I saw a youtube video awhile back that almost had me in tears. So many Christians are so BUSY and are loosing sight of the family, the God-given roles as we have seen in recent happenings, and the time we have left to be example and witness through it. I can’t express my gratitude to the Lord for placing me in a home where I am not BUSY. Yes, I struggle with sin, everyday, but He is faithful and so forgiving. God has really be working on my Spirit and opening my eyes over the past several months and removing a lot of the things that make me BUSY, one thing was LOTR. There are still things I’m weeded out of my life so I can focus on the things that are truly important. God is faithful, don’t give up on Him because He will never give up on you, even though the devil is seeking those he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).
You can’t really understand what I’m talking about unless you watch the video. Please do, if you have to wait for it then leave it open while it loads and come back later.
What about you? Are you BUSY? We need to realize the hold Satan has on our lives. It’s not strong, but because we allow him in our lives, even with distractions such as Church functions and Christian music, we are allowing him to have complete power over our lives. We allow him to keep us BUSY. Are you BUSY? Evaluate your life and if you’re not too BUSY, pass this on. Just send it to one person. It could make a difference, even if it’s just one. Pass it on, if you’re not too BUSY.
7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
8 O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?
9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
I thank you Jesus for setting me free. I thank you for giving me strength to break the chains of sin that I was born into. I thank you for your blood you shed on the cross so I don’t have to fall into sin, so I don’t have to be like the world. I thank you for your grace and mercy. There is no strong Lord like you.
Each Saturday join “Mother Dear” Jacque @ Walking Therein, and many others who are taking their Saturdays and expressing their praise to the Lord. To participate, you can post a Psalm/song or you can tell what impact is has had on you and your thoughts. Sometimes just the Psalm is enough. Sometimes we have to let out our own words of praise! Sign my linky and then go sign her’s: My Redeemer Lives
Posted in Homestead Happenings
Not having a TV has become a blessing. The TV is still here, but the electric circuit it is on was one of the ones that was lost when the fuse box quit working properly. I have often teased my Beloved that we needed to get rid of the TV. He loved watching it though and our daughter was quickly growing to be just as eager to watch.
This past week without a TV however has brought changes in attitudes. Beloved has come to realize that he only misses watching TV if he gets bored. Especially first thing in the morning when he is having breakfast before going to work. Friday's have been our "Pizza & a movie" night. Starting tonight, we will instead have pizza and a game/activity night.
Abbie stopped asking to watch her Disney & Veggie Tales DVDs after the 4th day. Since then, she has contented herself with coloring in her coloring book or "reading" her little books. Often, she "reads" to Micah. She is also playing with him more and doesn't miss the TV at all.
With Abbie being 2 yrs old and Micah 5 months old, they are young enough that they won't really miss the TV. It will be much easier than with an older child who has grown up with one. The lack of TV will also promote the idea of playing outdoors instead of sitting in front of a box all morning or afternoon.
I see this as a good thing for our family. Yes, there were shows that I enjoyed also, but I haven't even given the shows any thought. I now have time to read or do other activities that I may not have worked on if the TV was playing. News can be read online. We check the weather and other important information daily on the internet.
We are giving ourselves until after next payday to decide if we are going to stay without the extra electricity, only replacing the circuit box for the areas that are essential, such as the refrigerator & major appliances. If we decide to continue as we are planning, we will be taking all of our DVD collection to Ebay to sell. We will also be having a large electronics yard sale to sell off all the no longer needed electrical items.
As of now, it looks as though we are going to go ahead with our plans. There is so many blessings attached to not having the TV and the other unessential electrical things. We are gaining the opportunity to do more as a family. The childrens' minds will be opened to the idea of finding their entertainment in play or reading instead of vegetating in front of a TV.
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Believe it or not...IT'S SEPTEMBER!! Those cooler temps are on the way! I LOVE fall...it's my FAVORITE time of year!! Along with those falling temperatures that invite us to pull on our favorite sweaters, collect pumkins, go on hayrides and build bonfires comes my desire to make wonderful, hearty soups and stews! One of our family's favorite cold weather soups is Taco Soup!! Oh...it is yummy, stustaining, it's even attractive to look at in your bowl. I hope you enjoy it!!
Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><
TACO SOUP
1 lb. ground beef or chuck
1/2 med. onion - finely chopped
1 lg. bunch of fresh cilantro - finely chopped
4-6 jalapeno peppers (depending on your taste buds & stomach lining!) - finely chopped
2 15-16 oz. cans kidney beans (UNdrained)
2 14-15 oz. cans whole kernal corn (UNdrained)
1 15-16 oz. can black beans (optional)
2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 pkg (1-1/2 TB) taco seasoning
1 c. water
~ Brown beef, drain; add onion, peppers, 1/2 of the cilantro and cook until onions and peppers start to get tender.
~ Mix everything together in a dutch oven OR crockpot.
~ Heat through in dutch oven for 45 min. - 1 hour OR in crockpot for 2-3 hours on low.
~ Top with shredded cheddar or colby-jack cheese, sour cream and corn tortilla chips crumbled like crackers.
Posted in daily life
Joey's been really dawdling w/school lately. This morning he was rather put out that he would NOT be learning Spanish and he REALLY REALLY REALLY wants to learn. So I grab some envelopes that I need to address and sit beside him. The timer is going (I time him to get him to get school done--10 minutes for ONE worksheet so please don't think that I"m over pressuring him or anything like that). He looks at me after doing a math problem and says, "Mom, you are my headache." Uh WHAT!??!?!? I managed to keep a straight face and walked out of the room.........
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Dh and Mat rolled in about 10:30. Dh's back is SERIOUSLY out--please pray! We have dinner plan w/another family tonight, too......... I'd love for him to enjoy it and not suffer thru it!
I've worked out and decided NOT to go to the co-op today. Mat's still asleep and I bet he stays that way until 9:30 or 10, which is fine. he had a HUGE 2 days. But I'm not killing us to go to this co-op. I still have to leave for a 'big' town to get this stuff for Dh's work (that I get to sew) and Mat's crickets, but we can do that late this afternoon, on our own schedule. Plus I hated to commit for a month not knowing soccer schedules yet.
Wow I can't hardly believe it is Friday already.. :) I get out of classes at noon today... WOOHOO I have some laundry to do then I am going home to clean and finish putting away all my groceries I got yesterday.. I need to get the kids stuff packed up to go with their dad although he would not acall us back last night to let us know when he would be there to get the kids..
I am also going to get my hair cut and my eye brows waxed today.. I called my sister in law last night and was like HELP I need my hair cut.. LOL so I am supposed to go there this afternoon or evening and get it done.. I am so excited...
Well it is about time for my first class to start so better run for now.. Have a great morning and a blessed weekend..
Posted in Notions for Sewing Hello friends. I am so glad you dropped by for a visit today. My pile is growing right? I have been spending most of my alone time in the evening working on different projects for the festival, only 22 more days! I have actually sold 2 sets of pumpkins off my kitchen table, so I am thankful for that. I know I had someone say they were interested in buying but didn't know how, just click here on my Etsy shop or you can look over to your left and click... you can find all my goodies there. :) Thanks!
Like I said, Shannon has been on an out of town job and so I have had quite a bit of time to myself after the children have gone to sleep... so my hands have been busy.
We have been schooling wherever I have been crafting... it is nice to spread books all over the floor and let the children work, a change of scenery is good for them sometimes. :)
I again want to thank you all for your kind comments and prayers for us during this time of uncertainty. We are so blessed to have so many care for us and pray for us. We appreciate you guys more than you know!!!
***Hey, is the Autumn Cottage too big for you ya'lls screen, it fits on mine, but I don't want it to be wonky on others. Please let me know.***
xoxo
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"The difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom is lipstick".
So I was gonna pull the R anyway.....just with my nose held.
NOW I can pull the R with a smile on my face.
She is a snapshot of the 'typical American family'.
She was a PTO mom 10 years ago.
ONLY in America can you be a PTO mom and 10 years later, be the Vice President of the United States of America!
Her dh is a blue collar.
Her son is joining the Armed Services.
Her youngest has Downs.
Her teenaged daughter made a wrong choice and is now dealing with its consequences. She didn't run to the dr. to have her baby slaughtered. She chose life.
She hunts. BIG game.
She's got spunk. Something America has been robbed of.
I am sure, just like me, old girl has some skeletons in her closet.
I am also pretty sure, it isn't that she is tied to terrorist.
I am pretty sure her preacher doesn't hate white folks AND America.
I am pretty sure she's not a muslim, or comes from muslim decent.
I am pretty sure she's not a socialist or communist.
She may have bones in her closet, but I'll bet they are bones like mine or the gal down the street, not like the "big politicians" running against her!!
In a perfect world, where there was no sin and we all followed God's Word.........she'd be home. Adam and Eve did a bang up job in the garden making sure that didn't happen. It is a refection of our public education (primary, and secondary) that there are NO MEN worthy of the VP nomination. It is the product of the 'feminization of our sons" in pre-school, cub scouts, boy scouts, Sunday School, Youth Group, public and private schools, colleges and so on. It is also the product of the elevation of women over men.
We can sit back and point our 'Holy' finger at everyone, but guess what............what are we doing?? Sitting at our computers whining and crying about how wrong it is. Sure. But what are we doing to 'change' that direction. I mean, in the real world? Are we teaching a class? Are we mentoring? Are we reaching out to a lost world? Or are we sitting in our Holy Huddle of 'like minded ones' pointing fingers???
She's a hockey mom.
I know what a "good" hockey mom is made of.
She's got my vote!!
Posted in Show and Tell Friday Our sweet Mary hosts Show and Tell. Click the graphic to join in on the fun!
For those of you who are keeping up with our little wheat project, we harvested our trial plot this past week. Took about . . . 7 minutes. LOL
Here are a couple of pictures and a parable "come to life."
Yep, this is it. Our entire wheat crop for 2008:
Here I am using the latest in harvesters: a pair of scissors. We stuffed the wheat stalks into a big garbage sack for hauling to the West Side for threshing (another S&T sometime).
Look what I found growing in with the wheat! Boy, was I surprised!
Wheat on the left; "Tares" (AKA weeds) on the right. I found these "tares" (weeds) around and mixed in with the wheat, but no where else in the area. Explain THAT! (It reminded me of the weeds in my corn patch that look just like baby corn plants). They looked exactly like the wheat stalks until I looked closer and discovered they are shorter and the "heads" are not really heads, but fake. Amazing! The parable of the "Tares mixed in with the Wheat" took on new meaning. For sure you wouldn't want to try and pull them up while both are growing together. But now? When we thresh (AKA whack) the wheat, there will be no wheat grains from the "tares" and they'll end up with the empty stalks of wheat to be "burned" (well, not really. We'll compost them). But the idea is the same.
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I hope you enjoy it!!
Hello friends. I am so glad you dropped by for a visit today. My pile is growing right? I have been spending most of my alone time in the evening working on different projects for the festival, only 22 more days! I have actually sold 2 sets of pumpkins off my kitchen table, so I am thankful for that. I know I had someone say they were interested in buying but didn't know how, just click here on 
I found these "tares" (weeds) around and mixed in with the wheat, but no where else in the area. Explain THAT! (It reminded me of the weeds in my corn patch that look just like baby corn plants). They looked exactly like the wheat stalks until I looked closer and discovered they are shorter and the "heads" are not really heads, but fake. Amazing! The parable of the "Tares mixed in with the Wheat" took on new meaning. For sure you wouldn't want to try and pull them up while both are growing together. But now? When we thresh (AKA whack) the wheat, there will be no wheat grains from the "tares" and they'll end up with the empty stalks of wheat to be "burned" (well, not really. We'll compost them). But the idea is the same.
