This is my 10 year old son, Jacob. I’m finding that he is *Very* handy to have around the house…he’s my exclusive clothespin technician at the moment.
In my recent “line drying” adventures, I’m learning that there are rules to hanging laundry, systems to hang it efficiently and that, as in all things, “cheaper is not necessarily better”. For clothespins, this is definitely true. We’ve upgraded to a stronger pin because you have to use more of the others to hang the same amount of clothes. Now, I’m sure this is not news to people who have grown up doing this but for me, it was hard to believe that you could actually have a true difference in quality between clothespin brands! (Or, maybe, we’re just really hard on the clothespins!) Hmmmm….
Today, we have been hanging laundry, working in the yard, and getting ready to put more squash in the freezer. Matthew’s birthday is this week, so, we are also trying to finish up a surprise birthday present (a quilted birthday gift, if you know what I mean!) before Sunday. I’m not sure if I’ll have it finished in time or not, but I’m going to give it my best shot. This is something that he’s requested for quite some time so it would really please me to be able to finish in time.
We’ve had a good week so far…nothing really exciting going on just the same things. I really enjoy weeks like this. It’s so nice to not feel rushed and just be able to enjoy my family and all the blessings in my life. It seems that when I have too much going on these are the moments that get left behind. The sad part is, these are the ones that will create the best memories…I don’t think that another meeting, another game or another outing will mean nearly as much as time spent together laughing and having fun.
Prayer Requests
For our family as we begin to make a running list of (1)Hope Chest items that we would like to have prepared for our children and (2)and organized list of “life skills” we want to make sure that they know. It’s a big job!
My hubby who is ever working toward our goal of leaving a legacy for our children. It looks like the business plan that he has been working on for a month is almost finished (hopefully, tonight!). It is the first in some pretty big steps for our company.
Tanya has been on my mind this morning. Please pray for her day and that she would feel God’s presence all around her today.
The Henry family. I’m not even sure what to pray specifically here…but please pray for God’s touch in each of their lives this week.
Today, I’m Thankful For
My new Penzey’s spice blends that have been ordered and are on their way! (If you’ve never tried these…visit www.Penzeys.com . It would be hard to find this kind of quality and taste anywhere else! You can turn a dish, even on the most frugal budget into something fabulous!! YUM!)
The new plants…carrots and 2 types of lettuce planted in the square foot garden yesterday.
Some of Jacob’s sunflowers are as tall as I am now! (I’ll post a picture next week!)
More squash for the freezer!
An encouraging note from Lynda this morning. “Thank you, Lord, for this lovely woman. Please put your hand on her today and show her exactly where you would have her concentrate her efforts so that she might glorify You. In Your Name, Amen.”
Tracy’s Task
Have you checked your air filter lately? Remember one of the basic building blocks for good health is the air you breathe. Check to make sure that the air your family is breathing is being filtered properly.
What I’m Learning
We get away from it from time to time but I still think that the best way to pay bills and get out of debt is to live on a budget. The easiest way to do this, is to print out an online calendar and write out the bills due that need to come from every paycheck (don’t forget your tithe!). This should give you an easy view of how much money you have left for groceries, gifts, etc. I actually write in these additional items on the calendar next to my list of bills so I can easily and quickly see where almost every penny is spent.
Emma is in one of my favorite baby ages. She is just old enough to have figured out how to pull up on the side of her bed but not quite old enough to have figured out how to sit herself back down! She’s so sweet when I hear her calling for me from her bed and I walk in to see her look of relief knowing that I’m going to help her get down. How sweet babies are!!
If you have a large family, SAM’s has an unbelievable selection of catering items that might be useful in your kitchen. This last weekend, we purchased the largest stainless steel mixing bowl I’ve ever seen for under $20!
Today’s Scripture Meditation
My heart is sad today. I’ve spent the last couple of days thinking over my weekend. We were out at the mall purchasing clothes for Matthew’s birthday and I realized that everywhere I looked I saw parts of people that really shouldn’t be seen. I won’t elaborate too much except to say that there is one store, it looked like a new cosmetic store of some sort, that actually has a thick bordered print of photos of nude men and women posed just so. You don’t see everything, but you surely see more than enough! Walking through the mall, there were women of all ages, older women, younger grown women, teenagers and worst of all…somehow it’s become “cute” to dress little girls in the skimpiest of clothing. I was so grieved to see these women giving so much of themselves away.
I know that there are so many standards of dress out there, but surely there has to be some line in the sand.
This aside, I just felt really sad. There are so many women who are cheapening who they are and what they are by what they are wearing.
There are so many women, even Christian women who are totally disregarding Scriptures that tell us:
Matthew 5:28
“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
Romans 14:13
“Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”
Romans 14:21
“It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.”
It’s been shocking to see things on women in public that I can remember being underclothing when I was growing up (which regardless of what my 8 year old thinks, was not that long ago!). People are becoming more and more desensitized to the things around them….it’s a shame that even in church, many pastors won’t speak out on this issue concerning people sitting in their very pews!!
Why would we dress in a way that would make someone stumble? Why would we dress ourselves in a way that would cheapen who we are?
Food for thought:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Some questions to ponder…
When you decide what you are going to wear for the day who are you dressing for? Are you looking for the approval or attention of those around you or are you trying to glorify God?
Today, please take time to stop and pray over how the Lord would have you dress.
As always, I’ve enjoyed this time….
Until tomorrow,
