Titus Two Hospitality

            Practice hospitality!  Romans 12:13 ESV

Don't you enjoy visiting a home where the friendly soul throws open the door and invites you in with no hesitation? They don't care what they look like or the state of their home because their focus is on you! Their work is set aside and they begin to minister to your needs! They may ask questions like.."how are you feeling?" and "how is the family?" They may put on a kettle of water and pull out their special tea cups as they arrange a few treats on a small plate. The world has stopped and time slows down for the next half hour as they practice hospitality. 

The word PRACTICE means to aggressively chase like a hunter pursuing a prize and HOSPITALITY actually means to be friendly to a stranger. I have entertained a handful of strangers in my home over the years but mostly the ones who cross my threshold are those I am acquainted with and love. 

Biblical hospitality includes inviting in other believers as well! 

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9 ESV


My mom once said that she prepares her home in the morning as if she were expecting company. I like that idea because it sets a precedent for the day. It shows that I am determining early on in the day that I am ready to obey God's command to practice hospitality. But, I'll be very transparent with you that even with this mindset you'll rarely find my home picture perfect. There is a whole lot of living going on between these walls and if I wait for a perfect home...or a day with nothing on my 'to do list'...then I will never practice hospitality. 

My sweet mama always insists I have a cake for my birthday (sugar free, of course!)

I have a choice when unplanned guests knock on my door and all is not perfect on the other side. 

- I can hide in the bedroom (I did this as a young bride).
- I can invite them in and continually apologize for the state of my home/self which might make them uncomfortable and keeps the focus on myself (I can't count how many times I've done this over the years). 

Or

- I can set my pride and reputation aside, throw open the door and at the same time open my heart to welcome them as I would welcome Jesus! 

"Heavenly Father, please give me YOUR grace to practice hospitality in a way that will bring glory to you!" 

A sea of melons!

"The reason this is no minor biblical theme is because the streams of hospitality flow deeply from the well of God. Christians love the stranger, because we have been loved by the Father when we ourselves were strangers."      John Piper


I enjoyed reading both of these resources on hospitality and thought you might enjoy them, too!

Hospitality by Baker's Evangelical Dictionary

Hospitality and the Great Commission


"When there is vroom in your heart...then there is vroom in your home."  First we have Coffee by Margaret Jensen! (One of my favorite books!)

Friends are a special gift from God!

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The summer months always prove to be a busy time of year for our household. The family birthdays start in March and go strong throughout the rest of the year along with graduations and some construction work needing to be done in our home.  All of this activity has kept this old woman busier than she is used to! *wink*  It's a blessing to have a full life!

 Here are a few other things going on in our home...


1. I am moving a bit slower this year so the veggie plants went into the ground a bit later than usual! But, they are finally taking off and we are beginning to reap a small harvest. I planted several kinds of low oxalate tomatoes,  Black Beauty squash, yellow squash, okra, cantaloupe, red bell peppers, watermelon, Dino kale (low oxalate), different varieties of hot peppers, butternut squash and cucumbers. We also reaped from previously planted artichoke plants, raspberries, strawberries, grapes and boysenberries. This was the first year we harvested white nectarines. Not a single apricot on our tree this year, though.  I think it's getting too much water from the vegetable garden.

Onions harvested from the winter garden.

2. Our bathroom and kitchen have some problems which needed repair. I started freezing leftovers about a month before the work began. It was so nice to have meals already in the freezer. Preparing ahead of time helped to resist the temptation to grab fast food every night.

3. Another holding tank was added to catch rinse water from the washing machine. I've been using 1 holding tank for several years but it would only hold the water from one load of wash. I rarely do just 1 load of wash.   I can now do several loads of laundry and use the grey water from both loads to water my plants. 

4. I stopped by my local thrift store and found a nice blouse for church. I paid around $2 with my 25% off coupon.
 
5.  I am on a mission to downsize STUFF in my office. I don't find any measure of peace when I walk in that room because there is too much going on visually. Busy, busy! So, I went through my first bookshelf and gave away the second row of books on each shelf. I also went through all of my Bible notes and studies and threw out anything I haven't used since I moved here 4 years ago. It is already feeling less cluttered which makes my eyes very happy. *wink* 

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This was a helpful link: 

5 Things People with Tidy Houses Don't Do!

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 6.  My mother always taught my sister and I to not wear our good clothes/shoes for everyday. We were trained to change into our everyday clothes once we got home.  I've carried that practice into adulthood and it sure helps my nice clothes last longer. The same goes with my shoes. I keep an old pair of shoes outside the back door to work in the yard.


7.  My face makeup was becoming difficult to get out of the bottle. I put it in the microwave for a few seconds and now it goes on easily. I was careful to let it cool slightly before I  applied it.

I made raisins out of last years grapes.

8.  I bought a big jug of bubble bath from Walmart to refill my small liquid soap containers by the sink. It's much cheaper than buying new ones. I was buying a large container of liquid hand soap at the dollar store but it was so thin that it would squirt straight out of the container onto our clothes. This works much better.


9.  I normally use Seran wrap to roll out my pie crusts but I was out the other day so I cut open a new small kitchen garbage bag. It worked great! Make do or do without is a great motto to live by! 



10. I knew my husband would have a special birthday coming up this year so I started saving money last summer. I decided a head of time how much to spend on him and then divided it by 12 months. I took out the allotted amount each paycheck and set it aside. A year later we had just enough to purchase a nice gift for him. That would not have happened if I hadn't planned ahead or I may have been tempted to put something on a credit card which would have made life harder in the coming months. 



Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
Proverbs 13:11 ESV

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 A friend shared this website and I've enjoyed reading how she feeds her family of 5 on $100 a month. We don't eat the same foods but it's helping me to think differently when I am shopping.  

The Fundamental Home

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I made this cheesecake for my aunt's birthday. It looks very professional if you arrange the apples in a pretty pattern. I used dairy free cream cheese for my aunt because she cannot tolerate dairy (like me). 

Low Carb Bavarian Apple Cheesecake


Crust:
2 1/2 cups Low Oxalate Flour Blend (recipe below)
(Or you could use 2 cups nut flour and 1/2 cup coconut flour)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. stevia
1/2 cup Erythritol (or favorite sweetener)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup sugar free honey
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. nut butter (optional)

Topping:
2 cups granny smith apples, peeled and sliced (don't slice too think)
1/3 cup erythritol (or favorite sweetener)
1 tsp. cinnamon (I use cinnamon extract for lower oxalates)
1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)

Filling:
16 ounces cream cheese (I used dairy free), softened
1/2 cup erythritol (or favorite sweetener)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
Mix crust ingredients together and press into cheesecake pan or you can use a round cake pan. 
Bake 375 for 8 minutes

Place apple mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees 15 minutes.  

Meanwhile, in the previous bowl beat cream cheese, sweetener and 1/2 tsp. vanilla until fluffy. Add the eggs and beat on low speed until mixed. Pour into pan with the baked crust and then arrange warm apples on the top of cheesecake filling.

Mix together sweetener and cinnamon together. Sprinkle on top of the apples. Place almonds in between apples (optional).  Bake 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Chill before using. 

Makes 8-12 servings 

Debbie's Low Oxalate Flour Blend
2 cups. pumpkin seed flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/4 cup oat fiber (not oat bran)
1/4 cup. psyllium husks, ground fine 

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Happy birthday to our oldest son!

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Broccoli Salad

A friend gave me this recipe to make for our church tea many years ago. It's always a hit and requested at many family gatherings.  I double it for large gatherings. (I will take out a small serving for myself and make the dressing with Erythritol/stevia instead of sugar since I am eating low carb).

Ingredients:
4-5 cups broccoli flowerettes (peeled, chopped stems are OK if small)
(I use a large bag of fresh broccoli from Costco. I cut off the stem and only use the flowerettes)

1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

2 cups grated cheddar cheese (optional)

1 lb. bacon, cooked until brown and crispy, then crumbled (or chopped)

1 cup roasted salted sunflowers (I used a bit less. 1 cup seemed like too much)

1 sm. red onion, chopped into very small pieces (or 1 sm. shallot, if preferred)
(I used less than 1 small onion)

1 cup real mayonnaise

1/4 cup. sugar

2 Tbsp. Apple Cider vinegar

Directions:
Salad: Wash and cut broccoli into bite-sized flowerettes. If using the stem, peel it and chop in small bite-sized pieces. Drain and put in large mixing bowl. Add raisins, bacon, sunflower seeds, cheddar cheese, and red onion. Mix well.
Sauce: Mix sugar and mayonnaise. Add vinegar and stir until smooth. It should have a sweet and tangy flavor.
Makes approx. 8 cups or 16 servings

Pour sauce over salad ingredients and mix well. If you used salted sunflower seeds, no additional salt is necessary. If using plain sunflower seeds, adjust taste as necessary.


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How to clean your stove

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Snoopy hopes if he stares at me long enough that I will feed him early!

SAVED, REUSED AND REPURPOSED

~ Paper towel roll (the cardboard in the middle)...(I wrap plastic bags or tinfoil around them to keep 
   my drawer looking neat) (Or I use them to hold extension cords)
~ Tinfoil (washed and reused to cover leftovers or line the drip pans under the stove burners)
~ Bread wrapper (washed and reused instead of gallon size storage/freezer bags)
~ Rubber bands from the newspaper
~ Plastic type dog food bag (I plan to use it for something messy that I put in the large garbage can that goes 
   to the street. )
~Vegetable packaging for fresh and frozen (lettuce bags, broccoli, frozen stir fry veggies, radish bags,etc. 
   Washed and reused in place of baggies.  
~ Newspapers (I use these to layer (along with grass clippings) in my flower beds and anywhere I don't want weeds.

That's about it for now! I'd love to hear what you have been doing this summer. Have you found time to garden or do any canning? Are you doing a yummy bible study on your own? Did you go on vacation? What has God been teaching you lately? Write when you can!

Blessed to be home!

Georgene
 

Learning to Enjoy Life at 57

There was a time, as a new bride, that 'enjoying life' was very high on my priority list. In fact, it was such a high priority that my dishes were often left undone, beds were not made and a lot of my homemaking necessities were set aside in pursuit of fun. My life was lived for what I thought would bring ME happiness.

Celebrating 31 years of marriage

The irony of my self-focus was that it did NOT bring happiness. It oftentimes caused conflict and strife in my marriage because my husband's needs were not met. Or I would be embarrassed if someone showed up unannounced and then fret and stew over what they may have thought of my unkept home. Living for my own pleasure was a sure fire plan for misery, no matter what the enemy tried to tell me.

My priorities changed over the years. The decision to homeschool and run a home-based business forced some major changes in my daily schedule.  Taking better care of my responsibilities became important because I learned that I could bring glory to God in my daily work.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV 

Easter egg hunt

This was a good thing... a work of God in my life... but somewhere along the way the pendulum swung the opposite direction and I lost finding joy in my days. I also found I resented my workload at times. I have sensed for a time that I needed to make some changes.

More Easter eggs

I decided to go on a treasure hunt each day to find God's gifts! A treasure hunt for joy but not at the neglect of my responsibilities. The first change I've made is taking a little break in the afternoons.  I close my bedroom drapes, snuggle deep under my bed covers, turn on my heating pad and grab my newest Christian novel. Yep, a novel! Not a book on counseling, or theology or anything instructional. An easy to read Christian novel about life in a small town with some quirky characters.  This special time gives me something to look forward to each day. I can't tell you what a great pocket of joy this has brought into my life. I am learning to enjoy life again at 57. Imagine that!

It's such a luxury and I thank God for every single minute of it.

There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 ESV

Monthly Sewing Bee at my house

Do you have something you look forward to each day? Does it cause your heart to be lifted to God in thankfulness? I'd love to hear what it is! (Don't you think that even a busy mother with a houseful of children or a working mother can look for pockets of joy in her daily life? )

***

A Typical Frugal Day! 
(Click on this link for more frugal ideas)


Here are a few things I've been working on this month:

1.  The summer months are here which means I'm back to my schedule of washing our little truck once a week. California is in a drought so I try to conserve water by using 2 buckets... one to wash and one to rinse. We get fined if the water runs into the street for longer than 5 minutes so I must be careful. I bought a large bottle of car washing liquid at Walmart YEARS ago. I use one capful per bucket and it puts a nice shine on my truck. I have saved a fortune by washing my own vehicles over the years. I keep a little whisk broom in the back seat to brush out crumbs on the floor. I found 2 cloth pouches with flaps at the dollar store. I keep them in the side compartment of the door for trash. 

A fun day with the family at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor

2. I bought a new pair of shoes last month. I saved the sturdy box, cut off the top and used it as a drawer divider. I keep a larger box in the garage to store small boxes until I find a use for them.

3. I'm finding more ways to COOK ONCE, EAT TWICE or more. We eat tacos once a week at my husband's request. So, I've decided to fry up 4 pounds of hamburger all at once to freeze instead of doing it once a week. It saves time, water and dish soap (only washing one frying pan). I'm looking for more and more ways to make life a bit easier around here as we grow older.

4. I was given some body spray as a gift. I love the fragrance but I don't use body sprays so I'm using the spray as a room freshener in the bathroom. It seems there is always an alternative way to use an unused item. 

Silly grandson! He loves to make people laugh!

5. I continue to buy one package of white socks for my husband out of each paycheck so that someday I will have a full load of 'whites' which will save water and money in the long run.

6. I made one large batch of Atkins Meatloaf and divided it into 4 meals for the freezer. This is one of my 'fast food' meals when I'm too busy to cook.

7.  I own 2 independent cats and one needy dog. I TRY to brush them daily to keep the hair loss down. But, their hair still can be a nuisance.  I keep a box of old sheets, curtains and thin blankets in the garage. I use these to cover their pet beds and any place they sleep. I change the coverings once a week. I shake them out on the lawn before I wash them and then run an extra rinse cycle with vinegar to clean my washing machine. The smaller and thinner material is easier to wash than the entire bedspread or the fee to have my furniture cleaned. Plus, it helps keep fleas under control by regularly washing their bedding. 

My grandson reading Resurrection Egg scriptures

8.   I made this recipe a few weeks ago. My husband thought it was Fried Rice (and I didn't correct him) and loved it. Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference, either. Much healthier than the original recipe with all the carbs.

Cauliflower Fried 'Rice'

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cauliflower-fried-rice/

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen peas 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup sesame oil, divided 4 cups cubed pork loin 6 green onions, sliced

1 large carrot, cubed 2 cloves garlic, minced 20 ounces shredded cauliflower 6 tablespoons soy sauce 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

1.	Stir peas and water together in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook and stir until peas are tender and heated through, about 5 minutes. Drain and discard water.
2.	Heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Cook and stir pork in hot oil until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate.
3.	Heat remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil the wok. Saute green onions, carrot, and garlic in hot oil until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower; cook and stir until cauliflower had a tender but firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes.
4.	Stir pork and soy sauce into cauliflower mixture and stir-fry until mixture is hot and slightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
5.	Move pork-cauliflower mixture to one side of the wok; pour beaten eggs onto empty side. Scramble eggs until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes; stir cooked eggs into the pork-cauliflower mixture, breaking up any large chunks.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2015 Allrecipes.com

Swiss Chard survived the winter

9. I used 4 Altoid containers to prop up my computer to let the air flow underneath so it wouldn't overheat. 

10. I've made some large meat purchases because the price was rock bottom low.  Hams went on sale for .99 cents a pound during Easter so I bought 2 of them to freeze for company. Spareribs went on sale for $1.29 a pound so I purchased 2 large slabs and then cut them into smaller portions to freeze. I try to buy meat at it's lowest price and stock up. I also use the ham for lunch meat which is so much cheaper than packaged lunch meat. My freezer is full! Praise God!

Saved, Stretched and Repurposed

~ Bacon grease (I put it in a jar in the fridge and use for flavor when sauteeing vegetables)
~ Envelopes (store seeds)
~ Egg cartons,cardboard kind (compost)
~ Vegetable and fruit peels, egg shells (compost)
~  Rubber bands from radishes (washed and reused)
~ Vegetable bags from grocery store
~ Coffee grounds (fertilizer for roses)
~ Water added to last bit of shampoo
~ Leftover ice tea used for hot tea instead of Earl Grey in the mornings.
~ Cut a restaurant meal in half to take home and use for lunch the next day. 
~ My neighbor saves her newspapers for me. I use them to put under the cat box and line garbage cans. She also gives me her coupons.
~ I saved the first cold water from the faucet while waiting for the hot water. I poured it into a bucket on the porch to water the herbs. 
~ I used 1/4 amount of suggested amount of fabric softener. Just enough to help the towels smell good. 
~ Blank back of paper, cut in squares and used for scrap paper. I keep a stack in most rooms to write down notes before my old brain forgets. :)
~ Paper bags from grocery store used to ripen fruit. 

I look forward to hearing if you have captured pockets of joy in your day. I'm hoping we can learn from each other as we find more ways to find joy in this life that God has graciously given us. 

Blessed to be home,

Georgene

John Piper wrote: You are selling your soul for a bowl of oatmeal when you want God to just meet your earthly needs and call that love. That is not love. Love is when God frees you from your love affair with yourself and frees you to enjoy making much of him forever. You were made to know and love God. You know this is true. You stand by the seacoast. You stand by the edge of the Grand Canyon. You stand with your eye to a telescope, the Hubble telescope pictures or whatever. You stand there and you find your soul drawn out of yourself. And for a brief moment you are free from self-consciousness and self-absorption and it is the most full, satisfying, deep, wonderful moment and it will be forever if God is the universe and God is the Grand Canyon and God is the ocean. That is why you were made.

Come by for a chat...

The New Year is here! It feels like 2014 flew by is such a flurry. I remember when I was a young mother and how long the days seemed ... but not any more. Not sure what has changed but I rarely finish my 'to do' list each day.

December was a busy, busy month but a lot of fun. My work at home got behind with all the celebrating, so I'm working through  FLYLADY'S  'House Blessing' and 'Zone' work each week to catch up. I've already accomplished so much.  I've been using her housekeeping plan as a guide for over 10 years. It's the only plan that has ever worked for me. I love it! I don't follow all of her suggestions but the 'House Blessing' and 'Zone' work have made a huge difference in how I keep house. 

Our '1st' Christmas! We celebrated Christmas 3 times this year!

My winter garden is doing very well. I've been harvesting broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Swiss chard and collard greens and oranges. I should have enough garden veggies to last a minimum of 3 more weeks. I froze some broccoli to use once the garden is finished. I've started a list of veggies and herbs I want to grow this summer. My daughter in love used graph paper to draw up a plan for her vegetable garden. I liked that idea and hope to start working on mine in the coming weeks.

Cabbage from our backyard garden!

I have a few sewing dates this month with family and friends. I'd like to make as assortment of gifts  for next Christmas to cut costs. I don't want to put it off until next fall because it won't happen if I do. I hope to work on a new apron pattern and a fancy pot holder to start off. I also hope to make a couple of quilts this year.

.My big goal for this year is to memorize more Scripture. I can't even put into words what God's Word has meant to my life. I decided this year to try and memorize an entire chapter of the bible. I felt like my thoughts really needed a project to focus on so I chose Romans 8 because it's one of my favorite chapters. I started slowing down when I got to verse 8. Thankfully, I ran across this booklet that has a great method for memorization. I just finished verse 16 this week. This old brain has trouble with the order of some of the recent verses I've memorized but if I see the first word then I'm good from there. :-)  I'm more interested in hiding God's Word in my heart than knowing the order perfectly so I'm enjoying the journey instead of stressing about my imperfections. It's been a delightful practice!

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV (Letters in bold are my emphasis)

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A Typical Frugal Day in my Home

So, here are a few things I've been up to:


1. The price of bacon costs nearly as much as a steak these days, unless it's on sale. I buy 1 package a month IF it goes on sale for less than $3 a pound. I cut the bacon into 6 sections, put them in baggies and freeze. It adds a little variety throughout the month without breaking the bank.

2. I always have a lot of  cilantro leftover when I buy it for a recipe. I tore off the leaves and packed them in a ice cube tray and filled each section with water. I froze it and then placed the cilantro ice cubes into a large freezer bag and labeled it. Now I don't have to run to the store when a recipe calls for cilantro unless I need it as a garnish or in a dish that isn't cooked. The frozen cilantro works great in soups. 

3. I've never tried making a Fritatta. Can you believe it? We eat a lot of eggs for breakfast so I decided to try one. We really liked it and I was able to stretch it for quite a few breakfasts.  I used this recipe from Pioneer Woman called, Sunday Frittata. Here is the link to the recipe.

Sunday Frittata

4. This is another new recipe that we really enjoyed. I made a large pork butt roast and used a pound of it for this recipe.

Posole Verde

1 pound of boneless pork (I used cooked pork and cut it into cubes)

Salt

A few tablespoons of oil

(2) 15 oz. cans hominy, rinsed and drained (I used 1 can)

(1) 16 oz. jar salsa verde (I like 'roasted' salsa verde)

2 cups chicken broth

1 medium onion (I used 1/2 onion), chopped

1 4oz. can diced chiles (I used roasted chilies from my garden)

5 tsp. jarred garlic or 5 cloves

1 Tbsp.  cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

* Optional Toppings: avocado, radishes, chopped cilantro, lime wedges and sour cream

*  Season pork (if you're not using cooked pork) with salt and brown in oil until brown on all sides. Stir in hominy, salsa, broth, garlic, cumin, onion, and spices. Add salt to taste. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or put it in a crock pot for 41/2-5 hours (use raw pork if you cook in the crock pot).
* Use toppings, if desired.

5.  Our orange tree is full of fruit this year. I've been taking the peels and putting them in a small crockpot along with cinnamon sticks and whole cloves and lemon peels. As  the 'concoction' heats up it sends a nice fragrance through the house.

Camelia is in bloom. 

6. I've been able to harvest 4 cabbage heads out of my backyard garden so far. There are 7 heads left in the garden. I use it to make coleslaw, Crack Slaw, Fried cabbage and eggs for breakfast and the new recipe listed in #8. I also like to throw a handful into my soups and stews.

7. My neighbor offered me some Meyer Lemons from her tree. They have such a wonderful flavor and I was thankful to get some for free.  I squeezed the lemons and then poured the juice into ice cube trays and froze them to use in recipes or in a cup of tea.

8. This new recipe is a keeper. I took it to a pot blessing and it was well received PLUS my husband liked it. I used the cabbage from my garden. It was very yummy. I made a few changes to make it lower carb.

Spicy Southwestern Slaw 

3 c. shredded cabbage

1 carrot, shredded

1 onion, diced (I used 1/2)

1 red bell pepper, diced

 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

 (I used a small handful of 

jarred jalapenos)

1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro (I used more)

1/2 c. oil

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp. sugar (substituted 2 Tbsp. Erythritol and 1/8 tsp. stevia to taste)

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrot, onion, red pepper, jalapeno and cilantro. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Pour over vegetable mixture and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

8.  It's time to clean out the my old bill invoices from 2014 to make room for 2015. I'm  shredding the paperwork and putting it in the compost pile. I cut up the pages that are blank on the back to use for note paper. I keep notepaper in almost every room of my house so I can write down a thought before I lose it. (Losing thoughts happen a lot at my age! Ha!)

9. I'm running low on 'fast food' freezer meals for breakfast and dinner. So, this week I spent some extra time in the kitchen making low carb muffins. I put them in the freezer for a quick breakfast choice on Sunday's before church.

10. A law has been passed in California that plastic bags can no longer be used in large retailers starting in July of this year. I use their plastic grocery bags in my kitchen garbage can and for other purposes.  I don't want to add anything else to my grocery list. I remember my mother using newspaper to line her garbage cans. So, I decided to start saving any newspapers that come through my door so I'll have a nice supply by July.  .

Saved, Re-purposed or Reused:

- Cotton from my vitamin bottle (reused to remove fingernail polish)
- Clean and dried plastic bags and reused as food storage bags (walnut bag, Erythritol,etc.).
- Bacon grease (used in place of oil to sauteed veggies or eggs)
- Washed, dried and reused tinfoil (no dairy or meat).
- Comics from the newspaper to use as wrapping paper for the younger grandchildren.
- Twistie ties from the veggie department.
- Buttons from an old shirt that no one else would want. I put them in an empty Altoid tin and then placed the tin in my 'button box'.
- Chicken bones (soup broth)
- Empty glass jars from salsa, artichoke hearts, etc. (used for leftover grease before it goes in the garbage can.
- Paper bags from the grocery store. (I use these to dry flowers and veggie seeds). 

So what is new in your home? What do you have planned (Lord willing) for this coming month? I always learn from you ladies!

Blessed to be home,
Georgene

Know when to quit!

Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich. 

Be wise enough to know when to quit. 

Proverbs 23:4 NLT

 I can remember a very specific time in our marriage when I was not content with my husband's income and ended up wearing myself out to make more money. I wanted just $50 more a month to spend on gifts for my relatives at Christmas and birthdays. So I racked my brain until I came up with the idea to start a used curriculum business for homeschoolers. The business grew and eventually brought in a decent second income but my family paid a high price for my lack of contentment. I wore myself out trying to make extra money and it put a strain on our home and our relationships. My best was given to the customers in the store and my family was given the leftovers of my energy.  All because I lacked faith that God would provide through my husband and a lack of contentment with his wages. If only I had been wise enough to know when to quit as the scripture says above.

Recently I am learning how this scripture speaks to my life today. I'm learning that frugality can wear a person out, too.  There have been times when I've crammed so many frugal duties into my day that my exhaustion tempted me to be less patient with my husband. I've had to ask myself lately if I'm elevating saving money over loving my husband well?

What is more important? Saving a few pennies or my relationship with my husband? The answer is obvious but how do I work this out daily? A few days ago I found myself feeling anxious as I rushed through three loads of laundry that needed to be hung and bread rising in the breadmakers and my Monday housecleaning that needed to be done. So I did the unthinkable and threw a load of towels in the dryer and you know what... the world did not come to an end! *wink* I also chose to not compost that day and made other small choices to make it easier to walk in the Spirit rather than put myself in a position to be tempted to sin by being impatient with my husband.

God's ways are so much higher than our ways. Our culture says we need more and better.  Our flesh always screams for just one more and something new. But contentment in every situation gives us rest from all that our flesh is screaming for. Why can we be content? Because HE will NEVER leave us! His ways are so wise! He only wants what is best for us and our families.

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  Hebrews 13:5 ESV

But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 1Timothy 6:8  ESV

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,  and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Titus 2:3-5 ESV


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Here are a few things I did in my home this week:

1. I cut my husband's hair this past week as I've been doing for 30 years. Boy has it saved me a lot of money through the years.

2. Another garden plot was added for tomatoes. They are doing beautifully! There is a chance we'll end up with no lawn at all as our veggie garden slowly takes over!

New tomato bed. 

3. I'm still eating Paleo/Low carb. I've found a yummy (to me) ice cream recipe. I've taken it to family gatherings and it's helped me not to be tempted to indulge in high sugar goodies! I can't remember where I found this recipe so if you recognize it then please let me know so I can give you credit.

Chocolate Low Carb Ice Cream

1 can full fat coconut milk 

(I used 1/2 can of coconut cream from Trader Joe

 and coconut milk to fill the rest of the can)

4 Tbsp. Hershey's cocoa

4 Tbsp. Truvia (I used 4 Tbsp. Erythritol and 1/8 tsp. Kal Stevia)

4 egg yolks (I used 4 egg whites)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 package Knox gelatin (I used 1 package)

The original recipe calls for heating the milk on low flame and then mixing in the rest of the ingredients until it reaches 175 degrees and then cool down. This is the recommended way to cook eggs for ice cream. I didn't do this though and just mixed up all the ingredients and poured it into my 

ice cream maker.  It's the kind of ice cream maker that you put the tub in the freezer and don't use ice or rock salt. I then scoop it into Popsicle holders. 

4.  I've heard that our city may be  in a drought so I'm trying to conserve water. I hate to see water running down the drain while waiting for it to heat up to wash my dishes. So, I'm running the cold water into an 8 cup plastic measuring cup. I tried doing this a few years ago but I was running the water into a bucket instead.  It was hurting my back and neck so I stopped the practice. The measuring cup is small enough that it's not putting a strain on my back. I have a small bucket on the back step that I throw it in and it's used to water the plants near the back step.

5.  I've added a 'vegetable garden envelope' to my budget. There's been a pattern of purchasing potting soil and seeds and fertilizer in the spring so I need to budget for this expense. This year I took it out of other 'envelopes' which is not a good practice. I'm setting aside $10 a month for now. That will give me $120 by next Spring... Lord willin' and if the creek don't rise ... or prices.! :-)

6.  I'm slowly checking off projects on my 'to do list'. I finished a lap quilt that needed a new binding. The next project to tackle is my unfinished quilt. I wasn't feeling perky this winter and never got around to finishing it.  I need to go through 2 large Rubbermaid tubs of photo pictures. I'm searching for the best solution for storage. Right now they are in my closet and no one is able to enjoy the pictures. I'm considering downsizing the pictures to a limited amount of albums I can place on my bookshelves.   (Update: I'm almost finished with this project).

7. I went over my grocery budget by $100 last month. I got some counsel from my friend Laine and she suggested I go back to shopping weekly. So, I've divided my budget by the number of weeks in the month. I will 'pay' myself the budgeted amount each week. This method of budgeting always works well for me. I got off track because I was stocking up at some discounts stores in the beginning of the pay period. I spent too much and then ran out of money before I was half way through the pay period. If this doesn't work then I'll have to come up with another plan. Food prices continue to rise.

8. Our summer garden is slowly growing. I'm picking strawberries right now and some Stockton Red onions. We have cantaloupe, squashes, spinach, Swiss chard, garlic, collard greens, celery, tomatoes, hot peppers, okra, artichokes and two kinds of green beans planted along with corn. Our 5 types of berries and grapes are showing fruit but not ripe yet. It amazes me how much we can fit into our small city lot.

9. I organized the garage and the side of the garage where we store pieces of lumber and pipe. It amazes me how quickly a room can get out of order. Then when you try to find something that's not in it's place you end up buying another one to replace it. An organized home is one way to save money.

10. I'm back in the routine of washing my car once a week since summer is here. I pretend I am paying myself $10 for washing it instead of paying someone else. I always dread it but once I start it takes me less than 10 minutes.

What I didn't throw away:

• Tea bags (3 'recycled' tea bags = 1 cup of tea)
• Egg shells (great for my tomato plants)
• I'm starting to compost again now that the weather is turning off warmer. 
• Lawn clippings go into compost pile
• Washed and dried used tinfoil. 
• Rubber bands from asparagus and broccoli. 
• Washed and dried plastic bags from lettuce and Erythritol. 
• Banana peels: Buried near root of rose bushes. 

How are you ladies doing? I know everyone is so busy but I do think of you and I'm always encouraged when I hear what you are doing in your homes.

Blessed to be a homemaker!

Georgene