In His Presence

Frayed

Today I feel frayed at the edges.
It’s my fault.
I completely woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
I didn’t even want to get up.
The blanket cocoon was so very comfy and warm and it was so dark, cold and dreary.
It didn’t help matters that I knew there were a couple of things I had to attend to today that I just didn’t want to do.
Cranky.
Then that frustrating email.
Ugh.
And it seemed like I couldn’t quite get in sync with teaching all 3 children simultaneously this morn.
I ended up letting Mr. Conductor color with sharpies on a large piece of heavy paper. Right next to me.
The fumes quickly gave me a headache.
He didn’t seem to mind the least little bit.
We made a huge mess on the table and on the floor with schooling.
Which is normal.
Except that it helped perpetuate the continual fraying of the edges.
Mr. C and I are discussing circles this week.
I let Mr. C have a hole punch.
The floor is peppered with bits of colored paper.
I need to get my perspective back- there is still a lot of day left.
I gotta get past these grumpies.

Are you tired [grumpy]? Worn-out [frayed at the edges]? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Matthew 11:28-29

[my additions for today]

Baby bibs..your input.. Needed

I'm getting ready to make some baby bibs for the apple pumpkin fest and was wondering what style is in?? In my day we use to use a diaper..lol

Do you like round square?? do you like snaps or velcro and bias tape????

Just wondering what folks might like I could use some input..

Thanks..

Brenda

Pulling into Frustration Station

I am currently fighting a growing frustration.
My frustration is with email. I am amazed at the amount of “between the lines” reading that can go into email and the trouble it causes.
I have learned, with some job/ministry related emails to say a prayer before even opening them.
Sometimes I feel like opening my email is like walking through a mine field- some days I make it through alright and other days . . . . .
Boom!
Ker-blooie!
So I pray when I get emails from certain people and I pray when I read the emails and I pray when I am forming my replies and I pray when I hit “send”.
I think to myself that I do not want to perpetuate the frustration they are making me feel. I work hard to answer the email words not the tone.
And there are times when I fail to make that happen. Times when what I perceive to be the “tone” of an email pushes my hot button down so far that I don’t think it will ever pop back up.
Some emails I do not reply to right away- I have walk away, think about it, pray about it- talk it over with Mr. Steady.
Email can be an ugly thing.
I often find myself saying to Mr. Steady, “Does so-and-so think or proof read before sending emails? Does so-and-so have any idea how they come off in this email?”
Or “Boy, I wish so-and-so understood how their emails made me feel- I wonder if they would continue?”
Unfortunately for me I do not feel that I can speak to the two biggest so-and-so’s who send me frustrating emails.
Right now it seems that the frustrating emails are job/ministry related but in the not-so-distant past there were frustrating, confusing and misunderstood emails within a group I belong to.
I know there is email etiquette but how many people use it? It is so very VERY easy to whip off an email to someone- and very tempting to do it when you are mad/angry/frustrated and want to share all your thoughts without someone butting in- you have your say, your rant in all it’s glory.
Email is easier than phoning. Email is easier than face-to-face. But I’ve learned that it is not better. There are times we take our rants too far in emails and do irreparable damage. Yes, I know this for certain. I’ve been on both ends of the rant and no lasting good comes from it.
I often hear myself mumbling that the emailer is too narrow-minded. Can’t they see it from another point of view, I ponder. Like mine? Don’t they know that a little sugar with a complaint makes it easier to swallow?
Does anyone keep “some thoughts” to themselves?
Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying, “A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over.”
and
“Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”
And here is something I wrote down in my quote journal and try to remind myself of when I wallow in frustration and more- just like this.
Its alright to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush it when you are done.

WFMW: Freezer Tip

Root Beer..Home Made ( Recipe)

I've been asked by a couple of folks for my recipe for root beer..so here it is from our kitchen to yours..

Brenda

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is so good I made it for Memorial Day.. Here is the recipe from Wanda Brunstetter ...

Home Made Root Beer

2 cups white sugar

1 gallon luke warm water

3 tsp root beer extract

1 tsp dry yeast

Mix all together well and pour into jars.Cover and let set in the sun for four hours.Chill before serving next day..

I put mine in a gallon jar and left it there it worked fined.. Enjoy it taste so good... haflinger 

Give-Away winner & In and Around the Home This Week

A random number generator mysteriously drew a winner, and Congratulations to...

Tuesday

  Its another crisp cool morning in Alabama.  I have a messy kitchen to clean up this morning, I was simply lazy after the JV game let out at 8:45.  Yesterday's dinner was potato soup with bacon, fried okra, and homemade biscuits.  The potato soup had heavy whipping cream I had left over from something else, I cubed the potatoes, boiled them tender, drained, and then added 2 C of 2% mild and 1 C cream along with garlic, butter, pepper, and  a wee bit of onion.  They liked it alot, it was very rich and thick. I am doing Southbeach, so I couldn't have any of what I did for dinner so I had what I could have.

    Apparently last night it rained here lightly, which is good, the sun is not out yet today, its overcast and cloudy.  Dh and I discussed more the desire to move from town and find land (very small 2-5 acres) and begin the process of living the way we prefer (as we did before)  We will most likely stay here 2 years so son finishes high school, but even that isn't concrete....he prefers a smaller school too.  It seems impossible from where we are, with the housing market where it is, but God is God and he has given us each this desire, so we shall see His work first hand.

   I have a writing project due by Thursday for a writer I ghostwrite for.  It is not a tedious writing project but new software for the product has me dreading it, so this afternoon I will knock that out....nothing like getting something you dread off the table!

    Tonight is family night so we'll be having a family friendly meal such as spaghetti and then play a board game together for the evening then early to bed.  God is good and we are blessed!

Sweetie

Simple Woman's Daybook ~6

A Simple Woman's Daybook

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Day book entry #13

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The Simple Woman’s Daybook

FOR TODAY~ October 6^th 

Outside my Window... a cold, grey day.

I am thinking... of how to arrange my schedule this week to get everything done that needs to get done in the time frame it needs to get done.

From the learning room... a bit of a slow start to our school day- it is after all, a Monday. We enjoyed a bit of lapbooking with our Botany and will take a nature walk later today to look for moncots/dicots to add to our nature journals. Mr. Conductor asked for a countdown chain for pumpkin carving and so we made one. 21 days is a long chain- hope he makes it. American History continues on- we’ll be making a Teepee sometime this week (I say we- I mean Mr. Steady and the girls!).

I am thankful for… tried and true recipes that you can always fall back on. I was going to try a new dessert recipe for homeschool group but with my full schedule I decided to stick with what I do best- triple fudge brownies.

From the kitchen... breakfast was apple pancakes and sliced bananas. [Mr. Steady made a HUGE batch last week and we’re still enjoying them- note- best was to freeze pancakes is to put them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze- then take out, remove from tray and place in a freezer bag- that way they are individually frozen and not stuck together!] Lunch is Sunday’s leftovers (stroganoff) and supper will be Spanish rice with bacon and homemade bread. Check out the rest of my weekly menu here.

I am creating... learners. Some great homeschooling going on here this week. Plus I’m also creating youth ministry reports for this week’s church board meeting. And a framed special verse for a couple of friends. And doctored photo postcards to send to a couple of youth group kiddos. Lots going on!

I am going... to town later- errand running. After Mr. Steady comes home- so I can go “alone”.

I am wearing... well worn and frayed blue jeans, Trevecca Naz University Tshirt and zip up fleece, thick socks.

I am reading... On Sparrow Hill by Maureen Lang and another book I can’t remember the title of.

I am hoping... to get everything done that needs doing without stress or worry.

I am hearing... Mr. Conductor sing his ABCs (it still needs a bit of work) and the girls laughing.

Around the house... we’re babysitting my parent’s pampered pooch so we need to keep things picked up so she won’t think they are her chew toys. Plus the ever present loads of laundry and weekly cleaning schedule. Mr. C has taken to cleaning the downstairs bathroom every Monday after his school is done. I will continue to enjoy this while it lasts . . . . .

One of my favorite things... gator rides with the family.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... another high school football game, church board meeting, worship team practice, a trip to a local mill and cider press that is having a Civil War reenactment. And homeschooling. And teaching creative writing at Homeschool Group.