getting prepared

With terse warnings about the impending storm being broadcast on every station, I decided to do what I could while we still had power.

Laundry - all caught up. We had homemade pizza last night instead of chicken alfredo. Chicken alfredo I can make on our camp stove. Pizza, not so much. My cell phone is all charged and I unplugged the clavinova in case of power surges.

Pat lit a candle or three and we sat down to watch a DVD. Much to my dismay, the power did not go out. I know, I'm weird. But, I love the challenge of doing things the hard way. Course we have a gas fireplace and city water so we would still have some heat and water. I haven't camped in almost three years now (!) and love cooking on my little camp stove. I may have to drag it out for old times' sake.

Have you seen this commercial? First of all, how in the world did they do that? And secondly, when I saw it for the first time the other day I was shocked and surprised that it was put out by FEMA. I wonder how many people will take it seriously.

Are you prepared? What would you do if your power was out for a week? If you couldn't get to the grocery store for a week? If your paycheck was delayed for a week? If your house became unihabitable? Do you have a plan?

I was pleased and amused to see the ingenuity of some Haitians on the news the other night. A man had set up a barber shop in a tent and was running his clippers off of a car battery (note to self, find out how to run computer and clavinova off car battery).

Of course, one can't prepare for every disaster; for every eventuality. But there is one event that will happen to everyone.

One Day, we will stand before the LORD. Are you prepared? Is your name written in the Book of Life?

I hope so, because that day will come in the twinkling of an eye, with no time to prepare. How about being sure of your salvation now?

Tennessee:closed

Big storm expected here today. 6-12 inches of snow predicted in Knoxville; 1-3 here in the valley. I get a real kick out of the way the weathermen are reporting this. Bring it on!
Not a flake in the sky yet, but schools and events across the region are closed today.

I read an inspirational blog post today (found via Becky's blog). It seems that between the recent disasters and the economic downturn, Americans are finding out that they can live with less.

what I learned from Deuteronomy 1-4

By marking each time GOD or LORD is mentioned in Deuteronomy chapters 1-4 and listing what is mentioned about Him, I came up with this list:

• GOD spoke to Moses
• GOD speaks to us
• GOD promised the land
• GOD multiplied the people
• GOD commands
• GOD gives
• GOD goes before us
• GOD fights on our behalf
• GOD carries us
• GOD hears us
• GOD becomes angry
• GOD blesses
• GOD provides
• GOD destroys enemies
• GOD hardens hearts
• GOD delivers
• GOD gives rest
• GOD is near
• GOD is a consuming fire
• GOD scatters the disobedient
• GOD is a jealous God
• GOD is compassionate
• GOD will not fail you
• GOD will not forget His covenant
• GOD created
• GOD is GOD, there is no other
• GOD lets you hear Him
• GOD loves us
• GOD brings us out of slavery
• GOD is powerful


HE IS GOD IN HEAVEN ABOVE AND ON EARTH BELOW, THERE IS NO OTHER!

What a wonderful faith-building exercise from our study in Deuteronomy!

My adorable grandson.

responding to comments

I thought I would take a few minutes this morning and respond to yesterday's comments and questions.

I always appreciate it when y'all take time to comment. It helps me know I'm not just talking to myself here! I've reposted the comments and added my responses in italics.

Becky said:

Very much the same as you. I am a scratch cook and do not waste paper products. We buy paper towels, but we put them in inconvenient places so we have to think twice. And the rags are ready at hand under the kitchen sink.

My only exception is the occasional frozen meal or canned soup for the Butler to take to work, where he has a microwave but no other conveniences, not even a table to eat at or a coffee pot.

We use very few coupons for the same reason. We don't buy processed foods very often at all.

I had a feeling you would pretty like-minded here, Becky!

Lady Farmer said...

So glad to find that your post title "consumption" has nothing to do with the disease!
I love your 'don't buy' list! Very much like mine with a few exceptions.

I do purchase some plastic baggies and wrap for hubbies lunches.

I have a lot of plastic bags, Lady Farmer, but try to really limit my use of them. I do use those waxtex bags for packing sandwiches (think school lunch in the 60's and yes they still make them!). I think they are slightly more environmentally friendly than plastic. I also use reusable containers when possible when I'm taking my lunch on the road. Again - not perfect in this area, just trying hard.

He will be retiring in the not too distant future, so I shouldn't have to do that anymore. I can/freeze lots of our own fruits and veggies and hubby hunts so I rarely buy meat.

There's nothing like home-grown, home-canned produce. Good for you!

I make my own laundry det. also and use vinegar for cleaning, too.
Cold meds. give me heart palpatations so I don't use them, either. I do purchase a lot of pet food, though, and I am happy to have the companionship with two cats, and purchase organic feed for my chickens. (Our dogs, horses and cattle are gone now, but will be getting some again one day. But they don't have coupons for farm animal feed, anyway!)

I would gladly buy dog food - just wish we had a doggie - maybe someday!

I love to make my own soap or get some from my daughter who makes it also. I am looking for a good homemade deodorant recipe (with shea butter). Don't like the store bought for health reasons or effectiveness ~ tmi?

tmi? I don't think so...tmi would be if I shared here that I mend my undergarments. Ooops!

I try to purchase the best ingredients I can afford ~ organic if possible. I would rather purchase healthy food than pay for expensive health care!

Exactly!

And I totally agree with your job description and about stewardship!
Great post!
Blessings!

Anonymous said...

You can get updates on Ric at www.caringbridge.org/visit/ricbloom. You will need to put in an email, and then do it again, as the first time it will not recognize you. If this comes under the category of frugal...my toy choi (pak choi) plants are 4 inches high....should be ready to sample in about 3 weeks. No bugs have found my grow light yet. Lookin' good. Linda

Where did you get those seeds Linda? Sounds wonderful and thanks for the info on Ric.

Anonymous said...

Dee from Tennessee

Well, I 'm not proud At All of what we do buy....my "excuse" is I'm just so tired when I get home that I don't have the energy. As retirement looms nearer, things will change.

Don't feel bad Dee. Because I don't work outside the home, I consider the money-saving things I do to be my job.

Okay---here's my dumb question. I cringe -- and have for a loooooooong time---- at how much we spend on paper towels. My question is....just where and how do you accumulate that many rags??? I know you're shaking your head or rolling on the floor laughing, but honestly, I can't keep rags!! And it's Awful what we spend on paper towels.....help!!! I just feel like it's money thrown away when I buy paper towels. (I can't believe I've written this question where the "whole world" can see it!)

First of all Dee - the "whole world" that sees your comment consists of my dh, folks, sibs and kids and a few Northwoods friends. All of them very loving. :)

My rag bag consists of our old clothing that is beyond mending. Old socks that I cut open, tee shirts cut down to size, washcloths and dishcloths that are a little threadbare for everyday use, old sheets cut into squares, old flannel shirts with buttons removed for the button jar. I have box in the bottom of my linen closet that contains all these rags. As I use them for washing the floor or windows or counter tops, I just throw them in with the regular laundry. If I use them to clean up something oily, I throw them out.

You can buy old tee shirts at the thrift store for a little bit of nothing and cut those up to start your rag bag. Or I know that places like Malwart sell industrial cleaning 'rags'. You could probably buy those for the price of a few rolls of paper towels.

As long as I don't wash oily rags (including those which I have cleaned something with Murphy's oil soap - its smell transfers to the rest of the laundry) I have no trouble washing rags with regular clothes. After all, once upon a time they were regular clothes!

I even 'inherited' a box of rags from my mother-in-law. Every once in a while I will pull something out of that box that Pat remembers from his childhood!

Hope that helps! The main thing I use paper towels for now is draining bacon grease. And the only time we eat much bacon is when tomatoes are in season. BLT's!

momawake said...

How about posting your laundry detergent recipe?

Here it is:

Dry Powder Laundry Soap

1 box Arm and Hammer washing soda (in laundry soap aisle)

1/2 box 20 Mule Team borax (in laundry soap aisle)

1 1/2 bars finely grated Fels Naptha soap (or Kirk's Castille soap - found in the bar soap section of grocery stores)

I use 1 heaping Tbls. of this per load. We have a front loading machine, so if you have a top loader you may need a little more.

Some people make this into a liquid by adding water (of course!), but since that takes up a lot more storage room and reportedly looks like snot (sorry!) I stick with the dry.

Thanks again everyone for commenting! I enjoy the give and take and hopefully we can help each other along the way.

I'm hoping to have a guest poster sometime today. Or tomorrow. We'll see!

consumption

gray, blustery day yesterday

While the weather was uninviting yesterday, it was warm and cozy in the house. I finished knitting a scarf and set about planning my grocery list.

Our local grocery store has triple coupons this week (coupons $.50 and under), so I tried to match coupons I had to the stuff on sale in the store flyer to get the best possible deal. 90% of the time the things I have coupons for are things we would not normally use - unless we can get them for next to nothing. This forum has a lot of information on how to get the best deals when shopping. Some ideas I use, some I don't.

I received a consumer survey in the mail yesterday. I do not shop like your normal average American. Whoever that is.

In general I don't buy:

• storage bags (we were given several boxes of these last year - I wash and reuse (non-meat containing bags) or store food in corning ware or a bowl with an inverted plate or vice versa)
• bottled water ( I have a steel travel mug that I take with me with my beverage of choice)
  
• cookies (homemade are so much better)
• frozen meals (except for the occasional pizza -I prefer homemade)
• salad dressings (make my own)
• breakfast waffles or poptarts (homemade pancakes instead)
  
• oatmeal in little packets - it takes such a little time to make the real thing)
  
• air freshners (a bowl of vinegar set out on the counter will take the odor out of the air most times)
• cleaning products (again we were given a lot of this last year, but if we run out I will use vinegar and baking soda for most cleaning
• laundry detergent (make my own)
• shampoo (use Cheri's handmade soaps - though I have experimented with baking soda and acv for shampoo and rinse with okay results - still prefer Cheri's soaps)
  
• pet products :(
• cold remedies ( I use my honey and vinegar tea)
• tobacco products
• canned soups ( I made an exception to this recently when I came across a sale and had coupons to bring the price down further - but normally I make homemade soup)
• bread - for a long time I made all our bread but have recently started buying it again. Need to get back to baking.
• paper towels - Maybe I buy a roll or so a year. Otherwise I use rags or old newspaper to clean up stuff
• deodorant (tmi? - instead I use a mixture of baking soda and cornstarch, however, when I fly I buy a travel size container of deodorant so as not to arouse any suspicions carrying a bag of white powder)
  

I had to laugh a while back when I read the blog of another 'cook from scratch' type of gal. Her sister was visiting and rummaging through the cupboards for something to eat. "There's nothing to eat," she exclaimed. "Only ingredients!"

Exactly.

Since I do not work outside the home, my 'job' as I see it, is to manage our budget as best I can.
Pat works hard and I don't want to squander or waste his earnings.

But most importantly we are stewards of that with which God has given us.

He has blessed us with so much. And most of the blessing have nothing to do with money.
We do not feel deprived at all!
~~~~~
I'd love to hear some of your shopping tips!

we have our own

Saturday was a beautiful day. After all the drama of Friday, I think the sky was brighter, the sun warmer and the bird's song sweeter.

Pat spent the morning pruning bushes and part of the afternoon fishing. I was outside some too, cleaning up the pruned branches and walking back and forth to Mom and Dad's to make sure they were okay (they were).

Sunday was an ugly day, weather wise. Windy with driving rains. A good day for staying in (outside of going to church) and yelling at the television. My, what an exciting game last night.
Did you see it? Do you think Brett will retire now? He sure got beat up - betcha he feels it today.

I spent a lot of time reflecting on Dad's episode. We now know a few things to do differently including having on hand some glucose paste that we can squirt in his mouth when he is unconscious (thanks to the paramedics and momawake for this info).

We are so thankful for God's intervention and his timing on our behalf.

One of the paramedics that came remembered working on Dad at Malwart (I don't remember exactly when that was but Dad had felt weak while shopping, sat down on the bench and passed out). He also was the one who worked on me in June of 2008 when I had those esophageal spasms (which sure feel like what I imagine a heart attack to feel like!) His daughter goes to Mom and Dad's church and he invited Dad to 'friend' him on facebook.

So, I like to think that we have our own family 'personal paramedic'. He has come to our rescue three times in 18 months.

Hopefully we can leave it at that.

home alone

Mom and I had just returned from a girl's morning out (which, in addition to lunch, included a bone density scan and a mammogram -and may I just say God bless the people responsible for inventing the digital mammogram machine - much better!).

Dad was not downstairs, but we knew he had planned to do some work up in the bonus room. As I put some things down in the kitchen, I heard Mom holler, "He's goofy!" (Mom and Dad's term for hypoglycemia). I raced upstairs and my heart sunk at the sight of Dad slumped over in a chair, arms limp, skin clammy,unresponsive.

Thankfully, Pat had taken a lunch time walk around the block and saw us arrive at Mom and Dad's. He came in and the three of us went to work trying to bring Dad around. For several minutes we tried to force liquids into him and some pieces of chocolate, then Pat called 911.

They arrived promptly (the ambulance barn is two miles from us) and began to work. Unfortunately Dad has very small veins and they could not get a vein to start an IV (prior to his surgery last summer it took one hour and 15 minutes to get an IV into him).

They gave up on that and administered a glucose shot and put some glucose paste in his mouth.
He started to come around. I was never so happy to see those wonderful blue eyes and hear his voice, "What are you doing?" he asked.

When the paramedics arrived Dad's blood sugar was 47. We had gotten about 4-6 ounces of juice and a couple of squares of chocolate before their arrival, so I know it had been much lower than that.

We figure that Dad may have been 'out' for an hour to an hour and a half. Looking back, I see so many things for which to be thankful:

• That we got home when we did
• Pat just 'happened' to be walking when he did
• the paramedics are so close
• that Mom is such a trooper and so great in a crisis
• that Dad has no memory us hollering at him and (gently) slapping him (sorry, Dad!)
  
• that Dad is okay

The after-effects of hypoglycemic shock are chills and fatigue. This morning Dad is still tired and cold.

But okay. He will be resting most of the day, I'm sure.

We will be checking on him. And giving thanks to God.

disaster relief

Praying for our friend Dave who left yesterday to help out with earthquake relief. But not in Haiti. He and his team are going to Peru to help rebuild from the earthquake in 2007.

And another friend is going to New Orleans to cook for the workers who continue to come to rebuild from Katrina's devastation.

So, even though we have a 'new' disaster in Haiti, there are still great needs in the 'old' disasters.
I'm ashamed to say that I had forgotten about the Peru earthquake, but will now renew my prayers for those survivors.

My grandmother took me to California for a high school graduation present (in 1972-yikes). Our relatives took us to see the ravages of the '67 earthquake. Five years later...highways were still twisted and unrepaired...gaping holes in the earth....evidence of former buildings.

I'm so thankful for these friends and others like them who have not forgotten those in need. It takes a long time to recover from a disaster. As some have said - it is a marathon, not a sprint.

heard....

.....this thought-provoking sermon yesterday.


What do you think?

Then, heard a sermon by David Jeremiah entitled, "High Definition Giving". (Sorry, this has to be ordered on line - no text available.)

Then I heard this.

I especially liked the part about establishing the habit of saving to that you would have money available to give to those in need.

I would really be interested in hearing your reaction to these two links.

only in Tennessee

I mentioned the other day that folks down here 'bouts was UpseT when the UT football coach quit only a year+ into his contract. His name is Lane Kiffin and he left for USC . Folk here 'bouts don't seem to be able to pronounce his name quite right. They keep calling him 'Lame'.

Well, I guess they are getting over their UpseTtedness, cuz a nice Knoxville lawyer has filed paperwork to name an east Tennesse facility after him.

A waste water treatment plant.

On the other hand, in other Tennessee news, I am very proud to live in a state that is not afraid of the politically correct police.

Tenneesee tales

I brought my knitting along to help pass the time while waiting for the oil to be changed in our car. Little did I know that entertainment was waiting.

An older gentleman sat in the waiting room and he engaged anybody and everybody in conversation.

He told us about his work up north. How crooked all the contractors are (correction - he said 99% are crooked). How there would be no potholes in Chicago except for the fact that they use inferior materials and bribe the inspectors to look the t'other way.

He was hungry and told us how much he loved biscuits.

"Sausage biscuits, peach biscuits, chocolate gravy biscuits. You put anything on a biscuits," said he, "and I will eat it. "

"My grandma made the best sausage," he continued, "mixed ground pork with spices, put it in a one or two pound sugar bag and sealed it with paraffin. That was the best stuff."

He went on to tell us how old he was (80) and how much he weighed (265).

I asked him if he helped with the butchering process.

"No, I can't kill anything, but my daddy was real good with animals. He never ever got bitten by a dog, and he can break a horse like nobody else. He would sneak up behind the pig with a claw hammer, hit it between the eyes and when it went down, he'd slit its throat."

"One day Dad and I were crossing the Bald River on horses. My horse started to flounder and go under. Dad told me to get off it, and pull its tail up. Wouldn't you know it, that horse started to swim."

"Now, my grandpa - he was a big man. Killed a man in a backyard brawl. Think there was moonshine involved. There's two sides to my family - one Christian, one moonshiners. They claim they ain't kin to the t'other, but they are."

"Anyway my grandpa was in prison and worked on a chain gang in Georgia. He escaped and carried that ball and chain all the way back to Tennessee. Built his house on top of a hill so he could always see if anybody was comin' for him."

There was a rare moment of silence.

"Do you crochet?" he asked me as I knitted away and listened to his tales.

"No," I replied.

"My grandma could crochet. She crocheted everything. Bedspreads, tablecloths. She could even crochet in the dark."

By this time his car was ready and he left. I continued knitting, thinking about his stories and his way of life.

A half hours worth of entertainment - all for the price of an oil change.

Singing again

With my brief case full of song books, I headed to church last night. I put my name on the white board (so excited to be Mrs. Cheri again!), set my books on the piano, put the sign up sheet out and waited.

To my surprise and initial disappointment only three kids showed up. All girls.

But we had a great time. They are cute, cute, cute. One diva, one perpetual motion machine and one 'old soul'.

They wanted to know when I was going to give them their LINES. And if I was going to give them a CD of the songs to listen to. They want to do MOTIONS to all the songs. And they want to MOVE (as in dance, but I'm not sure we call it that in Southern Baptist circles). They want to end each song with a 'ta-da' sort of motion - you know the one - one hand in the air, one down at the side, palms facing the audience, one foot forward one foot back with toe pointed.

They want to do a PROGRAM. I have something a little different in mind. They were wary of me at first (I'm new and I talk funny), but warmed up to me by the end of the rehearsal.

The girls were a quick study and as they walked out I could hear them singing the songs they had just learned to their parents. They assured me that they would invite their friends to come, cuz I 'make really good brownies' and cuz they like the new songs.

I was told not to worry about the low attendance. There is no school today, so some were out of town.

But whether there are three or thirty I don't care. I'm just so happy to be working with kids again.

ponderings of the week past

We paid a visit to our neighbor (pictured above) this morning. Apples in hand. We had a nice visit. Such peace across the road from us, horse and cows grazing, birds flitting in and out of the shrubs and trees on the fence row.

But my mind is never far from the devastation in Haiti.

Here are some of my thoughts and prayers:

Praying for wisdom and safety for the searchers. How does one go about deciding where to search? The news this morning said that people can still be heard calling for help beneath the rubble. Who do you help first? These are definitely life and death situations.

For the medical community assembling - wisdom and stamina as they treat scores - hundreds of injuries. Amputations occurring outside of the sterile environment of a hospital - pain relievers and bandages are lacking - antibiotics are in short supply. The pain and suffering is unfathomable - I pray that they will be able to attend to each patient individually and not as the next victim on an assembly line of carnage.

For the relief workers - again wisdom and stamina and organization as they disperse meager supplies to a desperate people.

For the news media - that they will balance our 'need' to know with the life and death needs of the Haitian people. I had been thinking this recently and just heard Scott Simon echo my thoughts. When a reporter interviews a doctor or an aide worker or flies in and lands on the precious real estate that is the Haitian airport, I fear they may be interfering with the more necessary work. Not that they shouldn't be there - informing the rest of the world of the tragedy will result in more aide pouring in...but just praying for wisdom there.

Most of all for the Haitian people. Comfort for those who have lost loved ones, healing for the injured. Many are left widowed, or childless or orphaned. May God bring the comfort that only He can give.

And if you will permit me a minor rant. I pray that this tragedy will help us to focus on those things that are truly important.

If you live in Tennessee,' big' news broke here the night of the quake. The coach of the UT football team resigned after only one year. (I was very disappointed that our local news spent 9 minutes on Lane Kiffin's resignation on Wednesday and 3 minutes on the earthquake in Haiti).For the privilege of resigning he has to pay UT $800,000 to 1,000,000. I found out that the former coach who had been asked to leave is being paid millions as a buy-out of his contract.

Add to that all of the bonus money paid to 'fat cat bankers' (not my words...).

This money could make a huge difference in the relief effort to Haiti. We live in a very broken world. However....

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart!
I have overcome the world."
John 16:33

We are not without hope.

for more information

Check out this .

We had the privilege of meeting Henoc many years ago. Several of our friends are closely aligned with this ministry and the College Susan Schuenke was founded in memory of our friend Sue.

Though not at the epicenter of the quake, they will definitely be impacted by it and also in a position to minister to those leaving Port au Prince.

Death toll estimates are currently 45-50,000. Death toll estimates for Katrina were much higher than the ultimate number.

I pray the same will be true in this case.

Edited to add: The son of one of the gals in my Bible study group works at Samaritan's Purse. She told me that Samaritan's Purse was on the ground in Port au Prince in less than two hours after the quake. They also had a similar rapid response after Katrina.

Haiti

The tears are right there. Any image from Haiti threatens to bring them spilling forth.

My heart is breaking for the people of Haiti.

We are sending a check.

You may have other agencies in mind.

Please, do what you can.

breaking out in song

Monday night sunset

One of my sisters has a (well-deserved) reputation breaks out into song at the drop of a hat.

All you have to do is mention the word, for example, 'hill' and she delivers a full-voiced-Julie-Andrews-style rendition of the 'The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music'. And it will most likely be the whole song - not just the first line or two.

It is what we love about her.

I read an article in Sunday's paper about a waitress who does the same thing.

"A jovial waitress was serving another customer, a darkly handsome businessman in a turtleneck and dress pants. She asked his hometown. When he answered Newark, NJ, she didn't miss a beat.

'Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today,'

she sang a capella, in a remarkably good voice full of gusto and gladness."

article from Knoxville's News Sentinel by Rhetta Grimsley Johnson
(full article here)

That is so 'Suzi'.

Makes you smile (and maybe duck your head in embarrassment if other folks are around).

My wish for you today is that you have a wonderful day. A day that makes you want to break out in song.

And that, instead of fighting that temptation, you will give in and go for it.

Go ahead - sing with a voice full of gusto and gladness!

visiting

It has been a long road for J. She had heart surgery late last summer. I'm not exactly sure what went wrong, but something did.

She has been in the hospital for months, in a nursing home, back in the hospital and now in a different nursing home.

She is a very sweet lady, a friend of Mom and Dad's from church. Mom and Dad and I are heading up to K'ville in a bit to spend some time with her.

And if I know J., she will cheer us as much as we cheer her.

looking ahead

stood in my stocking feet on our back step in 12* weather to capture the sunrise

When I stepped out to snap the above photo, I startled a flock of mourning doves which apparently sleep in and amongst the bushes that are on the south side of the house. I'm glad they feel at home here and have a warm place to rest.

~~~~~~

A friend has been after me to exercise with her and there have been a number of things over the past several months that have prevented me from doing so. Well, no more. This morning Mom and I (yeah, Mom!) are going to join Rosellen and a bunch of other ladies and work out. Should be fun. Once it is over anyway. ~Smile~

~~~~~
Starting Sunday, I'll be leading the children's choir. Hooray! I've got my songs picked out and have been practicing them diligently the past few days. I'll be reviewing my choir notebook from college and writing up some song sheets. This will be fun! Cute kids with cute southern accents....

~~~~~
Have a great Monday everyone!

money talk

I have had no less than three conversations this week about saving money. This does not include the ongoing conversation Pat and I have about money. These are always good, constructive talks as both Pat and I are frugally minded.


We heard about a friend who lost his job this week. And the jobs report that came out yesterday was not good news.

Typically at the beginning of a new year, I re-read my old favorite money saving books for inspiration. I feel I can always do better in the spending department.

So here is a list of books and websites I turn to to help me make sure my spending is on track. And by the way, even if we were millionaires (we're not) I would not be able to justify buying whatever I want. It's just not in me. Pat is very grateful to Mom and Dad for this. :)

Books:
Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyzyn
Living More with Less by Doris Janzen Longacre
More with Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre

I just finished reading:
The Complete Cheapskate by Mary Hunt
And am currently reading:
Financial Peace Revisted by Dave Ramsey

Here are a few websites I check:
Tightwad tips and frugal living and tightwad tips and frugal living archive
are both on this page. I generally check only these two threads in this forum.
Coffeeteabooksandme often speaks of 'living out of the pantry'. Brenda lives a beautiful life despite health and financial concerns.
Twofroghome
also speaks of simple living. This couple gardens and is currently chronicling a 6 month self imposed grocery store fast. They are eating what they have canned, frozen and otherwise preserved from their garden.
Down to earth is from down under. Rhonda Jean has a no-nonsense approach to the simple life. She has given me 'permission' to be a homemaker with no apologies.
Laine has learned to let the LORD guide her spending. She was able to save enough money to pay off their home mortgage quite early. And this living in California! Her husband works in construction and she has homeschooled their four children.

Oh, and did you see this? Interesting.....

I'm sure there is more that I am leaving out, but that should be enough to keep you busy over the weekend. As we are anticipating our financial situation changing later this year, I am studying these books and websites more, well, studiously.

~~~~~
It was the same temperature here this morning as it was in our former Northwoods town.
11*. Keep warm everybody and have a great weekend!

snowed in!

image from nps.gov
enjoyed seeing all the different tracks in the snow this morning

Well, not exactly. We scarcely got an inch of snow, but schools across the region are closed. Cars are moving slowly, tentatively down the road that leads to our subdivision.

It would be unkind to scoff, we tough and hardy former northwoodsians, at our southern neighbors, though. For there is no way in the world that I would venture up and down steep, windy mountain roads (roads with no shoulders, mind you, right Suzi?) with a busload of schoolchildren.

The school kids are rejoicing, the teachers are happily staying home, the parents are scrambling to occupy the kids.

Me? While there is not enough snow to even do this, I am longingly looking out the window at the undulating acres of vacant lots around us and wishing I still had my cross country skis.

wouldn't it be nice?

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was with them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." Acts 4:32-25

quiet pursuits

Since, according to the weatherman, 2/3 of the nation is locked in a deep freeze, I thought I would post a picture of a flower to remind us that spring will come.

How do you pass the cold, frosty days?

When we were at Nate and Michelle's for Christmas we didn't go outside at all - except for a trip to get some groceries. It was easy to stay indoors for several days because of who we were with.

Now, when it is too cold to garden and the kids are too far away, here are a few things I like to do:

Bible study
Read a good book
Play the piano (and maybe sing)
Bake
Sew
Knit
Phone a friend
Peruse the garden catalogs that are stacking up on the ottoman
Surf the web

To repeat the question:
How do you pass the time on these cold frosty days?


(Still haven't met with the director of children's ministries...hope to hear from her today!)

making music

Recently, a friend from church 'facebooked' (a new verb?) me and asked if I would direct the children's choir for at least the next three months.

I tried to contain my excitement because YES I would LOVE to direct the children's choir, but had to dot some i's and cross some t's before I could commit.

Well, the i's and t's have been dotted and crossed respectively. I am meeting with the children's ministries director today. We will see where this goes.

Since I am not a member of this church, I hope they take the time to properly vet me. Fingerprints, background check etc. I say that because I would want that done for anyone who would work with this cute boy:

la la la la

I sat down at the piano yesterday and in less than an hour, I had developed a children's program. Songs, Scriptures, lines, props, graphics... Much of what is needed for a 45 minute program just came to me. Not that I am so clever or creative. I'm not.

I genuinely felt God's creative spark ignite. It was a blast and even if I'm not the one to lead the kid's choir, I sure had fun planning a program!

who are the people in your neighborhood?

one of the 'neigh'bors
he lives directly across the street from us
we are just beginning to get acquainted

There are 100+ lots in our neighborhood.
31 of these lots have homes.
8 of these homes are for sale.
4 of these homes are spec homes.
6 of the homes for sale are vacant.

In the past year four of our neighbors have been laid off from their jobs.
Two neighbors have died.

The real estate brochures and websites call our neighborhood 'upscale' and 'prestigious' which makes me laugh because, as a whole, we are very ordinary people with the same problems everyone else has. ( Do other upscale people shop at thrift stores, use coupons, darn socks, turn collars, cook from scratch, can food, garden?)

As I walk around the neighborhood each morning, I am becoming more intentional about praying for each household. In addition to the above problems there are those with health/financial/family/ issues. Some are just plain crabby from time to time. Just like everyone else.

The pastor preached yesterday about living the life that God intends. He said we should have joy unspeakable, peace that passes understanding and that we are more than conquerors.

Day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment we must be focused on God, living the life He intends us to live and sharing the Hope that we have in Christ with others. Even the ornery ones. :)

images from Christmas 2009

All these photos were taken by our daughter-in-love Michelle. Thanks Michelle!

ringin' in the new

A new day, a new month, a new year, a new decade.

So many possibilities!

My mind has been full of ideas of what I want to accomplish this year - what new challenges and tasks I want to take on.

Of course, all of my ideas need to be filtered through Scripture and prayer and what I sense God would have me do.

Two, well, three, exciting events are planned for 2010. Daniel graduates in May. Our second grandbaby arrives in June. And somebody might, maybe, perhaps be retiring later this year.

After reading through the Bible chronologically for the past three years, I have decided to return to the Discipleship Journal reading plan for a little variety.

I hope to continue to be involved in the two ladies' Bible studies I was involved in last year. And maybe skip down to Chattanooga a time or two to sit in on Kay Arthur's teaching.

Also, I was asked if I would lead the children's choir for the next three months. We are not members of the church, but if I get approval from the powers that be, I'm gonna go for it. Yay for working with kids again!

Last year I had purposed to read a book a week. Almost but not quite achieved that. According to my sidebar I read 47. And there are four books on my nightstand in varying degrees of finishedness. Close, but no cigar.

I have some other goals, but I'll share those tomorrow. In the meantime I will be reading John Piper's Don't Waste Your Life (I wish I had taken a picture of Jon and Daniel's faces when I opened that present - I'm sure they were thinking -'isn't it a little late for that?'). It is a good, thought-provoking, challenging book so far (up to page 89).

As I was running a few errands yesterday, Warren Wiersbe was on the radio (love that guy!). I had to write down what he said:

'Jesus Christ wants to put the touch of eternity on everything we do.'

What a marvelous thought. Not that we have to do great or important or successful things. Just things that have the 'touch of eternity' on them.