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Friday, February 28, 2014
Joy Dare~ February 2014
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| 24th~3 Gifts before 11:00am~~ fresh, hot coffee; salvation; Caliegh's smile 25th~ a gift worn-out, new, made-do~~ a friendship; baby Madison; supplies 26th~ 3 gifts seen as reflections~~ how our pasts, through salvation in Christ, have created who He needs us to be 27th~ 3 ugly-beautiful gifts~~ lack of open/ safe communication; scrubbing; go-bag not packed 28th~ 3 gifts from the past - that help you trust the future~~ faith in God; all I learned at Toledo Restoration Church; Jesus |
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Thursday, February 27, 2014
Joy Dare~ February 2014
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| 24th~3 Gifts before 11:00am~~ fresh, hot coffee; salvation; Caliegh's smile 25th~ a gift worn-out, new, made-do~~ a friendship; baby Madison; supplies 26th~ 3 gifts seen as reflections~~ how our pasts, through salvation in Christ, have created who He needs us to be 27th~ 3 ugly-beautiful gifts~~ lack of open/ safe communication; scrubbing; go-bag not packed 28th~ 3 gifts from the past - that help you trust the future~~ |
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Wednesday, February 26, 2014
A Little Bit of Organization!
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| I'm going through my house a little at a time. I'd like to have everything in it's place by spring! |
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Day 57/ 365
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| 1F here in Joliet, IL. At 4:00am it was 3F~ I so wish I understood how the temperature drops when the sun comes up!! This is so weird!! |
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Tuesday, February 25, 2014
10F and -6F Windchill in Joliet, IL
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| Well, folks, our furnaace still hasn't needed to kick on! I've stoked the fire and we're headed to bed, ready to dream of happy times. My sweet son has kept me company this evening and is, as ever, a joy in my life. Have a good night and stay warm!! |
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13F in Joliet, IL
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| Wow! It's really getting cold. Nice to know, thanks to our woodstove, our furnace hasn't kicked on since we came home at 5:00pm!! The thermostat in the livingroom reads 56F and is still set at 55F. Back in my bedroom it's 55F. I'd love for it to be warmer back here while we're awake, but there's something about free heat that warms us from the inside out. We have thick warm comforters and will be roasty-toasty in our cocoons tonight! 55F is a good temperature for sleeping. Any warmer and we just don't wake up rested! |
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"Fireproof" with Kirk Cameron
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| This movie is so so good! I watched it twice by myself then once with Matthew. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who's married or contemplating marriage. |
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Day 56/ 365
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| With -8F forcasted for tonight and 9" of snow on the way, this fire is critical in keeping my gas bill low. My family absolutely must survive the Second Great Depression! Keeping all bills as low as possible is key to this. |
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Joy Dare~ February 2014
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| 24th~3 Gifts before 11:00am~~ fresh, hot coffee; salvation; Caliegh's smile 25th~ a gift worn-out, new, made-do~~ a friendship; baby Madison; supplies 26th~ 3 gifts seen as reflections~~ 27th~ 3 ugly-beautiful gifts~~ 28th~ 3 gifts from the past - that help you trust the future~~ 29th~ a gift dull, shimmering, cleaned~~ |
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Monday, February 24, 2014
MPG Game~ 2008 Chevy Impala
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| Well, 21.8 MPG in the city is way better than what I was getting with the Jeep, but I know I can do way better! Time to slow down and be more aware of my MPG. |
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Joy Dare~ February 24, 2014
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| 3 Gifts before 11:00am~~ fresh, hot coffee; salvation; Caliegh's smile |
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Day 55/ 365
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| Wishing, hoping, praying.... for tips of green leaves to poke up through the frozen earth! |
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Sunday, February 23, 2014
Snood for Me for Everyday Wear
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| I've been knitting a lot today~ praying a lot too! |
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2nd Great Depression~ Keeping Warm!
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| As arctic air continues to blast the midwest I am ever so grateful for our unadorned wood stove. We have the basic, no frills Vogelzang Boxwood Stove. It's very humble, yet thoroughly heats our homestead. And our wood source? Free scrap wood a local manufacturer sets out in bins for public consumption. I wonder if that manufacturer realizes how many families they impact with this simple act of selfless generosity??!! |
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Joy Dare~ February 22 and 23, 2014
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| 22nd~ 3 gifts that changed today~~ perspective; goals; outlook 23rd~ a gift of tin, glass, wood~~ Grandma's coffee cannister; clearer insight to His Will for me for now; scrap wood burning warmly |
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Waiting...
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| For a time I lost sight of what I was waiting for... I seemed to be floundering, just lost for which direction to go... Should I just marry to marry? No.. Should I sell my house and move to an apartment? No.. Should I sell my house and buy a store with an apartment above it? No.. I am at the place I right here and now simply because this is where He needs me to be to go forward to the next place He is sending me! And where am I now??? I am in a place of starting many small small home businesses... I am in a place of getting my physical house back in order (I will blog this later so stop back)... I am in a place of realizing I should not change who I am to make anyone happy. That He loves me just the way I am~ long un-cut hair, skirts, funky bandanas, snoods, leg warmers and all. After all, I am who He made me to be! I am 'waiting for the man who would do anything to be my everything.' I am learning to just be... |
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Day 54/ 365
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| Restarting the fire as we left for a bit. I now have my three (3) newspapers for extreme couponing, coffee, eggs and a gallon of 2% milk (because 7-11 didn't have skim). We drove through Pilcher Park stopping to walk around the nature center for ten (10) minutes. Then we drove around a bit looking at locations to start a small coffee shop. As the walking hit me I realized I hadn't taken a pain pill or muscle relaxer yet today~ Ouch! Now that we're home I have to take my meds!!! Matt is tidying up the kitchen and is going to do some baking. He loves to cook and is such a blessing to me. I'm hoping he'll make me some good hot coffee a la Matt!! |
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Day 54/ 365
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| Matt and I both slept in this morning! Nice to have a break to allow our bodies to rejuvenate after a long week. Matt's still sound asleep, but I decided to get up and start a nice fire to warm our bones. It was that or turn the thermostat up from 55F to 65F. Over the last two (2) months, having been very very sick, I was just too tired most nights to start a fire. My heat bill for the two (2) months combined was $208!!! That is totally unacceptable. I have to be more diligent about keeping a fire going when we're home. I like my gas bill, water heater, cooking stove and furnace combined, at around $35 and No Higher. |
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