Eco Country Dream

Thursday & making potato beds.

Is it really September?

Outside my Window...the weather is looking uncertain inbetween possible sunshine and/or rain. It is quite windy also

I am thinking...I should have started "The Simple Woman's Daybook" sooner

I am thankful for...to have all my children around me with much silly laughter and horseplay

From the kitchen...tuna & rice fishcakes, cous cous & salad (change of plan)

I am wearing...a navy skirt  with light blue flowwers plus t.shirt

I am reading...More Hours In My Day by Emilie Barnes & Sheri Torreli

I am hoping...to finish sorting kitchen cupboards tomorrow (Thursday)

I am creating...Nothing yet

I am hearing...the wind in the trees

Around the house... it is very quiet

One of my favorite things... is sitting in the armchair in my office and looking out onto the back garden

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... sort kitchen cupboards, clean fridge Freezer and do some much needed baking

Our Wednesday

Not much up

****Tuesday's Musings****

Yesterday afternoon I decided to re-arrange a couple of the kitchen food cubpoards around, this was after we came home from shopping but I just wasnt happy with the way I had re-arranged them.  So in the evening about 8pm I decided to re-arrange them again of which I didn't think I would be very long.  So there I was with kitchen equipment, storage boxes, and various other bits and pieces all over the floor, the kitchen counters full of food items.  We then had a visitor around 9pm and as we don't use the front door, visitors come in through the back door, so I was a little embarrased at the state of the kitchen but not a lot I could do. 

Anyways, 2 hours later, I havent finished but I have managed to get a couple of cupboards the way I wanted them.  What started this, was the shelf I had in our tall food cupboard was not big enough for all the baking items I had, and it was a mess.  I needed more space, so I moved the baking cupboard (not literally :lol)  to the top shelf of a  much larger cupboard.On the bottom shelf of the same cupboard I have put all the tinned goods, bottled goods and excess food items for overflow.

I will try and post some photos tomorrow or Thursday.  By the time I had finished this evening it was around 10pm and my poor DH had gone up to play a game on the computer and didn't realise (a) what the time was or (b) that I could be that mad to start sorting out cupboards at such a late time.  I have to say that at times, when I get a "bee in my bonnet" to do something then I need to get it done and quite often asap but this doesn't always work out :lol

This morning we went to Marks & Spencers and Tescos (two stores in a local town) so that I could purchase some more storage jars/containers for the kitchen.  I have various packets of flour, different varieties of rice and other items that I have decided need to be in containers. I will either sort this out tonight otherwise perhaps tomorrow evening.

I think DH gets a little exasperated with me as he can never find anything in the kitchen as I do move things around & Sunday should be interesting as he is cooking a special meal for us.  He is not exactly going to be able to find anything.  I will try not to move the cupboards around after I have finished but at leas the kitchen will be nicely & properly organised

****Monday's Musings****

This morning we went shopping & after yesterday's email we did end up just under our budget but that was without purchasing any meats or fresh produce for this month.  I guess the overall shopping bill for this month will be nearer $300.  I really do need to try and go shopping without my DH :lol as we did pick up a few extra items.

This is a photo of the main bulk of shopping we purchased:

and then I bought a bottle of Kombucha from the Organic food store. I am going to try and make my own Scoby for this but I do need to get the recipe again from Candy over at Keeping The Home. I have heard so many benefits regarding Kombucha that I am eager to give this a try.

I have kind of reorganised the baking part of my pantry and moved everything across to another double cupboard (much to my DH's consternation).  I am not totally happy and I think I am going to have to reorganise some of the cupboards again.  The top shelf of the pantry is very difficult to reach anything so I may store itmes that we are not using very often that are just sitting around in another kitchen cupboard.  I could make use of this space for my baking area but I will see.

****Geen Tomato Chutney & this week's menu****

Friday I made Green Tomato Chutney and I made around 9 jars of various sizes.  This has to be left to mature for six weeks.  Considering this was the first time I have made this, I am not totally happy with it but we will see what it tastes like in six weeks.

This morning I didn't go to church as I wasn't feeling very well so after I had finished work I went back to sleep and slept until mid-day which I must have needed.  This afternoon I feel a little brighter but not 100%.  I basically lounged around with DH and I put together this week's menu plan.  Including breakfasts, lunches (mostly for DH) and main meals with snacks, I am aiming on a food budget of around $200 this month or less. We need to do a food shop tomorrow or Tuesday morning so I will know then how much we have spent. I do try and visit the market on a Saturday for fresh produce and try to get away with spending no more than around $14 for the week.  This week will be a extra as I want to purchase a whole box of tomatoes to make tomato sauce for the freezer and the boxes are around $10.

Below is this week's menu plan:

Menu Planner

1^st – 7^th September

	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
M O N	Cold cereal & milk	I make Andrew lunches which will be a variation of sandwiches/rolls/wraps or filled pita breads.  He also has home-made cake or muffins & fruit added to his lunchbox   I don’t often eat lunch & if I do it may be a cup a soup or a salad	Dover Sole Potatoes Salad
T U E	Yoghurt Bananas Maple Syrup		Baked chicken legs Vegetable Cous Cous Green salad
W E D	Quick Oatmeal		Lentil Chili over rice
T H U	Home-made Granola Yoghurt		Pork chops & pintos Mashed potatoes Green Salad
F R I	Quick Oatmeal		Smorgasbord
S A T	Andrew special breakfast		Tuna & Rice fishcakes Baked Potatoes Green Salad
S U N	Home-made Granola Yoghurt		DH is cooking a special meal

The Weekend

A PERSONAL AND CHURCHWIDE JOURNEY TO REVIVAL

PREPARING FOR YOUR LIFE-CHANGING JOURNEY

In spite of today's staggering moral decline, there are growing signs GOD is mightily touching His people. A rising number of believers and churches are seeing miraculous moves of GOD's Spirit. In fact, some churches are experiencing things so incredible only GOD can explain what is happening!

Yet, you may well ask, "If GOD is so mightily at work, why am I not experiencing His mighty presence and power? Why are other churches seeing such phenomenal moves of the Spirit and yet we are not?" The good news is you can experience GOD's mighty presence and power. GOD definitely wants to move in your life and your church!
However, there is a key requirement for experiencing GOD's power in your life and church. It is found in Isaiah 59:1-2: "Behold the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save: neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your GOD, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear."

My friend, do you see the crucial point? Though GOD is willing to touch His people unconfessed sin has blocked His mighty answers to prayer. In order to move in power, GOD requires deep cleansing and repentance among His people. Psalm 66:18 makes this crystal clear: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me."

If our nation is to avert much-deserved judgement, believers must admit immediately return to the knowledge that GOD is infinitely holy. He simply will not move if unconfessed sin remains in the lives of His children! For this very reason, GOD seems distant to many believers. Because of unconfessed sin, crucial prayers go unanswered and countless believers live in defeat and pain. If you hope to experience GOD's mighty power and blessing, thorough daily confession is not an option, it is absolutely essential!

The sad reality is that many believers have confession times that are far too infrequent and shallow. Because we tend to quickly rush through confession times, many sins have "built up" between us and GOD. Usually we are not even aware how seriously the Holy Spirit is quenched in our lives. But do not despair! Through level of confession and cleansing that will utterly change your life. After all, GOD's Word will not return void!

Thank GOD for the rising number of believers who desire to purify their hearts. All across America, pastors are beginning to lead their congregations to embrace this biblical process of cleansing and repentence. Typically it is done in a specific period ranging from one week to forty days. Some churches ask discipleship training groups to pray and work through the Scripture guide. Still others ask all active church members to pray through the resources on their own. Many churches conclude the cleansing emphasis with churchwide revival meetings or solemn assemblies. {Though that is not required.} This resource is also designed to be a preparation tool for annual revival meetings. Regardless of the format used, when GOD's people experience full biblical repentance, the results are phenomenal! Whether the cleansing is churchwide, small group or individual, you will experience an awesome release of GOD's presence {James 4:8}.

In Isaiah 1:18, our loving Father is giving a glorious invitation to every person reading this Blog. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

In 1 John 1:9, GOD gives a further promise, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Friend, there is no reason you cannot learn to experience GOD's total forgiveness and cleansing on a daily basis. A victorious relationship with GOD is not out of your reach!

No matter how much you've struggled, you can experience a miraculous cleansing and filling of GOD's Spirit! However, this will not happen with some brief, casual prayer time. The Psalmist says you must be willing to let GOD search your heart. "Search me, O GOD, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" {Psalm 139:23-24}.

Serious cleansing requires regularly getting alone with GOD for a thorough examination of your life. In the coming posts, you will discover a practical way any believer can experience deep daily cleansing. If you sincerely seek GOD through simple biblical process, He will totally revolutionize your life! Yet before you begin your journey, it is crucial to grasp the foundation of your victory over sin. That foundation is none other than JESUS CHRIST living in you!