Meet Me In The Garden

Moving Day!

2008-03-28T20:48:00.000-07:00

I do not have everything up and going, no blog roll yet or sitemeter etc, however, I am moving to my new blog site!

Meet Me In The Garden

I will have a grand opening when I finish, but for now come join me as I figure this wordpress out, get my template situated and add all the gizmos.

Please come Meet Me In The Garden!

Frugal Book Finds

2008-03-28T07:17:00.000-07:00

I have talked about reading to your baby in a previous post, but today I would like to share a cheap place to get those books. I use paperbackswap for my books as well as kids books.

You sign up by clicking on the logo and then add any unwanted books you have (kids or adults) and when someone asks for them you get points. You get points for putting up your first books as well as points when people ask for your books. I love it, I get rid of unwanted books and get all kinds of books that I do want!

Another place I find cheap books is Salvation Army stores, other thrift stores and yard sales.

One caution, when getting books a little one might chew on either wash it if washable or use a disinfecting spray made for kids toys etc.

For more frugal ideas go to Biblical Womanhood and follow the links. I would recommend looking over her site as you do, she has good ideas!

Read to your baby.

2008-03-26T14:40:00.001-07:00

Do you read to your child? I have a fifteen month old granddaughter that I babysit every day. She has been pretty sick this week and crying a lot, something so unlike her. This baby is one of the happiest kids around and so much fun to watch normally.

I have a number of kids books here as she loves me to read to her. One book that was my all time favorite when my kids were little was "Are You My Mother".

I had hunted for this book at yard sales and in the stores and could not find it. About a month ago I found it on paperbackswap.com

Monday, my poor little granddaughter was so sick and all she wanted to do was go in the car, so we went to the post office. The book had come! I was hoping that this would make her happy.

It is now Wednesday and I could not tell you how many times I have read the book over and over. She loves it too! In fact, I took her out on the porch and she pointed to a spot where a bird was building a nest in a can. I told her it was a bird's nest, not even thinking about the book. Scout, put her finger to her mouth ans said "shhh baby birdie". She had made the connection with the book!

Read to your baby! even when you think they are too young, they are learning. It works for me and my granddaughter!

This Weekend

2008-03-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

It is coming. I am officially the owner of three new domains. I will only be using two of them. Had to buy the third one to get the one I wanted as he would only sell me the two together.

My blog will be moving as soon as I get my templates set up as I want them and I am excited. I plan on a little bit of a new direction, a whole different look and hopefully get to be a better blog.

I have been with blogger now and this will be all different, but I want more control over my blog and the look of it. I want to add pages, be able to eventually have a newsletter and have more interaction with my readers. I am nervous about the move, but think it will be better.

Since I am working around a toddler it may take me a bit of time to get it set up, but I am hoping that it will be up in a week. I may be slow at posting, so please be patient with me.

When the big move comes I will let you know, post my url and look for you there!

A Free Gift

2008-03-20T18:52:00.000-07:00

This is not only Frugal Friday, but it is Good Friday also. I wonder what this holiday is to you. I want to share what it means to me.

Christ came to earth as a baby and lived for 33 years among His people. He was Jewish, He came for the Jews. He was rejected by them. Crucified by them. But it was all in God's wonderful plan. Christ died for us. He died for me. He died for you. Scripture says that if we believe Christ died, was buried and rose again on the third day we can have eternal life.

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

This is how we can be assured of Heaven.

It is free.

Talk about a frugal find! FREE!

He is offering you the best find. It cost Him everything, but it is a gift to us. Easter is a time to celebrate that gift.

For more Frugal finds go to Biblical Womanhood.

Wake up and Smell the Baby

2008-03-20T07:50:00.000-07:00

I have had five kids of my own, babysat numerous grandkids as well as other kids but it never ceases to amaze me what kids will get into.

You bring home that sweet little bundle of joy. Nothing could be cuddlier or more of a tug on your heart. You really love that little one. You bathe them, feed them, cuddle them. You talk to them, play with them and take cute pictures after you have dressed them all up.

Ohhhhhhhh how lovable!

They grow, play more by themselves and get more and more creative. What a nice time, you can watch them instead of having to entertain them. More time for you.

You put them down for that nap, look at them and wonder how God could have blessed you so with that sweet, wonderful, smart and creative child. Ahhhhhhh.

You lay down on the couch to catch a shut eye and wake up to the sounds coming from the back room. Cute sounds. Happy sounds.

You think, isn't it nice that they wake up happy and playing now instead of screaming?

Or is it nice?

You open the door and the odor hits you. Then you look at the face smiling a big grin at you? What is that brown stuff? The odor tells you, but you do not want to believe it.

Yes, your sweet, cuddly, wonderful little one has discovered how to remove a diaper and have lots of fun! The only clean place is her hair. The netting on the pack-n-play is brown, as is the pillow, sheet, blankets and top of the pack-n-play.

She is standing there so innocent and smiling, you need to hunt for a place to grab her and pick her up without wearing it all yourself.

But... you still love her!

Good thing God feels the same about our messes, I am sure they look as bad to Him. But He loves us, takes us and cleans us.

igoogle To My Internet rescue

2008-03-18T18:58:00.000-07:00

It is Works for Me Wednesday ant Rocks in My Dryer. I enjoy Wednesdays as I am able to hunt our what other people do and what works for them.

I love to read other blogs, as well as some web sites and was having a hard time keeping up with all of them. One thing I have found that works for me is igoogle. igoogle is the personalized google homepage that you can add what you want to. My igoogle home page has my rss feeds from the places I want to keep up with reading.

What is great with igoogle is you have tabs so you can put different things on the pages and have them organized. I have my first tab with my weather, blogs that I read and news. I also have a game on there for when I get bored.

My second tab has more blogs, a few web pages and some funny blogs/videos etc feeds.

My third tab is my google reader and more info places and my fourth tab is blog helps. This is where I have blogs like problogger, blogging 101 and other blogs that help bloggers.

This way I can see right away what my daughter is writing about at Beauty from Chaos, what her husband is writing about, what Natural Mommy is writing , Families against Feminism, Real Life and other blogs.

When I find a blog that gives info and support to what I am writing about I also put that on one of the tabs.

I love my igoogle homepage and it works for me, give it a try!

For more ideas head over to Rocks in My Dryer!

My husband is singing my praises

2008-03-16T20:10:00.000-07:00

It is not my birthday. Not our anniversary. Not his birthday. I did not make his favorite meal. Did not let him have the remote (well, I did, but he always has it). So why is he praising me?

My life is lived in prayer asking God to make me the woman I am meant to be. The wife fit for him.

So, why today? He is always loving, kind, affectionate. He always brags about me. Why more today? Why more hugs? More praises? What brought this on?

We went to church. Rick is the building administrator for a church and this means we need to be there early. Part of his job is getting everything ready, making sure everything is working, heat/air is right and no one has made a mess that requires last minute clean-up. He needs to clean the pulpit as it is a Plexiglas and shows every finger print so this is always a last minute job.

My part on Sunday is to make the coffee that is out for everyone and to set out the communion.

We were both busy at work when a man came in. He works with the video equipment and always comes shortly after we do. He went to do his work and about 20 minutes later his wife came in. She plays the piano and comes early for the praise team practice.

What does all this have to do with my husband? Why did he suddenly come in the kitchen loving me and praising me to others?

Mr. X was told by Mrs. X that he did not do his job that morning before he left and he had to go home and make the bed. Rick heard that, I heard Mr. X come in the kitchen for coffee and announce he had to run home to do his husbandly duty and he was just told about it. Later my husband told me what happened, and announced that he was so glad I was his wife!

Any of you that read my blog know that I promote the husband is the head of the home and wives are to not be the ones wearing the pants. We have no right to order our husbands to do anything. Husbands are to be loving, wives to submit when there is a difference of opinion.

This incident reminded me of how messed up our Christian marriages have become . I am not going to repeat previous posts about husband/ wife relationships, but I want to add to what has been written.

My husband was praising me, being affectionate, bragging about me "in the gates" all because I was letting God work in me. He appreciates me. He does things for me. He lets me have say in things and often agrees with me. Not because I make him, but out of love.

Wives, if we ask God and seek Him to make us into the wives we are to be with a meek and quiet spirit, honoring our husband and respecting him it will make a difference. He will brag about you in a good way, be more loving than you can imagine and want to be with you.

Treat him with disrespect. bossy, controlling and dishonoring and you will not only have a husband who wants to do his own thing, but you will also have to face God for not being what He intended for you to be. One other thing, it will also make your husband have to stand before God and explain why he was not the man of the house and did not rule his family well. In the end, it will fall back on you.

Pray today, that God will make you the wife He intended. Get out your Bible and find all that is in there for wives. We can all improve, but it takes relying on HIM.

Showing love 20 frugal ways

2008-03-14T06:21:00.001-07:00

How often do you show your husband you love him and are glad he is there? How about your kids?

I used to think I did not have the money to really show them, or him. I would see things I knew that he would like but did not have resources. Sometimes it would be a way to decorate, or a special gift etc. However, it does not take money, or very little, to show your love and give reminders everyday of your love. We need it and so do they!

I would like to list special ways you can show your man you are there for him and you are still in love with him.

leave little notes, in the shower, his lunch (kids lunch) under his pillow. You can make cards on the computer or by hand or just a quick "I love you" on a scrap of paper shoved in by his book mark in the book he is reading, at his computer etc.
On the same note, (hehe, not literally, pun there) you can leave something you like about him, appreciate or thank him for. ( I appreciate how much you tell me you like my cooking, or how hard your work for us, etc)
If he usually comes home from work and wants something to drink, have it ready for him.
Have his socks, underwear etc dug out of the laundry basket so he does not have to dig when he is getting dressed. ( my kids are grown now, but I remember how it was getting all that done with 5 kids around, but pulling them out for him to dress in the morning makes a big difference.)
Ask him if there is anything special he would like for dinner. Let him choose from what is in the house.
hug him often
kiss him often
be playful... you know what I mean!
give him peace when he wants to read the paper for a few minutes. He needs his unwind and switch gears time, then let him know about your day.
Don't be a big spender so he has to worry about paying the bills!
Be frugal
Men do not talk like we do, they give a brief version and that is it. Show him you are interested in what he says, ask questions, but do not "nag" at him.
Thank him for all he does, not a "thanks for everything honey" but a "thank you for changing the light bulb for me, I could not reach it. You are my hero".
Make him your hero and tell him. Men need to know that.
Have a honey do list, but do not nag, and when he does it praise him and let him know you appreciate him.
Let him know you appreciate him (even if he did not do it) if he feels appreciated and loved he will do more for you and the family.
Save your loose change and take him out for a meal or a dessert or something special.
Tell him you love him again, and again and again!
Tell him you would marry him again
get the cat out of his favorite chair before he walks in the door.

These are just some ideas that do not cost money. You probably have more and I would love for you to tell me in the comments!

What? You do not "feel" this way about your husband? Start finding small things to thank him, etc. Do it just because he is your husband. Eventually you will feel it and he will change as you change. It is cheap, frugal and very mighty!

For more frugal ideas go on over to Biblical Womanhood!

Choose your gifts wisely

2008-03-13T11:06:00.001-07:00

This came across my email today and I thought I would pass it on. I guess because my husband's name is Rick I thought it was funnier than it probably is.

MISSING HUSBAND

Rick was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary. His wife was really angry. She told him 'Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in less than 6 seconds, AND IT BETTER BE THERE!!'

The next morning Rick got up early and left for work. When his wife woke up she looked out the window and sure enough there was a box gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway. Confused, the wife put on her robe and ran out to the driveway, and brought the box back in the house.She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale.

Rick has been missing since Friday. Please pray for him.

Kids Cup Cakes

2008-03-11T18:52:00.001-07:00

Last night I went to a Bible Study that my husband and I attend. They always have some kind of goodies there that are very hard to resist.

There is one woman who makes the yummiest, most fattening things every week. However, she was not there yesterday and someone else brought a treat that reminded me of when my kids were young.

You know how you need cupcakes for the school parties, or just for treats? Well, Lacy made a school treat last night. She took some ice cream cones that were getting a bit stale. Rather than throw them away, she made them into cup cakes.

A few tricks to doing this:

make sure your cones stand up and can't fall over, a pan with sides and them in tight works.
be sure your cake mix goes to the bottom, if not you will have a gap in there with no cake. Tap them to get the mix down
bake as you would any cupcake, checking for doneness as the recipe calls for.

Decorate as you want, or just ice.

As you can see, they can be enjoyed by all ages!

This is 15 month old Scout enjoying one Lacy sent home for her.

She had a shower after she was done!

For more Works for Me Wednesday go to Rocks in My Dryer!

Wedding, Branson and great fun!

2008-03-10T21:44:00.001-07:00

Last weekend my husband, mom and I traveled from Texas to Missouri for the wedding of my niece. Becca was such a pretty bride and I wanted to share a few pictures with you.

They were married on Feb. 29 and had a really nice wedding.

I had never been to MO before and this was a real treat. On Saturday my brother took us to do some sight seeing as well as to enjoy a meal at a famous restaurant and see a show in Branson.

If you ever get to go to that area, check out Lambert's Restaurant. You will have a dinning experience like you have never had before. Be ready to catch your rolls, eat all you want, drink all you want (non-alcoholic!) and not spend a whole lot of money. Check out their website!

Branson is a great place as well. We went to see Pierced Arrow and if you want great laughs, good music and some good patriotism check out their site as well. The comedian Jarrett Dougherty is one of the funniest and versatile guys I have seen. If you can't go, get his CD and enjoy!

The Joys of Parenthood

2008-03-08T14:01:00.000-08:00

I read blogs. I love to see what other people write and learn from them and hope they from me. Because of this I get feeds from many blogs on my google home page and my google reader. Today I was doing some reading (trying to avoid what I had to do today!) and read a great post on Bringing Good Home. It brought back many memories of when my kids were small and the many things that they pulled, tried, got into and could have been disastrous. Some were.

As moms we sometimes think we will not survive those years. I had four kids in 5 1/2 years, then another one 5 years later. When #5 was coming I consoled myself that at least this one would not do something one of the others had done, so I should know how to handle everything.

I had already had a child put a paper clip in an electrical outlet and burn his fingers and welded the outlet shut (to this day mind you!). I had a child feed motor oil to the next one down the line. I had them pull diapers off in the front yard while a nosy neighbor was watching us with binoculars. Quite the eye full she got as the diaper was also full.

Then there was the child that climbed on everything. The crib had to be pulled down when she was 7 months old because we could not keep her in it. There was the daughter that got on the top of a 5.5 foot dresser to play around the room without touching anything. Swung on the door to hit the bed and hit the frame instead. Lost 3 teeth and cut up her lip in the doing.

The list goes on from the first 4, so what else could another one do?

Try climb on the stove, open the door of the oven, turn on all the burners and walk back to my side so fast she was never missed. Until the kitchen was on fire! Or eat the border off a cake for 300 people and tell me it "only a little bit, no one will notice". Or strip her clothes off and open the door for the mailman (we lived in the city).

I could go on and on, but each child is different and believe me, what they pull as kids is nothing to what they pull as teens! Mine were good teens too, no real problems, but still a wild, fun ride.

We do survive. Relax, discipline when needed and laugh a lot inside. When it is Halloween and your daughter is in the back of a police car dressed up like a jail bird and the cop drives by your house, remember it will be a good story later. (She did nothing wrong, someone whose door they went to did and they called the police!, of course I did not know that when she went by in the back of the car!).

Life is a journey. Enjoy the trip. You will survive!

Free Source for MaMa's

2008-03-07T05:07:00.000-08:00

Today is Frugal Friday at Biblical Womanhood and I want to share a free source of help that I found.

Mamasource has so much, mom run businesses, babysitter services, and a source to ask questions and get answers from other moms. Mamasource is geared to your community. You sign up, put in your town and you will be connected with other moms and sources in your area.

For more frugal ides go to Biblical Womanhood.

Scrapbook Help Needed

2008-03-04T19:59:00.001-08:00

Today is Backwards Works For Me Wednesday at Rocks in My Dryer. This means that it is a time when I ask for your help and you leave me a comment helping me!

I am looking for ideas for starting a scrapbook. Now, I have never done a scrapbook but have bought all kinds of supplies and have been getting my pictures sorted. I want to make a family scrapbook to share with my kids but am stuck on the starting part. I have ideas, but do not know how to decide to make the pages, where to start in the book or anything. I want to include great grand parents as well as recent.

Do you have ideas how to get started? How to get that first page going? I am normally creative, and think once I get it going I will be fine, it is the starting that has me baffled.

Any ideas would be very appreciated!

To help others, go to Rocks in my Dryer.

I wish I had pictures!

2008-03-03T07:50:00.001-08:00

Last Thursday we left Texas for a trip to Springfield Missouri to attend my niece's wedding. She wanted to get married on February 29th because she thought it would be fun. Well, it was fun!

My mom, husband and I drove the many miles to Springfield and I saw country I had never seen before. Even though I have been to many states, I had never been to Oklahoma or Missouri before and enjoyed the opportunity to not only see more of this country we live in, but to also spend some time with my brother and his family.

When we got out of high school we went our separate ways. Not out of anger or anything, but it was the way life took us. He went to a ministry in CA and eventually met his wife there and I went to Philadelphia and met my husband there. As a result, we have both lived in different places and our families did not get together much.

His kids are really neat and I enjoyed them so much. Paul John and Shirley spent most of the time with us as they are the younger ones that are still home. Even though they are twins, they are as different as could be!

Hopefully I will have some wedding pictures to post before too long. I did not take any so need to depend on my sister in law to send me some, hopefully soon!

My mom leaves to go back to New Jersey on Wednesday and then things may return to semi-normal around here and hopefully my posting will be too. Between my computer going down, the visit and wedding I feel like I have been neglecting my blogs.

Take time with family while you can. We will not always have them to enjoy!

My Mom Is Here!

2008-02-26T08:22:00.001-08:00

My mom has come to visit. I live in Texas, she lives in NJ and she has flown out to be with us till March 5th. As a result, my posting will be a bit short and not so often. We will be going to a wedding in MO over the weekend. Life gets busy when there is visitors!

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have family and I am glad for my large one. Enjoy your family while you can, they are not with us forever.

I will be enjoying my mom!

Life's little messes

2008-02-24T19:16:00.001-08:00

Kids sure can make a mess. A really messy mess. A really cute messy mess!

It takes a lot of patience to let them learn things for themselves, but it is something that is needed. So many times parents do not want them to make a mess and as a result do not let them learn.

I finally got some of my pictures back from my computer melt down two weeks ago and would like to share three grandkids whose mommy's let them learn by making a mess!

This is Chris helping make a cake for his mother. He is doing quite a good job I think, even tasting it to be sure that it is going to be good!

This is Scout. Scout loves to do things for herself, including eat spaghetti. Below is Lexi, also eating her spaghetti.

Aren't they the cutest???

I decided to make this post part of the Natural Mommy's Meet and Greet. So go there to see more cute pictures (Some are even of my granddaughter!

Do not use credit cards!

2008-02-22T07:16:00.000-08:00

Today is Frugal Friday at Biblical womanhood and I wanted to share something with you. When you get done reading here, click on the link and go to Biblical Womanhood for more ideas.

Many years ago I made a mistake that I realize now many are making. In an effort to be frugal I would see things on sale and buy them using the credit card. I was "saving so much money", or so I thought, that it was worth it to get it even though I did not have the cash.

What happened next was the bills came in. I was new to credit cards and did not realize how much that purchase was costing me. Way more than full price till it was paid off! Cards that allow you to transfer funds at 0% interest often charge a lot for spending that is not transferred. They then take the payments off the 0% interest first and you are stuck paying interest for that sale item until you get the rest of the balance off of there.

Do not use cards to save money! Not unless you pay them off as soon as the bill comes in, then it may work. I say may, because many cards are now doing 2-cycle interest, in which the interest is carried over for two payments and there is no grace period.

Frugal ladies, keep the card in your purse and use cash, or you are not being so frugal.

For the love of your husband

2008-02-19T20:38:00.000-08:00

Today is Works for me Wednesday and I want to share something that really works, not just for me, but for most wives.

Some time ago I wrote about honoring your husband and how today's women seem to have a problem in that area. Yesterday I was reading some of the blogs I normally read and went to Real Life's post "All Husbands are idiots..." It is not what it sounds like and really worth reading.

As I read her post I was thinking about what works for me. I am in my second marriage, both to wonderful men. My first marriage was for 29+ years and ended when death parted us. I am now married to another man who is a gem also.

While I can't take the credit, because I feel God is the one to get all the credit, I can tell you some things that I do and do not do that I know makes a difference. Both husbands have told me so.

I praise my husband. He has many good features that are worth praising.
I talk positive about him to others. My talk is uplifting, letting others see his good qualities.
No negative talk to others. If i have had a problem that I did not know how to handle I sought out someone older and wiser and one that had enough wisdom and sense to not hold anything against my husband (and to keep their mouth shut!). This has almost never been an issue, but in 29+ years of marriage there were a few times where I was dwelling on negative and could not see it.
It is ok to tell funny stories, if they are not degrading. We have some funny things that happened that could be told in a negative way, but yet do not have to be. For instance, and my husband would tell you this one himself if he were writing, he has a bad throwing arm. We live in Texas and sometimes there are rattlesnakes in the pasture. He was crossing the pasture to look for a cow that was down and saw the snake in the path. Rick decided to hit it with a rock. He threw, missed, threw missed, and so on until he had this nice fort built up around the snake. That snake was peaking out the hole, sticking it's neck out, then its tongue out and hissing at my husband, then ducking back behind the fort. I had to go out to the pasture with a shovel to kill the thing. (He did the killing, eventually). My hero! We laugh, but I could make that into something really negative and put him down to someone.
I try to make dinners he likes, get him drinks when he is working hard and such little things to show my love.

My list goes on, but by doing these things it keeps my mind in a positive frame, shows him I love him and keeps us close. It also works to make him want to live up to what I think of him. He changes as I change and it works for our good.

I would like to ask that if there are those reading who have blogs that promote and are in line with what I am doing here (please read my purpose) that you send me an email using the contact on the sidebar. I would like your blog name. I would like to get other links for blogs and resources that are in line with my stand and desires. Thanks

This works for me! For more works for me ideas go to Rocks in My Dryer.

Like it or lump it and other such foods.

2008-02-15T05:15:00.000-08:00

When my kids were young we were on a very tight budget. My husband was a new pastor and we were in our first church. We had four kids at the time and he was making $100 a week and we had to pay our own taxes and social security out of that. Frugal was not an option, nor was it most of my life.

I would carefully plan meals and shop. We had an Amish farm we could get cheese at really cheap as well as some other bulk foods, so cheese and pasta or rice was a staple at our house. From what was cheap at the Amish farm and what was on sale in the stores, I made meals.

Most of my meals were a creative invention. I did have some basics that we ate, but many were put together creatively and nutritionally as I had ingredients for in the house.

Thus began the creative names. My kids had to have a name for something before they would eat, so I began making up names for casseroles. We had "Like it or Lump It" A favorite and asked for many times over, even years later. Then there was "Take it or leave it" when something had an ingredient one of them did not like.

Use your imagination, use leftovers, use what is one sale and make something. Who knows, your family may just love it and want it for years to come. Try to remember what you put in it just in case!

I followed this plan as a widow and now as a married woman again!

For more ideas go to Biblical Womanhood!

Happy Valentines Day!

2008-02-14T08:42:00.000-08:00

I hope you are having a great day! While I know that valentine's day is not the same as your anniversary or birthday, it is a special day to honor those you love, especially your spouse.

Today, I am thinking about how blessed I am to have the man I have in my life. He is my love, my best friend and my blessing.

Today, I am thinking about what an honor it is to be his wife and to be the helper God made for him.

Today, I am thanking God for this privilege.

Today, I am praying I can be all I am to be that he may be all he is to be.

Today, I am also thanking God for the 8 children we have together, their spouses and the 18+ grandchildren. (+ because there is another one on the way!)(scroll down the link).

Today I am thanking God for my readers. I am so glad for each and every one of you!

Happy Valentine's Day Y'all!

Back Up Your Computer!

2008-02-12T18:10:00.000-08:00

Today is Works for Me at Rocks in My Dryer. I do not have the graphic since my computer went kaput on Saturday and I am working off a friend's computer tonight.

I have learned the hardway what does not work for me. Now I am a computer nut. I have pulled apart computers, replaced parts, love my software and have taken computer courses for web design as well as software courses.

First lesson: BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER!

I get an F. I have no backup and I now have no hard drive.

Right now I am at a friend of my husbands computer shop. He can't get the info off my harddrive either. Now, I have all family pictures, old pictures, all my blog info, affiliate info and passwords. Documents that are needed, my web design files and all my email addresses are all on that harddrive.

Paul tried, but can't get the thing to work and said there is only one chance of getting to work, but he does not have the part. It seems I need to get another drive, same model number and try to take a part off and maybe that is all that is wrong. MAYBE!

I said "what should I have done to back this up?"

Here is what he said should work for me (and you!).

Get another hard drive that you can plug in and have a software program to ghost the hard drive.

Get an external harddrive and software to back up at a certain time every day, week or whatever.

At the very least, make a copy of your important info on cds or some other storage and keep it in a safe place.

So, from now on, I am backing up! This will save me the time, head ache and heartache I am facing now, and that Works For Me!

What if you were Mrs. Noah? (part 2)

2008-02-12T15:17:00.000-08:00

If you have not done it already, please go back and read yesterday's post, it should be directly below this one. Today's post may not make as much sense to you if you do not read part 1 first.

Noah is now making good headway on his ark, but Mrs. Noah still has something to say. I imagine if it happened today there would be all kinds of complaints, I mean a huge ocean liner being built in her yard with no water anywhere? What could that husband of hers be thinking. Why would God tell him to do such a thing.

I am sure by now, after 50 years, her "honey do list" was getting pretty long.

Mrs Noah: Dear, How many times in the last 50 years have I asked you to fix the leak in the shower? Or get that stack of wood off my flowers? or take out the trash? And then there is this old looking living room, why can't we get it painted? I wanted it done 25 years ago and all you do is work on that ugly thing in the yard. What do we need it for anyway? 50 years you have been at it and I have not seen one drop of rain yet!

Noah: That is because the ark is not done, we do not want it to rain yet. And, why paint the living room? It will all be destroyed anyway. Now darling, stop nagging! God gave me this job and I intend to finish it. He is going to destroy the whole world and we are the only ones going to be saved. It is up to us to follow His orders so that we and the animals can all be saved.

Mrs. Noah: Yeah, about those animals! Do I really need to be locked up for only God knows how long with all those animals? Monkeys swinging all over and kangaroos bouncing around? And how can anything be out of those giraffe's reach?

Noah: Dear, God has it worked out. We need to obey Him.

Mrs Noah: I have had it with all this, there is no way you are going to get those animals in, you are not hearing God, He would not tell you to do something so illogical!

And on and on she goes as poor Noah tries to follow God. 50 more years he has to listen to this stuff.

Finally, God tells him to get his family and the animals into the ark. God sends the animals and Noah gets them in, two by two of some and more of the clean animals and birds. They are marching in and out pops Mrs. Noah again.

Mrs. Noah: Lions and Tigers and Bears, OH MY!

Noah: Yes, now get things together we are boarding next.

Mrs. Noah: I am not getting on there with those things, no, no, no!

If this happened today, would Noah be getting his family in the ark. If you were Noah's wife what would you do?

Noah's wife obeyed God. We find no where that says he had to fight his wife about doing God's will. I believe she was a submissive, Godly woman. She may have given her opinon, but Noah had the final say.

If your husband wants to follow God in an area you either think is crazy, or not what you want to do at all, are you willing to be the type of wife God expects?

Search your heart and pray you can be what God wants.

What if you were Mrs. Noah? (part 1)

2008-02-11T09:45:00.000-08:00

Do you like to read and put yourself into the story? I usually do not, but this week I got to thinking about Noah. I began to wonder what happened in their family when Noah felt that God wanted him to build an ark. I thought about his wife.

For some background, read Genesis 6-8 when you have a chance. I will give some background here.

Noah was 500 years old when God asked him to build the ark
Noah had 3 boys and a wife
God gave the directions and specifications for all details of the ark, size, rooms, kinds of wood etc.
Noah's neighbors were not the greatest people. God said that all mankind was evil, only Noah had faith in God and trusted Him.
Noah would need to have enough food for all the animals, places for them. God was going to send 2 or every kind of animal to Noah, and more of the clean animals and birds. He needed food for all of them and for the people.
The ark would contain only Noah's family for people, Noah, his sons, their wives and Noah's wife.
All other animals, birds, fish and people would die when it rained.
Noah did not know how long it would rain
Noah had never seen rain, but had to take God's word for it that rain was coming.
God told Noah when to get into the ark; God sent the animals and closed the door of the ark
It rained for 40 days and 40 nights
The rain came, all the earth was in turmoil. It was a violent time with water coming down and shooting up.
They were in the ark about a year.

I may add more to that list, but that is a bit condensed.

Now, put yourself in Noah's family. I want you to think. What about Noah's wife? Noah just came home and told her that the Lord told him to build this ark. He knows God said it, he is in turmoil over the whole thing.

I think if it were today the conversation might go something like this:

Noah: Honey, you will not believe what God told me today. He told me to build an ark and...

Mrs. Noah: What is an ark, Noah?

Noah: I am not sure, but it is huge and it will float, it is going to rain.

Mrs. Noah: What is rain, Noah?

Noah: Water from the sky dear. It will pour down just like you dumped that bucket from the well over your head, but more of it and everywhere. And water will even come up out of the ground. There will be so much water the whole world will be covered.

Mrs. Noah: I can't believe that.

Noah: I need to get a lot of wood and other things.

Mrs Noah: And where do you think we are going to get the money for that wood?

Noah: God will provide. Plus we have a lot of it growing out there.

Mrs. Noah: OH NO! If you cut down those trees the neighbors will see in our yard and there goes our privacy.

Noah: Honey, God said to do this!

Mrs. Noah: BUT, what about the neighbors? What will they think? Can you build it way back in the field?

Noah: rolls eyes

Noah now goes and begins getting the wood together. This is a big chore and takes a long time to even get enough to get started building. He brings it in and sets it in the yard. He collects other needed items as well, setting them down in stacks.

Out walks Mrs. Noah.

Mrs. Noah: Hey, I said not there! You are getting into my flower bed! Noah, this compulsion of yours is getting out of hand. Are you sure God told you to do this? Why would He tell you to make something like this? It has never done this thing called rain before, and how do you think you are going to get this all made. Remember, you are 500 years old, time for retirement. Sit back and relax dear! You are too old to build this huge thing.

Noah sighs, listens to his wife and keeps working. By now he is wondering if God did say it. It is not logical. It will take him forever to get this made. However, he keeps on working.

Out pops Mrs. Noah again. "Dear, do you think you have that board on their straight?" "You know, Naomi called and said that the town is making fun of us, they think you have lost your marbles doing this, they are preparing to get the code enforcer over here to check this thing out. She said that old Sarah and her husband are getting a petition signed to make us cover up the front by the road because it is an eyesore. Noah, why do you have to make this thing? Why can't you just make something small and easily hidden? Are you really, really, really sure this is what God said?"

Noah: Yes dear, I am doing it by what God said. It has to be this big because we are going to have to live in it with two of every kind of animal that roams the earth as well as the birds and all. It will need to hold enough food and water for all of them and for us as well for a long, long time.

Mrs Noah: WHAT?? We are going to live in this with animals? You know I hate animals!

Noah: I am not fond of living with them either, but God says...

Mrs. Noah: I think you are crazy. How can we live with all those animals? How can we keep the lions from eating the others, or the dinosaurs from stepping on us or the mice.. well, I guess I do not care about the mice... eek. Noah! What about all the poop for all that time? Where are we going to put that? And how can we live with the noise and the smell? The possums roam at night, the owls hoot at night and the coyotes howl at night. They will keep us all up. Did you ever think of that Noah? Huh???

Mrs. Noah walks off mumbling and Noah feels discouraged because he does not have the support of his wife.

Come back tomorrow for part 2. For tonight, think about what if you were Noah's wife? read Genesis if you have time.

Compare Thrift Stores

2008-02-07T18:36:00.000-08:00

Today is Frugal Friday at Biblical Womanhood and I am joining in.

As wives and mothers I believe it is our responsibility to live within our means. Being frugal is the only way many of us can accomplish this. Others can afford more, but choose to live frugally so they can save, give to missions or help the poor.

One of the things I do is shop thrift stores. We all know of Goodwill, but there are many other Thrift stores around; Salvation Army, private ones and church thrifts are a few.

One thing I am learning to do is compare shop at thrift stores. I do not know about you, but around here the Goodwill is getting to be priced awfully high. I went in there last week and a shirt that still had the tags on from the store was priced $1.50 more than the original price! Walmart shoes were more than to go to Walmart and buy them.

Just because it says "Thrift Store" does not mean it is. Compare!

We have a private one nearby that has a lot of junk for high prices, another one the prices are very high for a thrift store also. The Salvation Army seems to be reasonable and often has times when the prices are marked in half or certain tags are marked in half. There is also a Christian Thrift store where the proceeds go to helping the poor and missions. This store is the greatest! Their prices are great, they are nice to deal with and will work with you.

Thrift stores are all different. We sometimes justify the money, or do not compare and just spend because it is a so called "thrift" store. Don't be fooled! Compare like you would any other store.

For more frugal ideas hop on over to Biblical Womanhood!

Check out other blogs!

2008-02-06T04:55:00.000-08:00

I think we all loved the bloggy giveaway from last week. It was fun racing through all the 800+ giveaways listed and seeing what we wanted to try for and what we did not. I loved it as much as the other guy.

One thing I noticed as I was racing through though, I was not really seeing what the blogs were about. I was just looking for the giveaway and what you had to do or write in order to have a chance at the prize.

About half way through I began to realize that some of these blogs looked interesting and had some nice things to offer in the way of crafts, how to's, affiliate offerings etc. I still was not taking the time to look, but from there out I took notice of something more than the free gift I was trying for and actually took the time to put a few on my google reader.

Now, I am going back over the list slower, and looking at blogs as I can and seeing what is really there in the blogs that participated. Some are not for me, but others either are on the same line as mine, so I want to see what they are doing and learn. Others are good craft or sewing ones and have good sources listed on their blog or instructions in their posts.

I would suggest for some great shopping, learning and free internet sources, go back over the bloggy giveaway list slow and read the blogs, look at the resources on them and see what is there. Take time and I am sure there is a gold mine for your shopping and learning experience.

Works for me!

Who are you imitating and who is imitating you?

2008-02-04T08:30:00.000-08:00

It happened Friday. It was as cute as could be, but so profound when you think of it in light of what Christ said.

My husband was sitting in his chair Friday morning, not really wanting to get up and get dressed for work. He began to get up and stretched with his arms looking like a jet plane and stood up as he did it making a moaning/roaring noise. Scout, our 14 month old granddaughter, watched her grampa intensely. He then told her that what he did was a stretch, and he did it again and told her again he was stretching. With that she "stretched" too and followed him to the kitchen "stretching" all the way. Noise and everything.

At various times through the day she would practice this new skill. It was cute, but it reminded me that no matter what we do, we are teaching our children something. Good or bad.

When we tell someone a half truth, our children learn that this is ok, and will then lie to you and others when they are old enough. We hide things, they see and learn. "If mommy can hide something she did or bought from daddy, then I can hide what I did from them". What are we teaching them?

When little ones, even infants, are around think about everything you do. Do you want them imitating you? They will!

On the other side of the coin is are you an imitator? Christ said we are to be imitators of Him. We are to be like little children. Little children imitate. They will mimic what you say and do. We are to be the same way with what God tells us and shows us through Christ.

Watch what you say and do, someone is watching and following. Your actions speak louder to them than your words. If we are following Christ, we do not need to worry about them imitating us.

We Have A Bloggygiveaway Winner!

2008-02-02T12:43:00.001-08:00

After throwing all the names in a basket, my dear Husband picked one out, so we have a winner!

Karen

I want to thank all that joined in this fun time and hope you come back soon. Karen, check your email for one from me.

Go For Free First

2008-01-31T19:20:00.000-08:00

Where do you go when you need something? I mean information, ideas, how to do and other such things. I used to run to the library and look for books there. It is certainly more frugal than buying them, however we have a better way right at our fingertips.

I look online! I find all types of how to information, patterns, craft ideas and anything else my heart desires. Well, almost, all I can do is find pictures of chocolate.

There are coloring pages to keep the kids busy, printable games for them too. I found a cute free Valentines puzzle to make for the kids.

With so much free on the internet I use that first before I buy anything. I learned to type by hunting out the internet! So it even has its perks!

I also found a really great search engine for you to try. I It is called Mahalo and when you type what you are looking for in the box on the home page it opens up a tabbed window with all different search engines. Try it! You can find things you never knew before.

I hunt for recipes, things to do, how to make things or repair things, health issues etc.

We pay for the internet. All of us on here are paying something to have the ability to blog and communicate. Why not stretch that item already in the budget? Whatever you are going to do, need or want to do, research the free source first. You may not need to spend the extra money on a book, how to guide or pattern. You may also find a more frugal way of doing things. For more ideas about being frugal go here.

Sometimes I think I am crazy.

2008-01-30T06:38:00.001-08:00

Check out my Bloggygiveaway!

I know it is Wednesday, and I always participate in WFMW. Today is no different, but it is a different kind of post. Not something someone can really change and do, but something that maybe will help someones attitude or make them think.

When I was young I had the kids home and loved it. Oh, they went to school and all, but I loved the vacations time, snow days etc when they would be at home. I was a stay at home mom, enjoyed the kids (most of the time! I had 5 so the fighting was something else at times).

As the kids got older and began to date I was a bit concerned. Yes, there was the usual concerns about what they were doing, but there was also the concern over I AM GETTING OLD!!!

Then, they had the nerve to marry. NOW I WAS GETTING OLDER!! Depressing. Then, one of them had the nerve to tell me I was going to be a grandmother. Now I was really upset! Yes, upset. This meant I was as old as my mother and grandmother. I knew that the cane was coming next! I was depressed. Very.

Sean was born and I loved him, but I did not want to be a grandmother. Call me Grammie, it helps to not feel so old. Sean broke me in a bit, who can not love a baby?

Then my 4th child married and let me know that grandchild number 2 was on the way. OH NO!!! A walker was coming now! How much older can I get before they put me in the grave? However, by now I was broke in, so when Ivy was born I was a little more accepting of the idea and enjoyed another grand child, but I did not want to be known as a grandma. So, people thought she was my child and I let them. Where ever I went and anyone asked how old "MY" baby was I just told them. Why hurt their opinion?

Well, this year I will be old. I have 18 grand kids and more coming I am sure, I love it. I still hate the word grandma, but I love the kids. However, I do not want to be old. I am crazy!! Having grand kids is fun, you have them, enjoy them, send them home and have peace at night. You can play with them, bake with them, teach them, all the joys of motherhood, but still get a nights sleep!

I have one granddaughter all day, I love it, but at 4:37 she leaves. I can eat supper in peace, but I miss her. See, I am crazy!

Now, I look at myself and my attitudes and wonder what is with my thinking. I am going to be 60 this year. It is the end of the world to be that old. Yet, when I think back to being 25 or so and having to live all I have lived over again I do not want it. Yes, there were plenty of joys, and I still think of them. Being a grammie you have the best of both worlds.

What works for me? Being a grammie, but not being old. However, since that is not possible, I am trying to enjoy the grammie and the old. Sometimes life just makes up have an attitude adjustment, but sometimes those adjustments come in steps over a long time.

Are their things in your life that need an attitude adjustment? Work on it! It is worth it and it works for me!

Bloggy Giveaway!

2008-01-28T07:30:00.000-08:00

This giveaway will end at noon central time, Saturday the 2nd. Good Luck! My husband will pick one of you and I will contact you by the end of the day!

It is bloggy giveaway time and I am going to participate by giving away a family devotional book.This book is from Creation Moments and is one in a series of devotionals great for any age. Use them for family devotions or alone. The book has great facts about our world and how it is God Created and God designed.

Here is an excerpt from the book:

The creation is filled with plants and animals that use deception to survive. The glow- in-the- dark- cookie-cutter shark is a master at such deception.

The cookie-cutter shark is only a foot to a foot and a half long. It doesn't have powerful muscles and can't swim very fast. But it doesn't need to. Lunch serves itself. The shark typically lives between 600 and 3000 feet below the surface of the water. Looking down from above one of these sharks, you probably would not see it, because the top of it's body is as dark as the deep waters where it lives. Looking up from below, you would not see the dark outline of the of the shark against the light that filters down from the surface. This is because the shark's first deception: its underside is completely covered with light-emitting cells that match the illumination from above.

The deception doesn't stop there, however. ~~~ (read the rest on page 88)

The series is available from Creation Moments. However, this book is available from me for free if you win my bloggy giveaway!

To enter:

Leave a comment below and be sure I have a way to contact you
Giveaway will end Saturday, Feb. 2nd
Open to anyone, blog or no blog. USA or Timbuktu!

For more giveaways check out Bloggy Giveaways!

Valentine's Day Is Coming

2008-01-24T16:28:00.000-08:00

We are only a few short weeks away from Valentine's Day. Instead of waiting till the last minute and going out and buying all your cards, why not take the time now and make them? The kids can all join and make it a family time to make school valentines, grandparent valentines and friend valentines.

When cards are made personal and you put yourself into them they mean more to most people. Creativity can be cheaper than buying, especially with the price of cards these days.

So, get out your crayons, paper, scraps of ribbon, stickers and anything else you have that might go on a card. I have seen Jello used, elbow noodles, bottle caps, paper plates and doilies. Let the kids have fun! Do not make them do it perfect.

Why not make your special loved one a card too? Take the time now, think about it and then by Valentine's day you will be prepared, have saved money and will not be out there spending like the rest of the world.

Some sites for Valentines ideas:

Jello Valentines Card
About Family Crafts has sites listed
Family Fun has not only cards but other great things for the day

There are many other sites that offer free designs and ideas for a frugal but wonderful day. Your family can spend the time together and work together to make it special.

For more frugal ideas check out Biblical Womanhood.

Why I Married My Husband : Guest Post

2008-01-24T05:19:00.000-08:00

WHY I MARRIED MY HUSBAND
By Saralee Perel

It seems as if God made a plan: The only creatures that will share their lives with my husband, Bob, will be very needy ones. This includes 4 cats, 2 dogs, 1 pet duck, 1 mouse and Grandpa.

Grandpa, our plain old catfish, is a perfect example of why I've been married to Bob for 30 years. We had a blight in our 29 gallon aquarium a decade ago. All the fish died except Grandpa. Bob cried, as he took his brood outside and buried them.

So 20-year-old Grandpa, who's 1 inch long, has the whole tank to himself. He needs high maintenance. His water needs constant changing and daily testing for impurities and lots of other care.

Since I, too, have needed high maintenance for several years. I've wanted to lighten Bob's load. "Sweets," I said, "I can find a good home for Grandpa."

"He already has a home."

Grant, our 19 year old pet duck, needs a lot of help. In winter, Bob keeps her warm with a heat lamp inside her coop. When the electricity goes out, the lamp won't work, so Grant spends her day in our bathtub. She's very arthritic. Everyday, Bob grinds calcium and aspirin into her food, and stays outside to make sure she eats it.

"Sweets, I can find a good home for Grant."

"She already has a home."

This season, mice come in our house for warmth. With a Hav-A-Hart mouse trap that captures them alive, Bob gets a mouse a day. Each morning I hear, "Time to take the mouse out back." I haven't suggested that it's probably the same mouse, who's unquestionably getting an enormous kick out of all this. I bet that after Bob frees him, that mouse does a quick spin and comes right back in, laughing.

Our old cat Josie, had a prognosis of 2 years, maximum, to live with treatment. On frigid winter days, Bob made the 2 hour drives to a specialist vet at Tufts, a large animal hospital in Massachusetts. This past November, she's outlived all expectations and is happily jumping around like a kitten – now over 3 years since her dire prognosis.

When Bob took her to our superb local vet, he was so joyous upon seeing her – with all her fur grown back and her nutty personality so fully re-blossomed, that he rushed out of the exam room with Josie in his arms, needing to show her off to everyone. Even the vet at Tufts was shocked, "That cat's still alive?"

I believe Josie's wellbeing is not just from treatment, but equally from Bob's love.

And then...there's me.

Five years ago, I became disabled, leaving Bob as my full-time caregiver and keeper of the house.

Each morning, when he wakes me, he is smiling throughout the routine. After putting slippers on my cold feet, he makes the room cheerful – opens the blinds, sticks a cat in my arms, calls one of the dogs to jump on the bed, puts coffee on my computer table – helps me (and whichever cat) into my chair – oh, and of course I get long loving sloppy kisses – from the dog, and then from Bob.

So – all of Bob's needy creatures, great and small, live in heaven on earth. But in reality, Bob thinks he's the one who has it better. No matter the time or place; how busy he is; how far from home he may be, he feels blessed to come rescue one of us – even if my, "Please come home," call for rescue is just to have him hold a very frightened trembling hand . . . or a paw.

I think God made a good plan.

Award-winning columnist/novelist Saralee Perel can be reached at sperel@saraleeperel.com or via her website http://www.saraleeperel.com

She will have two stories you might enjoy, in February's book release of "Chicken Soup for The Soul: Love Stories." And her novel, "Raw Nerves," is available at Amazon: Raw Nerves: A Cape Cod Comedic Thriller

Copyright 2007 Saralee Perel. Used with permission

Wonderful Brown Soap

2008-01-22T16:53:00.001-08:00

I want to share something that works for me and I know will work for you also.

Today there are many soaps on the market, but the old tried and true ones are now considered outdated. In fact some are downright hard to find! We have all kinds of medicines, salves, laundry soaps etc out there, each for it's own purpose. All of them make us feel we need to spend more money.

For many of us, we try to live frugally, try to live simple, yet we often feel there is nothing else to do but buy what is out there. I have some things I do that work and save money. I actually could not decide if I should put this on the works for me Wednesday or on the frugal Friday!

First, many of us make our own laundry soap. For some the ingredients are a bit hard to find, but I found a good source for them which I will share at the end. One of the ingredients in my recipe is Fels Naptha soap or Octagon soap. These are both a bar soap that is great for laundry and stains. I have some other uses too and want to share them with you now.

Grate a small amount and let it set in a little water to make it soft. Knead with your fingers until it is "mushy" and pliable. Add sugar. Yes, sugar, plain white sugar. Make a paste out of it and knead till the sugar is softened. Put it on a boil, splinter or other infection and cover with a band aid. It will draw out any infection quickly. As a kid we used this on many infections and splinters and saved many a trip to the dr.!
If you find you got into poison ivy or oak wash good in this soap. It will dry up the pimples. If you catch it right away, as soon as you see you got into it, wash in the soap and you will not get the poison ivy or it will not be very bad.
Rub into clothing as soon as you see something that would stain. It will usually prevent a stain from setting in.
Wash scrapes on kids (or yourself) when they slide on the pavement, fall off a bike etc. It will clear any germs that could cause an infection.

I know there are more uses, but these are the ones most used by me. When my kids were young I was never without this soap in the house. Now it is hard to find in some places. I have to drive over an hour to find a store that sells it, but did find a place I can order it from, Soaps Gone Buy has all kinds of soaps for laundry as well as other older soaps no longer found in the stores.

Give it a try! It Works for Me!

Abortion: Today's Holocaust

2008-01-22T08:18:00.000-08:00

Rather than to repeat my post I would like to ask you to go to Ain't No Place To Put a Sticker for today.

My heart is just breaking from a lesson and reminder that Caden has brought into my thoughts and I wanted to share it with all my readers.

Presenting: Caden

2008-01-21T04:56:00.001-08:00

I would like to present to you

Caden Beau Loden

Caden was born about 12:15 PM Saturday, two months early. He weighs 3 lbs 9 ozs. and is 16 inches long. He is doing well and is adorable.

For all that has gone on during Misty's pregnancy you can read about it here and here and here. They have been through a lot and now they have this precious little one. A miracle and blessing from God.

Caden joins sister Carlie

We are proud grandparents of 18 grandchildren now!

To meet others, check out Beth's Meet and Greet Monday. Why not join in if you have a blog?

How Young is Young Enough?

2008-01-19T07:22:00.000-08:00

We see that little baby born and think he/she is so innocent. How could anybody that tiny and cute ever do wrong? It does not take long before we begin to see that sin nature come out. We wake one morning and our darling is now throwing temper tantrums, slapping, biting etc.

I realize that babies bite when they cut teeth or that they can't express things and it is frustrating, but I am talking about the rebellious times. You say no and they do it and scream at you. For some parents the terrible twos start at 6-8 months old!

What are we to do? How much do babies understand?

I am always amazed when parents, or many grandparents, think a baby can't understand or know, and then wonder why they turn into such a hard to manage child. Babies understand more than we give them credit for much of the time. I have some suggestions to help you understand your child and for you to know when your child understands what is being said.

From the beginning, talk to your baby. I do not mean "baby talk" I mean really talk. Tell them what you are doing as you are doing it. ( I am making dinner, this is a tomato and I need to cut it) etc. I talked about everything like they were understanding. As long as they were awake in the food store I talked over the shopping, showing them things. I had my granddaughter in the food store when she was about 3 months old and was telling her everything as I walked up and down the isles. One woman was watching me and finally said something to me about how much fun I made shopping for my granddaughter. She had not seen anyone do that before and saw how intent Scout was as I shopped. She is now 13 months old and we shop the same way, but now she knows what I buy and will point to it.
Do not talk "baby talk". They will not learn to express themselves right it we talk wrong.
If they get hurt, tell them what happened. "You tripped on the dog" as you are hugging them. If it was something they were not supposed to do, tell them. "We never touch the oven door, it is hot".
Tell them "no" when they do something wrong and be persistent. Remove their hand and say "no" as you are doing it.
Say "yes" and "no" to them. It takes little time for them to know the difference, usually a baby will know about the time they begin getting into things! You say "no" remove the offending item and replace it with a "yes" item and they catch on.
If you talk to them they will understand words like "shoe", "head", "hurt" etc and will be able to in some way express things. They other day my 13 month old granddaughter climbed on the couch (something that is allowed) and then hit her head on the wood between the windows. I did not see this, but she cried loudly as she hit and I ran to her. I hugged her and asked her what had happened. She took her head and put it against the wood between the window and bumped it. I then said "Oh, you klunked your head" and she shook it yes. I then held her and talked to her about the hurt. At13 months she also told me her shoes hurt her. I put on her sneakers and she put her hand on her toes and said "ahhhh soose" The "ah" was a hurt "ahhh". I took them off and thought her sock must be folded or something, fixed the socks and then put the back on. She complained some more and finally I looked inside and saw her toes were rubbing on the top of the shoe!
Pay attention to them. So often we get to talking to our spouse or another child that talks and we do not hear that they are telling us something. It may be good, may be bad and may be a rebellious "no".

What do you do when they persist in the "No no's" or in tantrums?

Tantrums are to be ignored. Much of the time, if right from the beginning, you ignore it they will not last long. Sometimes you get a persistent one that when you leave the room they follow and throw it in the room you are in. Yeah, I had two like that! You just move to another room and continue to ignore it.

Two of my daughters would sit on the floor and spread their legs out and bang their head on the floor between their legs. I wanted to laugh at first! It was so funny, but they were persistent and followed us room to room as we ignored them. It stopped and all we did was not give them the attention they were trying to get.

The deliberate disobedience of doing something you are telling them "no" about is something different. To handle that it means being firm and being consistent. This is hard if you are like me, sometimes they are so cute or so funny, but it is important that you nip it as a baby.

How:

Tell them firmly
Remove their hand or the object
If they go back to it, repeat the procedure
What? They are still doing it? Believe it or not, they will! A tap on the butt with a very firm "no" is usually enough if it is started early enough. Remember, they have diapers on and you are not hitting hard, just the startling of the tap will usually stop it IF YOU START THEM YOUNG ENOUGH! (from experience, do not hit their hand. They will learn if you do not like what they are doing they can hit your hand!)

How young is young enough? When you can see that they are disobeying they are young enough for discipline.

God expects us to raise our children to be obedient and well behaved. Sin shows up young, very young, yet parents wait too late to start trying to deal with it. Nip it in the bud and it will not flower.

Be Creative

2008-01-17T18:36:00.001-08:00

One of the hardest things for me is to think of ways I am frugal. I imagine other bloggers have trouble too. Maybe you as a homemaker wonder if you are being frugal or how you can get to be better at it.

I like to read ideas and pick something I am not doing and try to start. There are sources out there to help, yahoo groups, other blogs and websites.

I believe that as a Christian we are to use our money frugally, use our brains wisely and be creative.

Since I was raised in a home where money was tight and then married and had 5 kids on the salary of a small church pastor I had to make do, do without or creatively think of ways to handle the lack of money. I thank God for that background. I found He supplies, He gives creative ideas and life is not dull.

When I have a gift to give, I first think of "what can I make?" I look at what I have on hand and then think of what I can do with it. Other times I look for ideas and then see what I have and get the rest. The same goes for decorating and cooking.

Be creative!

Too often people think "run out and buy" when the means to save money and have something even better than spending all that money was right in their own home and ability.

Frugal living is being creative, thinking before getting out the pocketbook and using what one has first.

For great frugal ideas hop on over to Biblical Womanhood.

Photo's for family

2008-01-15T19:49:00.001-08:00

It is Wednesday again and as usual Rocks In My Dryer is hosting Works For Me.

My post this week is actually because of something my family did for me. As you know from other posts, I live in Texas. My husband and I have three kids and their families here in Texas, but we also have one in NC and 4 more in ME.

Three of our 17 grand kids are here, one in NC and 13 in Maine. We miss so much of their lives as we can't see them very much.

This year I was not only given the trip to NC and Maine, but I was also given a thumb drive and one of those credit card size digital photo albums. The thumb drive was bought with the idea that each family would put pictures on it and then I can have the pictures of the kids, trips, landscapes etc of ME and put what I wanted on the small digital one to carry with me and the rest on my computer. They did not get it passed around as they intended, but I did get some great pictures on it from my son.

If each family did this for those who are away it would be the best gift they could give. I t keeps those of us that are away feeling we are not missing as much. Kids soccer, T-ball etc. is all there for me to view.

This gift is sure something that Works for me!

My Trip

2008-01-15T07:47:00.000-08:00

First, I want to let those that commented to me over this last week I will be getting to some of you. I am late since I was not home.

I have arrived. For the drama of the day you can check out my post on Ain't No Place To Put A Sticker. I will not repeat myself.

I had a great time in NC and in Maine. It was a wonderful Christmas present from my family.

I visited Jessica in NC first and had a good time with her and Lexi. We relaxed, walked and it was a quiet time. She taught me how she shops at CVS and I am wishing more and more there was one close to me so I could get bargains too!

Lexi is so quiet and I could not believe how much Jessica gets done with a baby around. I watch another grand daughter, Scout, and she is so into everything I get almost nothing done all day. However, being there gave me the rest I needed between Scout here and the crew in Maine!

I flew to Maine and stayed first with my daughter Karra and their 5 kids. I arrived and they all talked at once for the first day. It was fun, but I am sure I missed much of what was said since they were all in my ear and talking at the same time. They have grown so much!

On Saturday we had Christmas together. It was fun to watch the kids open presents and play together. My son Paul has 2 boys and I could not believe how big Sean grew since the summer. He is getting tall and turning into a real teen. I stayed with the the rest of the day and then went to Bethany's for the night so we could spend time on Sunday together. I slept with her cat, who purred in my ear for some time, but I did not mind.

I wanted so much to see the ocean while I was there, so they took me for a ride to Cousin's Island, Long John's Island and another one I can't recall right now. After winding down this road we came to a stop, drive farther and you went into the ocean! I took the following two pictures there.

Notice anything funny about the 1st one?

Yes, it drops right off into the water! But buses can park there!

I shot this picture off the fishing pier that was there. That was it, where the road ended. No turn around, no guard rail, just ended there.

Sunday evening I went to Erik's. He has 4 kids and the talking all at once started again. I had a little practice by then so did better with it and think I caught most of what was said.

Living away from part of the family is hard. I love them all and when I am with one I miss the other. I was with some of the kids, but missed my husband so much. Before I am even back to Texas the pains of missing those not here are already starting.

Family. There is nothing like it. Cherish it, grow it and keep contact.

Frugal or Cheap?

2008-01-10T20:46:00.000-08:00

Today is Frugal Friday at Biblical Womanhood. I am sorry I do not have the official logo of the day, but I am not at home on my own computer. I am in Maine at my daughter's home and having a great time with the grand kids here.

We all love to save money and call ourselves frugal, but sometimes we need to be careful. Frugal and cheap are different. Saving money can be good or bad. Let me explain.

I give this as a warning from the many mistakes I made over the years gone by. Cheap can be bad. When in the name of frugality we buy cheap we may end up paying more in the end.

I no longer grab because it is cheap. I look for the items I want, price them at different places, see if I can get them, in good shape, at thrift or other lower cost means, but I try not to let go of quality. I get the best I can for what I can afford.

How many times have you found something cheap only to find it shrinks, breaks, doesn't work etc? That vacuum at the great price, and no longer picked up the dirt after a month. I had one go in 3 weeks! Great price though!

Or that darling shirt at Joe's Bargain Barn, wear it once and it no longer fits.

Shopping by "cheap" will end up costing more in the end. We can be frugal, save money, but not become cheap. Be wise in your frugality. Make choices that will not cost more in the end. Shop wise, store things wisely, and be sure your bargains are needs and quality.

For more Frugal ideas, go to Biblical Womanhood!

Organizing help wanted

2008-01-08T19:22:00.001-08:00

It is backwards day at Rocks In My Dryer and I am going to participate. Works for me Wednesday is a day we always learn from one another. I love hearing every one's hints and hoping that maybe I would have something to offer others.

Today I am going to ask you for your help and ideas. I ma trying to organize my house and am having all kinds of troubles with it. Can anyone give me ideas for storing when there is little room. I have things so messed up because I can't find ways to organize.

Plastic storage bags (ziploc etc) plastic wrap, waxed paper etc. are setting on my dryer for lack of a place to put them and way to store them.
patterns (sewing) are in a box in the back room. This room also has the computers and computer stuff, books for the computer etc. Fabric, craft stuff and other things are setting all around this room as I can't figure out how to organize it.
The closet for my husbands and my clothes is a good size. It is not huge, and is a walkin. However, it has rods for hanging on both sides and our clothes are all shoved and get wrinkled. I have summer and winter clothes, both hanging, and do not know how to organize any of it so things are not always wrinkled.

I am discouraged about my problems with getting it together. I want it all neat, all my craft things, sewing things etc available and there when I want them. I would like my drawer in the kitchen (yes, I only have one) neat instead of the spatulas, ladles etc all bunched together and I have to dig when I want something.

You can see my problem is deep. Any help you can give me would be wonderful!

Hope on over to Rocks In My Dryer for more questions and answers.

I Am Here

2008-01-08T07:11:00.000-08:00

I arrived in NC yesterday after a very uneventful flight. Well, except for the fact that I did not know that they used Fisher Price to make their airplanes. I do not see how such small planes would fly with all those people on them!

Last year when I made this trip I was delayed all over the place. I mean how many times does a pilot fall out of the plane when he is boarding? I was stuck in the airport for about 4 hours waiting for another pilot to show up! I still have many more legs of the journey to go, so we will see how it all goes.

I am here now, enjoying my daughter, son in law and granddaughter as well as their niece who is also visiting.

I will write more as I travel!

OH Honey, Happy Anniversary!!!

What Do You Think?

2008-01-05T07:30:00.001-08:00

This coming Tuesday will be my 3rd anniversary with Rick. He is my second husband and as much a blessing as the first was. I love him so dearly and never thought I could be this happy with a man again. He is funny and fun, you never know what to expect.

However, he has a big fault and I can't figure out why. So, I ask you, what would you think?

We have 8 kids between us, I brought 5 into the marriage and he brought 3. They are all precious and loved very much by both of us. We have three here in Texas where we live, one in NC and 4 in Maine. We have 17 grand kids and number 18 on the way in March. This is a problem for us seeing them all.

My husband solves this for the holidays by sending me away after Christmas. This year the kids all got together with him and bought my tickets, anniversary Tuesday, I leave Monday! Three years married and I have been sent away just before our anniversary every year! Not one anniversary together yet! Tell me, what would you think?

I really am excited about going and seeing them all again, really. I am not excited about all the snow and cold, as I am leaving 70-80 degree weather predicted for the next few days here. No coat, had to dig out boots and lug them along. But the kids! They make it worth it all.

I will be spending my anniversary with Jessica this year. How romantic. What do we have planned honey?

Now, regardless of what you think, I know why he sends me to see the kids, he loves me and this is the best Christmas present he can give. Now I just need to train him to wait till after the 8th or send me before so I am home for the 8th. Any ideas?

Ink Cartridges

2008-01-03T18:55:00.001-08:00

I love to save money. My husband teases me so much about the deals that I can find.

Over Christmas he was looking for a PS2 to USB converter. He could not find anything cheaper than $30 and knew there had to be. I walked in a store, saw one for $15 and got it for him. It was the same one he could not find for less than $30!

I love freebies. I have several yahoo groups I belong to as well as some blogs that point out the freebie deals that companies have. It is so much fun going to the mail and finding a treat for my cat, some shampoo, cereal or some other thing I paid nothing for.

One thing I hate spending money on is ink cartridges. How can they charge so much for a little cartridge for a printer? I have a Canon printer and my cartridges are relatively cheap at 11 - 12 a piece. My husband has a HP printer and his will take the food budget to replace. It seems the cheaper the printer the more expensive the cartridge too.

Yesterday I found a way to get cheaper cartridges and help someone as well. An old friend of mine has been trying to raise money to be full time in the ministry. She was a missionary with her first husband until he was martyred by guerrillas in Columbia a number of years ago. She has since remarried and her and her husband want to go into a ministry reaching people who are homeless, been in jail or otherwise unwanted in society. If you would like a way to get cheap ink cartridges as well as support someone serving the Lord email Lorraine at ibsbusiness at bellsouth dot net and tell her what printer you have and she will give you a quote. Mine are only $4 each compared to 11 or 12 in the store.

For more frugal ideas check in at Biblical Womanhood.

Sites to Check Out

2008-01-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today I would like to share three fun links with you. I shared one on my other site and want to share two more with you here. These links help me at times and thought they would be useful for others.

The first one I want to recommend is TipNut. I get a daily summery from them and many days it is really something useful and I save it. For instance, today had one called 11 goals to enhance your life this year. They are worth reading. Sometimes there are craft tips, money saving tips, how to do things, like fix a chair, etc. It is a cute site worth signing up for the newsletter.

Another site is a bit of fun. Want an idea for dinner? Don't have much in the house? Not sure what you can do with what you do have? Try going to CookingByNumbers.com I have never seen a more interesting way to come up with something for dinner! Say you have beef, eggs, garlic, coffee, chocolate, tomatoes and pasta plus some seasonings. Put them in the list and you will find you can make: Chocolate dream, grilled tomatoes, and a few other things. You could also make pasta with seasoned oil, tomato concassee or a number of other recipes. Just put in what you have on hand and it will give you something you can do with it. Try it! Have some fun for dinner tonight! Works for me!

New Year's Eve, New Year's Day

2008-01-01T18:42:00.000-08:00

The day is almost over and I am finally writing what I have been doing.

Last night, the last night of the year to get in all the horrahs, I spent watching TV on the couch until I fell asleep. Lest you think that was late, I think I remember seeing 9PM, but not sure. I had a weird dream that I dropped my glasses behind the couch just before my husband woke me to go to bed.

Last night was spent in dreams and trying to get the dog to stop bothering me. Apparently she had to go out, but I was not smart enough to get up and let her out. My husband stepped in it this morning when he got up. Happy New Year honey!

I got up and went to put the dog out (at 7 AM and too late) and could not find my glasses. I looked all over, but for me I need my glasses to see my glasses, so asked help from my husband. Remember last night's dream? It was no dream, he found them behind the couch! Happy New Year!

Today I went to put away my Christmas stuff and found a mouse had been dining in the closet in the spare room. My husband had a number of boxes of old mail, junk etc in the closet. It was from before we got married and I just never got around to going through it. He likes to hang on to everything, so this means going through when he is not here. Now that the mouse was making it home, I was getting rid of.

After hours on the floor sorting I ended up with three big boxes of junk and one little box of keepers. Since the mouse found it he did not argue.

Now, it is bed time again, New year's day is about over and I am wondering, if it is starting out in doggy doo and mouse doo what is the rest of the year going to be like?

Little Brown House Christmas

2007-12-29T10:13:00.000-08:00

There is a verse in the Bible that says God is able to give us more than we ask or think. Over at The Bargain Shopper Lady there is a story about her Christmas and how a stranger gave her and her husband a real blessing. She has challenged us bloggers to share a story of when strangers helped us and blessed us so that our stories may encourage and bless others.

I decided to share two stories of the many with you. One is on this blog and then another on my blog Ain't No Place To Put A Sticker .

My most memorable Christmas, and I know the one my kids remember the most also, was because of strangers. Let me share the story.

My first husband was a pastor and at one point decided to take a year off and return to Seminary for his next degree. We had 5 kids and this was truly a move of faith. We could not find housing before we moved so we lived in our pop up camper. 21 feet long, five kids, two dogs a guinea pig and my husband and I. We were sure it would be for a week or two and then we would find something. My husband did have a job lined up and so the housing seemed minor. First thing that happened was the job fell through. It took him some time to find another job and we were down to pennies, no home, kids to feed and he was trying to study as well. We would come back to bags of food setting on our picnic table. We had no idea where they came from, and never did find out. Blessings!

Finally in mid October, with ice on the puddles and the winter setting in, we found a place to live. He was working such a low paying job we needed something cheap, and that was what we got! A 22 X 24 house, built on a hill with a garage door under it to get to the space under. The little brown house as we called it.

Once we brought in our furniture and boxes of stuff from the 13 room house we moved out of, all we had was a walkway in the room. Stuff was stored everywhere. Money was to the penny tight and Christmas was coming.

A friend gave us some money which allowed us to tell the kids we could spend $15 on each child, so we wanted them to tell us what they wanted since that was all we had. The girls immediately asked for Cabbage Patch dolls! They were just out and cost over $30 each! I am sure you can remember the war there was over these dolls when they came out!

I went to the craft shop and for the $15 I was able to get the heads and body fabric and make them each their doll. I then dressed the doll in the outfit they wore when they came home from the hospital. It was special to me and I hoped it satisfied the girls. Right now, I can't remember what the boys wanted, but I am sure it was equally as expensive!

About a week before Christmas I got a phone call from the school saying that they wanted to provide us with a Christmas meal. The kids had been collecting food for the needy and we sent some in with them, only to find we were the "needy". I went to the school to pick up the "meal" and there was boxes of food! Not only food, but boxes and boxes of presents!

Here we were in this little house, filled with all our junk and cramped so much our Christmas tree was a little pre-decorated one that stood about 18 inches high, including the container and now I had boxes and boxes of food a presents!

I "hid" the presents on our boxes of stuff, all in plain sight and shoved the food into the little bit of cabinet space we had and the rest sat on boxes too.

When Christmas came and we put out all the gifts they were flowing every where! Our kids were so blessed that year with things they wanted, needed and loved. There is no way to tell you the endless amount of items that was there. It was the most beautiful Christmas we had and all because of total strangers.

When God says He supplies your needs and gives abundantly above all you can ask or think, He really does. When you know He cares this much, trusting Him should be easy.

Laced With Grace Giveaway

2007-12-28T20:21:00.000-08:00

Laced with Grace is starting out the New Year with a giveaway.

The package will include a Women of Faith study Bible (NIV/Hardcover); Lisa Whelchel’s Bible study tool for busy moms; a coffee mug from “Mugs of Truth“; the DVD “The Nativity Story“; the book “Love and Respect“; and a music CD by Becky Knight, who just released her first CD.

You do not need to have a blog to compete for the giveaway, just go to the site and sign up for a chance to win.

Giveaways are not only fun, but they give us all a chance to find other blogs to read as well as a chance to win some nice and useful gifts. I try to participate when I find them and then offer the chance to my readers as well.

Hope on over to Laced with Grace for full details and to sign up!

Child-likeness

2007-12-27T18:25:00.000-08:00

How was your Christmas? It is hard to believe you go through all the preparing and it is done in no time and gone. This year I also came down sick and spent much of the weekend before in bed. I am still dragging and needing a rest every day. I had the flu vaccine and ended up with flu like sickness. I think I will take my chances next year!

I did enjoy having family together. Everybody pitched in with the meal and all I had to do was the ham and potato salad. My husband made brisket and the rest was brought by the kids and my sister in law. We had 13 of us here, counting the three babies.

One thing that I am always amazed at is the little ones. They take everything in and try to figure it all out. The are awed by the lights and decorations, intrigued by the gifts and try to figure out why there is candy hanging on the tree and not being eaten.

I have never shied away from a Christmas tree when the kids were little, and I do not now with the grand kids. I just try to make them a bit child friendly. All my ornaments are non breakable, I have candy canes and other things for decorations. I found it rather amusing when I found the one year old granddaughter sitting under the tree with the dog. She would grab a candy cane off the tree, eat it to the hook and then let the dog finish it while she went for another.

Today I took her into the store to look for some sales and see what was there. She wanted to look at everything. In training her not to beg (at least I hope so!) I let her look at things, touch them and then we put the back. So far she is a great shopper! We look, feel, say ahhhhhh over and put it back and go to the next thing. I had so much fun with her today looking at all the Christmas stuff and then putting it back.

I was doing a bit of thinking as I watched her face and as I watched the others on Christmas day. God says we are to be like little children, and must come to Him as a child. Do we? Do we look at life for its beauty? To we look at His word for all we can find out? Are we awed by Him? Or are we clinging to the world, or our grown up attitudes and answers?

I found my self examining me and asking how much was I like this child? Or am I rushing through life not looking for what is there, what God may have for me, or want to say to me.

As the New year approaches, let's get our child like faith in line with Him. Become as children in our faith, awe and discovery of what He has and Who He is.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T08:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas is tomorrow, can you believe this year will be over in a week? It is hard to believe that Christmas is here already. For me it just seems to hit so quickly this year. I am sure there are others out there who's family is as separated as mine is and wonder how you all handle it. For me, I have family here in Texas, a daughter in NC, mom and siblings in the NJ-PA area and 4 kids, spouses and grand kids in ME. I want to be with everyone!

Friday I finally got our tree up. For the first time in my life I have an artificial tree. I could not find a nice one for a decent price in our area. See my story here. TO me the tree has a meaning and it all points to Christ. To see an evergreen tree cut down reminds me of the everlasting savior being hung on a tree for me. The lights remind me that HE is the light of the world, the everlasting light to guide us through the darkness that the world lives in. We put ornaments on the tree, different color balls, small packages etc. Christ gave the greatest gift, our small packages remind us of those gifts. Some say the colored balls stand for all the peoples of the world and how Christ died for everyone.

The beauty of the tree reminds me of Christ and His beauty that He came to die and we can have that beauty in us if we trust Him and follow Him.

I am sure there are more symbols I am not mentioning, like the star at the top of the tree or the angel. They all signify His birth and coming to this earth to die for us.

Be sure to spend time with your family talking over the real meaning of Christmas.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Santa or Christ?

2007-12-21T12:51:00.001-08:00

Is Christmas this:

It can't be both.

I have a real problem at Christmas. We teach our children not to lie, yet we lie to them about Santa giving presents. I would like to explain my convictions.

Besides the lying, there is a real plan by Satan himself to take away from anything to do with Christ. He wants to confuse us, make things seem harmless that are really anti-God and get our minds to ok things that are substitutes for true Christian living.

Santa draws a bigger crowd that Christ. How does he do it? By becoming a tangible counterfeit. I just made a small list of some of the attributes of God and of Santa.

Christ/God	SANTA
Loving	Loving
Knows everything	Knows everything
God is Good	Santa is Good
God is faithful	Santa is faithful, once a year
God is personal	Santa knows each person
Is from a different world, yet lives here	From a different place, yet travels here
All powerful	Can make reindeer fly.
Loves to give to His Children	Loves to give to all who are good
Watches us all the time	Watches us all the time and records what we are doing, good or bad

Satan has designed him to counterfeit our Lord, yet Christians find him harmless to tell their children.

If we are telling our children that there is a Santa and later they find there is not how will this not only conflict with you telling them not to lie, but also their relationship with the Lord? We can't see God. Yet it takes faith in an unseen being to be saved. Will this not throw doubts on their faith?

I look at anything that is a counterfeit Christ, or anything that pulls our attention from the real meaning of the day (same goes for Easter bunny etc) as a form of an anti-Christ that is put there by Satan's design.

I know it is hard to buck the world. I never told my kids there was a Santa, they never believed it and thought it was just something funny that people believed in. I remember one year I had my 2 yr. old in the shopping cart and a man behind us was asking her if Santa was going to come and bring her lots of things. She just smiled, and then the man , maybe in his 40's, went on for a bit and she just smiled some more. As we were leaving him, my 2 year old said "I guess his mommy never told him there was no Santa"!

We had people not want our kids to play with their kids when it was near Christmas, Christian parents! who thought that it would ruin the day for their kids if our kids told them.

"Speak the truth in Love" "Teach your children" "Lie not to one another", the Bible is clear about what we should be telling our Children and teaching them. Take a stand for the Lord and bring out the joy of what God did for us and that we give because HE gave the greatest gift of all HIS SON!

Stress Less

2007-12-18T20:55:00.001-08:00

Today's Works for me Wednesday and Rocks in My Dryer is supposed to be about Christmas. I have been thinking about Christmas anyway and decided to play along on the Christmas theme.

I have been busy, as I am sure most of you have, trying to get everything done and ready. I am doing something different this year though, I am not getting all upset and stressed over the day.

Most years I am so stressed as I try to make this, do that, get the stuff for a big meal and try to have it all together. This is the first year in a long time that I can remember not being all stressed about getting things done and perfect.

I still have some gifts to get together and some things to make, but not anything that has me stressed. It will take some time, but I believe it is all under control. If not, I am not stressing anyway!

It has taken many years, but I finally realized the meal will be there, people will eat and everything does not have to be perfect, nor does there need to be 25 different foods on the table. Keep it simple! I am having a big meal, but I am keeping it simple. I also have others bringing some of the meal too.

My gifts will be done, the food will be fairly easy and it should work our for a nice relaxing time.

Are you getting all stressed and ready to bite every one's head off? STOP!!! Relax. It will work out, it does not need to be anything but simple, but simple can be elegant and easy! Enjoy the day, enjoy the family and make it all less stressful.

What is a godly grandmother?

2007-12-15T19:11:00.000-08:00

I have been asked this question, along with a number of others as people read my blog. I want to answer what I can and will do my best to hunt down what I do not know. Soon I am planning to have an e-zine out once or twice a month to begin and will have questions and answers on it as well as more than I put in my blog. I am having trouble getting the sign up on the blog itself without sending you to another page to sign up, if anyone knows how to put a phplist sign up on several blogs with it hosted on a website let me know!

Now,

"What is a godly grandmother? For example: my own mom got a college degree after her kids were grown and is now a teacher at a Christian school. She rarely has time for us. On the other hand my aunt practically raises her grand kids, drives them to school, cleans her daughter's house while her daughter is at work, and takes all the kids to their various activities. She even takes them a lot on weekends too. What is the biblical model of a Grandma? Should my mom be staying at home (the best place for a woman, in my opinion, wherever possible) and try to help more in mentoring me and being a godly influence to her grandchildren? Or is it right that I do it on my own with no help? I realize my aunt's method is unhealthy and don't want that either!"

Today's world has made life a dilemma. The world says go get what you can and be all you can be (in the world) and has become very self centered. When we look back on the way things were, women stayed home, took care of family, each generation training the next one down. Men did the same with the boys, turning them into men. Now, families are split, boys have no father roll models and girls have a mom that is away and letting someone else watch them. However, what about when a woman has raised her children, is her roll done? Can she now do whatever she wants because the children are not there and she is free? What does the Bible say?

Again I go to Titus 3:5:

"Let the older women teach the younger women to love their husbands, love their children, be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored"

What does the Bible say about a grandmother? I find one reference and that is in 2 Timothy 1:5

"For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well."

Here Paul is talking about Timothy's grandmother and the her faith being taught to Timothy. Apparently she was a real woman of God who had a lot of contact with her grandson and taught him the ways of God.

A Biblical woman follows what God has set for her. Scripture clearly says the older is to teach the younger, go back and read Titus 3:5 again. How do the younger learn? How does anyone learn? We learn by seeing it in practice as well as being told.

I take my position of wife and mother to be the highest calling I, as a woman, can have. I believe each has a commitment, responsibility and debt to the next generation. We have failed greatly in this over the last few generations. People have become more independent, more self-centered and as a result there is the mess there is today with families.

Now, back to the full question asked me. I am glad you see that what your aunt is doing is wrong. It is not teaching, it is doing and controlling. It is letting a mom get out of her responsibilities to her family. What your mom is doing I will not say is wrong, but there needs to be a balance. There should be teaching and helping.

All this said, I know there are times when a mom has to work, death, divorce and such leave a family needing the mom out there. This should be when the family steps in and cares for the children so they do not need to go to day care. If this is possible.

I do not live near most of my kids, but when I was there I kept them and tried to teach and help. Now, I babysit a precious granddaughter for her mom and we work together for her good. I have a good relationship with my step daughter and she looks to me for help and teaching, both of her and her baby.

The world has come into the family and is dividing it up, confusing the roles of parents and grandparents , making God's ways appear old fashioned or out dated. His ways are not, and I would love to see us move back to what He says.

If we read Proverbs 31 and see what a godly woman is (mother, grandmother, single) we see she works from home, puts family first and is someone that can be looked up to. Moms and grand moms we need to become what God has set out for us. For our children and grandchildren to be whole this is needed.

Child Proof The Christmas Tree

2007-12-13T18:44:00.000-08:00

When my kids were really young I found the Christmas tree to be a challenge. All those ornaments were tempting to the kids and costly as well.

When we put something out as prominent as a Christmas tree only to have to get stressed out because the kids will not leave it alone is not good for the family. To have them frustrated as well because they want to touch it and you are yelling at them only takes away from the family and the fun.

Maybe your children are angels and not interested in the tree, but mine were not. I found a cheap and easy way to not have to worry about them breaking the ornaments or hurting themselves.

Make or buy cookies and let the kids decorate them if they are old enough. Sugar cookies work well, but I also used spritz cookies that are pressed out of a cookie press.

I then took the cookies and put them back to back and wrapped in a little plastic wrap and tied on the tree with a ribbon. I added candy canes to the tree and then some ribbon bows. I had some wooden ornaments that I painted from a kit as well.

Should the kids get something off the tree, it is only a cookie or candy cane and nothing that will break and hurt them. I found my kids actually let the tree alone, it was the cat I had the problem with!

For more frugal ideas, check out Biblical Womanhood.

Christmas Shopping

2007-12-11T18:48:00.000-08:00

I have a large family and at this time of year that makes things difficult. I am the oldest of eight, my husband is one of three living. Together we have eight kids and 17 grand kids. (Like I have said before, and want you to remember now, I am not that old.. really!)

Christmas is a hard time trying to handle it all financially as well as shipping, buying and wrapping. My siblings and I do not exchange gifts, so this saves some. It is not that we do not love each other, but we realize we just can't put ourselves in debt to buy all these gifts. Personally I liked it when I had the time to make everyone something. I love to give.

This year I was struggling with the whole Christmas thing. There is the giver inside me that just wants to give and give, but when I open the pocket book I can see the lining so know that the funds are not there to match my heart.

I pray, and then go shop. God can bring some magnificent deals and place you in the right place. We do not spend much, so I like to get the best for what I have. Look online, there are bargains galore. I hate junk mail, but when I visit a site like buy.com or other reputable site, I sign up for their notices and newsletters. I can always delete them, but sometimes there is just the thing for just the price.

Lest you think I have finished, I have not. I just finished wrapping all the presents that need to get mailed to other states, but the kids and grand kids here? I have no idea!!

How do you shop if you have a big family and small pocket book? What works for you?

Keep Praying

2007-12-11T15:47:00.001-08:00

I wanted to pass on a quick update about Carlie. They did an EEG yesterday and she is not having seizures so they stopped that med. They said what damage has been done is done, but she will need physical therapy to help her get her balance back. We are still unsure of a prognosis at this point, but she was playing today, knows who everyone is knows she used to be able to sit up and stand, she just can't do it and will need to learn all over. She shakes really bad when she tries to do much. It is like a weakness shaking, not seizure or anything. Her head still falls off to the side sometimes as well as her eyes a little, but she is way better than on Friday or the weekend.

Keep praying!

Please Pray

2007-12-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

Many of you may remember Carlie and then all the excitement after her finalization. If not, see the posts here, here and here.

Jason is still recuperating from his accident and is not working yet and then Friday Carlie began acting strange. Her head was cocked to one side and she could not hold it up, her eyes would not focus and her eyes also would go back up into her head or else off to the left. She was not playing or anything so her parents took her to the hospital emergency room.

After sitting in the emergency room all day while they ruled out sinus infection, brain tumor and a number of other things, they finally admitted her at about 8:30 Friday night. Around 10:30 they took her for an MRI and found she has Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). Her brain has 3 0r 4 large lesions on it as well as 4 smaller ones. They told the from the looks of her brain you would think she would act worse than she is. Praise God.

I would like to ask for all those praying people out there to pray for her. They were told there is brain damage, but at this point they do not know how much. According to the Drs. 50% of children with this recover with little or no visible signs of a problem, the rest have anything from a slight learning disability to major problems or MS.

Carlie is 13 months old and is so precious. Her mom is pregnant with a boy due in March. The family has had so much between the adoption in September and now, yet this miracle pregnancy is still intact. Please pray for Carlie's healing, that the damage would be minor or none and for the pregnancy with all this stress on Misty.

My posts this week may not be regular, but I will try. We will be running to the hospital to see our granddaughter as much as we can and trying to help them where needed.

The immaculate house fallacy.

2007-12-08T06:59:00.000-08:00

When I was a young(er) mother I had 5 kids and always a mess. I would clean, they would make a disaster right behind me. If I spent a little time for me, they spent as much time messing.

Clutter with things you do not need is one thing, but clutter with things that are needed is another.I found I had clutter, but it was two kinds. Clutter because the house was not big enough for them to have their own play room, me a craft place and enough storage room OR clutter because I was keeping every little thing any one was throwing away since it might be needed some day.

Kids make clutter. I finally had to set priorities. Was I going to be a crabby, yelling, mean mom because I wanted everything neat and in place? Or was I going to let the kids be kids, use their imaginations and then teach them to clean up afterwards?

My late husband set me straight. He told me mess will always be there, but the kids will not. He told me my priority was them and later would be a neat clean house that people could eat off the floor. (haha!)

It eased me, set me straight and removed most of the guilt.

I am now a grandmother with a baby here all the time during the day. My house is full of papers, vhs cassettes all over, pots, Tupperware etc. So what? She will grow up and it will be over. I will, again, wish for the mess.

Relax, let kids grow and use their imaginations. Teach them to pick up as they go.

Someday you will long for the mess too.

Free Moments Away

2007-12-06T18:37:00.001-08:00

Life can be tough. Babies crying, toddlers into everything and meals to fix etc. Young moms have it tough. Balancing the budget, or as I sometimes experienced "What budget? It all just went to___ (you fill in the blank)"

When I was a young mom I became flustered at times, just wanted to get away or do something but had no money to do or no time to go. I am realizing now, as I am watching my granddaughter for 9 !/2 hrs a day, that I sometimes feel the same way.

I realize, too, that we forget what is right there for us and it is free most of the time. Look around you and see what is there. No, not the messy house with fighting kids! But look out the window and see the trees, pastures, sun, moon etc. Sometimes I just walk out on our porch and look at what God has made.

When I lived in Maine I would walk on the ocean, down a dirt road or sit on the rocks. Even with the kids it was relaxing for the most part. They were excited to be somewhere and I could see the horizon and beauty.

I know as a mom with little kids there is little time for you, but capture the free moments and enjoy what is there. Pretend and dream. Even if it is only a few moments to hold you over till the next moment it will relax you; you will have spent no money and it will refresh. At least till the first screaming kid comes in!

For more ideas check out Biblical Womanhood.

Quick and easy snack

2007-12-04T20:01:00.000-08:00

A fun meal or after school snack is pizza. Most people like it but making it can be very messy and buying it can get expensive.

A way to have it quick and easy is to make tortilla or English muffin pizzas. These are fun to make and the kids can even make their own. If you do not have tortilla's in the house, I have, on occasion (desperate one!) used bread.

Kid's Pizza (That everyone loves!)

For each pizza:

1 tortilla (or English muffin)
tomato paste, OR sauce
cheese (any kind that melts)
seasonings you like, I use garlic powder, Italian seasoning and some oregano
toppings if you have them

Spread sauce on top of tortilla. put seasonings on top, then cheese and any toppings

bake , keeping a close eye on them as they cook fast OR put in microwave for a minute or so. (temps vary)

Makes a great snack for family night movie, after school or at midnight!

Works for me!

Redesigning our mind

2007-12-04T08:28:00.000-08:00

I do not know about you, but I love HGTV. Not everything, but I love the shows where they tell you how to use what you have. There are several of them, but the ones I like to watch are freecycle, Design on a Dime and Design Remix.

Freecycle they rearrange the furniture, grab furniture, pillow, sheets etc from other places and when they get done the room looks totally different than it did before, but you have spent no money.

Design Remix is a lot the same, but they spend $50 plus paint to show how to make a room look totally different.

Design on a Dime actually buys things and paint, when you come back home it is a new room. Problem is their dime is $1,000 mine is .10! However, you can get some ideas for decorating what you have.

I have a student interior decorator coming to my home as part of her class work and portfolio. She is not charging me but is helping me rearrange what I have to look better. I have bought paint (oops paint at Home Depot) and painted one wall in the room and I will need to buy knobs for the cabinets, but so far my living room looks so much better, and it was all my own stuff that I had!

Yes, it meant getting rid of some things that clutter, things I did not want to part with. It means taking some things and making them less prominent in the room, and other things more prominent. Even though for me it might be upsetting to get rid of or move things, it is much better afterwards.

I began to think of this in another way. So many of us get unhappy where we are, or with our spouse, kids or church. The situation may look bad, may be awful yet God has an answer. We fight and kick when He is trying to do the rearranging bu,t if we let Him, it will be better.

There are things in all of our lives that need to be uncluttered, moved, thrown out. I have been going through a situation here that has had me beside myself. Frustrated, upset, ready to run (no, not from my husband! ) but it took someone close to me to point out that I am here for a reason and that they can see so many changes in some others because of me. She encouraged me not to leave the situation, but to know I am being used of God in a mighty way. She told me to pray more and rest in what God is doing.

I needed to rearrange some thinking, get rid of some clutter in my mind and open my eyes to see how I am being used. I am praying for wisdom, instead of fretting. I am asking to be used more, instead of getting depressed or running.

What is your situation? Are you frustrated, negative and feeling that you wish so and so (husband, kid, etc) would straighten up? Know you are there for a reason. Work on your attitude. Work on de-cluttering your mind and ask for wisdom to be the woman of God you are meant to be.

This hurts, probably more than getting rid of the physical things in the house. We have baggage, harbored hurts etc that need to go. It is in letting God work in our lives that we can look and see how we can be used. Let Him do the rearranging, in that room in our mind as well as in the situation. He has a plan, work with Him for our families and our personal lives.

Worry Cure

2007-12-01T04:38:00.000-08:00

This morning I awoke at 3 AM. I sometimes do this when I eat or drink the wrong thing before bed, other times because I went to bed too early, this morning it was none of these. Years ago I used to worry over everything. It took years but I finally have much of my worry in God's hands and almost never get too worried, but my one weakness is financial matters. That was this morning. I was thinking about some problems we have had since August. We needed to take our vacation early because of one of our daughters getting married in Maine. We planned on having the money saved for mid-October and left the end of July instead.

Since we are contracted for cleaning at 17 offices in a plant, we had to find someone to cover us and pay them, $900 for during vacation and another week because we had conflicts. Rick's family has a small house the rent out and the man ran into some problems and could not pay any rent one month and part of the rent another. The rent pays the taxes, so we had to come up with the money ($260) out of our pocket. My husband needed to pay for a course he is taking, $200. Today the renters money is due again and I know we can't cover it this time. Worry!

As I lay there I was getting more and more frightened until God started to speak. See, I was also worrying because I was worrying and did not like the lack of peace I was having. It has not been part of me in so long it was odd to me and hurt. When God spoke He asked me about my lack of time with Him lately. I used to read and pray every morning, I had been slipping. This was the key!

I had been getting up, running to my computer, and fitting me Bible reading and prayer in when and if I could.

I got out of bed and had my time with Him and peace came. I still have no idea how all will be cared for, but I have peace.

I began to wonder about when my kids were small and I was young, how much better I would have been if I spent my time with God more regularly. Raising five kids was tough. Someone was always into something, hurting something and getting yelled at (and one place we lived it was unjustly by a neighbor, so this meant also having patience with dealing with an unsaved neighbor). I was also a pastor's wife so everyone thought they knew how you were to dress, your kids act etc.

I spent time with the Lord, but at my convenience, or when I was worried, upset or angry with someone (which was most of the time), but many of my prayers were not trusting and in faith, but prayers that the other person would change etc. We had so many financial troubles, those alone were more than enough worry on it's own. Instead of trusting I worried and often told God how to answer me. (You know the ones "have some one give us money" or " "somehow get that guy for what he is doing" etc.)

Are you having problems with worry over daily family living? Worried about your kids and how they will turn out? A sickness in the family? Unemployment? Read your Bible and pray. God provided for me when I put my dependency totally on Him. I finally did this about 4 years ago, I let things to him and he filled me with peace as long as I gave it all to Him.

Your kids are God's. He loves them more than you. He will care for them and give you the wisdom needed, but it takes praying and reading and praying.

If you are like me, have my weakness of worry it is no good for you or your family. If I can overcome, anyone can. It takes persistence and not give up when you fail. You will be a much better wife and mother when you leave it all to Him!

Fun Christmas Shopping

2007-11-29T17:39:00.000-08:00

It is that time of year again! Money is short and sometimes you feel like you need to chose between bills and kids or, worse yet, paying with a credit card and making more bills.

Growing up my family was poor. My parents had little money to buy presents and sometimes we thought we were getting nothing until the last minute. There were 8 of us kids and my parents had it rough.

My dad and mom figure out a plan that was so good we used if a number of times with our kids. They purchased stocking stuff and a gift and gave us each $15 ( a lot for them) and took us to the store Christmas eve. We went nuts trying to decide what we wanted for our money. We could buy it Christmas eve, but could not use it till Christmas day when we found it under the tree along with the present they got us and our stocking. They had a good time watching us shop and it sure made that money seem like a lot more since the stores marked things down on Christmas eve. I can remember having something in hand and then hearing what I had marked down so I could go get something else too.

Younger kids could even shop in a thrift store and be happy!

Christmas can be worked and fun even if you have little money. Don't try to keep up with the Joneses. Be creative!

More frugal ideas can be found at Biblical Womanhood.

Can't beat em join em!

2007-11-28T05:29:00.000-08:00

Many yeast ago I had , what was to me, a major problem. My late husband had a hobby that would keep him up half the night. He would yell and scream while he was doing it and I would lay in bed yelling and screaming inside.

This would go on until 2 or so in the morning, most nights and days off.

What was he doing? Playing Strat-O-Matic baseball. Now you play it by computer, back then it was cards. All the players stats are on the cards, you roll the dice and if the red came up 1,2,3 you were on the hitters card and 4,5,6 it was the pitchers card. The two white dice combined where the number under the column (1,2,3 4 etc). Hard to explain, but easy if you had the cards in front of you. Strat-O-Matic makes each players cards to their real life stats.

He was in two leagues at the time. They have their own draft and make up their own team names and played by mail back then. You sent your instructions to the guy you were playing the series with and he sent his to you.

It was, at the time, a hobby that was dividing us.

One night I was in bed grumbling away and praying about it at the same time. God answered with one phrase "If you can't beat em join em. I went downstairs and sat down and told my husband I would manage the other team. I did not know the instructions, nor what things meant but he helped me. After I was winning every game, he gave me his team to manage!

It did not take long for me to not mind the game and it actually brought us together!

If there is a hobby that is dividing you and family, get them to join, or ask him if you can join. I showed interest, tried to understand and then joined. It sure worked for me!

Honor your husband

2007-11-26T05:21:00.000-08:00

I seem to have "forgotten" something in the vows. Honor. It is a word we do not use towards our spouses. We use it for soldiers (unless we protest the war) we use it for kids "honor your father and mother" but do they know what it means? Usually we are telling them to make them obey. We want companies to honor our coupon, or a sale, or their return policy. But what does it really mean and what does it have to do with our spouse?

Again, I go to Mr. Webster:

synonyms honor, homage, reverence, deference mean respect and esteem shown to another. honor may apply to the recognition of one's right to great respect or to any expression of such recognition . homage adds the implication of accompanying praise. reverence implies profound respect mingled with love, devotion, or awe. deference implies a yielding or submitting to another's judgment or preference out of respect or reverence .

Reverence? Honor? Me? To him? yup! Some may be smugly thinking "man I am glad I did not have that in my vows." Problem is, it is what God expects of us also.

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Ephesians 5:33

You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. 1Peter 3:7

Honor all people, ( yup, your husband is a person!)love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. 1 Peter 2:17

You know what I found? I would go to church women's meetings and most would start with gossip, from there it would go to the bad things that their husband does. This would then be gossiped by the rest of the people there. Everyone would "help" by telling them what they should and should not do because their husband does such and such or else it was like a "who can top this" time where people the women would really get going about how bad their husband is. My husband was pastor of five churches over his 30 years in the ministry. I would go to the women's meetings and end up trying to change it and finally giving up and not going any more. It was supposed to be a church women's group, or women's missionary group and was just a gossip and husband bashing with some Bible and how to help the missionaries in between.

Then there are the women who down their husbands, in public and to their face. "I told you not to do that" or "why do you always..." etc.

Honor? Respect? Reverence? I think not!

Think about things you say to and about your husband. In honoring and respecting him you are also honoring and reverencing the Lord. It will have a major impact on your husband and for the Lord. It is not the way the world thinks, but it is the way God wants us to live. Like love, it is not a feeling, it is a decision to do, an action. Not because we may want to, but because it is right.

Till death do us part

2007-11-23T16:12:00.000-08:00

I do hope you all had a great thanksgiving and remembered to thank the One Who has given you all things.

This post was to be up long ago today. Instead I have been trying to get up a sign up for a newsletter. I spent all day on it and still do not have it working. Frustration!

Today I have been thinking a lot about my family. I have four kids in Maine, all grown, married and parents. My oldest son has four kids, the next one down has two. My oldest daughter has two step kids and the middle daughter has five kids. All of them live in Maine. My youngest lives in North Carolina and she,too, is married and has one child. My husband's three kids are all in Texas and close. They are married and each have one child and one has a second due in March.

For me holidays are hard. I love all my children, step and ones I gave birth too. It is hard being away from most of them all the time. Money limits my seeing the ones not in Texas. Birthdays and holidays make things so hard.

One thing though, I have a wonderful husband who understands my feelings and hurtings. He loves me dearly as I do him. When I think of our vows I feel the better and I feel the worse in being away. His home was in Texas, mine was with my family. He owned his home, I was a vagabond of sorts. Moving here had it's heartaches and still does at times. However, I know I married the man God chose for me and that it is till death do us part.

So many think it is till they get tired of each other, or someone better comes along or they do not want to be married anymore. Death do us part is as long as we are living on this earth.

God does have some exception. Adultery is a reason that a marriage can be broken up and the other person have the right to remarry. However, it does not mean they have to leave the offending spouse. Forgiveness is a wonderful thing if the person means it and regains the trust and respect by proving their apology.

I also believe that abuse needs to mean a separation for the safety of the abused party. If the abuser gets counseling and is healed, than the reconciliation should happen.

Till death do us part is a wonderful promise when you are married. It is a security that living together can't give, If you are not yet married, pray for the man you will marry and that God will bring him into your life. Pray for God to direct you both and for the assurance to both of you that this is the one.

I am so happy with Rick. God led us together and gave me the assurance that even though it was a move to Texas he was the man I should marry.

Pray Pray Pray!!

Getting kids to pick up their stuff

2007-11-20T17:21:00.001-08:00

Today is Works for Me at Rocks in My Dryer. I would like to offer you something that worked for me when my children were school age.

I do not know about yours, but my kids were rather sloppy. They came in from school and set their coat, shoes, books etc all over the place. Then the toys came out and they were all over making it difficult to walk anywhere.

Time out, spanking, yelling, sending them to their rooms etc, nothing worked. I still ended up picking everything up.

My husband and I decided to try to teach them something about life and responsibility. I bought several baskets and when they would not clean up and I had to everything of theirs went into the baskets. Since my time is worth something and they were being irresponsible we would not let them just have their item back. They had to pay .25 a piece per item or do a job per item. In the beginning they thought we were going to give in, they grumbled because they needed that book for homework, or the jacket since it was chilly outside etc. I did not give in!

Soon there was not as much left lying around the floors, chairs, doors etc. It worked for me!

That Dirty Four Letter Word

2007-11-18T12:28:00.000-08:00

OBEY!

Yup, it was in my vows. It is in the Bible.

"Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,because we are members of His body.For this reason a man should leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband." Ephesians 5:22-6:9

Too many today, to either avoid breaking the vow or out of following the worldly advice, do not have "obey" in their vows. It is not a word we like. Submit, obey, gives us a bad feeling. Most of us are independent, have a brain and think it means we can't use it.

Not So! We are to obey and submit, but he is to love. Someone who is loving and you know has your best interest at heart is much easier to submit to.

Look at the verses. We are to obey our husbands as we do the Lord. He is to love us like the Lord loves. WOW! We both have tough jobs that really can't be done on our own. He must depend on God to love us that way and we must depend on God to obey.

It is only through drawing near to God and work on loving our husbands that we can be submissive. I have a loving husband and most of the time do not have a huge problem submitting. We talk things over and I give my thoughts, or Scripture or desires and he gives his. Most of the time we come to agreement, and very often it is he seeing I was right. He is not a "pansy". If we have a real disagreement I submit to him.

It is our husbands who will face the Lord someday for how they treat us, but we will face Him for our submission. God will also bless us for submitting. However, watch your attitude!! If you are like me there are times that I give in with a grumbling heart. This is not submission! Submission is to humbly and lovingly let him make the decision because it is not only in submission to him, but in submission to God.

Like the cartoon above, I have seen marriages where the man thinks he is the boss. His wife is the peon slave. Not so ! When God said that he will make a "helpmeet for Adam" He meant a helper fit for Adam. Someone to walk by him and help him. A tyrant boss is hard to help. If you are in a marriage like that, pray for your husband. Do not pray with the attitude that he needs to change for you, but, rather, that he should change to please to Lord. Ask God to show you how to be the wife he needs to reach him. This will take changing on your part too.

Cheap Dates

2007-11-15T18:55:00.001-08:00

I am playing along with Biblical Womanhood and frugal Friday. I would like to keep this in tune with the purpose of my blog and helping us all be the wife and woman we are to be.

Over the years I have learned ways to have cheap dates with your spouse. I would like to share some of these ideas with you. If there are any men reading this, you can do these too!

I love surprises and I like to have surprises for the ones I love as well. It seems like so many things take so much money and that is discouraging when you are broke or trying to pay things off.

Here are some things I found:

Leave special notes around, in the lunch bag, on the mirror, on the pillow etc. You can make it like a treasure hunt or just do it for fun. It can be hints about the special dinner you are having, whatever, be creative.
Plan a late dinner after the kids are in bed. Make it special with candles, your best dishes etc. It does not matter what you serve, even leftovers or a sandwich. What makes it special is the atmosphere and the kids in bed!
Go for a ride to a close but favorite spot. A park, in town to walk around, some town you have not seen before. I love doing this, I know the gas prices make this not do cheap, but I still love it. I moved to Texas just under two years ago, so there is so much I have not seen. This town for instance. It is a little over an hour away, but so quaint. The store was also the restaurant and a sporting goods place!
Learn a craft or hobby together. You can teach each other something if you each have your own crafty things you do.
Walk around a mall and people watch. Do you know how entertaining that can be?

I am sure you can come up with many more if you think about it. I would also be interested in any ideas you have. Check back at Biblical Womanhood for some more ideas in being frugal.

Love

2007-11-15T17:37:00.000-08:00

"To love ..." We all have our ideas on love. I love my dog. I love Law and Order. I love the ocean. I love my car and I love my kids. I also love my husband. Different loves.

When the Bible speaks of the love between a husband and wife it is an action word. It is not the mushy gushy feeling you have for the person. Emotions and mushy gushies come and go, but love lasts.

When we promise to love we are promising action; nurturing, cherishing, kindness and putting the other one first.

God is love, we love because of God's love. Without Him it is very hard to keep love going. It is hard anyway! I mean, what couple really has perfect harmony with out a lot of effort and prayer?

Rick and I get along well, I prayed much before we ever married so some things just work. However, we both have to overlook faults with the other and do a lot of loving actions. Some may feel this is hypocritical. However, since love is an action, not a feeling, the action will bring about the feelings if it is done with the right attitude.

What happens when you get on edge with each other? What steps can you take to be loving?

Cool off yourself. For me, sometimes the cooling off comes by doing something when I do not want to. If we are of different opinions about something and get into it, sometimes just doing something nice for him or something he has wanted ( like the pants he likes that popped a button the last time he wore it..2 months ago) I will fix the pants, make a special treat etc. I cool off knowing I am doing something for him, and he cools off getting the special treatment. We are then free to talk things over.
Take a walk. If you opt for taking a drive, be sure that you are not so upset that you are not safe on the road. If you drive, get him/her a treat if you can.
Take a shower or bath. Somehow it just relaxes
Do not come at each other with negatives, sarcasm or threats. This will not build love and will destroy what you want as goal, even if at that moment it seems like what you want to do.
Pray! I walk and pray, or do things and pray. It helps me get my perspective back and gives me ideas for showing the love I need to be showing.

Love, it is a beautiful thing. It is a commitment to the other person that you will be there doing for them no matter what. It is a bond. I find love can be so easy, yet there are times when it is stretched. However, if we go into the marriage knowing that it is for life and that the mushy gushy may come and go, since it is not love, love will last. Love is a decision we make and an action we take.

One caution here. If you are being abused or your children are, you need to get out and get help/ I am not saying divorce, I am saying help. We love, but sometimes love needs to make the other person responsible for what they are doing and give them the option to change. This is a hard decision, but out of love you need to do something to make them face up to it. The marriage can go on and be loving if you get help. Abuse is not love, nor is putting up with it dangerously.

You don't need the sugar

2007-11-13T17:53:00.000-08:00

In my previous post I mentioned that when my first husband became diabetic we all ate the way he had to. I used very little sugar and more whole grains. My kids got used to being a fairly sugar free house for many years.

One thing I did do was make everything from scratch. My sweet stuff used applesauce, pineapple or some other crushed fruit. For pancake "syrup" I took fruit that was in fruit juice and put it in the blender. It poured nicely and went on the pancakes, waffles or french toast as good as syrup and tasted better.

For birthday cakes or once in the while cookies I used 1/2 or less of the sugar the recipe called for. Believe it or not, they taste as good or better without all the sugar. I often would use some whole wheat pastry flour also instead of some of the white.

If a member of the family can't have the sugar (or another item) I felt it best to keep the family as close to that diet as we could. One daughter was highly allergic to milk. I made my pancakes etc with a juice instead of milk. The family particularly liked pancakes with orange juice instead of milk.

One does not need to be sick to make the substitutes. Cutting down on sugar is better for all of us, as well as adding more whole grains. Give it a try! It works for me!

Sickness and Health

2007-11-13T16:03:00.000-08:00

Sickness. It comes to all of us at one time or another. Maybe all minor things, injuries, flu's, colds etc. but sooner or later there will be something more than the minor. Old age hits and we slow down even more (at least most of us!).

I have been shocked over the years of the number of marriages that broke up over sickness. Someone comes down with something serious and the spouse takes off, has an affair or just walks out on the sick person. Promises were made, but abandoned because the bad came.

For me, I can speak from experience about sickness. One year after I married my husband became diabetic. It was hard to accept, but once we did we worked together. You see, the sickness is not just one person's problem. Becoming one flesh, means that the spouse's illness becomes your struggle too. For us, we decided that the family was going to eat one meal. I would make his diet and we would eat his diet. For years I did not use more than 5 lbs of sugar in a year, and that was for cookies at Christmas or kids birthday cakes.

Back then you did not have blood tests at home, so you had to watch your urine. The sugar was slow to register, so ups and downs were more unpredictable. I learned how to tell if he was low and to care for it.

In 1995 he had a heart attack at age 46. He lay in the CCU for 3 weeks not knowing if he will make it or not. Our lives really changed at that point. Doctor errors caused his kidneys to stop and his heart to drop down to hardly working. The next 4 years were filled with care giving and the stress of knowing he could drop dead at any moment.

Sickness. It may not come as it did to me, but I can't imagine someone having their spouse walk out on them at that time. My heart was so filled with love and compassion on my husband that being there and being all I could be was not just a matter of a vow, even though that was important, but a matter of love.

Health is easy to take, but when you are committed to your vow and your love, sickness is much easier to handle.

Pray for your commitment to deepen and your love to grow.

God Bless America

2007-11-11T17:00:00.000-08:00

I had written a post on Thank A Soldier. Today is veterans day and I would like us all to remember those who have served and those that have died for us. The following video came to me tonight and I wanted to share it with all of you.

Oh Poor Me

2007-11-09T04:54:00.000-08:00

For "richer or poorer". Do you know what couples fight about the most and split up over? Money. Yup, for some reason so many of us marry with "happily ever after" in our minds and that means no money problems as well.

Not that many years ago people married knowing they would need to struggle. The poorer part was a given. You started out, worked, saved sacrificed for the things you needed and wanted. Nothing was handed to you for the most part, you did not have credit cards to get what you want, you worked and saved and sacrificed. There were not as many divorces back then either.

My husband and I had not money when we married. We married, did without, started out with a chair from here, a part of a sectional for a couch, my old trunk for a coffee table. Our bedroom set was old that was being parted with by a relative. The kitchen table came from somewhere else and some things were even garbage picked from off the street.

We did not have to have the newest nor the best, but felt fortunate to have anything. There was no credit cards to lull us into thinking we could afford anything different.

Our car as was old one that I had bought, from there we went to older that we could dig up and would go. Rarely were we ever broke down on the side of the road and the one time we did have problems were exciting and provided something to laugh at in later years.

Poorer was real.

Richer not even imaginable. However, to us it did come when my husband got a good job while in seminary. We actually made over 6,000 that year (1974). (Man we were rich!)

Today people thing they need to start out with it all, they already have credit card debt entering a marriage and then they add more. No wonder the marriage has a struggle. You can't go on accumulating debt and feeling rich when you are actually in way over your heads. Marriages split, or are miserable to say the least.

My suggestion is to sell, get rid of, pare down and pay off with what you make. There are thrift stores, freecycle, sharing in giving and other places to find used and cheap furniture and items.

Be frugal, do not let money come between you and your spouse. Live cheap and expect the poorer. For some frugal ideas check out Biblical Womanhood. She has a lot of her own plus other people list theirs on Frugal Friday.

Today I ask you

2007-11-06T18:48:00.000-08:00

Works for me Wednesday over at Rocks In My Dryer is having a backwards day. Instead of me telling you what works for me, I am asking you for some help.

As you can tell with this blog I am trying to help us work towards becoming the woman of God we were meant to be; the mothering God's way and being the wife that is all God wanted. Some of you may have read From My Heart in my other blog, this blog is a result of that burden.

I do not claim to have the answers, but I will work on getting them if I do not. Believing the older Christian women are to teach the younger, as in Titus 3:5, I am trying to fulfill this command.

I need some basis to go with and want to ask you what questions you have, problems you have or concerns in life as a mother and wife. Read Titus 3:5 on the sidebar, what are the things that give you the most trouble in doing? (There are 7 listed) Are there any other questions about family, womanhood, being a wife that you have?

You may answer anonymous if you want, I am looking for help as to what problems, questions or struggles you are having.

Thank you!

For more normal Works For Me questions go back to Rocks In My Dryer!

For Better or Worse

2007-11-06T05:27:00.001-08:00

Wow, here it is Tuesday already and I am behind in my posting. I seem to be having a lot of "One of those weeks" lately. How about you? Seems things just are too busy, stressed, plans made and then you can't follow through because of the fires that pop up and need to be cared for immediately. They can sure put a stress on your life, marriage and family.

Our vows say "for better or worse". DO you sometimes feel the worse out weighs the better? It may not even be a problem between you and your spouse to begin with, but rather life. Life happens. Plans get all bummed up. The past may come in to haunt us, an accident may happen, sickness, things just unseen ahead of time.

My first husband and I had a good relationship. Great in fact! Yet when we married he was in school and it was rough. I planned on working him through college and seminary before we began our family. HAHA Our first was due on our first anniversary. We had decided I would be a stay at home mom when the children arrived, and now we were being tested. He made $30 a week at a part time job while going to college. I had been supporting us. Ut oh, some "worse" was happening! We kept with our decision and trusted the Lord. He supplied in ways I never thought possible.

By the time seminary was over we had 4 children, no money but God had cared for us. We did not live on welfare, yet had our needs supplied. However, we had also gone through sickness where he lost a year of seminary, layoff at his job and had no income till he found another and numerous other "worse".

I could go on as to the "worse" we had to deal with over the years until his death, but it was a lot of sticking to the vows and not to feelings.

I am now remarried and there are different kinds of things to deal with. To me living in Texas is a "worse". I am away from family, it is not very pretty, there are rattlesnakes and all kinds of things that bite or stick you. (On the other hand no snow to deal with!). I have a husband that had been married before and divorced. He has his past and it is now part of me to deal with. Some of the worse most would think. I have to deal with an ex on a weekly basis. Our plans get interrupted because of his past family. (Lest you think he has young children, he does not, they are all married and have families). We still have to deal with it as well as other things. He came with baggage, I come with baggage and this is part of the worse.

Finances, living conditions, anger, loss of job, loss of a child, many things come under the worse banner. I also find the "worse" is different for different people. You may love Texas with it's rattlesnakes and heat, for you that may be a better, for me it is a worse.

One thing I want to say, and I know many may not agree, part of the worse that you are vowing to should not be abuse. Today there is so much abuse. Maybe it has not changed, we are just more open to talk about it, but I believe it is more. Drugs, drinking, selfcenteredness and sin in general has made abuse so common. Having your life in danger by a spouse is not part of the vow. I believe it calls for a separation and counseling if the spouse is willing to go, or you go alone if not. If your life is in danger, get out. If your kids are being abused, get out.

Better or Worse. We all want the better and dream of the better, but every life has it's worse times too. Plan on it coming.

One thing to those who are not married yet. I watch some of the court shows on TV. I have them going while I am doing things. Not sure why I do, maybe because I find it so hard to believe that there are people out there like the ones on these shows, yet they are real people. In my mind crazy much of the time, but real. There are a couple of these judges that really impress me. One professes his Christianity without shame. I enjoy him, as he can be really harsh, but usually tries to be fair. Another one is divorce court. I do not sit in front of this taking in everything, however, that judge is so concerned about these people and seems so wise.

She made a statement to a couple that only dated about a week before marrying. Her warning and advice was to all those thinking of marriage. She said : Make a list of your prospective spouse and write down 10 things you do not like about that person.

I thought that she was being strange at first, but then listened. She said if you do not know 10 thinks that are negatives you do not know them well enough to marry. Everyone has 10 negatives... at least.

Then look at your list. Can you live with those negatives? Be they personal, his/her family, his/her habits etc. Can you live with them if they NEVER improve?

For better or worse. Believe me, the worse will come. Stick with your vows and turn the worse into something to bring you closer to each other.

Time with your kids

2007-11-02T17:36:00.001-07:00

One thing I love is cheap stuff for the grandkids to do. Right now the granddaughter I watch is too young for this, but when I had the older ones it was a favorite.

Coloring pages! Just like a coloring book, but you can find just the one you want and print it out and they can have fun coloring. I think there is as much pleasure in picking out the picture and there is in the coloring.

Since I think a parent, grandparent or guardian should spend as much time as possible with the children I had as much fun helping them find pictures as they did finding them.

I want to share with you some of my favorite places for digging up coloring pages.

There are more, and a few you need to pay for, one of which is The Coloring Book Pages

The internet holds so many things for you to do with your child. Coloring pages are fun and we are never too old to color!

Spend time with your children and grandchildren. Love is an action, and they learn it by us spending time with them.

For other frugal ideas for your home, check out Biblical Womanhood.

Wedded

2007-11-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

We looked at the vow we make at our wedding ceremony in a previous post and today I would like to look at some of the promises we made when we were making that vow. Wedded husband, wedded wife. I thought about this and wondered why we say that, of course we are marrying them and this is a wedding, seems so obvious to me. I looked up the etymology of the word "wedded". Here is what I found:
Wedded:

Middle English wedden, from Old English weddian; akin to Middle High German wetten to pledge, Old English wedd pledge, Old High German wetti, Gothic wadi, Latin vad-, vas bail, security.
Pledge seemed obvious, but Bail? Security? What is bail? Again I went to the dictionary and found out it is

to remove from danger or harm "the government bailed out the savings and loan industry".

In marrying someone and pledging our vow to be their wedded husband or wedded wife we are also saying we are their bail, their safety net. I must admit there is much security in having someone going through life with you. When you are down, usually they are there to help you up, and vice versa. We are pledging our support, our becoming one with this other person and to be there for them no matter what happens.

Wedded, even the word itself says a lot about the strength of the vow we are making.

Next we see : to have and to hold from this day forward.

Have.I have a computer, I have a pen, I have a husband. But wait! It is more than that. Again, I consulted Mr. Webster:

a: to hold or maintain as a possession, privilege, or entitlement
b: to hold in one's use, service, regard, or at one's disposal
c: to hold, include, or contain as a part or whole

Simple word like have, and look what is involved! We are vowing that we are their possession and they are ours, we will be at their disposal and they at ours. YIKES! What are we getting ourselves into?
Wait! it gets better, we not only say "have" but we say "and to hold"

Hold:
a: to have possession or ownership of or have at one's disposal
b: to have as a privilege or position of responsibility
c: to have as a mark of distinction

There are some of the same ideas with have and hold, but one is reinforcing the other in the strength of the pledge.

I want to say something here, to have at ones possession or disposal does not allow for abuse, but rather a unity. We will look at more of the pledge and especially of love itself in a future post, but I do not want anyone to think that because your husband or wife made a pledge of marriage to you that you have the right to be bossy or abusive (physically or emotionally).

It is a marriage, a becoming one flesh as God put it, a unity. I am hoping that we can all strive for that unity, a God centered marriage and family.

Showing Love

2007-10-31T06:47:00.000-07:00

On Wednesdays I am going to be offering some ideas that work for me in my marriage, relationship with kids or Spiritually. I am hoping that they will be of some use to some of you where you are in your life. Rocks in My Dryer has a Works for Me Wednesday and there are many ideas for doing all kinds of things, so when you are done here hop on over there for some other ideas. Since my blog is about the command in Titus 3:5, I want to keep my thoughts on this line.

I love to please my husband. I am not saying I give up all of me just to make him happy. I have opinions, I have wants, I have my unwritten "honey do" list. (Note I said unwritten. We will discuss that later.) Even when I do not feel it, I show him love. I have found it is usually the little things that mean so much.

his favorite sandwiches, even if I do not like them and eat something else.
encouraging him when he wants to try something, especially if is does not cost much. My husband loves books and studying. When we make a trip to Austin he likes to stop at as many half price books as he can, as well as the thrift shop book sections. I love thrift shops, so they are no problem at all, and I like books, but not as much as he does. I do not complain about the book stores, and he lets me have all the time I need in the thrift shops and fabric or hobby stores.
"Can I get you a drink" while he is watching TV or on the computer.
Make the bed. For my husband this was a real treat and now he makes it if I do not get it done in the morning.

Know what small things make him happy, and do them. It shows love even if you do not feel it, makes him know you are there for him and it has it's own rewards (eventually for some) for you.

Oh , Yes, the unwritten "honey do" list. Most men cringe at seeing this list on the frig, mirror in the bathroom etc. Or even knowing that every day they are off you have planned. They need down time the same as you. I have my list, but I ask him for the important thing at a time after he has had his down time, ask for him to see when he could do it and if he thinks it is a good idea. Usually after we talk, he knows it needs to be done and will find the time to do it. Not always in MY time frame (in fact almost never in MY time frame), but it gets done... eventually!

Mistakes Christians Make in Love

2007-10-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

Last night I was laying there awake at 3 AM. I had a dream that woke me and then I dozed off and had another dream on the same line as the first. Something out of the ordinary, nothing I was thinking about at bed. By now I was more awake. When this happens I pray and think. Last night God brought to mind a fellow blogger that is currently going through something I experienced and know too well how she feels. I prayed for her for some time, then my mind went to some other thoughts.

As I laid there thinking about something that was brought to my attention this week I realized that it is something that I need to discuss here.

Christians are getting very caught up in what the world says instead of what God says. One of the biggest areas I see is with the family, with love, and with commitment. Remember the little ditty sung by school kids: "first comes love, next comes marriage then comes _____ with a baby carriage"? Today it is all messed up. I think there are many out there that have never heard that because it has long since been considered out dated. However, it is not out dated with God. God still has those priorities. He calls sex outside of marriage "adultery, fornication and whoremonging". Living together before marriage, sex with someone not your spouse and a same sex relationship are all out of God's will and commands. We can't expect His blessing.

Today we see all of these among Christians who claim to be following the Lord. If you are really a born again Christian and are in one of these relationships you will, sooner or later, be chastised by the Lord. Unhappiness, guilt ( the biggie that comes out in different ways) or an uneasiness. If it is an extra marital affair you can be sure that if they cheated with you they will cheat on you at some point.

My heart has gone out to couples who love the Lord and are caught up in these types of relationship or lifestyle. This week someone we know has had their partner walk out. The hurt is there. With no marriage bond, she just left him with no recourse.

Another place Christians get caught up is in marrying the wrong person. In Corinthians it says to not be equally yoked with unbelievers. How many ignore that command? They think it will work, they think they can change him or her and win them for the Lord. It is a command, DON'T Do It! Yet we think we know more than God.

Ever see oxen pulling a wagon or plow? They pick two about the same size, even strength or else the cart or plow will go in circles.
A Christian and a non-Christian have two different goals, two different destinations. The Christian: living for the Lord and heaven, the non-Christian: living for self and hell. It is like a tug of war game each one having different goals and destination.

Again, you can't change your spouse, only God can. Disobedience will not bring blessing.

If you are a Born again Christian, God has a lifestyle for you. Vows, proper steps and blessing are all part of it.

My New Template

2007-10-28T16:35:00.000-07:00

I have changed my template. I guess I did not need to tell you regulars that, you have eyes. I have wanted a 3 column one and have been slow about adding things to the sidebars since you sometimes lose them when you change templates.

My original was made by Gisele Jaquenod and I loved it, but wanted three columns. I tried to do it myself, but things would not line up, so I then asked her if she could do it. She has been most gracious to me and tried. It was not working out, but she made this one with a garden theme and I like it. No, it is not the pink one, but it is cute anyway and I thank her so much. If you have a blog and want to see some cute templates try her site. She has other things there as well.

Thanks Gis!

Marriage Vows

2007-10-25T20:40:00.000-07:00

When I married the vows I made were as follows:

My Husband said:

"I, Rick,
Take you, Peggie,
To be my wedded wife;
To have and to hold,
From this day forward,
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love and to honor,
'Till death do us part."

My response was:

"I, Peggie,
Take you, Rick,
To be my wedded husband;
To have and to hold,
From this day forward,
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love, honor and obey,
'Till death do us part."

I am sure in some way or other your vows were similar. Yet how many of us will sometimes, even secretly, think of breaking those vows. I mean "till death do us part" is a long time! For better or worse, wow!

I want to look at our vows over the next few posts. See what is really in a marriage vow. Today I want to look at what a vow is, since we make one when we marry we need to know what we made or are going to make.

Merriam Webster defines a vow as:

a solemn[serious] promise or assertion; specifically : one by which a person is bound to an act, service, or condition. (brackets mine from his synonym for solemn)

When we make a vow it is not to be done lightly. It is a binding to act, binding to a condition (marriage) and binding to a person (our spouse). The Bible says our word should be truth, and that our vows should be kept.

Today too many people do not take their vows seriously. We have disposable marriages. Statistics are not good for people getting married today (and progressively worse for 2nd, 3rd etc marriages) as they do not understand or want to go into it knowing it is something till death do us part. Is your word worth anything? Do you mean what you say? Have you thought through what you did the day you married?

Take a look at your vows, if you are married. If you are not, really contemplate those vows before you step into a life long relationship. Remember, you make those pledges before people. sometimes many people, but more importantly you make them before God. You will need to answer to Him someday for the vows you have made.

The Perfect Husband

2007-10-23T18:47:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I just like to throw in a laugh or two. I received this link and want to share it with you. We would all love the perfect husband, well here he is!

Works for me! Enjoy!

Seven Characteristics of a God Honoring Wife

2007-10-22T20:38:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking of this blog off and on all day. I guess I was really thinking of the verse from Titus 3:5; "Let the older women teach the younger women to love their husbands, love their children, be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored".

Teach the younger women to:

love their husbands
love their children
be sensible
be pure
be workers at home
be kind
be subject to their own husbands

This brings to my mind my marriage, my children and my life. I asked myself what was the hardest parts of this for me to fill myself? How do I fulfill these areas? What am I still working on? (Hint: ALL of it!)

Having been a pastor's wife for almost 30 years I am very aware of the marriages that are falling apart, kids that are left without a mom and dad in the same home and how promiscuity has become the way of life for many. While I know there are many young women out there who are working on their marriages and being the wife they are to be, we see wives who are not subject to their own husbands and are so independent and self-centered that they put only themselves first.

Where are you in all of this?

My next post will be taking a look at your marriage vows.

My name is Peggie, and I am older

2007-10-21T20:26:00.000-07:00

Growing older has been tough for me. I have never wanted to tell my age, avoid it at all costs. It is like my weight, who wants to tell people they weigh more than they should? I don't! Nor do I want to tell people I am getting older.

Funny huh? We are all getting older, but I try to hide it. I get along great with people much younger than me and most people think I am in their age range. Most of the time I get away with it. Today at church I was point blank asked my age. I was horrified! I stumbled around, tried to avoid it by being funny (at least trying) and they would not let me, they had the nerve to push the issue. How dare they!

Finally I said it, I am 59. It sounded so old! Then they would not believe me. I told them I for sure was and they were sure I was not and was just telling them that since they pushed. I convinced them when I finally said "If I was going to lie about it I would go the other way".

Well, my name is Peggie and I am 59. There it is out for the whole world to see.

However, I realized that being 59 qualifies me to be the older woman that is to teach the younger women. It is a command. It is also something that has been on my heart, but for so long I have not been able to admit I am older.

I hope to be able to write on topics that have to do with the verse Titus 3:5, the things older women are to teach younger women. I will have my email address on the sidebar and well as an IM for you to talk to me when I am online. Please feel free to ask questions and I will do my best to answer both personally and in the blog.

I hope we can grow together, to be the woman of God we are meant to be.