Wendy was on KBIQ this morning talking about her cookbook. The spiral bound cookbook has over 200 recipes and has become a real hit. These are real meals the Jeub Family eats regularly, and the book comes with several tips on how to eat like kings on a frugal budget. Click the link below to listen, and don’t forget to buy her cookbook:

Listen to Wendy on KBIQ

Lydia Jeub has done it again, this time with the help of co-editor and big sister Cynthia Jeub. The two put together clips from the 2007-2008 competitive season in the NCFCA. Great job girls!

If you are interested in getting involved in this fantastic community, consider coming to Training Minds Ministry’s Debate Camps. Click here for more information.

Most Americans believe that the US is in a depression and that the economy is tanking. The recent bank bailouts and mortgage financing companies are truly disturbing. I sort of wish I wasn’t eye-deep in researching the NCFCA team-debate topic for release of our bestselling Blue Book for homeschool debaters. I’d be writing a lot about the economy, a topic I find intriguing. There is a lot of fear mongering going on, and though I don’t like $4/gal. at the pump anymore than anyone else, I am hesitant to agree with the alarmists out there. Follow me here…

I believe we’re going to be just fine.

I know, I know. The headlines on every news channel and every website is posting doom for America. I, too, see our political horizon as a bit scary. Congress, instead of drilling offshore and in ANWR, is debating bringing back the 55mph speed limit. Obama, who could be our next president, claims that because drilling won’t reduce gas prices for at least six years, we shouldn’t drill. Note: in 2002, President Bush was defeated by Congress to advance drilling in ANWR…yes, six years ago. John McCain at least promotes offshore drilling, something that Congress is digging its heals in about. Also note: John McCain led the charge of moderate Republicans to kill the ANWR bill. I’m not too hopeful that our politicians will come up with helpful solutions.

We can learn several lessons from India. Homeschoolers participating in the NCFCA will be debating changes to the US’s policy toward India, the league’s debate resolution. In my research of the topic, I am learning tons about the recent history of this remarkable nation. After India attained its independence from Britain in 1950, she struggled through 40 years of socialist economics. Though India has a rich history of some of the smartest scientists and businessmen in the world, she was known in the 20th century as one of the poorest nations on earth. It wasn’t until 1990 that India started reforming its License Raj, a series of beaurocratic red tape that made it virtually impossible to innovate and do business in the largest democracy in the world. The lifting of its restrictions have been a boon to India’s economy. Now India is in negotiations with the US to open up its nuclear power development to meet the energy demands of its growing middle class. World economists have predicted that India is on course to surpass China and America’s economies by 2045. No kidding.

It’s difficult to make sense of the bank and mortgage crisis, but what’s going on now is simply responsible taxpayers paying for irresponsible loans. India recognizes that the only way to solve its poverty problem is to devert its policies from socialist safety nets to solving its economic infrastructure. President Bush has lifted the executive moratorium on offshore drilling, and now Congress needs to do the same. It is basic supply-and-demand economics that needs to be addressed: if we Americans demand more oil, and we have it, let’s get it and ease the demand (and our dependence on foreign oil while we’re at it). If government wants to be proactive in energy alternatives, pour money into nuclear development rather than bailing out mortgages. Again, India is onto this, and America should be, too.

We may see our government making foolish fiscal choices, but families should find themselves doing just fine through this shaky economy. Seriously, I am not getting too nervous, and I’m the guy with a 14 mouths to feed! Times will be tight for the next few years, sure, but that shouldn’t depress you. I’m hearing a lot of our friends complain of their scaling back and having to make frugal choices, but I know better. They’re simply starting to live life like the Jeubs, and frugal living has never robbed our family of joy and growth.

If I weren’t so busy with Blue Book I’d write a bestseller and make a million: “Frugal and Fruitful.” Much of our Cheaper by the Baker’s Dozen CD has rich ideas to live frugally, but the main point is this: don’t let anyone rob you of the life God has in store for you. In fact, the coming hardships should return Americans back to what matters most: faith, family, love. The second home or the SUV ain’t it.

I have a lot of respect for Mahatma Gandhi, the spiritual revolutionary who took on the British Empire through peaceful means. He had some daring ideas on economics, too. Though his lineage became socialist powers of the new India, I do not believe Gandhi was a socialist. He had a profound understanding of the economic challenges of India as well as discerning views of the West’s problems. An article I discovered in my research paraphrases a recent discovery of one of Gandhi’s audios, recorded weeks before his assassination in 1948:

Gandhi’s self-denial and tour of rural poverty was rooted in political philosophy. The central reason people turn to violence, Gandhi believed, was that they were afraid: of others, the unknown, of loving one’s possessions and fortunes, of death. Fear was the root cause of corruption and greed. The way to destroy fear, Gandhi argued, was to give up the things that people held precious in the first place. When you have no possessions, you fear no theives.

Wendy and I want so much to get this point across to young couples, which is why we wrote Love in the House. A life centered on building wealth is a life centered on fear, and we believe God wants us free from fear. Now, I’m all for working hard to make a good living, and I’m caught many times wishing I had more than I do now. But in my heart of hearts, I know that desire alone is worth nothing. My heart wants to walk with God and raise a family to do the same.

Okay, one last thing and then I have to get back to writing Blue Book. Wendy received an incredible email from a young lady about a week ago after our “Kids by the Dozen” episode was shown on The Learning Channel. Her story speaks volumes. What a testimony:

I’m writing to tell you what an inspiration your family has been to me. My husband and I have been married for 6 years and have three children (6, 5, 2) but decided after our third that [my husband] should get a vasectomy. I was a lost Christian and he was an atheist and we were consumed with worldly goods and keeping up with our friends–more children would be an inconvenience.

Since then, Jesus has grabbed ahold of our lives–we have a great encouraging church and [my husband] became a Christian one year ago. We could not imagine the changes that the Lord had in store for our hearts and our family. My husband came to me about 2 weeks ago and told me that he had really been struggling with our past sins and our vasectomy and really felt the Lord calling him to have a reversal and let go of worldly things and focus on what really matters. I was, to say the least, reluctant. We have a nice life now, three beautiful children, nice clothes, house and things. We do not make a lot of money and I didn’t want to stretch things too much. I am a stay at home mom and always assumed that 3 children is just right–any more and I might lose it. I didn’t feel it was in the interests of the other children, but I told him I would think about it–but really just wanted to put the idea out of my mind.

Well, God had other plans. I have struggled inwardly for the past two weeks about having more children and have prayed that God would show me what He wanted for our family and not what I want. That God would take away my sinful desire for things of this world and instead allow me to focus only on the eternal. Then, just last night, while washing dishes I heard a quiet voice–we were meant to have more children. I still tried to push that thought away, put the kids to bed and get ready for bed myself.

That is when I started flipping through the channels and saw “Kids by the Dozen.” I was in tears by the time my husband got home from work at 10:30. You come across as so genuine. I love your budgeting techniques, and the way you love and care for your children is evident, as is your love for the Lord. I am not an overly emotional person, so my husband knew something was up [when he saw me crying]. He watched the rest of the show with me and was in tears as well. We knew our calling was to continue to parent. We stayed up most the night talking and this morning we called to make our first appointment on the way to a vasectomy reversal.

I cannot wait to hold baby number 4 in my arms and watch my husband do what he does best–be a dad. God is a loving God, a worker of miracles. In just a short two weeks he has allowed me a glimpse of eternity through the eyes of my children and our children to come. Thank you for telling your story and being an inspiration to those like me.

God will bless his people when his people open their hearts to him. What a testimony from this young couple, how God moved them to follow his lead, to follow the love written on their hearts. Wendy and I are humbled that our meek lives helped encourage them. This family is stepping out in faith, fearlessness and, most importantly, a love for God’s will in their life that surpasses all understanding. A lagging economy won’t hold this family down. They will overcome any obstacle that tries to get in their way. May God bless them abundantly!

The 4th of July is one of the most enjoyable days of the year for the Jeubs. Monument starts the day with “The Best Small-Town Parade in Colorado,” and our neighboring town of Palmer Lake ends the day with a spectacular fireworks show along the front range of the Rockies. Over 30,000 people tomorrow morning will flock to our tiny town to watch bands, Shriners, politicians, firetrucks and classic cars. A thousand kids (no kidding!) ride their decorated bikes through the street for the Kiddie Parade before the 2-hour parade begins. And this parade isn’t hyper-sensitive to tooth decay and water. Squirt gun battles rage, and kids bring home more candy than they get at Easter!

I take great footage every year of the Jeubs catching candy and gawking at the passing elephants. (Yes, we have elephants in our parade!) But we are so incredibly busy in the summer. I am writing curriculum for Monument Publishing, working 12-14 hours six days a week. Wendy is holding the fort, though she still manages to take one night a week to go into the office and work on her new book (due out in November). People often say, “How do you do it all?” At times like now, I return, “I have no idea!”

Well, actually, I do. God has a profound way to leading Wendy and I through the twists and turns of life. I just finished reading John Eldredge’s newest book, Walking With God. (And how do I find time to read a book? It’s a God thing.) I’m learning to listen to God’s shakes and prods–his “convictions”–when drudging through the busyness of life. Take, for instance, this blog posting. A half-hour ago I was simply going to enjoy a glass of Kombucha and go to bed early. God prodded me, “Go post,” so here I am with you.

“We don’t get an outline for each new day, with summary points at bedtime. There is something to be learned in every story…Pause along the way [in your life story] at those points where God is speaking to you, shedding light on your story, or teaching you something new. Pause there. Let that be the lesson for the day. Don’t just plow through! Take your time and let him speak.” (Walking With God, p. xiii)

It is extremely difficult to listen to God when busy, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to pause, listen, and move to the areas in life he wants us to go. Eldredge subtitles his book, “Talk to him. Hear from him. Really.” I’m sure he has to place the “really” at the end because something inside us says, “Yeah right, God doesn’t speak to us that way…” and then we get back to our busy life.

I’m convinced that God wants us to walk with him, talk with him, and listen to him. I’ve been practicing this lately, really. Just the other night, when I was tempted to end the day by jumping on my computer, God said, “Go out on the back deck and enjoy a conversation with your daughters.” Okay, so I did. Cynthia, Lydia and I talked for over an hour on a cool summer Coloradan night. It was absolutely beautiful and divine. A real heaven-on-earth moment.

How many heaven-on-earth moments have I passed up, too busy to notice God calling me? You catch what I’m saying, don’t you?

I’ve got decorated red-white-and-blue bikes in the driveway ready to go first thing in the morning. We’ll be busy tomorrow, but not with busyness. There will be much joy tomorrow celebrating the birth of our great nation. God will be there celebrating with us at the parade and the fireworks. May he be there with you, too. God bless America!