Julie Gumm - Author

Name Ideas

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We are still searching for the right names for our new kids. We’ve got it narrowed down for W-boy but are still really at a loss for B-girl.

While I’m not set on having a Bible name necessarily, I find myself always paying attention to the names in case I find something unusual that strikes me.

At our family worship time we’ve been reading through the Bible, beginning in Genesis. Right now we’re about at Jacob finding a wife.

It’s usually dad or I reading and we do our best but honestly, some of the names are just wild. We stumble through the pronounciations as best we can.

And occasionally we read a name, or in this case a set of names, and I can’t help it. I start to giggle. And then the kids start to giggle and it takes us a couple of minutes to regain our composure.

Genesis 22:21 Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother…

The first thing that flashed into my mind was these guys:

“Hi, I’m Uz, this is my brother Buz.”

The other one that get us in trouble is Phicol (Gen 21:22). Now I realize it’s probably pronounced more like Ficol but the first time I read it, I read “pickle” and my stomach hurt we were laughing so hard. And it’s just kind of stuck.

I’m not sure how much dad appreciates our giggly diversions but the kids and I have great fun.

Adoption is not the solution

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I don’t think anyone who is adopting, especially from a poverty-striken country like Ethiopia, will argue that adoption is going to solve the problems of this country.

Less than 1,300 children were adopted out of Ethiopia last year. The number of orphans in Ethiopia is estimated at about 4.6 million.

Adoption will not solve the very real problems of HIV/AIDS, hunger and poverty.

I came across (via Tom Davis’ blog) a great article that talks about this – Adopting Ethiopian Orphans May Not be the Best Solution

While we are drawn to the idea of helping those who are less fortunate than us – the least of these as Matthew 25 refers to them – then there are thousands of ways to go about that.

For us it became as much about adding to our family – the only way it makes sense. So many people say to us “They are so lucky to have you.” That may be true, but even though we haven’t met them they, and this journey, have already changed us in so many ways that WE are the truly lucky ones.

WFMW: Five Ingredient Recipes

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This week’s Works For Me Wednesday’s theme is to give your best five-ingredient recipe. This one is a recipe my mom used to make a lot and it is yummy. It has the added bonus of being a crockpot meal so I can put it in in the morning and, with a minimal amount of time, it’s ready for dinner.

It makes a really good size meal. I can cook it when we have 8 adults and it is plenty. Or, if I’m bringing dinner to someone who’s had a baby I’ll cook this, keep half for us and take half to them with a salad and some rolls.

Crock Pot Beef N Noodles

rump roast
1 pkg dry onion soup
3 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 package wide egg noodles

Put roast in crock pot in morning. Sprinkle dry onion soup over top. Dump in soup. Cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 6 hours.

That evening, boil noodles according to package instructions. Break apart the roast – usually I can do this with just a couple of forks if it is cooked well enough. Stir well the meat well in the sauce. When the noodles are cooked, dump them in and stir.

Back to Shannon’s for more recipes.