Manna Milling Moms

July 8

Habits

Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Romans 12:9b

We are creatures of habit. Good habits have to be developed, while bad habits form without effort and are not easily broken. There are simple habits like good personal hygiene, such as brushing your teeth and washing your hands. Other habits, such as regular church attendance, daily devotions, and continuous heartfelt worship, praise, and

Prayer, contribute to our spiritual well-being. Loving responses, deeds of kindness, and edifying speech are godly habits characteristic of the Spirit-filled life.

We may not be enslaved to sinful habits like smoking, drinking intoxicating beverages, or using illicit drugs, but what about habits like evil speaking, bitterness, unforgiving attitudes, wrong thoughts, or gluttony? Such habits are also wrong and displeasing to God.

Do you find yourself struggling with a habit that may be causing you spiritual defeat? Praise God, there is victory and freedom in Christ through His shed blood. Here are some suggestions that may help you gain the spiritual victory God desires.

1. Truly repent of and confess all known sin.

2. Confide in someone you can trust, and make yourself accountable to that person until you are free.

3. Be honest and open with others about your temptations and struggles. We need the prayers and encouragement of fellow saints. We need each other in our pilgrimage to heaven.

4. Do not neglect your devotional life. Spend time daily with God and His Word. Fasting is a helpful practice, along with earnest prayer.

5. Claim the promises of God’s Word.

6. Put on the whole armor of God. “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.”

We are in a spiritual warfare. God has made every provision for our victory if we do our part by meeting the conditions of His Word. Through the power of Jesus, we can be “more than conquerors.”

Mark Kropf, Cataldo, ID

O victory in Jesus, my Savior, forever.

—Eugene M. Bartlett, 1939

Bible Reading: Romans 6

One Year Bible Reading Plan:

Acts 15:1–21

Job 38, 39

Used by Permission of Vision Publishers

PO Box 190, Harrisonburg, VA 22803

Phone: 877-488-0901

E-Mail: [cs@vision-publishers.com]

Green Cleaning Tips

In an effort to discover greener cleaning products, I have found that they don’t work as well on the toughest of dirt and grime. Not to mention that green cleaning product often times have a steep price tag comparatively to their caustic counter parts. This has had me on a mission to discover green cleaning methods that are effective and inexpensive.

Two ingredients I have found to be the most consistently effective are hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar. Both are inexpensive, but I will warn that the smell of vinegar has taken some getting used to for me.

As a little aside, I have been asked about cleaning products that claim they have oxygen based “bleaching” action. The fact is that these products contain natural ingredients that when mixed with water produce hydrogen peroxide. For this reason those products ARE safe and green, but demonstrates the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide. One of the best assets of hydrogen peroxide as a cleaning agent is that it is not dangerous. The reason that it comes in brown bottles, is because when touched by light it changes into regular water. What could be safer than that?

Here are a list of some of the methods I have found to be effective and the cost is PENNIES!

· For the Bathtub & Shower stall: To remove soap scum use hydrogen peroxide and the netting from citrus fruit. Pour on the HP and allow to work for a few seconds before using the netting to scrub away the soap scum! Need to disinfect your bathtub or shower? Simply use a vinegar rinse before rinsing with water.

· Toilet: Add 2 cups white vinegar to toilet with ½ cup baking soda. This will bubble and foam. Once the bubbling stops, scrub with brush as usual. Have stubborn hard water stains? Plunge as much water out of your toilet as possible. Pour 1 gallon of white vinegar into the toilet, scrub with brush, close lid, and allow to sit for 2 hours or overnight. Scrub once more and flush.

· Sink: Sprinkle baking soda around sink. Pour or spray white vinegar. Allow to bubble for a few seconds. Use scrub brush or citrus netting to scrub clean.

· Faucet: Soak a cleaning rag in white vinegar. Ring out. Wrap rag around faucet and secure with rubber bands. Leave on for 3-4 hours. Remove rag, and scrub the crannies with an old toothbrush. Then wipe clean with a clean dry rag.

· Countertops: Mix hydrogen peroxide (about 1 cup) and white vinegar (about ½ cup) in spray bottle to clean and disinfect countertops or any surface.

Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas. With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. Simple Journey Ministries was established to encourage, support, and inspire women, from all walks of life, to engage and continue on a path of Godly Womanhood. You can visit her at her blog Journey to Simplicity (www.leslievaleska.com/blog), Simple Journey Ministries (www.leslievaleska.com), and Simple Journey Bookstore (www.leslievaleska.com/bookstore)

Doctor appt today...

Well I went to the doctor again today. They gave me my b12 and then sent me to the hospital for blood work, a test on my urin, and a ct on my kidneys, gal balder, balder, and tummy.. I have not got the test results back from the ct yet. It will be in the am. However i did get the results back from my blood work. ALL Numbers are down.. They are LOW... And the Urin test came back and I have a infection that came back to high to count.... So i am now on meds for the infection again, on pain pills, on tummy pills, and iron still... We are waiting on the ct result and the doctor said he will go from there. I am wiped out... Bless my doctors heart. He called me back to his office while i was at the hospital after i finished the ct to talk to me about my blood work and urin test... I thanked him to listening to me about how i was feeling and not treating me like I was crazy.. He smiled and said there was NO need to thank him.. And that there is something wrong and that we WILL find out what it is and get me back in shape... For me I have never been one that went to a doctor unless i had to.. So for me to go to the doctor i have to be sick.. I MEAN SICK.. But i will be honest with you.. This doctor has given me a new vision of doctors.. HE is wonderful.. He listens to me. HE takes the time to answer my questions. I am so thankful to God for that..

I want to thank all my friends out there for praying for me.. God is working.. He is good.

My simple woman's daybook entry for July 7th

Outside my window ~ it is raining and very very windy. I almost feel like I am back in the Windy City of Chicago.

I am thinking ~ of how awful some people can be to go as far as trying to scam a vonerable 16 year old. We are praying for you Vivian!

I am thankful for ~ The Lord who gave us the wisdom to know a true scammer, for my husband who works so hard to give us the things we long for, my children, my dear dear friends, the freedom to homeschool, the open fields for my furry friends to enjoy, the air I breath (which by the way isn't always easy with Asthma) I am thankful for the gift of creativity that the Lord has blessed me with.

I am creating ~ hand made recipe cards with my own original drawings on them, and more Note Cards.

From the kitchen ~ I can hear the beginning stages of dinner being prepared. Tonight Mariah is making Chicken Enchilada's. YUMO

I am going ~ to town today to get some advice about this scam. Praying all the way of course.

I am hoping ~ that I will find a way to bring peace into our home and to get back into a routine.

I am hearing ~ the very annoying sound of my dogs toe nails clicking and clanking on the floor as she walks from one room to another. Gee we have got to get them clipped.

Around the house ~ we are organizing the homeschool shelf and the office to prepare for the upcoming school year.

One of my favorite things ~creating cards, painting gourds and drawing. You really didn't expect me to just list one today DID YOU??

A few plans for the rest of the week ... ~ continue organizing and preparing for the school year, drawing, packing for my trip that is coming up!

Surgery Tomorrow...

I just wanted you to know that I am having some outpatient surgery tomorrow. I have a voice disorder that has been with me for the last 25 years. Periodically, I need to have the growths removed from my vocal cords. I will be on voice rest for 3 days which is much better than the 7 days it used to be when I was young. I have to be careful not to bend and lift for the next few weeks as I heal. I will have to get those children doing most of the garden work.

Prayer Request.......... Home related

Thank you God for a stocked Pantry and Freezer

With several things happening lately asking for large sums of money in the last month (the medicare story......we owed our 1/3 of my parents house sale which is 15,0000 and we only had 5,000 on hand. My brother paid the other 10,000 for us and now we owe him that 10,000 back and plan to pay him in full over the next year and a half) plus the fact that my car needed new tires, and while they were working on it, they found out it had a bent tire iron as well. That costs us a small chunk of our emergency cash to fix (thank goodness we had it to spend). Matthew's car needs new tires SOON as well.

We spent about half of our tax incentive check on stocking up the pantry a few months ago, as well as stocking up on disposable diapers, toliet paper, light bulbs and other household goods. Now that we are running tight, with very little in our emergency fund and looking at refinancing the house (the last time we tried this a few months ago, it was a no charge refinace, but our house appraised at TOO MUCH...........LOL and we did not get the refinancing. How weird is that?? Most of the time, houses get appraised at too little to obtain a loan. We bought a 60,000 house for 42,250, and now the house appraises for too much and we are having trouble refinancing. We have a company that can help us, but we will have to pay a fee this time.) , we are thankful for the stocked pantry and the whole hog and other things in our large freezer.

We are trying to use our grocery budget to still stock up on items we know we need regularly and to stock up on grocery items that can be stored, or frozen easily. And we are shopping from the pantry as much as possible right now. I am so thankful that God placed it on our hearts months ago to stock up on items that are now going sky high (rice, grains, etc). We were able to buy them just before the prices skyrocketed and have been careful to ration them out so they last the longest time possible. I know some people thought we were crazy for "hoarding" as they call it, and when girlfriends see my pantry they are in shock and awe at all the stuff we have. But I don't have to worry too much on groceries now because of it, and when a friend is in need, I have enough for our family, that I am able to help out. We have helped one of Matthew's friends who was short on cash and didn't have any food in the house back in February with a car trunk full of food for his family. And several times since then I have been able to help a few friends who were running a tight budget, or in between paychecks with bread, meats and milk, etc.

I am so glad we listened to God's urging for us to completely stock our pantry and freezers~!~

Plans for the extra Overtime Hubby has been getting

During the rainy season of the year, my husband Matthew seems to be very busy with rebooting towers, and changing out injectors on the internet towers in town. (He works for the city in the utility company, internet department) It seems these towers and the computer parts of them are super technical and the slightest temperature change (hot or cold), makes them act weird, so this last weekend he was called out several times to reboot, change out injectors and one time had to turn on the AC in the tower room because the computer was overheating. They also start being tempermental when it rains, or they are hit by lighting, which happens OFTEN!!!

Matthew stayed at work late last night due to in house internet problems with the networking and obtained another 2 hours of over time (I think we are at 11 hours on this paycheck so far, and we have until the 15th of the month to obtain more. I am assuming he will obtain at least 2 more hours between today adn the 15th)

Matthew wants to SPEND IT on toys of course. A computer game, or more memory for the computer, or a new MP3 player. He truly is a kid at heart, and takes after his father on this. My hubby and his father are into every electronic out there. We don't have the money to waste on such luxuries, but it sure is nice to dream about it. Honestly, we have more than most people do in the area of elctronics probably, but no where near all the electronic toys that his father has (9 cameras and you can only shoot one at a time. LOL His father also has several computers, etc. etc.)

So we have decided to build up our emergency savings account again. We had to almost clear it out recently when Medicare came back on us asking for the sales money of my parents house after they both died. At first they told us they were not coming for it, and myself and my two brothers has received our 1/3 of the house sale. We spent part of ours, and then had to pay the rest back to Medicare, so that almost cleared us out!! We currently have $1000.00 in savings and we would like to build it back up soon. So we are taking anything above and beyond Matthew's regular paycheck and putting it into this emergency fund savings account.

We are also trying to build back up our personal Christmas account money, since some of the money we had to give Medicare was earmarked (but not in a separate account), for Christmas presents this year!! I plan on making many gifts this year and have already gotten a good head start on them, but we will buy Noah some gifts (at 2 he isn't much into homemade gifts. LOL But I do plan on making him some flannel PJs with some cute frog flannel I already have on hand).

This is just something on my mind right now I guess. FINANCES!!! It is a bad word in this house. LOL Almost as bad as a four letter word in some cases. LOL We are blessed though, I must say. My brother payed for our other portion of the money owed to Medicare ($10,000.00. OUCH!!), and besides that, we only owe our mortgage. We have a plan to pay my brother back and should be done with this $10,000 debt to him (interest free....thanks bro) by December 2009!!! We have no car payments, no credit cards, no hospital or doctors bills, and no bank or other personal loans except the mortgage and this loan, so we are very lucky. I just HATE oweing money, and especially to family like this!!!

Debit Card Charges we DID NOT MAKE!!!

I try to keep a close eye on our banking accounts now, because some mysterious charges started popping up lately. I hate numbers, and balancing the check book. And I do mean HATE it. LOL We have started using more cash because of this!! I hate writing out checks and mailing our bills (and buying stamps and more stamps), so most of our bills are paid online is at all possible!!

I checked our accounts last night (we have two bank accounts, and one savings account),and was shocked at what I saw. On our account with the debit card (Matthew uses this account so he doesn't have to carry alot of cash, or a checkbook with him) there were two charges on Sunday for gas. One was for $50 and the other for $65.00!!! Now to some of you, this may not be shocking, comsidering the high prices of gas lately. The suprise is because, we had decided since it was my car, and it mostly sits in the driveway most of the time until I need it, and because there are people out there draining your gas tanks while you sleep, we would NOT fill it up, but simply put $20.00 of gas in it!!!

As soon as Matthew came back downstairs I mentioned to him that I thought we only put $20.00 of gas in the tank. He said I did hun, why what is wrong??? I showed him the computer screen showing the two debits. And neither were for $20.00!!!! So Matthew is calling the store where we bought the gas today and asking them to remove BOTH charges and then charge us for only $20.00. If this doesn't work, we will have to fight the bank over the charges.

I thought using a debit card for purchases like this was safe, because no one else handles the card. Matthew swipes the card at the pump and then the password, and collects his receipt each and every time we do this. If this continues to happen, I am going to have to make Matthew carry a small amount of cash for gas purchases! Crazy!!! I hope he gets this settled quickly today.