It is our last day on campaign today. We spent the day praying in union square as an entire group (some 30 of us). It was amazing: mid prayer we were having people interrupt us to talk to ask us who we were. It was a fantastic example of what our goal was this year an how we accomplished it in many ways. We were done shoving pamphlets in peoples faces asking them "who do you think Jesus is" we were done bannnering simply to get a reaction. We wanted to engage with people on a personal level and that's what we structured our entire ministry on. And on this last day when we simply wanted to pray we were shown, in a sense, the fruit of our labour. 

During our time on outreaches and doing service projects I was asked to be on 4 of the 5 different projects, each time the leader approached apologetically asking of I could. I would respond with an "of course!" And yesterday they approached me and asked me why I was so willing, to help to serve... Etc... I didn't have an answer. However now that I have had time to think about it I think about the serving attitude my family has and the example thy have set for me. It was never a "oh I'm being forced to do this so now I have a good work ethic" thing. It was more of a, "I saw Hannah Abby and mom (specifically but not excluding andrew and dad) . Commit so much time to the needs of others that just became the standard. So if like to thank you guys. I am currently laying on a couch napping but 90 % of the time I have been on my feet seeking where I can be useful. And since I can't put a finger on where in me that comes from I'll put it on you all :)

Just thought I'd share. 

P.s. Um we should all comment on each other's blogs. Just sayin

K bye

3 hours later

 I just slept a pitiful excuse of an amount of time. But I'm up and I wanted to say I love you guys! And that you all are probably the kewlest people I know. All of you! Hannah andrew Abby mom and dad and all you JE's! :) you are my family! 

Just proof that Hannah is my sister, you wouldn't believe how many people know the Zaretsky's but are unaware how we are related. 

Andrew remember that one time when we all did that super Jewish thing and led Passover! I am so happy we did that! Let's keep that going. Maybe a little less of me next year though :p

I have a seriously ridiculous number of these pics in my phone from all of you harassing me wanting to see what g'ma had that we all wanted! I miss her and her crabbiness. I need someone to call me a smart ass just once more :/

I miss these twos incessant lovey dovey ways that make me want to splash cold water on them 90% of the time!! 

And I'm sad I don't get to see how these two behave now that they are married! And growing and learning from one another in a whole new way! 

And this guys Godly love he has and how he shows it to his family!

And I will miss seeing these two on a regular basis! We were blessed with constant visits! I will make sure I stay uncle boo and not just some guy they remember! 

I think I miss more than anything what we are together! And what we stand for as a family that has persevered through so much. I love you all and... I think our family is pretty great and stuff

Even if sometimes we do RAdiculous looking things!

Campaign y blue mosaic (it's 2 in tha mornin)

I must say this has been a very interesting month. From the two weeks of fast track 4 hour a day classes at moody, to the past 3 weeks in New York cramming the gospel down peoples throats. I've gone from taking my faith and my "doctrinal knowledge" for granted  ; meaning I had little contextual foundation for my faith, to questioning wether my faith is truly even mine to begin with, to where I'd say I am now. That is, what I hope to be, a healthy balance between knowledge of how I have been influenced in my faith, how important factual or apologetic knowledge is, and how I best learn and grow in both. 

      Campaign has shifted from what it once was. It is no longer four sorties a day, and doing only broadsiding. It has transitioned into a much more engaging and encouraging attitude. Surprisingly (sarcasm) the reactions and impact this change has had on our community has been primarily positive and influential. We have done outreach in the backyards of Jewish families and elderly hat would normally scowl at our attempt at connecting. Now they thank us for gardening, or weeding , or digging 10 foot holes with a post hole digger and filling it with 30 foot wood beams (thanks dad for the know-how). We possibly do two or three outreaches a day and they resemble something more along the lines of Jesus' engagement rather than let's say the bullhorn guy. It is fascinating to be having a bible study in a coffee shop with our shirts on and see the response from Jess that are curious and bold enough to come up and ask us a question. 

We have been able to go out early in the mornings and give out free coffee to the New Yorkers! They have responded pretty positively! It's a good strategy :) 

Even simply asking people if they have a question has stirred up a different reaction then what we normally are used too. 

Of course j4j still has their sarcasm in new quippy ways they make sure people know how we really feel about their hater ways. 

       I think more than campaign blue mosaic has been an interesting challenge. Starting off I was blessed in not having any preconceived notion of what was to made of us. So when It came about that we had two early twenty  year olds and a 42 year old lady I was less worried than my blue mosaic counterparts. They had both entered into the team with very specific expectations of what our team would look like, how we would engage people, what age we'd all be, and wether or not we would have guidance. So naturally conflict arose. We are actually still in the midst of conflict and I am unsure of how blue mosaic will look at the end of it. I am confident God will use any outcome for His glory but please pray with me for David Brickner and Karol Joseph as they discern what the best options are. Sadly I don't feel I can confide on a public blog as to what is going on. But know your prayers are requested. 

      Oh and Becky is like 2 inches taller than me so.... We're good! 

We both confided that it was a huge relief when each of us saw how tall the other was, thinking that it always going to be very difficult otherwise. :) God is good. 

But Abby she's basically you. So of course we get along. 

K

Bye

BEST nachos EVER

But seriously the meat is wonderful and this is by far the best taco esque way to cook ground beef(we actually used ground bison) And I feel like I would have never paired the meat with the plantains and it was just so wonderful. 

INGREDIENTS 

PLANTAINS:  2 green plantains                 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
TACO MEAT: 2 teaspoons coconut oil                 1/ 2 medium onion, minced (about 1/ 2 cup)                 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)                 2 tablespoons chili powder                 1 teaspoon ground cumin                 1 teaspoon ground coriander                 1/ 2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves                 1/ 4 teaspoon cayenne pepper                 3/ 4 teaspoon salt                 1 pound ground beef                 2 tablespoons tomato paste          1/ 2 cup chicken broth          2 teaspoons cider vinegar
GARNISH: minced scallions jalapeño slices diced avocado shredded lettuce chopped tomato fresh lime juice

DIRECTIONS 

Preheat oven to 350F. Cover two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Prep the plantains. Cut off both ends of the plantain, then with the tip of a sharp knife, make shallow slits lengthwise along the skin. Use your fingers to pry off the strips. With a mandoline slicer on its thinnest setting, slice the plantains into coins. Use two wooden spoons to toss the slices in a large bowl with the melted coconut oil. LAY DOWN PARCHMENT PAPER AND Bake the plantains. Use four coins to make each “tortilla:” Lay them flat on the baking sheet with edges slightly overlapping and sprinkle with salt. While they bake, the natural starches make them stick together. Bake for about 30 minutes until very crisp and beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with additional salt, if you’re feeling it. Meanwhile…

Make the taco meat. Heat the coconut oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat, about 2 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, cayenne, and salt. Crumble the ground beef into the pan and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes and add the spices. Push the meat to the side of the pan and drop in the tomato paste, frying until it darkens a bit, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and vinegar; stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes, until the liquid has reduced and thickened. Add salt and pepper, to taste. (Abby changes: add the onion in the last 5 minutes so its a little more on the raw side, or earlier if you want it more on the cooked side).

Dig in! Pile the meat on top of the plantain chips and top with your favorite garnishes.

Joulwan, Melissa (2013-10-21). Well Fed 2: More Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat (Kindle Locations 3675-3692). Smudge Publishing. Kindle Edition.

The most amazing sweet potato hash browns EVER!!

So Abby got me and Andrew on-board with Whole30. So far so good! I have made some homemade items I never imagined I would make, including mayonnaise (which I normally wouldn't touch with a 10ft pole but this stuff is AWESOME!), chicken stock, nut bars, and more. So I wanted to share this glorious sweet potato hash town recipe: 

https://sites.google.com/site/beyondtoastrecipes/home/spicy-sweet-potato-hash-browns

Yay! Enjoy! 

Once upon a time at Uncle Joe's...

Abby made us all sit in a circle and download an app so now Andrew, Tim, and Jen have the ability to blog from their phones. 

And also, Olaf learned patient paws. 

Mid July (Abby)

I can't believe my time with this company is almost over. I have worked 16 hour days on my feet all day, and almost completed my last credential class and grieved the loss of a friend and got a puppy and moved. It has been quiet the month. I am glad I am almost done with the whole thing and wouldn't chose to have a summer like this ever again. Being away from my husband isn't really worth any money. And working minimum wage just isn't my style anymore, especially if it isn't for a good cause. I will work for free building houses or teaching down in Mexico... but teaching rich kids a silly curriculum isn't really my jam... good news, I can forever cross that off my list.

Once I get home we will be starting the whole 30! Super excited about this, and would love it if any of you  would get on board, cough cough dad cough cough. Dad but seriously I don't want your memorial service to be the next one we have to attend. I want you to be around to teach my kids about permaculture and let them experience your amazing creative engineering brain. So I want you to seriously consider doing this with us from July 18th - August 18th. If nothing else it will shed a few pounds and give your organs a baby break. As your daughter I am asking you to make this sacrifice for me for 30 days... Just 30 days!!

Okay okay enough of that. I am super sad about Sean, mostly angry and frustrated, but sad is mixed in there. Death just sucks, his death in particular does feel like a huge Jonathan band-aid that Sean and the other guys put there was ripped off my heart. He really was a huge support throughout those first few years and this just sucks.

Most Awkward Picture Ever (he was taking it but I was trying to control the situation and stabilize the camera...)(summer before Jonathan died)

My View From Loyola University (chicago)

Walking A Tight Rope At Philly Science Museum

Posing In Front Of Historical Buildings In Philly

Best Dog Ever/ Best Part Of My Summer

Colorado

Colorado has been beautiful. We are staying in a family's home and they are all on vacation, so the CFH board has the house all to ourselves.

I am currently trying to eat no dairy, grain or sugar....this weekend has been the first in a long long time that I have not had any juice. I am hoping that by the time I get home I will have cucumbers growing so I will be producing 50% of all I need to juice.....Tim, have you watered the garden on our side?

Up to last night I did okay, not excellent, but ok. I am noticing that with the consumption of certain foods my nose gets stuffy...praise God I am narrowing down the observable reactions...

I read this yesterday and I think we could all benefit from putting our Heavenly Father into proper perspective: Is. 55:8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts....(so what I am thinking makes sense to me is not necessarily from God), Neither are your ways My ways declares the Lord...For as HIGH as the HEAVENS are above the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways".....from the earth into the heavens is a pretty long way....who am I trusting in? Me or HIM?

Decisions, decisions, decisions....

As we are winding down our weekend together with the ladies from CFH, I find myself faced with a question I have had to ask myself several times this last year.....is finishing school should finishing school be a goal in my life right now?

As Hannah moved closer, and another baby was coming, I asked the question. As Abby got a new job and needed a new wardrobe (NOW), I asked myself the question. Now, as I consider the opportunity to invest my time into this ministry, and into the lives of other women/families I am asking myself the question again.

It has been an anchor I have clung to while raising a family...someday I would go back....someday I would prove to myself and to the watching world (whoever they may be) that I had a brain between my ears and would have the paper to prove it.

As I have pursued this goal many things have been affected...I was not able to get totally behind the birth of Aviva (in order to be the Sovta I longed to be in my grandchildren's lives I could only see school as an impediment). I find I am not as available to make care packages for those of you who travel far far away... or even write notes of encouragement, and I am not as available to enjoy the many changes in our family. I am truly conflicted....to surrender this dream is HUGE. But the God I serve is huge as well.

So, unselfishly I would covet your prayers on this matter

Wedding reception set up:) (Hannah)

Many of you are not here for this special day. So many of us are missing that mom randomly found some Mormons to help serve today:) LOL They all go by sister...sister Lee, sister???? and sister???? It's weird but I'm grateful that I'm not the one that had to cut up cucumbers:)

Quote of the day "this is a hard working Tiara and if you work hard enough you can get one too"

















Here are some pictures of the set up I'm sure we will take some more pictures of the day but this is the part that all of mom's hard work comes together.

Ya know I just realized I know our mother doesn't think she is all that creative but this house really looks amazing and she did that...just wanted to point that out:)

So mom here that you are creative and those that are going to miss the AMAZING food you have CREATIVELY made!!

`Hannah

More pictures to come:)

West Town, PA (Abby)

I am in Philly... well outside of Philly at a boarding school, making posters for students who will be arriving tomorrow. This is definitely a GORGEOUS part of the country, let me tell you! I LOVE it out here, and I am currently trying to convince my husband to find a PhD program out here. :) My bangs are not fully grown out yet, but they will get there. I am working out everyday and I am trying to eat healthy... but I am going to try a philly cheese steak tonight for dinner, don't tell my husband.

-Abby

(West town Lake)

                                                                   

(Sunset in West Town, PA)

  

  (I am making tons and tons of posters)

 

(My husband and I seeing who can make the weirder face)

(I got to see Phillip in Maryland!!)