All Things DO Work Together For Good!

I've sometimes grown tired of the scripture everyone loves to quote (Romans 8:28), which says:

"And we know 

that in all things God works for the good 

of those who love him, 

who have been called 

according to his purpose."

Sometimes it just seems so far fetched to look at every bad situation and think that God is using it to work some "good".   However, in the life of my family right now, I am seeing God's hand all over the place!

David and I were talking yesterday about how "coincidental" it has been that he lost his job when he did.   (It's all God)  

Since that Monday, we have discovered that his boss actually fired him so he could take David's position and so someone else could have the bosses position, and they could all live happily ever after.   Isn't that special!     Little do those weasels know - God used them like pawns in a chess game, to play out the steps that were needed to move David from this company,  that is about to crater.

(Thank you, Lord!)

It seems that everyday God is revealing more reasons why David needed to be moved, such as: the company is in, yet another, selling phase, where they will actually lose an entire state of offices, and they are plagued by extremely bad management and they have a horrible reputation.   This is all very different from the original company that David was hired by, 10 years ago. 

But, God does that!  He uses extreme measures sometimes, to get us to move.   Was He telling David before all of this, to get out?   I believe he was.   For the past year, David has been in a new position and was miserable.   He had gone from loving his job of 9 years, to dreading work every day.  But, God knew the perfect timing and how it would all play out, and he went to work on David's behalf.

Because of the way it all went down, David was given "In lieu of notice" pay and severance, which allowed him the time to look for another job and still get paid.   Had he stayed until something severe happened, you just never know if he would have been offered anything.

He's had some great opportunities come up (interviews) and we are in the waiting phase right now.   But, that's ok, because this has been an amazing 3 weeks of time spent with family.  

He and the boys have been working together in the lawn care business (thanks to a friend) and it's been a great experience for everyone.

I can't quit thinking of how God was preparing me for scaling down, long before we knew about the job loss!  

 I look at all the things God put in place, unbeknownst to me, and I marvel at his love for his children.
He is taking care of us, in ways we know nothing about, long before we even know what it's all about.

So, my point in this post today (even at the risk of repeating myself) is to encourage everyone to ride the waves of life, with an open hand and open heart.    It may seem that something crazy is going on, or that your life has taken an unexpected turn, but if you are a child of God, then he is up to something!  He sees the big picture and is putting all the pieces in place. 

God is at work and it WILL work together for your good, if you trust in him and stick close.  I know all circumstances are not pleasant and many are downright scary and heartbreaking.   I won't ever understand these things.   But, I trust God.   I can't help it.   He comes through, time and time again, and I have no choice but to believe in him.  

As I sit here typing this today, I hear David on the front porch, talking with my 13 year old, telling him how your faith must be in God, not any job.     Talk about life lessons for these boys! 

"God, you are so amazing!  I may not understand all the reasons and ways you do things, but I trust in your character and your track record.    Thank you for working in my life, even when I wasn't paying attention."

Have a blessed day today and look with open eyes and expectation!  God is at work all around you!

His Ways are Not Our Ways

Lest anyone of you believe that this joy I have is a put on.....let me assure you, it is not.    Did anyone accuse me?  No.   But, I've either imagined it or God has pricked my heart for someone that's hurting.......I'm not sure.

However, it occurred to me yesterday, as I was writing, that there may be someone on the outside of my life, looking in, thinking that I'm annoyingly happy, even though my husband just got fired 3 weeks ago.

Yes, I am happy.   No, not just happy, but joyful.   That is.....full of joy!

You see, though my life's circumstances are less than stable at the moment (*no job* *not sure when or where the next one will come from* *hesitating to believe that the company of jerks will come through with the severance pay*), I'm still full of joy because I know who holds the future.   Of THAT I am sure!

So, though the losing of the job took away our Health Insurance, Pay Checks, Dental, Vision, Life, blah, blah, blah.......it can't take away any of these:

My Salvation
My walk with God
My husband
My children
My awesome friends who love me
My church
My awesome Bible Study class
This blog

And anything else I hold dear.

Everything else is replaceable.

I remember a time, when my oldest child was 3 years old, and David had his first lay-off.   I felt devastated and so did David.  I remember seeking out those who had gone before us, those who had walked the path of joblessness, and clinging to their words of hope.   I wanted our journey to be a testimony, but I can't honestly say that it was.   We were young and new at trials, and who knows what we left behind.

I remember paying all the bills and having $50 to live off of for the next two weeks.

I remember driving a car with no air condition, in the Texas summer.   HOT!

I remember all the "gifts" we would receive from friends, and being so blessed by their giving.

However, here and now; many years later - I know without a doubt, that God is our provider.   Everything I own, or ever will own, has come from Him and only because He chose to allow it in my life.   So, do I need to fall apart?  

No.  

Does that mean I don't understand true hopelessness?

Not at all.

You see, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty." (Philippians 4:12)

So, please don't take offense to my joy.   My prayer is that my testimony will encourage you; inspire you, cause you to focus on HIM more.

He can restore you.  He will teach you.  He will redeem this time.

I'm learning so much, as is my husband and my boys.   I honestly wouldn't go back to 3 weeks ago, if you paid me (hahaha, well.........nah!)

That's what trials and tests are for (remember Abraham and Isaac?)
God wants to know that we trust Him and can be obedient to Him when He asks.

I close with this scripture today - dedicated to those who did David the favor of "letting him go":

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done......"
(Genesis 50:20)

And, on that note.....
I'll be signing off.

Have a great and wonderful day!

Monday Thoughts and Ramblings

Lots of things roaming around in my head this morning and guess what?  I'm about to spill them all out on you! 


First off - I haven't expressed this in a while - but - I love Mondays!   That's right - I'm weird!

I'm always productive on Mondays for some reason, which makes for a great day.   However, as I'm typing this, I just remembered that David was fired on a Monday, so I should hate this day of the week.  But, I can't and I don't and what kind of nonsense is that anyway?

I don't know that today is following any normal route of productivity, as my life is all kukoo right now, but in between the chores and school and more chores, I'm catching little glimpses of lessons from the Lord, which is always exciting.

Let me start by saying my new lesson for this year (and last) is FLEXIBILITY.   Now there's something I DON'T like!  I'm not naturally drawn to being flexible; in fact - it annoys me!  Just ask my family and they will give plenty of testimonies to mom losing her mind at the thought of being flexible!  So sue me!   

But, unfortunately God has placed this change before me, over and over and over again, this year and I'm having to heed to His pokings.   I've got the bruises to prove it!   (Poke, Poke!)

I won't bore anyone with all the details of how God has continued to cause me to be flexible, but it has to do with traveling the first 6 months of the school year and now having a husband home for the 2nd semester and the fact that both of those situations DO NOT lend themselves to routine.   We're down to Math and one other subject by book.   All other subjects are "caught and taught" as we go along the way.   Whatever knowledge God wants Collin to have this year is being learned in the real world classrooms, such as hospitals, Bible study classes, mowing grass with dad, and learning how to make it through trials when some jerk fires you.     THIS IS REAL LIFE FOLKS!   That "Real world" everyone always ask homeschoolers about!  This is it!   This is what prepares you for life - not sitting at a desk, throwing spit wads at your buddies.  Sorry - but true.

But, on to more random thoughts for today:

I just finished a great book by Karen Kingsbury called A Moment of Weakness and wouldn't you know it - it was the 2nd book in a trilogy, of which I never read the first!  Oh well, I'm flexible, right?  So, I will be diving into the 1st and 3rd books, respectively, very soon. Which by the way, were all on my iPad, which means I could have read the first one 1st, but randomly picked the 2nd one, not realizing they all went together.  Ha!

But first - I started a book called "7" by Jen Hatmaker, this morning in my Bible Study time.   This book should be amazing (and Jen cracks me up and reminds me so much of ME!)  It's a testimony of how God led her to go on a fast from excess in her life.   In the course of 10 months, she picks a new category (food, clothes, possessions, media, waste, spending, stress) in which she must chose 7 things to deal with during each month.   For instance, in the first chapter she must pare down her food choices (for 30 days) to only 7 foods (plus salt and pepper).    Bye, bye coffee!    Her 7 food choices were:  chicken, eggs, whole-wheat bread, sweet potatoes, spinach, avocados, and apples.
If this peaks your interest, then hop over to Amazon and click "Buy it now" and you can find out what happened to Jen during the rest of the fast.

Speaking of food:
Here's my new favorite drink and it goes down in the Frugal Living section just perfectly:

 Whereas I used to buy Lemonade Mix, loaded with sugar and only about 3 uses out of one canister (2 qts at a time), now I'm making homemade Lemonade as follows:

1 Cup Real Lemon Juice

1 Cup Sugar

2 Qts. cold water

Yummy!

It's funny how God has really opened my eyes to using different things during my Frugal Living season.   This is something I've always had on hand, but never thought of making my own lemonade out of it.   There are instances in the Bible where it says "And God opened their eyes......"   Sometimes we don't need to see something and sometimes we do.    The great thing about God is that He will cause us to see what He wants us to see, when it's time.   He's faithful like that!

So, there are my random thoughts for today.   Lots of things going on in my mind, but trusting God to take them and make some sense out of all of it.  

In the meantime, I'll rest in Him and keep on praying for open eyes and ears, to see and hear whatever it is He's wanting to say.

Have a blessed and frugal day:)

Job Status Update

I just realized today that I haven't updated our job status lately (or at all).  

First off - I have to brag on David.   I am married to a hard worker and I'm so thankful for that and for him!

Just a few days after he was fired, he was out joining a friend in the lawn care business - mowing, spraying, weeding, everything!  Yesterday he and Collin both worked from 8am to 9pm. 

I have such confidence in David to provide and care for our family.  I've never had to worry about losing this precious gift I have of being at home, because I know David will take care of things.    In 19 years, I've had the privilege of being at home and never once has he asked me to work.   God has always blessed us so sweetly; sometimes with very little to spare and sometimes with plenty.  But, it's always been enough and I've never had to leave my kids or abandon our calling to homeschool.

Thank you, Lord and thank you, David:)

Now - shall I move on?

There is much irony in looking for a job (at least in our life):

David has had 3 interviews with one particular company, who has always been a fierce competitor of his.   However, that's why they want him - because his reputation went before him and they know he's good at what he does.   Two years ago, he would have laughed at the thought of working with these guys, yet, now that he's actually taken time to get to know them, he realizes they are just regular guys, trying to make their business work.     We'll see how it all plays out.

This past Thursday, David, Collin and I, drove three hours away so David could meet with a man from the company that just stabbed him in the back.   Why?  Because he's not burning any bridges right now, until he has a paycheck in his hand.    Neither of us believe he should go back.   Ironically, that position is in Nashville, which is where I dream of living one day.   However, even that dream can be shelved for the sake of finding a decent company that appreciates a hard worker.     David deserves better than that.  (I have so much to say, but my lips are sealed and it's killing me!  I have to be really nice for a while longer.)

Collin and I had a nice time, though, while David was in his interview.   We were at the Boardwalk in Shreveport, La.    We shopped and ate pizza and had some good "son and mother time" as Collin put it.

 Collin in dreadlocks.

Obviously I drug him into a clothing store.

So, for now - until an offer comes along, David is working his behind off, taking care of this lawn business for his friend and I'm doing my best to be frugal.

I know God has a perfect plan and I trust Him to work it out in his time.    I have to admit, I was feeling anxious yesterday; not about money or not having a job.  But, about being stuck in the same place forever.  Sometimes it seems there is this gigantic world - actually I'm sticking with the U.S. - and I'm stuck in this tiny little corner, with no way out.  

I felt those same feelings 10 years ago, when David first accepted the job he just lost.   I wanted to move; to explore, to have some adventure.   Fortunately, God knew best, and He richly blessed us with that job and more experience than David every imagined he'd have.  He basically built his resume with that job.

The point is - I know God has a plan - I just hope it's going to allow us to spread out a little.

I prayed this year that God would do "something" with our family - then David got fired.  Yikes! Sorry honey!   But, I meant it.  No tragedy - but something exciting that would move us a little and unite us, even more, as a family.    God is creative and His ways are not our ways!   The great thing is - I trust Him 100%.   I just need prayer that I will hear Him - 100% - and David too.

So there you have it!  Still trusting.  Still believing God can and will redeem this situation.

I will say that David's stress level has decreased since losing his job (working for a jerk with do that to ya).  And, he's getting a good tan working in the sun all day.    He's 48 and he's still got it!  Love ya, honey:)

And, I'm off to wash my own suburban today (this ought to be a sight) and attempt to make some homemade laundry detergent - all for the sake of better living and saving money! 

Hey! A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!

Have any homemade remedies or recipes you want to share?  I'm open!

A Little Worried

You know it will be inevitable that, while trying all of these new home remedies, a mishap is bound to happen.   I truly thought this morning was going to bring that to fruition and boy was I worried!

My hair needs a trim, so it's been looking a little dry on the ends.   Therefore, I wanted to give it a good conditioning to see if I could repair it myself (hahaha).

So last night I followed a recipe for a deep conditioner using these two items:

Coconut Oil

and 

Lavender

The instructions say to heat 3 Tbsp of Coconut Oil and a few drops of Lavender in a pot on the stove, just until warm.  Then wet hair and pour the oil all over, massaging into scalp and thoroughly into ends. 

I did this and decided to leave it on my hair overnight and rinse in the morning.   

YIKES!

I jumped in the shower this morning, excited to see how "gorgeous" my hair would be (hahaha), and quickly realized - this stuff "ain't" coming out!

I rinsed and rinsed, got a little more worried, rinsed and rinsed some more, then realized I would have to do something I had not done in weeks..........use regular shampoo.   What a bummer!  But, it was the only solution I could come up with at the time!

So, I soaped up, just enough to de-grease my head and it finally all came out.  

Whew!  I thought I was going to be stuck inside for the weekend, trying to get the grease out of my hair!

Hmmmmm.   What went wrong?

I think I used too much for my length of hair.   

I probably would have done fine with about 1/2 of the oil.   Plus, I think sleeping on it congealed it to my hair, more than it would have, if I would have just rinsed after about 30 minutes or so. 

So there you have it!  My first mishap, but I survived.

Don't let this deter you though!   It's still a good way to go - you just have to use common sense and trial and error.    

Hey!  It's like I'm a Scientist.  The only problem is that I'm also the Guinea Pig!

Maybe I should ask for volunteers.........

(Hmmmm, where is everyone?  The house seems to be silent all of a sudden!)

If you're out there experimenting - I would love to hear your testimonies!

Can You Handle It - Hair Care

Meet my new 

Hair Care Team:

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you!

This is it!

My new Shampoo and Conditioner.

After years of spending lots of dollars on name brand

hair care products and still never finding the perfect formula,

I've finally found something that does a better job

AND

cost pennies:

Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar!

Yep! That's right!

Thanks to Jill over at Living On A Dime,

(Read about it HERE)

I found this great recipe.

It's so simple and so cost effective that you just have to try it!

What have you got to lose?

It's not like you're going to lose any money.

Here's the recipe:

(for recipe and testimony, check out Jill's site above)

Shampoo:

Mix 1 Tbsp. Baking soda with 8 oz. hot water

(I doubled this and put in the plastic squirt bottle shown.)

Conditioner:

Mix 1 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar 

with 8 oz. water

(Again, I doubled it and put it in the squirt bottle shown.)

During shower, 

Wet hair, squirt scalp and hair with Baking Soda solution

then rinse.

Squirt scalp and especially ends of hair with

Apple cider Vinegar solution

then rinse.

That's it!

The results will surprise you!

Now, on Jill's site, she tells you that the results sometimes take a few weeks to become obvious.

For her and for me, this was a much faster process!

In fact, I noticed a difference in my hair within the first few washings.

My hair feels thicker and healthier.

If you have naturally oily hair, you might have different results.

The most obvious thing you will miss are the SUDS,

and the SMELL.

Your soap-up session won't be nearly as exciting as it is with all the

chemically laden shampoos. However, have you noticed that many of the companies are going

Sulfate Free anyway?  This means if you want healthier hair, you're going to need to lose

the sulfates altogether!

I am in the process of researching some additional hair care recipes and if I find one I like,

I will post about it 

for sure!

In the meantime, I added a few drops of Lavender to my "conditioner"

to lend a pretty smell to the final rinse.

Lavender has some amazing properties, so who knows?

Then,

I went out and bought this:

Hey!

When you're trying to save money,

one of the quickest ways to do that is

cut your own hair.

Well, actually, no one has volunteered to cut

my hair, 

but,

I will be cutting Collin's and David's now and then.

Yes,

I actually know how!

I used to cut David's hair for years,

when we were young and poor.

Then we started getting comfortable with

spending too much on salon cuts and tips

and 

we thought we were too good for those front-porch haircuts

(Ted still thinks that).

Hey!  

I even got the bonus Cutting Cape!

I take my job seriously!

Book Review - The Voice (New Testament)

This will be the strangest book review I've ever done, due to the fact that I can't grasp the concept of the book.

The Voice is supposed to be a translation of The Bible that is in story form.  Yet, I'm so confused at what it is all about, that every time I open it to try and make my way through the pages, I end up closing it in frustration.

When I first received the book I started with the Introductory pages and attempted to read all the notes, so I would know exactly what I was about to read.   But, after 19 pages of notes, it was too much!

From there I attempted to get into the "meat" of the book, but I felt I was reading The Bible with a lot of speculation.  That may not be the case, but, it is filled with interjections and comments (I guess this is where all the contributors come in) and it left me feeling like I was reading a commentary instead of a true translation of God's Word.

My overall view of The Voice is that, to a "visual" person, it blows my mind!  It is too broken up, into too many pieces.   The bold print that introduces each individual speaker, breaks up the flow of scripture, as does the interjected comments on each page. 

I found my eyes darting from element to element, trying to figure out what it was all about.

I'm disappointed to have to give it a negative review, but I will admit - it may just be me.   I need clean lines and pages that aren't cluttered and choppy.   Basically, I need simplicity and The Voice just doesn't lend itself to simple!


*This book was given to me by BookSneeze, for review purposes only. *

A Tiny Corner in a Great Big World

IF you look closely you can see Fuzzy the rabbit, just behind the water bottles.   This is where she has lived for the past 4 years!   That's right - 4 years!   Who knew an impulse buy from Dad would last 4 years?   Not that we didn't hope she would be around for awhile, but we weren't counting on it.

Every day Collin would faithfully feed Fuzzy and check her water and make sure she was ok.  But lately, he was having some convictions about her being locked in this cage, day after day.   We all agreed that this was a sad life, but were leaving the choices up to him - which were to build a bigger pen or give her away.   Not easy choices for a kid.

Here's what he came up with:

Well, this is the idea he came up with and he and dad built it.   Isn't it great?   Plenty of "hopping around" room.

But, this is where she stays - in one little corner, where she has dug a little indention into the dirt. 

You can see her in the corner in this shot.

Did we take her security away by giving her bigger boundaries?  When we thought we were giving her freedom, did we actually make her less secure?   Hmmm.  Something here can surely apply to our lives.     I think I will let you chew on that without me interjecting.

Are you stuck in your little corner - afraid to explore?

Just thinking outloud here.......

Have a great day!

Just A Little Talk With Jesus...

Remember that song "Just A Little Talk With Jesus"?   I had one of those last night and it was so sweet.

It was the perfect evening for walking, which was surprising considering we are usually infested with mosquitoes around dusk.    For some reason, they weren't out last night.  Maybe God knew I needed to spend some time, walking the drive way and talking to Him. 

I didn't plan this out - it just came about - when David got home from "work" (more on that later).  I went out to meet him and felt the cool breeze on my face and knew that I wanted to spend some time alone, just me and God,  (plus I needed to walk off the ice cream bar I had that afternoon).

So, after greeting David, I ran back inside, put my walking shoes on, and proceeded to walk up and down the drive way, all the while in conversation with my loving Savior.

Our driveway

(curves to the right, around the privacy fence

at the very end)

It was such a sweet time of praying, confessing, interceding, and praise.  For about 20 minutes,  I walked and talked (outloud)  - just me and God.   I felt the peace that only He can give, in so many areas of our life that could cause me to fear.  

But what good would fear bring me?  So instead of walking and asking "Why me, Lord?", I praised him for this land he has given us.   It may not be huge or in the ideal town or neighborhood, but we're safe and happy and it's ours.   

I praised Him for the new passion He's given me for going more natural with my household - cleaning products, health, hygiene, meals, etc.      A few months ago, I was on the fence about switching over to these home remedies and recipes - they just seemed like more trouble.   Now, I have this overflowing excitement about everything I'm doing!

Then there is the budget.   This is another area that I am actually jumping up and down about!  How crazy is that?   But, here's the deal:  it's just like a kid who has no boundaries.   These are the kids that are out of control.  They bounce around and get in trouble because they don't know where the parameters are.     Budgeting gives me freedom!  I know my boundaries.  I know my limits.   I've not perfected this area yet (I still want to eat out at least once a week), but God is working there!

What's great about trying to save money is the challenge and the creativity it demands.   I think that's the part that makes me excited!  I love to have to think outside the box and then watch something come from an idea.    I think God has a huge part in this!  Afterall, He is creative and we're made in His image. 

After praising Him for all of these things in my life, I spent time interceding for my family.  What a privilege to be able to lift up my husband and my boys - all for wisdom and direction - to the throne of God.   I can trust in Him to guide and direct them, in all of their decisions.

You know - months ago I began praying for God to do something with our family (but no tragedy - which I always pray against) that would unite us, gives us something to do for Him - and here we are.

I honestly have no idea where God is taking us or what His plans are - but I know this:  He has never let me down!   Anytime He has removed something from our lives, it's been so much better on the other side.    He is faithful and I trust Him.   

So that was my evening - sweet and simple fellowship with the Lord. 

(After I tired out on the drive way, I planted myself on the porch swing and continued my fellowship there.)

I hope the mosquitoes don't come out tonight!   I would love to make this my nightly meeting place - just my Lord and me.

If you're struggling with something today, I encourage you to plan a meeting tonight - just you and God.   He'll be waiting for ya!

Blessings,

Debbie

The End of an Era

Today marks the end of a tradition for me - the closing of The South East Texas Homeschool Association (SETHSA) Homeschool Conference.  

After 25 years of hosting the conference in Houston, they are shutting their doors, due to low participation.

According to their press release (read it HERE) homeschooling parents are using bookstores and online shopping, to meet their curriculum needs.  

Well, YES, we do that, but that doesn't mean we don't want to go mill around in that great big auditorium and drink our coffee, while chatting with our best friend, while touching and feeling all the books we want!

Not to mention - sit in the workshops, learn a new perspective on something, and get just one more page of notes on how to be organized!   Come on people!

I'm having a hard time with this!

I attended my first ever conference here, back when Ted was 4 years old and I was brand new to the idea of teaching him at home.     He is now 3 weeks away from turning 19!

I went into that first conference wide-eyed and curious about this adventure we call homeschooling.   I attended workshops given by various parents/vendors.   They were the true pioneers of the homeschooling movement.     Does anyone remember Greg Harris (father of Joshua Harris)?  How about the Barths?

In fact - some of the first "How to" books I bought there were by Jeff and Marge Barth.   Take a look:

They had kids named Charity and such.   I'm not even sure I would agree with anything they had
to say, these days, but it was a different time back then.    I was soaking up all I could from these rebels who had gone before me, to pave the way for us newcomers.   I'm still thankful for that.

I remember walking the aisle of the Vendor Hall and being overwhelmed at all the choices.  Wow!  It was like a little taste of Heaven for this girl!   Books, books, and more books!

I think my first purchases were Abeka 1st Grade History, Abeka Kinder Science,  and all of the Barth Missionary Stories.   This may have even been where I bought the Miller Series Readers, which I enjoyed with my boys, for many years.    What great memories!

Then, in the latter years, my friend Jessica and I would meet there.   This would be our once-a-year meeting.   One year she even drove all the way from Mexico (where she lived) to meet me.  Amazing friend, right there! (Love you Jess!)    She and I met there this past summer and had a great time, once again.    I guess we'll have to start a new tradition.

Well, all good things will most likely come to an end, eventually.   There will be other conferences, other workshops, and other places to buy our books.   But, SETHSA will always hold my memories.

I'm sorry to see you go guys!

Thanks for the good times,
Debbie

The New Healthcare

Something I've realized over the past few weeks is that it is dangerous to have your Health Insurance, Life Insurance, and all other forms of insurance, wrapped up in your employer.   Consequently, when you lose your job - you lose your insurance.

Thankfully, God has our back, and I know He can protect us and provide anything we need, therefore, I must trust Him,  but it has made me step up and think outside the box.

I was already experimenting with a few Tinctures and Teas - recipes I've found HERE - and have been very happy with the results.

I'm also in the very beginning stage of learning about Essential Oils from Young Living, and can't wait to get my first batch in the mail, next week!

So, this week I've been brewing this:

 Shoshanna's Honey Tincture

from

The Bulk Herb Store

This yummy concoction is a Flu Fighter!  Who doesn't need one of those?

Here are the ingredients: 

Yarrow flowers - treats fever, nausea, promotes sweating

Whole Elderberries - good for bronchitis, colds, cough, and flu

Echinacea purpurea herb - antiviral, anti-inflammaroty, builds resistance to respiratory

and digestive infections

Raw Honey

If you order from The Bulk Herb Store, you receive your products in the mail, within a few days.   The measurements are so small (1/4 cup and 3/4 cup) that you will have plenty of product to make several batches.   The only suggestion I would add is to find a local honey provider and buy your honey by the gallon.    I used the honey from the BH Store and although it was the best tasting honey ever - it was too costly and not in large quantity, so I was limited as to how many batches I could make. 

After you mix the ingredients and put them in a pint sized jar, you set it in your crockpot for 3 days on low (always put a folded towel on the bottom of the crock, before you fill it with water, to keep the jar from breaking.  The order would go: towel, jar, water.)

During the 3 days, your crock stays on low and will lose about 2-3 inches of water now and then.  Just fill a glass with hot water and refill crock, keeping the water level up to the rim of the jar lid (not over).  You might have to do this several times a day.  (Never use cold water to refill crock.)

 After 3 days you are ready to strain the tincture off, into a new jar.   This is a messy process, but not hard.  You will need about a foot of cheesecloth to strain the herbs.

 I enlisted a little help for this step.

Thanks David!

There is a step here that gets very messy, which I didn't get a picture of, but once you pour a good amount of herbs into the cloth, you must gather the cloth at the top, and twist it to help the straining process.   It's like squeezing a washcloth.  You will have messy hands, but this is the only way to squeeze all the tincture from the herbs.

You can go to the Bulk Herb Store website and actually watch YouTube videos of her making different tinctures with this method.
 

After straining the tincture into a bowl, you then pour it into a clean jar and you will be done.  Here is the finished product:

It doesn't look like much, but at 1/2 - 1 tsp every few hours, it would serve your household well for flu season.   And, like I said, if you bought a gallon of honey, rather than small jars, you could actually make as many batches as you would like.   This makes a great gift too!

So, there you have it!  My new healthcare plan!  Hey - God made the plants with a purpose, right?

If you venture out into the Tincture and Tea world, please write me and let me know.   I would love to hear your story.

Have a great Saturday!

Debbie

Coupon Frustration

I'm trying to be frugal here ladies!

But, 

it's 

not 

easy!

I quit couponing for awhile because it was too stressful!

Too much searching and sorting,

cutting and manipulating.

So, I went back to the old system

of just sticking with one store,

making a menu, 

making a list,

peacefully strolling

through the store

(actually that's not true),

making my weekly purchases.

However, 

desperate times

call for.....

well - you know - 

so I started buying Sunday papers again,

cutting like crazy,

trying my best to match up coupons

to sales,

and.....

I'm frustrated again!

I spent way too much time in the grocery store

today, trying to match coupons to sales, only

to get up to the counter and have

the manager tell me that

some of my coupons weren't able to be used.

This is why I hate coupons!

You see, the rule used to be that any coupon

that said "Manufacture Coupon" could be used

at any store. 

Well........

Market Basket has once again changed the rules!

So, about 5 big ticket coupons were

NO GOOD

when I got to the register

and at that point,

I'm not going to pull out the items (which I need)

and make a big fuss.

I normally shop at Kroger and I'm very happy there,

so

lesson learned.....

Sanity is worth paying a little more!

Nuff said.

Welcome to Frugalville

Before David lost his job, I was trying to move in a more frugal direction, just to be smarter in our spending.   Now, it's more of a necessity, in order to prepare for the unknown future we've been thrust in to.  Either way - spending LESS is always better - and getting a good deal is a thrill!

Here are a few "good deals" I've experienced over the past few days:

First off - 7am Monday morning - I had to go to the dentist.  Since last Thursday night I've been suffering with a horrible toothache and this was the soonest they could get me in to see the doctor.   Of course, being that our insurance was taken from us last Monday, I was very concerned about how much this appointment would cost and what the results would be.   So on the way there, I prayed for God to bless me with his favor and spare us the high cost of dental work.   I'm happy to say, that although I will have to have some work done down the road, the dentist didn't charge me for that early morning visit!  Thank you, Lord! 

I did get two prescriptions from him that needed to be filled for my tooth.   I normally go to Walgreens, but on the way home I remembered something our pediatrician told me years ago about Walgreens being more expensive than any other pharmacy, so I headed to Wal-mart instead.   Yes, this was a challenge for me, because going there is a pain and I have always spent a few extra dollars, just to avoid the place.   However, I'm trying to be as frugal as I can, so in I went.    I honestly had no idea what to expect.   Medicine can be so costly, especially without insurance, but I needed them, so I took the risk.   Lo and behold!  I walked out of there for $7. 62 !!  Praise God, once again!

Yesterday afternoon, we discovered that, since we've all gone to MAC's in this household, David had no way of working on his resume' and sending it out as a Word document to people using Windows.      He tried several times, but kept getting calls saying it wouldn't open.   We were then faced with the decision of needing to buy Microsoft Word, which was, at it's lowest price, $119.00!      The problem was, that even after spending that amount on the program, we would be installing it on an old laptop we had,  that was already 4 years old and out of date, by computer standards.   Was that a smart idea?  No!  We couldn't afford to spend that money and risk it not working correctly on the old computer.

So, I had to THINK.......

Hmmm, David had an iPad that he told me to sell last week.   He never used it and it was just collecting dust, so we talked to Verizon (they have a Trade-in program) and were planning on trading it in on a Verizon credit, but had not made it to the store yet.     So yesterday, I remembered that Best Buy has a Trade-In program as well, and I happened to have a few Best Buy gift cards (one from a return the week before and one from Reward points).

I began to research Best Buy, Verizon, and Office Depot, who all have Trade-In programs for electronics (good info for all of you frugal people!) to see where I could get the most money for the iPad.    It took me about 30 minutes on the computer, but in the end, I settled on Best Buy. 

Next, I called the store to make sure they took trade-ins onsite (as opposed to mail-in) and the guy who answered told me it had to be bought at Best Buy in order to trade it in, in-store.   So, I called the 1-800 number for Best Buy, and got a different story, saying that the store should take the trade, no matter where it was originally bought.   Hmmm......what to do?

I gathered up the iPad, my gift cards, and Collin (who had b-day money burning a hole in his pocket) and we headed to Best Buy to see what we could do.

I took the iPad straight to customer service and what do ya know......they took the trade-in and I instantly had another gift card in hand!  (That just goes to show - try it, even if the guy on the phone tells you a different story!)

Armed with 3 gift cards now, I headed to the computer section of the store and began looking for a laptop in our price range, which was not a big amount!   I found one that would fit David's needs and found the Word program we needed and proceeded to check out.

For inspiration's sake, I'm going to share the exact deal I got, just in case anyone needs to be spurred on to try this!  Who doesn't need to save money these days?

The laptop I spotted on-line was $349.99 and the Word program was $119.99 - add tax of $38.77 and the total would have been $508.75.    Not what we needed to spend at this time!

However, here's how the deal went down:

Different laptop than online              $329.99

Microsoft Word (discounted because
we were buying a computer at the same time)  $99.99

With all giftcards applied:   Total walkout price   $253.84!   
For a brand new laptop & Microsoft Word/Office

What a deal!   Well worth the small amount of time it took to research and trade-in something not being used.

I think I like this frugal thing!

My next challenge is to get a good deal on a new mattress.     If I come up with anything fantastic, I'll let you know.

Until then.......
Look for the blessings!

Only in Texas

Only in TEXAS!

One More Teen

Today I am officially the mom of TWO teens!  I am scared just typing that piece of information!

My little Monkey Pants named Collin is 13 today!  Of course, so true to Collin's incessant need for answers and specifics, he asked me at midnight the exact time of his birth.   He is a stickler for details and he didn't want to celebrate until he was OFFICIALLY 13!    This kid cracks me up!

Collin has been my sidekick since the day he was born.   A tad bit dependent, very demanding, and sometimes a challenge, he was a tough one to figure out.   God gave him a personality that demands details, thrives on doing the right thing, and wants to follow the rules.    The first few years of his life, I spent much time in prayer - asking the Lord to help me understand Collin.   He had a personality that needed the seams on his socks to be perfectly aligned with his toes.   His shirt had to fit just right and his shorts could never be slightly crooked on his body or he would drive you crazy!   So many things for a mother to figure out and deal with.

I honestly didn't know if I would live to see him as a teen and THAT is no lie!  He challenged me to my very core and tried my sanity many times.

However, I had hope!  I was clinging to two things - PRAYER and some old wives' tale about - "bad toddler - good kid" and I was claiming that all over the place!

Funny thing is - over the years, God not only grew Collin into an amazing young man, but he grew MOM into more of a mother and less of a selfish, impatient, woman.   Funny how HE does things like that!

Today I could not be more proud of the young man that Collin has become.  

 He is still my sidekick, still has an incessant need for details, but his heart is huge.   He is obedient and loves to please.  He's sensitive to the needs of others and concerned about the feelings of others.    He's very forgiving and seeks forgiveness often.    He is passionate about right and wrong and he's passionate about the things that are important to this family.   He's bold in his desire that everyone know about Christ and has begged me several times, to let him go to public school for one day, so he can take his Bible and dare anyone to tell him he can't display it.    Passion!  One day God will use that passion to further HIS kingdom!

One of my favorite things about Collin is his sense of humor.   He is constantly making me laugh.   He's always dancing around the house, imitating Tim Hawkins or some other funny person.   He just makes life fun.

But, more importantly, Collin is a hard worker.   He's good with outside work and will stick it out, right beside David, for many hours.   He's grown into quite the young farmhand!   We're very thankful for the help.   I know the animals love him!

All in all, we are so blessed to be the parents of this young man.

Collin we love you and treasure our 13 years with you.   We look forward to watching you grow into a young adult and can't wait to see how God uses you in the future.

Keep making us laugh and keep your passion for Christ strong!

We are proud to be your parents!

We love you,
Mom and Dad
and big brother, Ted

I Will Praise You in the Storm

I'm sitting here at the keyboard wondering how to start this post.  My husband was laid off yesterday - or fired - as he keeps saying.   Either way - we are now jobless.

If he hated Mondays before  - he will certainly have a bad taste for them now.

When you spend 10 years with a company, you expect a little more from them.   But, when all the people who hired you and built a relationship with you, sell out to the "big guys" for millions of dollars, you become just another face in the crowd.   You're no longer valuable.   Loyalty means nothing.

So, in a few hours, on a Monday morning, your life can turn.   And, ours did.

But, lest you believe that we are devastated, let me tell you - we are not!

God has shown His face and already given us the reassurance that He is with us, and THESE are the things I want to dwell on, from now until forever.

God has slowly been preparing us for a life change - I believe.


He was preparing David by giving him an "unsettled" feeling in his job; causing him to update his resume a few months ago.

He prepared me by giving me this overwhelming desire to get our budget in order, clean out clutter, and start making some changes in our lifestyle, resulting in saving money.

And, he prepared us as a family on Sunday night as we studied our Bible lesson on the book of Job and suffering.   How cool is that?  *(In our Family Integrated Bible Study class, the lessons are in order of a Story Cloth, but God knew that we would need that EXACT lesson, on that exact night!  Awesome! No one but God could have orchestrated such a perfectly timed event.)

So, you see - God has already been preparing us for this.   He wasn't surprised by it and that brings me comfort.   That just means that He's already got the path laid out and we just need to stick close to Him and follow his lead.

We were bombarded and I'm not exaggerating, with phone calls yesterday!  David had at least 4 men call and tell him of positions that could possibly work out for him.    One employee (and friend) just got in his truck and came to our house.   That touched me more than anything.   His employees loved him and they are all devastated over this.   He was a great boss to them and I believe their lives will be different because they worked for him.    He cared about each one of them and they knew it.

But, God has bigger plans and I'm ready to see what they are!

I'm not afraid of the storm.  In fact, I am reminded of the song "I Will Praise You in the Storm."   I want God to be glorified through this trial.   I want others to gain hope through our storm.   I want to look for God in the details.   This is more than human stupidity being played out - this is God, taking us on one of His crazy rides!   I'm hanging on!  You just never know what He's going to do!

So, we covet your prayers.   Pray for David to have wisdom as he receives (God willing) different offers.   Pray for our dollars to stretch and for me to do a good job of telling our dollars where to go.   (Good thing I've taken up coupons again!)

And pray that our boys will watch and learn - learn that God has their back, no matter what life throws their way.

And to that I say - Amen and amen.

In Christ's hands,
Debbie


This post is linked to Write It, Girl today
(See side bar for their box)

Friday Night Worship

Many years ago, if you would have told me that I would be standing in a church on a Friday night, singing praise and worship music, bowing my head in prayer, holding hands with a bunch of strangers in a prayer circle, I would have adamantly denied the possibility.

Last night I did all of those things and it was wonderful!

This is no surprise to anyone who knows me now (and for the last 24 years), but to that dumb, young, lost girl of so many years ago, Friday nights weren't for church.

Sometimes I regret not growing up in church.  I would have liked to have had the guidance of the Holy Spirit back then.    But, God knew what He was doing and He didn't start wooing me until I was about 22 years old.   I think He knew I would appreciate this life more, if I could experience the life of lost-ness first.

I guess that's true in so many circumstances - we appreciate the good, when it finally arrives - because we've experienced the bad and lived through it.

What would make salvation sweeter than it already is?  Knowing that life without Christ is basically, Hell on Earth.    I know it - I've lived it - Been there, Done that - NOT going back!    That's what makes salvation at an older age, so sweet and so precious.

So last night, I'm standing in this sweet church - a smaller church compared to our regular church - but one that so graciously opens it's doors to many outreach opportunities - and I'm not only singing and worshiping, but I'm privileged to have my son Ted on stage leading worship.    This is a double blessing.   Add to that - my husband and my younger son, Collin, worshiping along side of me, and my life is pretty sweet!

Friday nights aren't what they used to be.......
and that's a good thing!

Budgeting - A Welcomed Challenge (and Update)

Here it is - the 3rd month already - and I thought I should give a quick update on the budgeting attempt.

The month of February was a little iffy due to travel and needing to tweak the envelope system just a bit. We also traded a car, bought a suburban, and made a few other financial changes, so I had to re-adjust everything on paper.  Throw in the fact that March has three paydays (if you get paid bi-monthly) and it took me awhile to figure out where everything needed to go.

After the initial month of working with the cash envelopes, I decided to change a few of the categories back to the Check card, for several reasons.

First, I like to allocate all the spending categories at the first of the month and have all the numbers in place, rather than split it in two, and wait two weeks to replenish.   This may seem like it would be harder, but for me, I like seeing the whole, rather than parts.  What this means, though, when using cash, is that you have an enormous (well, that's an exaggeration) amount of cash in your envelopes at the beginning of the month.   Not good!

So, rather than risk carrying so much cash around, I decided to leave the bigger categories, such as Groceries and Gas, in the bank and just use the Check Card on these.    I saved the smaller categories for the cash envelopes and especially ones that aren't used very often.  Some of these include Hair cuts, Pets, Allowance and Misc.    

Another pain in the envelope system is finding just the right holder for your money.   I have several Dave Ramsey items, including the Leather Envelope holder and the Leather Organizer Wallet and those are nice.  However, I was trying to use a simple, plastic, accordion file that fit in my purse, but it didn't work out so well.  

You see, here's the deal - I hate standing in line to pay, with people all around, and then pulling out this big (well, purse size) gadget with cash inside.   I'm a private person, so to think that everyone is looking at my system - well, it bugs me!     Secondly -the file was very stiff plastic and hard to get into.  So, I've resorted to white envelopes, stuck in my wallet.   Not the greatest, but basic and private, in the way that I can just grab one at a time. 

Aside from the changes and re-adjustments that need to be made every so often, what I do like about living out of envelopes and using a budget, is that boundaries feel good!

I think I mentioned this in one of the previous posts, but it's worth saying again:
Boundaries feel good!

It's the old idea that "kids need boundaries" - well, so do adults!  We need to have the lines drawn on "how much" and "when to stop".   This keeps us challenged, for our own good.  If we never have to live within the lines, then we will not develop self-control (one of the fruits of the Spirit), and God wants us to have self-control!   I think that's why it feels good; because it's a request that comes from God.

What I enjoy about this challenge is testing myself to see if I can really accomplish the goal.   For instance - knowing that I only have $50 for Haircuts each month, makes me want to get creative - either in finding the best barber (for the boys) for the cheapest price or it even has me contemplating giving haircuts on the front porch once a month (which I used to be very good at, by the way). 

Another example of challenging yourself to save, is in the area of Utilities.  Whereas, you might not have always been conscientious of turning off lights or not running the water needlessly, this changes when on a budget and here's why:  It's not just the idea that you don't want to go OVER your allotted amount.  It's the idea that every penny UNDER your allotted amount, is just money in the bank!  


Since you separate your funds each payday and place them (on paper) in all the assigned categories, you are challenged to stay within your budget and try your best to stay UNDER your budget.   If you do, then whatever is not spent out of each category, stays in that place for future use, or gets moved to the "Extra" category, which you've determined the use for (vacations, hard times, debt payoff, etc.)  So, it's well worth being creative and frugal, just to fill up that Extra savings account and reap the rewards!


So, I am trying to live up to this challenge and I hope I succeed!  It's different; yet, I like it!


I'm not as quick to buy without thinking and I'm even passing up little treats and meals out, just to stay within the lines.   


So far, it's fun and challenging - not confining in the way I used to think of budgeting.  


Have you started your budget yet?  I would love to hear about your successes and areas of trouble that you're working on.   Let's encourage one another!


 

Remove Me and Use Me

I absolutely love when God orchestrates several details to make his point! 

I hope this doesn't seem like a scattered post, but I've got it all in my head and will try to put it into words, the best I can.

In our Bible Study class last night, we studied the Tower of Babel story in Genesis.  We really focused on the aspect of God scattering them, in direct relation to their disobedience to Him.   When they spoke one language they had power to work together and build something that was not honoring to God; something that took their focus off of God's desire for them.   As a result of their focus being on their own strengths and not on God's purpose, they dishonored Him.

Because of what God saw in their actions (and most likely, in their hearts) He confused their language and scattered them; therefore, separating them from one another.    I would guess this was a painful process for the people because we like to run in herds, for lack of a better term.

And, we are no different today than they were back then!

We like to be a part of organizations, groups, cliques, committees and other clusters of people.   We enjoy the fellowship, the accomplishments, and sometimes we even thrive on the "kudos" we get from the other members or those who are watching what we do.

There are times when God leaves us there, to do what He wants us to do.   Then there are times when He pulls us away from our cluster and asks us to walk alone.   This is tough!  I know firsthand that it goes against what all of those groups proclaim.    But, it's very often what God asks us to do, in order for Him to use us.

Sometimes God pulls us away from our service at church or the mission field; sometimes it's away from relationships and friendships.    Each time He requires this, we feel pulled by the ones left behind.  They don't understand why you can't or won't join them.   Sometimes they will even question if you're actually following God's will.  However, they are focused, once again, on the group, not on the individual.

I've experienced this several times in my years as a Christian; even in the very beginning, when God was "wooing" me and turning my heart from the world to Him.    

In later years,  God separated me from service at church, in order that I would take up the ministry of raising and homeschooling my children, without the distraction of outside work or accolades.

Throughout those years, he has occasionally removed me from certain friendships; ones that caused grief or strife in my heart, or took my focus off of Him.

Each time God has removed me from something, He has always been faithful to reveal, not his purpose, but his peace, that it was for a reason.    It was up to me to trust Him and each time I did, I would be satisfied to know that what he was doing, was for my benefit and for His glory.

To cap off our lesson last night, I had two friends confirm that God was in the process of removing them from service, for a season.   Each one has a peace about what God is doing in their lives.

God is faithful ladies!  He "has a plan - plans to prosper us, not to harm us."   We only have to trust and obey!

Is God removing you from something today?   Is he revealing to you a new route - maybe one where you must walk alone for a season?    If so, don't fight it!    Let God take you where He can use you for His glory and His plan.  

You might walk alone - as far as no longer part of the crowd.  But, you'll never walk alone, as far as God standing with you and guiding and leading you.    You just have to trust that He knows what He's doing.   After all - He is God.

Happy walking,
Debbie