The Land is Calling

To Fear or To Fear Not?

To Fear or To Fear Not?

 by Faith Noles

The week following this 2008 presidential election has left many feeling as if they have just walked through a cold mortuary filled with the post mortem remains of a once beautiful and blessed America. I’ve seen the solemn expressions of prophecy teachers and anointed preachers who have spoken since the election. I’ve seen the down cast faces of faithful believers who have passionately prayed for the healing and redemption of this nation. Many are disheartened and may even feel as if God has not heard their prayers.

David Wilkerson wrote in his book, God’s Plan To Protect His People In The Coming Depression that “Every serious follower of Christ has to realize America deserves the full fury of God’s wrath”. History is filled with examples of God’s judgment upon wicked nations. With the election of Obama, Christians in America see the ‘writing on the wall’ and know that God’s judgment on America is right at hand.

I do believe that America is about to be judged. However, God wants to remind His children that He is still on the throne. Billy Graham once made the statement “God is unchanging in His love. He loves you. He has a plan for your life. Don’t let the newspaper headlines frighten you. God is still sovereign; He’s still on the throne.” God has not changed. Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I change not.” None of the events of this old sinful world has taken God by surprise.

Multitudes of people are making preparations because they expect hard times are on the way--storing food and water; buying guns and ammunitions, etc. What preparations, if any, should we as Christians be making? Christians should be preparing their hearts. In Luke 21:28, Jesus tells the disciples “...then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh”. If you’re a backslidden Christian or if your love for Jesus has grown cold--then beloved, it is high time to get right with God. James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” My mother used to use the term ‘straddling the fence’ when she talked about lukewarm Christians. Brothers and sisters look around you and open your eyes. Romans 13:11 “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed”. It’s time to get off the fence!  Stand up and be the man or woman of God that He would have you be.

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Simpler Times

We have a channel on our Satellite called RFD-TV--its rural televison and I have recently discovered it airs the show Hee Haw--anyone remember that? Maybe I am just giving away my age--LOL--Anyway we have been watching it as a family as it comes on--We watched it last night--an episode from 1969(yes I was alive back then)-- the humor was clean--the prop was simple--the singing meant something--and it was good clean fun--I long for that simpler time--back then no one had heard of a drive by except to say--"I drove by and saw ya on the porch'"-- Going out to eat was something that was a treat--women still for the most part stayed home to raise the youngun's they had--people still wrote letters back home--I remember every Saturday my mom sitting at the kitchen table writing a letter to her mom and letting her know we were all ok since we lived in Dodge City Kansas and my grandma lived back here in Arkansas--We lived on a farm and my dad was a farm hand and worked the farm for rent--People barely had phones and televisions--little lone gaming machines, computers and all the other gadgets we have today--and you know what--people worked harder--work meant something--very few back then got to sit on their bums all day and push a pencil--people worked hard--Technology has brought about changes since the 1960's--some good and some bad--some I enjoy--some we as a family choose to not allow into our lives--some have a purpose--some really don't--I would love just one week to step back into that time and bask in the simplicity of it all--yes it was harder in some ways--but it was also a time when families enjoyed being together--and Sundays were the Lords day--not just another day off work or school to sleep in--I know I cannot turn back the hands of time--but I can sit here and enjoy those old nostalgic shows like Hee Haw, I love Lucy--Brady Bunch--and take a trip down memory lane and if only  in my own mind --for a moment recapture a simpler time!

~Kris

Recipe Hit List: 12 Homemade Bread Recipes...TIPNUT!!

Recipe Hit List: 12 Homemade Bread Recipes

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat!

Maybe no one else sings that song, except my sister and I.  But we sing it around this time of year, whenever we are thinking about Christmas, and preparing for Christmas.

I've been filling shopping carts and browsing online today.  I've got sisters, parents, two nieces and a nephew to shop for.  It's fun to window shop from home.  I just fill a huge cart and wait for Steve to get home and help me put stuff back on the shelf, figuratively speaking.  He helps me set spending limits and decide what to buy, after I've done the brainstorming. 

I do enjoy shopping in physical stores, but as our family has grown, and we've become more busy, I've begun to prefer shopping from home, via the internet.  It saves me from dragging my kids from store to store in the cold, as they grow more tired and more cranky.  I can't lose a toddler or preschooler when I'm shopping from home, either.  We don't have to stop to eat out, or waste gas.  The kids watch a movie, or play, and I shop.  What could be better?

As I speak, my Amazon cart is full, waiting for Steve to review.  I wish I had unlimited funds.  Most of my kids' toys would be replaced with better quality, more basic, educational, imagination-building toys.  Well, one birthday and holiday at a time, I can do that over time.

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat.  Please to put a penny in an old man's hat.  If you haven't got a penny, a ha-penny will do.  If you haven't got a ha-penny, then God bless you!

Hmm ... my guineas are getting fat, but we're not going to roast them.  I hope every one else is having a wonderful time preparing for Christmas, too.

Trusting in Him,

April

Changes in the plan- its okay.

Remember when I said my menu plan was more of a set of guidelines?
We didn’t have the monkey bread on Monday as some family members were having issues at the dinner table and we decided it would be best to all go to bed early.
Yesterday evening we had an impromptu trip to Menards for some replacement pipes and fittings for the kitchen sink.
I should probably add here that yesterday, on my list of Things I Hadn’t Planned On Doing (remember this?) was scrubbing ¾ of the kitchen floor.
On my hands and knees.
Why only ¾? Because Flylady says that housework- even when done incorrectly (or in my case not completely) still blesses your family.
Huh?
Well, we’ve got skiffs of snow, layers of mud and leaves and 3 kids who are constantly tramping in afore mentioned bits of nature. And with more snow on the way- I quickly decided that the high traffic door to door path in the kitchen could stay as is.  My wrists and knees muttering protests helped to ease my conscience greatly.
Anyhoo, I quickly decided to make the most of trip by trying to do next week’s shopping since Aldi’s is just down the road. This is still a pantry week but being ever frugal-minded . . . . not to mention I’ve now checked off something from next week’s To Do List . . . .
This of course would all be taking place during evening dining time. No quick Mickey-D’s stop for us though- I’m sticking to my pantry budget week.
I quickly put together mini-sandwiches with leftover chicken salad and other lunch meats we always keep on hand, tossed some Clementine oranges in the bag, napkins, plates (just in case) and a still-warm-just-sliced loaf of chocolate cherry friendship bread. Voila.
Light dinner on the road.
I also grabbed the current family read-aloud: The Fighting Ground by Avi- very intense and riveting.
We whipped through Aldi’s in record time- the kids have the loading and unloading and packaging routine down pat. It was fun to watch Mr. Steady marvel at them. As for Menards, Mr. Steady looked for the things on his list- when a man goes to a store like that- he’s always got more things on his list than the thing that necessitated the going to the store in the first place—anyway- the kiddos and I enjoyed the Christmas displays- the trees plus the little ceramic villages.
This then lead to the kidlets asking for a Christmas movie for watching after we got home. Mickey’s Christmas Carol.
And so while it wasn’t the dinner or the evening I had envisioned for us- it was still quality family time.
And that’s what matters most.
Well, that and sticking to the pantry budget.

Great Quote...Benjamin Franklin

CHUNKY APPLE CAKE

Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer

TACKY or frugal smarts?

Tackiness vs. simplicity
poor etiquette vs. saving $$ and a tree or two
We send out quite a few Christmas cards each year. Last year I was able to save some pennies by making Christmas postcards to send out- saved by making them myself and saved on postage.
This year the budget is even tighter.
So------ I’m thinking of sending Christmas greetings via e-cards through Dayspring.
I must ask- Is this a big no-no on the etiquette scale?
Will I be vilified?
Of course, I can’t do all my cards this way as there are still some people on my list that don’t have email but I could cut my list way down.
By my calculations, I could save myself $20 easily.
I don’t know about you but $20 is a lot of cash here—in fact, that’s half the weekly grocery budget!

photo- last year's postcard Christmas cards.

Just my ramblings

I have spent the last few months decluttering and reorganizing our home--what a blessing it has been to get into those closets and corners and clean them out--how freeing--I honestly think my home decluttering is very much like what needs done in our hearts from time to time--There are times we just need to pull away from everything and spend some time deep cleaning our hearts--go into those hidden places that others do not see, but we know is there and just begin purging all the dirt, grime and filth that accumulates--We all have those hidden places--When we go into our 'prayer closet' and begin looking deep within we will find things we forgot were there--things that burden and weigh us down--much like 'stuff' we horde in our homes--We must get rid of that stuff in order to move on and experience God grace to its fullest--I am in the process of purging my heart as well as my home--I have held onto things for way to long and its time to let go--when that root of bitterness takes hold it grows into so many areas of life and a person becomes depressed, saddned and angered over the smallest things--Sometimes these bitter roots took hold in childhood--or maybe as an adult someone or many people wronged you and you never forgave them--when left unattened these roots ruin all the other fruit that may be there--This is not an easy process because when we let go of that anger, resentment and bitterness our walls come down and we are vunerable--we open ourselves up for all kinds hurts--Kinda like when we purge our homes of clutter we open up spaces we forgot was there and if we are not careful we will fill them right back up with junk--we must stay on top of our household chores and decluttering--such is our spirtual life--once things are purged and thrown out--we must be diligent to not allow that garbage back in--We must deal with situation when they arise--don't stuff it--I am famous for stuffing my feelings when they get hurt--I pretend all is ok when inside I am crying--then one little thing may happen and I blow up--but still I am angry--the only way to get over that is to give it to God--fully and completely--Doesn't this all sound so easy--LOL--It isn't--its hard to look at all the garbage--sometimes its even overwhelming--some you may have to deal with daily--but you can learn to distance youself--and learn to say no when you mean no--learn to be assertive and let someone know when they hurt you--It really is ok to stand up for yourself--Sometimes parents may be the ones that hurt you--sometimes it friends--church members--regardless of who it is--we must GIVE IT TO GOD--and walk away--don't go back and pick it up--God already bought and payed for it all--now give him what belongs to him and HE will take care of it! I will quit rambling for now--have a great day!

~Kris

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Good Morning--This is God. Today I will be handling All of your problems for you.

I do not need your help.

Have a nice day. I love you.

P.S. And, remember... If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it yourself! Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. I will get to it in MY TIME. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours.
Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.