Daily Grace

Whew! I do believe this was one of the busiest summers that I can remember!  It was overflowing with wonderfulness, packed full of uncertainty, exhausting and above all... BLESSED! But, in the midst of all the hustle and bustle, there was this solid assurance that God was in the smallest and biggest of all the details!

We had extended and wonderful visits from our daughter in love and grands throughout the summer and my in laws were here for 10 days.   A family member had surgery and another family member had several serious falls.  I struggled with new physical limitations but time and time again I saw that God's grace was sufficient! I lived and breathed and experienced the truthfulness of His Word that promises His grace is made perfect in our weakness!

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.   2 Corinthians 12:9  ESV

The vegetable garden suffered... the house was far from spotless... my laundry fell behind... and my devotional time was, to say the least,  inconsistent! But, I depended on Jesus more in the daily serving of my loved ones which resulted in experiencing more of the depth of His faithfulness... and for that.... I am so grateful!

Knowing where to go for my strength makes all the difference in how I get through these busy seasons. Boy, do I accomplish this imperfectly! I'm so thankful to know that Jesus love is filled with patience!

New bible study in 1, 2 & 3rd John by Kelly Minter

So, what is happening in your homes? I've missed hearing what you are learning and how God is teaching you through it all.

We squeezed in a trip to the bay with the kids and their families.

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A Typical Frugal Day

Here are just a few of the highlights this summer...

1. I planted zucchini from seed but I also bought a few plants from the store weeks later. I ended up drying enough zucchini to fill 9 quart jars to use in soup this winter. I kicked myself last winter when the price for zucchini went up to nearly $2 a pound.  I froze some shredded zucchini to use in muffins this winter for gifts. Here is a new recipe I made for my mother. She really seemed to enjoy it:

Zucchini Cornbread Casserole

2. Last summer I washed my car every Saturday like clock work. This summer I've been rethinking my weekly chores due to the drought, lots of company and some health issues. I found that I can stretch washing my car to the second week if I cover the front of my small truck with a huge piece of polyester material.  Some day I might buy a truck cover but for now the polyester will do. One of the advantages of living in an older neighborhood is that no one cares what I drape over my truck. It really IS an advantage at times. *WINK* I'm also stretching my lawn mowing to every other week. I not only save my strength for other duties but it also stretches the fuel along with the wear and tear on the lawn mower.

Homemade GIANT bubbles. Can you see it wrap around her?

3. I made Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon for my birthday meal. It was fabulous! I waited until I found a chuck roast on sale for $3.99 a pound. My love for cooking is always rejuvenated when I can find a fun, new recipe to try that both my husband and I love!  It was time consuming but heavenly! Happy birthday to ME!

4. I bought 3 small, glass saucers at the thrift store. I'm using them on my bowls instead of Seran wrap. This way I can see what is in the dish which results in less food being wasted. It will stretch the Seran wrap just a bit more, too!


5.I started volunteering at a food pantry this summer! It is such a blessing to see how God provides for those in need! The people I work with are wonderful and they always make sure to send home extra food. God used their blessings to help us stretch our grocery budget this summer when we had extra company.  He is so amazing! Jehovah Roi... the God who sees!

Sweet Williams, Four O'Clocks and 'Snow on the Mountain'

6. The summer vegetable garden has nearly come to an end. We are finishing up the last of the corn. I still have eggplant, green beans, a few zucchini and tomatoes. The grands helped me plant some seeds to start our winter crop. I love a winter garden because it requires so much less work! I've started laying newspaper down with lawn clippings on top to cover the empty plots. This will help enrich the soil over the winter and keep down on the weeds.

My granddaughter helping me plant seeds for the winter garden.

7.  I've shared many times how I use the 'Envelope Method' for many of our monthly and yearly larger expenses. I have 'envelopes' for my hair appointments, yearly DMV registration, oil changes, birthday gifts, dental co pays and larger electric bills in the winter. An envelope can be tangible or an envelope you make in your checking account where you 'hide' the money under a certain category. Recently, I was so thankful that I had an 'Envelope' for  household expenses because our plumbing backed up and it cost $500 to repair. Thankfully I was able to pay cash.

8. Eggs have doubled in price so I'm getting by with 1/3 less than last month. I rarely scramble them now since that uses more eggs so instead I fry them. I'm not baking as many low carb treats with coconut flour so that cuts down on the amount I'm using,too. I need to find more low carb ideas for breakfast that my husband will eat so I can cut back even more!

9. My daughter in love taught me how to make Bierocks while she was visting. I would have loved this recipe when my children were home because it's very inexpensive to make.

This is the dough recipe she used.  Quick and Easy Dinner Rolls

Make the dough as directed and let it rise. Then roll the dough out to approximately 1/4 inch thick and then cut the dough into squares (4x4 inches) with a pizza dough cutter.

Fry hamburger and shredded cabbage until done. You could add garlic and onions if you'd like. Season with garlic powder, Worcestershire and black pepper. Put a tablespoon or so in your dough square and then fold up corners and bake at 350 for 25 minutes until brown.

 I did a search and came up with quite a few variations. Very economical. It was fun cooking with my girl!

My daughter in love teaching me how to make Bierocks!

10. I have an old grape bush in the backyard. I have a hard time giving them away because they have seeds so this year I decided to dry them for raisins. I cut them in half and took out the seeds and placed them on parchment paper in my food dehydrator. They made AWESOME raisins! It wasn't as labor intensive as you would imagine. I cut them up one night and then put the bowl in the fridge. The next morning I would dry them.  I was so glad that they didn't go to waste. I stored them in a mason jar in the freezer.

My daughter in love captured this picture while visiting

Saved, Reused and Repurposed:
- Coffee grounds for Azaelas.
- Banana peels for roses.
- Rubber bands from asparagus, newspaper,radishes (washed and saved).
- Newspaper (used under cat box, clean windows, garden mulch, painting.
- Dirt and hair from vacuum (compost).
- Cardboard boxes from Costco:  (flattened and laid on dirt between the berries and neighbors fence to kill weeds coming from their yard).
- Birthday card (cut up and used as a bookmark).
- Cotton from a vitamin jar (I put it in a bag and use to take off fingernail polish).
- Bacon grease (to sautee fresh green beans).
- Popsicle sticks (I'll write the name of the vegetable on the stick and use it as a marker in seed pots).

I hope you are all doing well!

Blessed to be home!

Georgene

The drought and saving money!

It's no secret that California is in a drought. Everyone and their neighbor seem to have an opinion on how to solve the crisis. Most are not happy about the solutions given by our city and governor. But, I believe God's Word has the final say and it's very clear that God controls the rain. So, prayer becomes a top priority for those who acknowledge His power over His creation. I love seeing signs in front yards that say, 'Pray for Rain'. 

I've been conserving water ever since we moved into our home over 3 years ago. The drought was not as serious as it is now.  Lately, I've started researching more ways to cut back since we may have to cut our usage by 25% in the coming years.

My Trumpet Vine taketh overeth! :-)

 Here are a few things I do in my home to save and reuse water:

~ I put a large, plastic measuring cup under the faucet while I'm waiting for hot water to reach the house.  I usually get 16 cups of cold water which I dump into a bucket outside my door. The water is used to water the herbs on the patio table or to replenish the animal watering dishes.
~ I save the day old water from the cat and dog water bowls to water the plants.
~ I use steamed vegetable water to throw on my plants. I just make sure to not throw it close to the back door in case it draws flies.
~ Short showers.
~ Hot tub instead of a shower if we just need a light bath. 
~ I use the water from my laundry loads to water my flowers.
~ Leaves are kept in my flower beds to hold moisture in the soil.
~ I don't have automatic sprinklers so I use a kitchen timer to lessen the chance of a sprinkler running too long.
~ I only use 2 buckets of water to wash our truck. One bucket is for the soapy water and the other bucket is clean water to wash off the soap. This morning I used the 'start up' water from the kitchen faucet to rinse my truck.
~ I used to save the shower water to flush the toilet but lifting the buckets started playing havoc with my neck. But, this is another idea for those with a strong back and neck.

Strawberries are doing great this year!

~*~*~*

Last week I brought home a chocolate mint herb to dry for tea.  I was in a hurry to put away my groceries so I didn't check the soil to see if it was damp.  The next morning it was completely wilted. I honestly thought it didn't have a chance of survival but I watered it and hoped for the best. The next morning I was amazed to see that the water had revived it back to life.

I looked at that revived herb and instantly thought to myself, "Lord, that little wilted plant is how I feel  without Your Word. I have no strength to withstand the daily pressures of this life without your living Word daily sustaining me."

My hydrangea by the front door is blooming!

 I recently was struggling with a sin issue in my heart. I kept praying and asking the Lord to guide me through His Word. This morning a Scripture came to mind as I was working in the kitchen and SUDDENLY I had the answer I had been praying for.  He had spoken to me directly through His Word and I instantly had peace... perfect peace! 


 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:3 ESV

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  Psalm 63:1 ESV

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.  Psalm 23:2  ESV

My daughter by love and my grandchildren are here for a visit

~~~

A Typical Frugal Day


Here are a few things I've been doing in my home this past month.

1.  I had a large pitcher of ice tea leftover from a family gathering so instead of throwing it out I used it for hubby's morning hot tea. I normally use Earl Grey tea, which is pricey, so this practice helped stretch those tea bags. I save the tea bags in a small container in the fridge and use 3 recently used tea bags for one more cup.Waste not, want not! *smile*

2.  The winter onions were harvested this month. I froze 3 large bags of chopped onions but then decided to dehydrate the rest to save freezer space. A dear friend let me borrow her dehydrator which did a great job. I stored the onions in canning jars. The zucchini is starting to produce and we're not eating it fast enough so I started drying it, too. Last winter I used the dried veggies in my soups. You could also use them in casseroles, meatloaf, smoothies,muffins or chili.  It makes me twitch (smile) to buy zucchini in the winter at nearly $2 a pound when it's coming out my ears in the summer. This way I can purchase very little zucchini during the winter. I'm also trying my hand at drying herbs. The cilantro always bolts too fast before the tomatoes are ready. I'm hoping that dried cilantro will taste fine in homemade salsa. I'm drying basil and plan on drying some oregano soon.

Onions on left and boysenberries on right!

3. I used the last bit of toilet paper on the roll to wipe down my bathroom sink/toilet instead of throwing it away. I use a vinegar and water mixture in a spray bottle to clean my sink and toilet and then wipe down with the extra toilet paper. I used to throw the last bit of toilet paper away. Not any more. :-)

4. My small little backyard garden has produced enough berries to fill 15 pies so far or jam. Don't ever underestimate the size of a small city lot to stretch your grocery budget. There is a wonderful feeling of independence and joy when I can walk out my back door and pick my own food.  I plan on tearing out a few more flowers and replacing them with vegetable plants next year.  I'll move the flowers to the other side of the house that I only water once a week. It's very shady on that side of the house. It's their last chance for survival depending on how hardy they are. I call it my 'Last Chance Garden'.

"Last Chance Flower Garden ' on the side of the house

5. This year I decided to pick up 1 or 2 veggie plants each time I went to Walmart. We normally grow our veggies by seeds but we've had a hard time keeping up this year. This really helped to fill in some extra places in my garden with butternut squash, eggplant and a few cooking herbs.

6. I painted my spare bedroom. I was tempted to buy a new curtain rod since the older one didn't match. Instead, I checked the garage to see if I had any cans of spray paint and chose a color that blended with the curtains. It turned out so nice and looks brand new.

7. I've been spending too much on snack foods... healthy snack foods.. but it still increases my budget. I decided to buy more veggies and have them ready for snacks. It's less expensive per pound and is healthier.

8. I bought a Comfrey plant off  Ebay a few years ago. It's really grown big. I cut enough leaves to fill a large bucket, weighted them down with a brick and filled it with water and covered. It takes 4- 6 weeks to make a 'Comfrey tea' which I'll use on my tomatoes. Comfrey is high in nitrogen and it's cheaper than buying store fertilizers.

One view of my backyard vegetable garden.

9. This month I harvested leeks, onions, garlic, Swiss chard, radishes, lettuce, strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries, zucchini, yellow squash, cabbage, peppers, artichokes, cilantro and basil from my little  backyard garden. Grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, okra, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, spaghetti squash, butternut squash and eggplant are in the ground and thriving. Asparagus is sprouting spears but it won't be big enough to eat until next year. I love my garden.

10. I'm always looking for ways to save time in the kitchen...especially during the summer months when I'm so busy in the yard. I like to make extra coffee, sunflower seed flour muffins, frittata, large amounts of hamburger cooked/frozen, and  meatloaf recipes. Doubling my recipes helps me always have a quick meal on hand.

My daughter and I and mama at a Soroptomist Tea.

11. I've been digging up small little pebbles in my garden. I throw them in a coffee can.  Why? I thought you'd want to know! :-) I'll use them to put in the bottom of my pots for good drainage. They are free for the taking as long as I put out the time to gather them.This will save money in the long run.

12. My sister shared a useful idea she read in a magazine. I purchased a plastic colander and hung it by the outdoor faucet to clean off the veggies before I bring them into the home. I sit on my gardener's bench (like the one below) while I'm washing and cleaning the veggies. I love this bench! It sure saves my back when I'm pulling weeds because I'm not bending at the waste.Great idea, Sis!




SAVED, STRETCHED and REPURPOSED
~ Radish, asparagus and broccoli rubber bands saved, washed and reused.
~ Egg shells crushed and thrown in compost along with veggie and fruit peels. 
~ Plastic mushroom container washed and re used for a drawer organizer. 
~ Bills I receive in the mail often have an extra envelope which I don't use since I pay my bills online. I use the envelope to store seeds from my flowers and vegetables. We buy Heirloom seeds for that purpose. 
~ Small paper bag from pharmacy ( I save paper bags to ripen fruit or to store seeds).
~ Paper egg cartons, shredded toilet paper rolls are put in compost pile. 
~ Coffee grinds: I buried them around the azaleas and hydrangea. 

How is everyone summer going? Are you gardening? Canning?  Do you have some projects you hope to finish this summer? I always love learning from you gals!

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.

An Uninvited Guest

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An uninvited guest came to visit a few years ago. At first he would come for short visits and then leave. But, this past year he became more persistent and was determined to stay. I really didn't want him here. I even demanded that he leave. Nothing seemed to discourage him. He really is a bother and a big nuisance and only thinks about himself.  I have way too much work to get done but he really doesn't care and tries to take up all my time. I have prayed so often for God to make him leave but as of today he is still here.

This little grandson was definitely INVITED into our lives. He is now in high school.

I've tried to handle his presence in different ways. Sometimes I ignored him. Sometimes I focused on him way too much. I studied how to get rid of him which only seemed to make him presence stronger. Lately, I've settled down to the fact that since he is here today then I must learn how to go on with my life in spite of his annoying presence. I have a great life to lead, you know! So, the question then became.. how do I live for God's glory with this uninvited guest?

Well, if you haven't guessed it by now, my uninvited guest is chronic pain and his feeble companion known otherwise as fatigue.

I'm feeling nostalgic. Another old picture of two of my grandbabies who are now teenagers.

I recently finished two books that have been so helpful in learning how to deal with this new uninvited guest. Think it not Strange is a quick and easy read but I found some treasures of encouragement from this author. Claudette and her husband were new missionaries to Russia when an accidental slip on ice left her bedridden and sent back to the United states. There is very little written about her actual life but mainly the lessons she learned when dreams were cancelled and her new life was not what she had expected. The book is filled with verse after verse of Scripture to exhort the reader.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

 "Pain is certainly not rest, as some sturdy folks think. Pain involves hard labor. This toil includes the responsibility to "bear fruit" in our lives, even while bearing pain."
"The fruit that should be evident in our lives (though not fully ripe till we are in glory ourselves) includes: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5;22-23). They can miraculously survive our pain levels and break through our moods, to bless others far more than any manual labor would. But we cannot do it without the Spirit of God!"




The second book titled, Pain: The Plight of Fallen Man  was a more in depth read but definitely worth it. The author (who is a Rheumatologist) explains the process of how the body processes and then interprets pain. It's fascinating to discover how thoughtfully and detailed our Creator designed these amazing bodies when dealing with pain. Dr. Halla scientifically supports how our interpretation of the pain actually determines whether our pain decreases or increases. There are several chapters that teach about the purpose of our relationship with Christ and how God works our trials into a plan for our good to make us more like Jesus. I took a lot of notes from one of the final chapters called, "Practical ways to get victory in the midst of pain".

 Here are a few great quotes:
~ "What a person thinks about pain and the condition he has are crucial ingredients. For example, focusing on pain and pain relief only intensifies pain."
~ "I have hope. I don't have to stop hurting to be able to accomplish something, especially pleasing God. When I do hurt it is very different to sit down and ask myself, "what fruit of the Spirit is God wanting to produce?" I get busy doing that and find that I don't hurt as much or that getting relief is not as important as pleasing God."



These new lessons are really no different than the lessons I continue to learn about contentment and living with less. My days rarely go as I plan and my daily work list has gotten shorter out of necessity. My floors are not as clean as I want them and some days my bed doesn't get made. But by God's grace, I am learning to turn to the Lord more and more each day and He is teaching me to die more to self so that the fruit of His Spirit will be manifested in my life. Important lessons. Good lessons. Hard lessons.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  Romans 8:28-29 ESV
*my emphasis*

A 'Selfie' of my sweet mama and me!

*~*~*~*~*~*

A Typical Frugal Day in my Home

A few things I accomplished in my home this past month:

1. Last month I eliminated one bowl of canned dog food by moistening dry dog food instead. My dog likes her warm bowl of food in the morning. This month I did the same thing for half her evening meal. This is making a big difference in stretching her canned food which ultimately will stretch my grocery money.

The grands made 'chalk rockets' when they spent the night this month.

2. I have a handled scrub brush I use to clean the dog and cat food dishes. They were looking really awful so I made a note on my 'dollar' store list to buy 2 new brushes. Instead, I soaked them in bleach for half a day. They look like new and it saved $2.

I made a nursing cover for a gift.

3. I refilled my spray bottle in the bathroom with half white vinegar and half water to clean my toilet and sink. 

4.  I soaked orange peels in a jar of vinegar for 2 weeks. The vinegar is for cleaning my bathrooms and it smells nice with the orange scent.

5. I go through a lot of dish soap since I wash my dishes by hand. This month I added water to the second half of dish soap left in the bottle. This helped stretch the dish soap. I do this with liquid hand soap, too.  

 We covered our artichoke plants this winter and they survived the frost.

6. I needed to wash one of my blouses on delicate cycle. Instead, I put it in the bathtub and washed it before I took a shower. I used a lot less water. I hung it on a hanger to dry in the shower.

7. I like to do my baking on cold mornings so I can open the oven door to warm up the kitchen.

8.  I buy the sugar free Altoids in the little tin box. I always save the tin box to use for all kinds of things such as holding buttons, homemade lip balm or holding safety pins. Last week I realized my laptop computer was getting too warm underneath so I took 4 of the tins to prop it up. Problem solved because the air was able to flow underneath the computer.

Happy birthday to my grandson! He is the blonde haired baby in the picture towards the top.

9. I bought pork ribs in bulk on sale for $1.49 a pound. Each bulk package costs around $20. I bought 3 packages which was a big chunk out of the grocery budget but meat rarely goes on sale that low these days. I cut the ribs down to smaller portions and froze them for future meals. Hams should be going on sale soon for Easter and I hope to stock up on a few.

10. I love the whole roasted chickens at Costco for a quick meal. Leftovers are made into soup and chicken salad for sandwiches/lettuce wraps. The extras are frozen for lunches. I also bought 5 pounds of chopped ham for $2 a pound and sliced it in thin slices to freeze. This price is cheaper than the lunch meat packages which normally run double that price.

My dog plopped right in the middle of my board game with the grands.

STRETCHED, REUSED and SAVED!
~ Glass jars to store old grease in before it goes in the garbage.
~  Chicken carcass from Costco is used to make chicken broth.
~ Chicken liver from whole chicken (saved until I get enough for a meal).
~ Compost pile: egg shells, toilet paper holder, newspaper, veggie scraps
~ Coffee grounds buried around the roses.
~ Plastic bags (no dairy or meat) washed and reused.

Are you ladies doing any extra cleaning for Spring? I've started a list of a few things I do yearly:

~ Spray paint my front door screen.
~ Paint the wood threshold for the front door.
~ Wash all my windows, inside and out.
~ Wash winter blankets and rugs at the laundromat.
~ Spot paint my kitchen cabinets and in the bathroom.
~ Finish working on organizing 'hot spots' in the garage. 

We'll see how long this takes me! :-) How about you?

Blessed to be home,
Georgene

MAKE DO for one more day!

I have a tale to tell of a 'not so pretty' bedspread. This bedspread covers a queen size bed in our
office/guest room/sewing room /cat room.  The bedspread was given to me about 8 years ago. It was missing the pillow shams so I turn it sideways to cover the sleeping pillows. It's an older print and certainly doesn't look like the comforters I see in the stores. It adds no spark to the room whatsoever.

Strawberry tower and BB girl!

I often think about buying a new bedspread but then I check the prices and decide that I can make do for one more month. I've asked myself 'why' I think I need a new bedspread since there are no holes in it and it's not falling apart. There is still a lot of life left in that old bedspread. I'm not sure but I imagine it's because it doesn't fit the image of the bedrooms I see on TV. It would be nice to have a beautiful room when company comes to visit.   But, once I think about other needs... real needs... I decide to be content a while longer. Trying to gain the approval of others can be costly in more ways than one.

"Our identity in Christ, knowing that we belong to him, serves to remind us that material luxuries, status symbols, and clothing, houses, and cars are meant to be enjoyed but were never give to stamp a sense of identity on our lives. Our gracious Lord has already done that.:    Jeff Manion

The garlic is doing great!

One 'need' is a dental and eye care fund. I use the 'envelope' method to save for upcoming expenses so we're not caught off guard. I have 'envelopes' for car repair, savings, vet bills, hair cuts/weave, DMV registration, birthday gifts, alms and a general household savings for appliance repair or replacement.  But, I do not have an envelope for dental or eye wear. We have a new dental procedure that costs $95 a couple times a year. I need to prepare for that ahead of time. My sweetheart will be needing glasses sometime soon.  So, I moved things around in my budget and I will be taking out a little money each month to put in a dental/eye wear envelope.

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

 If I put money into 'fluffing' my nest then I won't have money for future dental and eye wear expenses.  It's more important to care for our health needs than impress someone with a fancy spare bedroom. (The cats really don't mind the bedspread at all! *wink*)

My camellia bush  is full of flowers this year.

So for TODAY, I am learning the wisdom in lessons of contentment and making peace with my old bedspread for ONE MORE DAY and thanking God that I HAVE a spare room with a comfy bed to put that old bedspread on. I'm working on changing the way I think about this bedspread. I'm finding ways to enjoy it. I'm practicing thankfulness by God's grace. His grace really is sufficient. 

 * Now there is GREAT GAIN in godliness WITH contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 1 Timothy 6:6 ESV

 * Keep your life FREE from the 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

  *My emphasis

*~*~*~*~*~*

A Typical Frugal Day

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

1. I made a new batch of spot remover for the laundry. This time I didn't add baking soda to the recipe as I have in the past because I thought it was rough on the clothes. I keep it in a quart canning jar above my washing machine with a tooth brush.

 Spot Remover

2/3 cup Dawn detergent (original blue formula)

2/3 cup ammonia

2 cups warm water

'Hen and Chicks' are blooming.California weather has been so warm that the plants think it's Spring.

2. I love trying new recipes. It keeps it fun in the kitchen. This salad dressing was from Barefoot Contessa's website on Food Network. The salad was wonderful but a little pricey with the Feta cheese and the Kalamata olives. I'll watch for the olives at my discount canned food stores and sales on on the Feta cheese since it freezes well. It would be a lovely salad to take to a potluck (blessing).

Greek Salad

* Put in this order in the bowl. 

1 large head Romaine Lettuce, chopped.

2-3 whole ripe tomatoes, cut in wedges

1 whole cucumber, peeled, cut in fourths, diced large chunks

1/2 whole red onion, sliced very thin

30 (or 1 cup) whole pitted Kalamata olives, cut in half (used less)

Fresh parsley, chopped roughly

Salt and pepper

Toss with tongs

Toss above ingredients with tongs. Just before serving add 4 oz. Feta cheese and squeeze with a little fresh lemon juice. Squeeze fresh lemon over the top.

Greek Salad Dressing

 2 cloves of garlic, minced

1-2  tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. dried basil

1/4 c. good red wine vinegar

1 tsp. Kosher salt (I used sea salt)

1/2 t. freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup good olive oil (I used grape seed oil)

(I added about 1 tsp. Erythritol to sweeten)

I made the dressing in a canning jar and kept it in the fridge for 24 hours. Shake regularly (the jar! *smile*)   This is my new favorite salad dressing. (I made a double batch to keep in the fridge for lunch salads)

I love this picture of the 'grands' being silly for Grammy. They were so young then.

3. This is the second year that we had our taxes prepared free through our local library. We waited 2 hours  but it saves us a lot of money.

4. I finally used up the floor cleaner that we found in the garage when we moved here.  It's so expensive to purchase cleaning products so I did a search and found a recipe to make my own. It works great. As always, please check any cleaning recipe on an 'out of the way' spot to make sure it works well on your floors.

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup rubbing alcohol

1/3 cup vinegar

2-3 drops of dish washing soap

I put the lettuce pots on an outside table to deter the snails.

5. A new law passed in California that the egg laying companies have to give chickens room enough to move around in their cages. As a result, our egg prices have double. I had no idea about the law being passed until I went to buy eggs and saw that a box of eggs had literally DOUBLED. Gasp! So, I started adding water to our scrambled eggs. Normally, for 1 serving I'll use 1 egg and 2 egg whites but now I cut back one egg white and fill half of the egg shell with water and add it to the scrambled eggs. It makes the eggs fluffy.  I've also cut way back on low carb baking which uses a lot of egg whites. I stretched our eggs to last an extra week.

6. I went to taste some sugar free cranberries I was making on the stove and the syrup scalded my lip. It was bad. I should know better. I remembered my daughter in love had given me an aloe plant. I used it often throughout the day. The burning stopped and it healed quickly.

7.  I have a small ironing board for quilting that a friend made years ago. The cover has been stained for years and I've always wanted to make a new one. My daughter in love, a few friends and I are planning on sewing together once a month, so this was just the encouragement I needed to replace it. I used the old cover as a pattern. The material was free from a friend. It turned out great.

8. I stretched my hair appointment for an extra month. I put $20 in my envelope fund each month to pay for hair needs. Normally I go to the hair dresser on the 3rd payday but I always have to dip into the budget to pay the balance of the bill. So by stretching my hair appointment for an extra month, it freed up that extra money to use somewhere else.  A friend said that my gray 'roots' just look like a lighter blonde. Such a nice friend. *smile*

9. My sewing machine turn wheel froze up and wouldn't not turn. I read the manual and oiled it but it still wouldn't move. I looked on You Tube for a video on repairing sewing machines and found one that showed how to take it apart.  I took the sewing machine apart and had my husband oil it where he thought it needed oil. Now, it works good as new and I saved a repair bill.

Onions and garlic in a raised bed I added last year.

10.  I found whole milk on sale for $2.99 for my sweetheart. It's normally a dollar more. The expiration date would come sooner so I froze half of the gallon. It doesn't end up being watered down since it's whole milk and has a higher fat content.

I have more things on my list that I did this past month but I'll save them for another time. Groceries continue to rise and our electric has gone up.. yet the Lord continues to teach me how to be content with all He has given. We really are a blessed nation! I thank Him for His goodness throughout the day as I go about my work. He has been so good to us!

Saved, Re-purposed and Re-used:
~ Rubber band from radishes (washed and reused)
~chicken bones, cooked (chicken broth)
~ Salsa jar (to discard grease)
~ Gizzard from whole chicken (I freeze them until I have enough to make a meal
~ Chicken liver from whole chicken (fishing bait)
~ plastic bags (LC tortilla bags, vegetable bags,etc. washed and reused)
~ Small sturdy box (drawer organizer)

Well, these are just a few things I've done this month to stretch our income. How about you ladies? How are you doing with your grocery budgets now that prices continue to rise? I love to learn from you!

Blessed to be home!

Georgene