The Joy of Discovery

Life is an adventure.

My granddaughter Kyla is teaching me more and more about this. Too many times I get so caught up with the "shoulds" and "have-to's" of life that I forget to enjoy the beauty God placed all around me. Flowers. Trees. Animals. Clouds. I neglect to notice the intangibles with which God has blessed me. Love. Acceptance. Security.

The Truth says He "daily loadeth us with benefits" (Psalm 68:19)! That means that every day a TON more blessings are there that I did not even see!

I think I'll head out on a journey of discovery today. Talk to you later...

Hey, come back and tell me what you discovered and thanked God for today.

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!

Girly Tea Parties

Girls will be girls! ...And we love tea parties and anything frilly and girly!

I thought it would be fun to have some tea parties... Here are a few photos from a tea party I had with a girlfriend from church and another tea party I had with some of our teen girls.

Now I think I'm about ready to plan another tea party! Want to come?

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?

Soulish Selfishness--Nervous Exhaustion (Part 2)

Photo courtesy Monique Tremblay

Seeing Through a Glass Darkly
Three emotional areas of soulish selfishness

1. Nervous exhaustion from positive communication/fellowship

Have you ever felt completely exhausted when visiting with people, and then realized that you should not be physically tired? You've had enough rest--there is no reason you can find for truly being weary at that moment.

I've been there. This is a sort of nerve exhaustion. When I consciously admit to myself that my eyes should not be heavy, I realize that I've been exhausting myself trying to please the people I'm with. When I acknowledge this, I can relax on purpose and just be myself, and I soon find that my eyes are no longer heavy, and I do not feel tired. I can enjoy my time visiting with them.

Is it not the exercise of the soulish, or natural man--the glow, feeling, emotions, and anger, in speaking to others publicly or privately--that causes nerve exhaustion? And is it not possible for the Spirit to quicken the truth without the strain or wear and tear of the body?... It does seem as if more work could be done, and with far less fatigue... ~ unknown writer, as quoted by Jessie Penn Lewis

Nervous exhaustion comes from trying to live for God (or please others) in my flesh, instead of simply loving Jesus and allowing my life to flow out from that love. Amazingly, my love for Him is all because He first loved me (I John 4:19)! So it still has nothing to do with my own efforts! He does it all (Philippians 1:6)! How freeing! I can rest! I can relax in His love, and allow Him to do His work, with me as His vessel.

2. Nervous exhaustion from negative communication/anger

Flying off the handle or harboring anger also exhausts your nerves, and over time, wears out your body! Many physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach ulcers, irritable bowels, etc. can stem from nerve exhaustion from harboring anger, unforgiveness, resentment, and bitterness.

The soul is the seat of the personality in its affections, power of joy or grief... he may cling to a soulish joy, and live in the realm of his feelings; in the seat of his self-consciousness, and not in the spirit, the place of the God-consciousness; and thus be among those believers who are always seeking for spiritual "experiences" in the sense-consciousness, instead of the purity of the God-conscious realm alone--the regenerated human spirit. ~ JPL

3. Nervous exhaustion from seeking "an experience"

When I feel the need to "experience" something in the way of emotions, I try to drum up positive feelings on my own. This can work for a short time, but it will also exhaust me. I can do this in trying to stay happy without dealing with issues, trying to talk myself into a positive emotion. I can also do this in seeking a religious, emotional experience. There are times when God takes me on a path of suffering. During these times, He is teaching me how He can give me joy in sorrow; not that I can just determine not to be sad. It is in times of sadness that He seems most near. It is in times of sorrow that I learn that He Himself is all I need. But if I am seeking to maintain a positive, upbeat experience on my own, outside of Christ--using my own determination and grit--I am soulishly selfish. He will bring me around again and again until I learn that He is my sufficiency.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: ~II Corinthians 9:8

It's all about Him. When I learn this, I can leave nervous exhaustion behind me and trust in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 36:7, 57:1, 63:7, 91:4).

Whew! I feel so much better!