My Ramblings about how I ended up here… By Sarah Brown

Today I learned not to put raw eggs in my coat pocket. I knew it was a bad idea as soon as I dropped the fifth egg in and heard that dreaded cracking sound. My husband’s yellow rain coat, and two less eggs for the carton. Today I also learned not to leave the lid off the goat feed, especially when rain clouds are on the horizon, and then I learned that I need to shut the barn yard gate just a little faster. There I was trying to pull a stubborn goat out of a garbage can full of wet feed… with eggs in my pocket.

I didn’t grow up in the country, but I must have read a few to many pioneer love stories in my early teens. I had never even spent more than 3 minutes with a goat or chicken, until we were riding home together in the mini van to our little house by the corn field. As I looked back at my three pregnant LaMancha Does, then smiled at my sweet husband –He would have never imagined the adventures in our path when he married me. I knew that my little girl dreams were really coming true. My life seems to be full of these moments.

Three years ago Josh and I were newlyweds living on the beach in New Smyrna Beach Florida and Aunt Joan came to visit. Y2K was coming she said and we needed to learn how to survive without technology because life as we knew it was coming to an end. Sounded like fun to me, and I began to do a little research on pioneer living and pondered putting a chicken coop up on the roof top balcony. Then came Hurricane Floyd and we decided that chicken coop on roof deck wouldn’t be such a good idea... besides that their were neighbors and zoning laws…

For a few months I was content to just know that we had a few cans of potatoes in the pantry. But then a friend gave me a pile of Magazines depicting country life in the Midwest. I had visions of a white cottage with wood floors, homegrown tomatoes, clucking hens, fruit trees and fresh herbs in my window boxes. I dreamed of seasons and porch swings and the state fair.

At this time in our life my husband ,Josh, was a flight instructor at Embry Riddle, he had just gotten a 30% pay raise, and was having success in starting a new business called “Need-A-Nerd? Computer Service” We had been married a year and a half, with our second baby on the way. I called him on his cell phone and told him about my big dreams and that I had even found a few houses near Indianapolis, on some website, that would be almost perfect.

Well, Hurricane Floyd had two brothers, we even had to evacuate… we evacuated all the way to Indianapolis for a few days. During our visit we took a few drives out in the country. Then came back to Florida to a beach house with a little less siding and a few missing shingles. One month later we were closing on our little white house in Indiana, and moved in just one week before Christmas. My little girl dreams were starting to come true on the three most beautiful acres in Indiana. Y2K came and went before we built our barn and chicken coop, and the spring came with the scent of cherry and apple blossoms. We watched the tulips bloom from our porch swing. We discovered a strawberry patch and a creek in our back yard, and wood floors under the carpet.

We’ve lived in Indiana for 2 years now, I love life and I love living it here. My Husband has lived in Indianapolis most of his life and I have been visiting him in Indianapolis since we were 15 and 16 years old. (We met in Cincinnati when we were 13 and 14… 10 years ago.) We now live just east of Geist, out in the country a little bit. I’m a full time mom of three children under 3, and my husband is “THE NERD” of NEED-A-NERD? Computer Service, he also leads worship at our Church- Horizon Christian Fellowship. I may take a couple jobs a month just for fun- painting murals or arranging wedding flowers. I also teach homemaking classes at my house, and host a mother- daughter gardening group here in the growing season. My own walls and rooms have become an Artist’s playground. And I’ve become a master of getting the most out of our budget as I bring each room in this house to life. We enjoy life and like to keep it simple and fun, peaceful and pure. Our home is full of music, art and books, there is no T.V. here, but there are always so many things to watch, to discover, to create and clean up.

As I write my three little children are asleep upstairs, I have fresh eggs and milk in the fridge, and Josh is still out fixing computers- I think he must be the most popular computer nerd in town today… but tomorrow he’ll be home with the kids for the day, and he’ll have the joy of milking the goat and collecting eggs while I read a library book at Starbucks. Oh, there was one other thing I learned today- never leave green paint on the kitchen counter if you have a two year old who likes to paint murals just like mommy.

Tomorrow By Sarah Brown

Tomorrow I want to paint my walls with hills and trees, butterflies and clouds, and sing the songs from “The Sound of Music”. Tomorrow I want to ignore the laundry and play outside with my toddlers. I want to be close to creation. I want to feel the wind and the rain and watch the sky.

Tomorrow I want to wake up in my husband’s arms, and listen as he prays for our family. And I really want to live my life like I was designed to live it. I want music, purity, sunlight and the laughter of children. I want to know the one who made me, yes, I want to make God smile.

Tomorrow I want to bring fresh milk from the barn, bring fresh flowers to the table, and let my little son feel the joy of gathering a basket of fresh eggs. I want to look out the window and watch the neighbor’s horses run. I want to share my two-year-old’s amazement as we examine the beans spouting in a jar on the windowsill. I want to build Lego towers, block towers, and couch pillow towers… again and again and again. I want to watch with wonder as my baby girl falls asleep to Mozart.

Tomorrow I want to drink a cup of loose leaf tea, and share a cup with a friend as we talk about the treasures we found at garage sales. I want to fill my house with used books and take time to read them. I want to learn all about the way my great grandmothers lived, and teach those skills to others. I want to make things I couldn’t buy, and make other things anyway. I want to make my home an expression of creativity, discovery and faith and I want my heart to be an expression of Jesus.

Tomorrow I want to listen to the hearts of my children and be the one who nurtures them from sunrise and sunset and all through the night. I want to giggle with my daughters and read about tractors with my son. I want to smile when people tell me that I must have my hands full, smile, knowing that my hands are full of blessings.

Tomorrow I want my husband to come home to joy, to peace and to unconditional love. I want to kiss him and rub his back if he’s achy. I want him to enjoy a meal seasoned with herbs from our garden. I want to sit on the porch swing with him and watch the sun set and seasons change. I want to listen as he talks about his computer business and all the new people he meets, then talk about making plans to go to Austria again, or drive down the west coast.

Tomorrow I want to say yes to the things that matter most, and say no to the things that stand in the way of peace. I want simplicity. I want to live by faith. I want my neighbors to see a candle burning in the window, but never the blue glow of a television set. I want to be thankful and content with what I have and when I have more than what I need, I want to give. I want to give even when I must sacrifice.

Tomorrow evening I want to put on my shoes and Jacket and go out… to the barn. I want to pass the chicken coop and peek in at the hens as they huddle close, dozing on their roost. I want to sing quietly as I milk my goat by lantern light, then take a little time just to look up at the stars, and say a few words to the one who made them.

Tomorrow night I want to fall asleep in a room with wood floors and soft yellow walls as my husband reads the bible to me. I want to dream big dreams, and then make them come true… in my own back yard.

I guess what I really want is for tomorrow to be… a lot like today.

Next Spring I will be opening the “Simpler Times Workshop” for Women and Children. The finished barn in my back yard will be a cozy place where I will teach and practice many of the skills of our grandmothers. Many of my friends from Church who are stay-at-home moms, who live in town will be part of this, they have been spreading the word to all their friends. A bunch of college students are also going to be part of this adventure. The workshop, Trading Post, and Gardens will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Sunrise to Sunset, for a few hours on the weekend, and by appointment. Creative Homemaking Classes will take place on Fridays, and as scheduled.

Here you will find old Singer Sewing Machines, baskets of craft supplies, a library filled with great and inspiring books, a scroll saw, colorful fabrics and yarns and so much more. We even have a kiln! Things I have been collecting over the past few years. You may sip a cup of herbal tea, listen to the music of peace, or lose yourself in a mural. Here you can learn unique ways to express your creativity and come to truly appreciate your heritage. Maybe you will find satisfaction in making your own soap, tea blends or curtains. Just outside you can watch our kitchen garden grow, and tend to it’s needs if you like. You can trade at our trading post and gift shop, and explore the library. You can make salsa with new friends, pick strawberries and can pickles. Learn how to milk a goat and meet our laying hens, take home some fresh eggs. While my children play with the new baby goats I’ll tell you my story, and maybe you can tell me yours. Hopefully your faith in God will grow like the sunflowers, and you will discover simple ways to live a life of peace, purity, creativity and beauty.

The exchange of money has no place or value at Simpler Times. We are delighted to return to the old-fashion game of trading for goods and services. We have designed a value system in which fresh organic produce, used books, some time in the garden, homemade soaps and herbal teas are worth more than gold or silver… or a piece of paper with a face and numbers on it. At Simpler Times it doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, a grown-up or little child , educated or illiterate, a farmer’s wife or a city girl, everyone is equal here and has equal opportunities. No individual makes an income but everyone profits. The value of a product remains the same- 2 ounces of honey is worth 1 point whether you are the producer or the consumer. The main goals of the Trading post is to make wholesome eating possible and affordable no matter what your financial status is and to give women, especially stay at home moms and students, the ability to provide for many of their physical needs with out having to work for money, ultimately allowing them to put their time and attention into what matters most.

This isn't about homesteaders, infact in my group I am the only homesteader, I live on the edge of Indianapolis, all the women in my group live in average neighborhoods. This endevor isn't that big, it could be. I'm not doing this for profit, my husband is a Computer Guy who makes all the money we need by working 2 days a week. I'm just doing this for fun and to help others. Last summer I hosted a gardening group at my house, there were about 16 ladies involved, I have also been teaching homemaking classes. I’m only 25, I have 3 kids under 3 years. But I always wanted to be Laura Ingalls. I’m really from the city, I read Simpler Times and that inspired me, over the past 2 years I have been teaching young women about developing homemaking skills, I had to figure out everything for myself. I lived in Hungary, Romania, Austria and Russia before I was married as a missionary, and that influenced my change of life style when I came home. I DID NOT WANT TO LIVE LIKE AN AMERICIAN ANY MORE!!!. I began to see the need for this was bigger than I could imagine. So I began to share with other women about returning to Simpler Times, and showing them how. One month I got 3 dairy goats, in the spring we will have to much milk, so some of my friends wanted some, I didn’t want to charge money for it, we have enough money, so we were going to trade, they would help buy the feed, do some milking and care and I would keep the goats on my land and build the barn. Last Thursday this whole plan for the Trading Post, workshop and gardens came to me, the Ideas were coming faster than I could type, and soon the whole plan was before me. With in 3 days I had told a few friends, they spread the word, and there are already more women who want to be part of this than my plans can handle. So my vision grew, their visions grew. Friends and Family in Florida, Ohio and Michigan and seeing how simple this really is, and are making plans to do something similar, using my basic plan layout. Many of them had dreams of doing something like this but couldn’t see how. There are already a possible 5 Simpler Times Locations around the Indianapolis Area, with the possibility of being up and running for the next growing season. Each Simpler Times location will be over seen by leaders of a Christian Church, but any women in the community can freely become members, the only requirement is reading a book about Simple Living by Thomas Kinkade “Simpler Times” All women of all walks of life are welcome here, there is no commitment of what they must put into Simpler Times- but the more the give the more they receive. Supply will perfectly match demand. This is so simple that a city mom could finish her garage, and put in a sewing room, game table, and some shelves for tradable things and books, then have a Simpler Times with 8 or 10 women. God has given us recourses to do this on a larger scale, but it would be just as satisfying with a few family and friends, tell your friends, neighbors, and the women at your church, see what happens and let me know. If you want to be a Simpler Times Group, you owe us nothing, just make sure the leader reads the 2 required books and you follow the guide lines, but you can do this on your own. Our Point system is well thought out it may help you. Oh, Greenfeild is just East of Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Star will be doing a feature story on our family and simple way of life after the first of the year, so we will be able to see what impact this idea will have on many more women. My Simpler Times location will only be open for trade 3 days a week, but any of the women can come through the week to garden, and use the workshop, members will have keys to the place. I have another friend who has a really big house in a down town area, of a cute town, she may be having a workshop in her home, with a focus on teen girls, children and recovering women. Another Woman is focusing on the Library, but will also bake bread and make soap, another woman will be focused on Pregnant women and new moms, helping them with all that the need, in the location at my house and in her home too. Anyone can E-mail me for the more complete details of the pointsystem and stuff.

You don't have to be part of any certian church to do this, Simpler Times should either be a nonprofit organization or formed under the accountablity of a Church, and hold to the Non- Profit Standard.

God Bless America

Sarah Brown

"Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance Isaiah 55:1-2

THIS IS AMAZING!!! THIS IS WHAT I READ IN MY QUIET TIME TONIGHT: Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9: 6-15

PROVERBS 31:10-31 (this happened to be chapter that Josh and were reading together tonight , Dec16, 2001, as we are reading through the Bible together, read it carefully, it’s really incredible)

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverbs 31:10-31

OTHER VERSES God has Given Me leading up to this: Isaiah 6:8 Phillipians 4:6-20 Matthew 6:19 -34 John 6:27 Psalm 127 Psalm 112 Psalm 37 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-- Sarah Brown (joshsarah@bigfoot.com), December 18, 2001

Answers

Thankyou Sarah. God Bless you and keep you this day. Sissy

-- Sissy Sylvester-Barth (iblong2Him@ilovejesus.net), December 19, 2001.

what wonderful things you are doing!!!!! thank you for such beautiful thoughts!

(I also learned not to put eggs in my coat pocket....there were just two that day....when the chicken enclosure screen door slammed against me.....yuk!)

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), December 19, 2001.

Good morning Sarah. You've brought back many happy memories for me. I was born a few miles north of Indianapolis on a farm with no electricity or running water. I was the youngest of ten children and my mother had the same values as you've described.

I no longer live in Indiana but will have family members watching for the article on your family so they can send it to me.

-- Grannytoo (jacres40@hotmail.com), December 19, 2001.

Isn't it fun learning to be a country girl? I one time walked around the goat barn with a busted egg in my coat pocket, thinking I had gotten that awful yellow yuk off of one of the goats, and wondering what the problem could be. lol. I actually didn't realize it was an egg until AFTER it went through the wash!!;)

-- mary (mlg@aol.com), December 19, 2001.

Not carrying eggs in your pocket seems to be a lesson that every henkeeper has to learn from themselves. My lesson only involved just one egg - in the pocket of my blue jeans. Naturally friends decided to drop by just as I was walking to the house to clean up.

={(Oak)-

-- Live Oak (live-oak@atlantic.net), December 19, 2001.

I too learned not to carry eggs in my pocket (it took more than once to convince me too :^}). I don't do it anymore. Also learned the lesson about making sure the lids are tight on those trash cans of feed--that's the great thing about this forum and the magazine--maybe we can spare someone else the "pleasure" of yolked pockets! Have a great day and God bless!

-- Sharon (spangenberg@hovac.com), December 19, 2001.

Me too Sarah! Me too! Amen and may God Bless! Someone asked me once if I ever put my baby down because I had been cuddling him a lot during our visit. I smiled and said....Oh...you are supposed to do that? They grow up so fast it makes your head spin. Now they stand head and shoulders above me. Sigh.........They are a blessing at every age but the time sure seems like yesterday when they were the age of yours!

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), December 19, 2001.