Lessons Through the Season

Hello again!

This time it hasn't been too long since I've written.  I'm getting better at this.  Composing my thoughts and my pics is definitely the hardest part.  I still use my phone for pics and loading them to the computer feels like more of a burden than it truly is.  I am grateful, however.

That reminds me daily of two important verses: Philippians 2:14 and 1 Timothy 6:6.
1st: "Do everything without grumbling or arguing," NIV or "Do everything without complaining and disputing." NKJV
That is Philippians 2:14.  If no one has ever mentioned, that is hard to do but complaining means that we are ungrateful. Stop for a moment and think. We complain because of the stop lights on the way to work but have you ever had to pass through a busy intersection when the lights weren't working and you didn't instinctively have the right of way? Those lights are there for order.  We ought to be thankful.  My wonderful children struggled through dinner tonight with much grumbling and I reminded them that God has never let them starve.  Even now, my oldest is baking cookies.  We eat because it is God's provision for us,  Sometimes we don't love what's cooked but the alternative in my house is you don't like this, you get nothing else and no dessert.  When we don't feel like doing dishes, we must remember that we have a sink full because we are being fed.  I am reminded of this as I pass the local Food Bank in the morning and the line wraps around the building.  Many of the most needy go without.  It's easy to assume that people just want a handout or are lazy.  Yes, some are.  I have overheard those conversations.  We also say that if they were real Christians, they would be blessed by God and not be in this situation.  Nope.  Jesus himself said that we will have the poor with us always (Matthew 26:11).  Many Christians you know live below the poverty line but are blessed to obey the Word and be good stewards.  That makes the difference.  But, just as in Bible days, the widow and the injured cannot help themselves and cannot qualify for many, if any benefits.  The underemployed couple with no children, or few children and the elderly suffer.  Imagine feeding yourself on $200 a month with the cost of groceries what they are.  Besides, we judge the homeless but it is doubtful that anyone would invite them to dinner.  Trust me, I struggle with that truth too.

That leads to 1 Timothy 6:6, "But Godliness with contentment is great gain."  Christmas is fast approaching and the "lists" are rolling out and the materialism is on the rise.  The ads entice us to want this and want that.  A gallup poll showed that the average American will spend $786 this Christmas.  First I was shocked.  Way out of my price range.  Then I remembered how easy that would be.  One iPad and one new game system and you're nearly there. Most of this consumerism is simply leading to more debt and a lower quality of family life for kids.  I don't claim to be perfect, but here are some points to remember when shopping for your kids:

1: They won't remember the toy in a few years, let alone who bought it.
2: They won't be happy with it long and will already be plotting their birthday gift a few days later.
3: Toys will never take the place of time spent together.
4: For babies and toddlers, the box will always be more interesting than the toy within, rightfully so.
5: For babies and toddlers, studies have shown that all of the flashing lights and sounds do not
    improve a child's ability to focus.  It may hurt it.

I was an only child.  I pretty much got whatever I wanted and my fondest memories are still about time spent.  Trips we would take and the simple times we dined out together.  I still love New England hot dog buns because they remind me of eating with my mother at Friendly's and having a hot dog and clam chowder.  Oyster crackers are the best! Ask me to name one toy she bought me...sorry, no dice.  Food memories are the strongest for me.  Great catfish in Atlanta, crawfish etoufee, beignets and coffee in New Orleans (gator on a stick too), chimichangas at a place called The Ground Round that no longer exists in New York.  Now, we eat in mostly and I'm not perfect, I need to spend more time with my children, but I know that spending $800 on my family isn't going to change the need for time spent.  It will further damage my credit, though.

Speaking of gratefulness and contentment, I have not bought anymore yarn but have cast on a very simple nursing shawl.  It makes good use of the bamboo/cotton yarn I purchased on impulse from Ebay.

It's a bit further now.  I knit as much as I can when I can.  I pretty much take it with me anywhere.  I recently watched the Left Behind movie with Nicolas Cage and I couldn't stand it.  It was just so glamorized and I felt it detracted from the truth.  It almost seemed as though the Rapture was a bad thing and not one what we should strive to make.  But I've never finished the series of books because I had started reading them before they were all published and every time I started again, I felt I had to start at the beginning.  I just couldn't start at the beginning again.  I did find an audio series on Youtube, though.  It's great listening for knitting.  Check it out.  It was done for radio, so the storyline is basically the same but there is far more dialogue.  It is like those classic radio shows.  I am already into Assassins.  I am having the hardest time uploading them from Youtube, but you can check it out.  Just search Left Behind audiobook on Youtube and click the second series playlist.  That way, you can sit and listen and not have to get up to change the book. I am truly grateful for this because it has added a moment of peace and joy to my day.

I have much more to post, I have been busy.  However, this post is long enough.  Take some time monitor your complaining and remember that you are blessed whether you have much or little.  As long as you have God, you've got it all.

Why, Hello

My, it's been quite a long time.  I almost gave up. I spent almost four months exhausted (did I mention I'm pregnant?) and the rest of the time I had caught the knitting bug full-time and could not pull myself from the couch and my needles.  I apologize.  I follow other blogs like that as well.  One is a college student, I believe.  But I have been productive.  I completed one sock and got past the heel on another.  I knit a couple ear-warming headbands and started work on a shawl.  So, my minimizing of my stash seems to be coming along nicely.  Unfortunately, I keep finding balls of yarn...strange...

Anyhow, fall is such a lovely time of year.  Time to break out the cups of cocoa and copious amounts of hot tea. Time for thinking ahead to Christmas and trying to beat the Christmas knitting rush or knit like mad just to prepare for cold.  I admit that with all of the amazing character changes my walk with Christ has brought, being unselfish with my knitting has not been one of them.  I find that when I produce something for my children, they fail to care for it and it frustrates me.  So I knit for me, mainly.  Fall is also for photos like this:

This tree is such an amazing color.  I feel like it's on fire.  I had to capture this and of course, I'm still faithfully snapping my pics on my phone.  I would need to be consistent before I spent money on something else.  Something else Fall is for is for reading.  It's so chilly some days that snuggling on the couch with a blanket and a good book is unavoidable.  I recently finished this classic:

I loved it, but it made we want to read my Bible more, so I haven't picked up anything else.  I am now just diving into the world of powerful prayer and I have to thank Frank Peretti for the extra boost.  As for knitting, these are my nearly done socks:

Finishing is the hardest part for me.  Once the work is easy, I take it for granted and put it down.  I have to commit to a few rows a day and it will be done in no time.

Finally, Fall is for mellowing out.  Summer has wound down, the days have shortened and the weather has forced us back into our homes.  The school year is in full swing, the kids have their days scheduled and the household cleaning load has doubled.  These past few weeks have been about unwinding to some JJ Heller. She is such a lovely, Christian folk artist.  Her songs resonate and I find even the ones meant to help you through struggle to be uplifting.  I am thankful that I have Amazon Prime and that she has her songs on their prime music list.  I can play any of her albums, in any order I want without paying monthly.  Of course, I do have to pay annually, but it has other perks too, so I pay it faithfully.  I am always looking for new Christian music to listen to.  Music is such a big part of my life.  It was before Jesus met me on my path of self-destruction and turned me around, and it is now.  I try to avoid anything that doesn't glorify the things of God, so when I find something that soothes and uplifts, I run with it (not literally, I am no athlete).

Here's a song by JJ Heller that resonates with me. It is called "Control."  I'm sure long-time listeners will roll their eyes because it's not a new song, but I loved it when I heard it.  It's not the official video because I wanted you to enjoy the version that I listen to, which has less professional background sound.  I hope you enjoy and are as blessed by it as I am.

                    

Shifting Gears

I apologize for the long disappearance.  Life has been busy and my focus has shifted.  Not to things I've never focused on, but more intensely on these things and for that reason, my blog is shifting.  Not away from my faith and or my lack of organization, but I want to share more of what I'm crafting and the impact it is having on my life.

Knitters know that there is a certain peace and pleasure that comes with the clicking of two needles.  I love to cast on something new.  I'm not as good at finishing.  I think many knitters know this too.  The feel of new fiber in your hands makes you want to start something new right away.  I started a sweater that I had to frog due to a large number of dropped stitches from a pulled needle.  I didn't feel like fighting with fingering weight yarn.  But, when I'm without something to do, I know I can knit.  When I am waiting in line at the drive thru teller, I knit.  When I'm hanging with friends, I can knit.  I love it.  I feel very blessed to have this craft.  I am learning to not be selfish with it, but it can be a struggle when others don't appreciate what you've made as much as you do.  Either way, as this has always been a focus on my life and how it relates to my relationship with my Lord, I will continue to blog as I see fit, with no restraints.  I will be dropping all of the catchy day titles except Wisdom Wednesday because I absolutely love sharing what I've learned from reading my Bible.  Until next time, have a blessed evening.

Minimal Monday

So, I skipped out on Friday because what could I tell you to eat? I had Chinese food for dinner.  I suppose I could have mentioned that I recently discovered how yummy sliced and roasted tomatoes could be, drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled with salt, pepper and garlic.  Homemade cashew cream is yummy too.  Roasted peppers, tomatoes and broccoli are some of my faves.  But then, there was breakfast.

3 - 4 Medjool Dates, pitted, soaked
1/2 cup whole rolled oats
1/4 - 1/3 cup almond milk
cinnamon to taste
frozen raspberries
crushed walnuts

First, determine how long you want the dates to soak.  Overnight makes them super soft.  Fifteen minutes makes a difference too.  I used to use the regular dates because I figured they weren't that different except that I got more for less.  I was wrong.  The Medjool is where it's at! Anyhow, just soak them for 15 minutes or more.  I cooked the oats and almond milk mix for however long it would take to cook the oats.  I drained the dates.  If the oatmeal is a bit dry or hard (you know how oatmeal can lose its moisture) add more almond milk or keep some of the water in with the dates.  Add the oatmeal to a food processor with the dates, and cinnamon and process until the dates are fully incorporated without any "date bits" floating around.  I suggest doing this while the oatmeal is still a bit hot.  It will gently thaw the raspberries.  Then pour the oats over the frozen raspberries and top with the walnuts.  This was amazing.

Can you tell?  The photo was an after thought.

This is a great way to reduce the refined sugar in your oatmeal.  The dates made it perfectly sweet while the raspberries added a nice somewhat sour note that paired nicely with the sweetness and the walnuts provided that crunch while bumping up some of the protein value.  Besides that, the oatmeal was creamy with none of those random oat bits that I just realized I didn't like.  It ate more like a porridge.

In minimizing news, the only thing I've done recently is remove most of my children's toys.  This was done because many were broken bits, also many of them were argued over so often that I was going mad.  So, that was one big removal that I had undertaken.  I did have to add to my collection of stuff by buying some more school books.  I also had a lapse and bought some cotton/bamboo yarn.  That was a huge mistake because it has caused me to long for new yarn.  I am, however, knitting away on a shawl to use up four balls of Eden Silk that I had bought some time ago.  So, I'm still trying to be faithful to destashing.  I also need to finish up with basket that would be perfect to hold the working yarn so it doesn't roll all over the floor while I knit.  We did recently minimize our debt burden by paying off something that loomed large and terrifying over us.  Does that count? Lol.  Y'all take care and remember as King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes, "It's all vanity."  In other words, it's just stuff.  Get rid of it.  Hope you're having more success than I am.

Wednesday Wisdom

Good Evening!

I apologize for the break. We were in revival in our church and it was amazing.  The word preached was refreshing and timely and (aren't these all cliched terms?). Basically, it addressed issues that everyone was dealing with but wouldn't talk about.  But revival really pulls a lot out of my time, since I tried to maintain my home, squeeze in some knitting and for several days in a row, had to be sure to have church clothes.  It is Wednesday, however, and so I have to share what has been brought to my attention lately.

I went to the store and bought some Cardamom.  How I have longed to make all of the those spiced beverages and spice my buckwheat porridge.  I dove right in, and added it to a spiced Almond Milk recipe I had found online.  Whoa...

These little things really did a number on my tongue.  Albeit, a temporary number, but it did it.  It numbed my tongue.  That made me think about how important it is to mind our words.  I am known for being more than comfortable in my home in terms of mentioning things that my wonderful husband does that bother me.  I know that the Holy Spirit is working on me to be quiet.  He would like me to allow Him to work on my husband without my interference.  Sometimes, our idea of help as a wife is not helpful at all.  It is hurtful because we are supposed to be our husbands' biggest fans.  I know that I am.  So, I have been trying to catch myself when that small voice in my head says, "Don't say that." There were times when I went ahead and said it anyhow and it net me nothing at all.  Wouldn't it have been nice to have my tongue too numb to speak?  As wives in Christ, we have to remember that regardless of how we "feel" about something (and I don't mean things that are sinful or abusive), we still have to be mindful of our influence over our husbands.  Great men have supportive, thoughtful wives behind them.  No successful man ever came from a nagging, dissatisfied wife.  God created us to be help meets, not hurt meets.  We will find that God can move freely when we restrain our mouths.  Some verses to help support my point are:

Proverbs 21:23 - Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity (NIV)
Proverbs 10:14 - The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin (NIV)
Proverbs 15:28 - The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil (NIV)
Proverbs 18:20 - From the fruit of their mouth a person's stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. (NIV)
Proverbs 16:24 - Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (NIV)
Proverbs 15:1 - A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (NIV)

There is so much more about the mouth and our words in both Proverbs and James.  I would encourage anyone to pray that God "guard their mouth" and read Proverbs and James for more clarity and wisdom on the subject.  When we begin to reign in our mouths, we will begin to see true revival in our lives.

I hope to post again soon.  I have so much to share.  I hope you have a blessed night.

Knitting and Destashing

Good evening internet world! This unexpected post is about one of the big obstacles to my minimizing.  It is all about my knitting.

I am a knitter. Long ago, I learned to crochet. I'm not knocking the crocheters out there, but I always thought those two needles clicking away looked SO COOL.  So, I picked up one of those teacher yourself to knit books with drawn diagrams and learned a basic knit stitch.  A friend taught me pearling and knitting in the round and basic binding off.  All I need, as far as I'm concerned.  Unfortunately, a love for knitting leads to a love for yarn.  So much yarn...yikes.  I had hopes for many projects and during the school year, I am simply not that productive with my knitting.  But this summer, I tackled a few hanks of yarn (those oddly twisted bunches of yarn that look like cinnamon twist donuts, for you non-knitters) by making my first shrug.  I am so pleased with it.  Here is one look at it from the back:

And from the front:

And then I realized that it was reversible.  The bulk of the ruffles could be on the bottom.  That made me even more pleased.  Of course, I seemed to have only uploaded a photo from the back, but here it is:

Sometimes, when I am not on time with my posts, it is because I am too interested in my knitting to get off the couch.  When this was finished, I picked up some other needles and got straightaway to work on a hat that would use up some of my Red Heart yarn.

 When the hat is done, I will have dusted off 7 skeins of yarn.  Quite an accomplishment for me.  I also, have not purchased new yarn in some time.  Trust me, those A.C. Moore coupons are tempting but if I have no specific project for it, I'm resolved to not buy it.  Best way to keep the supply down, and never have more than 3 projects on the needles.  That's a tip to live by, as a knitter.  Best of luck tackling your stash and enjoy your night.

Minimalist Monday

I have zero pictures but I still have something to share about minimizing one area of your life, if it applies of course.

Homeschool.

I have started to plan the school year in an attempt to be more organized.  When it was time to begin filling out my other areas of study besides History, I realized that some of the children did not have the next grade's book.  Normally, I would just research and purchase something else.  Maybe it would be from the same publisher, maybe not.  I have always been a HUGE fan of BJU Press, but not BJU Press prices.  So, I often wander away in search of a cheaper curriculum.  This year, I thought about it differently.  I still have many Teacher's editions of various books.  I decided to hunt solely for the matching student worktext.  If you are homeschooling multiple children, as I am, the oldest tends to be the only one who needs yearly updates.  For the younger ones, have them write their answers in a notebook, leaving the worktext untouched.  This will allow you to keep it for many years.  I'm super excited, plus I get packages in the mail this week.

One other thing that I have been doing is giving things away.  I could wait for people to buy it, but it feels better when you just give it away.  I've cut the kids toys in half and every chance I get, I fill a bag for the thrift store.  Sadly, I still am building a stock pile of household necessities.  I confess that I have a lot of shampoo and other things I may not use right away.  If my friends ask, though, I give.  It is the most rewarding part of minimizing your life.  It really is.  Give liberally and often and for all of the stuff you remove from your life, you will replace it will joy.  Abundant joy.

Also, one tip for ordering your day: make a laundry schedule.  When we are following out schedule, no one complains about not having enough clothes.  Also, get rid of everything but seven outfit combinations.  Regularly consider what items you wear and don't wear and remove the ones you don't wear.  You just need to be able to switch out your clothes once a day for one whole week.  By the last day, you'll have clean clothes again.  It has truly helped to bring one area of order to our lives.  Assuming we actually follow the schedule.  I hope you can use these tips to increase the peace in your life.

A Vegan Diet Takes Some Work Sometimes

So, I follow a Vegan diet 99% of the time.  The remaining 1% I reserve for not being in offense.  My allegiance above all others is first and foremost to Christ and so, in some circumstances, I will not question the content of certain products.  I do not consume outright, obviously animal product loaded foods, but I may let some margarine containing items slide.  The Bible is very clear about not offending.  However, recently, I have felt that I could potentially return to eating at least seafood.  Part of this comes from so many other "vegan" bloggers quitting and from what I have come to understand was probably malnutrition.  As far as vegan quitters go, trends can be fairly contagious, but I try very hard not to just jump on any old bandwagon.  But all in all, here's how I got there...

Several months again, I suffered a miscarriage that led to long term bleeding.  It lasted approximately 3 months.  It was overwhelming, a bit depressing and greatly reduced my appetite.  When it stopped, I felt fine.  Then I returned to a normal cycle and that was when I began to feel very tired and I craved meat.  I was crabby and I just wanted something easy.  I also just didn't feel well.  I thought it might have been iron, but the doctor's tested my blood levels and said I was fine.  I was getting very frustrated.  I began to confess this to friends and someone who tells me constantly "I don't know how you do it," told me that maybe I needed to look at it from a different perspective.  She has no idea how that sank down into me and helped me.

I took some time to self-diagnose.  I could tell very easily that I was not consuming enough complex proteins.   I don't do much soy because of the studies done on it.  I don't have a lot of caloric room in my diet for loads of nuts - even though I love them.  But I began to make it a point to consume a large number of leafy greens, sweet potatoes and beans and nuts.  I would consume at least 1 of the starchier foods with a serving a of greens.  I also took 1 Hemaplex iron supplement every night along with some Chlorella samples I had.  I added 1 tbsp of Maca powder to my breakfast smoothie.  After a week, I was feeling much better.  Two weeks in and I full throttle again.  I can make it through the day without craving a nap or a piece of salmon.  While this has nothing to do with a Bible verse or anything Biblical wisdom related, I wanted to share because it happens.  Often.  Be encouraged new vegan, your struggles can be overcome with careful food planning and exercise.  You could eat more nuts if you had more caloric wiggle room.  Just because you crave meat, doesn't mean you should give up.  It just means you need to dig in heels and purpose to push through.  Go get yourself a bowl of Dashi free Miso and enjoy your day.

Yesterday's Menu

I make no claims to be the best photographer.  What? Food photography photos for $20 over at the Minimalist Baker's website.  I should invest.  But until then, please be patient with my LG Phone photos.  I think my iPhone 4S photos were WAY worse.  Could just be me.  I have a few friends who take fantastic photos.  If this gig ever pays, I'll pay them to take my food photos, except I didn't start this to make money.  Otherwise, my photos would be on point.  Either way, shout out to my photo pro friends.  I love them and treasure the gifts that God has given them.  He would want us to take good photos, I think, because memory can be so selective.

So, as I mentioned last night, I eat this coconut sticky rice that is so amazing and probably as high in calories as it is in carbs.  I caution, I am not a skinny vegan.  If I wanted more weight off, I would invest in exercise.  That's for another day, though.  It is based on the Thai coconut rice the restaurants serve as dessert.  I put this

Then

Then

(currants)

Into some

Then into a pot on the stove and cooked it together for 10 - 15 minutes, watching closely and stirring often until it became this

This finished product went into the freezer for a few minutes to cool down.  As I mentioned, I like it warm, so I cool it before eating.  Delicious.  Could be made without currants.  You could use raisins or you could leave them out and top with mango slices for a traditional flavor.  The sweetener is to taste.  I like about 1-1 1\2 tsps, some will add more, some less.  Most times I make enough of this for one.  Sometimes two.  The key is to use enough of the coconut to keep the rice creamy.  There has to be some liquid in the pot with the rice when it's done cooking.  It will be absorbed as it sets.  The rice, for me, must be soft but not soggy.  I also recommend jasmine rice over any other because the fragrant nature of the rice and the sticky texture work well with the coconut.  I have begun to restrict myself a bit, because when I am in the throws of hormonal changes, I crave it and then I wear it in the way of midsection bloat.  One other handy tip is that I store the leftover coconut in a glass jar in the fridge.  Never leave it in the fridge in a can.  Never leave anything in the fridge in a can, for that matter.  The metal oxidizes into the food.  I save many of my coconut oil jars and my pasta sauce jars and they work well for keeping whole spices sealed up tight and for preserving my precious coconut creams.  That same coconut stuff can be used with some Thai curry seasoning, to make an Asian curry.  I'm even thinking of a creamy coconut curry carrot soup.  The 4C's Soup.  Sounds scrumptious.  When I make it, I'll let you know.

So, that's my Friday food.    Hopefully, you try it and enjoy.

Fantastic Food

I know that this goes against all that I say I am going to do in terms of maintaining our relationship, but...our home has one computer, five children and one college attending adult.  I spend most of my time ordering my days, organizing my homeschooling, doing laundry and maintaining my house.  I did take pictures of what I wanted to show you, but I haven't transferred them or anything.  But, let me update you on some things.

First, I tell you that freezer meals have really set me free.  I have tried menus and meal planning.  I have failed on most fronts.  I can maintain following a menu for no more than 2 weeks before I become very busy.  I have faithfully pulled a meal out and dropped it in the Crock Pot everything day for a week.  I do not look in the cabinet and wonder "what to make today?".  Though, the other day, I looked at the spaghetti sauce and began to panic because I thought I didn't have enough.  Plus, the store is selling Prego pasta sauce for .99 cents right now.  But it would have been an unnecessary purchase because if I'm having pasta with red sauce, the sauce is with the meat in the freezer.  I could release my worries and move on.  We've eaten soup and tacos and chicken Rotini Alfredo with cheese.  We've had sandwiches and chicken Soyaki.  Well, they have eaten it, I'm still eaten vegan.  It has been wonderful.  It has kept my counter cleaner and just changed the dynamic of my daily responsibilities.  Try it, it will free you.  Plus, they have made a TON of leftovers.  Not everyone does leftovers, but my homeschoolers eat them because it is one less this to worry about.  It also breaks the urge to just grab a pizza because dinner is already prepared.  What a blessing.

The next wonderful thing is what I've eaten.  We'll not talk about the fact that I consume too many carbs.  I find jasmine rice to be fairly irresistible when there is extra thick coconut cream in the house.  I make a sweet coconut nice dessert with a bit of agave nectar and this time I also added some clove spice and some mango powder (I think).  I have a jar of whole Garam Masala that I occasionally crush up with a large wooden pestle and mortar, so I can't always identify which seed it was.  It was fantastic, though.  Sweet, creamy, aromatically spicy and just the right temperature.  I typically put it in the fridge or freezer to cool, but I never want it cold, just not scalding my mouth.  And then there was this raw porridge recipe from www.mynewroots.org.  It is called Raspberry Ripple Buckwheat Porridge.  It was delicious.  Of course, I changed it.  I used blueberries and a little fresh ginger in mine, as well as some raw agave nectar (a staple for me) and less than half of a frozen banana for thick, creaminess.  It was surprisingly tasty.  I am finding myself to be a fan of buckwheat.  I toss the groats in my granola, the Soba noodles are amazing and now I have porridge as a breakfast option (because I am so over oatmeal).  I encourage you to scout around, throw some variety into your eating routine.  Try a vegan meal or two.  They are surprisingly yummy and will change your whole perspective.  Maybe even some taste buds.

I will post those pics of the rice dessert tomorrow.  I will also share something that I've got going on in my life that is very relevant to my dietary perspective.  Until then, enjoy your Friday.

The Lazy Blogger Strikes Again

Sooo...what are you reading?  Oh, Leviticus, huh? No?  You should.  I just finished it...again.  Great book that makes me think about God's wisdom and His greatness.  Did you know that He always required the grain offerings to be mingled with oil?  Did you know that when flour becomes airborne, it can be highly combustible?  God knew.  He wasn't trying to burn down the Tabernacle.  His mandates regarding unclean things are roughly the same amount of time it would take for bacteria to die.  He explained which rashes were contagious and which weren't and how to know it had passed.  If it has turned white, it is fine.  Right about the time it starts to dry out, it's fine.  That still stands to be true.  We often look to see if the rash has raised bumps, fluid filled, localized or all over as well as the overall color.  How much more in control could the Creator be, to tell His people what to look for in diagnosing?  Amazing.  He also reminds us to care for our poor, to give to them without expecting anything in return.  He says to give without usury.  Don't lend to them at crazy interest rates.  Just give.  Surely, they were a terrified people and prone to thinking everything was a big deal.  He goes so far as to explain that a man with no hair is just bald.  He even breaks down what to do when your house starts to grow mold!  Even your clothes.  An incredible read, if you approach it from the right angle.  I shamelessly plug the book of Leviticus all of the time.  All of the books of the Bible are extraordinary, but Leviticus is one of my favorites.  Of course, now it is time to tackle some books that I haven't managed to read.  I lag behind my friends when it comes to reading the major prophets.  I haven't made it through Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel yet.  However, Judges and Deuteronomy are also excellent.  My words of wisdom today, are dig into Leviticus and get to know the God that created you.  Try to wrap your brain around the fact that He knows everything that could happen to the body He made.  Some of these statutes we still live by, like not eating animals that just up and die.  He said, "Don't eat the animal that dies of itself."  If a cow suddenly dies on the feed lot, they take it away and examine it.  They are not allowed to put it into the processing plant to be packaged for sale.  That one cow may be the warning sign of a greater issue, you don't want to eat that.  So, in looking at it that way, read it with the understanding that God makes rules to protect us.  You don't want mold in your home, it makes you and your children ill.  You don't want to consume blood because it may have bacteria.  I am in awe of His endless wisdom and I encourage you to be in awe too.  Be brave, be bold, read Leviticus.
Have a great night.

Food Not Friday

Happy Saturday! How was your Friday?  Mine was excellent.  I woke up early, got myself together and started my day.  The plan for my day was to grocery shop and get everything I need to begin making freezer meals.  A few of my friends had told me about this idea.  I didn't originally understand and was put off because I thought I would have to cook all of the food first.  No! It turns out that all I have to do is put the raw meat, firm veggies and sauce in a big freezer bag and toss it in the freezer.  It involves a TON of cutting onions, peppers, potatoes and carrots.  It also involves a lot of can opening.  But I had a good friend helping me, so it went pretty well.  Please keep in mind that these meals are for my family for dinner.  They are designed to make my day flow smoothly because I can't stand looking at the time and thinking, "what are we eating?"  I like to have dinner cooking before my husband gets home.  I like it to be done no later than 5:30. When I lived in upstate NY, I used to time the preparation of my meals to my two favorite NPR radio shows.  Most of these meals contain meat (but I never claimed this to be an exclusively vegan blog). I confess, I am not always exclusively vegan.  I confess further, I miss fish dearly.  I have always been a sushi fan and I miss that "Umami" flavor of the fish.  But, I digress.  This is the list of some of the meals I made.

1.  Steak pizza sandwiches - minus the bread of course.  I used a London broil, onions, peppers, tomato paste mixed with beef broth and pepperoni.  Slow cook for 6-8 hours on low
2.  Maple balsamic pork with apples - a pork loin, balsamic vinegarette, maple syrup (I used breakfast syrup), thick sliced onions and apples.  Slow cook on low 6-8 on low
3.  Cilantro Lime Chicken - 3 chicken breasts, diced red onions, juice of two limes, 1 bunch cilantro diced, 2 cans of black beans and 1 package frozen corn.  Slow cook 6-8 on low
4.  Soyaki chicken - I used Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce and 1 pack skinless, boneless chicken thighs.  I plan to add broccoli at the end of cooking and serve over rice.  Slow cook 6-8 hours on low
5.  Sausage and baked beans - Half a polish sausage, 2 cans of Trader Joe's baked beans, diced green and red peppers, diced sweet onion.  Slow cook for 6-8 hours on low.
6.  Pork carnitas - 6-8 thin sliced, boneless pork chops, 1 bottle of taco sauce, diced red onions.  I added cilantro.  Slow cook 6-8 hours on low.
7.  Beef Stew - 1 London Broil, 2 packs of slow cooker pot roast mix mixed with 2 cups of water, 3-4 chopped potatoes, 3-4 chopped carrots, 2 celery stalks chopped and 1 chopped onion.  Slow cook 6-8 hours on low
8.  Sausage and potato soup - The other half of the Polish sausage, half cup of diced sweet onions, 3-4 chopped potatoes (or diced, but they fall apart after a while so I cut them larger), 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup with the milk added
9.  White bean, spinach and gnocchi soup - I made this with me in mind because I wanted to eat some of the Trader Joe's Gnocchi.  I mixed 2 Chik'n boillon cubes and 4 cups of water.  I added 1 diced sweet onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/3 bag of white beans and 1 bag of frozen spinach.  The Gnocchi has to be added later, closer to the finish time so it won't over cook.  Slow cook 6-8 hours mostly to soften those beans.

I made more, but can't recall the recipes right off the top of my head.  The goal was to pack 14 meals so that I would not have to do major grocery shopping next week.  Right now I'm trying them in 2 week stints, but my goal is to prep them for a whole month.  One major grocery trip for a whole month would be wonderful and would free up more money during the month.

I did, however, want to show you my Broccoli and Cheddar soup.  No real cheese.  Not an unhealthy option.  I used yellow carrots, nutritional yeast, Chik'n broth, 2 garlic cloves, pepper, salt, juice from 1 lemon, I think that's it.  Well, the remains of some bag of frozen chopped broccoli and some Miso paste.

 I chopped the two carrots, minced the garlic and cooked them together with a little oil.  Then I added, maybe a cup of water, and a Not Chik'n Bouillon cube.  I cooked it down until the carrots were soft, let them cool a bit and then transferred them to the blender.  I added the juice of the lemon, another garlic clove, 3-4 tbsps of nutritional yeast and 1 poorly measured tsp of miso paste.  I mixed it, salted and peppered it, mixed it again.  Then I transferred it back to the pot, added more broth and the broccoli.  It was delicious.

I do very little with accurate measurements.  So, please forgive me.  It was still the best darn broccoli cheddar soup I've had.

Wisdom Wednesday

So, it has been a while since I've posted and many things have transpired over the past two weeks.  One of the biggest reasons for my silence was originally the slow computer.  We went from a 2007 laptop that quit to an old 2003 that someone had given us and I was struggling.  Then, recently, we were blessed (litereally out of the blue gift) with a new laptop and my husband has since resumed school work, so I haven't had a chance to enjoy.  The other big obstacle has been, I'm trying to live with right priorities.  I am trying to stay to a schedule and make better use of my time.  That has meant waking early and keeping busy and being too tired to blog at night.  I have to bring order into my life now, because I am feeling the need to raise consistent, hard working young men who will serve with joy.  I also need to break the bonds of laziness.  I have been busy preparing my homeschooling schedule and a house cleaning schedule and soon, I believe, I will begin making those infamous slow cooker freezer bags that everyone I know keeps talking about.  You just buy your groceries and when you get home, put the raw meat, sauce, seasoning and veggies right in a big freezer bag and put it right in the freezer.  Every morning, all I have to do is take one out, put it in the Crock-Pot, turn it on and keep it moving.  I love it.

Ok, so in this case, I'm speaking to disorganized, somewhat lazy home schooling moms like myself who are THROUGH with the way things haven't been working.  I put together a binder with printables.  You can search the web and find many printables.  Many of the printables came from www.donnayoung.org/forms/. She has lovely weekly planner pages, as well as menus and everything you need.  I am a visual person, so I searched out a menu that was a bit more my style.  I am homeschooling multiple children, so I may use the weekly forms as daily, that remains to be seen.  I printed a Goals sheet to set some benchmarks for myself for our History because I tend to cover the essentials and that gets partial coverage.  But I buy the comprehensive, more expensive curriculum and love it, so I'm determined to do it well.  We find that if one thing is done well, another suffers, such as the clean house.  Well, I have an answer for that.  Just Mommies has monthly cleaning calendar at http://www.justmommies.com/articles/home-organization-plan.php. It is very helpful.  A simple calendar can be found at www.timewarpwife.com.  It is easy to follow, assumes for major daily cleaning of one room per week with some minor, daily upkeep.  I've used both, and I love both, so both are in my binder.  You may also consider a supply list, a Bible reading schedule, a daily schedule for mom and kids.  I have older children as well as younger, so I have attendance charts and a yearly calendar.  I also have a place to schedule field trips.  I am picky and have decided to be thrifty.  That means I am not purchasing a professionally done planner this year.

Finally, I have to say that none of this matters if you don't spend some alone time with the Creator.  I am sincerely striving daily, to meet with Him first and ask for His grace and His mercy.  I am learning that I need all of His love in order to love my children.  I need His control, in order to show self control.  I must ask for His fruits of righteousness so that I may have them in my day.  How can I encourage if I am not encouraged?  How can I love without having a double dose of His love?  Where am I accessing these qualities I need to have that my actions may honor Him?  You cannot expect a great day and spontaneous organization to come from within you if you've never asked God to put it there.  Ask each day and it shall be added.  He is faithful.  Jesus said, "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." (Luke 11:9 NIV)  Also, If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5 NIV) Then finally, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33 NIV)

Prolonged Silence Promotes Laziness

Today was a crazy day, but go figure for the last night of revival.  I needed revival.  I have battled laziness and disorder.  A huge part of my testimony was my desire to have order in my life and how I almost traveled the wrong roads.  God kept some doors shut long enough to activate some people into reaching me.  Right on time, too.  But I have not taken in all of the order He has offered and I have thus fallen into something other than Godly-chaos.  There is chaos in my homeschooling and chaos in my housekeeping and chaos in my spending. Which has robbed me of peace.  But coming out of revival, I have surrendered my inclination to chaos to God and He has shown me that when it threatens to creep in and rob me of joy, I must praise Him.  Praising God will strengthen me and lift me and fill me and calm me and restore my joy.  So many verses out of Psalms speak of praising and all of its benefits.  I need to comb through and pull out some wonderful nibbles of encouragement.  I say nibbles because the Bible says to "taste and see that the Lord is good." So, in this brief message, I hope you find the answer to your chaos.  When the kids are making you crazy and people you meet say things that offend and Walmart is once again a nightmare you should have  never braved, praise Him.  His presence, which is the result of praising, will restore calm and joy.

Two New Shoes

So here it is! My old shoes-

Okay, that's just the one, but imagine the hole on the other one is worse.

And here they are now-

Ha ha! No holes, just two adorable flowers and two very sore hands.  I'm very pleased with the outcome.  As far as my other project goes, i.e my blanket, it is crawling along because I returned to an almost complete shawl that I was working.  All of these half, quarter, almost done projects will eventually get finished as long as I refrain from purchasing more yarn.  A big part of minimizing is destashing.  Which is very challenging with 5 kids.  I'm realizing now, that I forgot to turn my photo, but oh well.  A bit of humor, I suppose.  Enjoy your Tuesday and catch a World Cup game if you can.

Monday, Monday...

At last, a post on the appropriate day.

Good Monday evening!  I have been fairly useless today and off and on since the World Cup began.  I had the delight of seeing two of my faves win today and that made my day.  Plus, I made homemade deodorant and I began assembling websites for homemade lip balm.  I also plan to attempt homemade bug repellent because I just happen to have some cedar wood oil and clove oil laying around.  I used the cedar wood oil in my deodorant as well because it is said to have a good effect on the skin.  Exciting.  So, I'm using my Monday mindfully, trying to minimize the toxic chemicals contacting my skin.  The truth is that as I am aging, I am noticing different things.  One things is, I started getting bumps under my arms, so I am hopeful that the natural deodorant will eliminate that.  I also break out before my cycle and would like a natural face scrub.  The next project I started today, I have no pics of but I will shortly..  This is more a Minimalist activity.  Here's the story behind it.

I bought a pair of Bongo's on sale and they are the most comfy things I have every placed on my feet.  Except Tom's but I can't afford them.  If anyone wants to toss me a sample, I'll review it, then I'll wear them until they fall apart.  But, until the money shows up, or the sample, I'll wear my cheap ones.  And cheap they were.  I have had them less than 6 months and already they are coming apart at the toe like a pair of cheap socks.  I wrestled with the idea of new shoes, even though I had just gotten rid of most of my shoes.  I can fit all of the shoes in my hanging shoes holder in my closet.  Slippers too.  So finally, I settled on a solution.  I would close up the hole with an embroidered flower.  I have finished the first one and I am pretty pleased with it.  Plus, I have peace with it because it doesn't have me purchasing more before the whole things is a wash.  I am just prettying up the worn areas.  That makes me feel like I am making strides in the right direction, because I could stand to be more eco-friendly.  Another big step I have made is, I have been saving all of my empty spaghetti sauce jars to reuse as storage jars.  I am going to paint the lids and order some labels online and start organizing.  The summer is going to be so wide open.  I plan to try more DIY health products, like toothpaste and a compost bin while trying to move forward with my kitchen and bathroom.  A little bit at a time and each day will have something productive for everyone and of course, I will share our projects.

Take some time this month, to enjoy the World Cup, have some cold, frosty treat and be a good steward of the world God gave us.  Reduce, reuse and recycle.

Foodtastic Food For Thought Friday

It is actually Saturday but I had to mention some yummy goodies.  So let me list in order all of my goodies.

1. Granola for 1

    1 1/2 TBSP coconut oil
    2 1/2 brown rice syrup or agave
    1 tsp cinnamon
    1/2 tsp vanilla extract
    In a separate bowl mix whatever granola grains you want. I
    typically mix oats, chopped almonds, chopped pecans, oat
    groats and pumpkin seeds. Sometimes buckwheat groats.
    For a while I was adding sesame seeds, but they are very
    overpowering, so I stopped.
    Mix your dry with your wet, spread on a cookie sheet and heat
    in 350 degree oven. Check it after 7-10 minutes. Stir it and
    continue to cook until browning around edges. It has been my
    impression that the brown rice syrup cooks faster than the
    agave.
    When finished, remove pan from oven and immediatrly
    scrape it with a spatula to keep it from sticking as it dries.
    It hardens when it dries so if you like it softer, place it in
    a sealed container while still just a bit warm.

2. Homemade crackers

    1/2 cup all purpose flour
    1/2 cup coconut flour
    1 tsp baking powder
    1/4 tsp baking soda
    1 tbsp nutritional yeast
    1/2 tsp garlic powder
    1/2 tsp black pepper
    1 tsp salt (or less)
    1/2 water, add 1-2 tbsps if needed

   Whisk dry ingredients, then add water. Work it until a dough
   forms.  It will be kind of wanting to crumble a little but moist
   Enough to hold together. Roll flat on a lightly floured surface
   Cut into pieces, however you feel they look best, just make sure
   they are 1/2 inch or less in thickness. Poke holes in each
   cracker with a fork. About two fork stabs per cracker. Bake
   at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then check them every 5
   minutes until browned around the edges. Mine had some
   softness in the crackers that were in the middle but they were
   Still a hit.

3. Super Awesome Vegan Friendly, All Natural Salad Dressing

     We tried this at Whole Foods and were instantly sold. The 

     kids shoveled the spinach leaves into their mouths. This 

     Lemon Chesapeake flavor was the one we bought. The other

     flavors rocked too.

4. Donuts

Recipe here: http://www.thesugarhit.com/2013/10/vegan-sweet-potato-doughnuts-with-spiced-sugar.html

Something else I would recommend in the 30 day challenege at 

http://simplegreensmoothies.com/30-day-challenge

Delicious, easy to follow recipes with shopping lists.

Take some time to enjoy your food today.

Wisdom Wednesday

Well, it has been a week or so.  Our church family tragically lost a member to violence that also caused another church family to lose a member and for that reason, there has been contemplative silence.  I have struggled with my own New York raised view of guns versus everyone else's.  Correction, downstate NY raised.  My husband is from upstate where hunting is the norm.  But I find that providing food and protection isn't so bad.  But do we need high powered rifles and fully automatic weapons in a city setting?  Do we need weapons in the hands of a people who have become desensitized to violence?  We cling to wrong ideals.  We want to old ways for the wrong things.  We do not want to raise our children Biblically but we want to maintain every inch and iota of the second amendment.  We are not good people who do bad things.  That is not the Word of God.  We are wicked people who play into our natural behaviors all the time.  Children display cliche-ish behavior often without anyone teaching them.  I have known children to lie as young as 2 years old, possibly younger.  That is without being taught to lie.  We exhibit behaviors of self preservation and self exaltation all the time.  

"Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies." Psalm 58:3 (NIV)

"Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins." Ecclesiastes 7:20 (NIV)

"The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time." Genesis 6:5 (NIV)

That last one was just before the flood, but we all know that the flood did not wash away the evil intentions of man's heart.  Only Jesus Christ can do that with the blood He shed on Calvary's Cross.  We, as a nation founded on Christ have decided that He is not necessary and do not teach those very important principles.   We allow our children to find their own way when the Bible has taught us to train our children up in the way they should go.  As a Biblical people, we would set standards that would not allow the playing of violent video games or the viewing of lewd or violent programming.  We would understand that these things open our minds to the possibility of being violent or perverse when we are older.  We would not allow our children to walk through life thinking only of themselves.  We would attempt to teach them manners and thoughtfulness and the mind of Christ.  Christ never judged another human being based upon race or gender. He would never have taken a life because it would have broken God's commandment.  He would never have played with violence, He was a healer and a teacher and most importantly, God in the flesh.  We are a very sad society that would remove the very foundation that teachers compassion out of fear of offending others so that instead we may raise a generation that has no problem killing each other.  I would rather offend in the hopes that you may have life more abundantly than be indifferent towards others with an evil, menacing heart ultimately set on violence.

Minimalist Mindful Monday

Good evening to any who actually have been reading this! I'm thrilled to have you...

So, I am not inherently a minimalist, let alone neat and tidy.  I am in awe of those who are.  But I am diligently seeking this for my life and I can't think of one thing that I purchased for myself in the month of May that was not edible.  My goal was to not bring anything new into the house.  I think I met that goal.   My other goal was to not stand on the scale for the full month and to my June 1st delight, I had lost 2 lbs.  That's just icing on the cake.

One tip that comes to mind when trying to overcome clutter and mess is to put things away promptly.  About two weeks ago, we went strawberry picking.  It is a tradition for us.  This year we went organic!  But, strawberries in bulk are tasty and they go bad quick.  So, I already know that I need gallon sized freezer bags before we even set out to pick.  We need some to eat right away, but most will just be frozen for smoothies and pancake topping.

There were six baskets of strawberries.  It didn't take very long to snip the tops and bag them up.  This is a basic principal that could be applied to every aspect of life.  A place for everything and everything in its place is wisdom and "If any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to you." James 1:5 (NIV) The fact is, we all need wisdom.  I need it to get to a place of order.  I am convinced that is why I as a mother of five am obsessed with tiny houses.  I need order and less stuff.  My earnest prayer is, "Let me get to a place where there is less stuff standing between me and God."  That is where we should all long to be.

Food For Thought / Foodie Friday

Good Friday Evening to all (even if it is almost 11pm)!

As I write this, I am listening to NeedtoBreathe talk on the radio about how they had really started allowing success to cloud their purpose and walk.  I am loving their humility and honesty.  They are one of my favorite Christian groups.  I tend toward folk styles and borderline country sounds.  I really love the Civil Wars' "From This Valley."

But I digress.

Two interesting food notes. I was experiencing exhaustion and just low general energy plus female issues so I bought Maca Powder. It smells like protein powder and, to me, it tastes as bad. I put it in a smoothie that has overwhelming flavors so I couldn't taste it. The other thing is that my issue was simply not enough meaningful calories. I eat but I don't always consider the complexity of my meals. It's almost better for me to barely eat than to eat like I was. Also the caffeine withdrawal. Maca wasn't solving that. But it did give me a caffeine like boost. 

The food you have to try is sweet potato slices topped with guacamole. I sliced the sweet potato and cooked it with a small amount of oil on the griddle. Then I topped it with homemade guacamole. Amazing. Until next time, think about what you're eating. Is it enhancing your body or tearing it down? Also spend some time meditating on His Word because "man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God," Matthew 4:4 (KJV)

The Lord MY Healer

Psalm 30:2
"Oh Lord my God, I cried unto thee and thou hast healed me." (KJV)

I am keeping this post short tonight.  I just wanted to give God glory for healing me.  I was dealing with an issue that lingered far longer than expected and after a sermon about pressing in and asking again, I decided to ask God for healing one more time.  I removed the frantic tone from my prayers and the whining and the complaining.  I simply asked if He would heal me.  At last, my prayer has been answered and I am coming well again. I am balancing out my system with herbs and thoughtful eating, but that is just to maintain my restored system.  I want to keep this issue from returning due to my own vegan laziness.  I am mindful of what I am putting in my mouth, trying to keep out most refined foods and avoiding soy for the most part.  I am sure He never intended me to binge on fake "chicken" nuggets and tater tots.  However, the wisdom of this post is in the fact that when God does something for you, you need to tell people.  He does not do things in secret because only darkness operates in secret.  He is the God of all and is everywhere and knows everything. He would like everyone to know that He is the Lord "Who forgives all thine iniquities; who heals all thy diseases," (Psalm 103:3, KJV) so that all may know Him and worship Him and be present with Him forever in eternity.

Mindful Monday

Good Evening to all!

This Mindful Monday post is a simple one.  Happy Memorial Day.  Today we are mindful of the sacrifice of so many that we may live in peace.  All around us are wars and rumors of wars and our nation was built and sustained by the dedication of men and women who were willing to give their lives that others may live securely.  Men and women are still sacrificing.  That means that we must still be thankful, and still be praying for their safe return and for the comfort of the families of those who will not be returning.  Today, I thank all of those who served and extend my prayers to the families of those who have given their lives.

A Word About Jealousy

"Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?" Proverbs 27:4 (NIV)

So, here I am cleaning house and taking out trash and slowly knocking out my stash of yarn.  But yarn is tricky and when you see a new pattern, you want to make it, even if it requires more yarn.  At another blog I follow called Daydream Knits, I saw a photo of the stack of items she had knitted.  I was instantly jealous.  I wished I could knit that much in that little bit of time.  I wished I could make a more complicated pattern.  I had just seen one in a post from Brooklyn Tweed that made me want to find money I didn't have to start a project I wouldn't complete.  I felt that familiar stir to jump into action and start a new project of some luxurious shawl or sweater.

Then the spirit of truth washed over me.  

"But Godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)

Wanting to be like this lovely young lady is not feasible, nor is it wise.  I would have to take time from other things to make that happen.  I would end up with more yarn that would overwhelm me and everyone around me.  I would also be giving into jealousy.  By being jealous of her pile of lovely, completed crafts, I would be telling God that I am not content with what I have right now, in this season of my life.  I have the gift of knitting as well and I have plenty to knit with.  I also have children that I home school and they require a good chunk of my attention and time.  So, today I am content with completing whatever I make, out of whatever I have, whenever I have time.  And tomorrow I pray for that peace again.

The Yarn Issue

     So, I have a confession again.  I have a few too many skeins of yarn.  I was very easily persuaded by the sales at Craftsy.com for a while and collected an abundance of chunky yarn.  Now that I am trying to declutter and minimize, I am very aware of how much space they take up.  However, since they were gifts, I am reluctant to part with them.  So I've decided to turn the ones that will least likely be used to make a blanket.  Each skein is about 50 grams so not too big.  I should be able to knit one up a week.  That would mean that my bed (or couch) should have a decorative blanket by winter.  If I persevere.
       

The one thing that will make this possible and enjoyable is the fact that I found some Little House Book recordings on YouTube.  I will be able to sit for a while and listen to "Little House in the Big Woods" and "Little House on the Prairie" while my fingers work hard at destashing some skeins of chunky yarn.  These moments will definitely be high points in my day.

Another Mindful, Not So Minimalist Monday

Good evening,
How was your day today.  Mine was lovely.  I did not get a chance to focus on what I could get rid of, but I did toss four pairs of my husband's shoes in the thrift store bag (with his consent, of course).  My day was actually spent with friends, enjoying good food and good company.  Friends are such a treasure.  I thank God for them everyday because they are so important to our growth in Christ.  They encourage, admonish, comfort and so much more.  In the last year I have needed each and every one of them and their help came on time.   Comfort during a loss, encouragement when I wasn't sure if I was really all that useful, even more encouragement when dealing with financial matters and teaching.  They have all taught me so much and before I knew Christ, I could not handle more than one friend.  I was suspicious of them and I didn't not want them to get too close.  Never have I known friends better than the ones God hand-picked.

Another highlight of my day was my bike ride around the neighborhood with my oldest son.  He looks forward to these things and so do I.  I would love to ride with them all, but I don't have the ride behind wagon-thingy (yeah, I went there) and my other children don't necessarily have bikes that are ready to ride.  So it's just him and I and that makes it better for him as he approaches those awkward teen years.  It also helps me remain mindful of my physical health.  A good 35 minute bike ride everyday does so much for your health and your mind.  I even had the pleasure of almost running face first into some large, flying insect as we peddled at top speed toward home.

This whole day brings Proverbs 27:17 to mind.  "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." (NKJV)  We as friends and even family should be improving and complementing each other, enjoying time together and adding the peace of God to each others' lives. I pray your week is full of these moments and that you'll cherish them always.

Beware the Walmart Trap

15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15 (NIV)

Quick story!  Today, I spent a good portion of the day at a friend's house, with my children burning off energy outside.  When it was time to leave, we left my youngest son's shoes and I thought, "well, I can just pick him up some new slip-ons at Walmart.  They shouldn't be more than $5 or $6.  The first goal was to park closest to the door that would lead straight to the shoe section.  No dice.  All of the spaces were taken.  So I parked closer to the Lawn and Garden.  The last thing I need is more food, so I didn't dare go to the Food side.  We unload and go inside, where I immediately remember things I didn't plan to buy.  I have two basil plants that could use a pot and some soil.  Okay, I can spend $5 on soil, $3 on a pot (because, surprise, surprise, there were no $2 pots left) plus the $6 shoes.  Keeping track?  That's $14.  So, once I'm in the section with the soil, I think, "I have a little money to spend, I could get a bigger pot and plant tomatoes with the basil.  $3 for each started plant.  I decided on a Jalapeno($3) plant and two tomato plants($6).  $9+$3+$5+$6=$23  Now I'm thinking, that cuts into my offering money and my strawberry picking money.  Maybe I could partial pay a bill to work this out.  Are you following?  I still have the stuff in the basket.  I haven't gotten the bigger pot yet.  I was set on putting back the small pot and getting a bigger pot that would hold all plants.  The pot would have no doubt topped $10.  So, let's replace that $3 with a $10.  $30.  I went to look at the shoes.  At this point, I have one slow moving kid and one who has started saying no because I wanted him to sit in the front part of the basket.  My aggravation levels are rising and the shoe section is horribly disorganized.  The less expensive shoes are scattered all over the place, there is a mix of seasons on the rack and even though there are employees, they are just chatting away.  They don't even have sneakers with sneakers, sandals with sandals...there is no rhyme or reason.  So, then I've had it and I've had it with the whole store and everything they sell.  I tell my children that they are entirely too tired for me to put up with the aggravation of Walmart.  We leave and purchase nothing and I feel very satisfied by the time they are all loaded back in the van.  I feel like I've been rescued.

Please understand this is partly me and partly Walmart, but Walmart is a money trap.  Where you park determines the door you enter and they have studied many like you.  The soil was not with the beautiful flowers.  It was with the started plants.  You grab one, you'll want the other.  The Health, Beauty and Accessories section is by the pharmacy and the list goes on.  I could have gone in for $6 and left spending $30.  What I suggest is this:
1)  If you must buy a single item from Walmart, leave your children (distractions) home.  Then it doesn't matter how close or far you park, so you can park near the entrance you need.  This alone should work if you bee-line to that item and right back out.
2)  When you start adding "other" stuff to you basket, carefully consider how much it will cost but keep walking to the item you really need.  The odd are that you have added these items along the way and not after the important item.  That is why those kinds of things are in the back of the store.
3)  Once you have what you need, go to a poorly organized section and look for something for someone else.  It is important to think of others over yourself, so find some nice cheap toys for the kids.
4)  When you can't find the price of what you want to bring home because they never mark the cheaper toys on the shelves and the price scanner is broken and no one works in toy (is it just my Walmart) get really frustrated and leave all unnecessary stuff there.  That store doesn't deserve all of your hard-earned money!  Or leave it all and go shop a good deal on the item elsewhere in a store that specializes in just that item.  For me, that would be Payless or Shoe Dept.

Don't let Big Box stores rope you into a life of stuff and covetousness.  "Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."