Blessings From Home

STOP NAIS! We have one more way to stop it...

Hello Blog friends

It has been awhile again since I have writen but I miss everyone so thought I would make some time to say hello.

I pray that everyone will have a blessed blessed New Year. I pray that everyone's days will be filled with love and laughter and that your marriages will be blessed and your families filled with happiness.

I am not going to list resolutions for myself this year, my only prayer for me is that I come closer to the Lord each and every day.

God's Blessings..... everyone!

Starting Over

We had prepared ourselves to move to Alaska.

Since we planned on flying, we gave away most of our stuff.

It's not upsetting.  It was actually rather freeing.

I hate stuff anyway.  Clutter....yuck!

Now that we have moved into my mother-in-love's old house, it's like starting all over. 

We are doing pretty well though.

I tend to think that we will end up with too much stuff.

People can be very generous when they hear someone needs something.

I am enjoying starting over.  It's like a fresh start.

I'm still not sure where we will be in the future, but I know that God is in control and that is enough.

I am actually still working on the curtain part.  I guess I am being very picky.

After I finally conquer the curtain detail, I want to wallpaper the kitchen.

I have a lot of ideas floating around.  It's exciting.

I like things simple.  I want our home to be inviting and peaceful.

Our children have refinished our big kitchen table.  They have done a wonderful job.  Thanks, guys!

Things are coming along nicely.

Until next time,

~Candy~

Frugal Ideas

Dear blogger friends ,I am going to list atleast 10 things that my family and I are doing to be more frugal .  I would like you  to list your ideas as well . We all can learn different things from each other . Tag you are it !!!! Shaune

  1. Use cloth napkins. Instead of just paper towels.

  2. Use cloth dish rags ,Instead of sponges.

  3. Use cloth pads (90% the time).Instead of buying it .

  4. Buy used cloths from thrift stores ( buy under garments new).

  5. Uses bar soap at sink ,it will last longer .Instead of liquid soap.

  6. Hang your towels and wash cloths to dry after bathing . Reuse several  times. Save wear and tear on your towels .

  7. Cut off lights ,etc. that aren't being used .Save lots of money .

  8. Use a cloths line . Instead of always using your dryer .

  9. Make your own cloths detergent ,and frabric softener.

  10. Buy food at salvage stores and plant a garden . Hunt for meat.

   11. Plant your own fruit and nut trees ,add trees more every year.

   12. Can your veggies ,fruits ,bake your own bread ,make your own pizza ,dry your own trail mixes,fruit ,and jerky . Homemake foods are healthier for you  and your family.

  13. We have chickens for fresh eggs .

  14. We feed all the Farm animals the same feed .Instead of paying more for different kinds of feed fo each animal .It's an "All Stock Feed". We feed horses, goats, chickens ,guineas ,turkeys,etc all the same feed .

Being Available.

Pastor preached yesterday on being available to God for Him to use. And it stuck in my thoughts all the day long. I mulled it over, I chewed on it and I prayed and thought some more.
I believe many people need to be prodded to be available because of the shortage of volunteers that I see all around me. Few are doing the work of many and so much more needs to be done . . . . So we put out the call for others to step up and step in.
But what does it mean to me to be available? Rarely do I turn people down when help is needed- I’ve filled in the gaps at church in more places than I care to think. Some worked, some didn’t. But I felt I had to stick to the adage “See a need, fill a need.” I can’t think of how many times I’ve sighed in resignation and said, “Oh alright, if no one else is going to do it I guess I will.”
What kind of an attitude is that?
So I ask again what does it mean to me to be available?
My thoughts are running in an entirely different direction. I have kept myself so busy- doing what I thought was needed and necessary that I now find . . . . .
I haven’t been available.
I’ve been too busing DOING to be available.
Being Available is not synonymous with “Do, Do, Do”.
I got that part wrong.
God is calling me to Be Available.
To be free from other burdensome jobs/ministries/etc. in order to hear Him calling me.
I heard Him call me in the quiet yesterday afternoon.
He called me to
REST.
Simply rest.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” [Matthew 11:28-30]
I’ve been going about it all wrong and it took hitting the wall at warp speed and spending a few days trying to summon the energy to crawl out for me to begin to hear.
God isn’t always calling us to “do” something, sometimes He calls us to be quiet so He can speak to our hearts, so He can help heal.
I believe God calls people to times of rest.
I believe because I know He is calling me to such a time.
I’ve become dysfunctional.
I’ve become what I dreaded may happen when I began over seven years ago . . . .
All about the business and busyness and becoming lost to the quiet in the secret places.
Becoming a world-class “do-er” isn’t God’s design for me.
Super-woman-wife-mom-youth director-and-whatever-else-I-can-tack-on-to-show-the-world-that-I’ve-got-it-all-going-on is not the title God has in mind for me.
He just calls me to be His servant.
And He is calling this servant to a time of Rest.
Rest.
Restore.
Renew.
Revitalize.
Rebuild.
Refresh.
Rekindle.
Recharge.
God’s got a plan for me- and I now know it starts with stopping.
Be Available.

Amy Update

I continue to covet prayer and wish to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who continues to lift up my prayer request. All the prayers lift me up and sustain me. Thank you.
Mr. Steady and I will be meeting with our pastor this Tuesday evening to give him our proposal of cutting down my hours (and pay). We will also be asking that the church board begin to actively seek a replacement for me. Our plan is that I be able to help see the youth ministry through this transition. We are setting a “time limit” stating that I would like to be phased out of paid youth ministry be early May.
This has been an extremely hard decision for me to make. And yet as things begin to come together to see the end- I am beginning to feel the release. I have never before been brought so low by a circumstance. I have never before not been able to bounce back.
BUT
It has been a most humbling experience.
I hit the wall.
And found God right there beside me.
I have cried buckets.
I have complained and whined to the Lord.
And I wasn’t afraid to do so- I know my God is bigger than my pain. Big enough to hear my whining.
Most definitely.
I have stepped back these past few days- I couldn’t do anything but.  I couldn’t “work” as I needed to- just how was I suppose to do more than the mechanics? Wednesday morning it took all my fortitude to get out of bed and face the day. I have never been a wallow-er and I felt that what I was doing was wallowing.
In pity, disgust, anger and despair.
Etc. Etc. Etc.
I cried out and said “I’m burning out! I can’t do this!” and felt that I wasn’t really heard.
But I was.
God heard me.
Mr. Steady heard me.
As did many others who lifted me up in mighty prayer.
Each day God met me right where I was at.
Each day got a little bit easier.
I have begun to experience the quiet again.
I believe God is giving me a cleaner, clearer vision.
The better to see my priorities with.
The better to see my family with.
The better to see myself with.
I love being “needed” and “necessary” but . . . . . .
It doesn’t matter how needed and necessary I am to others if I’m not delivering the goods here at home first and with my bestest most worthwhile effort.
I can no longer be split in two by ministry away from home and the ministry right here at home.
God has shown me time and time again that Home IS my ministry.
Period.
My prayer is that my pastor listens and begins to understand and accepts the proposal. Our church board’s monthly meeting is this Thursday evening and it is our desire to bring this proposal to the board at that meeting- the sooner “the cat is out of the bag” the sooner they can begin looking for a replacement and all the sooner for me to feel I can take a deep breath and am not squeezed in by the pressure to perform.
The sooner I can begin to rest.

New Saftey Law about Children's Clothing May Cause Big Issues for Thrift Stores!

I came across this in a forum...

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-thrift2-2009jan02,0,2083247.story

What do you think?

Crochet, cooking w/ my boy, wheat ... pics :)

Okay, so I'm tired of talking about the Baby That Isn't Here Yet. So .... here we go.

Here are my crochetted baby blankets. If I'm not spelling crochet right, that's because I'm a baby, baby beginner.

I had the boys run over and sit on the blanket(s) and smile for the camera.

Now, both of these are my own design. The pink one is SUPER simple. $7 worth of pink yarn from Walmart, and I went a row of single, half double, double, triple. One after the other, from one end to the next. Can you see the ribs? That's the double with me picking up a different loop. I did that by accident, decided it was cool and there I was. It went really fast. Without working on it every day, I finished in less than 2 weeks, I think? And I have maybe half my yarn left over!

The blue blanket is super soft and too stretchy. It's the one I made BEFORE learning I need to go down several hook sizes from recommended. See those neat, cute box-gaps? I skipped a stitch for those. I think that whole entire blanket is doubles and triples.

I'm not sure what I'm doing next, but I really like crochet.

Okay, does this make your teeth hurt?

I let Samuel put on the sprinkles. It was tough. If J hadn't encouraged me to let him make such a dreadful mess, I probably would have taken over and declared him too young. As it was, it isn't quite as bad as it looks. Really. We both ended up having a blast, once I relaxed and let the sprinkles fly. I'm glad Daddy was home to encourage me to do the right thing!!! They really are a cheap way to be together in the kitchen!

Here is a current picture of my baker's rack.

Notice anything missing? You know what those three, big canisters are?

From left to right, soft white wheat, white wheat, and red wheat.

We don't have "flour" at our house anymore. Just wheat. And a mill. And stronger arms and healthier digestive tracts and . . . . it's so cool. One of these days, that yellow canister will be full of whole yellow corn waiting to be ground .... and my life will be complete.

I'm so kidding about the complete part. Hahaha!

You can do so much with these three types of wheat. When you eat a French Breakfast Puff soaked in butter and cinnamon sugar . . . you can rest in the fact that at least it's whole wheat and you're getting tons more fiber than you normally would. Plus 10% less calories. Isn't that freaky cool?

My whole-wheat pancake recipe? Doesn't even call for sugar. And I've had no complaints. Can you beat that????

~Ashley~

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ #16 ~ 1/5/09

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window...grey, dreary, COLD day.  But it IS a day that the Lord has made, so I will rejoice & be glad in it!

I am thinking...that this is a week of 'back to normal' and life will take on it's regular pace.

I am thankful for...the safe and blessed delivery of my friend's sweet baby boy on Saturday morning!  This is my dear friend whose husband was killed in a motorcyle accident back in July.  This baby is SUCH a miracle - it had TWO tight knots in it's umbilical cord and is perfectly normal!!  One of the nurses told her that certainly the Lord let her husband watch over that baby to make sure it got here.  Please keep her - and their (now) 4 children in your prayers.

From the learning room...Back to school today!  On the plate are:  Bible, American Gov't, Composition, Life Skills, Marine Biology and Nature Journaling/Art; gym will resume on Thursday.

From the kitchen...simple soup and sandwiches...or maybe salad for lunch; chicken breasts, snap beans w/almonds and garlic/rosemary roasted potatoes for supper.

I am wearing...jeans, burgandy shirt, blue 'house socks'.

I am creating...by tearing down.  We will be taking down our Christmas tree and other decorations today.  Boohoo! 

I am going...to the grocery and the bulk food store this afternoon.

I am reading...Bible; reading through DD#2's schoolbooks and doing some extended planning...that I DIDN'T get done while on Christmas Break!

I am hoping...that an important appointment for DD#1 goes VERY well for her tomorrow.

I am hearing...Glenn Beck on the radio and the girls walking around up-stairs.

Around the house...putting things back in order after the Christmas decorations come down, laundry, homeschool...

One of my favorite things...newborn baby fingers and toes.

A few plans for the rest of the week:  homeschool, gym, THURSDAY IS DD#1's 21st B-DAY!!!  Practicing the 4 songs that DH & I will be singing at my mom's church on Sunday.

Here is a picture thought I'm sharing...

In light of DD#1's 21st b-day...wasn't this just yesterday?!?!

Read and enjoy other Daybooks by clicking on:http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Monday at Little Bitty Homestead

I was looking forward to getting back on schedule this morning, but I've had to change a bit.  My son is not feeling well (congestion, cold, etc.)  My daughter has a touch of it also.  So they are still sleeping & will remain sleeping until they wake up on their own.--I think you heal while you sleep so sleeping is where they'll be for probably another hour or so, I presume.

I did get up like usual, started some towels in the laundry, tidied up and made some tea.  The weather here is up & down.  Today it is down (cold) and calling for rain.  So, I started a fire too.  I think in the house is where we'll stay...after I go out & feed the animals, that is.  (You don't get to take a day off when you're raising animals)

Being my son was not feeling well, I put some chicken in the crockpot last night & it's been simmering on low since about 10:00pm.  I'll turn it off at 10:00am today.  Strain it well, save the meat & strain the broth.  Then if they are hungry when they get up, I'll add some rice to the broth & have chicken & rice soup.  It's only after 8:00 right now & the whole house smells so homey! 

I'm going to try to switch our bread to the sour-dough type & I've got a starter going on the counter.  I've never done this before but it sounds easy enough.  I'm going to try Candy's recipe from her blog keeping the home.

As far as homeschooling goes today, we'll see how the children feel when they get up.  We were reading Kit Kittredge Christmas Suprise before Christmas & we could finish that up by the fire.  We also have a lapbook we started to go along with it so that could be fun.  I also have a book for my son I'd like him to read by Richard Maybury called Are You Liberal? Conservative? or Confused? 

I guess that's about it for today.  I hope you all have a great day on your homesteads!