Ladomato Living

Our fridge broke. Again. Today. The last time it broke was exactly two weeks ago, when we had to have a broken thermostat replaced. Today, it ended up being yet another temperature-regulating part that needs to be replaced … and it will take a few days for the repairman to get it in-stock. So in the midst of an already very-busy week, getting ready for a 10-day trip, I found myself having to unload the entire freezer and refrigerator. No, it really wasn’t what I had on my to-do list for the week, but the Bible says that, “A man plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps.”

As I was working to unload the food, tromping through the pouring rain to our deep-freeze in the garage, I realized that I had a very real choice: I could either grumble and complain (a choice which would most definitely displease God, and also serve to make my day miserable), or I could choose to obey the Bible and REJOICE in all things. I desire always to be obedient to and pleasing to the Lord, but I felt like being discontent. Yet, by yielding to the Spirit of God, I chose to rejoice. And as I did so, another verse came to mind, “All things work together for good to those who love God.” I believe the Word of God is true. Always. So, as I do love God–and was at that moment showing my love for Him through obedience and choosing to rejoice–I started looking for how a broken fridge could be working for my good. And it was at that moment that the Lord started to open my eyes to some Hidden Blessings!

The first hidden blessing I saw was, of all things, the very rain through which I was tromping, and of which I had noticed several people complaining about. Not only was that lovely spring rain watering and preparing the ground for planting, but it was also keeping the weather cooler–a real blessing for me, because my little overflow fridges were not quite big enough to hold all the things from our main fridge. Whenever the weather is cool outside, my uninsulated basement pantry turns into a walk-in fridge. Thank you, Lord, for the rain and cool weather!

The second hidden blessing was in the actual unloading of the fridge and freezer contents themselves. I really try to keep a good handle on what is in there, but I still found several (nice) surprises, that are actually making meal prep just a bit easier this week.

The third hidden blessing was some very precious teaching opportunities with our almost-3-year-old, Judah. You can read the Bible to children, you can teach them Bible memory, and you can tell them the right things to do, but I have found that the very best, and most penetrating teaching moments come when they can actually watch you obeying the Bible in the middle of a difficult situation. It is one thing to tell our children that “We should always be cheerful”, it is another thing when they see us being cheerful, even when things aren’t going the way we planned.

Lord, open my eyes to an even greater degree to see the “Hidden Blessings”!

This week we were “gifted” with a passel of hot dog buns. 5 packages to be exact. For a family of two adults and one toddler (Silas isn’t eating “big people” food yet ).

At first, when I saw those five packages of hot dog buns, I did not see them as a gift at all. Rather, I viewed them as a burden. What in the world was I supposed to do with all those hot dog buns?!? I certainly don’t have freezer space for them … and we really don’t eat that much bread.

But as I stood in my kitchen, gazing ruefully at those ominous packages of hot dog buns, it seemed as if I felt the Lord speaking to me. “You’re viewing it all wrong, Jackie. You are viewing these hot dog buns as a burden, as a cast-off. But why not view them as a special gift from Me, as an actual blessing–albeit a blessing in disguise. Focus your menu plan this week on hot dog buns, and just see how I can use these hot dog buns to actually bless you.”

Now, I must point out that I am not naturally creative. In fact, being a rather “routine” and “structured” person, I am challenged with creativity in just about every area of my life; and menu planning is no exception. Add to that that our internet just happened to be down at that time, and it really didn’t seem likely that those hot dog buns would amount to anything more than, well, hot dog buns.

But then, as I was pondering the challenge before me, I was reminded of the verse, “In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” That was the key: first, to choose to actually rejoice in and be thankful for the abundance of hot dog buns, then to ask the Lord for wisdom in how to use them! And that is exactly what I did (and there follows a list of creative uses for hot dog buns).

However, the real lesson that I saw in this real-life learning experience was not how to physically make use of hot dog buns (though this has turned out to be a rather fun challenge!). But rather, the lesson that has stuck out most in my mind is the principle of how often God chooses to bless us in some way, but we miss that blessing because we are focused on our own limited perspective and understanding. For example, God knew that my week was to be especially busy, and so He provided, amongst other things, already-made bread in those hot dog buns. I could scratch bread-baking off my already bulging list for the week! But had I stayed in my negative, narrow perspective, rather than reaching out in faith and thankfulness, I would have totally missed that blessing. I probably would have just had several packages of moldy buns.

Let’s take the “challenges” or “burdens” we are faced with, and by God’s grace, let’s step outside our limited and lacking human perspective, and through faith reach out for the blessings that we have in Christ Jesus!

10 Uses for Hot Dog Buns
1. garlic bread
2. sub sandwiches
3. breakfast “toast”
4. peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
5. grilled cheese sandwiches
6. Sloppy Joe sandwiches
7. croutons
8. “pizzas” (spread with a little tomato sauce, top with mozzarella cheese and other desired toppings, broil until slightly browned)
9. overnight French Toast (recipe follows) - a real hit this week with Giampaolo and Judah
10. bread pudding

Overnight French Toast for a Small Family

(This can easily be doubled or tripled for larger families)
2 Tbs. butter, melted
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
3-4 hot dog buns
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
dash of salt
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Combine butter and brown sugar, and pour on the bottom of a glass bread pan. Tear hot dog buns into bit-sized pieces and fill bread pan approximately 2/3 full. Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, and spices and pour over bread. Top with pecans. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-12 hours. Take out of the fridge at least 10 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until center is not longer gooey (but be careful not to overcook!). Let cool slightly before serving. Drizzle with yogurt, syrup, or powdered sugar. Delicious!!

It’s that time of year again, where colds seem to be going around in abundance! I thought I would share a few of the Ladomato favorite natural preventatives and helps for colds.

Fresh Garlic Salve is an all-time favorite at our house. Although a bit stinky and messy, garlic is known to combat both viruses and bacteria. And, unlike antibiotics, rather than lowering your immune system, it actually improves it! Not only is it inexpensive and fairly easy to make, but it is safe for the whole family–even babies. The key to receiving benefit from it, though, is consistency. Once or twice a day is fine if you are just using it as a preventative, but if you are actually sick, you need to be rubbing it on your chest, back and the soles of your feet at least 4-5 times a day, and as much as every couple of hours. (As such, this is probably best used for children, or adults who are actually at home sick, as the general public might not appreciate the strong garlic odor. Further down in this post is a Super-Duper Tonic that can be used more easily by those who are needing to interact with the general public.) Garlic Salve will easily keep it’s potency for up to 2 weeks if left out on the countertop (which is where you want it if you are using it several times a day), or for much longer in the fridge. It is easy enough to make that I tend to just make a fresh batch when we start noticing that we are fighting something. Here is the recipe:

Garlic Salve
1/3 cup raw coconut oil
8-10 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled
up to 2 Tbs. olive oil (or I really like to use Wheat Germ Oil)

Put the coconut oil and garlic in the food processor and process until it is a fairly smooth paste. Add just enough oil to make it a spreadable consistency.

Another favorite of mine, once you have a cold, is a simple Peppermint/Eucalyptus Rubbing Oil. You rub it on the chest and back, and it instantly helps to clear congestion.

Peppermint/Eucalyptus Rubbing Oil
approximately 2 Tbs. Olive Oil (or any carrier oil of your choice–many people really like apricot kernel oil, but olive oil is much cheaper)
2-3 drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil
2-3 drops Peppermint Essential Oil

Store in a dark bottle, and rub on as needed. Note: you can adjust the essential oils up or down, according to your preference. Just be aware that essential oils are very potent, so be especially careful if using with young children. Better to start with less, and add more if you want it.

The final favorite Cold Preventative recipe that I will share from our house is Super-Duper Tonic. This is a bit more work to make, and it does have a strong taste, but we have found it very effective in fighting off colds if we take it faithfully at the first sign that we might be coming down with something. I make it by the half-gallon or gallon jar, which turns out to be about 1-2 quarts once it has been strained off. I then store the tonic in a dark bottle in the fridge, and when we feel like we are fighting something, we start taking 1 Tbs. every hour. Here is the recipe:

Super Duper Tonic
chop equal parts of onion, garlic, fresh horseradish (available at Meijer), fresh ginger root (also available at Meijer) and as much hot pepper (jalapeno or chiles work very well) as you can tolerate–up to equal amounts of everything else, but I usually use much less because it would just be too hot for us otherwise.

Put all ingredients in a glass jar and cover with Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (available at health food stores–different than the pastuerized kind you can get at the grocery store). Let set on the countertop for 2-4 weeks, shaking daily. Strain off and store in fridge. If you use a 1/2 gallon jar, you will get about 1 quart of tonic in the end.

It seems many in our day put their trust in doctors and medicine; others put their trust in herbs and “naturalism.” While we are thankful for the wisdom God gives and for the herbs (and doctors, when we truly need them) that He has provided, we believe that true salvation–be it spiritual or physical–is found in Jesus Christ alone. There is no other Name (or “remedy”) under heaven by which we are saved! We do hope, however, that perhaps some of these simple recipes may prove helpful to some.

“… I have God’s more-than-enough–more joy in one ordinary day than [the wicked] get in all their shopping sprees. At days’ end I am ready for sound sleep, for You, O God, have put my life back together” (Psalm 4:6-8, The Message).

As a Christian, I can find joy and even delight in the “ordinary” days and tasks. Today I found joy in the strength that God gave me, even at 8 months of pregnancy, to process and can applesauce for my family. It was, to say the least, a bit more “challenging” than normal with my big belly and a very active 19-month-old little boy, but Judah is learning to be a “helper” (just look at the joy on his face in being able to hand me apples!) … and Mommy is learning patience and to look more fully to the Lord for wisdom and strength. So, in the end, we not only had 24 pints and 6 quarts of applesauce, but we also had some sweet (and sticky!) “working-together” time, and Mommy grew in character. What a precious opportunity, and what sound sleep at the day’s end!

Judah finds joy in helping Mommy

The canning “set-up”

Applesauce ready to be put in jars

Applesauce in the canner

The finished product!