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Sunday, December 11, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Clean Sheets = Inviting Haven
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Have you ever noticed how much more peacefully you sleep on clean sheets? Doesn't it seem like a more restful night with fresh linens? Imagine providing that to your family every night! If you think of how many hours they spend in their beds and how many skin cells are shed on their sheets, shouldn't their sheets be laundered daily? Or.... Should they sleep on an ever-increasing layer of shed skin cells? How gross! |
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Thoughts and Rambling...
Happy Saturday!
I have to say that I am baffled, but led today... isn't that how it always is? And I am abundantly blessed!!!
Sometimes God gives us options... this would be my case... for right now... He has given me options...
*Option #1~ run a muck and ignore His will
*Option #2~ wait on the man He has put in my heart (this would be the man who would help me to best serve Him and provide for the best outcome for my life)
*Option #3~ 'date' a man of my own choosing whose life lines up with the Word of God
Obviously I would prefer Option #2...
but, I also know from experience, that God will not make anyone follow Him or do His will... we do that voluntarily... a dear friend recently told me that, if I am patient and faithful, eventually what He has put in my heart will come to fruition...
at one point, many years ago, there was a time when there was someone else He put in my heart and I walked away... I walked out on God... fire got too hot and I bailed! My actions and choices caused me many extra years of waiting for my calling to come to fruition... and, undoubtedly, much grief for my intended... he and I both knew we were in each other's hearts from the Lord... he had waited for me to mature as a Christian and, before that, for God to put him in my heart... just as the time to marry was nearing, I packed up and moved far away....
I don't want to do that again...
From where I sit now, I have no idea if He has shown both of us or not... the fire is hot... so something powerful must be happening...
Yup!
Sticking with Option #2...
Why mess with a perfect plan?!?!
Friday, December 9, 2011
Stocking Up?!
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Hi! Glad to see you again. Come on in and see what I've done to organize my linen closet floor. This was not planned, but Matt was looking for something the other day and tossed everything into the bin... So... Since I had to clean it up anyways, why not organize it better?! I pulled everything out into the little bitty hallway, then I scrubbed the closet floor thoroughly, leaving some little green pellets so the mice have full tummies! Next I placed the bin on the floor and found the best position so as to allow me to store everything neatly. The bin is for toilet paper at a ratio on one roll/ person/ week and needing enough for a minimum of one year. In cleaning I found I only have a two week supply of toilet paper~ time to go shopping! To the left is our soap supply at a ratio of 15 bars/ person/ year. The bin on the bottom shelf is for my back-up supply of shampoo and conditioner. To the left of that is my small supply of toothpastes and toothbrushes. Then assorted face washes, deodorants and lotions as well as some hair color supplies. As I look at it now, I can see I am not nearly as stocked as I had planned to be by this date. But, at least it's clean and I can find what I need! It's so clean and neat now! And... I can find everything I need!!! |
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Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Heat w/out Paying Nicor Gas
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At bedtime last night I checked this thermometer at the end of the hall by the bedrooms~ at the opposite end of the house from the wood stove. 68 F without running the furnace all evening! |
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Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Having a Calling...
As I went through my day on Saturday, already anticipating changes God was making in me, I was met, once again, with someone 'suggesting' to me that my calling is not that at all. He 'suggested' that it is not my calling, but simply what I want and that, since it is not attainable under my own steam, I would be better off to pursue other things! Although there was no need to defend myself or my calling, I did share that my choice would be to own a campground, of sorts, do foster care and do permaculture freelance. I am basically a shy person and would by no means put myself out there in the calling He has given me without His divine power to sustain me.
Later someone else spoke with me about his views made me question where my focus was and if the man in my heart really was the right one for me, who He intends for me (as my calling is not attainable unless I marry). After burning a long letter I had written to him (to be given on our wedding night) and a long night of tossing and turning, I woke to remember God knows whats best for me. No one else does. No one else. I have to stick to His plan for my future. I Have To!
These encounters did, however, motivate me to do a long-overdue Bible study on 'calling'. I looked up all the verses under 'calling' in my Bible's index.
When I was finished the peace of the Lord had returned to my life.
Romans 11:29~ Once He calls you to His purpose, that's forever.
1 Corinthians 1:26~ Most who are called are the least in the eyes of the world.
1 Corinthians 7:20~ Each who are called have one calling~ forever (it doesn't change!).
Ephesians 4:1~ We should strive to be worthy of our calling.
Ephesians 4:4~ We should work together in the hope of our calling.
2 Timothy 1:9~ God calls us to what He needs us to do.
Hebrews 3:1~ We are to be faithful to our calling.
I want what God wants for my life. No more, no less.
I will follow His calling on my life and trust in His ways.
Under His Wing is Safety and Peace.
That Divine Peace is all I need.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Hedge Against Winter Storms
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Well, Hello! Welcome back. As I cook our supper I am reminded of how truly fortunate we are. All comfy and snug with a toasty fire going and supper bubbling away on the stove top. What more could we ask for?! After last year's snowpocalypse I am a bit more concerned about prepping. Weather emergencies are my greatest concern, so I tend to prep more for those. I will admit, though, that I was greatly remiss this summer in gathering firewood. We are sorely lacking in firewood, having barely enough to get us through another week. Because I focused on other things I am finding myself in a desperate, and potentially chilly situation. Tonight I must post a request for free firewood on Joliet_Area Freedom in yahoo groups. They're a good group and I should be out gathering firewood shortly! Stay toasty and be prepared!!! |
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Friday, December 2, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
A Simple Breakfast
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Hi! Welcome back! In trying to keep the breakfast adventure fun, and because Matt seems to have something personal against using silverware, I decided to make him a special breakfast of finger foods! He so appreciated the option to use the crackers to scoop up the eggs and jelly! It was such a joy to watch him enjoy his meal without the stress of having to hear me remind him use his silverware! After all, aren't meals supposed to be a relaxing family time, not a power struggle?! |
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Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Bible Study Before School
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Is your child's attitude founded in the Bible? Almost every morning Matthew reads Proverbs for that day. This morning he is reading the 27th chapter as today is November 27th. After he reads we discuss the chapter. Today he told me, "if your friend is a thief, you have to tell." good lesson learned! Next we do the daily Bible study lesson from 'Bible Express' by Lifeway for preteens. This morning his bus pulled up just as he pulled out the Bible Express, so we'll have to read that tonight. i can honestly say that Matt's attitude is directly related to his morning Bible study... Or lack there of when we're having a bad morning. Try morning Bible study with your own preteen child and see the difference making Him a priority can make! |
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Free Firestarters!
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So, you've finally broken down and bought a wood stove... I'm so glad... Now you can watch your heating bill take a nose-dive like mine did! Now you need free fire-starters... My fire-starters are super easy to make. First, you need and empty paper roll from toilet paper, ect. Second, fold in one end, as shown in the photo. Thiird, stuff with all that free dryer lint! Forth, fold in open end to keep lint in until ready to light. Voila! Free Fire-Starters! |
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Monday, November 28, 2011
A New Bath Mat
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Good Morning! Welcome back to my humble homestead. Looks like today is shaping up to be a red-letter day! What do you think of the bath mat I'm knitting? Last winter a 'sweet' little country mouse decided to make a nest in my bath mats, chewing some up in the process. No amount of hot water and laundry soap can fix that! So... I'm knitting new bath mats. This is the first of the new set. I'm knitting with a double strand so as to make each thicker and more absorbent... And cushier under our feet as we step out of the tub. I have chosen blue as the primary color for each room in my house. For the bathroom the accent colors are greens and sand, so the border for each bath mat will be crocheted on in Peaches & Cream brand cotton yarn in the color Blue Lagoon. i got very lucky in that someone gave me a lot of the blue (a lot!) and I found the blue lagoon at the Walmart on Jefferson St in Joliet for around $2/ skein! So... My new set of bath mats will cost about $7.50!!! |
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Sunday, November 27, 2011
I'll Lay My Eggs Where I Want!!!
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Sometimes, even though it's aggravating, we just have to admit we really can't control anyone but ourselves.... Such would be the case with Farmer Fred's crazy harem! Yesterday I set up a "new" nesting box using an abandoned milk crate... Just like the other five nesting boxes scattered across their coop floor (on the floor as I still need to insulate properly before I hang each box)... So, imagine my surprise this morning when I found the girls had tipped over the box, dumping the soft shredded paper bedding, in order to lay their eggs on and under the pokey, prickly straw... regardless of how pleasing we may try to make the right way to do things, others are simply going to do what they're going to do... you can only control yourself... so... you must change your attitude... change your perspective... It is what it is... Even if you're a crazy chicken! |
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Thursday, November 24, 2011
Dehydrating Thanksgiving Dinner
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Hello! Happy Thanksgiving to you! So glad you could stop by our humble homestead. Take off your shoes and come sit by the fire with a hot cup of coffee~ now doesn't that feel better? How was your dinner? Are you stuffed and sleepy? Any leftovers? We had my friend, Jessie, over and we all ate too much! After dinner we still had a lot left so I pulled out my dehydrator trays and began to load them with yummy food. The first tray was the cilantro. The second was mashed potatoes as my sister told me it's a good way to make instant potatoes. The last two are turkey. This won't begin to make a dent in our prepping, but it sure will be nice to know there is a bit of survival food in our meager pantry! |
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