Everything

I'm reviewing Mary DeMuth's book, Everything, for BookSneeze.com, currently in chapter four, Let Go of the Giants. So far, I like her candour and agree with her for the most part--at least I concur with her general premise and message.

Here's a good quote I read from the book this morning:
“Simply put, when we think of other people as our center and fulfillment, we live frustrated lives. Constantly disappointed, some of us use this as a reason to control people, only to find that most eventually find a way to rebel against our desires. Some, like me, value others' opinions so much that if they turn on us, we despair, feeling abandoned. But to become more like Jesus we must understand that the only growth we can be in charge of is our own. We can't make people grow. True growth involves the activity of the Holy Spirit and an act of someone else's will. But we can lead Holy Spirit-enticing lives that produce in others a longing to change. It's all about our mind-set, freeing others to blessedly be themselves and determining to trust fully in Jesus for our strength and joy."

I couldn't agree more!

Check back for a review of this book in the near future!

Right now Mary's running a contest to win a FREE KitchenAid mixer! You too can enter by clicking the button above.

*Note on Bible Translations: I believe in using the King James Version of the Bible. Mary uses various Bible translations. Be sure to look up the verses she cites in your own KJV Bible.  One simple reason, beyond the usual arguments, is to avoid confusion. You're not as likely to remember the verse if you read it in a different version each time. Memorization through repetition is always easier if you stick to one version of the Bible. If you compare, you will notice that other translations do not always convey the same meaning, which gives me great cause for concern. But then, that's a whole other topic for an entirely new post!! 

Joy in... Cleaning?!?

Miserable wife?

Proverbs 14:10 says, "The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy."


If I am bitter and mad, my heart knows it... and probably so does my family and other people around me! By the same token when my heart is truly joyful, no one can get in the middle of it!


Now I have had my share of days (quite often, in fact) when I did not want to do my job--clean or "homemake"--in any shape, form, or fashion! And I am coming to understand that my attitude makes the difference. It is always important to make time to rejuvenate my mind and body so that I can be my best as a homemaker, but probably, if I am honest, I just want to be lazy all the time! 


Commercials on TV, billboards, and ads everywhere shout it out: You deserve a break! You're worth it! Self, self, self... take care of YOU. Look out for Number One. No one appreciates YOU. 


I challenge you, along with me, to take a hard look at your motives as a wife. Take your breaks, yes! Drink your water! Exercise! Get a massage! Take care of your body. Go have a coffee with a friend. You do need time to recharge when you're a wife/mom/nana... but take inventory of how much and how often you tend to shirk your responsibilities or procrastinate (Ahem! That's me!) because you are indulging in an entitlement mentality! (Ouch!) Deep inside, do I often tell myself that everyone owes me, and since they don't "pay up," I'll just pay myself? I'll eat the chocolate or the chips no one knows about... I'll put off doing the dishes until later...

OK, I'm off the soapbox! :)

On a practical homemaking note...


Mirrors. 
I love finding new ideas for homemaking--whether unconventional or conventional. One day recently I tried a waffle-pattern microfiber dishcloth (from a discount/dollar store) on my mirrors, using good old Windex. Amazing! Two or three swipes and I was done... no vigorous rubbing... no streaks... practically effortless! Love that!


Vinegar Uses. 
Recently I discovered this on Pinterest:

(1) Remove bacteria and pesticide residue from produce - Use 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water, wash produce thoroughly.

(2) Clean windows and countertops - Use a 50% water and vinegar mixture to clean windows and countertops.

(3) Remove shower and bathtub film - Use vinegar full strength on an old wash rag.

(4) Toilet bowl stains - Use white distilled vinegar full strength with a scrubber.

(5) Furniture polish - Use a 50% olive oil and vinegar mixture and polish furniture with a soft cloth. Be sure to test furniture in an inconspicuous spot first because vinegar is acidic. 

(6) Clean microwave - Utilize 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in a bowl. Place in the microwave and cook until boiling. Immediately wipe interior of microwave.

(7) Wash no-wax floors - Add 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar to a half-gallon of warm water. Mop or scrub floor.

(8) Clean kitchen cutting boards - Use vinegar full strength on cutting boards.

(9) Wash grass stains out of fabric - Use a 1/3 cup vinegar and 2/3 cup water mixture. Apply to stain and blot.

(10) Remove molds and mildew - Use a 50% water and white vinegar mixture for light mildew stains, and full strength white vinegar to kill heavier mildew and mold growth.

All-Purpose Cleaner. 
Found this online somewhere... The person who posted it said they use this cleaner on counters, tile floors, tubs, and toilets. I have tried it, and while it doesn't have the same wonderful smell Lysol disinfectant cleaner has, it is great and cheap! I tried mine with eucalyptus oil, since that's what I had on hand. Maybe I'll try some other oil scents I really like!

2 T.white vinegar (only distilled white vinegar)

1 t. Borax

Hot water

A few drops of a mild dish detergent

5 drops of essential oil (Lavender, Orange, Rose, etc.)

In a 16 oz. spray bottle add vinegar, borax and half hot water.
Swish around until borax has dissolved.
Add the drops of dish detergent and fill the rest of the bottle with hot water.
Add the essential oil… & Shake.

Happy Cleaning!

 Yes... Happy Homemaking! Take care of the king of your castle! How about bringing him his slippers tonight when he gets home from work? Then give him a few minutes of rest and peace from the children's inquiries and your chatting :) before supper! 

Anti-Procrastination Day!

I've been trying to put into practice the housekeeping principles my mother taught me as a child and teen. Wow! About time, huh?! But seriously, many of us "learn" these things from our mothers, but until we actually have to "do" them all on our own, scheduling the time for them along with everything else in our lives, we don't really see how much of a challenge it can be to master the art!

Flylady is a great blueprint for housekeeping. It's very helpful to get email reminders that your fridge needs to be cleaned out--somehow we become blind to it!--or that the mopboards/moulding in your house need a wipe down. Though I'm an average height, I still seem to need the reminder to look up and see the cobwebs in the upper corners of the room!

Doesn't that spill on the fridge shelf just give you a wonderful appetite?! Yuck! I can't believe I actually took a picture inside my fridge!!! But yes, this is the ugly truth that I needed this Flylady reminder (below) today!

Who's going to join me in cleaning out the fridge and clearing out some unused kitchen gadgets today? I also have some other "procrastination spots" in the house I want to hit today... the forementioned cobwebby corners I always seem to "ignore." How about you?

Thanks to The Stay at Home Missionary for directing me to Flylady through her helpful blog!

Flylady.net Email Reminder:
It Is Anti-Procrastination Day...
We are diving into the refrigerator!

Grab your trash can and take it over to the refrigerator and throw open the door. First, toss out any leftovers that have gotten pushed to the back and have now started to turn into a science project. Second, check the fruit/vegetable drawers and toss what no longer is appealing to eat. Third, check the meat and cheese drawer, check the expiration dates on your items in there and toss what needs to go. Fourth, check out the doors of the fridge, toss the empty condiment jars and bottles that always seem to magically go back into the fridge when empty, LOL, but when full get left on the counter. Last, grab a damp rag and wipe down the shelves.

Do not take every single thing out of your refrigerator and then take the shelves out to clean them. Just wipe them down. How many times have we decided to tear the fridge apart and three hours later we would rather move out than ever do it again?!

Don't let yourself get sidetracked!! Have fun and enjoy your sparkling refrigerator!

~ Flylady Kelly


Decorating on the FlyZone
This week we are in Zone 2-The Kitchen.

This is the time of the year we begin our holiday baking and gift giving.

Let's work on retiring those unused, unloved kitchen appliances by blessing others with those "smart" gadgets that we still have not figured out how to use, as well as decluttering our junk drawers. Spend 15 minutes doing this.

If you have not used an item for over 6 months, chances are you will not in the next 6 months.

You may even find that you "freed" up some space for the items you douse. No more "mad searches" for that spatula in the middle of your stirring!! LOL

Have FUN and Happy Holidays!!!

~ Flylady Laura

http://www.flylady.net/

"Clutter Clear!" Celebration

Courtney at Women Living Well is hosting an autumn challenge: Making Your Home a Haven. Being in the thick of fall cleaning, I think this week's challenge fits right in! Hope you'll go over and read the challenge along with Courtney's encouraging words.

My clutter challenging spots are:
1. The small room where my deep freezers are. Here a coat rack with a shelf above it is the lucky spot in which our outdoor wear has accumulated, including a row of boots on the floor beneath. It's not time to completely "revamp" this space, but I want to straighten it up and clear out the items not being used.
2. My desk area! I'll be honest, this is a continual problem for me and has been ever since I can remember. As a teen, I always fought the messy desk syndrome in my bedroom. I want to make a more efficient system for the papers on my desk to be filed away quickly and easily so that things do not pile up quite so much.

Comment (or email me) and tell me what areas you're working on decluttering. Clearing clutter feels great! Especially clearing clutter from your heart! Don't forget the inside of you too!

Happy Autumn Organizing!

I'll close with another one of my favourite fall photos of late:

This is my grandbaby Kyla (23 months),

"asking" the kitten to smell her Chinese Lantern flower!

So precious!

Thank You, Lord, for Your blessings!

1950s Housewife?

You have probably seen the list of housewife's traits that supposedly appeared in a 1955 home economics book. Though the source and truth is actually undetermined (according to Snopes), when you read about that era (and prior), it doesn't seem too far fetched. In truth, many of the 1950s housewives' ways were more biblical than the habits of the majority of modern-day women. We would do well to "eat the meat and throw out the bones" and not "throw the baby out with the bath water."

One admonition that comes through numerous points on this list is the importance of attitude. So many women today have a complaining spirit that is entirely self-centered. We want to tell Husband all our woes of the day the minute he walks through the door, and we continue complaining about everything that needs to be fixed or male jobs he needs to do around the house all the way until bedtime.

Think about it. Put yourself in his shoes. Would you want to come home to that negativity every night after a long, hard workday? Imagine Little Miss Office Chic, who never has a hair out of place, always has her make-up and hair done, and flirtatiously admires him every day. Now think of your appearance and the tone of your home. If you were your husband, would you look forward to coming home at night?

Does this imply that I should always just "put on" an act of happiness and never approach my husband with anything negative? Of course not. This is dishonesty, which never pleases God. There are correct ways we should approach our husbands with issues. This keeps our relationships healthy.

However, we need to think about the tone we set in our homes. You know the phrase, "When Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" Think about your own home. It's true! We mamas affect the mood of the entire household. We may not like it, but no matter how much we dislike it, it's still true.

I remember my mom getting us kids together and ready to shout, "My Daddy's the GREATEST!" when he came through the door. It was one of the greatest feelings I had as a kid, knowing that my parents loved each other and supported each other.

Scripture teaches that "All the days of the afflicted are evil..." (Proverbs 15:15). When you look on the bad side of things, that's all you will see and it's all you will talk about. Ever met a miserable woman? Every word out of her mouth is a complaint and all you can think about is how to get away from her and how to avoid her in the future? Yeah. Well, the rest of the verse says "...he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast." When your heart has made the choice to see the merry things of life, you have a continual flow of joy!

I have a friend from college who lives this so plainly. She has seven happy, contented children (ages 15 years down to eight months), she doesn't hide her adoration for her husband, and she herself radiates happiness! In her words, she "can't help but smile." And... her husband has been out of work for three months. She has made 50 pies already this week and will make 62 additional pies before the week is over, in order to help her husband from home! She is also working nights, full-time, as a front desk clerk at a hotel! And she's still oozing gratefulness!



Now, just picture her husband's response IF he came home to this...

She is on the couch watching TV or she's on the Internet... in her bathrobe... he steps over clutter... the entire house wreaks and it's a wreck... there is no dinner ready... kids are screaming and fighting...

Versus...

He walks in the door... she is dressed and has fixed her hair and make-up... the children are clean and dressed... there is soft music playing... the smell of dinner is in the air... the house is neat and clean (at the least, clutter is cleared)... the children are playing contentedly... she rushes to greet him at the door, overjoyed to see him, taking his coat, asking him about his day...

I ask you: Which scene would make her husband look forward to coming home?



Check out Courtney's post on her grandmother, a real 1950s housewife, at Women Living Well: Comparing Myself to a Real 1950s Wife.

Completing Him Challenge--Final Rundown

Well, I'll be honest... I got a quite a bit behind on this Completing Him Challenge! If you did too, here's the run-down from Courtney at Women Living Well.

#8's my favourite! :)
I'm still in love...

As you look ahead to the fall, do not lose your focus on building a strong marriage.

1. We must continue to remember those dating days and what made us fall in love with our husbands in the first place.

2.Remember our sacred vows.

3.Remember to ask your husband how you can be praying for him daily.

4.Remember to tell your husband how you admire him.

5.Remember to keep your priorities in line.

6.Remember to follow your husband's lead and vision for your family.

7.Remember to respect your husband.

8. Remember to keep kissing him like you mean it!

No matter what season you are in, God longs for you to follow His design for marriage.

Fullness of Joy

Joy Forney is a blogging friend I have never met face-to-face. Yet she encourages me so much!




















Joy is a missionary wife and mother in Indonesia. Her husband is a missionary pilot who is frequently gone for days at a time in places where there is no way to reach him. Joy is left at her home on foreign soil with her five young children--homemaking in the truest sense of the word, homeschooling, and on top of it all, inspiring hundreds via her blog.



Her recent post In His Presence especially encouraged me:

I am a mother, wife, missionary, friend, neighbor, daughter, sister, and many other things. And as such, there are so many times in my life that I feel that I am just surviving. Surviving from one mess, one meal, one exhausted morning, one tantrum, one homeschool day to the next.

However, as I am (slowly) learning, there is so much more to my life than merely surviving. I can choose to have deep, rich communion with my Heavenly Father in the midst of these seemingly mundane things that fill up my life.

I can choose to live my life in His presence, minute by minute. In Psalm 16:11 it says, "in His presence is fullness of joy." I can have the fullness of joy each and every day, no matter how difficult it may seem to do anything more than simply survive!!

I pray that this will be a reality in your life and mine as we serve the Lord in whatever He has called us to do!

In His strength and for His glory!
Joy

Will you pray for Joy and other missionary wives around the world today?

...And will you live in HIS presence today? There you will find "fullness of joy"!

Completing Him Challenge

Two New Challenges from Courtney at Women Living Well:

1. Let Him Prioritize.

Make a list five things you currently do, and then ask your husband to prioritize them for you according to what is important to him. For example: a clean home, home-cooked dinner, coupon clipping, service at church, having friends over for dinner, watching/doing sports with him, etc.

2. Admire Your Husband.

Pop quiz:

a) List all the flaws of your husband.

b) List all the things that you admire about your husband.


Grade yourself: Which question was easier to answer?


Comment below and list the things you admire about your husband and then show your list to him!

Check out more ways to Complete Him at Women Living Well.

Here are just a few things I admire in my Peter:
-His love and passion for God
-His sensitivity to the Voice of God
-His preaching... I'm so proud of him every time he's in the pulpit.
-His smile... It makes me smile.
-His laugh... It makes me laugh.
-His ability to dress up in a suit and tie and also to dress down and also be a redneck cowboy on a horse
-His work ethic
-... AND SO MANY MORE!

I love, respect, and admire you so much, Honey! I'm so grateful God put us together!

Completing Him Challenge: Be What Your Man Needs

I love this challenge!

Click the button above for the challenge list of ways we wives can be what our husbands need and/or check back here for each new challenge.

The current challenge is Making Your Bed for the Glory of God.

If you don't normally make your bed each morning, try it for a couple weeks and see how different you feel! There is something about a made bed that makes you feel accomplished and put together. Your husband may say he doesn't care if the bed is made or not, but if he comes home from work to a tidy bedroom with a made bed, I would venture a guess that he will sense that his home is more efficient and that things are more under control, whether he ever says so or not.

Proverbs 31 says that a virtuous woman makes "coverings of tapestry." The harlot attracts her lover by decking her bed "with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt" (Proverbs 7:16). Should we wives do less than a harlot to make our bedroom attractive for our husbands? Let's keep our home attractive and a haven for our husbands to come home to. He won't want to look anywhere else if he's happy and content at home!

Note: This is not to excuse men who cheat on their wives, nor saying that it is always the wife's fault when he does.

Sourpuss?

When I'm on Facebook, I notice so many negative, unhappy statuses! Now, I know that life throws some unpleasant things our way, and we don't feel happy-go-lucky all the time. I'm not advocating being fake.

But Proverbs says, "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he."

I think we really need to be careful of how our attitudes affect our lives and the ways they are also affecting someone else, especially our husbands, our children, and others around us!

Many women end up chasing their husbands away without realizing it is happening... just by their sour attitude. Really... who would want to live with a negative person? (I am NOT defending the men who cheat or leave their marriages!) But I do believe that there are times when wives help drive their man away, just by bringing a bitter atmosphere into their home.

This affects our children as well. Which type of lady would you rather be around? One who's cheerful, makes life an adventure? Or a sourpuss who's always complaining about something (valid or not) and considers life a drudgery?

So many moms/wives get caught up in this trap. How does this teach our children joy in Christ? They learn by example. To be truly free in Christ is to know and experience that I am complete in Christ. Are we modeling that for our children or are we modeling bondage to the enemy? Do our husbands want to come home because our home is happy? Do we create a haven that they can't wait to come home to?

Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl has really helped me with this perspective. Though I do not agree with every part of the book, in this and many other areas she is right on. This is a biblical principle we so often ignore, excusing ourselves.

We need to stop being sourpusses, put on a fresh apron, a little make-up, play some good Gospel music, put some flowers on the supper table, and greet our husbands and children with smiles when they come in the door!

Christ made us free to do that. He made all HIS power available to us! Imagine that! It's for real!

How would you live differently today if you truly believed that?

Home Is My Haven

As a Christian homemaker, I truly believe that my home should be a haven for my family--including me!

I absolutely love my backyard! Of course, there is always weeding... and more flowers to be planted.

And I'm working on redecorating our 1960s home. Sometimes I get discouraged and leave a project for weeks.

I confess there are days when I don't keep up with homemaking: dishes, laundry, and cleaning, as I should. I admit that I have a mountain of mending that I never seem to get to!

Currently my focus is on reestablishing my weekly homemaking routine. And my biggest helper is FlyLady.

Here's a gal who inspires me as a homemaker. (I really like her advice on her morning routine and planning her day.)

And another.

I still believe that the most important thing is to seek the Lord daily in my quest to be a better homemaker and make my home a haven. I just tell Jesus when I feel overwhelmed, and then claim a Scripture verse to help me to the next level! I print it or write it out on a brightly coloured sheet of paper and tape it above my kitchen sink, or another place I will see it often. (Another favourite spot is on the fridge next to the stove, so I can read it over as I'm stirring our dinner!) Whenever I see it, I read it, aloud or silently. Before long, I have it memorized.

If you're a homemaker, I would encourage you to do this with Scripture. It's also great to bookmark or subscribe to a few of these homemaker blogs, as well as FlyLady, to help you stay encouraged, focused, and disciplined as a mom and homemaker.

Oh, by the way, the Scripture above my sink right now is I Peter 2:22-23.
For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

Sometimes as homemakers and moms we feel that we give and give and give... and sometimes we're exhausted or just plain tired of "giving out." Though retribution should not be our focus, at times, we can't help thinking about it, especially on those trying days when it seems everything is going wrong! But God does give us encouragement along the way, and we need to choose to watch for those little things, and focus on them, not on the things we dislike. Attitude is key!

Lord, please live Your life through me; I commit myself to You, my Righteous Judge. I choose to trust Your judgment in my life. I will discipline myself now to plan my day and then just do the next thing. I can do anything for fifteen minutes!

Never Spring Clean Your Home Again

Oh my goodness! Jesus just went into my washroom!

Can you see your kitchen counter top? Do you need to kick items out of the way to get to bed? Or perhaps your clutter is mostly hidden? The average guest to your home can't see it because it's in the basement or in a back room. Maybe it's just the corners and edges that have accumulated dirt so that you always have that nagging voice in your mind that your house isn't really clean.

If you're overwhelmed and don't know where to start, or you're just a procrastinator (like me!), I encourage you to try Fly Lady. They walk you through baby steps that get you going in the right direction, and eventually catch you up on your home, to the point that you no longer have to dread spring cleaning. Actually, you will never have to spring clean in the way you used to dread--ever again!

I'll admit, Fly Lady teaches how to do all the things my mom taught me (or tried to teach me!) when I was growing up. I don't know about you, but sometimes it seems there's more than a short learning curve!

Suddenly Mom isn't here, and it's all on you! Meanwhile, you're trying to feed baby, get children off to school, perhaps hold down a job, cook supper, and be supportive of your husband--all at the same time! You wonder why your house doesn't just clean itself like your mother's did! If you're like me, when you were a kid, you simply followed the chore list Mom made for you, and after that, your day was free. And the house was still miraculously clean!

A refrigerator magnet I once saw in the workplace has real meaning: Your mother doesn't work here!

I have to decide what my priorities are. Do I truly believe that, as the Bible says, I am the homemaker (my husband is not), that my home should be a haven for me, as well as for my husband and children (Proverbs 31:10-31)? If I believe that, I need to reorganise my priorities.

I may say, "I don't want to" or "I don't care if my home is clean or not" (which I don't believe is really true of any lady). However, if this is my God-ordained role, I truly will not feel fulfilled unless I fulfill that role. I know that is not a popular message nowadays, but the Bible is still Truth. I have found that the days when I am organised and I accomplish things that make my home a haven, I feel content, satisfied, and fulfilled. The days that I am lazy or tell myself "I don't care" are the days I am depressed, discontented, and unfulfilled.

Let me clarify. I do not mean that I can never have a lazy day, or that I should never relax. In fact, the days that my husband is off work are usually days when I am lazy and relax on purpose, or accomplish much less, because I choose to spend that time with him. But don't we all know that the best relaxation comes after hard work or significant accomplishment?

Here's another question: What would your life be like if your husband took the same attitude toward his job that you take toward your homemaking? Would you have the home you have? Would you be able to purchase groceries and clothing?

It's great if your husband helps you in the home, especially if you are also working outside the home. But certainly if you are a full-time homemaker, the home is your job. How seriously do you take your career? Do you take any pride in it?

I encourage you to join me in using Fly Lady if you do not currently have your home to the level that you are unashamed. If Jesus Christ came over as a guest in your home tonight, would you be embarrassed? Would you cringe when He went to use your washroom? It doesn't have to be this way.

Jesus understands the days when nothing goes as planned, we have a sick little one, we ourselves are sick, the car breaks down, and supper burns. He is our understanding Friend, and He will wipe away our tears and comfort us. Then He will cheer us on, giving us His strength, as we get back on track.

If you feel overwhelmed about your house, talk to Jesus about it. Ask Him for the strength, courage, determination, discipline, and godly pride to simply get started.

If you have a method other than Fly Lady or any tips to help us homemakers, feel free to comment below.

Now I think I'll put some good, ol' Southern Gospel music on my stereo, and get busy!

Get Dressed--Day 4

The "Get Dressed" Challenge!
Saturday--Choir practice and get ready for Sunday (music, noon meal, etc.)

Note: I did remove my scarf when I started getting food ready! :)

Successful Homemade Yogurt!

Yes, you can! I did it!

I made my first successful batch of yogurt this week, and it's super easy! Here's the recipe:

Homemade Yogurt
You need:
1 quart milk
3 T. plain yogurt (just purchase 1 small individual serving-size container) or 2-3 packets yogurt starter
1 candy thermometer
1 stirring utensil
1 quart-size Mason Jar (with a lid) or Yogotherm
1 picnic cooler with a tight fitting lid (if you don't use the Yogotherm or have a gas oven)--large enough to hold all your Mason jars and a cooking pot or tea kettle

1. Heat the milk to 180-185 degrees (using candy thermometer to be exact).
2. Allow milk to cool down to 110-115 degrees (again using candy thermometer).
3. Stir into the milk either your yogurt starter or the container of plain yogurt.
4. Pour milk into your quart Mason jar (or Yogotherm container).
5. Put on the lid of your Mason jar.
6. Place your Mason jar in the cooler with a pot or tea kettle of hot water. (I put a towel around it inside the picnic cooler.) Another option is to fill a small cooler with near boiling water coming nearly to the top of your Mason jar. Another option, if you have a gas oven, is to put your Mason jar into the gas oven, as the pilot light keeps the oven at a warmer temp. Don't turn on the oven! If you live in a tropical zone, you can just put a towel over your jar and set it on your kitchen counter.
7. Put the lid on your cooler and let set for 4-16 hours. Don't peek or move it!
8. Done. $10-12 worth of yogurt for $2-3! One woman estimates she saves $200/year just on this one make-at-home project.
9. To serve, you can add the fresh or frozen fruit of your choice. If you put it all in a blender with some extra milk, it makes a great smoothie!

Thanks to Joy for the idea and recipe.

Get Dressed--Day 3

Working on a manuscript and a bit of cleaning today, so again, not fixed up very much... nevertheless, I am dressed! Yeah me!

How are you doing with this challenge?

Get Dressed Challenge-Days 1-2

Well, now that our Internet is working, I can post photos. Unfortunately I have somehow lost the photos from Days 1-2. (I believe I must have copied them to an incorrect file folder when I was moving other photos around.)

So, first is a photo of me on another ordinary at-home day.

And second is a photo of what I'm wearing today... not quite as fixed up because I'm cleaning house today.

Get Dressed!

Okay, I think I'm up for this challenge. Are you? Check it out, and join the fun here.

I have to admit, many days I do my computer work in the frumpy clothes I wore to feed our horses, waiting to shower and really get dressed until late morning. On days when I do shower and dress first thing in the morning, I feel more energetic and I am definitely more productive!

So, for those of you who are homemakers, are you with me in this challenge? Let's get dressed!

(Tomorrow I will continue my thoughts on the ways we yield to the soul rather than the Spirit... see you later!)

A Sacred Trust: Our Cutie Patootie

Peter and I are so grateful for time spent with our little 15-month-old granddaughter, Kyla Nichole. We got to keep her this past weekend, and I took about 150 photos and videos! Here is one of my favourites.

Nap time and bed time are special. I take Kyla with her "bah-bah" (bottle) upstairs to her room. As she drinks her bottle, I rock her and sing "Father, We Thank Thee" and "The Birdies in the Treetops." Then I quote to her Psalm 23, Psalm 1, Psalm 100, and John 3:16-17. Sometimes I sing other songs and quote Psalm 91 as well. It's such a special bonding time for us. I love cuddling her, telling her I love her, and praying for her, that God will protect and guide her little life and that she will accept Christ as her Saviour at an early age.

I just have to share one more favourite photo from this weekend... bathtime!


A precious memory from this weekend was made on Sunday morning, as I was listening outside the door of her bedroom to see if she was awake. What did I hear?

"Nana?... Nana?"

When she saw me, she would excitedly exclaim, "Nana!"

She did the same to my husband. Everything was "Papa! Papa! Papa!" Such a fun, sweet age!

Comment below and share with me things you do to bond with your children or grandchildren, and the ways you teach them about the Lord, as you're "sitting down" or "walking by the way." (Deuteronomy 6:7) This is a sacred trust God has given to us!

Haven or Haywire?

Is your home a haven for your family, or does it look everything's gone haywire?

I have to admit there are times my home looks more like the latter. There are times when we have sickness in the household, or things get extra busy, and we get behind on things. But, I'll bet you're with me when I say that I truly want a home and haven--not just a house. And the Bible teaches us women to be "keepers at home" (Titus 2:5) and to work "willingly with [our] hands" (Proverbs 31:13).

Writer Emilie Barnes inspires me. Her book The Fifteen Minute Organizer has many good organization ideas and lists to help keep the home. I confess that I tend to be a perfectionist in that if I can't do a project completely and perfectly in a given timeframe, I won't even start it. This keeps me from accomplishing a lot of things that I need to do, and becomes a plain old excuse! Emilie's title reminds me to ask myself, if I just spend fifteen minutes right now on something, what could I accomplish?

My blogging friend, Monica, is bringing us some ideas, starting January 15, with her "Make Your Home a Haven" challenge. Click
here to find out more about her idea.

By the way, making your home a haven isn't just about organizing or cleaning--though that's a big part of it. There's some fun stuff in there too!

Here are some fun ways I like to create a haven:
-Light candles around the house on any given evening. (Don't forget to blow them out before bedtime!)
-Purchase pretty napkins from the dollar store. Use them for supper on an ordinary night.
-Use bubble bath that you've been saving for... when?
-Just before your family comes home, spray your favourite Febreze scent throughout the house. -Use linen spray on your bed sheets just before your husband comes in for bed. (He may poke fun at your "girliness," but, I assure you, he appreciates your effort to make his house a haven.)
-Be sure your house shoes/slippers (and your husband's too) are next to your bed before you turn in. You'll love the feel of them when you get out of bed in the morning!

Comment and tell us a special way, or two, that you are making your home a haven for your family.

Christmas Memories at Home

Grandbaby Kyla opening her doll baby


















Giving the doll baby kisses


















Kyla's first taste of eggnog: She gulped it down and wanted more! Obviously takes after her papa, not me!














My Peter got me a new camera for Christmas!

Kyla wanted some of Uncle Anthony's Twix bar!

Kyla reading her new Peter Rabbit book with Papa

Kyla playing with Papa

Kyla and her Nana (me)

My daughter Chrystal got me a new toaster oven! She also got me the sweetest Christmas card!

This is the song that was played as I came down the boardwalk to marry my Peter at our beach wedding. It still expresses what we feel.

We Are So Blessed
Gloria Gaither, Greg Nelson, William Gaither

We are so blessed by the gifts from Your hand,
I just can't understand why You love us so much!
We are so blessed, we just can't find a way
Or the words that can say,

Thank You, Lord, for Your touch.

When we're empty, You fill us 'til we overflow!
When we're hungry, You feed us and cause us to know
We are so blessed! Take what we have to bring,
Take it all, everything! Lord, we love You so much!

We are so blessed by the things You have done,
The vict'ries we've won,

And what You've brought us through!
We are so blessed! Take what we have to bring,
Take it all, everything! Lord, we bring it to You.

When we're empty, You will us 'til we overflow!
When we're hungry, You feed us and cause us to know--
We are so blessed! Take what we have to bring,
Take it all, everything! Lord, we love You so much!
Lord, we love You so much!