Chick N Charge

Time is Ticking...

2012-01-25T07:15:00.000-06:00

I am reading an AMAZING book that is currently flying off shelves at bookstores everywhere. It is The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn, and I can't say enough good about it. It concerns the prophetical aspects of 9/11 and is a must read for all Believers and all Americans. You can find a youtube clip here, and the official facebook page here. I plan on purchasing extra copies to give out ~ YES, it is that important! If you only read two books this year, make sure it is the Bible and The Harbinger.

Plans for February

2012-01-13T07:36:00.000-06:00

We are almost at the half mark of January and here I am making plans for February! What plans, you might ask?! Some serious ones, for starters! I gained 3 pounds during December, and while that doesn't sound like much, to someone who's already over-weight it is AWFUL! So, February is calorie counting month for me, and I hope to lose 10 pounds! I've been low-key at the gym (to my credit, at least I've been going 2-3 times a week) but now it is time to pump up the volume! Tater tots snuck their way in through the back door and have stuck to my backside, lol! I am using the rest of this month to kick back out some foods that have weaseled their way back in, and will return to a minimum of 4 days weekly to the gym. My energy level has dropped because of the empty calorie foods, and I have adopted back some 'stinkin' thinkin' as well. January is full of good intentions for many, but February tells the tale of those who mean to make it happen, ain't it so?! February may be a short month but it will be HUGE for me...I have plans you see...sounds like Dr. Suess!
You won't see me around on either of my blogs for the whole month either. I have been realizing some serious truths about social media and am ready to experimentally PULL THE PLUG! So, from February 1st through the 29th, I will only use the computer for e-mails, bill paying, Bible studying, and files stored on Evernote, so I will reply to any blog comments through e-mail only (they get sent to my inbox and I'll reply from there). I will be back on March 1st for a big post on how I feel about things after four weeks, at which time I will know for certain if I will reconnect fully or not. Blogging and facebook have been a serious time waster for me and not always the positive influence I need in my life. I see that and I know it needs to different. I will go back to reading a good old-fashioned PAPER Bible, as well, and study any scriptures that speak to me via internet. I challenge you to question yourself by asking What would you do with all the time you'd have if you weren't blog surfing, stumbling upon, pinning on pinterest and keeping up with folks statuses on facebook. (Much less, building a farm on farmville, and a garden on gardens of time, lol, which I spend more time on than decorating my own home...sad, huh?!) I believe that it is keeping me from success in many areas of my life and I intend to find out for sure. Will you keep me on your list for the next month so you can see the results of my plans?! Maybe you will give my words some deep consideration for your own life and join me on pulling the plug! I must say, I am rather excited to use the internet in the best way by simply learning things, and not using it to form replacement relationships instead of face to face contact. I have SO many spiritual books to read and tons of recipes and crafts waiting for me impatiently! Oh, my house is tidy, and pretty organized...but it doesn't SHINE, and I mean to make it SHINE! Truth is, I don't think anyone will miss me while I am gone...and ya know what?! I am perfectly okay with that, because I am seeing the whole picture differently and I realize that if we were face to face friends, we would truly miss each other. Ladies, the only book our face should be stuck in is NOT facebook but the W-rd of G-d! In a sea of social media, we are lost on wrong comparisons, idle words, and ill spent time. How much time do you spend aimlessly wandering the web? I have used Evernote to load up on some pretty amazing info, but what am I gonna do with it all? Just keeping heaping and hoarding all these awesome finds into notebooks never to access them again? It is time to stop looking and start doing. While I am gone, will you say a prayer for me?! That G-d will bless what I am attempting to do and make my paths straight before Him? I will be praying for you, too.
Mull it over and tell me what you think about my post....

A Thought for Wednesday

2012-01-11T07:36:00.001-06:00

If at an end thy flesh were at, would thou deem to know thine faults in thy life that has come to pass, or rather be eternally satisfied in knowing thine imperfections? Faults stand out where perfections cannot. Because perfections, only the truest heart can see....
Hannah Howard, age 12, homeschooler

*Tell me your thoughts on this verse!* (more to come)
Join me at Raising Homemakers Link Up!
Blessings,

Name Callin'

2012-01-10T10:00:00.000-06:00

Tuesday's Tidbits of Truth #2....Name Callin'!
Come on over and take a bite!

Hey There!

2012-01-09T08:52:00.000-06:00

Just a little update to say hello! I am ready for fall/winter decor to go bye-bye, how about you?! I decided to use my piano as though it were a mantle and I tried to think 'outside the box', lol! Tell me what ya think so far...

For my vintage tv, I turned a wooden basket over and used it totally different as a shelf, of sorts.

We have sold a great many of our lovely antiques but we still have some pretties left and I am trying to showcase them, for my own enjoyment!

Thanks for stopping by! I will see you later this week!

Check It Out!!!

2012-01-03T10:34:00.000-06:00

Tuesday's Tidbits of Truth ...a little something to chew on today! Blessings,

Christmas, Hanukkah, and the Anti-Christ

2011-12-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

Passion for Truth!

Almost Hanukkah!

2011-12-13T11:48:00.003-06:00

Thought I'd better drop you a line in case you thought I'd forgotten about you! Times are tough right now but I am resolved to be toughER! It is almost Hanukkah and I thought I'd share a few pics with you. In the midst of all the Christmas craziness, I have found peace and comfort in the remembrance of Hanukkah. I'd like to share with you what Hanukkah means to me.

I don't believe that anything happens by chance, but by design. Some would say that Hanukkah is recognized in December so that Jews have something to rival Christmas. I believe that it was G-d's design that its timing is just so, not to rival at all, but to be the calm in the midst of the storm.

Honoring the birth of Yeshua has become a bone of contention for many. I, myself, choose to honor His Holy Birth when it actually happened, during G-d's Holy Day of Succoth, when G-d came to tabernacle with man. Yes, there is proof that this IS the day, and the truth is always out there for those who seek it.

Hanukkah is all about restoration and re-dedication. It is about a battle to restore the Temple. It had been seized by a most unholy king who was bent on profaning this holy place and torturing G-d's people.

G-d's people were forced to worship pagan gods or die. Pigs were sacrificed on the holy altar and the whole temple was filled with every vile pagan thing you can imagine.

The miracle of Hanukkah was the strength G-d gave to those who turned the tide in those awful times and how, because of their commitment to right the Temple and cleanse it, G-d made one lone vial of oil last eight days, the exact amount of time it took to make and consecrate more oil for the holy lampstand.

Yeshua (jesus) kept Hanukkah. It was during this time when ...

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

We know that now WE are the Temple of G-d. But our Temples have become as profane as in the ancient scriptures. We have carved out niches for all manner of gods. We have chosen to worship G-d by our own vain imaginations, never once seeking the truth of G-d's Word on the way we've chosen to do things. There are many who tell me that it does not matter what the day, as long as we are worshiping G-d. There are a dizzying amount of scriptures that tell us to NEVER mix the Holy things of G-d with the profane, and NEVER to worship our G-d in the ways that the pagan people worship their gods. But, it is the very thing we have done. G-d's Holy Days are not wrapped in traditions and practices of pagan gods. Why would we ever choose to honor His birth within the context of such a wicked time as christmas?! We try to keep christ in christmas, but it is an attempt to put Him somewhere that He will NEVER be. Yeshua can shine the light of truth into the dark corners of your heart. He is the light that shines in the darkest of places and times. His light sustains us, it restores all that has become profane in our lives. He causes our Temples to be washed and ready to tabernacle with Him! It is by awesome design that we remember Hanukkah during the month of December, when the world glories in their twisted attempts at honoring G-d in whatever fashion they have chosen, steeped and soaked in the pagan traditions of all that is unholy. Hanukkah is the place you run to and fall down on your knees when you realize how wrong christmas is. It is the place where your heart is cleansed from the vain traditions of man and restored to righteousness. Yeshua was conceived at Hanukkah. To think that sweet Mary lit those candles of remembrance and received the greatest light of them all! Will you let go of those vain traditions and let Yeshua shine the light of truth in your heart and life, or will you choose to continue on in them?! What is G-d's Will concerning christmas or any matter that concerns Believers?! I would say that, concerning christmas, you would need to examine your heart concerning truth. Ask G-d to give you a heart that seeks after the truths of His W-rd. When you start seeking truth, He will open your eyes. He will cause you to see why His Ways are not our ways and His Thoughts are not our thoughts and why we need Yeshua to shine His light into our hearts and minds. The Hanukkah candles show us that the eight candles are lit by the servant candle, but that light is not left to burn with the others...why? Because He put His light into us so that we become the vessels that shine in our dark world. But we have hid our light, and caused the flame to all but be extinguished. We have made ourselves such a part of this world that we can longer be distinguished from it. We are no longer a separate people. We recognize the same days and times as the rest of the world, and by such we have carved out niches that honor the same gods that the world honors. Please don't think that I judge you. By no means, I only understand the trappings of this world and the level of deception that has us bound. There once was a question in my heart about how to please my G-d, and He opened my eyes. It is almost Hanukkah, almost time to remember how He restores when I fail. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. This Hanukkah, may He shine the light of truth into your life. May He bless you with a spirit of re-dedication and make you to be a great shining light for Him!

***Titus 2sday Link Up***

Whew!

2011-11-18T06:02:00.000-06:00

Life is busy-good right now...be back next week! May the L-rd bless and keep you!

Guarding Your Gratitude

2011-11-06T12:53:00.000-06:00

Talking about gratitude over at From Zombie to Zealot...
come join me!

Happy Face

2011-11-06T12:39:00.000-06:00

Or should I say, happy mouth?! Why? Because I did it...I took the plunge and made homemade toothpaste! And now I have a very happy, healthy smile! Here's what I did:

Here are the ingredients.

You will need baking soda, coconut oil and hydrogen peroxide.

I chose to use mint extract and stevia also to give it more of a toothpaste taste.

I dumped a 16 oz. box of baking soda into a bowl and began to add coconut oil by the heaping spoonful, stopping to smoosh it in and stir well.

I stopped when I could form a soft ball that would stick together like this.

I used approximately 2/3 of the jar of coconut oil.

(I will use the rest for beauty purposes, lol!)

Next, I added the pack of stevia and stirred it in followed by a teaspoon of mint and a squirt of hydrogen peroxide. When I had it to a good squirt-able consistency, I got my toothbrush and tried it out.

The verdict was...

SALTY!

Not the least bit sweet OR minty, so I added another teaspoon of mint and another pack of stevia

and brushed my teeth AGAIN. Still not enough to suit my taste. I ended up adding 7 packets of stevia and 7 teaspoons of mint...sounds like an awful lot but it sure does NOT taste like it. I ended up brushing my teeth about 5 times and now have the cleanest teeth/mouth in town!

I saved two little containers from buying honey at the health food store here in town and it made two of these almost full to the top. Why make homemade toothpaste you ask? The benefits of using the above ingredients are better than store bought could ever be. You will have the whitest, cleanest teeth you've ever had! And fluoride is SO bad for you! Go here to read about the dangers of fluoride. It has been proven that it doesn't prevent tooth decay like it claims, so KICK IT OUT THE DOOR! Having a clean mouth and teeth is the best thing you can do to protect against cavities, as well as cutting down on sugary foods. What is the final verdict on the homemade stuff?! Cost wise, it came out to about $8 for approx. 16 oz. The tubes of cheaper toothpaste cost about $1.50 for 5 oz with the expensive brands costing as much as $5 for 3-4 oz. Mine comes out to around $2.50 for 5 -6 oz but it cleans better than the most expensive store brand so it is much cheaper and does a MUCH better job. Taste and feel? Slightly salty with a nice but soft minty after taste, and my mouth feels very clean. These ingredients heal all kinds of mouth sores too, so that is another thing store bought can't do. Not one single ingredient here has any harmful effects, only healthy ones...can the store brands say that?! Ummm...NO! It took up maybe a half hour of my time and I consider it well spent. I won't ever by store brands again, and next time I want to try cinnamon extract! Actually, any quality flavoring would work great. You could come up with a sort of tooty-fruity flavor that kids might like using orange, lemon and cherry flavorings! This is the second accomplishment for me in making homemade goods for my family. First, I made washing detergent for laundry....I love it and will never go back! Now, toothpaste... DITTO! Next on my list is homemade soap and I can't wait to give it a try! Do I think you should try homemade toothpaste too?! Oh, YES! You will be so glad you did this for your family. Every step you take to add even one good element toward better health for yourself and your family AND the environment is excellent! Give it a try, your mouth will say 'thank you'!

Thankful Heart

2011-11-02T07:27:00.001-05:00

I am thankful today for the simple things in life...

Home

Family

And the love of a most

Awesome G-d!

Tell me what YOU are thankful for!

Prime Time

2011-11-01T08:21:00.001-05:00

I remember feeling like an 'old soul' all my life. Folks commented often, when I was just wee little, that I seemed mature beyond my years. That seemed like quite a compliment when I was young, but....what happens when an old soul grows up??!! Does she just keep getting older?! No sirree! She gets smarter! I am talking, first and foremost, to all the ladies over forty out there. Is life anything like you thought it would be after the age of forty? After 4 kids, I could feel the weariness physically. (And given that I had began to neglect my own good health by excuses that weren't worth making...) Health is everything! I am still wearing a heavy path to the gym...GO ME! Some days, I sound like Fred Flintstone, grumbling under my breath, as I gather my gym bag and tie my tennis shoes, but I MAKE myself go anyhow, and I am always so glad I did. I haven't really lost anymore weight, but the inches just keep going! I feel better than I have since my later 20's and I look about 5-6 years younger than I did six months ago! And this is just physically...
Mentally, well...uh-hmmm...

just kidding! Truly though, both mentally and spiritually, these last two years have been like polishing rocks to reveal the true worth and radiance. I seriously didn't foresee that resolve and determination would be revealed as well. In some ways, despite being an old soul all my life, I feel as though I've grown up more these last two years than the last twenty! WHY? I've come to know myself to a greater degree than I ever have! I've spent the larger part of my life, so far, trying to improve on who I am (in all capacities) that I sort of missed who I am...does that make sense?! Now, I still read every self help book I can find, because that is just who I am. I have turned into a goal setting go-getter. I envision that these next twenty years of my life will be my PRIME TIME! If you are over forty and in poor health, start getting in shape~please! Your health is SO worth it. I could care less if I look like Mrs. America! I want to feel like a million dollars! But I look better because of it. And when was the last time you did a spiritual check-up?! When was the last time you read your Bible and prayed?! Little else matters if those two main components of your life are lacking! Start walking and talking! Walk (for your health) and talk to G-d! Then read His W-rd and let Him talk to you! This is what true wealth in life is. What goals have you set lately? Make these two a priority! The rest of your life seems to fall into place without so much effort. Any younger ladies reading this...start paying attention to your health! Put those babies in a stroller and walk! Take time to talk to G-d! It doesn't matter where, when, or how...just do it! I find it common to whisper prayers all day long while I go about everyday living. But I have started studying the W-rd again...WOW! I can't seem to get enough and hours just fly by sometimes! There is something SO incredibly amazing that happens when G-d starts freeing your mind and heart and you start redeeming your health...you kinda feel zippy! And something that ALL of us ladies need to do is to stop focusing on our weaknesses! Start looking at our own strengths and leave those weaknesses to G-d! Yeah, I'm a little tacky, a tad too over-wound (OCD), I try a little too hard, and I have a tendency to procrastinate....but I choose to let G-d iron out the wrinkles where those things are concerned! What are my strengths? I am loyal, optimistic, hard-working, deeply devoted, G-d fearing, tender-hearted, creative and determined! And those are just the first eight things, lol! I know when to make lists and when to tear them up. I know when to set goals and when to let some go. Am I perfect?! Phshaw...there's no.such.thing. I am simply ME. I have learned from life and am paying complete attention because you NEVER stop learning. You never stop making lists or setting goals, or trying to do things a better way. Is life perfect?! Maybe in some alternate dimension...in a galaxy far, far away...but not HERE. But that's okay, we won't remember the smooth sailing near as much as we'll remember the bumps in the road and how we weathered through. If you are reading this today, and life has not been kind to you (you know who you are) then I say to you...this too shall pass! There is both a reason AND a purpose in you being where you are or going through your life's circumstances right now. Don't focus on your circumstances, they are just fleeting moments of your life! Focus on your relationships and on your health! Material things come and go, but people aren't so easily replaced as things are. Connect with the people in your life again. Leave Little Debbie on the shelf...she is NOT your friend! Make the L-rd your constant companion and best friend. Just a few simple changes will open your eyes to the good in life. Leave your weaknesses at His Feet and make a list of your strengths....ask Him to use those strengths. Let Him turn where you are right now into your PRIME TIME! Be blessed today and BE a blessing! Happy Tuesday, Y'all!

Gone Crazy...

2011-10-30T21:50:00.000-05:00

Over banners! With a little imagination, you can make so many adorable banners! Whether they are seasonal or just themed for a party or for a certain room, they really add that little sumpin-sumpin that makes it all look special! Here's a peek at one I've just started today:

Adding More

2011-10-25T11:40:00.003-05:00

I made a banner to add to my new picture group! Want to see?!

Just click to enlarge it!

Bad Grandma!

2011-10-24T11:58:00.000-05:00

***Let me put in a shameless plug for my other blog's post today...Guarding Your Joy at From Zombie to Zealot! Go check it out!***

Yep, I have been one of those grandmothers who doesn't have very many picture of grandbabies in the house...until today, lol! My excuse was many, MANY picture frames that didn't match much of anything that I now own. I kept waiting to purchase new ones that go with my decor, but then hubby lost his job and buying anything other than necessities was out of the question. But blogland is full of thrifty ideas to use what we have and spend very little money, so thanks to smart women out there, I spent 3 dollars and unified a bunch of mixed up frames by spray painting them the same color! You ladies ROCK! Here are a few pics:
This first one is catty-wompus, I know, but sometimes that's what life dishes out, lol!

I fixed them but didn't take new pic because I have one more to add where dear old Bilbo Baggins is, as well as something (or two) I'm working on to spice it up. The color is called caramel latte...YUM!

(All these pics were developed free through those wonderful offers by Walgreens!)

Love this around my hat lamp!

And finally, some I did NOT have to paint because their mats were already caramel colored and the black edges tie them in nicely with the old television:

Ugly cords make me grouchy, lol! I can manage to hide quite a few but this one had no place to go.

Well, this is my teeny-tiny livingroom, where my craft/classroom has been for many a year. My grand-girlies will tell you quick that this is THEIR room, 'wanna come play'? One can of spray paint covered 13 frames! Now that is just plain awesome! I will be showing you an update later this week to that first grouping, it's gonna be great! No more bad grandma....Imma Good Granny now! ;-)

Grand-Girlies are PRICELESS!

2011-10-22T07:40:00.000-05:00

Do Something FUN Today!

2011-10-21T07:04:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you, but this old lady does a LOT of cooking and cleaning and takin' care of folks! And I love every single second of it! Sometimes our bodies need rest, but SOMETIMES we need some good old fashioned FUN! So, whatever you can think of that is fun, let's do it today! Let's make a craft, or rearrange furniture (yup, it's fun to me, lol), or go shopping....whatever your heart is longing to do but you haven't given yourself permission to do it yet...NOW IS THE TIME~ TODAY! I declare today is FUN FRIDAY! Who's in it with me?! Leave me a comment and tell me what kinda fun YOU are gonna have today!

Hat~ CHECK!

2011-10-20T09:23:00.000-05:00

My little bit and I went thrifting yesterday and we found some goodies! Here's a cute quote to set the mood:

“Grab your coat, and get your hat, Leave your worry on the doorstep, Just direct your feet, To the sunny side of the street.”

This morning is chilly enough for a coat, and now we have our HAT...let me shed a little light on it all...

Isn't this the cutest lamp ever?! $7.99 was the asking price and worth every.single.cent.

Now we have plans to add ribbon around it to deck it out to look like a real hat. This one is wicker and very well made. It made me think of that song I quoted above. I've got my coat and hat, now I need to leave my worries on the doorstep and direct my feet to the sunny side of the street! We found a couple of other lovelies too, wanna see?

We are VERY pleased with our purchases! Little bit got a retro looking blouse, too,

so for about $18, it was a total win-win!!!

Oh, and by the way, I tucked those worries into a trash back and am headed out right now to leave 'em on the doorstep...how about you?! Come join me on 'the sunny side of the street'!

Teaching Them to Remember

2011-10-19T09:52:00.001-05:00

In the early months of summer of this year, my youngest daughter and I were on our way to the library, right around the corner from our house. We got about a half a block from home when we noticed a man driving a small loader machine coming from behind a house to across the street, carrying out load after load of stuff and just piling it all into a heap beside the road. Well folks, that trash heap beckoned me like a siren does to a sailor, lol! We stopped and asked permission to plunder. After just a few minutes, we saw that these were the remains of someone's life. Books, doo-dads, papers, clothing...all in a heap that was bound for the landfill within an hour or two. My first thought was to look for obvious 'goodies' to reuse and re-purpose, but then something happened while my hands went to work....my heart did too! I felt as though I needed to gather pieces of this gentleman's life before it all simply became a trash heap. We found a shoe box full of old mementos and his hat from his days in the service. Oh, we found our usual treasures when junk diving, but this time we found SO.MUCH.MORE! Let's look at a few things:

This man was Freddie Sanchez. He served in Pearl Harbor in 1943.

When he came home, he became a 'mailman'. His family loved him,

that was obvious to see by the letters and cards he received.

This was his military hat,

it was the Army Air Corps before it became the Air Force.

These were a few pay stubs from the post office.

These were cards he received, as well as letters he sent back.

A great deal of letters were on gorgeous stationary.

They were tucked in this shoe box.

Here was something that looks like a hang tag that accompanied a gift, so he'd know what the gift was...

isn't the pic of the record player awesome?!

I told my daughter right then and there that we had been given a chance to remember...

remember someone who served his country, who worked hard and lived respectably.

What happened to all of your family, Mr. Sanchez? Did no one come to collect your memories after you departed? Well, WE DID! As we filled our car with trinkets from his life, my eyes filled with tears. I didn't know my neighbor when he lived, but I will remember him now, and preserve some of his life for others to see. My youngest daughter keeps the shoe box of memories in her room and pulls out the letters and reads them often. She loves everything about history, from antiques and archaeology, to mementos and small tokens that tell us snippets from the lives of others. Teaching our children to remember those who have traveled this good earth before us is so important. It teaches them to treasure this thing called life, and hold it sacred. What will we leave behind for others to remember? Will someone else preserve our memories for us? I hope so! Mr. Sanchez, we remember you, and keep record of your days here on earth. Thank you for leaving us pieces of who you were!

***linking up to Raising Homemakers Homemaking Link Up***

Temporary Dwellings

2011-10-14T09:28:00.000-05:00

My blog buddy Cindy over at Full Timing is Life a Chinese Fire Drill would tell you first hand what it's like to turn a temporary dwelling into 'home'. From a Biblical standpoint, our bodies are just temporary dwellings for our eternal souls. This time of year is my favorite for so many reasons. I could first list cooler weather, but we don't get much of that until November, really, but I long for it! So, loving the changing leaves happens more in winter than fall here in NW Florida, as well. It is more than just a seasonal thing. It is a spiritual thing. Over 14 years ago, G-d lead my family down a road less traveled, and it has made all the difference. We were hungry for something real and rich from G-d, and He put us in the perfect place at the perfect time to reveal Himself to us as the true G-d of Israel. Now, my hubby would laugh at that perfect place/perfect time thing, because the story would lead you to believe otherwise, but G-d works in ways we don't always understand. He lead us from mainstream church to a Messianic synagogue about 45 minutes down the road.

There is a revival happening in the hearts of Believers everywhere, and a return. A return to the Hebrew roots of our faith. It is a quiet revival that is bringing Passover Seders into the fellowship halls of churches, and questions into the hearts of those who attend. My husband (and I) have served in many capacities within the church walls. Mr. Rooster N Charge has a mighty powerful singing voice and has lead many a worship service, as well as being the youth pastor many times over, and serving as both evangelist and interim pastor. Our love of service grew deeper as every year passed, but something else grew as well. Disillusionment. It came in like a flood after years of church service, struggling to accomplish things for G-d but feeling like the system was working against us instead of for us. We actually came away from it for a while, but the L-rd lead us right back again. This time was WORSE!
Yep, G-d lead us to the worst place we'd been, as of yet. At this place, that was a total joke of a fellowship, we found everything we'd ever been searching for but never had the words to express. It was a small temporary location for a handful of folks looking to start a new church, and even though it wasn't THE place that G-d wanted us to be, it is the place that He used to prepare our hearts for the next step. There was a fasting that the pastor called for that catapulted us right into that precious synagogue where we found ourselves a short time later. And some wonderful new friends as well as where our journey of homeschooling began. In discovering the Hebrew roots of our faith, we found the rich treasure of His Word just come alive for us. We now keep the Biblical Holy Days and left the traditional ones behind. We get a lot of flack sometimes for our choices, but how can anyone go wrong by bringing the focus of each Holy Day back solely to G-d, as opposed to the plight of the traditional ones?! The age old problems of the easter bunny disappear, when observing Passover and there is so santa to confuse those who keep Hanukkah.

After Yom Kippur, the most Holy Day of the year, comes Sukkot, or the Feast of Booths. It speaks of temporary dwellings and how G-d tabernacles with man. G-d tells us to build a sukkah and dwell in it the 7 days of the feast. He even tells us specific items to use in building it. It symbolizes the temporary dwelling of the Hebrew people after they left the bondage of Egypt and how G-d came to dwell with them. I believe that this is the time that Jesus was born. The whole theme of Sukkot seems to speak of His physical birth and coming to dwell with mankind. I also believe that something as incredibly important as His birth would happen on a Biblical Holy Day. This Holy Day is a most joyful time! (Click the link highlighted above and get your favorite drink and sit down for an awesome treat!) If you desire a closer walk with G-d and a deeper understanding of Messiah, I urge you to study the Holy Days. There is no richer source of knowledge of Who G-d really is than within His Holy Days. The keeping of these days are as eternal as our souls. Study of them will open your eyes to a spiritual bounty that will bring you closer to Him than you've ever been. I hope I have planted a seed of curiosity within your heart that will cause you to seek the truths of His Holy Days for yourself! Happy Sukkot to you and yours!

Hoo? Is It You?!

2011-10-12T05:00:00.002-05:00

About fifty more leaves to go and some shimmying up to do.

Hoo will be true, and tell me what ya think?!

Leading Others Astray

2011-10-11T09:56:00.003-05:00

I am appalled at christian women (little 'c' because they aren't very Christ-like) that lead others to do things that are unacceptable to G-d. They twist scriptures to give the appearance of liberties that G-d has never given. They imply that as long as you do whatever you do with G-d in your heart and out of love then that thing you are doing is okay. These women influence many other women through their blogs, and on the surface, everything appears quite above board. But scratch the surface, and you'll see that we probably aren't serving the same G-d. It becomes apparent that grace has become something in their life that it should never be...a liberty to do what you choose even though scripture makes it clear otherwise. There are leagues of these women out there and they have huge followings. A great deal of what they post is very uplifting and seemingly spiritual, but they often will deal with subjects that can get quite controversial and offer their own opinions as though it was exactly how G-d feels about it. Our walk with G-d Most High can best be seen by our influence. How are you influencing those around you? Do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt the difference between your opinion and the facts of the situation kept in context within the Word of G-d? Because if you don't, and you post your opinion as though it were G-d's, then you risk leading others astray! Is it so important as to take that risk?! Wouldn't it be better to give folks the most serious of warnings to:

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good

???

It is my warning to you, as one woman of influence to another, that there are some things better left out of our posts, because our personal opinions might give others the impression that we grant permission by way of proclaiming liberties in the L-rd that simply are NOT there. BEWARE!
Joining in with Raising Mighty Arrow's Proverbs 31 Link up
Women Living Well
A Holy Experience

Curbside Cabinet

2011-10-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

While dusting my class/craft room, it dawned on me that approximately 13 years ago I found a treasure someone had kicked to the curb. I remember those old days so well. Mr. Rooster N Charge just didn't understand the whole trash to treasure thing yet. (When he did catch on, I had created a monster, lol!) Anywho, there was this old record cabinet thing that sat there most of the day, whispering my name, until right before dark I went out and nabbed it. It was only right across from my driveway, but it was crazy heavy! I had seen old pics of these record cabinets with the skinny straight legs, popular in the 60's. It was pretty grungy, and not in a good way. I had about $5 to spend so at the time I wasn't too impressed with my results. As a homeschool mom, I saw the potential to use this as a school book nook and use it we did! And we still are, matter of fact, 13 years later! Over the years, how I chose to decorate it grew on me and I haven't had the heart to change it yet. Want a look-see?!

As you can see, it has been well used and loved. I never found legs that I liked for it so I always just sat it atop something else. It held records a few times too, but 98% of the time it has been used for school books. I had previously purchased these little rose foam stamps on clearance, and saw that as an opportunity to try them out. The hymn was just torn out of a church hymnal. I remember well thinking how tacky it looked when I first did it, but as the years passed I began to see it fondly as my first baby attempt at painting. Although I am still far from a pro years later, I appreciate where I began. Do you remember some of your first attempts at decorating, painting and crafting?! Oh the phases I've been through! Some of which are actually coming back around again! That is a signal of getting older, ain't it so?! Well, thanks for letting me share a memory with you!

Have an awesome day today!

Where He Leads

2011-10-10T06:41:00.000-05:00

I have been studying the book of Isaiah. It is one of my favorite books in the Bible and G-d always shows me major things about my life through Isaiah's words. I read the Bible, but not in a study fashion like I used to, so I signed up for a ladies accountability Bible study group to keep me on track, which was a total flop, but it put me where I needed to be again! Now, if you are an avid reader, as I am, then I will share a facebook secret with you. One of the pages I 'like' on facebook is Inspired Reads. They list fiction books of all sorts (christian/high morals) and they are either free or very low cost for your Kindle or Kindle computer app.(Nook, too!) When I found their page, I began to jump on almost every free book and have been reading away for months now, no longer needing to make library runs! So, if you are on facebook and love to read, click over and like them and start reading away! Now, back to Isaiah. I went to about chapter 8 or 9 when I began to wonder about this wicked King Ahaz. I started to research about him, something I love to do is to get lost in researching when studying the Bible. Just as I was down one rabbit trail about to turn down another, I checked my facebook and BAM....Inspired Reads had just posted this book!

Gods and Kings: Chronicles of the Kings Book #1 by Lynn Austin. As of this post, it is still free, so just click the link to get this one! Guess which king this book begins with?! Yep, wicked old Ahaz! Oh, this book was awesome! I just cried when reading what he allowed to take place. Now, wicked old Ahaz had a son who would next be king, and that was Hezekiah. G-d had a different plan for Hezekiah, so it would shift from the most wicked ruler to the one who would bring the nation back to G-d. I can't say enough good about this book, it was a fantastic read and the next ones in the series are on my wish list! I hope you will let G-d lead you to some good reading and Bible study. It makes all the difference in your daily life, by keeping the focus on G-d and His Word and not our own troubles. This post was not a book club of any kind, just my own observations! Have a blessed Monday!

Country Cupboard

2011-10-09T08:29:00.001-05:00

In the midst of all my cleaning out and organizing, I passed by my country cupboard MANY times. I knew I wanted to tweak its contents, but I just wasn't sure how to go about it. As I plundered through a drawer under my desk (lovingly known as git-r-dun central), organizing the junk therein, I ran across a little note card that was the last in its package. I remembered the reason I hadn't used it was because it was in love with the picture and wanted to use it, somehow, in my decorating. That's all it takes, isn't it?! One small thing and we're off decorating again!

Although my cupboard is decorated for fall on the outside, pink is the theme on the inside!

Can you see the small pic on the second shelf?

I changed its frame after taking this first pic. I almost forgot that I had an ornate silver frame.

Pink and silver are just gorgeous together! Let's look closer...

At first, I chose this frame because it matched the lovely cloche so well.

But, then I remembered this one...

Isn't this a lovely note card? No telling how many years I've had it tucked away, lol!

Let's look more...

Ain't that cloche just the loveliest thing?!

I used pieces of my milk glass collection to add height to too many items that would otherwise sit flush.

I skirted the two bottom shelves. No matter what I put on these two shelves,

it was simply a dust magnet!

It is because this is in a high traffic area in my house.

Right beside this is my back door, which should have a sign that says...

GRAND CENTRAL STATION!

Hmmm...maybe there's a project in that joke...

Well, which frame do you prefer?

The first one is a brushed silver, like the cloche stand,

and the second choice is shiny and all country elegance. This cupboard is one of my favorite things to decorate. Above the plates, in the first picture, is a small sheer curtain rod I hung there when I first turned this from an ordinary cheap-o shelf unit into the country cupboard it is today. That little curtain rod is perfect for holding 's' hooks for delicate tea cups and such. I plan to use my window mirror here in the future with a small curtain, maybe next spring. Don't you love having a spot that always has your mind a-workin' on how to decorate next?! Of course, there's always the Old Mother Hubbard look, but that's too bare for my liking...teeheehee! I reckon I've got my sillies on today! You reckon?!

Well, I just had to share my little update with you.

Thanks for being such good friends!

Happy Hugs!

Turning Around

2011-10-07T09:00:00.003-05:00

Sometimes it feels like life brings us full circle. I believe that when that happens two things are possible. Maybe we have trapped ourselves in a vicious cycle, of sorts, and we need a do-over, or G-d Himself is trying to make us aware of the need to change. I guess that could be considered one in the same, to me it was. I have found myself there, mentally, spiritually, and physically, many times in my life. You absolutely can NOT do things the same old way and get a different outcome. We humans are so hard-headed to try this concept many times before we'll admit that it just doesn't work. Coming full circle is a natural part of our spiritual lives though. Those opportunities to make things right and change how we walk with G-d and our fellow man, are indeed G-d given opportunities. Sin is the thing that keeps real progress and maturity from ever happening. Is it possible to sin and not be aware of it? Out of ignorance? Yes. BUT... "God overlooked the times(blinked, loosely translated) when people didn't know any better. But now he commands everyone everywhere to turn to him and change the way they think and act. Acts 17:30. I'm not sure that it is possible for G-d to simply overlook sin, I believe He would allow for our ignorance just long enough for us to learn that it was wrong and make amends. Mostly, we know when we err. But for those times when it is just unclear...

We have the SOURCE of what is right and wrong within the pages of

THIS BOOK!

The first five books of our Bible, called Torah, is our instruction manual. It tells us everything we need to know to walk close to G-d and love our fellow man. Many may say that this is old testament legalism. I say it is freedom at its finest! Here are Paul's words, Romans 7:7 "What shall we say then? IS THE LAW SIN? CERTAINLY NOT! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."

Some would also say that to keep the law is useless, because if you break one, you stand in judgement of them all. Let's see...I've obeyed all nine commandments, but I've broken one...Thou shalt not kill....the fact that I've kept the others seems pretty irrelevant, doesn't it? That is what the scriptures really say about it. So, that argument is voided. Part of the baby that was thrown out with the bath water was the observance of the days G-d commanded us to keep. Instead, we keep days man made up steeped in pagan traditions that truly have nothing to do with G-d, no matter how hard we try to make it appear that way. You can call a thistle a rose a million times over, but it won't ever be true. One of those days we are commanded to keep is considered the holiest day of the year. Why? Because it makes us aware of SIN. ALL sin. And gives us the opportunity to address it, putting ourselves in right standing with G-d again. It is judgement day, the day that we long to see the Lamb's Book of Life...and if our name is found therein! It is a very personal time of introspection, peeling away layers of life that cover so many sins. Only when we expose it all can we truly change. Although it is time for each of us to look inward, it can also be a great time for us to see where we've gone wrong as a whole, as Believers. Our greatest point of error is turning away from the Word. Disconnecting from our life-giving source will only cause death. Kind of like no umbilical cord in the womb. We have become like the scripture that tells us,

Having a form of godliness, but denying its power, 2 Timothy 3:5.

What does that mean? That we are merely hypocrites? No. It means that we don't have the power to change, to get up out of the ashes of sin and become that strong person of G-d. We are trapped by our ignorance and left powerless. The remedy?! Turn around before it's too late! Let G-d show you where sin is in your life, and let Him show you how to change. Turn back to the wisdom is His Word and start 'In the beginning' so He can reveal who He really is to you. Let Him write His Word on the fleshy tables of your heart so it can give you real power when you need it most. Are the doorposts of your heart covered by His blood? Is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life? His blood covers a multitude of sins, but it doesn't hide them. Grace. The time G-d gives us to find out where we err, not a license to sin. Grace. The ability to operate on a need to know basis.... I need to know how to please my L-rd and He has given me His Word so that I may know. My people perish for lack of knowledge....His people, that are called by His Name. All the knowledge we will ever need is withing the pages of His Word. If we deny that any portion of it is no longer necessary, then we have lost the power we need to become victorious. We need it all, from cover to cover. Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the

mouth of G-d...Matthew 4:4. The appointment time?! Sundown, Friday night through sundown Saturday night, October 8th, 2011...Yom Kippur.

The MOST important appointment that you won't want to miss!

Surfaces

2011-10-06T07:53:00.000-05:00

How does it happen?! Where does it all begin?! CLUTTER! I am working hard to unclutter, opening up my desk surfaces so I can make cards and scrapbook....but I feel like clutter just falls like dust....

Proof! You can see that I have been organizing:

Sorting out little stuff and loving using the two spice and what-not shelves.

Changed up a few things here in my craft/class room. I've gone with a slightly more country vibe.

That doesn't surprise anyone, now does it?! See that open notebook in front of the computer monitor?

That's my HS notebook, to record all their lessons in. Then, the one to the right, with my glasses on top, is my everything else notebook. It follows me into the kitchen, so it isn't always there. I am in an organizing mood lately, determined to do a better job than ever before. Cleaning out my dressing room as well, and organizing all my decorating stuff that gets shuffled in and out of buckets through the seasons. My family room has a mountain in it. One awaiting detailed attention! I feel like I don't want to begin any new projects until all these areas are addressed. So, for now, it is all about uncluttering! I hope you'll come back tomorrow for the last post on repentance and forgiveness and Yom Kippur! Happy Thursday!

Stop Beating Yourself Up!

2011-10-05T08:30:00.002-05:00

Happy Wednesday, y'all! We've climbed on up to the highest point of the week and now we get to slide right into the weekend....hooray! But not until we finished our discussion on repentance and forgiveness...have you enjoyed our chat so far? You can catch up with anything you've missed here and here. Today I'd like to talk about two more facets of forgiveness. The act of forgiving yourself and forgiving others or confessing our sin to others face to face. First, lets turn inward once more.

Sometimes I am completely sure that it is I, and not Satan, who is my own worst enemy. Whenever I do something wrong, I have that horrible tendency of not letting myself forget my wrongs. It festers deep inside and robs me of the spiritual confidence that I need to be the woman that G-d wants me to be. I am SO very hard on myself! My heart and mind are full to popping with the best of intentions and the highest of ideals for my life and that of my family's. I consider the weight of responsibility on my shoulders and take my job seriously, so when I fail at something, my disappointment in myself becomes larger than life. Are you an over achiever like me? It's not really something that folks can really see on the outside, except for the end results maybe. Regardless, it is just plain WRONG for me to do this! I am human, and it is inevitable that I fail at some things...how else will I truly learn? But with every heartfelt commitment to do better whispered to my loving Abba, I am a new creature once again. I no longer wear the garments of those who never seek forgiveness, so why to I insist on putting them back on?! It is my nature to become a martyr! And that is sin in itself. Yeshua (jesus) has become that martyr for my wrongs! When I continue to beat myself up over my failings, I take away the awesomeness of what He has done for me! Romans 8:1 speaks clearly...There is therefore no condemnation to those in Yeshua The Messiah who do not walk in the flesh. In these days of awe it is so important to recognize ALL the areas of our lives that keep us from walking in the light of His Love and under the canopy of His blessings. If this is an area that you are guilty in, as I am, then I urge you to repent from it and see that you are indeed a new creature in Him, just as I am, and LEAVE your failing and wrongs at His Feet. This act sets the stage for something equally difficult to do, if not more so. Asking forgiveness, face to face, of those you have wronged....talk about a humbling experience...whew!

Anyone that you have wronged, whether you gossiped about them, or slandered their good name or lied about, or held back a right relationship with them because of envy, or withheld kinship because of differences....they deserve an apology! When we wrong our Heavenly Father we are often quick to bow our heads and humbly ask His forgiveness, does our fellow man deserve any less? NO! Why can't we just ask G-d to forgive us and not have to face those we have wronged? Our words have set things into motion, things we can't take back. But the act of seeking forgiveness face to face can make more of a change in the way we operate in the forgiveness department than anything I know of! It is, at best, humiliating to apologize face to face, that is why it is so important. Humility is essential to becoming victorious over sin! If you want to get serious about areas of sin in your life, you're going to need to address it more deeply. You don't need to give that person a speech, either. Just simply state that you have wronged them (and how would be best!) and tell them that it is important to you that they forgive you. It is nothing short of AMAZING how you'll feel afterwards! And you would think that it would create future distrust in your relationship with these people, but is just doesn't! If anything, it causes deep pondering in their hearts to do the same. These humbling actions will throw a yellow caution flag up high, in the future, for you, to remind you not to trod these paths that lead us full circle to this point again. That is why it is of the extreme most importance to study these Biblical Holy Days! It changes our walk with G-d into something more awesome than we would have ever dreamed. Only when our heart is broken and we are truly humble, can we walk with the One who loves us most. Two verses come to mind here...Psalm 34:18, The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit, and Micah 6:8, He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Sometimes our life is wrapped in a fog that envelopes us difficulties, those really of our own making. It is time to shake off these bonds of sin that so easily beset us. Let Him clear the fog from your life and make your paths clear. Proverbs 4:10-27 urges us toward the right path:

¹⁰ Listen, my son, accept what I say,
   and the years of your life will be many.
¹¹ I instruct you in the way of wisdom
   and lead you along straight paths.
¹² When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
   when you run, you will not stumble.
¹³ Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
   guard it well, for it is your life.
¹⁴ Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
   or walk in the way of evildoers.
¹⁵ Avoid it, do not travel on it;
   turn from it and go on your way.
¹⁶ For they cannot rest until they do evil;
   they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
¹⁷ They eat the bread of wickedness
   and drink the wine of violence.

¹⁸ The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.

²⁰ My son, pay attention to what I say;
   turn your ear to my words.
²¹ Do not let them out of your sight,
   keep them within your heart;
²² for they are life to those who find them
   and health to one’s whole body.
²³ Above all else, guard your heart,
   for everything you do flows from it.
²⁴ Keep your mouth free of perversity;
   keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
²⁵ Let your eyes look straight ahead;
   fix your gaze directly before you.
²⁶ Give careful thought to the^[a] paths for your feet
   and be steadfast in all your ways.
²⁷ Do not turn to the right or the left;
   keep your foot from evil

I will see you on Friday for the last chat on this topic. I hope that you will come back and be blessed by the wisdom in His Word! HUGS!

Don't Just Scratch the Surface

2011-10-04T08:11:00.000-05:00

Happy Tuesday, ladies! Another week just zippin' along! I'm gonna grab it by the tail and hang on tight though. Not going to let this week slip by without giving it all I've got! Today, I'd like to veer some from the last two days of sharing with you about forgiveness. I will resume that thread on Thursday. This one is for the homeschoolers out there! Writing is today's topic, and a much needed one.

Writing is an essential part of out HS curriculum. Along with reading classic literature, Saxon Math, and awesome vocabulary, writing is something my kiddos do every.single.day! The first year was difficult. We searched for writing prompts everywhere. We found an abundance of sites with a large scale list of topics to fuel any stretch of the imagination! Then we addressed essays in a report form. We used (and still do) old encyclopedias and randomly chose anything we found interesting. That was followed by essays with a definite News Report flavor. Those are going well also! We are almost 3 months into this school year, which is our third year of using the Robinson Curriculum, and we no longer have trouble looking for what to write about. BUT, that doesn't stop us from occasional tweaking, oh no! Tweaking is one of those amazing things that we HSers are constantly doing. I feel like it is the essential part of what makes HSing so awesome. Our newest idea for writing is to take 3 of the 5 days spent on writing and focus it on the content of what they are currently reading for their literature. Say, for instance, Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sherlock Holmes. My daughter is smitten with all things mystery, so Sherlock Holmes' novels are among her favorite. There are so many things that you happen along while reading a good book like this. There might be ideas or personality types or simply objects of interest that catch your eye. A good way to test this is to begin to notebook a little while you are reading, scribbling down anything that interests you while you are reading away the hours. That will usually reveal a long list of things to research that will give you a much deeper understanding of the books you read! It is better than just reporting on the book itself, because it unlocks time periods in history that we might not view as multi-dimensional without doing it this way. Some stories just scratch the surface for us, leaving us longing for a closer look at so many ideas that it addresses. I, just personally, read a book that did exactly that for me! It was a Christian romance, of sorts, full of the rich history of the Amanas Colonies in Iowa. I just plain fell in love with the way these people lived and it prompted me to find out more! While I would have first considered this book just christian fluff (very light romance), teaching of historical bounty just jumped off the pages for me! Using the concepts within the pages of this book led me to dig deeper into history to learn about something that I never knew existed. I am still studying about these amazing folks! It causes us to retain a greater percentage of what we read and that is exactly what we HSers look for, isn't it?! If your homeschooling family is looking for things to write about, then simply dig deeper into whatever they are reading. Hopefully, they will get lost in the history and science of the book and fall in love with learning. Like beginning a daily adventure in discovery....Happy Trails!

Forgiveness- part 2

2011-10-03T07:32:00.000-05:00

A lovely start to a gorgeous first week of October! It's 56* outside my door right now and that's not too shabby for NW Florida! Nice cool weather for a real hot topic! Forgiveness, something you must give in order to receive. That is just like the scripture in Luke 6:38, give and it shall be given. Sometimes it isn't as easy as it sounds...

Did you know that you carry around baggage every day?! Yep, you've probably decorated it up so nice that you don't really see it any more. But the weight of it is there. What kind of baggage, you say? Old hurts and disappointments. Sometimes all the way back to childhood. Now, I for one, have purposed to let go of past hurts, but have I truly?! Or have I just disguised them? This is one of those important topics when leading up to the holiest Biblical Feast of the year! Those hurts played a huge part in molding us into the person we are today. While that is not entirely bad, it can be, if we don't forgive. Asking our creator to help us forgive all those who have wronged us will release a hold us us that has been there so long, we no longer see the fetters that bind us. Yom Kippur, pronounced yom key-poor, is a Holy Day that G-d designed specifically to deal with all matters of repentance and forgiveness. It is that most private time of introspection, and self examination is a hard task. But, it is a most worthy task. Even if we are fairly sure we've dealt with past hurts and covered them with Messiah's Blood, it is a liberating thing to once again ask Him to free us from any past hurts that may be holding us back from becoming the person our Father really desires us to be. Sometimes we can clearly see the times and faces of those hurts, others are like a fog that clouds our minds. We need to release both the clear memories and the clouded ones. We understand forgiveness and its magnitude far better when looking inward first. Even if you've already dealt with these issues, I encourage you today, to once again ask G-d to help you truly let go of the past. It is an amazingly refreshing thing to do, and will benefit you more every time you do it. It is so difficult to move forward when the weight of the past makes us feel like we are walking in waist deep water. Allowing those issues to remain uncovered could potentially cause our lives to feel like a film in slow motion. Like an oxygen starved victim, it is a breath of fresh air to your soul! Nothing compares to the weightlessness that forgiveness brings.

Messiah understands the spiritual wings that come after those whispered prayers to forgive and be forgiven! He knows how profound the freedom He grants us truly is! True repentance and deep forgiveness is an elemental part of the TRUTH that sets us FREE! Can I get an AMEN?! Have a blessed day, today, walking in those truths!

Digging Deeper into Forgiveness

2011-10-02T09:06:00.000-05:00

Hey, y'all! We are in the most splendid season of the year, and these gorgeous days are filled with warm colors, long shadows, and crisp air...and the most important thing these days contain is High Holy Days! We just swept right through Rosh Hashanna, which is the Feast of Trumpets, and our now in the 10 Days of Awe that lead us up to Yom Kippur, which speaks of judgement. Okay...so now you're thinking, "I thought she was Christian? What's that got to do with Christianity?!" Well, just about EVERYTHING! If you really want to understand the G-d you serve, then observing the specific days that He commanded are the best place to start! When we take Him out of the context of His Word, He becomes much more of a mystery to us and we never feel as connected as we'd like to. So, starting today, I'd like to share with you about the freedom of true forgiveness. The kind sought after by those with a truly repentant heart. There is SO very much to forgiveness though. True repentance is called Teshuva, which means to return. When we sin, toward G-d or our fellow man, we turn our face away from G-d. To truly repent, we must reconcile the wrong and turn back to G-d. Oh, the grace we find in true repentance! But in mainstream Christianity today, that grace is abused. Forgiveness becomes simply remorse. We ask forgiveness out of remorse, but get trapped in a vicious circle of sin and forgiveness that G-d never intended His Grace to cover. I'd love to share with you, this week, the path of true repentance and a closer walk and deeper understanding of the G-d we serve...are you game?!
May G-d richly bless each one of you!

Tap, Tap, Tap....Y'all Still There?!

2011-10-01T00:18:00.002-05:00

Here we are at the end of all things September! I miss you all and have found that I have far too much to share to just jump ship on this whole blogging thing. I feel terribly fickle about it all sometimes, kinda that love/hate thing, ya know?! But I decided to revamp and take the whole she-bang up a notch! Did you miss me?! You don't have to answer that, lol! I missed YOU, and that is what matters most! SO, what are you up to this last precious day of September, and what is your fall weather like today?! I am cleaning/decorating my class/craft room and lots of normal everyday stuff. The weather here is warm, with a high of 87* but will drop to the low 50's tonight with a gorgeous cooler weekend! This old lady will be watching college football under the pergola ALL DAY tomorrow! Give me some feedback on the gorgeous new layout, will you please?! TGIF and Happy Fall, Y'all!

It's the MOST Wonderful Time of the Year!

2011-09-08T14:17:00.000-05:00

I have FALLEN for Autumn! SO very many years go by, but it never ceases to be my favorite season. I have decorated and enjoyed every. single. second. of it! Ahhh, Autumn, just the thought of you gets me excited worse than spring fever ever could! All good things must come to an end, and summer will linger a little bit longer here in the south, but I'm ready for the seasons to change! And they will, bidden or not, won't they?! I will be putting down my blogging for a while, too. Like summer, it has run its course for a while and I'm ready for a change. Blogging for the last two years has been an amazing journey, and I am glad you let me share myself with you! THANK YOU! I won't delete this blog, but it may become a ghost town (except for 'blogging for books')...So, to all my precious friends- you can still chat with me on facebook (sidebar), or by e-mail. I welcome your visits and hope to hear from you! I'll still be around, soaking up all the good things you all share and leaving some good comments, too! Maybe, if G-d changes my heart about it all, I will return to blogland. I wish each one of you all a most blessed autumn and winter season! I'll leave you with some pics of fall at my house! Happy Fall, Y'all!!!

You Make Me Smile!

2011-09-02T08:03:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday, Ladies! It is a long weekend, but a busy one around here. What plans do you have this weekend?! Tomorrow is my hubby's birthday and the kick off of college football (WAR EAGLE, Y'all!)...and trust me- those two go together well! I am making a big pot of chicken sausage gumbo for the occasion and we will splurge on some peach cobbler and ice cream. This time of year just makes me smile! How bout you?!

Another thing that makes me smile is my little pass-thru/coffee room! Ready to see some pics?
Here is before:

And my inspiration fabric:

And here are the pics of how I changed it up!

Excuse the huge cord, it goes to a large fan that helps cool our family room!

(Remember to click the pics to see a larger version.)

This is over on the left wall to remind you that

IT'S COFFEE TIME!

This was one of my favorite changes! She is roosting on the coffee pot!

Thanks for the little tag, Cindy, it fit in perfectly-don't ya think?!

My little impromptu curtains really add charm and let the light in.

I pulled the red gingham from Aunt Jemima's dress to the curtains,

to the two little side by side pics, and around to the top of the window mirror-

red gingham just makes mes smile! Pure country charm!

Well, here's a contradiction of the finest degree...

or maybe it was just good enough to crow about ;-)

Just in case you're thinking that because I am the Chick N Charge

that I rule this roost...

My sweet little Aunt Jemima doll has NO problem

letting you know that SHE is the boss around here!

She was a toaster cover made about 35-40 years ago and a treasure to me!

I traded places with my big old microwave, swapping it out here for my smaller toaster oven-

care to have a toasted bagel with your coffee?!

I have one thing left to add. In the pic that is 8th above, there is a little coffee planter hanging from the window mirror. It needs some moss and some little ivy plants to fill it up, what do you think? The dish towel hanging from it says, "A Woman is Like a Cup of Tea- You Never Know How Strong She is Until She Gets in Hot Water!" Ain't it so?! I am sure enjoying my changes...they make me smile!

I hope you all have a fun last weekend of summer!

Falling In Love Again

2011-08-31T08:08:00.001-05:00

I took a little break from blogging and it put a LOT of things into proper prospective for me. I have been doing a heart check on many things lately. Although blogging is one of them, it is lower on the list, but important none the less. I have committed to a NO-GUILT policy on blogging! I enjoy blogging but often feel guilt when not keeping up with the Joneses, but not any more! I promise to share with you all the good things that G-d sends my way. That way, you smile right along with me and we are both happy...that is what blogging is really all about, ain't it so?! But blogging isn't the subject I'm here to discuss today...

It is homemaking. You see, homemaking and I, well.....we had fallen out of true love with each other the last few years.(I used to enjoy all the chores, truly!) Stress had become a constant companion and robbed me of all the joys of homemaking. I have always kept my house surface clean, all tidied and neat, but the deep down stuff... I spent most of my time avoiding and making excuses for! I just felt resentful and over-whelmed by it, because it had all snow-balled into a LARGE list that was like an ever growing monster hiding in the closet. Stress had robbed me of energy, and true love needs energy. Going to the gym helped give me back my energy AND put Mr. Stress in his place. Life is FULL of stress, and unfortunately, it is unavoidable, for the most part. Letting G-d show you how to deal with Mr. Stress is a whole different ballgame! Follow that with the fact that we have been financially strapped for the last year and a half, and it has made for a bad set-up. A set up for a down fall in my love affair with homemaking. My list of excuses seemed so valid- not enough time, not enough money- when in actuality, those were poor excuses to begin with, but stress had made everything look strange through their cracked glasses. And you know what?! There AIN'T no fixing those glasses! You simply have to take them off! I played tug-o-war for a while, but eventually I WON!!! And I am happy to say that I am falling in love again! I have been busy scrubbing baseboards and praying, washing doors and praying, cleaning out drawers and praying...and actually enjoying all of it! This is the ME that left a couple of years ago, but has recently returned! My nesting instinct has flown home after being chased off by Mr. Stress for far too long! There is much to share with you about this subject, so stay tuned! There will be more to come!

***Linking up to: Raising Mighty Arrows' Proverbs 31 Thursdays...come over and join us!

Where Will You Go From Here?

2011-08-29T10:06:00.000-05:00

There are times in our lives when we feel like we could bear the burdens and not grow weary in well doing if we just had someone to walk us through some of those trying times. Valorie Burton is a 'Life Coach' (a certified Personal and Executive Coach) and has written a book that is to be a companion guide for when life doesn't go quite like we plan. I chose this book to read this book as part of the Blogging for Books program with Waterbrook-Multnomah Publishers and received no payment for my review other than the privilege of being given this book for that purpose.

There are times, for all of us, that the unexpected happens. Relationships dissolve, loved ones die, accidents happen, jobs are lost...life just throws a curve ball that is so devastating that you're sure you won't recover from it. Step by step, Ms. Burton helps you to see that there is a purpose for everything and that 'Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out,' quote by John Wooden. If you know someone who is suffering in overwhelming struggles with life, two of the greatest gifts you could give them are #1. PRAYER and #2. THIS BOOK! And if you love to be able to give good, sound, G-dly advice to folks who are hurting, then this book should be a staple good on your shelf! Through the sharing of her life struggles, and those of others who examples she shares, you will see the process we all go through to get back on our feet and become better for having experienced it all. You can apply her concepts to all of life's struggles, large or small, and give a positive outlook when the days seem darkest. A good read and glad to have it residing on my shelf! You can grade my review by clicking on the link in my side bar.

Just a Note...

2011-08-22T17:24:00.002-05:00

...to say I am going to take a short break from blogging! You can still find me checking in on facebook! ;-) Be back soon! HUGS!

Little Changes

2011-08-18T10:40:00.000-05:00

Happy Thursday, all you busy chicks! Boy Howdy, have I been busy! There's been a lot more going on that just going to the gym! I have been disgusted with myself for jumping off the FlyLady wagon, so I've delved back into her awesome book (I consider it an organizational Bible!) Sink Reflections, and jumping back into a better way to stay on top. If you haven't read it, you should! It is never to late to improve, and this chick will never get too old to try! It feels good not to feel 'behind' in my chores! May G-d richly bless Marla Cilley for sharing such wisdom! Sink Reflections
I have run across some awesome deals lately! One of those deals was posters for my kiddos' rooms! Amazon dot com had them marked so low that it was just pennies and S&H! Hannah is loving this little update to her room. It was a small thing that made a big difference! Looky!

The location is the same, but it looks SO much better! That pic is romantic, isn't it?! She is quite a romantic 12 yo, my Hannah! We already had the frame for the poster so the total for the two I ordered was right at $9! Well under my $10 limit! As you can see, we transferred the Sherlock Holmes' address to the lil black shelf. The swirly chalkboard is sitting idle right now, waiting for an update to her closet desk area. The lamp adds just the right glow to the small white desk. That little desk lacks personality, but we hope to change that, too! Her poster was under $5, so for that price it was an excellent update!

And I've been working on my pass-thru/coffee room! Here's a sneak peek:

I painted the frames black on the above pics with left-over paint- $0!

And look at that cute Mary Englebreit fabric! I took pictures with the lamp off, but they totally lacked that cozy feel of the ones above. I am working in here again today and every time I look at this fabric I just SMILE! Isn't that what it is all about?! Our home should make us feel happy, cozy and loved!

Can't wait to show you the whole thing!

I am a cleaning, decorating, updating, reading, fool of a grandma!

Staying busy keeps bad/negative feelings at bay and helps me focus on good things.

G-d is SO good and I just want to do the best I can with what He has given me!

Little changes can bring big results, inside and out.

Stay tuned!

Appearances

2011-08-15T10:22:00.004-05:00

The 5th and final (for now) installment on How Going to the Gym Changed My Life.

What do you see when you look in the mirror?! Do you see the extra inches around the middle?! Do you see the worry wrinkles at the corners of your eyes?! What about the deep frown lines across your forehead?!
Do you scowl at your reflection and wonder how did you ever let yourself go like this?! Boy, that scowl really emphasized the worry wrinkles and the frown lines, didn't it?! I know exactly what happened to you (ummm, really I'm pointing my finger at ME!) LIFE happened, that's what! Sometimes when G-d is busy about shaping and molding us into that person He wants us to be, we don't react to the process quite like we should and it shows. While we are gazing and scowling at the end result of it all, we are really just looking at the tangible, outside evidence of inward struggles. My weathered appearance was just that, the after effects of hard soul weathering on the inside, not given the proper attention, and it spoke louder than words ever could!
While most of us would concur, that it takes that particular brand of shocked shame when viewing our mirrored image, our first thought is that we need to change our appearance! We all need that certain something to motivate us to make changes, even something as superficial as our appearance. And that is perfectly fine, because change typically happens at more than one level. Remember reading this lovely thought of beauty?-

"For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others."
— Sam Levenson

I can not tell you how often I'd be working away at the gym, when multiple droves of lovely ladies would enter and exit during my time there. Why do they mirror up most of the walls at the gym?! So these lovely ladies can gawk at their awesomeness in the 20 minutes they stab at random exercises, of course! Now, don't get me wrong here, if I looked like they do, well, I might glance in those mirrors and tuck that stray hair behind my ear a tad more too! Almost every single time these ladies breeze through a few exercises while never breaking a sweat, I sit there pondering the above quotation, praying that I never ever give pause to such honest vanity. I'm not judging their hearts here, only their obvious concern of outward appearances. And to keep it truly honest and real here, I desire to look better, too! The jury just came back with a decision on that revelation....give her time, and it might just happen- teehee!
This is what has happened: * I have focused on changing bad eating habits. I feel SO much better for it! I'm not as troubled by hormonal type issues, they are not nearly as bad as they were! *I am working on releasing my anger, disappointments, and frustrations in a much more effective way, by taking those negative feelings and channeling them into my time at the gym, turning them into something positive. I now have a stamina that I haven't had since I was 20-25 years old! And I have learned that that particular type of channeling can and should take place in normal life, not just the gym! An excellent way to channel is by cleaning/organizing something! The gym, for me, has just become an eye-opener in so many ways. *I have gotten lost in my desire to feel better, mentally, spiritually, and physically. And guess what?! Looking better is a definite by-product of feeling better! I'm going to show you two pictures of myself. The left picture looks softer but the one on the right looks...younger!

Of course, you can also see that losing 28 pounds took a little off my face too! But the first thing I see is a much younger look, with clearer, brighter eyes. I see less of a strained look also. Just a much more pleasant look altogether. I have on less make-up on the right pic, too, and have a touch of sunshine on my cheeks. I have dieted in the past, many, many times, trying to lose 10-30 pounds of revolving weight. I tried fad diets and quick fixes, causing more harm than good, all for the sake of looking better. Sometimes I would look in the mirror and see a slimmer body but not necessarily a more attractive face. I was putting my body under stress trying to accomplish good in a bad way. The stress never left my face. The road you take when traveling from point A to point B in life makes all the difference! And it does truly matter how you do things. Appearances really are only skin deep! We can't change life but we can change how we react to it!

Here is one of my favorite quotes of all times from one of my favorite movie trilogies of all time!

Changing how we react to life's dramas changes how we feel on the inside, which changes how we look on the outside! I want to be victorious over the battles (and wars) in my life, becoming a strong woman of G-d. The road may get rocky and become treacherously long, my spirit may become weary and my heart too heavy with burdens, but I don't have to look war ravaged or spirit weary or heart heavy....why?!

Because I have learned to take the negatives in my life and let G-d use them for good.

Because I am learning to be angry and sin not. Because I take time to ponder and meditate, communing with a G-d who loves me and cares. That is what I want to show on my face. If we truly want to become a better person, we have to change how we react to life. And for real beauty, it is an essential element. Otherwise, our appearance can never mask the inner struggles that consume us. Don't belittle your struggles either, downplaying your hurts and hiding them will only cause more harm. You can give place to the emotional roller-coaster of life without over-emphasizing it and putting all your focus on it. The greatest harm we can do in life is to fill our bodies, minds and souls full of junk. We lie to ourselves and wallow in pity parties. And then we wonder why that reflection in the mirror shows the real us! I have kicked 28 pounds out the door so far, but gained much needed wisdom. It will be a while before I continue with this thread because I don't want to DIEt, I want to LIVE it! I hope all that I have shared with you will give you food for thought and motivation to change how you look at your own health. I'll leave you with this last thought...

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

***Linking to: Living Well Blog Hop at Jo's Health Corner

Feedback

2011-08-12T09:03:00.000-05:00

My daughter made me a new header! Tell me what you think of my new blog look, k?!

Gimme An 'A', Gimme A 'U'

2011-08-10T06:24:00.001-05:00

Oh, how I LOVE this time of year!

I live less than a mile from a big local high school and

we'll be sittin' in our homeschool classroom all quiet just

workin' away when I'll hear drums...

I'll run to my front door and throw it open

(the Florida heat will slap me in the face)

and say to my 2 kiddos, 'Ya'll hear that?!'

Those drums will be the band practicing outside for football season!

The sound just floating through the air straight to my little football loving ears!

My heart does a little flip and I strain my ears for the next hour

to see if I can hear it again. The anticipation of it!

I have been studying up on this year's players-

putting them on a list so I can pray for them.

My team shirt is looking rather worn this year. Maybe I should jazz it up a bit.

The first game is September 3 and it is my hubby's b-day too!

How lucky/blessed is that?!

So, in the meantime, I'll be listenin'....

Waiting to say....

WAR EAGLE!

Chain Reaction

2011-08-08T08:36:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday, ladies! Today is my 4th installment in the How Going to the Gym Changed My Life series. Last Tuesday at the gym I was feeling pretty tired...well, honestly, dragging my feet tired! I feel that way every Tuesday after 6 straight days at the gym! Madness, sheer madness! Time to slow down that killer carousel just a little bit! If I keep going at this pace I will surely just keel over. The only day off I have had in the last thirty days is Wednesday, and that is the day I keep my lil grandgirls all day. Ummm, I'm not sure that counts as a day off! But this is not an entirely bad thing. Good, positive things in our life often breed more good, positive things. Like a chain reaction of sorts.

At this point, I will make a few comparisons. It is like homeschooling- the more time I spend with my kiddos, the more I want to spend with them! It is like organization- the more time you spend giving things a specific place, the more you'll desire to keep it going. It is like doing good deeds- once you get hold of the amazing feeling it gives you to help others, it motivates you to do more! Each act of kindness, each moment of perseverance, every unselfish act becomes a link in a chain that is pure strength. It is no different with our health. The first link is usually a desire to become healthier, followed by a commitment to change a few eating habits. Hopefully those are just the first couple of links! Don't let your chain stop there though! Give yourself little daily challenges. For instance, today my only snacks will be three servings of fruit- one mid morning, mid afternoon, and after dinner. Those kinds of personal challenges breed more. Why?! Because they are easy to accomplish and make you feel SO good for doing it! About the only thing even slightly negative I can say at this point is that you'll want to make sure that there is balance in your life. It is the essential ingredient that keeps the two side of the scales from toppling.

Balancing exercise with eating less is the thing I was/am struggling with. In order for me to go the long haul to good health, and make new habits to replace old, bad habits I'm going to need balance. All my daily challenges toward good health were mostly at the gym! Although there isn't any truly unhealthy foods at my house, I still have an unhealthy attitude toward food. I still want to practice emotional eating. I still want to reward my other good actions with food! This is one of those bad habits that I will have to work hard to kick or it will always counter-act all my other hard efforts in the health department! Oh, I have seen an increase of the chain reaction kind in SO very many areas of my life lately. My motivations for what I do and why I do them has shifted.

Duty and responsibility are excellent motivators and I hope that those two important character traits are present in each of us. But, alas, it takes more....
Yep, those two will get you through all that is necessary to take care of our husbands, children and homes but it can turn quite droll if you're not careful. Clearing the JUNK out of your life will help more than you can realize. I've been participating in Funky Junk Interior's Junk Loser. Donna has motivated so many of us to lighten our load and change some of our bad health habits. Donna, I can't thank you enough for the inspiration you dole out on so many levels! You are a super-hero in my book! Moving the junk out starts a chain reaction, too! When you start moving it off your back side, you start moving it out of your house. Then you start realizing how much junk you've let clutter up all kinds of areas in you life. Like the clutter of unnecessary distractions. Oooo, that's a good one!

Losing the junk can be an amazing change in our life. One of the chains that builds a strong character in who we are. Clutter kills. It smothers. It crushes. It robs us of time too! Here's a small list of clutter that I am working on:
1. too many doodads in my house that I don't love that takes too much time to clean.
2. stuff in drawers and closets that are being kept just in case.
3. an overly long list of to-do's that isn't concise and to the point.
4. too many random ideas and not enough ideals.
5. too much aimless time on the computer.
6. emotional overload.

Betcha didn't think of #5 as junk you need to lose! Anything that can rob us of precious time to do other important things is junk we ALL need to lose! So much stinkin' clutter! Mind clutter, body clutter, spirit clutter.....it just gobbles up all our good intentions for today! Getting rid of clutter is one of the most important ingredients in getting control of your life! Most of us let clutter control us and we don't even realize it. Once you step foot on the path to letting go of it in one area of your life, you begin to see it for what it is in so many other areas of your life too! I want to become a truly strong woman. Strong in the the right ways so that I can do what is right and good for G-d and those I love. I can't be strong if I'm not in control! Kicking the clutter will give me control and bring balance back to my life. Every good thing in our life must be recognized at all three levels- mind, body and spirit. Improving our health is certainly one of those good things! If you're gonna get rid of the junk in your backside trunk, then it must be recognized at the other two levels as well.

The rest of August, I will be trying to balance my exercise with more pointed eating challenges. I will be taking Saturday's AND Wednesday's off. I will make those 5 days work as good as 6, by letting my body rest enough to catch up and being more focused on my specific workouts. I will be working to free myself of clutter in the areas listed above, as well. Even if you don't need to lose the clutter of excess weight, I bet you can find some clutter in other areas of your life. Don't let that clutter control you! Make a list of some of the things that clutter up your day and work on changing them one day at a time. Pretty soon, getting rid of and keeping out clutter become the new habits in your life! Oh, the time and energy we'll have! Oh, what we'll accomplish when we lose the burden of clutter! I'm a fairly organized person, and there are some who would laugh that I need to clean and organize more, but there is more than just obvious, surface clutter, isn't there?! Time to start digging to find where we've hidden it away. Hidden clutter is still clutter, ain't it so?! Imma JUNK LOSER, how 'bout you?!

This Week...

2011-08-05T08:13:00.002-05:00

The Homeschool Chick

In my life this week…

I have made a deep cleaning list and have gotten started on it! Being busy and productive brings peace to my weary heart! I have an update to my weight loss, too- 5 more pounds down! That's a total of 30 pounds! (approx. half of what I need to lose)
In our homeschool this week…

We had to change out my son's math, the Saxon Advanced Math was simply frying his brain! We started it last year with hopes to finish this year and read that a year and a half was normal for this book. Well, we changed to A Beka Consumer Math and he loves it! Time to learn some real life math skills! We started the week with him helping me work the budget for August and September. His words after the hour it took us were, "Wow! I never knew there was so much to making it all work!" My daughter is reading The Family Daughter and is loving it! We are really just getting back into the swing of things!
Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

NEVER be afraid to change up their school work. They can't learn well if their curriculum doesn't work for them. Even just one subject's change can make all the difference! Tweaking is one of the things I love most about homeschooling!
I am inspired by…

This week I have found inspiration from so many fellow bloggers! Whether it was budgeting, decorating, meal menus, homeschool helps, recipes...all I can say is WOW! And thank you all for being so amazing!
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

The kids are excited for the first Student Government meeting this month! My daughter, especially, since this will be her first year! Although our first homeschool league meeting isn't until September, we are looking forward to all the activities planned for this year!
Things I’m working on…

I am working on not being negative or critical and choosing to speak good words or not speak at all. It is hard when there is so much negative around me and my heart is hurting but I know I can't give in to those negative things.
I’m reading…

I am reading The Help! I was hooked on it by the second page! I just finished Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt and it was excellent! I just received my new book from Blogging for Books (on my sidebar) and it is Where Will You Go From Here? by Valorie Burton

Oh how I love a good book!
I’m cooking…

I went grocery shopping for the month yesterday...WHEW! We are having crockpot chicken/broccoli alfredo tonight- YUM! If you want to know the recipe, just ask! I am happy to pass it along!

I’m grateful for…

The obstacles in life that cause us to grow and become stronger. And a loving G-d who is my abiding help and hope!
I’m praying for…

My wayward older children. That's what parents are for! May His Hand never leave them and may they remain under the shelter of His Wings!
A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Here's a funny photo that my hubby has changed his facebook profile picture to. He has lost 50 pounds! He looks quite different, doesn't he?!?!

Blessings to each one of you and I hope ya'll have an awesome weekend!

Channeling

2011-08-02T09:35:00.001-05:00

Catchy title, huh? Although I'm not speaking of the 'strange' kind here, it is the third installment on How Going to the Gym Changed My Life.

I am at a standstill on weight loss. I am building muscle faster than I am burning calories and muscle weighs more. That is good AND bad. I am holding the twenty-five pounds off though, and I am certain more will come off as I change up a few things. For July, I did the circuit room (3 rounds) followed by 20 minutes on the exercise bike at every other day. Then the other days, I was doing strength training, 20 minutes on the bike and 30 minutes in the sauna, for a total of 6 days a week, no quarter asked and none given, lol! The circuit room is designed to give you an all over weight workout (done by a time clock) so that you achieve a cardio workout at the same time. This worked great but now needs tweaking. For August, I will alternate the treadmill (working up to an hour),and strength training/sauna. If you've never tried the dry sauna before, it is SO worth every totally hot second you spend in there! It opens your pores, rejuvenates your skin, relaxes hard worked muscles, as well as hard worked minds! It is hard to stay in for 30 minutes but SO worth it! Now, I've eaten up a whole paragraph with my gym activity! I had not previously told you my program, so now you are in the know!

Now, for a few minutes on calories. I am eating the right foods but still falling prey to comfort eating, which tacks on just enough to slow my weight loss down to a crawl. I have a lot on my cart right now, spiritually speaking, and emotional overload can really do a number on your health- if you let it! Even though the pounds aren't just sliding off, the inches are! And I look younger, too, which at 48 is an amazing thing! Most days, I have a real spring in my step and have energy to git-r-dun! BUT, there's always those days that threaten to drain you mentally and spiritually. Those days that burden you deeply and zap all that is positive and good from your day. That's where channeling comes in!

I have developed an attitude since I started going to the gym. Not that kind of attitude, you silly! The attitude of not reacting to the negative things that happen in my day until I get to the gym! Then, I channel all the negative frustrations into my workout! As I am working my muscles or burning calories, my mind is free to ponder every frustration, giving each aggravation due time to be weighed and measured. It works for an intense workout, for sure! When I walk out of the gym, I try my very best to leave the overload behind and go home with a clearer mind. By channeling all the negative (spiritually and mentally) into my physical workout, I have turned bad into good, thereby giving myself a wonderful way to cope! Although there are many people milling about, it is easy to focus on your own thoughts and issues while exercising, and is an awesome opportunity for mental prayer time too. At times, I am the sole 'survivor' in the sauna, which allows me to whisper the most needy prayers and issues to G-d, with little to no interruption which is not likely at home, for me anyhow!

Channeling the negative into positive is a very important thing. It has changed how I react to things, much like a hold button. Of course, you don't have to go to the gym to do this! You can channel the emotional overload into your housework, or your own exercise program. However you channel those frustrations, you have turned something that can wreck and ruin your life into something that can cause more spiritual growth than you ever imagined! Not to mention the calories burned, or the inches lost, or the deep cleaning that is a direct result! The first time I realized I was doing this while cleaning (probably 15+ years ago) I was cleaning my master bathroom. I remember being extremely upset about someone I love and attacking my chore with a vengeance, one I'd have loved to unleashed on someone truly due it, lol! Instead, I remember getting up from the floor, having cleaned the floor and baseboards so lost in thought and prayer that I super cleaned my bathroom! WOWZA! It purely sparkled! And I had worked out all my negative reaction time, by channeling it into something else, turning bad into good! I am sure we have all done that at one time or another. For some reason, my kitchen chores have received a good brunt of it over the years. But now it has become a very intentional thing for me. I feel like I am tapping into a proper way to vent all that can crush and consume me. It makes it a little easier to hold back the flow of negative feelings and words and to speak the right words to those around us. It is the right kind of channeling! Yep, going to the gym IS, indeed, changing much more than my body. Next week, I want to share with you how my motivations are changing as well.

***Linking up to: Always Learning Link Up Party

I'll Always Be Your Greatest FAN

2011-07-29T09:12:00.001-05:00

Guess whatcha get when you tidy up your hubby's tool shed?! A happier hubby?! Yep, but that's not all! You find treasure!!! Treasure that needs LOADS of cleaning, but treasure none the less! I tidied, labeled, sorted, and straightened. Followed by sweeping every nook and cranny, and rearranging a little more. Tweaking, it's all about the tweaking! I'd show you pictures but, well, unless you like old tool sheds that have ZERO personality, then you'll have to take my word for it! And my payment for said job was this....(drum roll, please!)...

Fan, you're so sweet I could sop you up with a biscuit!

I even made a hang tag especially for you!

And redecorated on top of my piano,

just for you!

I found a few retro things to go along side of you to keep you company!

I thought you'd appreciate that awesome avocado green color!

And what about a vintage book?

Time flies when you reading a good mystery!

A little milkglass to finish it off...

Fan, I think your chippy paint and your spots of rust are what make you so special! You make me think of a bygone era. An era where folks appreciate the worth of life. You make me travel a

Sentimental Journey

every time I look at you!

I'll always be your greatest fan!

So You Weren't BORN With It...

2011-07-26T08:51:00.002-05:00

Last week, I talked to you about how going to the gym was changing my life. The first thing that I realized was that I had to stop making excuses. Excuses for eating healthy and excuses for exercising. The list was long for those excuses. Financial woes seems like a very viable one! Good, healthy foods can be quite a bit more expensive, can't they? A gym membership seems a little too splurge-y on an already popping budget, too. Where there's a will, there's a way became my motto...and it has stuck! Choosing quality over quantity at the grocery store evens it out, for the most part, and the gym- well, if you shave off anything you can find that you can let go of, then it can be justified. So, all excuses aside...let's move on!

Ever wondered what you'd look like if you were in near perfect shape?! Most of us weren't born with it, for sure. Our tendencies toward junk food come early in life, followed by strangely rearranging bodies going through puberty with acne prone faces. Oh, if we could just inherit it in our genes:

I know there are many who appear that way, but in reality we all have some physical weakness- inside or out. Isn't the little guy in the picture adorable?! When I go to the gym, I see a multitude of folks who look all buff. Here comes the peer pressure for adults, lol! This fat, 48 yo would surely rather stick her head in the ground than to have those buff young folk give me grimacing glances as they pass by. The most weight I've ever had to lose in the past was 30 pounds. Although it felt enormous at the time, I look back and think Oh, that was just tiddly-winks. Now, I have double+ that to loose.

There is a right way and a wrong way though. That is the tricky part. Fad diets and extreme cardio exercises can harm more than help. So, if I am going to get healthy now, at this most important age of my life, then why not do it RIGHT?! I am devoting 2 whole years to changing my stinkin' thinkin' about my health and get my act together. By then, it should become a habitual lifestyle. We are born into sin, our bodies struggle mentally and physically from birth waging the sin war. If we are ever going to win that war, we must let G-d change our hearts and adjust our way of thinking. When G-d brings change into your life, it is always as multi-dimensional as He is. And when the change is about your health, there's not but one thing more important- your spirit! That inner woman needs the most help on the inside, in our minds and our souls. If our spiritual and mental health aren't addressed first, we fall prey to all kinds of fads, in the spiritual world and the physical world.

Most of us weren't born with proper discernment, it is learned. Learned through reading the Good Book and through prayer...and often through trial and error. If we learn discernment first in our spirit, we make things so much easier in our minds and bodies. Usually, after learning the wrong way to think and live, we need time for G-d to work the wrong out of us before He can show us the right. I could go into a sermon at this point, lol, because this is SO true about our belief system. But, that will be saved for another post. ;-)

One of my biggest concerns, deep in my heart, was seeing the time and effort to get lean turn into high tide coming and washing all my efforts away. Uh-oh, here comes that building your house on sinking sand bit, teehee! As an American, I have been taught the wrong way to do most everything. America is an obese nation with the poorest health. (mind you, I'm not speaking of starving countries) In America, there is a church on almost every corner and a fast food joint on the opposite corner, and we are starving both spiritually and physically. WHY?! Life giving nutrition has been withheld from us for many years now, spiritually and physically. We have traded the simplicity of the true Word of G-d in the pulpit, as well as good, simple foods on our tables. And we are hurting for this unfair trade! The Bible tells us to

"Prove all things, hold fast that which is good." 1 Thess. 5:21.

I think that is the ONLY time you'll see fast and good work together, lol! We want a quick fix on so many different levels and look at us now! Our nation is obese and unhealthy, and spiritually ignorant, as well as being backwards in technology. Now, before you tell me to move to a different country, let me state loud and clear, I am AMERICAN through and through! And southern to my bones, to boot! But changes MUST be made and we MUST start with our spiritual health first.

No, we aren't born with it, that's true, but it's time to change what's wrong with America, so she can be right again! If your eyes focus too long on the BIG picture, you'll give up the race before you even truly begin it. You have to zero in the focus to you and your immediate family. Your own hearts and your own bodies. You have to start living it! Then we become an influence to a starving nation. Yep, every moment I spend at the gym with my head down so I can focus, gives G-d an opportunity to work out things in my spirit while I'm working out the old bod. Here is an important thing to remember:

** Muscle to bone strength will bring greater good to your body than cardio alone.**

But balance it with some heart pumping, sweating and healthy eating and WOWZA! You feel almost reborn! G-d made it to work that way- mind, body and spirit. There is SO much He is teaching me, as well as unlearning and undoing so many wrong ways to think and live.

I think about what I will be like in a year and a half, and it just brings tears to my eyes because it is SO much more than just outward, physical appearance that will change! I will be new through and through! It gives a whole new meaning to

¹ This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ² “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” ³ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. ⁴ But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

⁵ Then the word of the LORD came to me. ⁶ He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. Jeremiah 18:1-6

Maybe we aren't born with it, but He can mold us into that good thing, through and through, the He desires us to be! It's time to get fit!

Uh-Oh...

2011-07-24T08:28:00.001-05:00

The heat....it's making everything droop and hang...and fall off! That's what happened to a shell that was hot-glued on my sign.

It was the bottom shell of the two on the lower left corner. An easy fix with some better glue.

It sat in my craft/classroom for a week, right close to a blue bottle I was trying to figure out how to decorate with. It is an old Phillips Milk of Magnesia bottle and it made me think of upset tummies. We all know what Phillips is/was used for, which is not often an ailment akin to sea sickness ;-) But it made sense to use it with a note rolled up inside just like one you'd find floating at sea. I used the shell that fell off in the heat to act as a cork for the top and sealed it up with wax from my little smell good crock! Inside is a hand torn piece of paper with this written inside:

I washed up on an island

Where treasure was buried

Brought by pirates

Booty too large to be carried

Now I am lost

And the treasure with me

On a deserted island

In the deep blue sea

Here is what the 'improved' version looks like:

Click on it to see it up close. I left the drip marks from the wax just because it adds more character! I am very pleased with this UH-OH and how it came out! Now I can showcase this little vintage bottle in a unique way. And I used glass glue which bonds like nothing else I've found, so this won't turn into another major uh-oh!

Linking to:

Funky Junk Interiors SNS

Future Generations...

2011-07-20T23:03:00.003-05:00

Hello, dear blogging buddies! Hannah here from over at As Time Goes By. Before I start with today's guest post, I would like to say hello to those who might not be familiar with me. I am the Chick N Charge's daughter, and I have also been blogging for close to 2 years now.If you like what you see in this post and would like to read more, please visit my personal blog I have linked above.

The Lack of Morals In The New Age

Over the last two months I have noticed just what daily American life has come to, and it literally has made me SICK! Sometimes I don't even want to leave my home because everywhere I go there is bound to be something just plain ugly to tie my stomach in knots. And the worst part of it is that people don't even think what their doing is wrong. Driving away from the gym, seeing a girl no older than 13, wearing heavy makeup and not even covering your thighs shorts. Even watching 'America's Got Talent' last night, half of the guys on the show were down right... Fruity. (not politically correct I know) So, today, I would like to talk about how we can make a difference in a world that has lost its morals. I found a saying not too long ago and it goes something like this...

*Wear your clothes tight enough to show you're a woman,

But wear them lose enough to show you're a Lady.*

Yes, we might always be the odd ones in people's eyes, because we may not have the same worldly desires as the majority, but we will always be becoming in G-d's eyes, and that's what truly matters. You may have friends that might not believe in G-d, or may listen to screamo, and rap music, and a lot of what they say isn't very nice. Your first impulse will always be to turn away from them, because you certainly shouldn't be influenced by such things, but always keep in mind, as much as they can be an influence on you, you can be on them. But, also be careful not to simply judge them, it is not our job to judge them. I often find myself judging people too easily, and that also is a bad thing. It is very easy to criticize how bad that person was for saying what she did, but is it our job to judge? No, it's G-d's. We are people of G-d, and with G-d's help we can make a difference. For instance, if someone reads a G-dly thing you posted as your facebook status or simply just noticed your actions, it will stick with them. They may choose to ignore it, but they can't, G-d's Word never returns void. No, we can't change a heart, but we may lead a person to G-d, who can change a heart. It is our duty, as women, as ladies, as wives, as mothers, to stand up and follow G-d's Word to be exactly what he wants us to be, to raise our children in the glory of G-d, to teach them to grow up and pass down what they have been taught... the world couldn't need it more than it's needing it now. So, please, purpose in your heart for G-d to help you to be a light that can bring change. I pray that the change will begin first in our own hearts. Yes, I do say change, because there is always room to change. Whether it's by simply being more diligent in doing the things we know are right, or letting G-d work in much bigger ways in our hearts. You can always change the lives around you, by becoming the good this world is so desperate for. YOU can be that change...we all can!

This has been a guest post for the Chick N Charge,

Joyfully His, Hannah.

*Thanks for stopping by to check out another guest post from my kiddos! Ain't she amazing this daughter of mine?! I think I'll KEEP her! Blessings to you all! Kelly

Workin' It Out

2011-07-19T09:53:00.001-05:00

I've been pondering something for a few weeks now and wanted to share. Many things about my life have started changing as a result of....GOING TO THE GYM! We chose a gym (Powerhouse gym) that was both affordable for our family (all 4 of us go!) and was close by. Now, the benefits, for me, are far more than just physical. It has reached farther and deeper than I ever would have thought! Back in the middle of February, we bought a portable stepper machine from the thrift store. It helped to up my energy level as well as up my determination to change my health and that of my family's. I knew in my heart that I had to muster every ounce of determination possible because this journey wasn't going to be easy OR quick. It had to be a journey of commitment to change my lifestyle, one that would last from now on...not just until I achieve my goals, because frankly, a healthy lifestyle must be maintained. I had to look at this journey through practical eyes also, due to financial strain. Anyone can purchase 'diet' types of food to lose weight, but once you return to 'normal' eating, the weight often returns...that is NOT practical! So, I had to commit to my family eating healthier meals that won't change. Some meals were easy to 'clean up', others we simply had to leave off. On rare occasion, we get to dine out and because it is rare occasion, we eat whatever we want. Empty carbs and junk food no longer reside at our home, so temptation is somewhat easier, because you'll have to go to the store to eat something wrong. This is working excellently for us...if it ain't here- you can't eat it, lol! After almost three months, my determination, will power, and overall general health and energy level was higher than it had been in possibly 10+ years! I was 25 pounds lighter, too! I was up to two 15 minute jaunts on the stepper with a workout using exercise bands in between. *The very first thing I noticed was the fact that I did, INDEED, have time to exercise. That has always been a handy crutch for me to lean on when avoiding a commitment to health. I found that I not only had the time to exercise, but my whole day seemed more focused and productive. WHY?! That's when I first realized that there was more going on than the obvious! My reasoning was changing also. My hubby had joined the gym, and like most men, his body was changing faster than mine...sadly, it still is, but I'm okay with that, because I am me, and I am doing the best that I know how! By the end of May, the gym ran a one day special of only $10 for the initial sign up. It was my second day of tagging along with my hubs (the membership we chose allows one guest) and I felt like it was my 'sign' to join also so my daughter could come with me and it not interfere with my son going with his dad. I have always felt that exercising at home was much more preferable than having to make time to leave the house, but once I started, my mind was, once again, changed. Now that I have been going for almost two months, my mind has changed about a LOT of things. By far, the # 1 thing that I saw clearly was our ability to make excuses. Those excuses not only prevent good from happening, they also can cause great harm, especially in who we are influencing. How can I ever expect my kiddos to stop making excuses when I am leading by such poor example? Do as I say, not as I do?! That just doesn't work, ladies! If I want healthy kids, then I have to lead by example. I am at the gym approximately an hour and a half, 5-6 days a week (mostly 6) and I accomplish more at home than before I started going. I expect my kids to go a minimum of 3 times a week, although my daughter often goes the same as I. We are already a close family, but this has made us more so. I am seeing changes in both of my children, just like my hubby and I, and it is awesome! I am going to start posting, hopefully once every week or so, about how much it is affecting my life- IF you are interested in hearing! So, to recap, the first thing I noticed was that I stopped making excuses! And it has bled over to other areas of my life as well. How could it not? Making excuses for many things has stopped for me. My focus has changed, as a result. Whenever we do something that is right and good for ourselves and our family, it affects so much more than we think. It even affects how we think! That is the first thing that must change. It is the first of many things for me! I hope you will stay tuned for the next story in the continuing saga of "How Going to the Gym Changed My Life". Blessings to each one of you!

Linking to:
Far Above Rubies' Domestically Divine Tuesday

Guest Post!

2011-07-15T14:35:00.001-05:00

And the many things it could become...

Hey guys, Jacob here, and before I do my usual intro I'd like to say hello to my mother's 181 followers! It's nice to be doing a guest post, and hopefully I'll see some comments from new people.

Now that that's done, I'll continue as normal for the people joining me here from Philosophi-guy.

Hey there, classmates.

I was recently reading a news post and they were talking about brain transplants being in the near future for the U.S. medical system and frankly:

It scares me.

So what exactly would they do? So we get a brain disease and opt for a brain transplant, what? Are we going to walk around with other peoples brains in our heads?

I think not!

The way technology is heading is a rough road to a sick and twisted future. Computer chips in our brains, T.V. units in our eyes, who knows what will be next?

But today isn't about that. Like having someone else's brain, today's post is about thinking through the eyes of another.

Sounds like a superpower, I know.

Have you ever been rudely insulted and thought to yourself, if only they knew how that hurt. Well it's the very thing some people refuse to accept. It's not that the person who rudely insulted you has never been rudely insulted him/herself, it's the fact that he/she doesn't take the time to put himself in your shoes. It's an obvious mistake, and one that needs to be corrected.

How to correct it:

Well unlike the mind controlling super-heroes we so love, it isn't quite possible for us to control the minds of others. But, as much a superpower in itself, we can control our own.

Next time you say something, naughty or nice, take a half-second to think: how would I feel if I were in their shoes?

If you're constantly doing that, I imagine it'd cut down on about half the things we normally wouldn't think twice before saying.

Now, that's fixing yourself. Fixing another person is right near impossible because they are just that: another person.

What you can do is hope that, through the influence of you putting yourself in their shoes, they'll start to second guess themselves.

So put yourself in another's shoes.

If my niece can do it, you can too.

Anyways, classmates, I bid you farewell, once again. Also, to my mother's followers, reading this blog post, well thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed this and if you want more, come join me over at Philosophi-guy.

As always, your host, and for this guest post,

P.S. I know it rhymed :)

***I told you it was somebody special! My son, Jacob, is an amazing young man! He did his mama proud today! Hope you will leave him some sweet comments!*** Kelly

Your Decisions...Embrace Them!

2011-07-15T00:00:00.001-05:00

Don't let discontentment creep in and turn into something ugly! Come join in the conversation over at Marvelous Motivations to see how ugly things might get...

THEN come back here later today for a VERY special guest post by someone near and dear to my heart! My lips are sealed, so you'll just have to come back in a bit!!!

Just For Today...

2011-07-14T09:18:00.002-05:00

Just for today...
I won't worry about these two:

When they aren't in Nanny's hands, they are in G-d's Hands!

I will do the best I can with what I have.

I will sing even if someone laughs.

Just for today...

if life throws me a curve ball

I will step up to the plate and knock a

home run

clean outta the park

JUST FOR TODAY!

A SunniER Disposition!

2011-07-12T08:12:00.001-05:00

Plundering through some decorating buckets Sunday, I happened across some inspiration for a mini-make over of sorts. I have some fabric that I have been keeping for a few years, simply because I love both pieces but haven't been able to use them just right- or so I thought! This is my inspiration fabric for all things sunny, happy, and joyful!

I know how long this has been around but I yet to tire of looking at it! The little traveling bag story I wrote just a bit back was centered around a sweet little bag made from Mary Englebreit fabric. When I REdiscovered this pretty piece of fabric, my heart just smiled looking at it! It is not a large piece...only about a 3x2 foot size, but big enough if used properly! It was right on top of THIS much bigger piece of fabric, which I love, too!

The two fabrics are scrumptious together! And I have PLANS for them both! I also found this cute card I had put in a picture frame that is one more piece of the puzzle!

Now, to be perfectly honest, I'd LOVE to makeover my whole stinkin' kitchen and use this for the theme, but under the present circumstances, I will focus on a smaller, and much more manageable, area! Remember my little pass-thru coffee room?! It is the first room I dwell in every morning because: there is NO life before coffee! A great deal of the decor in this area can be used with my new inspirations. Let's see what we'll keep and what we'll ditch...

I will keep everything black, white, and red and ditch everything else to make room for some new additions. I have quite a few little this's and that's to put in here, and a few more that just need a bit of paint or such.

The green fabric will be used to make a window valance and snazzied up with some black pom-pom trim! I can't wait to get started! This room will keep it's coffee theme but with a new flavor, and will go from sunny to sunniER to boot! It certainly will make me smile when visiting my coffee pot or just passing through to get laundry from the hampers! I have been working on my health for a few months now, and it has bled over to my attitude as well, so it's time for my surroundings to reflect a sunniER disposition! Stay tuned, and Happy Tuesday!

Motivation Needed

2011-07-11T11:08:00.002-05:00

Is the air at your house charged with the negativity of blaming and complaining? Do you need some motivation to change the quality of the chatter in the course of your day? Come join me over at Marvelous Motivations to discuss this very important issue! See you there!

Just for Today...

2011-07-07T07:54:00.003-05:00

I will be content with what I have.

I will try harder to change what's inside than out.

When someone comes to mind, I will whisper a prayer for them.

I will choose to see the beauty of simplicity.

I will show grace under pressure.

Just for today...

Some 4th of July Advice

2011-07-04T07:32:00.000-05:00

If you can't get past your complaints about our country,

find yerself a new one!

If you don't like our president, do better next election! (I AM!)

If you refuse to fly our flag- go fly a kite instead!

If you want to be a blessed nation again...

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray,

and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven,

and will forgive their sin, and will

heal their land.

It is TRUE, we have let the greatness that AMERICA once was start to decline.

It is OUR fault alone. Our country is a direct result of its inhabitants,

and we need to get those 'morals' we have stuck up on the shelf, and dust them off,

ask the good L-rd's forgiveness and do what is right and good in HIS sight!

Before you head off today to BBQ's and watermelon and family and fun,

gather your family around, and grab each other's hands.

Drop your head and pray! Thank Him that you still have freedoms.

Thank Him for the folks that make those freedoms possible.

Thank Him for all that you are blessed with.

And ask Him to forgive you for not standing up for what is right as loudly

as you could have and should have.

Ask Him to give you strength to do it, from this day forward,

in your heart and in your home and outside your door.

Because freedom shouldn't give us the right to remove our Maker,

but we are free because we know the TRUTH, and

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Vive La France

2011-07-01T12:13:00.001-05:00

Happy July 1st, everybody! We've got ourselves a lovely long weekend ahead loaded with bbq, family and FUN! I say "BRING IT ON, BABY!"

I promised you a little update on my daughter, Hannah's, room and I will deliver as promised ;-) Let me give you a pic or two (or three, lol) to remind you of what it looked like before changes started:

When she saw this:

we knew that a few changes would occur.

So, this was the first change-

That just POPS on her purple walls! Thanks to birthday money!

BUT, we were loaded with white and sorely needed

to add in some black AND some Frenchy decor!

Again, the smaller your decorating budget, the bigger your creativity can run-

and that is a plus for us because we were once again at a budget of $10 or less.

So, for the price of 3 cans of $1 spray paint, a spool of ribbon,

a package of polka dot tissue paper and a LOT of creativity, we got this:

(all pics click to larger images)

The little white desk above had been stored away and almost forgotten!

It replaced the little purple picket fence shelf unit that no longer matched.

*TRIVIA TIME*

Kudos goes to the first person who can tell me whose address

is an the above picture. (hint- it isn't in France, but it is something my daughter ADORES!)

We are having so much fun re purposing items we already had!

And a special thanks to The Graphics Fairy who never fails to helps us all find

that perfect little 'sumpin-sumpin' that adds spice to our decorating!

Now the treasure hunting continues to find objects to fill up the empty spaces

and that lovely desk space in the closet! We are planning to cover two little memo boards

and to make a frenchy paper pennant banner!

I am linking up to these fabulous linky parties:

Serenity Now's Weekend Bloggy Reading

Creation Corner's Friday Linky Party

Simply Designing's Simply Linky Party

Have an awesome weekend and be safe with those firecrackers!

The One Day Way

2011-06-29T08:56:00.001-05:00

I love {{LOVE}}books, so when I saw this button on someone's blog...

I knew that a relationship was just around the corner!

Something that I did not fully understand was that God

was ordering the steps that lead right up to my first book review.

Since this past February, my family and I have made a

commitment to live a healthier lifestyle. I felt in my heart that if we simply

devoted the next year or more to this lifestyle, that it would become a habit that would

cause us to lose weight and keep it off. This book that fell into my hands

(the credit goes to the good Lord- 100%) was, is, and will be the tool that makes

the dream of a healthier/happier lifestyle a reality. That book is...

I was prepared for the fluff content that is written by so many diet authors. They mean well, but are after fame and fortune above all else. NOT this author. Chantel Hobbs gives us a peek into her former life at 200 pounds overweight. Her first book Never Say Diet is more detailed about her personal journey.

This particular book gives you the reader an opportunity to become aware of your own weaknesses, thereby giving you the most important weapon there is to guard you against those weaknesses...TODAY! This book spoke to me in ways that I did not contemplate when choosing it. If my health can be changed by the simple focusing of all my energies just for today, what about the rest of my life? What about choosing to be happy and content just for today? Or anything else that is in need of change in my life. I am sure that I am not the only person to recognize how much more deeply her concepts go, because they are Godly concepts through and through. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not promised, but we have today. Truly a timeless ideal, but it seems very fresh and new when reading her book. She leads you, step by step, through to changing who you are The One Day Way. She does not sell you her program at all, but instead, shows you that you have the tools to get the job done. Her perspective is SO worth the time and money of reading this book. Whether you need to lose 10 pounds or 10x10 pounds, you can lose the weight and end up more fit inside and out than you'd have ever thought. I am proud to have this book in my collection and would recommend it to anyone who has attempted many diet ideas only to have them fail. If you are ready to let go of yesterday, and all it's failures, and focus on today, then take take a look at chapter one to get an idea of the encouragement she offers. You can also find Chantel Hobbs on facebook and at her own blog. I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for writing an honest review. If you rank my review, I will have a broader selection of books offered to me to review in the future.

Full Of Beans

2011-06-27T08:05:00.001-05:00

What do you buy when your grocery budget needs stre......tching?! Beans and rice, of course! We eat them about 3-4 times a month, in some form or other. IF you have them often enough, leftovers become kinda unappealing...and I HATE to throw food out. While rummaging through the freezer, I realized I had miscalculated the number of ground turkey rolls I had purchased for the month- I had 3 to spare! In the fridge were the navy beans and rice leftover from 2 days ago that needed to be eaten or thrown out. I was freaking out a little around the edges, scouring the index file of recipes in my brain...well, honestly, that only took about 5 minutes, not much brain to index. ;-0 Anyhoo, after accessing any other leftovers to tap into, I realized we also had whole grain tortilla wraps from when we had chicken salad. If I drained the navy beans really well, I could make my own refried beans and we could have burritos for dinner! They turned out yummy! My grandmother used to do that when I was growing up, to stretch her budget for groceries too....that woman was/is my hero...just amazing and a WHOLE other story. She was smiling down from above watching me! So here is my budget stretcher...
Put your beans in a colander and drain all the liquid from them, even if you need to rinse them with warm water. Put them into a bowl and mash 'em up. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a frying pan and add your mashed beans at medium heat. After about 2-3 minutes, turn them down to low heat or they'll become mexican jumpin' beans! Add in some cumin, chili powder, garlic and onion powder to taste, and simmer and stir for about 10 minutes more. Not even the Mexican restaurants have refried beans that taste THIS good! Now, I had about 3 cups of leftover brown rice, too, which I added right into my ground turkey and taco seasoning while it was cooking. It added the equivalent of one more pound of meat and it tasted great. The only thing I initially purchased was taco seasoning for this meal, but ended up buying a few more wrap shells because we had enough left from our second dinner to make a few extra for lunches! So, my navy beans and rice yielded 2 meals and extra for lunches! This would be excellent with black beans too. My kids say they won't eat the canned refried beans any more. (And I have a recipe for true southern women coming next week- what to do with leftover black-eyed peas.) I almost forgot to take a pic but remembered while I was making the ones for lunches-

I'm sure you are thrifty, too, and I would LOVE for you to share with me how you stretch your grocery budget! Happy Monday!

Plans...

2011-06-26T18:24:00.005-05:00

I love Sundays, don't you?! Time to get my thoughts together and some lists made for what I'd like to be busy about starting TODAY! I will be sharing a great budget stretching recipe with you tomorrow and will be working on projects in my daughter's room to show you by the end of the week! My lil grand-girlies come to stay with me on Tuesday, so I will try to get some new pics of them...lordy, they are growing like summer weeds! Just got home from the gym and had dinner- when I got up my legs and patooty were sore from working out, lol! Those muscles tell me loud and clear that my workouts are doing the job! I am determined to get some projects accomplished during our summer break and equally determined to loose some weight and feel younger! Determination is a fine thing, but hard to hold on to!

Definition of DETERMINATION

a : a judicial decision settling and ending a controversyb : the resolving of a question by argument or reasoning

archaic : termination

a : the act of deciding definitely and firmly; also : the result of such an act of decisionb : firm or fixed intention to achieve a desired end determination>

: a fixing or finding of the position, magnitude, value, or character of something: asa : the act, process, or result of an accurate measurementb : an identification of the taxonomic position of a plant or animal

Now that you've had yer grammar lesson for today-

KEEP CALM AND GET YOUR GAME ON!

Drift Down to the Sea...

2011-06-25T07:44:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to find my style out back under our pergola. I love the mish-mash collection of things you see at places like TGI-Friday's but because our pool is just a few steps away, I love to keep an ocean/beachy feel to it too. What can you decorate with when your current budget for decor is at $0?! Well, I busted the bank on this craft because I spent a whole dollar, lol! Hubby has done many a project around the house and I always snatch up any leftover plywood pieces that might make a sign. Along with those pieces was a box of craft paint, hot glue, a sanding block, and my Cricut. The only thing I bought was a spool of jute. I was not happy with the choices of paint colors I had...not the right shades of blue...or so I thought! I googled quotes about the sea and found one I LOVE. NObody does 'western' like Louis L'Amour! I won't make you wait any longer ;-)

I just LOVE how this turned out!

It is raining outside today, so I'll have to save the

outside pics for when I make another sign.

I plan on making 1 or 2 more!

I'm linking to these awesome parties:

Creation Corner

Serenity Now Weekend Bloggy Reading

Simply Designing Simply Link Party

Funky Junk's SNS

****UPDATE****

The sun came out and I put it outside!

The pics are good...

You can see the sparkle in the second pic, just click to enlarge them!

Weekend blessings to you all!

For Whom the Bell Tolls...

2011-06-22T09:06:00.003-05:00

aka- 'get up and fold that laundry- didn't you hear the dryer 'ding'?!' It's Wednesday ladies! The hump day of the work week. The day we 'git-r-dun' and slide into the weekend with a successful grin on our faces or...squander time and long for the weekend so that a better week can get started...it's our choice, isn't it? My little round kitchen table, where I often sit planning meals, planning my day/week, reading a book while eating breakfast, is in perfect ear shot of when my washer and dryer 'ding' their signal that their load is finished. As a homemaker, it takes a conscience effort to make my days successful. I am NOT like those women who seem to breeze through chores every day and accomplish so many crafty things on the side. On this Wednesday, I want to share with you a weakness of mine....procrastination. Just 5 more minutes to finish whatever it is that I am doing usually is all it takes to turn my day from good to bad. Maybe I should really title this post as "How Going to the Gym Has Changed My Life", because I feel like this last month has put my life on a different road. As I stepped off the road of defeat, I realized that I am INDEED in charge. Whatever life throws my way, it is 'I' who choose how I act and react. I stepped on the scale today and have lost four more pounds. Every day, I feel more in control of what is put before me. Now, that doesn't mean I get to choose my circumstances- no siree, they still choose me, lol! But I know now that Godly wisdom put in action calms many a storm and accomplishes much more that being passive ever could. Life hasn't changed much around our house yet. Financial strain is still at an all time high, BUT how we react to life's situations IS the thing that is changing most. Simply being busy about the every day necessities, and a strong sense of gratitude has given me back my purpose. Here is YOUR Wednesday Wake-Up call...success is a choice...for whom the bell tolls...

Cleaning Up Sloppy Joes

2011-06-21T07:07:00.001-05:00

They are a real MESS to clean up, but I was referring to a different kind of clean-up! We have worked hard to 'clean up' many of our favorite meals in our household. We have added more veggies/less meat to spaghetti and have incorporated many meatless meals into our monthly meal plan. I have LOVED sloppy joes for as long as I can remember, but have felt they provided no real health benefit for us and we haven't had them in months. I ran across a recipe a couple of weeks ago, while meal planning, and thought it would be worthy of a try. It really is nothing more than your favorite sloppy joe recipe with 2 added ingredients. 1 can of black beans, rinsed thoroughly, and 1 can of whole kernel corn (drained). Actually, for us, those additions equaled one LESS pound of ground turkey- so the added in veggies meant less meat too- that's a WIN-WIN in my book! But the real verdict was handed down last night at dinner! It's a KEEPER! The flavor was not really changed as much as simply expanded. And, once again, if you haven't tried whole wheat bagel thins - they taste wonderful and equal zero guilt of nutrition-less white breads. Getting rid of the white stuff at our house was the best thing I could do for my family. NO white flour products, NO white sugar (very little of any kind, honestly) and no white rice. We have also cut down our intake of potatoes. So, clean up those sloppy joes, and a few other meals while you're at it! You'll be so glad you did!

BBB Part 2

2011-06-18T08:48:00.004-05:00

How are all my friends this bright and shiny weekend? I am doing well and looking forward to some 'chill' time!
If you stopped by yesterday, you saw part one of my story of the Baffling Bag of Blessings. Here is part two- just as promised!

It was that time of year again...time for shucking and putting away corn- YUM!

I was quite a far piece out on a long dusty road, picking away and filling up bushel buckets fast...

totally oblivious to the adventure that the day had in store. When I had picked a trunkful, I sat down in the driver's seat dirty, hot and sweaty, and tee-totally tuckered out! I looked into my miracle bag to see if I'd brought a bottle of water but no miracle this time. It would be a long, thirsty drive back home for me! Well, thirst would soon be the least of my troubles......on the longest stretch of that dusty road, I ran out of gas! I was happy to find a one gallon gas can buried under the corn in my trunk, but where was a gas station?! Looks like I'll have to call my sweet husband to rescue his damsel in distress! WHAT?! My miracle bag contained the same results for a cell phone as for a water bottle- guess I left my mind at home as well! This spontaneous adventure was getting cornier by the second! Okay, old girl, time to walk to civilization! After about 2 miles of hot asphalt, a big truck comes barreling by. Just a bit down the road, the truck slowed and pulled over. I didn't know whether to jump for joy or grab the pepper spray on my key chain! Whispering prayers for safety, I rode on the back of the truck about 5 miles until being dropped off at a little mom-and-pop store with a gas pump out front. 5 miles of walking in this heat would have done me in! The gas pump was on oldie, so I went in the store and pulled out my debit card. The sour faced ancient gentlemen behind the counter said, 'You didn't read the CASH ONLY sign in the window?!' So, once again, I stuck my hand into my bag of blessings and for the third time in a short spell, I was left empty handed! NO cash! NO cell phone. NO water bottle. I told the crusty old cashier that I'd run out of gas and had NO cash...he said that I'd run out of luck too! What a grumpy old grouch!! He said he might take a trade for one gallon of gas. Who ever heard of such a thing, and what could I possibly have to trade?! I asked him if he was joking and he said, 'No ma'am, I am NOT a joker.' Well, that didn't surprise me! So I sat my bag 'o blessings on the counter and started looking through each perfect pocket seeing if there was something I'd be willing to part with. My first find was my new plum colored lipstick- although the thought of those sour wrinkled lips painted plum made me chuckle, I went to the next pocket. After searching every organized nook and cranny, I was about to give up when in the bottom sat a little 3x3 jewelry box. Bought, but not yet wrapped, for my granddaughter's birthday. Inside the box was a cameo necklace. She had fallen in love with my heirloom piece and I decided to purchase one for her that was less valuable, until she matures enough to have mine. I opened the lid and handed it to the old man and he scowled and took it from me. The transformation to that face in the next few minutes was truly a miracle. I told him that it was only a $10 necklace but maybe it would cover the cost of a gallon of gas and a ride back to my car. He just stood there still as a statue for a full 2 minutes or more. Just when I thought he'd sputter out that my trade was crazy, his eyes softened and his mouth twisted around into a grin that was too cute for words! He told me of his dear mama who wore a cameo much like this one. He hadn't thought of it in many a year! He said that his mother was an amazing woman who loved God and others more than herself and her cameo was the only thing of value that she ever owned. When she passed away, they had buried it with her, much to his regret. I reminded him that this one was not valuable but he said that the memory it brought was priceless and would be a fine trade! On the way back to my car, I asked him if he'd always had a trade policy at his store and he said that no, it had just popped into his mind and he just blurted it out. He said that city folk always want something for nothing and he thought I might be one of them...ME?! I think not! The country girl in my heart is as big as Texas itself! And my baffling bag of blessings produced one more miracle to save the day! Being organized lead me to carry things around in my purse that I would have never carried before! Secret blogging buddy, whoever and wherever you are- thank you for this amazing gift! Each blessing has an adventure tied to it and I pray that the good Lord blesses you dearly for your thoughtfulness! And you should know that no matter what adventure arises, if a miraculous blessing is called for...it's in the bag!

The traveling friendship bag left my house yesterday to journey to its next destination. Please stay tuned to Retro Revival's blog for the next story! Once again, Cindy- I thank you for hosting this little adventure and for being the sweet person you are! And I also thank you for the precious gifts tucked in the bag for me! They were perfect just like YOU!

Blessings to you all,

The Baffling Bag of Blessings

2011-06-17T08:12:00.003-05:00

Happy Friday, sweet little chickadees! I have been busy writing a story this week! First of all, let me give a plug here to Cindy over at Rick-Rack and Gingham. She is the MOST precious person and is responsible for some fun things here for bloggers. She started us off with passing around a sweet little pink gingham apron, which we wrote stories on and sent down the line to the next lady. That was FUN ! Now, she has an awesome tote bag...a traveling friendship bag, if you will, and I am first in line to tell a tale of its adventures. The first of many, I am sure! So, are you ready to hear my story?! OKAY! The main character in my story is none other than CINDY herself! Real lady, fictional story, lol! Here we go...

Hey ya'll! This is Cindy from over in Texas!

(can you hear my Texan drawl?!)

There have been some unusual things going on over in my neck of the woods

and I thought it merited sharing. Would you like to hear some of these odd occurances?!

I knew you would! :-)

It all started when I received a special present from my 'secret blogging buddy'.

Those little anonymous gifts really bless my heart, let me tell you!

They always seem to come at precisely the right time, which is usually when my spirits are low. Times have been tough lately, to say the least and these gifts are like a soothing bandaid to a wounded soul.

About 2 weeks ago, much to my surprise a large box came in the mail and in it was the cutest tote bag I've ever seen! It was Mary Englebreit eye candy to the max! And, oh the pockets-organizing heaven! I need a organized purse desperately! My current purse is like a black hole in space...stuff goes in never to be found again! What a blessing to get organized and look pretty too!

Something about this gift just burrowed deep in my heart and even worked it's way into my prayer life.

God works in mysterious ways and this was one of them.

It was much like FlyLady teaches about a shiny kitchen sink- it reflects on the rest of your daily life.

This bag may look normal but it has become a most baffling bag of blessings.

Right after I received it, my daughter called to say my little grandson was sick with a fever. I was supposed to pick him up the next morning for some one on one 'grammy time'. Poor fella, and poor grandma, too!

The next morning, I decided to go over and check on my sweet little man.

I thought it would be nice to bring him a little gift to make him feel better, and maybe I could read him a story while he rested. I found a cute bucket to tuck some of his favorite goodies into but was looking for a special something to cheer him up. Whispering a quick prayer, I turned into the children's book isle and spotted the newest Bionicle book by Lego. This was his current love and he would be excited to get the newest release. When I got back in the car, I filled the red bucket with goodies, but put the book into one of the pockets of my new tote bag. (how handy it was already!) When I arrived at their house, much to my dismay he was one really sick little darlin'. He was weak as a kitten and had been tearful and inconsolable most of the night. My daughter said that she had promised to buy him a present when he felt better, trying to get his mind off of being sick. He asked repeatedly for only ONE thing...a new Bionicle novel!

Lo and behold, God gave favor to this Grandma and I pulled the rabbit right out of the hat, or the book out of the bag- I should say! My daughter was as excited as my grandson!

She stared at my new tote bag and asked where did this bag of blessings come from...

I know it sounds small but the blessings get bigger!

I had a dentist appointment the next day. The wait is always SO long, so I though I'd work on my

"daily scripture project" while I waited. I had tucked my Bible in my bag along with some sunny yellow index cards. Another blessing for time well spent. I had so many favorite verses that I knew the time would fly by.

I was writing out my 10th verse when I sneezed and knocked all my cards on the floor.

The lady across from me (the one who did not return my smiling hello when I came in)

'humphed' loudly and picked up the one that had fluttered at her feet. She read it before handing it back and rudely asked what kind of project I was working on. I told her of my desire to have a scripture for every day of the year to bless me while I enjoy my morning coffee. The verse that had landed at her feet was

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Out of the blue, she opened her heavily burdened heart to me and we prayed together right there in the dentist's office! The angels surely sing when a soul finds peace and rest under the shelter of His wings!

If it hadn't been for my new tote bag, I'd have never taken my project with me! I marveled at the blessings tied to this bag yet again! But, the icing on the blessing cake was last Friday...

Come back tomorrow for the rest of the story!

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it!

May He richly bless your weekend!
Linking up to Serenity Now's Weekend Bloggy Reading

Lost and Found

2011-06-15T07:04:00.000-05:00

Lost:
*my focus
*my umph
*my mind

Found:
*my determination
*my drive
*my sense of humor

G-d always sends us what saves us, doesn't He?!

Last Night I Had Tarzan and Jane for Dinner....

2011-06-13T07:56:00.019-05:00

Go ahead and press that play button!

It sets the stage for what follows!

I thunked up a new recipe all by myself last week and we tried it out last night!

It's a keeper!

I call it

'Tarzan and Jane on a Bun'

Here is how it happened...

I have to admit, I just LOVE me some grilled chicken!

BBQ'd or not, I just love the flavor!

We eat it in salads, too.

But I was hankering for a grilled chicken sandwich.

The problem with that was the fact that the chicken breasts are never the same size and when grilled

they bunch up so big in the middle you can hardly get your mouth around it.

Then the light bulb in my head went off!

If I put them between pieces of wax paper, I can pound them out to make them the right thickness!

Pounded breast sandwiches....hmmm....

nobody pounds their breast better than Tarzan!

My hubby has been tuning in to the old shows on Saturday morning.

Priceless!

Tarzan is awesome in a lot of respects but he can be a bit of a jerk sometimes.

Then the light bulb when off a second time-

a stinkin' world record for ME!

Spicy jerk sauce would be great on these sandwiches.

Then I thought, 'Hey! What about JANE?'

Without her, Tarzan is just another musclehead!

Okay...

if we make the jerk sauce really spicy, then we can put some sweet coleslaw on top to cool it down!

So, the Tarzan and Jane on a Bun was born!

It is VERY important that you start with the perfect jerk sauce recipe!

I misplaced that recipe from last summer. We like ours to be a cross between jerk sauce and bbq sauce.

I found a recipe that sounded great, but it was just straight up jerk sauce, so I mixed it with a bottle of our favorite bbq sauce. It did not have the 'kick' I was after, and it tasted more like bbq sauce than I wanted.

THEN, of course, I found the RIGHT recipe...ahem. Always after the fact!

Here are my recipes:

BBQ Jerk Sauce-

2 tsp. ground allspice

1 Tbsp. ground thyme

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 large onion, chopped

2 cups green onions sliced

1 cup olive oil

1 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1-2 habanero peppers, seeded and chopped

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp sea salt

1 bottle of purchased bbq sauce

1 Stir first 3 ingredients in small skillet over medium high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2 Add all ingredients accept for bbq sauce and chicken to food processor and blend until a puree forms.

3 Mix 1 1/2 cups of puree with the bbq sauce, cover and refrigerate.

4 Place chicken in large glass baking dish. Pour remaining puree over chicken; turn to coat.

5 Refrigerate overnight.

6 Prepare bbq (medium heat) sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Grill chicken until cooked through.

7 Meanwhile, bring bbq sauce to simmer. Serve chicken, passing bbq sauce separately.

Now to get your chicken breasts to a uniformed thickness, you must do this...

If you don't have a heavy meat tenderizer, then a rubber mallet works nicely!

And don't forget to try out your best Tarzan yell...

your kids and hubby might have you committed though.

Once they eat, they'll decide to keep you. ;-)

After you've pounded them all out, just follow the instructions for the sauce.

My slaw recipe was very simple.

I put my packaged coleslaw mix into the food processor

to chop it up kinda fine like.

Then I added a half of a bottle of coleslaw dressing,

about a half cup of mayo and a

couple of tablespoons of pickle relish.

Cover and put it in the fridge until you're ready to put it all together.

We use bagel thins instead of regular white hamburger buns,

and the whole grains ones taste amazing!

Now, Tarzan was not a big enough jerk last night to

make him as endearing as I'd like,

but the sandwich is most definitely a KEEPER!

And now that I have found my perfect bbq jerk sauce recipe,

you and I both will be enjoying the spicy jerk and slaw combo next time!

And there WILL be a next time cause there's just something

about a big strong man that a woman can't resist, haha!

Now where's that loin cloth I bought for my hubby...

Linking to Homestead Revival's

And to Show Us Your Stuff over at

Fireflies and Jellybeans!

(At the top of my sidebar)

Singing the Praises for EVERNOTE.com!

2011-06-08T13:02:00.001-05:00

I make lists. And then.more.lists. I add bookmarks to my internet...bookmarks.upon.bookmarks. I pay bills online and those important bookmarks get lost in the jumble of the gazillion other random ones. What about that craft tutorial you saved?! Where'd it go?! If I want to show it to someone, I can NEVER find it....GRRR! Well, I have found an amazing tool that makes all of the above a thing of the past! In less than an hour, my bookmark jumble and crazy lists were organized and will stay that way from this moment forward! It is a program called Evernote and it is amazing! It has apps for phones and notepads that sync perfectly with your home computer so no matter where you are, all of your important info is with you! I told my hubby about it and he is now going to recommend the premium edition for where he works! Once you make several notebooks within the program to keep your info in, adding new things is as easy as bookmarking them, but into the perfect place where they won't get lost in a sea of randomness like mine was! You can add photos and articles, recipes and craft ideas, important websites, medical history, important contacts and e-mails, all your lists...WHEW! Yep, it IS that awesome! You HAVE to go check it out!

Tough Times...

2011-06-07T07:24:00.134-05:00

...Call for tough women!

I was reading an excellent post over at The Legacy of Home today and wanted to put my 2 cents in! Our country, as a whole, is going through terrible financial hardships, as well as being at an all time low where morals and G-dliness are concerned. Although we cannot control the powers that be concerning our country's financial hardships, we CAN control our own! And what about the all time low in moral standards?! It didn't get that low by chance...
Let's see what contributed to our current circumstances. The standard of G-dliness has no longer become the foundation on which our homes are built. In a sense, our own inactivity, if you will, has steepened the slope of moral decay. The feminist movement has done its damage! Ladies, we are the backbone of our families, and we have become spineless to say the least! How can our husbands be the proper feet and hands with a spine like jelly? Am I pinning all the troubles America is suffering from solely on the women? BY NO MEANS! But, we have indeed contributed to the change in our homes. Much the same as we are the backbones to our family unit, homes are the backbone of America. The moral decay in our homes has lead us to become rather spineless as a nation, wouldn't you agree? The house that is built on sinking sand cannot weather the storm. We have become a very selfish nation with a strong 'it's all about me' mentality. Over the last 50+ years, women lost their love of home and hearth and were told it was time to pay attention to their own wants and desires, creating a selfishness that has turned the course of a once G-dly nation to where we are today. (I'm not letting men off the hook here, that is another post for later this week!) I believe with all my heart that selfishness is the root of all evil. When the backbone of our homes no longer is willing to put home and family first and foremost (after G-d) then shortly thereafter, our nation will show the results. The effects of this foundational selfishness is staggering. Today's home are among the dirtiest, unkempt places in our country's history...so that there are even TV shows showcasing the worst of them and how they got cleaned up. Our children are being raised by a public school that has evil intent at its core, and left to spend what small percentage of their day that is left with parents who don't desire to spend any quality time with them, leaving them to immoral TV shows and far too much mindless game system/computer time. Women have lost their love of homemaking, seeing it as strictly a duty that must be endured. Shining sinks and floors and homes filled with made from scratch goodness is scoffed at and not only considered old fashioned but totally unnecessary. Children are to be pawned off to far too much activity or left to squander their time on things that rot their minds and morals. Husbands have become an after thought instead of the figure head of G-dliness that they used to be. There is no honor left in our wedding vows. Yes, I know that many husbands have dropped the ball and allowed this to happen, but someone has to reset the upside down turn in our homes...maybe it should be the women! The backbones have to become tough again. It takes a tough woman to stand in the face of adversity. Inactivity has gotten us nowhere. Selfishness has corrupted our homes and now our country is limp and spineless. If we, as the backbones of our homes, take back up the torch to reset our wrongs, then maybe we can recreate all that has been lost these last years. During the great depression and 2 world wars, our country produced some of the sweetest music and best movies ever. Romance was romantic, not nasty. Lady GaGa pretty much sums up the romance of today. I say that we women jump on

THE BAND WAGON

and turn our hearts and homes toward G-d! We have much damage to undo, don't we?! All it takes is the simplest of actions...dropping to our knees and asking His forgiveness and His guidance. If we ask His help, He will restore to our homes all that has been lost and...

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

It starts in our hearts, ladies, and then in our homes! It will NOT be an easy task, but anything worth having is worth working for. It is never too late to change our course. What's left of our country may indeed become something good and right again, and your actions or inactions can truly determine its outcome. Times are tough and my house feels the effects of financial hardships to a great degree. But, I am determined to weather the storm and keep the standards of G-dliness high in my home. YES WE CAN, in these troubled times we are not without help. We know where we have gone wrong and G-d, alone, can help us reset our hearts and homes...

O God, our help and our aid in distress, Who art just and merciful, and Who inclines to the supplications of His people, look down upon me, a miserable sinner, have mercy on me, and deliver me from this trouble that besets me, for which, I know, I am deservedly suffering. I acknowledge and believe, O Lord, that all trials of this life are disposed by Thee for our chastisement, when we drift away from Thee and disobey Thy commandments. Deal not with me after my sins, but according to Thy bountiful mercy, for I am the work of Thy hands and Thou knowest my weakness. Grant me, I beseech Thee, Thy divine strength to endure my tribulations with complete submission to Thy will. Thou knowest my misery and sufferings, and to Thee my only hope and refuge, I flee for relief and comfort, trusting in Thy infinite love and compassion, that in due time, when Thou knowest best, thou wilt deliver me from this trouble, and turn my distress into comfort, when I shall rejoice in Thy mercy and exalt and praise Thy Holy Name, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: now and always, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
(Linking to Biblical Womanhood Friday at Like a Bubbling Brook)

This chick is BACK IN CHARGE! Kelly