Spring is in the Air!

Wow! Can you believe this crazy weather? Our lowest predicted low in the next ten days is usually our high this time of year. Are you in one of the many cities that had record-breakers today?

More importantly, were you able to get out and enjoy this day the Lord made?

I sure did--a few times--and yes, there was much joy in it. :)

Here's a pic I snapped off this morning, just as the sun was coming up over the horizon. We are in full bloom here in our neck of the woods and even the flowering buds are springing forth!



On days like today you can almost hear your garden calling you to come out and play. Deep Roots At Home has a very helpful to-do list that makes a great checklist for gardeners! I've been using it myself and it's motivated me to get plans out of my mind and get my body into action. To see her list, click HERE.

For now though, go for a walk or sit or sit on your porch and sip a tea and be sure to rejoice in this utterly beautiful March day.

Wishing you a Blessed Wednesday!

Grandma's Cellar ~ Being Prepared Series

(The next installment in a series on preparation. You can find other posts covered by searching this blog for "Preparedness".)

She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

Proverbs 9:2

It was always dark in the cellar. Dark enough that I would hug my doll tight as I crept down the steep stairs behind grandma, watching out to make sure I didn't hit my head on the overhang. She led the way, opening the door to the laundry room, and over to an aged wooden door that led to a wonderful room we weren't allowed to go in. She used an old skeleton key to unlock and I can still remember how it felt to hold my breath, waiting, as she twisted the glass doorknob. That old door creaked just the slightest bit when she opened it then she disappeared into the darkness. One, two, three...SNAP! The familiar sound of the pull-string light was confirmed by the sudden brighteness. I couldn't go further than the doorway...but there it was...a room full of home-canned goodness. Along two walls (I couldn't see behind the door) I saw jars and jars of homemade apple butter, canned tomatoes, beans, and so much more. It was a place that lives on in my memory, even though I wasn't part of the process (we weren't allowed in the room when the pressure canner was working), it fascinated me.

In truth, there probably weren't as many jars as my child mind wants to believe. And the cellar, well, when the house was new it might have been a true cellar. It still had the old-fashioned cellar door like Dorothy fruitlessly tugged on in the Wizard of Oz, paint chipping off until grandpa put a new coat of whitewash on it, complete with stone stairs leading down to the very heavy, very thick inner door. Alas, the root cellar is long gone, paved in and even carpeted for most part. Plumbing filled in the ceiling with it's long pipes and even the lights were definitely a "modern" feature even with their string pulls. But that room, it still reminds me of old fashioned days.

More than that. It reminds me of old-fashioned ways.

You see, while grandma stored up the fresh bounty of her garden it was never in excess (and she was always certain to share her apple butter with me!). She had enough to help take care of her husband and even the children who moved on with their children, should they need a jar of green beans or a sweet for toast (hey, can I help it if I love apple butter?).

That's what we are getting at here. The point of a pantry is prepare for hard times, but to also be wise in what you have and how much.

The key in successful food storage is this: STORE, NOT HOARD.

Yes, the sale on tins of sardines might be great. Yes, they are a source of good protein, should you need them in an emergency. That said, let's be realistic! If you don't usually eat them, they are not going to be such a great value. Say it's February and the weather has turned so nasty that you aren't going anywhere for a few days. How appetizing does that tin of sardines look to you now?

When we store foods we won't use or can't use before they go bad, that's hoarding. I would like to encourage you to pray about this (I've certainly had to and probably will have to again) because sometimes in our enthusiasm to prepare and provide, we can go a little crazy.

One other thing...I've had people ask me what's the point? If a tornado (flood, power out, etc.) is going to hit your house you'll just lose it all anyway. Let's go back to what I said in the first part of this series. If it does, then you start over with everything. But what if it doesn't? What if it's the neighbor's house that gets hit and yours is still standing. But power is down, roads are closed and you have no where to go.

God has not called everyone to prepare their pantries for everyday or emergency prep and I suggest you seek His wisdom in your own case. I've seen the arguments for and against. This is not a pro or con discussion. This series is to help you, if you want, to prepare a pantry like grandma's.

So, this week, before we start digging into lists and whatnot, think about your family's needs. What do you and your loved ones enjoy? What is shelf-stable? What can you freeze? Where will you put things? Do you have room if you shift a few things around? What can you use to store some foods in? Think about these things and begin making your plans.

Remember, FEMA recommends at least 72 hours worth of supplies for emergency planning. For some time they said up to two weeks, but I can't seem to find it on their website right now (wonder if that has to do with HS suspicious list of more than a week's worth of food??). At any rate, it's just smart business to have things on hand to help you save money and take care of your family.

Next week, 72 Hours Kits - the beginning!

Monkey Muffins ~ a Pick-a-Pin Monday Post!

Join me as I join and online partner in pins! Our goal is simple: Use Those Pins! Pinterest is such a wonderful site, especially for creative people or planning people. One problem that usually happens though for a lot of is that we spend more time pinning rather than doing. And that amounts to virtual clutter! (tsk tsk, lol) So, our goal is to do one pin each week--be it trying a new recipe or hairstyle, or maybe creating some fabulous piece of craft inspiration, or gardening, etc. We'll post the pin we propose to do that week in our Monday blogs and make sure we join the link part (see below). On Fridays we will reveal the results!

Are you ready? GREAT! You can start by visiting Knit Together for the link-up party!


Now, onto the fun stuff....

This week, I'm going to try a new recipe. I usually enjoy everything that comes from The Pioneer Woman, and this week's pin looks like it will not be an exception (my mouth is watering already)...

MONKEY MUFFINS!

Yup, small mini versions of monkey bread. I have some biscuits that need to be used up and think this would be just the fun thing to do with them! :)

My original pin is HERE.
The recipe for Pioneer Woman can be found HERE.

Happy Pin-creating this week. I hope to see what you've been up to soon. :)

Always,

Great God! ~ A Sing Your Praise Sunday Post

A friend of mine posted this video on her FB wall a little bit ago and it was not only a fun trip down memory lane, it's a song of total praise, proclaiming the many attributes of our God!

Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. And all the Saints say, "Holy...holy...holy...holy...holy...holy is His Name!"

(sorry, link deleted, if you are interested, please go visit YouTube and see Carman's "Great God" for videos)


Hugs, Love & Prayers,

Be an Original

It's not often that I will create a post specifically to direct you to another blogger's post, so I hope you can bear with me and take the time to read Servant, Wife, Mother's post titled Blogland Blues.

Even if you are not a blogger, you can still be blessed with the underlying message of being who God created you to be and fulfilling the purpose He set out for you alone. No one else can be you.

This post hit home for me, as it was an issue I dealt with late last year, why I felt this blog was getting off-track. I think it will touch your heart as well.

To read Heather's post, click HERE.

Until later,

Being Prepared - Powerless Cooking Options

(The next installment in a series on preparation. You can find other posts covered by searching this blog for "Preparedness".)

She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

Proverbs 9:2

When we left off this series I was going to do a post on powerless cooking, aka solar cooking. Since then I have come across many articles on the internet that talk of solar cooking and how to make your own solar oven or even where you can purchase them.

ETA...I have to be honest here and tell you that while doing this is on my to-do list we haven't quite reached a point where we've done it. I sure hope to sometime in the upcoming months, and will blog about the experience of making/baking in a solar oven when I do. Until then...

The wonderful gals over at FoodStorageMadeEasy even did a post about this since then (click on their name to go to the link).

So, instead of re-inventing the wheel, I'm going to simply provide you with some sites that will help you DIY'ers out there. If you want to purchase one already made then you can simple enter "purchase solar cooker" into your browser and I'm sure that many options will pop up.


~ http://solarcooking.org/plans/

~ http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/blogs/diy-hacks/diy-solar-oven-460611

~ http://diysolar.dasolar.com/group/diysolaroven

~ http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Cooking/cooking.htm

~ http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/daily-diy-solar-oven.htm


And there are many more links out there if you cannot find one in these that you like. As you may have noticed browsing through the sites, they vary from extra fancy to the basics. In fact, here's one that you can make with a Pringles can!

~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NADsg-v9q8

(That might be a fun science experiment for you homeschoolers or scouts out there!)

Whatever you do, remember, this is not about fear or panic, but being prepared for whatever. If you power gets knocked out because of storms this spring you want to be able to make delicious food for your family while the electric and gas companies are busy working. Solar ovens (and other cooking options mentioned in previous post) will help you do that.

Why not give a few of these options a try this spring and summer so you can see what works best for you and your meal plans and also to work out any kinks in emergency planning. :)

In the next post on this topic we'll begin discussing food storage and the things you need to build a 72-hour kit and more.

Until then, much hugs and prayers,

White Brite - Product Review

Before I begin, let me state that I have not been contacted about reviewing this product nor am I being paid in any way or form for this review. It is simply a Pinterest pin that I had marked to try out and am passing along a review to help you decide if it will work for you or not.

I stumbled across a Pinterest pin in which a blogger raved about White Brite by Summit Brands. This product is a laundry additive to help, well, whiten and brighten. I thought if it did half of what she said, then it would be worth buying to save me time (from making my own).

The product packaging promises to make "your dingy whites bright!" and "removes yellowing & rust stains from white laundry." As a homeschooling mom grading this product, I would have to give White Brite a C- with the potential to go higher.

It should be noted that I have not tried this product on colors to "brighten". My express purpose in trying it out is strictly from a whitening standpoint.

CON: White Brite is not widely available. I grew frustrated trying to find it in grocery and mass merchandising/drug stores and thought I would have to order it through Amazon. I decided to try the local Wal-mart (which I rarely go to) and it was there.

(BTW, if you are interested in trying this product, click on the hyperlinked name above the photo and you will be taken to their website. The last time I was there I found a $1 off printable coupon.)

PRO: The pricing is a plus. It is on par with--if not better than--other laundry whitening products. One single packet of RIT (which is a small to medium load in your washer) cost $1.69 at my walmart (only sold in liquid) and I would need two packets of that for one load. The 1lb 14oz. bottle of White Brite was $3.99 (pre-coupon). It does not state how many loads that bottle will do, but after doing a load, I would say between 10 and 15 loads if you use the standard 1/2 cup dosage.

CON: One moment of confusion. On the package label (back) it says, "Use with your regular non-bleach alternative or oxi detergent." If I'm using another one of those, why do I need to use this product as well or vice versa? I'm also not sure if that means it will only be 100% effective if you do use it in addition to using other additives.

CON: Dosage does not consider load-size. Unlike RIT which tells you how much product to use depending on your load size, this bottle has a generic 1/2 cup usage per load. I ended up using 1 cup for a super-sized load of whites with stains. PRO: It does tell you that if you have stubborn stains, to "increase dosage and/or contact time."

The directions recommend that you fill the washer/add White Brite. Then add clothes and let them sit for five minutes (before the machine cycle starts). After that you can add your detergent and any other additives. I let the clothes soak for ten minutes (which would be recommended for stubborn stains). I added a mix of newer whites, older whites, stain-free and stained whites.

PRO: Easy to use. The bottle is fairly easy to grip and pour from. Being in powder form, you can easily pour and measure it out.

CON: Bad Smell. (It should be noted, my clothes did not smell, but the contents did). It was strong and pungent. I can't describe the exact smell, but it had a hint of the expel stuff we use to keep critters from our garden mixed with chemical soaps. Not as strong as the expel stuff, but strong enough that I could still "smell" it after an hour. I have to admit that at this point I almost panicked and quit the experiment because I was concerned about what I was adding to our clothes--items that would touch our bodies. Braved through it, opting to do a second rinse cycle for this one time.

And the results...

White Brite performed best on newer, unstained items that have not had a chance to get very dingy. I did notice a brighter white on those items. If most of your whites are new or already pretty white and bright, White Brite might help you keep them that way.

White Brite did poorly on whitening older items and dingier items. I did notice a shade of whitening, but not enough to make a difference to my pocketbook or sense of smell. Now, it could be that with repeated uses it makes them whiter (kind of like OTC tooth whiteners do with teeth, one application doesn't do it). I just don't think I can bear the scent to do it each time I toss a load of whites to find out. It also did not remove the stains, even with extended "contact time" as recommended. In some cases, stains were not as bright but still there and noticeable.

My final opinion is that while the idea is great, I will stick with my standard bleach or homemade whitening additives. They do the same job this product does for a fraction of the cost and without the offensive smell.

That said, if you cannot make your own or use bleach White Brite might be an alternative to consider. It says it is safer than bleach and you can use it on a lot of materials and cycles (delicates, whites, colors, etc.).

A Happy, Healthy Heart ~ A Pray For Me Monday Post

JAMES 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and
pray for each other so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (NIV)

PSALMS 116:2 "Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live" (NKJV)

Join me as I blog with Pray for Me Mondays hosted by Tiffany at Home Grown Families and Pamela over at Troop Petrie. Basically, it works like this: both blogs are hosting this blog link-up and will post about relevant topics and may perhaps have a prayer request and will pray together with their readers, coming together in agreement to go before the Throne of Grace.

* ~ *

Some of you may know, Darling Groom and I are currently doing a study (through our church) on Mike Storm's book, Parenting 101: A Practical Hands-On Guide to Raising Remarkable Kids. It is a very easy read but it really makes you stop often and pray and deals with a lot of your own past and relationships with your parents as you seek out Godly ways to continue the good and break the chains of the generational curses.

One particular thing that caught my heart was about the amount of genuine encouragement we give our children. Mr. Storm points out how when our children are born and learn to roll over, crawl, talk, walk, etc., they receive a constant stream of encouragement. He also talks about how the older they get the more and more it drops off.

The Bible teaches us that out of the abundance of the heart the the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45) and also teaches us to think on those things that are lovely, pure, holy, etc. (Philippians 4:8). At what point did our hearts change toward our children that we constantly give them the do-nots more than the dos. Yes, safety probably played a big part in it (don't touch the stove, it will hurt), but why? Our brains are wired to hear the command, not necessarily the "don't".

Don't believe me?

Okay, let's try this: you are watching what you eat. On the table is a birthday cake and in the fridge, some berries.

If I were to tell you, "Don't eat that birthday cake," what do you think you'd be thinking about all day? What would you be craving? That's right! That birthday cake would be front and center of your thoughts. And the more you tried to not think about the cake, the more you most likely thought of it.

Now, let's flip this. Same scenario and the cake is still sitting on the table, but this time I tell you, "Let's eat healthier. There is a bowl of fresh berries in the fridge for you." What are you thinking about now? Most likely, you are thinking about the berries, good for you and there is a lot less struggle for you to want them, less rebellion and temptation--all around a better option and it was a simple matter of phrasing things.

We have been concentrating on using more uplifting phrases and it's been a learning curve for all of us. Our children have even asked me what is going on because they have noticed an obvious difference.

I have also been trying to apply this to my marriage. I've never struggled with nagging, but there are times that when I get frustrated I will speak sharply. I have often had to ask Darling Groom to forgive me and pray with me. A lot of times that I do speak that way is because I want things to be done MY way. Talk about pride. It's an excellent example of how to not be submissive. So, a lot of prayers lately has been for God to direct my words to be more kind and loving.

So anyway, this week, while decluttering I came across an article in a Prevention magazine I was getting ready to toss. The brief article was titled, Tongue-lashing Leaves Scars by Sari N. Harrar. You're thinking, yeah, knew that already. But did you know that for your own heart (and your spouse's heart) keeping the sharp words to yourselves makes you physically healthier? According to this article, the University of Utah researched married couples having brief conversations on sensitive subjects (finances, in-laws, etc.), then they checked arteries with a CT scan. Women who heard (implied or actually said) or made hostile comments such as "you can be so stupid" were 30% more likely to have hardened arteries. For the men, it was controlling phrases like "do it my way" (heard or said) and the risk was the same. In fact, Ohio State University research concluded that harsh exchanges between spouses lowered their immunity enough to slow down any physical healing by at least a day.

Proverbs 18:21 tells us that the power of life and death is in the tongue. Here is scientific proof of that verse. When we view that evidence through the lens of Scripture it just confirms that our Lord created us to be encouraging and uplifting to one another at the benefit of their health and even our own!

This week, I hope you'll join me in praying that we all learn to speak to each other in God's love and design and that we become more intentional in speaking good into our husband's lives, our children's lives and that we can encourage them in the simple every day words we use. Pray that God continually reminds us that the state of our spiritual heart and emotional heart can affect our physical heart and to create in us a clean--happy and healthy--heart.

Hugs & Prayers,

Courageous ~ A Sing Your Praise Sunday Post

If you haven't already viewed the movie Courageous, might I recommend it? (It is now available on DVD.) My husband and I were blessed enough to view it together at the theatre and I could not wait to purchase the DVD to watch with our children (who are a little older, might be a little too intense for young ones in one or two spots).

I pray that God directs us all in how to be courageous this week!

(video link removed.  If you are interested in viewing this video, please go to YouTube, search for Casting Crowns/Courageous.  Thank you)

Looking Ahead ~ 2012

Motivation.

What a word. Dictionary.com describes it as, "the act or instance of motivating, or providing with a reason to act a certain way..."

More importantly, the Bible describes in many verses motivation and where our hearts should be.

~ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness... (Matthew 6:33)

~ And let us not weary of doing good... (Galatians 6:9)

~ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (I Corinthians 15:58)

~ Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him... (Psalm 37:5)


These verses are just a sampling of sound instruction for our motivation. And like so many of us, I have often fallen short of seeking my motivation of the Lord and sought out the advice of others or even relied on my own (often-wrong) motivation.

The new year always seems to bring us into a sense of new opportunities. Some like to make resolutions (been there ain't doing that again!) but it sounds so, well, resolute and so most give up within three months. Some set goals for the year, a little more vague, but again, without the right motivation most of us won't reach those goals.

We need to seek the correct motivation in order to have a better chance to succeed. (Sorry, I hate using "chance" but it fit here). For example, if I had a goal to lose weight, that's not a bad goal, but let's face it, there is something in our rebellious spirits that as soon as we say we are going to do it, will fight us all the way. Some of that could be because we tend to overdo it (another lesson in the importance of discipline and self-control). And some could even be that the enemy wants us to feel defeated no matter what.

That is why motivation is so important.

Why would we want to lose weight? Is it to be healthier? Then maybe that should be the real goal/resolution. Being skinny would be a consequence of being healthier, as would a host of other beneficial things. Is it because we are the temple of God (I Corinthians 6:19), well all then all the more reason to change the goal and reap the benefits as a side, not the main purpose.

I'm not telling you what to do, goodness knows that could lead to a mess, lol. I am just offering some advice from someone who has been there and God has really been dealing with me to simplify and seek out the true heart of the matter and a lot of times that means finding the true motivation for why I have done things--good and bad. He's showing me how what I do and how I do it and why I do it affect others in my life and on this blog.

Last month (maybe even my last post) I had asked you to pray for me because I felt that somehow I had gotten away from the purpose of the blog and needed to seek God to find the purpose He intended again, not my own. Thank you, by the way for your patience during my absence and for the prayers. It means much. That said, God has shown me that I just need to keep my focus on Him (motivation) and He will do what He wants to do with it. If this blog grows, then great, if it only ever reaches one person, then great. I need to remember this.

So, with that, I look forward to getting back on track and talking with you again. I have missed you all greatly and appreciate you all very much.

I encourage you to also seek God and ask Him to show you the motivation of your heart. It's very eye-opening to say the least! :) But I think you'll be all the wiser and have a better foundation for doing all those things you do!

And now, bring on 2012! :)

Much love, hugs and prayers,