Hello There!

Hello everyone!  I am back from a much needed blogging break.  We had some family stuff that needed to be taken care of, not to mention dealing with the daily grind and I really needed to focus on my family.  Things are starting to work out and I think that I may have a little time to work online.  No guarantees though ;-)

So much has happened in the last few months.  One of my very favorite things that happened was our trip up north.  We spent a few days in Branson Missouri and then headed back home to celebrate my baby boys 6th birthday, Thanksgiving and an early Christmas with our families.  In Branson we took our son on a train ride.  It was the "Polar Express."  The train company really made the ride special and it truly felt like a ride on the Polar Express would probably feel like.  My son had a great time!

Then we celebrated my sons birthday!  I still can't believe that he is six years old.  Oh how the time flies.  I love to watch him grow and learn and discover, yet it breaks my heart a little each time that he can "do it himself" or when he chooses to play with Daddy.  Yes my baby is growing up.  Sad day :-*(  Anyway, we had a ton of fun celebrating his birthday with a Pirate themed party.  I made his cake ~ yes, I am proud!

And we celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas while we were there!  My mother in law bought me a KitchenAid Professional 600.  It is amazing!  I purchased the grain mill attachment for it and we have been enjoying yummy treats made with fresh milled wheat!  Seriously amazing.
The whole trip was amazing and we are blessed that we were able to make the time to go.  I miss my family with my whole heart and it's great to spend time with them!

We are now preparing our home and hearts for the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  This will be the first time in the last 4 years that we will stay home in the south.  I am excited for the time to relax, to love and to celebrate with my guys and make memories that we will savor forever.  Do you have any ideas for how we can celebrate His birth?  What do you and your family do?

So for now, I am glad to be back and in the next few weeks I will be coming up with ideas for new posts so stay tuned!  Have a very blessed holiday season!

An Answered Prayer

⁶ I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
   turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
⁷ Show me the wonders of your great love,
   you who save by your right hand
   those who take refuge in you from their foes. 

Psalm 17:6-7

 

It is so easy to fall into rote prayers most of the time.  Thank you God for this day, be with us, keep us safe, forgive us...you know, things like that.  And then there are prayers that are massive...God lift this terrible burden, save his/my life, heal this broken body, etc.  But because there is so much suffering and ugliness in the world, I have hard time praying for "trivial" things.  My heart knows that God hears my prayers, no matter the size, but my brain tells me that He's too busy and that it's silly to pray for such minuscule things.  But I know deep in my being that that is just a lie from the evil one.  And I have a story to prove that!

We have lived in this current home for close to three years and in that time our aerobic septic system has not worked properly.  If you don't know how they work, here's the gist ~ at night the liquid that has been "purified" sprays out into the yard.  I know...gross, right?!  It's supposed to be clear and clean...

Anyway, ours has a terrible smell.  When we bought the house 1.5 years ago the subdivision put a 1 year warranty on it and assured us that they would do everything they could to get it fixed.  They sent out multiple people to look at it and every one of them claimed it was fine and that the smell is normal.  We even, by law, have to have it inspected quarterly, and they claimed it was fine.  We however don't believe it.  But now a year and half later, with the warranty expired the smell has gotten so much worse.  Our neighbors are complaining, I'm afraid to walk in the yard and we can't afford to have anyone come out and look at it.  We explained to our neighbors that we have done everything that we know how to do and the "experts" claim that nothing is wrong with it.  

So three days ago I just threw up my hands and prayed a very quick but a very heartfelt prayer.  God, please heal our septic system!  Then I giggled a little because I could just imagine what that sounded like!  Since that moment I haven't thought much about it.

Well yesterday  morning a man showed up from the Environmental Protection Agency.  Apparently the neighbors complaints went straight to the top, the EPA.  Were we in trouble, could we get a fine?  I was nervous...we have no money to diagnose and fix this problem.  The Mister went out to speak with him and about 45 minutes later, I had an answer to my prayer.  There is definitely something wrong with the system (we knew that) and it has to be fixed immediately (again we knew that, just didn't know how!)  We are not in trouble because we have done everything in our power to fix it and not to mention, our "experts" we pay every year to inspect it, claimed it was fine.   This EPA man, sent directly from God has gotten the ball rolling!  We are expecting a septic man that he recommends to come out and diagnose and fix the problem.  EPA man says that this gentleman that is coming is "the best in the field!"  And to make it even better, the subdivision is paying for it even though the system is out of warranty!  

I was weary from the burden of our "poopy dilemma."  I was always on edge, just waiting for the next complaint.  So I lifted my voice to Heaven and with a giggle in my prayer I cried out to my Heavenly Father.  "Heal our septic tank!"  And He heard!  Not only did He hear, but He sent healing!  Within a few days, the smell will be gone and our septic will be as healthy as a horse! 

God cares about every detail of of lives.  We just need to give Him the chance to show that He cares!  Why it took me 3 years to ask for this, I don't know...but I finally did...and now I can rest in His healing presence! 

Have a blessed weekend and never stop lifting your voice to Heaven! :-)

 

 

The Perfect Day

I had a perfect day!  Well....as close to perfect as you can get, I suppose.  I rose from a deep and blessed sleep at 6:30 this morning.  The house was still quite, the sky was still dark.  I tiptoed to the bathroom...showered...dressed...and crept downstairs to spend some quite time on the porch.  The air was crisp with a hint of dew on the grass...the temperature hovered at 52 degrees...and I curled up on the swing with a blanket wrapped around my shoulders, my feet tucked under my skirt and my Bible, journal and pen in my lap.  I spent almost an entire hour out on the porch in sweet fellowship with my Creator.  Reading, praying, worshiping and just being still in His Presence. 

After my quiet time I spent the morning in my kitchen, my sanctuary, making homemade applesauce for breakfast, homemade breadsticks for dinner and awaiting the arrival of my sleepy family.

I remained in the Presence of the Most High all day!

Then tonight as I was putting my little man to bed, HE read ME a story!  When I get discouraged at myself for "not teaching him enough" I need to remember that moment!  Then my almost 6 year old "baby boy" lifted his voice to Heaven and prayed with me...the most raw, heartfelt and undefiled prayer!  His words came straight from his heart!  The kind of prayer that I want to pray!  I have no greater joy then to hear my children walk in truth! 1 John 1:4

Thank you Heavenly Father for pouring Your Presence out so thick in the house, that I couldn't hide from it even if I wanted to!  I can't thank You enough for the blessings that You so freely give us!  Things that we don't deserve!  My heart and my mind are Yours.  Teach me to love like You love.  Lead me where You want me to go.  Teach me to follow You and know Your voice above all else.  Father, I want to know Your heart.  I want to cry when You cry, I want to laugh when You laugh, I want to hate what You hate and love what You love.  Teach me Lord...

Is Autumn Here?

It's been far to long since I have had a chance to blog.  Summer was a whirlwind of activity...some good, so not so good.  However I'm praying the speed of summer is behind us.  The temperature has not caught up with the new season yet...I am tiring very quickly of high 90 degree days.  But soon, very soon we should start seeing or rather feeling cooler days.  Still no rain...things down here are so dry!  The wildfire that we experienced down here recently really made people stop and think...and realize the real trouble we are in.  Daily we are on our knees and petitioning God for an over-abundance of soaking rain.

But the physical drought is just one thing we are experiencing.  I, in particular, have been in a spiritual drought.  I have been praying not only for rain to refresh our land but also for His "rains" to cover me and my household.  We are in a place right now that isn't so comfortable.  A place that we just are not enjoying...  When these trials began I turned tail and ran away.  I didn't realize it until suddenly I felt so empty and so alone.  And then I started making compromises in my life.  And the emptiness stated getting deeper.  I realized that God had never left my side...it was me that ran away but for some reason I couldn't get back into His arms.  Like I was so ashamed of my attitude that I didn't deserve His love and comfort.  But you know what?  I DON'T deserve His love!  I am a sinner so full of sin that I deserve for Him to never look on me again....But...my God is so loving and so merciful...and because of His Infinite Love for me He sent a replacement to suffer the consequences of my sin for me.  What incredible boundless love that is!  And by turning away from Him during the hard times, showed just how spoiled and unworthy I am of His love.  But no matter what I do and where I go, there He is.  There has been a tug of war going on in my spirit and I am ready for it to be over.  I want to climb up in my Father's lap and revel in His love for me....The trials we face may not be fun or enjoyable...truly they are really hard but my head knows that He uses these times to grow us...I just need my heart to get that.  And while I am praying for my heart to catch up I am going to lean on my Father and remember that in my weakness He is made strong.

I am weary ~ physically, spiritually, and emotionally.  But I am crying out to Heaven and I know that He hears me and He is preparing for me a place of rest for my weary soul...

So soon, very soon the hot days of summer will be behind us and the cool, fresh, crisp air of Fall will be on us.  This is a very real physical reminder of God's faithfulness...a good reminder to trust Him and His choices for our lives.  Everything works together for the good of those that love Him.

I truly hope to be on here again very soon....Blessings to you all!

I am alive!

Good Morning!  Whew...what a glorious morning it is!  So here's my very condensed excuse for being gone so long ~ I really needed a break ~ So much has been changing here at my house and in my life that I really needed to focus more on my family, and less on the computer.  We just got back from an awesome trip to Pennsylvania and I feel so revived and re-energized!  I am ready to get down to business and be the Proverbs 31 woman that God has called me to be!

We have gone from 4 bodies living in this house to 8 bodies.  That's quite a jump in numbers!  It's mass chaos 'round here most of the time, and sometimes I feel like complaining...or crying...or sometimes laughing out of sheer exhaustion!  But God has us here in this present situation for a particular reason, and because of this, I am trying to be very open to all of the changes that have come.

The one main problem I have had with this whole situation is the fact the our water and electricity bills have nearly doubled since bringing more people in.  Okay...so we can't ask people not to shower or wash the laundry, and we certainly can't turn off the AC due to the southern heat...but I think that I have figured out some ways to conserve.

The two main ways I have come up with to conserve electricity is this ~
Hanging laundry instead of using the dryer and crockpot cooking as much as possible.

Hanging laundry is typically a no-brainer, but with so many people living here it's a little harder to get every body on board...but I think we've got it.

Crock Pot cooking ~  my original thought was to use the crock pot for a whole week...then I thought what about a whole year?!  I have since rethought this and come to the conclusion that we need to be a little more realistic.  So I think we shall try to use only the crock pot, grill, and steamer for a month and see how that goes.  I have been searching out meals and it totally amazes me what you can make in a crock pot!
Monday we had amazing beef stew, Tuesday we had chili, and tonight we are having creamy chicken over brown rice.  I have some really great ideas for next week after we hit the grocery store.:-)  I will try to keep you updated on this experiment.  I'm very excited to see how it all effects our electricity bill.  I'll keep you posted.

I would love to hear any more ideas that you all my have to conserve electricity.

Have a very blessed day and I am so glad to be back!

Exceptional Drought

Good evening my dear readers!  Wow, have I been busy here!  My brother has recently moved in with us for a little while and we have been getting adjusted to having more people in the house.  It truly has been quite pleasant though!:-)

I don't have a ton of time but I wanted to update you on a few things.  First one is...I joined Weight Watchers 2 weeks ago and so far I have lost 4.2 pounds!  I'm pretty proud of myself.  My husband also bought me a treadmill and I am up to power walking 2.1 miles at a time!:-)  By the end of the week, I need to be ready for a 5K that I am participating in!

But big news...Down here in the South we are now categorized as suffering from an exceptional drought...aka...the worst drought!  In fact a few of our surrounding counties are under a warning for elevated fire danger for the next few days!  Our fire fighters are exhausted and it doesn't seem to have an end in sight!  So please pray for all of us down here!  It rained yesterday, and it was such a blessing, but not nearly enough!

In other news, my mom and sister are coming down here for a visit!  In just 3 short weeks they will be here and I can't wait!  Now I need to concentrate on getting this house in order! :-)  They haven't been down to visit since we moved, so I am so excited to show off my home and community!

That's all for now...I'm gonna spend some time with my hunny on this fine Friday evening!

Blessings for this weekend, my friends!

I'm back!

I'm alive!  Whew!  It's taken me a long time to realize this! :-)  No, I've just been very busy.  My mind has been too busy to come up with anything to blog about!  Even today, I don't really know what to say, but here I am anyway!  I would love to get back into a blogging schedule.  So pray for me! :-)

I have been down for the last month or so, and I couldn't really pinpoint what the problem was, (other then being so busy)  but the past few days, several things have happened and they really helped lighten my heart!  I think that I was just carrying around some sin that I needed to let go!  It's funny...I think that God just shut me down, until He could get through my very very thick head!  Here's one of my problems.  I love lists and schedules!  But I tend to over fill those lists and schedules and run from one thing to another all day!  I may get them all completed but I don't really include God in any of it!  And then, I get depressed because I feel like nothing I do actually matters!  I recently had a dear sweet friend tell me that we need to remember that what we do at home shouldn't be done for anyone but the Lord!  That comment has stuck with me and really seems to help!  My hubby might not notice that the windows were cleaned AGAIN, and my Arrow might follow behind me and re-mess up the room, but my Loving Father in Heaven sees everything that I do and He is proud of me!  And that's what matters!

So here's to a new outlook on all my duties of being a loving, competent helpmeet to my husband, mother to my son and most importantly, a Daughter of the Most High King!

Blessings to you all!

Asking for Help

I'm having some trouble girls!  I don't know what has happened to me and I can't seem to shake it!
I have no ambition to do anything.  I feel so tired and lazy and uninspired!  I haven't wanted to blog, meal plan, grocery shop, cook, clean, organize, play, pray, study....and the list goes on and on and on.  I get up in the morning and think okay, today is the day.  I'm gonna get this house in order and feed my family a nutritious meal, play with Arrow, love on my husband and get organized and re-energized.  Then suddenly, it's evening again and I literally have done nothing.  And the heavy guilt sets in!  I'm in a vicious cycle and I can't break free.  I have prayed about it, but I think that I am too lazy to listen for His voice!

I have so much that needs done and the only thing that I want to do is turn away from it all and pretend it's not waiting for me.  Ever since we came down with that cold bug, I have been a sack of lazy bones!

What can I do?  Does anyone have any encouragement for a momma that feels down and out?  I need some fresh inspiration to mix things up a bit. 

Please, any ideas would be appreciated!  I want to lay down at night and know that I will have a blessed sleep that God promises to those of us who earn it!

Blessings to you all...

A little of this and that...

Hello Everyone!  I am here to announce that I think, the sick bug has finally started moving out!  We are up and moving around...of course mama did that almost the whole time.  Funny how the world doesn't stop turning when mama's sick!  However, since I was slow moving...my home shows it! :-D  I have got to catch up around here...and fast!  My brother is moving down here soon and we are not ready yet!  He will be moving in with us for a little while, until we get life panned out and he gets up on his feet.

On another note...2 days ago was me and my husband's 8 year anniversary!  Eight years...eight incredible years!  We spent the day together...alone...and it was glorious!  We are planning a 1 night get-away next week sometime and I am looking forward to that!  When I look back on the last 8 years, all I can do is smile and thank God for His continued blessings on our marriage.  I never could have imagined such happiness and as I learn more about God's view on marriage and family and submission, it only gets better.  I love you so much honey!  The husband and father that you are can't compare with anyone!  Here's to another 8 years!  And then another 8 years...and another and another and another!

I have a prayer request...
We have alot of changes coming...and to tell you the truth, I am really scared.  I know to take it to Jesus' feet, I just need to remember to do that!  I don't have to carry this load...

Well, I have a ton to do around here today to try to get caught up, so....

Blessings to you all....

We Got the Bug!

Oh my, it has been so long since I last posted!  We have had quite a week!  Last Thursday we were on our way to my dear friends house to help finish up packing their home.  Well, my little guy started throwing up on the way there!  Poor little guy!  That didn't last very long....about a day, but then the "cold" bug hit!  And hit with a vengeance!  My little boy has NEVER had a fever in his 5 years of life!  He's also never had an ear infection, or ear pain at all!  Well, this bug really got him!  He has been feverish all week and last night he cried because of ear pain!  I know it truly is bad!  He's had it for a week, my dad has had it for a week and I woke up this morning with it!  Ugh!  But God is here and His healing is in this house! :-)

On another note...this past week I have spent much of my time with my friend Kathy, from Perfectly Imperfect!  We spent time moving her and her family and have spent the rest of the time unpacking and grocery shopping and spending alot of time LAUGHING!  I love that woman! :-)

We will be resting most of the day, and trying to enjoy the down time!  I will post again when we are on the mend!

Blessings... 

Unrest

I am ashamed of the actions of parts of our country right now!  I'm not sure I understand everything, however as I watched the news this morning, I was disheartened! I'm sorry if you this makes anyone made...that's not my goal...I'm just sharing my thoughts and my heartache.  So bear with me...

As far as I understand teachers in parts of this country are on strike because they have been asked to pay a very small amount of money towards their health insurance among other requests.  I don't know what else is going on...there may be more...however, with the world so deeply in turmoil, is this really significant?

I'm not saying that theses issues don't need to be resolved but come on!  57 people in Bagdad were massacred yesterday during a Sunni militant hostage takeover, Libya, Syria, Yemen, and most of the Middle East are experiencing extreme unrest, Japan is still suffering from the earthquake and tsunami, Mexican drug cartels are recruiting American teens to deliver drugs, there are starving children scattered throughout the world...Most of the world faces hunger, death, bondage, slavery, fear, war, and heartache on a daily basis!

America is not perfect and we have our problems, I'm certainly not saying they aren't important, I just think that we need to be more thankful that most of us were born in this country, or are able to call the US our home!  The problems we face here pale in comparison to the rest of the world!  We should be focusing more on them then on ourselves!  How many of us pray for other nations EVERY day?  Or contribute money towards feeding starving kids?  Or even THINK about all the suffering people!

My heart breaks just thinking about being in the position of a mother in another country!  To wake up every morning with fear gripping my heart about the safety of my child.  Will this be the day that we die of starvation, or die from the enemy's bullets...bombs...grenades...land mines..., will this be the day that my child is kidnapped to become part of the human trafficking ring?  Will this be the day my son is recruited into drug trafficking or to become a gun toting 6 year old?  Will my daughter be raped, kidnapped, forced to work in extreme conditions, or experience genital mutilation?  Will my children even come home from school (if they're lucky enough to go to school)?  Will my child suffer all his life after witnessing the bloody massacre of innocent people, of women and children and aged people, day after day after day?  How will this affect them!?  Will this be the day that my children loose their father...will they loose me?  Who will take care of them, who will protect them?  Will they end up in an over crowded orphanage and receive no human contact, or will they end up on the street, fending for themselves and being used, abused and eventually killed.  Is this the day that my child will be ripped from my arms during a tsunami? or have a building crash down on them during an earthquake?  Can my children drink this water, or is this day that they contract a lethal disease just trying to hydrate their bodies!  Will my children get a chance to hear about the Saving Grace of God the Father, or will my country ban that too?  Will this be the day as we gather in a basement to worship His name, that we are raided, tortured and killed?

I could go on and on and on...if my heart is breaking this much, I can't even imagine how God hurts!

Again, I am not saying that Americans don't suffer and as mothers, we don't worry about our children...I'm just saying that most of us are fortunate enough that it's not a daily fear for our children's lives!
We are blessed beyond measure in this country!  Just a thought today....wanted to share something that is heavy on my heart...

Blessings~

Monday Night

Good evening everyone!  I thought I'd just drop in  and let you all know that I am completely uninspired, blogwise!  I have nothing to say!  Any ideas that you all would be kind enough to share?

Blessings for a cozy evening!

An Easy Way to Save

Good Morning everyone!  What a beautiful day it's gonna be today!  God is so good, isn't He!?
Well, I wanted to share with you an easy, affordable way that we have chosen to save money.  We started this plan a few years ago and in that time, we have saved somewhere in the neighborhood of $600.00, possibly more.  To some that may not seem like a lot, but for as little work as I do, this is an incredible savings!  Also, this is so easy that we never feel a pinch in savings or in spending it!  In fact, we never even think about it!  It's just something that happens behind the scenes!  Okay, I've made you wait long enough!
For explanations sake, I have created a fake check register and I'm going to post a picture of it.  I'm hoping that with a visual, I'll be able to explain it better!

Our plan is simply this...We round up debits and round down deposits in our check register!  That's it!
When I add a transaction in my check register I also enter the real number first, for reconciliation purposes.  When I enter in the last column, that's when I do my rounding.

 For instance at Target $4.23 was spent.  However, after rounding up, I enter $5.00.  Then I just start adding up the savings and keep track under the description in parentheses.
So with the Target transaction, we saved $.77.

Next, the feed store...we spent $25.16.  I enter $26.00.  Our savings end up being $.84.
Add $.77 plus $.84 and you get $1.61.

Deposit of $112.84.  Remember to round DOWN deposits.  I enter $112.00, which gives us a savings of $.84.
Add $1.61 plus $.84 and you get $2.45.

Finally at Home Depot, the transaction is for $6.88.  I enter $7.00 and that gives us a savings of $.12.
After adding $2.45 plus $.12, we have a savings of $2.57.

In just four transactions, we potentially could have saved $2.57!  I think that's pretty good!  It's like saving change in a jar without touching all that dirty money! :-)

With our savings, we have been able to give to others in need, go out on a special out-of-budget date, weekend vacations, buy a push lawn mower and purchase a TON of homeschool stuff!  The possibilities are endless!  For instance, besides what we have already used our savings for, you could make that your "Clothing Budget" for the year, or use it for storage/prep items, keep saving for future use, use it as your gift giving budget, and of course use it as a safety net if payday doesn't come on time or as expected!

What else could you use it for?  Does anyone else use this plan to save money?  Please share your ideas! 

If you have any questions about this plan, let me know and I'd be more than happy to share!  I hope that I explained it well enough! :-)

Blessings...

Menu Plan Monday and and Update on My Grocery Budget

What a beautiful day that the Lord has made!  It's warm and sunny here today and the birds are filling the air with heavenly melodies!  Today I am going to share my meal ideas for the week and also update you on my grocery challenge.  I am excited for tomorrow because I am going to share with you one of the biggest ways that the Mister and I save money!  But for today~

Sunday ~ Pizza Hut (The Mister just informed me of this!:-)
Monday ~ Open Range Chicken, Baked Brown Rice, Steamed Broccoli and Peaches
Tuesday ~ Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Peaches, and Homemade Rolls  (I know, I add this to my plan every week!  This week we really are going to eat it!!!)
Wednesday ~ Baby Back Ribs, French Fries, Tossed Salad and Steamed Corn
Thursday ~ Rotisserie Chicken (in my my new Rotisserie!:-), Roasted Herb Pototoes, Steamed Carrots and Pears
Friday ~ Taco Salad, Refried Beans and Apple Slices
Saturday ~ Ham, Pittsburgh Potaotes, Tossed Salad and Mixed Fruit

Breakfast Ideas
Yogurt with Homemade Granola x2
Scrambled Eggs and Homemade Bagels
Cinnamon Toast and Fresh Fruit
Baked Oatmeal
Hard Boiled Eggs and Peanut Butter Toast
Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

Lunch Ideas
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Tortilla Bean Soup
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, Carrot and Celery Sticks
Ham Sandwiches on Homemade Bagels
Dinner Leftovers x3

Snack Ideas
Grapes and Triscuits
Yogurt
Homemade Crackers and Cheese x2
Soft Pretzels
Apples and Peanut Butter
Celery Sticks with Peanut Butter

Now, my update on groceries...

This week I only shopped at one store.  That;s unusual for me...I'm typically hit between 3 and 5!
My total spending, which included, staples for the pantry, some storage/prep items, food for our meals and even local honey which we desperately needed....
$50.25
I did go over...but I am okay with this!  I am still under budget so far for the month by $41.96 and because I saved, due to sales, coupons and bonus savings...
$24.50

After a few weeks of this challenge I am feeling the pinch a little, as we run out of things, which forces me to replace them.  But I am not discouraged and it is making me try harder to find sales, coupons and meal plan more carefully!  This challenge is truly turning into a learning experience!

A Very Quick Note...

I'm not sure what happened and when it happened, but it has come to my attention that my comments aren't working!  Weird!  Well, I think that I have it fixed!  So, please come back and leave your comments again, please!  I love comments and it saddens me to think that I missed your kind words!  Comments make my day!:-)
I hope you all are having a blessed Friday!

Blessings...

Spring Cleaning

I've got Spring Cleaning on the brain!  I actually think that it is running through my veins right now!  It's funny that about this time every year I start to feel claustrophobic in my home.  I get antsy, frustrated and my mind is in knots!  I have so many thoughts all jumbled up inside and I can't seem to iron them out unless I start to declutter, organize and clean!  My poor, dear, sweet husband can't seem to figure me out!  He just quietly goes along with my seasonal rants, smiles and prays for the day it's over!  Trust me, I'm certainly not mean to him, I'm just confusing.  I ask him to do something for me and before he's had a chance to finish, I have changed my mind!  I have an extreme case of nesting, with out the baby in my belly part!:-)

I am trying to plan a yard sale...a huge yard sale.  I'm talking an entire property sale!  I look around my home and spot things that can go!  It truly amazes me how we collect "stuff" throughout the year!  And what a sad thought it is, that if we have it, we must have spent hard earned money on it...and now it's going out the door!
True, my husband does work out of the home and we are consistently lost under mass boxes of equipment, but it's not just that!  It's clothes, and kitchen stuff, and books and knick knacks, and way to much home school stuff!  And on top of that, we are remodeling and adding on to the house...which in turn creates construction mess!  Anybody who has been in this position knows how bad construction mess can get!  Now, I'm certainly not complaining...I love that my husband works from home, and I'm so blessed that he is building on to the house for me!  I feel like we just have an OVER abundance!  (Just a note...we don't have nearly as much as the typical American family...in my opinion!  Just more than I'm comfortable with.)

So I am on the path to a clean, decluttered and organized home!  Ahh, I can't wait for the day!  So I have to accept the fact that one room in this house must stay cluttered...where else could I store the yard sale stuff?  It's hard, but I'm willing to work around it!:-)  Yesterday, I went through all of my home school supplies that were scattered through out the house.  This stuff was EVERYWHERE!  Some in the living room, a bit in the kitchen, a ton in the office, and bits and pieces in just about every other room.  I have now boxed up the excess that will be posted on eBay and sold at the yard sale.  I then had my very helpful husband bring down a set of shelves from the play room, set it up in the kitchen and organized the remainder of the school stuff on these shelves.  We typically do school in the kitchen...so this seemed appropriate until our addition is done.  It actually looks really good!  (Love you hunny!)

Today I caught up on some light house work, and now I'm waiting for my grandparents from up North to visit!  I'm sure we will have a nice day of fellowship!

I'm not sure if I will get to anything else today...depends on how long they are here.  Although I sure do have a ton more to Spring Clean.

Closets, cupboards, bins, shelves, bedrooms, toy boxes, front porch, storage, office, front and back yards, and of course keeping up with the construction, schooling, training of my Arrow, daily cleaning, cooking, laundry, book keeping (for the business), visiting with company...and it goes on and on and on.  Still no complaints, just making a list...and asking God for the strength I need to accomplish these tasks, and also thanking Him for His blessings in my life!  Without those blessings, I wouldn't have these tasks to accomplish! 

What do you have planned for Spring Cleaning? 

Blessings....

What a Sweet Day

I had such a sweet day with a sweet friend today!  We went to a very packed-to-rim homeschool store!  I'm telling you...this place is amazingly, full to capacity...I'm talkin' busting at the seams!  But so much fun!  We poured and poured over the used books.  Shelves and shelves and shelves of surprise treasures, tucked away between books, manuals, games, and manipulatives.  I am totally serious when I tell you that we spent 6.5 hours in that store! (and loved every minute of it!)  We had great conversation surrounded by books that are so special in our lives!

Homeschooling is so incredible and the joy I have knowing that I still have the right to school Arrow at home is definitely not taken for granted!  And God was so good to me today (He always is of course).  I went in search of very specific items, and came out of that store with almost everything on that list, plus a few things that I have wanted for quite some time and totally forgot about!

I am excited because I have made some decisions about school for next year.  The subjects that we will be studying and specific books we will use.  Since next year will be Arrow's first serious year, we aren't overloading him.  But I think that what we have chosen is very appropriate yet a little challenging for him.

Yay! for Homeschooling and Yay! for sweet fellowship!

On another note...I love fortune cookies!  Not the fortunes but the actually cookie.  Yum!  I do however like to read the fortunes because they are so lame and so cheesy!  I always get  a good giggle!  I've always wondered who writes the fortunes.  Do they have a row of employees typing up sayings?  How many of the same fortune is distributed?  The fortunes are never spiritual on any level and most often are written at a very humanistic point of view...but I was amazed a few days ago!  I cracked open one of those "sweet golden beauties" and pulled the fortune out and this is what it said..."God can heal a broken heart, but He has to have all of the pieces!"  I was amazed!  I have never read a fortune that eluded to God in any way, and here I was staring at that strip of paper and it's message clearly pointed to God's kindness and mercy!  Whoever wrote that fortune...I'd just like to say.."Keep up the good work and Glory be to God!"  I hope that fortune went out in a million cookies!

Anyway, I just wanted to share that story because it has made me smile for two days straight!
I hope today has been a blessing to you all and remember to keep Him in your sights all week long!

Blessings...

Menu Plan Monday and and Update on My Grocery Budget

I hope everyone had a restful and very blessed Sunday!  The Mister and I actually had quite a bit to do this afternoon, so we kept unusually (for a Sunday) busy.  And this time change...whew...it has thrown me for a loop.  You'd think that a one hour change wouldn't make much of a difference but it does!  So here I sit at 12:32 am on Monday morning, with my Beloved eating reheated macaroni and cheese across from me and I thought...Aha!  Now's the perfect time to post my meal plan for this week!  So here goes...With some repeats from last week...

Sunday ~ Pizza from my favorite pizza place in town :-)

Monday ~ Ham, Pittsburgh Potatoes (mmmmm!), and Grilled Asparagus

Tuesday ~ Spaghetti and Meatballs, Tossed Salad and Garlic Bread

Wednesday ~ Grilled Chicken Salad (Pennsylvania Style!...french fries on top!) with homemade Breadsticks

Thursday ~ Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Pears

Friday ~ Homemade Chicken Strips, Homemade French Fries and Corn

Saturday ~ Barbeque Venison Sandwiches, Pasta Salad and Potato Chips

I also made a list of breakfast, lunch, and snack ideas to keep me inspired...If I don't write things down...I just can't seem to remember anything and what I end up preparing for my family is quite boring!

I'll share them  with you...maybe they will inspire you too!

Breakfast ideas...
Baked Oatmeal x2
Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
Egg Sandwiches
Pancakes and a breakfast meat
Fruit and Yogurt
Peanut Butter Toast and Hard Boiled Eggs

Lunch ideas...
Leftovers x2
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches with Raw Veggies
Tortilla Bean Soup
Turkey Hot Dogs and Chips
Macaroni and Cheese and Fruit

Snack Ideas...
Popcorn
Pudding
Homemade Crackers and Cheese
Fruit
String Cheese
Yogurt
Soft Pretzel

There...now I am officially inspired to get creative with my meals...Are you?

Also I went grocery shopping for the week and I am pretty impressed with myself...I purchased all necessary items for this weeks meals, a few toiletries, some snack-y type foods and even some extra storage/prep foods...My grand total for the week came in at...
$44.99   ~    UNDER BUDGET...This is cause for a celebration dance!
But it gets better...Because of sales, coupons and a freebie promotion I saved a grand total of....
$30.18  ~     Wow!  That's a great savings!  One more celebration dance!  If you are in the mood...take a minute and dance with me...ready...go...Whew!

This savings inspires me to try even harder next week!

I would love to know what your week has in store for you?  What are you doing to Glorify God this week?  Any prayer requests?  Comments are truly welcome and thoroughly enjoyed!  So please share :-)

Blessings and I hope you all are sleeping right now!  I should be :-)

Just a quick note...

Good afternoon!  I just wanted to stop in to share a few little things....

First...Please continue to pray for everyone that is affected by the disasters in Japan.  What a sad time this is!
My heart continues to go out to these families!  

Second...I made homemade bagels today for the first time!  Oh - my - goodness!  They are delicious!  I found the recipe on one of my very favorite blogs.  Go check it out!        www.homejoys.blogspot.com
She has some amazing recipes and she inspires me almost daily!  I would highly suggest trying these.  I probably won't ever buy bagels again because these were so easy and so delicious.  Definitely a keeper!

Last but not least...Beth Handler made her buckeye balls today and I helped a little.  They are so easy, so good, and yes...they are so fattening!  But delicious if you take a few bites here and there.  ;-)

Here's a quick recipe...

A jar of your favorite peanut butter
Some powdered sugar
Melted chocolate.

Yep, that's it...no measurements here!

First, empty peanut butter into mixing bowl and add enough powdered sugar so that you can easy handle the peanut butter without it sticking to your hands.  Add a little at a time so you don't over do it.  (for one large jar of peanut butter, you will use about 1/2 bag of powdered sugar)  After you have a large peanut butter dough ball, just start rolling bite sized balls and set them on waxed paper.  Once the balls are all rolled, melt the chocolate.  Once the chocolate is melted, start dipping the peanut butter balls one at a time.  Place back on wax paper.  Continue until they are all covered.  Let harden...and you have a delicious (and dangerous :-) treat!

Get creative if you have extra time or ingredients.  You could drizzle white chocolate on them, or top them with sprinkles or colored sugar.  Maybe roll them in crushed peanuts...the possibilities are endless!
Do you have any other ideas?  Please share you thoughts!:-)

And they make a great gift or party favor for special people!  The Mister LOVES them, and Beth always makes them for him for Christmas!  Now that I know how to make them...I'll be able to do it!

Have a very blessed weekend!  We are off to build a super special Jungle Gym for Arrow!

Blessings....

Thursday Evening...

I'm sitting here in my dad's house on this lovely Thursday evening and trying to decide what to blog about!  I'm having writer's block!  So I asked around for ideas and here is the only one I got...and it's a pretty good one!
One of my step-sister's is here for visit from up North and it has been a pleasure having her here!  We'll call her Beth Handler... (she made up that alias by the way :-)  She's a college student majoring in Communications, although I think she should be majoring in Culinary Arts!  She has an amazing ability for creating such delicious desserts!  In fact, she isn't leaving here without making the Mister a batch of her world famous Buckeye Balls!  What a pleasure it is having her as a step sister!  On Saturday her older sister is coming for a visit!  She'll be here for a week also!  We'll call her Monkey...as per request of her mother!:-)  She is also a college student, majoring in Mechanical Engineering.  It truly is a pleasure having them as part of the family.  They are both kind, generous, and very sweet, and incredibly fun to laugh with!

Talking a little about sitting in my dad's house brings me to another subject I wanted to talk about.  I live really close to my dad.  I mean...really close.  In fact, we live under the same roof!  One way that we have chosen to save money, and prepare for an economic downturn is to share expenses.  I know that some people would NEVER choose to do this, and I used to understand.  It's hard living with other people, and in our society...at some point in history...decided that children needed to move away from their parents and establish their own lives.  Now, I do agree that we need to live our own lives, but I don't think it takes moving away to accomplish this.
Let me explain...
We bought a beautiful modest home and we share it!  We have converted the garage and the downstairs master suite into another home.  My dad and his wife live there, and have there own entrance, kitchen, living room...everything.  And because of this we not only share the home but we share expenses.  We split all of the bills!  Now that's a great way to cut back on expenses!  I really have nothing bad to say about our arrangements!  We have grandparents close at hand for Arrow, I have a very kind "neighbor lady" whom I can borrow a cup of sugar from,  we have company close at hand to laugh with, share a meal, talk seriously with, and enjoy!  And we have a door between our homes that closes when we need our privacy and family time!  And I can't stress how much of a blessing it is sharing expenses....I know, I know...I keep repeating that!  But it's so important to why this setup works for us!  I'm sure it wouldn't work out so well, if our lifestyles were different, but they aren't.  We are all Christians striving to live a godly life.  Doing the best we can and worshiping the One True God of Heaven!  We go to different churches, but we still love the same YHWH!  Being able to "co-habitat" is nothing short of a God Miracle, in a time were independence-at-all-costs is stressed so heavily!  This works, and I credit it all to God!  What a blessing He has given us! 
The Bible tells us that when we marry we are to leave and cleave!  Trust me...I have!  I rely solely on my husband's leading (and of course God's leading....that goes without saying!)  I am emotionally, physically and psychologically my husband's other half!  Although we technically live with my dad, we, my husband and I, lead our own lives!  We may share expenses and some really good times, but we live as if we were totally alone!  All in all, this works for us and we are able to save money in the process!  If anyone has any questions about this setup, please feel free to ask!  Also, I would love to hear about ways you save money and may be preparing for an economic downturn...which I believe is almost inevitable.
Blessings on this beautiful Thursday evening...

A New Budget and a New Challenge

Well, my husband and I sat down a few weeks ago and discussed our non-existent grocery budget.  We are not huge spenders and I typically go to the store with a list after completing a meal plan, but extras always seem to sneak in the cart! :-)  We are trying to trim our spending in all categories and as we came to this one, the Mister suggested that we try something new.  A challenge of sorts.  He asked me to try to spend no more than $200.00 monthly on groceries.  There is typically three of us for 2 sometimes 3 meals a day, unless we have company or if the Mister is working late.  For some, this may not seem difficult.  I am not sure what other families spend, so I would love for you all to share with me what your budgets are on average.  The Mister has set a goal of $200.00 a month, but I am shooting more in the range of $175.00 a month.  Now, we do have a well stocked pantry and chest freezer, so the first few months may not be difficult.  After that, I'm not sure.  Any suggestions on how to save on groceries, other than couponing (I'm trying to get into this.  It just seems like more of a hassle than it's worth.  Trying to change my mindset though)?  I plan on putting $50.00 away every week even if we don't need groceries, so when we need to get some, the money is there waiting for me.

After church on Sunday, we stopped by a local grocery store and picked up a few things that were on sale.  We didn't need any of them, but put them in our stock.
I spent $12.80 and saved $4.63 with store sales and a freebie promotion.  This bill also included $6 allergy medicine for Arrow.  If it wasn't for the medicine our weekly grocery bill would have been only $7.00!
I am so excited about this challenge and I know that I can make a huge difference in our spending and in turn, make a huge difference in our eating habits!  Less spending money = Less junk foods!  Pray for me in this endeavor and I challenge you to take on the challenge of a trimmed grocery budget!  Let me know if you are going to join in!  I'll keep you updated on my progress and I'd love to hear about to progress!

Blessings...

Menu Plan Monday

Good afternoon!  I hope everyone is having a very blessed Sunday!  After church today, the Mister and I went out to lunch alone.  What a treat!  Now I am lying in bed with a terrible sinus headache!  I don't know how much longer I can handle these allergies!  Ugh!  Does anyone have any suggestions?  Preferably something along the line of natural healing...I just need something!
It has been a week since starting my new and improved daily task scheduler!  It has been working out so well.  I am very impressed and very excited to continue on with it!  I'm able to accomplish everything that needs done with a ton of time to spare. 

Anyway, I'm going to get to the point here and share my meal plan, and then shut my achy eyes!

Sunday ~ Leftovers

Monday ~ Chicken Alfredo Calzones with Parmesan noodles and mixed fruit

Tuesday ~ Open Range Chicken, Baked Brown Rice, and Tossed Salad

Wednesday ~ Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans

Thursday ~ Spaghetti and Meatballs, Garlic Bread and Tossed Salad

Friday ~ Barbecued Beef on Baked Potatoes, Corn and Apple Slices

Saturday ~ Venison Wedgies, Homemade French Fries and Macaroni and Cheese and Peaches

I hope you all have a great Sunday evening!
Blessings...

Our Crumbling Society...

I know that I just posted, but I stumbled on this article tonight and I am heart sick!  I would love to hear what you think about it!  I know that our world is crashing down around us, but I didn't think it was THIS bad...yet!
There are so many women in this world, myself included, who would give ANYTHING to be a parent! (Whether it's the first time or a desire for more children...as in my case)
My mother heart just breaks for these children! 

Dear God,
Please have mercy on these kids and be a constant reminder of True Love!
In Jesus Name
Amen

My thoughts on Modesty

~Just a note...this is a long post...it will take a few minutes to read...I'm sorry in advance! :-) ~

I hear alot of talk about modesty...what modesty is...what's modest and what's not...etc...

I'm sure you all know what I mean!  It's a hot topic in the blog circles I "run" in!  So I thought that I'd add my two cents ~ I hope they are worth something to someone! :-)

Disclaimer ~ these are my PERSONAL convictions and I am not sharing this, trying to convince anyone that my ways are the right ways!  I'm just sharing because, well..I just want to!  So please don't take offense to anything I might say!  Remember...these are my PERSONAL convictions!

I am a skirt wearer!  There...I said it...some of you understand and some of you may not and that's okay.  Just thought I'd get it out there right from the start.  I haven't always worn skirts.  In fact I'm sure there were times in my life that I didn't even own a skirt!  I've been a skirt wearer for  2 years and 4 months!  In November 2008 after moving down south, I was getting settled into my new home and life when God spoke to me!  I tell you, His voice was so clear!  I have no doubt that it was Him and not my own thoughts!  He asked me to do something that most women would rather die than do...He asked me to....dun dun dun (sing songy:-) wear skirts only!  Did I hear Him right?  Did He really just ask ME to change my whole wardrobe and wear only skirts!?  No pants!?  Yep, He did!  And I really surprised myself!  I didn't even argue!  I followed His request!  Slowly I started acquiring long skirts at thrift stores, wearing them and totally enjoying it!  I reveled in the fact that I looked different than most of the world!  I loved that I was treated with more respect out in public (and that really does happen...for any of you skeptics!:-)  I savored being in God's will!  Not everyone was as excited as I was.  Most of my family (not including the Mister) thought that I was off my rocker and definitely did not understand!  I also have been on the receiving end of some not very nice words from other people...but that didn't matter!  God asked...I followed!  Wearing long skirts took me into a new world of complete modesty.  My tastes changed concerning my tops, shoes, hair and makeup!  My skirts got longer,  the collars of my tops got higher and my my sleeves got a little longer, my shoes got lower, my makeup became lighter and my hair got longer!  The first year was a learning and growing experience that I will never forget!  Some things have stuck, some have not...but I'm getting sidetracked!

A year later...I was struggling a little bit with HAVING to wear skirts only.  My heart was in turmoil!  The world looked so enticing!  I figured that I could wear pants and still be modest, but I wanted to follow God!  I truly struggled...and then one day...a year (almost to the day) after being asked to wear skirts only, God spoke to me again!  He told me that I didn't have to wear skirts anymore...that it was my choice.  I WAS FREE...so I thought!  I took my freedom and ran with it!  I bought new pants and wore them!  And pretended I was enjoying it!  The only thing that I truly enjoyed was that my family and some of my friends thought that I had found my marbles! :-)  But I was miserable inside!  I didn't feel freedom...I felt like I was in bondage to the world.  I had figured it out!  I was not enjoying obeying God before because I HAD too!  That did not please Him!  So I think that He released me to ease my suffering and hoped by doing that, that I would choose to wear skirts...on my own...He didn't want to force me any longer...He wanted me to exercise my free will.  And I did!  It took a few short months feeling incredibly masculine sporting my new found "freedom" in jeans, and I was slowly easing back into wearing skirts. 

Oh what a joy it is to wear a skirt every day!  I do own a few pairs of pants, but they primarily reside tucked away in the corner of my closet.  I feel so free and so feminine in a skirt!  Skirts are so much more comfortable than pants...especially around the waist!  And in the summer, they are hands down, so much cooler than pants and even shorts!  Air circulates so much easier!  Trust me...I've done this for 2 summers in deep south heat!  And no matter what some people say...you CAN do anything in a skirt...except maybe ride an upside down roller coaster:-)!  I'll prove it in another post soon ~ doing anything...not riding a coaster!  
So after sharing the gist of my skirt wearing testimony, I'll share what my modesty guidelines are for myself and my someday daughters...God willing!

I will not wear skirts that fall above my knees.  In fact I prefer skirts that are mid-calf or longer.  I will not wear shirts that reveal any cleavage.  If I have a low cut shirt, I double up with a ribbed sleeveless shirt underneath.  I will wear sleeveless shirts around the house in the summer, and a few may pass my modesty test for public wear.  Only in extreme heat circumstances and depending on where we are going.  I steer clear of super clingy tops, but I do wear lightly fitted ones.  My husband likes them and I like pleasing him.  I am not fond of clothes that make me look as if I am wearing a sack!  My reasoning is this...God made a woman's shape very beautiful and very distinct from a man's shape.  Although I don't want to reveal too much and I certainly don't want other men lusting after me, I want everyone to know, just by a glance that I AM a woman.  I don't believe that we should ugly up ourselves in the name of modesty.  I don't believe that is what God has in mind for us at all!  And I want my husband to continue to be attracted to me!  I do wear colors and patterns.  God created beauty all around us and colors make up so much of that!  My hair is styled so that no one could confuse me with a man and my make up is worn to look very natural...to enhance my features (and cover blemishes) not to cover up my God given face.  I don't wear a lot of jewelry  (that's just a personal preference.)  I don't give a fig about the current fashions.  Those are the world's standards and I may be living in the world, but I am not of the world.  I allow no one (other than God and Mister) to dictate what I wear and what is "in."  The goal I always keep in mind is this...I want to look like and be treated like a woman.  I want to look different than the world, yet still be approachable.  I want the unsaved to question what makes me different and have the courage to ask.  I want to look soft, feminine and graceful, but still carry an air of a strong and motivated woman.  I want my modest apparel to be a part of my Kingdom work!  But most importantly by dressing femininely and modestly, I want my heart to show.  I want people to look at me and see Jesus shining through!  I want my apparel to remind me that I am a woman of God and I may be the only Bible someone will read!  My clothes are a reminder that I must always be on my best behavior so as not to smear my character thus possibly turning people away from God and Christianity.  I want people to be able to look past my skirt and see a woman devoted to God!  But the most important reason is to keep my heart in check!  When I look down and see my skirt floating around my ankles, it's much harder to use harsh words with my loved ones, or to complain about anything!
 I like Psalm 19:14 ~ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.
My skirt is a good physical reminder for my mouth and my heart to stay in line with His Word!

I believe that I am in His will for my life by wearing skirts and other modest apparel and that pleases me and I know that pleases Him! 

I could go on and on and on...I just hope that I didn't babble on too much and that my thoughts are coherent enough for you to follow.  My mind was going a mile a minute!  Anyway, I just thought I'd share what was on my heart and remember...these are MY convictions and I NEVER look down on another woman for the way she may dress.  I also understand that to some, my standards of modesty aren't rigid enough and that's okay...again...these are my standards between God, me and my husband!

I hope you all have a great night and I pray that I didn't bore you!  Stay tuned for proof that you can do anything in a skirt!:-)
Blessings

Confusion versus Peace

Last week we had a DirecTV guy come to the house to check to see if we had any signal strength at all for the satellite...or so I thought!  I was under the impression that he was coming and going up on the roof.  Oh how wrong was I!  He needed access to the entire house, because he was here to install!  What!?  I had no idea...so...because I had no idea, my house was...shall we say...un-presentable!  Ugh.  I was so embarrassed that a stranger had to come into my house, walk around it and see the mess we had be living in!  What must have he thought of me!

Okay, for anyone who doesn't know me, I like a clean house, I like organization and I like peace.  However, winter brings a sense of "yuck" to the house.  I have a real hard time getting motivated and staying energized.  So my house suffers and I believe that my relationships even suffer a little bit.  (I'm praying about this!:-)

As I was thinking about how embarrassed I was, it occurred to me that the tv guy could have been anyone!  What if someone came to the house needing to be ministered to with food, a warm bed, love of a friend, or the Love of Jesus.  How awful would they feel to come into a house of confusion.  What if Jesus came to my door?  What would He think of the mess?  My Father has blessed me with a beautiful home and a beautiful family, and I haven't even been thankful enough to keep peace and order in it!  I yearn for a peaceful home.  A place that people want to be, a place that my family can relax and a place that screams YHWH from every corner in every room.  I want people to feel the presence of the Most High the minute they walk in to this home!  I don't want their senses to be clouded with disorganization!

I can accept that my family  LIVES here and, and yes it won't be spotless and magazine worthy, and I am okay with that!  I just want it to be a place of comfort and peacefulness.  I don't want to be embarrassed the next time someone drops in for a visit!

So I sat down and spent a few hours scheduling and reorganizing my days.  I have tried several different methods in the past, with no success...so I am trying another one and praying through it.  Praying that I can stick with it, with JOY!  I am also praying that He guides me in my decisions, that the most important things get done first and that He gives me the strength and the energy I need to accomplish everything that needs done.  My schedule consists of everything that needs attention through the week, with blank spaces to fill in extras.  The days may include, cleaning a specific room, bathing the dog, school days, blogging days, and a whole host of other little things that get overlooked!  If any of you feel led, please pray for me as I try to make this "plan" work for me and my family!

May my home become a peaceful haven for a weary soul...

Blessings!

Menu Plan Monday and Something to Ponder...

Hello! Time flies...this week started and ended in the blink of an eye!  I hope everyone had a very blessed Sunday!  I sure did.  We had a wonderful time of worship at church this morning and then The Mister and I spent time doing things around the house with Arrow.  It was a pleasant day!

I have been pondering something the Pastor said today...If we are not hungry after God, it's not that He's unsavory...it's that we have stuffed ourselves full of other things.  He also said that we may not desire God like we should because we have nibbled off of the world's table too much!  What a statement to think on!  I love God...I truly do, but sometimes I wonder where my passion is for Him!  I want to be passionate all the time! All consuming passion! When the pastor made the comment about nibbling off of the world's table, it was like something popped me right between the eyes!  What is it that I am nibbling at?  I prayed today that God would show me...I mean really pick out EVERY little thing that displeases Him...everything that is worldy and ungodly...To show me my plate full of "junk food" that the world has been offering me!  I want to be refined by Him, inside and out!  I urge all of you to pray today and ask Him if there is anything in your life that displeases Him and to also help you rid yourself of it!


 ²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2

I don't want to conform to this world...not even by nibbling!  I am here only for a time and then onto Glory I will be!  I just want my time here to be full of raw passion for serving the King!  So this week, my focus is on weeding out the world's gunk that I have nibbled on and learn to take big giant bites of His Holiness!

Now that I have given you something to pray about and ponder, I'm ready to share my meal plan for the week...Yes, there will be some reruns from last week because we didn't eat them...

Sunday ~ Beef Roast and carrots in the crock pot, served over leftover rice and a side of fresh cucumber slices

Monday ~ Taco Salad with refried beans and Guacamole, Peaches

Tuesday ~ Pork Tenderloin and Sauerkraut, Mashed Potatoes and corn, Apple Slices

Wednesday ~ Turkey Hot Dogs, Maceroni and Cheese, Tossed Salad

Thursday ~ Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli, Spinich Salad and Garlic Bread

Friday ~ Meatloaf, Baked Potatoes, Green Beans, Pears and Homemade Bread

Saturday ~ Venison Wedgies with Pierogies and Homemade French Fries, Mixed Fruit

Menu Plan Monday with a Glimpse into my morning...

Hello Everyone!  What a beautiful morning it is here somewhere in the deep South ;-)  My windows and doors are thrown wide open and beautiful music is pouring from my CD Player!  Hymns....ahhh....such peace!  All while hearing a little 5 year old yelling at the dog....excuse me for a moment....

Okay I'm back...Arrow found a broken toy on his floor...and of course he doesn't remember breaking it, and he certainly couldn't have stepped on it, since it was on the floor and not put away...so naturally the dog must have done it!  Yeah, that's it...Sadie picked it up with her paws, broke the door off of the barn and hid it under other toys on the floor that happened to be abandoned right beside the bed that Arrow jumped out of this morning in his exuberance to start a new day!

Apparently I have an incredibly sly, smart little puppy! :-)

or...

I have a very creative young man who is still learning about taking responsibility for his toys, room, actions, thoughts, words, etc...

But Hymns...yes...such peace!  Even though I have a sink full of dirty dishes, laundry that is threatening to possibly take over the world...(okay, not quite that much, but enough!), and a student waiting to show me magic tricks and do math class...I have Peace!  Physical, emotional, and spiritual peace that can only come from the Father!  The words of an old hymn are beautiful and meaningful and so filled with God!  If you don't normally listen to hymns, I suggest picking up a copy of "The Hymns Project" by Chris Rice.  You won't be disappointed!

Okay, onto my menu plan...I am not the greatest at coming up with creative meals on a whim, so it is essential that I write them down and assign a day to each meal.  Otherwise we would have frozen meat and take out pizza on the table!  That certainly isn't frugal or being a good steward of the nutritious food God has provided us!  (That doesn't mean that we don't enjoy take out ever once in a while...it just means that we would be eating it every night if I didn't meal plan!)  So here are my ideas for the week...I try to stay away from boxed helpers, meals, etc., so most of these dinners are homemade...and no that doesn't make me super mom, it's just something that my husband and I try to stay away from.  I will provide any of these recipes to you, if you are interested....just drop me a note...

Monday ~ Cheese and Broccoli Soup, Turkey Sandwiches on Sourdough Bread and a small Tossed Salad

Tuesday ~ Chicken Pot Pie and Canned Peaches

Wednesday ~ Frijoles Negros with Rice, Salsa and leftover Peaches

Thursday ~ Barbecued Venison topped Baked Potatoes with steamed carrots and a small Tossed Salad

Friday ~ Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Fruit Salad and Rolls

Saturday ~ Shepherd's Pie (leftover venison and mashed potatoes), Peas and Canned Pears

Sunday ~ Chicken Noodle Soup (leftover chicken & stock) with Homemade Bread and Carrot and Celery sticks

Well, I must work on my mountain of laundry and soak in the Glorious Presence of the Most High...
Have a very blessed day and remember to Pray without Ceasing!
Love to you all...

It is Well With My Soul

Happy Sunday to you all!  What a blessing it is to be able to worship the One True God of Heaven, and to feel His Glorious Presence all around me!  Praise His Holy Name!
In church today we sang one of my very favorite songs...It is Well With My Soul.  The story behind the man, Horatio Spafford,  who wrote that song in the 1870's is incredible and moving!  He lost his son and then went on to lose his 4 daughters at the same time, in a ship wreck as they were on their way to England.  He penned those words as he sat on another ship in the area that his daughters ship went down.  My heart breaks for him and the sadness that, I'm sure was trying to overtake him.  But he then went on to write a song that has touched so many peoples lives through the years!  If I ever have to face a tragedy, I pray that I'll be able to sing these words from my heart...

 When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.


I pray that this week holds blessings for you all!  Let God take the wheel and trust Him at every turn!  Keep checking back...I am starting a series this week on Titus 2:4,5

Resting in His Presence...

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to the Mister!  I love you more than you could ever know and I thank my Heavenly Father for the incredible gift He gave me!  You have been so amazing and what a rock I have in you!  On this "Day of Love" and every day...know that the last 7 almost 8 years of marriage have been the most incredible time of my life.  Not to mention the 17 years of friendship we have shared!  I don't remember the very first day that I met you but I do know that God was there in that Jr High School on that special day and He was smiling.  Smiling because He knew that years down the road we would be HAPPILY married with a beautiful son!
We have been through a lot - some good, some not so good...but I wouldn't change one minute of it!  To travel along this road of life with you is more than I deserve, but God is so good!  Thank you Mister for loving me, protecting me, taking care of me and making me feel beautiful every day!  I pray that today and everyday you truly know how deep my love runs for you!  Kisses to you My Love!

Happy Valentine's Day Arrow!  You are truly a blessing from God.  You are my favorite 5 year old in the whole world and I want you to know that on this day, I love you and always will!  I am so excited to train you up to be a great man of God!  He has such a special plan for you and your life!  I am so thankful that I am a part of that plan!  Thank you for being the best little guy!  I love you more than you can imagine!  Happy Heart Day Sweetheart!  Kisses to you My other Love!

Aren't they so handsome!?

Blueberry - Lemon Muffins

Oh my!  I was in the mood to make a sweet treat the other night so I pulled out my very favorite cookbook...The Motezuma Amish Mennonite Cookbook.  I haven't had a great deal of success with recipes out of this book, simply because the Amish tend to cook large amounts at one time.  Well, since there is only three of us, it has been difficult halving and even quartering the recipes.  Not because I can't do math, but because the recipes tend to be a bit vague.  But I try! 
So I pulled out the cookbook and flipped it open...and there on page 22 was Blueberry-Lemon Muffins.  It calls for fresh blueberries and lemon rind.  Surprisingly, I had both of those!  (That is rare!)  So I whipped up a batch and can I just say that they were INCREDIBLE!  So moist and so full of flavor!  They remained moist for the three days it took us to eat them!  So I am going to share the recipe because it is worth trying!  I'll write the actual recipe with my notes beside each ingredient.  Yes...I tweaked a bit! :-)

1 3/4 cup of flour  (I use unbleached white)
1/2 cup of sugar 
2 1/2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt  (I use sea salt)
3/4 cup of milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I use xtra virgin olive oil)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup blueberries (I used frozen fresh and used approx. 1 1/4 cup)
2 T. sugar
1 t. grated lemon rind (I grated the rind off the entire lemon and used all of it.  Not sure the measurement.  And then used the lemon juice with a dash of Stevia to make me and the Mister each a glass of fresh lemonade!:-)

Combine flour, 1/2 c sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Make a well in the center of mixture.  Combine milk, oil and egg;  add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.  Add blueberries with 2 T sugar and lemon rind;  gently fold into batter.  Spoon into greased or lined muffin tins, filling 2/3 full.  Bake 400 degrees for 25 minutes until golden brown.  Makes 12 muffins.

Seriously make these muffins!  They were delicious!  Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Blessings for a restful Lord's Day!  Worship The Almighty!  Praise His Name with everything in you!
Love to all of you....
                     

This and that...with a whole lot of Pictures!

I have been trying to decide where this blog should go.  Should I blog on a regular schedule?  Should I blog only when I feel led?  Who am I trying to reach?  What should I blog about?  I have so many questions with no answers yet.  But with God's leading I will get to the bottom of this!  So if you would, please pray for me and this blog.  I really want this to glorify His name in everything I say!

In the mean time, here are a few things that are going on around this ole homestead!  Okay, for anyone that knows me, it's not quite a homestead....but it will be...eventually!  I am preparing to start a book that I picked up at the Home school Convention last year.  It's called Backyard Homestead edited by Carleen Madigan.

It seems very thorough and interesting.  I am excited to pour over it.  I am expecting to learn alot and I will share as soon as I can.  I just really believe that we need to be good stewards of EVERYTHING God has blessed us with.  Because of that, I want to use what land we have, whether it's big or small, to grow as much as we can to sustain life.  The miracle I see every time a seed sprouts keeps me in awe of His Majesty!  By growing what we eat, that nourishes our bodies and keeps us alive and healthy will only point to the Awesomeness of the Most High!  Only through Him and His provisions is that possible!  Glory be to God and His Everlasting Kindness and Mercy!
Because of this I started my tomato plants a few days ago!  I am so excited to see them emerge from their little homemade pots!  Here's a quick peek...

I love the idea of decomposable, FREE! planters!  Thank you to Thy Hand Hath Provided!  Easy tutorial to follow.  So simple and frugal!  I am going to try container planting this year for some of our most beloved produce!  Until I figure out this southern soil and how to keep the deer from enjoying the garden, I must keep the plants close at hand!  I am starting to plan the rest of the "garden".  Trying to decide what will produce well in containers and what won't.  This is a whole new way of gardening for me, so if anyone has any pointers, please feel free to leave a comment or an email!  I would appreciate any help!

I am also working on canning.  I'm still trying to figure that out too!  My mom, so thoughtfully bought me a large pressure canner for Christmas, and I LOVE IT!  Thanks mom!  I canned recently with it.  I made tortilla bean soup, (one of our faves!)  and canned 10 quarts and froze three large bags!  So yummy and an incredibly easy meal!  I also purchased  a Food Saver recently.  Oh my goodness!  I think that everyone needs one of these in their kitchen!  I have used it so much already!  Just something to think about.  :-)

 Anyway, I have all of the ingredients for chili.  I may whip up a batch and go to town on it!  I am hoping to get at least 10 quarts of that too.  We shall see.  I love canning and the idea of preserving our food.  My ultimate goal is to grow most of what we need and preserve it.  The things that we can't produce here I would like to start purchasing from a local farm.  The idea that the grocery store chains of bondage would be broken from me, is exhilarating!  Soon...very soon!  Here's a little of what I have in the pantry already...the pickles are a blessing from my very dear neighbor...

What else...oh yes...IT IS SO COLD!  Seriously, since we are from up North, this weather should not be a problem.  But it is!  My blood has thinned!  The south isn't supposed to be this cold!  We are hovering in the 20's!  Oh, but alas, next week is supposed to be in the high 60's to low 70's.  I thought I'd share a picture of some berries that are on a bush right outside my door.  Very unusual for around these parts...so I hear!:-)

Yes, that is ice clinging to the berries! Brr!  I will soon have a fire blazing in our little fireplace!  Here is one from the other night.

Cozy...right?!  I just need to will myself out to the porch to get the wood!  Yikes!  I might as well though,  Soon my girly will have to potty!

One last thing...I have decided, from inspiration from another blog, to make a real effort in scripture memorization.  I always have Arrow memorize scripture, why shouldn't I?!  So I have chosen a few verses to begin with and I have written them on a few cards and placed them around the house.  Definitely one by the kitchen sink!  I wonder why? ;-)

Rejoice always.  Pray without ceasing.  Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
What a great scripture.  We must always remember to give thanks in everything!  Our Father is a loving God who cares for us, so deeply!  We must trust Him.  Not only that, but also must be thankful for His judgment! Pray without ceasing, always!  We must be in communication with God all the time!  He is our ultimate Friend and Lover!  He knows us more intimately than anyone else, and He wants a deep, deep relationship with us.  What better way to have that, then to pray without ceasing!

Blessings for today!  Get much accomplished and Rejoice!  Love to you all!

A Special Blessing

I am truly thankful for the things that God has blessed me with.  With all of my heart I am!  I'm thankful for my loving husband and my special little man.  I am thankful for a beautiful house in a great neighborhood with great neighbors.  I am thankful for food on our table every day.  I am thankful for heat and clothes and steady income.  I am thankful for friends.  I am thankful for the ability to pray and worship God in public any day of the week!
It's easy to be thankful for the obvious reasons...but are we always thankful for the little inconspicuous reasons too?  I try to be, and I'm usually successful...I think.
Everything that we have is a blessing from the Lord.  Everything!  From our very lives down to the tiniest detail...such as...measuring cups!  Yes, you heard me!  Measuring cups!
This weekend I received a special blessing of measuring cups and measuring spoons!  I have really wanted a new set because mine are cheap and break very easily.  Everytime I look at new sets, I am deterred by the price.  I just felt that we have so many more important things to spend our money on so I pass them by.
Well, my dads wife happened to buy two sets without realizing it and last night brought me in a set...and it happens to be the exact set that I have been admiring!  White ceramic measuring cups!  Ahh...beauty!
It was so humbling to be reminded that my God loves me and cares about me enough that my choice of measuring cups is important to Him!  What a Special Blessing!
At that moment, I was reminded that we truly do need to be thankful for the tiniest, most insignificant things!  God is so good to me!  And I pray that I will always remember to be thankful for everything!

Super Bowl Sunday and Heart Full of Questions...

Tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday!  GO STEELERS!  We are from Pennsylvania originally, so of course we have Black and Gold blood running through our veins....and always will have!  Nobody will ever be able to change that!  GO STEELERS!  We will be cheering for the Steel Nation all day and we are proud of it!  Woo!

So the fact that we are all abuzz about the game, cleaning the house, preparing special food and gearing up for the sporting event of the year...it got me thinking...

Do I ever get that excited about God, or worshiping Him, or even being in His presence?  If I took as much care of my relationship with Him as I do with getting ready for a game, where would I be?

What if I was all abuzz about the moment I will meet Him face to face?  What if I took the time to really clean up my life for Him and because of Him?  What if I was preparing my heart for complete worship of Him?  What if I consistently was gearing up for eternity in Heaven?  What would my life look like?

What if I said that I had Jesus running through my veins...and always will have?  That nobody will even be able to change that!?  Because, guess what...I do and I am so proud of that!  Even though I am not perfect, and I have so much to work on with His help, I truly love my God and I will be cheering on His return!

So...Go Steelers...make us proud...but more importantly...

Thank you God, for my life and Your love.  Please help me to love You more fully!  You alone deserve my everything!  In Jesus Name...AMEN

About Us...

Hi!  My name is Jamie and my goal with this blog is share a little about our life...including the ups and downs.  This blog will in no way be beautiful and flowery at all times!  We are a real family living in the real world and we are not perfect.  We are, however, trying to live a God honoring life.  I want this blog to be God honoring and encouraging to women who are in the same place in life that I am!

I am a stay at home wife and momma.  My husband, we'll call him, Mister, is an incredibly loving man!  He loves God and he loves his family.  He's a great provider and I am so thankful that I am able to stay home, because of his work ethic!  He's also incredibly handsome ;-)! 

My son is a cute little guy who is tall and skinny and all knees!  He just turned 5 a few months ago and it amazes me how quickly he is growing!  We are casually homeschooling in everyday moments.  Next year will be a different story.  For the sake of this blog and our privacy, we'll call him Arrow!  I chose that name because we are training him, sharpening so to say, to be a great and powerful arrow for the Kingdom of God!

I have so many interests and I am an expert in nothing!  Sewing, cooking, cleaning, canning, organizing, being frugal, gardening, decorating, teaching, mothering, blogging, natural body care, whole foods, budgeting...oh the list goes on and on.  These are some things that I have a heart for.  You will probably see them repeatedly mentioned throughout this blog, so bear with me as I am in a state of learning...

But before everything I am a Daughter of the King!  I am a Christian woman who doesn't really identify with any particular denomination.  I identify with the love of Christ and His sacrifice that He made on our behalf.  I believe that EVERYONE is called to be a child of God, but not everyone will follow Him.  I love God, I am saved by the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, and some day I will be living in Glory with the Most High!  God has a special plan for me, as He does for everyone, and I pray that I am in His will and if I'm not, I pray that He gentle steers me where He wants me.

Please enjoy your time here, laugh with me, cry with me, and please pray for me.  If you have any questions, comments or kind words please feel free to share!  You can reach me through my comments section or directly through my email - simplyhishome@gmail.com