Packing and unpacking have kind of been put on hold this week. I’ve been working on a ‘surprise’ for my DIL’s baby shower this weekend. Hopefully it will be finished tonight. My housework has gotten behind a bit and there are still a lot of boxes I need to go through but the anticipation of seeing the joy on her face will be worth it all. Housework is very faithful! Have you ever noticed that? It faithfully waits for you no matter how long you take.

I did find some time to hang my ‘winter clothesline’. Actually, it will be a summer & winter clothesline. When we moved to the city my hubbins asked that I not put a tacky clothesline in the backyard. Hump! Tacky? I guess I’m a true country girl (or just an okie at heart) because I love to see a clothesline with laundry hanging on it. But, I deferred to my sweetie pie and asked if I could hang one in the garage instead and one discreetly hung high at the top of our patio and he agreed. 

Line drying my clothes is one area that I can see a noticeable difference in my electric bill.

I bought a metal chain to hang inside my garage. I saw the chain used on Becky’s website and liked the idea

because you can use clothes hangers in each loop so all your clothes don’t slide into the middle of the line.

I used a large screw-in-hook on both sides of the garage to attach the chain making sure I screwed it into a stud. (I love my Studfinder). 

 

I also hung my ‘Amish sock hanger thingy bob’ on the chain.    I can easily hang a ton of socks, wash clothes and napkins on it without taking up a bunch of room on the clothesline. (See all the STUFF I still need to sort through behind the clothes? It’s going to take a few more months to assign everything a place. I already have a few more piles to take to the Goodwill).

My husband did allow me to hang a ‘subtle’ line between two pillars on our back porch. It’s up high next to the roof so it’s not noticeable. I hung some sheets on it today and he didn’t mind. They were dry in less than an hour.

 

You can find more Frugal Tips at Biblical Womanhood.

I remember as a young child… possibly third or fourth grade….. being so paralyzed by fear that I’d lay awake at night for hours tormented by every noise I’d hear. The nighttime news was just the fuel my already fearful and anxious heart needed to kindle a pattern that would follow me well into my adult years.

I’d lie there, in my clean warm bed for hours, worrying and fretting over every unfamiliar sound and finally when I could not bare it any longer I would cry out for mother. She would rush in to comfort me the best she could but she was never able to teach me how to free myself from those anxious thoughts. For the next night I would be back to my ‘watch’ over each sound I heard in our home until I finally fell asleep from pure exhaustion.

One would think that these fears would have left when I accepted Christ as my Savior. But, I continued to wrestle with them for many, many years after the Lord saved me. I was never taught how to take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ and His Word until years later.

At one point in our marriage my husband had to work out of town. The fears increased when he was gone for a week at a time. Finally, one night the Lord spoke to me through His Word and for the first time my heart was at peace.

Here is the scripture He gave ..

Unless the LORD watches over the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain. Ps 127:1

 

 This is what His Word impressed on my soul…

… The watchman (that was ME) could stay awake listening all night but it would be in vain if the Lord was not already watching (protecting) the city (my home).

What broke through to my understanding was this… Why are you staying up watching and listening when the LORD is already watching over your home? He never sleeps. He never slumbers.

I had to ask myself … ‘Do you trust God to keep ‘watch’ over your home? If so, then act like it by going to sleep and trust Him to not let down His watch or His guard.’

I began to memorize that verse and repeat it anytime I was fearful. I’d quote it and then ask the Lord to increase my faith as I put my trust in God to watch over the house while I was sleeping. Later in verse two it says…

… for he gives his beloved sleep!

And He did!

I love this old Wesley hymn…

 TO the hills I lift mine eyes (Ps. 121)

 TO the hills I lift mine eyes,
The everlasting hills;
Streaming thence in fresh supplies,
My soul the Spirit feels.
Will he not his help afford?
Help, while yet I ask, is given:
God comes down; the God and Lord
That made both earth and heaven.

Faithful soul, pray always; pray,
And still in God confide;
He thy feeble steps shall stay,
Nor suffer thee to slide:
Lean on thy Redeemer’s breast;
He thy quiet spirit keeps;
Rest in him, securely rest;
Thy watchman never sleeps.

Neither sin, nor earth, nor hell
Thy Keeper can surprise;
Careless slumbers cannot steal
On his all-seeing eyes;
He is Israel’s sure defence;
Israel all his care shall prove,
Kept by watchful providence,
And ever-waking love.

See the Lord, thy Keeper, stand
Omnipotently near!
Lo! he holds thee by thy hand,
And banishes thy fear;
Shadows with his wings thy head;
Guards from all impending harms:

Round thee and beneath are spread
The everlasting arms.

Christ shall bless thy going out,
Shall bless thy coming in;
Kindly compass thee about,
Till thou art saved from sin;
Like thy spotless Master, thou,
Filled with wisdom, love, and power,
Holy, pure, and perfect, now,
Henceforth, and evermore.

(from Hymns of John Wesley, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database

Copyright © 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

 

I’ve been in my new place long enough to begin noticing the natural cleaning rhythm of this home. Every home has one. It begins surfacing within a week or two. A homemaker begins to notice how quickly furniture collects dust, how often the floors need to be mopped and so on.

I thought living in the city would mean less housework but with 6 extra people (Son, DIL and 4 grandchildren) living in our home things get dirty much faster than it did when it was just Bapa and I. So, today I sat down and started making up housekeeping schedule for my daughter-in-love and I.

My DIL and I have had quite a few talks about scheduling. She was raised in a home where they did their major housecleaning one day a week because her mother had a fulltime job. Scheduling seems very foreign to her. I remember the first time I left her a note she kind of raised her eyebrow.  Poor dear. I am trying to be gentle with her! She is such a good sport! 

I wasn’t always FOR scheduling. For years I cleaned my home according to my emotions. If I FELT like cleaning… I cleaned. If I didn’t FEEL like cleaning then I didn’t. The only thing that changed ‘my schedule’ was if I knew company was coming and then it was a mad dash to try and get things looking halfway clean. Cleaning by my emotions caused a lot of stress in my life and those in my family.

 My habits didn’t change over night (and I still have a long way to go). I just worked on one area at a time.  Once that goal became a habit then I’d work on the next poor habit and so on. I read once to hook up a habit you’re wanting to develop with one that was already developed. I remember making it my goal to not leave my bedroom until my bed was made and everything was straightened. Since I already spent time in the morning getting dressed I just hooked that new habit with an old one and practiced it until it became second nature.

I have several TOOLS that really help me keep on track.

1. Weekly Housekeeping Schedule: I post this on the fridge. I list what needs to be done WEEKLY . For instance, I do FLYLADY’S Houseblessing on Mondays, Wednesday is errand day, Friday is always yard day and wash the car day, etc.


2. Planner: I list projects, appointments, honey-do’s in this planner. I purchased it through an office supply store. It’s called At-A-Glance. It has large spots for each day of the week to write so there is lots of room for long lists.  

I was so undisciplined when I first started using Planners that it took quite a few years to develop a habit of continually using it for my daily checklist. I’m so glad the Lord helped me develop this habit because it’s been a life saver more than once. I’ll oftentimes take it to town on errand day. It helps me remember everything I need to do while I’m out.

FLYLADY has also been another one of the great tools the Lord has brought my way to teach me how to keep my home in ’ministry’ condition. My goal is not perfection but to have things neat enough that if company drops by I won’t embarrass them or my family but can focus on ministering instead.

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

The topic of organizational ideas is fresh on my mind since most of my days lately consist of organizing the MOUNTAIN of STUFF I moved recently. So, I thought I would share a few ways I’ve learned to save money on organizational items for drawers and closets. I  save money by using different size boxes.

Here are a few boxes I like to save for an inexpensive organizer:

* VELVEETA BOXES: You know.. the sturdy cardboard kind. I don’t buy the cheese very often but when I do I save those cartons because they are a perfect fit for my drawers. I’ve used them to hold everything from rubber bands to paper clips to makeup. Currently, I have one holding rubber bands in my desk drawer and another one (picture below) holding air freshener cartridges on a shelf in the garage. They are not ‘pretty’ so you can always cover them with shelf paper but I never do except sometimes to line the bottom on the inside so that I can wash it with a damp cloth if it gets dirty.

 << This box replaces

this item at your Dollar Store.>>

* CHECKBOOK BOXES: I keep both the top and bottom of these boxes so that they will be sturdy.

* AVON BOXES: (If you know someone who sells Avon ask them to save their boxes that the products are shipped in). If you have a lot of space above the top shelf in your closet you can turn the box on it’s side and not only use the inside of the box to arrange items but the top ledge, too. This would replace those small plastic wire shelves that are so pricey!

So, that is my frugal tip for the day!

Be sure to check out Biblical Womanhood for more frugal tips. (Her website is under construction so I’m not sure if she is going to post today).

 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.Prov 31:26

What a challenge it can be at times to open ones mouth AND teach with kindness.. especially when it comes to our own family. The ‘opening the mouth’ part comes easy but to do it with wisdom and to teach with kindness is the tricky part.

Last week I took a couple small truckloads of STUFF to my daughters for a garage sale. One of our customers was this sweet, kind older woman.  One thing led to another in our conversation and she ended up sharing with me that she had lived with her daughter for over 20 years. I guess the daughter had moved in with her when she was in her 20′s and ended up staying after she married and even raised her children in her mother’s home.

I asked the mother how that had worked for her and she said GREAT! I asked what her secret was and she said she never interfered in her daughter’s life. I thought to myself.. ‘what a long, long time to not interfere’. 

I ‘chewed’ on her words quite a bit since that day.  I’ve had all my children, and their families, back under my roof (or on my property) at one time or another since they left home. So, there have been LOTS of opportunities to ‘open my mouth’. I’ve often searched God’s Word to try and understand ‘when’ and ‘if’ I am even instructed to do so. I filtered this precious older woman’s words through as many scriptures as I could recall and have come to the conclusion, again, that God has not called me to ALWAYS keep my mouth shut, even though at times it would be the easy thing to do. The scripture above is only one of many that confirms it! The Proverbs 31 woman OPENED her mouth with wisdom and taught with kindness.

Here are just a few commands where I would need to

OPEN MY MOUTH with wisdom:

* Admonish the disorderly (1 Thess. 5:14)

* Encourage the fainthearted (1 Thess. 5:14)

God’s Word instructs me HOW to speak:

* Let my speech be gracious and seasoned with salt (Col. 4:6)

* Avoid quarreling (Titus 3:2)

* Quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger (James 1:19)

God instructs me WHO to speak to and who NOT to speak to:

* Don’t speak to a fool ( Pr. 23:9)

* Don’t reprove a scoffer (Pr. 9:8)

* Do teach the younger women to love their husband, children, etc. (Titus 2)

Proverbs 31:26  instructs me to open my mouth with wisdom. That means I must know God’s Word for it alone can make me wise. If I don’t know His word then I can cause a lot of damage in OPENING MY MOUTH by becoming a busybody in my children’s lives! (1 Timothy 5:13)

 I’m continually seeking God and His wisdom to know not only HOW to speak but also WHEN!  I try very hard to ‘pick my battles’ and to not be continually finding fault. My desire is to spend more time in prayer and hopeful watching for the Holy Spirit to move in that child’s life than to always be pointing out a fault. Yet, there will be those times where the Lord will expect me to OPEN MY MOUTH in wisdom and TEACH in kindness.

Even if we have a grown child (grandchild, in-love) who won’t ‘hear’ our instruction, though given in kindness, we have a duty to continue to pray for them in that area.

Have you gals had any experience in this area or found any great counsel from God’s Word on if/when/how to open your mouth to your children and even your husband? I still have a lot to learn in this area.


 

 

Frugal living oftentimes reminds me of dieting. For me personally, there always comes that time when you go OFF THE DIET. Well, that’s where I am right now! OFF my frugal diet!

Thus OUR MOVE!

My hubby and I were on a very STRICT DIET of pinching pennies over the past two years with very few times of going off our budget. THEN… the MOVE CAME! Of course.. there seemed to be a million and one things we THOUGHT we needed. I can’t even count how many times I’ve been to Walmart over the past week and a half just to pick up one small item (but somehow more items seem to JUMP in my cart) that would make organizing easier or cleaning easier. Not to mention the few LARGE items we thought we couldn’t live without.

Today, as I was back at Walmart, I suddenly realized I was on the ‘binge’ part of the frugal diet. That is the part where you’ve restricted yourself for so long that you decide to ‘treat’ yourself to ‘just one goodie’. Suddenly, you feel as if you’re on a roll and can’t stop yourself.   

Why does this seem to happen to some of us in this generation? Did it happen to women in previous generations? I love to learn from older women in their 70′s,80′s and 90′s. Most of the women I know personally, who came out of the great depression, do not ‘binge’. I’ve oftentimes wondered what the difference is between their thought patterns and mine. The only thing I can figure out is that they have come to that heart change where they have learned to be content with what they have. Or possibly they have reaped the consequences from ‘binging’ in the past and don’t want to repeat the same problem.  I also think they may be more ‘future orientated’. They won’t eat up their ‘seed’ today because they know they might need to ‘harvest’ it down the road. (or as the old saying goes… they are saving their pennies for a rainy day!)

I guess I’m not completely there yet but I pray that God will continue to work His will in my life. I truly need His grace to continue changing me in this area.

So, there is no frugal tip for today! Only a BIG CONFESSION!

So… back to tightening up that belt!

* Be sure to check out REAL frugal tips at  Biblical Womanhood.

God has been continuing to expand my understanding, over this past year, of what it means to be a ‘keeper at home’. For years I had understood the passage in Titus 2 regarding ‘a keeper at home’ to only mean ‘one who kept house’ in a domestic sense. A beloved one began showing me that the term ‘a keeper at home’ meant much more than just cleaning house. A keeper at home also involves guarding the home.

CLICK HERE for a short but very good study on the word ‘keeper at home’.

We have a few examples of guards in our time. The one I like to think of is a security guard at a banking institution. Their job is to protect valuable assets inside those walls. I’ve watched them make their rounds as they continually watch who is coming in and out of the building. They watch the cars that drive by and are acutely aware of any activity that might be a threat to the safety of the bank.  They know that danger can be lurking outside the walls, and sometimes inside, too. So, they are diligent to not let their guard down.

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A ‘GUARD OF YOUR HOME’

The example is very much the same when it comes to guarding our homes. We’re to stand, in a sense, at the portal of our homes guarding the influences that come in. We’re to keep alert to any danger that could cause harm to our children or our husband. This is a woman’s ‘POST’. She is not to leave it. This involves time.. mental and physical time. How long would a guard keep his job if he showed up at the business he is to be guarding just a few hours a day and left his shift unattended the majority of the time?

 Each season of a marriage has it’s own temptations. When a woman is young and training her family there is a temptation to be so caught up in her children that she neglects the needs of her husband. Once the children have left home you would think that things would get easier but I haven’t found that to be true. The number of loved ones in my family has more than doubled in the past 10 years. That means more relationships to tend to. If I do not make a concentrated effort to keep my marriage relationship number one then it can very easily slip through the cracks of busyness with household duties and service to others in my family and in the church.

The book of Proverbs is full of warnings about the woman who is waiting at her door to seduce another woman’s husband. She entices him by her speech and the way she is dressed. We have a responsibility to guard and protect our husband’s from this temptation. We need the Lord’s wisdom as we watch over and guard our homes and the heart’s of our husbands.

CONCENTRATE ON YOUR HUSBAND

One way that I am being reminded to ‘guard my home’ is to make a concentrated effort to spend focused time on him each day. It’s so easy to become busy with all the affairs of my household. There is always something that needs to be done.  If a wife has a ‘good’ husband who does not complain she can easily allow him to slip on her list of priorities. I’m being reminded again that I must make a conscience choice to keep my husband NUMBER ONE.

Some areas I am working on …

1.  Physical touch… MORE kissing, hand holding, sitting next to him

2.  Listening to him when he talks (I mean REALLY listening)

3.  Making HIS INTERESTS my interests. (I’m reading more about politics and the conservative viewpoints so that we can have more conversations about this since this is one of his passions)

4.  Putting him first above everyone else.. (right now I am working on answering his phone calls quickly.. even if I’m on the phone with someone else)

5.  Have dinner made and as many dishes washed as possible so that I can make clean up easy so that I can spend more ‘one on one’ time with him in the evenings.

I’m continuing to pray for the Lord’s wisdom in this area as He continues to teach me all that is involved in ‘guarding and keeping my home’.

What has the Lord taught you in this area of ‘guarding your home’? Is this the first time you’ve heard it taught this way?                                                                                                            

 

 I still can’t believe we’ve finally moved! Every once in a while my husband and I will look at each other and say… ‘Guess what?’ … and the other’s reply will be…. ‘WE’RE MOVED!’

The move came during the middle of the week so we lost a lot of our helpers. But, God provided! We were blessed to have my pastor, nephew and a friend’s employee help with the move. My pastor’s wife came and helped me line shelves and Mama came to help me get things settled. We thank God for His provision.

 Most of the furniture in my rooms are settled into their prospective places. New shelf paper is on the shelves of my kitchen and bathroom cabinets and all my items are settled in those particular rooms. My home was not cluttered but it was twice the size of the one we just moved into so there is a lot of stuff I’m needing to get rid of.  I have a nice LARGE pile waiting to be hauled to a garage sale this week at my daughters.  I hope to NEVER move this much STUFF again so I’m trying to be ruthless in what I let go of.

A million thanks to each one of you who prayed for us these past few years.

*~*~*

The following day after our move into our new home our 10th grandchild was born. (We thanked God many times that He waited until we were officially moved before He allowed him his grand entrance into this world).   This was the first grandchild that I was able to watch being born. What a privilege. He is named after his daddy and my husband. A third generation. He is the best little guy. We hardly hear a ‘peep’ out of him except for just before nursing and then there is a lot of squirming and grunting  !  

Mama’s blood pressure went way too high and so they kept her in the hospital another day. Their little family is still living with us at this point but thankfully my son has found a job and is working. We’re all getting settling into our new home and back into our old routines.

Waiting.. waiting.. waiting…

Finally….! While the nurses and Daddy were attending to the Mama I was asked to hold Mr. Cutie Pie.

 Thank you, Lord, for a safe delivery and healthy baby!

In acceptance lieth peace,
O my heart be still;
Let thy restless worries cease
And accept His will.
Though this test be not thy choice,
It is His—therefore rejoice.

In His plan there cannot be
Aught to make thee sad:
If this is His choice for thee,
Take it and be glad.
Make from it some lovely thing
To the glory of thy King.

Cease from sighs and murmuring,
Sing His loving grace,
This thing means thy furthering
To a wealthy place.
From thy fears He’ll give release,
In acceptance lieth peace.

—Hannah Hurnard